On “close to you,” Avralize take a striking detour from their usual barrage of digital chaos and precision-cut riffage. The German band, known for fusing cybernetic metalcore with crystalline production, tread new ground with a brooding, down-tempo track that feels emotionally naked without ever being melodramatic. Recorded in December 2024 at Ueberlaerm Studios with longtime producer Manuel Renner, the song unfolds like a slow exhale in the middle of a storm—hazily introspective. Lyrically, it grapples with identity loss, mental fragmentation, and a desperate yearning for direction: “The compass broke / The map is torn in two / I’m out in the open / guide me close to you.” Rather than lean into the high-gloss maximalism of their past work, Avralize pull back, crafting space through subtle sound design, minimal percussion, and an undercurrent of tension that never quite releases. Guitarist and Vola Guitars official artist Philipp Tenberken anchors the piece with his distinctive rhythmic thumping and surgical picking patterns, executed through his Vola OZ 7T. Its custom HSS pickup configuration lends itself especially well to the band’s signature fusion of ambient textures and groove-heavy riffing. The song culminates in a fitting guitar solo—expressive and restrained—that adds a final layer of emotional weight without overwhelming the atmosphere.

The lyrics drift between whispered confessions and cries for clarity, circling themes of regret, isolation, and fractured identity. There’s an echo of Linkin Park’s early emotional turmoil in lines like “All my words remain unsaid / Drowning deep down in my own regret,” but Avralize avoid mimicry through sheer atmosphere. The track never offers resolution, instead choosing to inhabit the liminal space between breakdown and breakthrough. The repetition of “I think I could use some help” becomes its own internal loop, mimicking the cyclical nature of anxiety and self-doubt. Despite its different touch, “close to you” doesn’t lose the band’s core DNA. The electronics remain sharp-edged and surgical, but they’re buried under layers of ambient haze. Tenberken’s guitar playing becomes a guide, subtly pushing the song forward while allowing moments of vulnerability to breathe. It’s this balance between restraint and detail that gives “close to you” its emotional heft—and signals the band’s evolution into more nuanced storytelling.

The music video, shot overnight in the abandoned Blautal-Center in Ulm by cinematographer Jakob Hilsenbeck, visually matches the song’s ghost-like quality. Cool color grading and deliberate halation give the footage a dreamy, vintage finish, as if shot on decaying film stock. The building’s emptiness becomes a physical representation of the song’s emotional landscape—wide, echoing, and quietly disorienting. The band appears dressed in throwback streetwear with a nostalgic edge, their stylish, retro-tinged fashion aligning seamlessly with the aesthetic direction. Grainy textures and soft neon hues wash over slow-motion performance shots, further blurring the line between memory and reality. It’s a carefully constructed visual world that feels like wandering through a dream you can’t quite place. The video and song work in tandem to explore themes of emotional drift and disconnection, making “close to you” feel even more resonant. Coming off their recent appearance at Radar Festival in England, Avralize are clearly not content to follow trends—they’re carving out their own space where vulnerability, style, and musical experimentation collide.

We’re stoked to see where Avralize head next—and we’ll definitely be along for the ride!