What’s the trick to successfully melding different genres together, no matter how big or small the differences between them are? Some would say the trick is to blur the lines and make those differences as indistinguishable as possible.
Michael Henss, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer based out of New Haven, CT, aka HEELE attempts just that with his latest single “Still Intact.” And makes it, as if he has a rich musical catalog behind him.
Though, Henss has delivered an EP and a previous single before “Still Intact,” but he handles this dark, guitar-driven alt-rock ― that ranges between industrial tones and good, melodic hooks, with melted-down metal tendencies ― with a deft hand that leaves those lines more blurred than meets the ear.
Yet, it is the lyrics to Henss’ childhood memories that give additional dark overtones to this song.
Blurred faces inside my home
I’ve got to confront them while I atone
It’s just a walk through my awkward past
And all those days spent feeling
I was less than last
So goes Henss here, with his guitars and a very good melodic line adding to the strength of the song. “The inspiration for this song came from a long-lost home video of my early childhood. Lyrically, I’ve tried to reconcile the emotions that it conjured up within me while watching it for the first time.”
And that is exactly the feeling he is able to conjure with “Still Intact.”
