Southern New Jersey singer-songwriter Matt DeAngelis tackles the immovable weight of modern existence on his striking new single, “Helpless To The Fire.” An active storm chaser who intimately navigates the internal weather of an anxiety and OCD disorder, DeAngelis has long focused on transmuting dread into tangible hope. This latest track arrives as a sweeping classic rock ballad heavily informed by early David Bowie, building continuously in intensity until it practically spills over the edges of its own mix.
Listen to how the steady, rhythmic pulse anchors a dramatic, soaring vocal contour. DeAngelis layers bright, sustained harmonic progressions with cascading, chiming high frequencies and deeply resonant low-end impacts to craft a cinematic, highly anthemic sonic landscape. Thematically, the narrative wrestles with profound resignation. It documents the specific frustration of trying to communicate deep truths to a society that simply refuses to listen, effectively stripping away our modern reliance on temporary material possessions. Instead, he urges a profound trust in a higher power when staring down overwhelming, unavoidable challenges.
We spend so much of our waking lives frantically trying to govern the uncontrollable. If our treasured possessions eventually cease to exist and our desperate shouting falls on entirely indifferent ears, who exactly are we when the smoke finally clears?
