Hailed as the next big band you haven’t heard yet, Kingston indie rock sextet The Wilderness are set to release their first full-length album Until Tomorrow on August 21st. The 2nd single from the album ‘If I Have To Die’ is out today on all digital platforms, along with the official music video created by Chris Mills of Number Four Films (Modest Mouse, Interpol, Metric).
The Wilderness’ latest single ‘If I Have To Die’ is as much a statement of defiance as it is a response to crisis. It was born from the feeling of powerlessness in the face of the world falling apart, and acknowledges that sometimes the only power we have is to keep ourselves well, and that often, that has to be enough. This song was written before the COVID-19 crisis, but the sentiment carries a certain weight in this era of social isolation as we find ourselves constantly connected through our devices and ever more aware of the systemic failings of the institutions we ought to trust. “‘If I Have To Die’ is a song that I felt I really had to write,” says lead vocalist Jonas Lewis-Anthony. “We started 2020 by being bombarded with what at the time felt like pretty apocalyptic news. It felt like climate change, capitalism, coronavirus and a potential world war three was going to kill us all and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The song acknowledges the world is awful and although it feels like we’re on the precipice of disaster, we can find comfort and peace in and around the people we love.”
Although they all currently reside in Kingston, ON, The Wilderness are a truly international band composed of a Brit, a Frenchman, two Americans, and two Canadians. Formed in 2015, the band have an independently released EP to their credit – Seminary Road (2018) and five singles – “Pick You Up” (2020), “Virginia Sapphire” (2019), “Fall (Despite What You Do)” (2019), “Dancing In The Dive Bars” (2018), and “Hurry Up And Wait” (2018).
‘If I Have To Die’ is available today on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more information, please visit: thewildernessband.com
