Artist: Joykill Collective

Single: Battle Cry

The tormented angst and concerns of every generation are often believed to be influenced by media figures who are feeding their ideas to their fans through their personal corrupt sense of propaganda. But often times those powerful public personalities, notably such dominant artists as musicians, are only showcasing the injustices of everyday life in relatable society through their work. One of the latest bands to be emphasizing those inequalities is the UK’s alt rock band Joykill Collective, who infused their latest single, ‘Battle Cry,’ with their left wing political message.

Influenced in part by the music of other popular rock bands as the Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains and Sound Garden, Joykill Collective is a distinctive music collective of artists, including musicians, writers, poets and filmmakers. The group joined vocalist and guitarist Leif, who started his quest of discussing politics in his music as a solo artist, to bring their politically-charged battle cries to the world.

‘Battle Cry’ is a perfect example of musicians encouraging their listeners to use their voices to stand up for what they believe in, and fight back against the injustices that plague their lives. Beginning with soothing guitars before entrancingly incorporating alt rock percussion, the song powerfully delves into Leif’s dominant lyrics, as he states that the song is their battle cry. The singer intensely invites their listeners to come dance with the defeated, as they all feel manipulated by the media and government.

While Leif’s vocals are at times overpowered by the band’s instruments, the track still captivatingly upholds the message that the world’s leaders are successfully exploiting the people they serve. In order to protect their freedoms, Joyfill Collective is encouraging the world to stand up against their feelings of defeat.

‘Battle Cry’ is a compelling and persuasive song that intriguingly compels the public not to subject themselves into being a passively tolerant society. The alt rock UK band has achieved its goal of reminding people that even just a decade ago, few would have imagined that the influence that governments of leading first-world countries have over their citizens would change so drastically in such a short amount of time. Leif and the group’s instrumentalists have powerfully encouraged their listeners to defend the concept of an open society to their leaders.

Listen to, and watch the video for, ‘Battle Cry’ below. For more information on Joyfill Collective, visit the band’s Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud and Bandcamp pages.

Written by: Karen Benardello