Last year, UNFD signed Seattle-based band Avoid to their label. They released their single “Burn” with the announcement. Avoid are back to kick off 2025 with their second single on the label, “If It Hurts”, accompanied by a visualizer video.
The video kicks off with the lyrics scrolling across the screen as video footage of a highway flickers on and off the screen. The song kicks in with a toned down Scholl singing beneath some slightly distorted guitars underneath. As the first verse kicks in, the drums start up and the song takes on a new form. It’s no longer quiet, it’s full, in your face loud, just like Avoid. In the visualizer, the audience is shown a man standing in a park as the lyrics continue to appear on the screen.
The only subject in the video, other than the cars on the highway, is a singular man. He is seen in several locations, the park mentioned above, the liquor store, and walking down a street. The emphasis is that he is always alone. It definitely helps send the message that Avoid is trying to drive home with this song.
In the bridge, Scholl screams “I just want to drown myself” with the corresponding video showing an image of an arm floating in a pool. As the visualizer closes and the song ends, that same image is shown again, leaving the viewer with an unsettling feeling about what happened to the man in the beginning. It’s some strong symbolism for letting go.
“Honestly, I think the song was really healing for all of us," explains singer Benny Scholl. "It's about accepting the past, whether it be good or bad, and moving forward, and we couldn't be more stoked with how it turned out.”"
This song can only be described as classic Avoid. Once the riffs kick in, you know you’re in for a treat. Scholl’s vocals kick in, and it’s not like his usual screaming. There’s more of a melodic tone to the song to emphasize the break up anthem he’s trying to convey.
Coming in at just under three minutes, this song packs a punch. It drives home a strong message with strong riffs to bring home the emphasis. If “Burn” and “If It Hurts” are just two of the singles coming from Avoid’s album, I have a feeling their fans are in for a real treat.
Avoid are set to kick off a tour across North America this spring, supporting Thornhill.
Currently hard at work on their new album, set to drop in 2025 via UNFD, AVOID are ready to take things to the next level. Their upcoming release promises to deliver the same infectious energy and artistic flair that fans have come to love, while reminding us to have fun along the way.
AVOID ARE:
Benny Scholl — Vocals
Nick Olson — Guitar
Chris Echols — Guitar
Paul Jaton — Drums
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