B-Side Guys

Some songs don’t ask for your attention – they demand it. Summer of Peril’s “Remington,” the second track from their debut record, arrives with the weight of a confession and the urgency of a cry for help. The Fort Collins quartet has crafted a haunting exploration of mental health struggles that proves alternative rock can still serve as a vital medium for processing life’s heaviest moments.

From its opening notes, guitarist Jacob Spriesch and vocalist Alex Forbes establish an atmosphere of mounting tension that mirrors the track’s themes of internal struggle. The interplay between Spriesch’s lead work and Forbes’ rhythm guitar creates a sonic landscape that feels both claustrophobic and expansive – much like the mental state the lyrics describe. Matt Lopez’s bass work provides more than just foundation; it acts as an emotional undertow, pulling listeners deeper into the narrative.

The song’s structure is particularly effective, with Zach Aedo’s drums marking time like a quickening pulse. The verses build with the inevitability of intrusive thoughts, while the choruses crash with the force of long-suppressed emotions finally breaking through. Forbes delivers each line with a rawness that suggests these words weren’t so much written as excavated from personal experience.

What’s most striking about “Remington” is how it manages to address its themes without exploitation or glorification. The band’s arrangement choices consistently serve the narrative, with dynamic shifts that mirror the song’s emotional arc. When Forbes delivers the gut-punch opening lines “I bought a gun, mom hid the shells / I found the key,” the sparse arrangement amplifies their impact, before building to the full band’s cathartic release.

Summer of Peril has crafted something both brave and necessary here: a musical document that gives voice to internal battles through lines like “I found some pills, I’m nervous again / I miss the thrill, baby where have you been.” Their unflinching honesty, particularly in the repeated refrain “She knows I’m not well,” creates moments of connection that could serve as lifelines for listeners fighting similar battles. Their debut album’s second track suggests this Colorado band understands both the power and responsibility that comes with addressing such weighty themes through their art.