Night Wilds – “Heartland” [Song Review]

Progressive alt-rock outfit Night Wilds releases the new single, “Heartland,” a track from the band’s upcoming album, All That Should Have Been, which will be released in the spring of 2024. When the album ultimately drops, it will comprise 17 tracks.

An epic rock opera, All That Should Have Been, narrates the life of a young boy forced to perform in a circus, while the latest single, “Heartland,” is a melodic tribute to the enchantment and untamed spirit of childhood.

Talking about the album, singer-songwriter/guitarist Seth Micarelli says, “For my whole life, I have been searching for that magic pill to make everything feel better. This album is about making sense of that void.”

Cathartic and healing, All That Should Have Been crosses over the line of entertainment and enters the realm of epiphany, where the protagonist seeks to make sense of life. Having listened to the full album, we can report that Micarelli pulls the ambitious project off with dazzling aplomb.

Vaguely reminiscent of Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen merged with Queensrÿche, “Heartland” rolls out on autumnal guitars topped by Micarelli’s evocative voice, drenched in nostalgic passion. It’s a voice that conjures up suggestions of Springsteen because of its phrasing and vulnerability. Flat, deep, thumping percussion infuses the rhythm with a heavy, tribal-like feeling as the harmonics build in intensity.

Night Wilds, photo courtest of Night Wilds

Wonderfully assembled, “Heartland” reveals the susceptible, complex interaction between interior emotions and the exterior world.

Run Time: 4:49
Release Date: December 1, 2023
Record Label: Independent