HALCYON DRIFT have shared the music video for "Weight of Pain," their second single and a tribute to former bandmate Diego Bussières. Available to watch and listen to now, the song also provides the emotional conclusion to the central storyline of the Ottawa metalcore band’s forthcoming debut album, The Only Place That's Ever Felt Like Home.
For scream vocalist Matt Zephyr, the song connects the new project to Below Bloodshed, the teenage band he played in more than a decade ago with guitarist Matt Pilon and drummer Bussières. Bussières died in 2020. Four years later, returning to those early musical ideas helped spark HALCYON DRIFT.
"Matt and I wanted to get together again to finish what we started. That's when we wrote 'Weight of Pain' from the shell of an old song called 'Change Your Fate,' and we dedicated the lyrics to Diego. Upon finishing that song, we realized the project could mean so much more," Zephyr explains.
The lyrics address grief through memories that cannot be revisited and the desire to hold onto good moments. As Zephyr puts it: "Weight of Pain is a song that explores memories you wish you could go back to, as well as loss and the burden of it. It's about wanting to hold on to the good moments while they last and the sadness of the moments you can't go back to."
The single combines metalcore, djent-influenced grooves and cinematic atmosphere. The band describes its musical identity as "balanced, aggressive, beautiful, story-oriented, and complex," pointing to the track’s memorable chorus, fast and chaotic verses, guitar solo and heavy closing section.
That personal subject also intersects with the debut album’s fictional narrative. The Only Place That's Ever Felt Like Home follows John P. Maxim across the Arctic Sea as he attempts to return to the person he loves. Storms, oceans and isolation represent grief, uncertainty, fear and the struggle to preserve identity through adversity. Within that continuous story, "Weight of Pain" connects the protagonist’s journey with the experiences behind the band’s formation.
The release follows debut single "I Made Do," which addressed resilience and perseverance through adversity with a combination of hardcore aggression, djent, hip-hop influences and soaring melodies. "Weight of Pain" brings grief and vulnerability into that developing sound.
Longtime friends Zephyr, Pilon and clean vocalist Guillaume Parisien founded HALCYON DRIFT and spent nearly two years developing the project before its official launch. They completed multiple albums’ worth of material during that period. Rhythm guitarist Mathieu Senneville, drummer Mikey Trottier and bassist Kadeem Pancham subsequently joined the lineup.
The band cites PRESIDENT, Volumes, Issues, Dance Gavin Dance, Architects, Spiritbox and the broader new wave of metalcore among its influences. Its emphasis on narrative also carries into live performances through synchronized lighting, seamless transitions and dynamic stage production.
"The main goal is to take people through a journey. This isn't just background music. It's music where you can picture what's happening when you close your eyes," says Zephyr.
