"HMAS CERBERUS" by ReeToxA is described as a raw, unfiltered-sounding tune that carries hints of 90s Australian rock while straddling a modern punky alternative/grunge tip. It addresses alcohol abuse, mental health, and the long-term ramifications of life in the military.
The song is about an actual experience from Jason McKee's life during his 10 years in the Navy and how it affected him mentally. Rather than fetishizing a story's need to end, "HMAS CERBERUS" is comfortable with the discomfort. It's about how the tide of trauma never really abates, and how its patterns become our habits, and about when we know to look back at it.
That moment of reflection takes place in a beer garden in Melbourne, where the weather changes so quickly that it feels like four seasons in one day. The song begins to take shape in that gap. It's such a tiny sentence, but it conveys so much feeling. The song is just gritty enough while remaining smooth to the ear. You can tap your foot or even dance to it, given its energy and rhythm, but you know what the message is.
This release shows how potent an ingredient honesty can be in rock. ReeToxA is resurrecting an attitude that's about being brave enough to say hard things out loud. "HMAS CERBERUS" is a testament to how music can make you feel both scared and free at the same time.
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