Up and Comers Music

There are many different ways of coping with the threats building up against humanity these days, from climate chaos to war to the rise of artificial intelligence. For some, coping involves complete disconnection from the news, electronic devices, and anything else that reminds them of disaster. For others, digging in is the way. In Stephen Wicks’ “The Doomsday Clock (85 Seconds to Midnight)”, hard-hitting classic rock is the artist’s way of probing into the anxiety surrounding us all who pay attention to what’s happening in the world. 

Wicks cultivates anxiety around global disasters in his music and turns it into something musically epic (whether that achieves something other than simply ramping up anxiety is something we’ll discuss further down). A thumping, Iron Maiden-esque bass line carries the low end of the track, while roaring distorted guitars carry the mids. The lead vocals are thick and baritone, delivered in a haunting manner. Falsetto harmonies in the choruses are mixed in a big hall reverb style, giving them an eerie and unsettling feel. The lyrics jump around various themes of global disaster, from out-of-control carbon emissions to nuclear war.

Does Wicks’ dark composition only further our anxiety or does it achieve something perhaps more productive? I would argue for a little bit of both here. On one hand, the instrumentation, lyrics and musical choices of the track at times feel like they just drum up more feelings of dread and fear around global disasters. He’s really digging in here, and he’s not necessarily offering us a solution. On the other hand, for those who aren’t necessarily as acutely aware of the threats we face, the song could serve as the perfect wake up call. Many of us roam around in our bubbles without confronting the realities of the world, and a hard hitting rock track about the imminence of those realities might just be the perfect antidote to complacency. 

What do you think? Does music like Wicks’ Doomsday Clock play an important role of calling people to action?

Stream the song and give us your take in the comments. Check out the rest of Wicks’ catalogue while you’re at it and follow on social media to stay up to date on new releases.

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