Long Beach’s Freezemachine are not just another heavy alternative rock band – they’re an emotional reckoning in sound. Spearheaded by frontman Jordan Schmidt, the group has carved out a distinct identity by fusing Nu Metal, Post-Punk, and Shoegaze into a whirlwind of texture and emotion. Their latest single, “New Life,” is a declaration of resilience – a soaring anthem of self-renewal that captures both the chaos and the catharsis of starting over when life feels like it’s collapsing in on itself.
At first listen, “New Life” feels like a punch to the chest – a wall of overdriven guitars slamming against driving percussion, while Schmidt’s vocals cut through the haze like a flare in the dark. Yet beneath the aggression, there’s something profoundly melodic, even tender. The balance between ferocity and fragility is where Freezemachine truly shine. Their sound doesn’t just aim to impress – it envelops, confronts, and ultimately liberates.
From the opening riff, “New Life” establishes its own terrain: a space where raw emotion meets studio precision. Schmidt’s guitar tone leans toward the gritty underbelly of Deftones and Spiritbox, while the melodic layering and atmospheric reverb nod subtly to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Yet, Freezemachine never drown in nostalgia – their sonic fingerprint is fiercely modern, full of contrast and momentum.
Working alongside Drew Kapner, the Grammy-nominated producer known for shaping the sounds of Twenty One Pilots and At The Drive-In, Freezemachine have achieved a remarkable equilibrium between weight and clarity in their songs. Every element – the churning low-end, the crystalline vocal lines, the moments of silence between the storms – feels deliberate. The final mastering by Mike Bozzi (whose credits include Linkin Park and Kendrick Lamar) injects that last crucial layer of radio polish without sacrificing the raw intensity that defines the band.
The result is a set of tracks that can easily sit beside modern rock heavyweights, yet still feels deeply personal and underground in spirit. “Radio-ready” doesn’t mean sanitized here – it means accessible without dilution, inviting the listener to feel everything at once.
What makes “New Life” so compelling is how it transforms vulnerability into power. Schmidt’s lyrics read like fragments of a diary written in the aftermath of emotional upheaval. He opens with the line “Adolescence feeling born again / So let’s play pretend” – a jarring juxtaposition that sets the tone for the entire song. There’s an almost childlike yearning for a do-over, for purity amid the wreckage of adulthood.
When he sings “Believe in all the lessons locked inside my head”, the listener senses the weight of lived experience – those invisible scars that shape our perception. Yet there’s also defiance: “Just as good as dead / To see red.” Anger and despair blur together, becoming the fuel for transformation. It’s not resignation; it’s ignition.
The recurring refrain “Chasing it down / I tasted gold / Far away from now / I hope it holds” operates as the song’s emotional axis. That “gold” could symbolize fleeting success, happiness, or even clarity – the moments when everything makes sense, if only for an instant. Schmidt doesn’t claim victory; he acknowledges the fragility of it. The hope that “it holds” feels painfully human, as though he’s aware that balance, once found, can slip away at any second.
By the time the chorus erupts with “Cause it’s a brand new life,” the phrase becomes less of a statement and more of a mantra. The repetition feels ritualistic, almost like self-hypnosis – a desperate, deliberate affirmation of survival. Schmidt’s delivery teeters between grit and grace, his voice stretching from melodic clarity to harsh anthemic power, as if embodying the duality of despair and determination.
The song’s second verse digs deeper into the psychology of failure and reconstruction: “Architecture of a broken plan / Who’s not a broken man.” It’s a moment of raw self-awareness, both confessional and universal. In a world obsessed with perfection, Schmidt reminds us that everyone is fractured in their own way – that brokenness is not the end of the story but the beginning of something new.
The following line, “Increasing all the pressures of uncharted lands,” expands the metaphor into a journey. Schmidt captures the feeling of navigating through mental health struggles – ADHD, anxiety, and the unpredictable terrain of human emotion – as if exploring a new planet without a map. The image is vivid and vulnerable, perfectly aligning with Freezemachine’s ethos of confronting inner turmoil head-on rather than hiding it.
Jordan Schmidt’s openness about mental health isn’t performative – it’s central to Freezemachine’s identity. The project itself was born from his determination to transform personal struggles into art that heals. Through his music, he has built a platform not only for self-expression but for solidarity. Freezemachine stands as an outlet for those fighting invisible battles – a community that says, “You are not alone.”
In a world where too many suffer in silence, that message resonates deeply. The band’s sound, simultaneously crushing and cathartic, mirrors the dual nature of mental health itself: the storm and the calm, the noise and the silence, the collapse and the rebirth.
With previous singles like “Edge of a Knife,” “Thought You Knew,” “Give Up The Ghost,” and “It’s All Over,” Freezemachine have proven their ability to blend emotional storytelling with uncompromising heaviness. But “New Life” feels like a step forward – a maturation of their sound and their message. It’s more focused, more anthemic, and more accessible without losing its grit.
Each release cements Freezemachine’s place within a new wave of rock artists who aren’t afraid to blur genres or confront uncomfortable truths. They carry the DNA of their influences – Deftones, Nirvana, Jimmy Eat World -but channel it into something unmistakably their own.
In the end, “New Life” is not just a song – it’s a statement of intent. It’s the sound of catharsis, of a mind untangling itself through distortion and melody. It’s about acknowledging the wreckage and finding beauty in rebuilding from it.
Freezemachine have delivered a track that pulses with the lifeblood of authenticity. Every riff, every lyric, every breath feels like a step toward something brighter. Schmidt doesn’t offer easy answers – just the promise that renewal is possible, even when the odds feel insurmountable.
“New Life” is that rare kind of song that feels both personal and universal, brutal and beautiful – a soundtrack for anyone standing at the edge of their own reinvention, daring to begin again.
OFFICIAL LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Freezemachinemusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Freezemachinemusic
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/freezemachine/1763958861
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4DRfQMDNaWz3Edl6qEUPjb?si=MNYKB3qsQOaFXdf2VkzXdA
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