It might seem like Florida metalcore act Afterlife have been a bit quiet during the pandemic, but that's about to change. The heavy Hopeless Records outfit returns this week with "Burn It Down," a powerful new tune that takes its fiery rage from deep within the heart of the COVID-19 crisis.

And that fury is illustrated with actual fire in the video that accompanies the track. In the clip, the band — vocalist Tyler Levenson, guitarist Andrew McGuire, drummer Luke Walkinshaw and bassist Tristan Edwards — perform the song amid some dazzling pyrotechnics.

Watch the video down toward the bottom of this post.

Levenson explains that "Burn It Down" was written when the band was "many months into the global pandemic, which personally resulted in a lot of anger and frustration with how things were being handled in not only our country but around the world."

The reality for the musician and his bandmates meant that "writing and recording music in a time where there is this looming sense of fear and uncertainty put me in a place where I've never been before mentally. And at that time, I felt very hopeless and as if my 'world' was on fire. So I wanted the song to feel very empowering and anthemic in tone to counter how I was feeling, which resulted in the lyrics, 'You bring the match / I'll bring the gas / Together we'll burn it / And live among the ash' and 'When push comes to shove / You gave us no choice,' to really visualize that we've had enough and it's time for change."

Before that, Afterlife released the song "Wasting Time" in 2020. At that point, the single was the first new stuff from the group since their 2019 debut Breaking Point, an album that drew kind comparisons to big nu-metal names such as Linkin Park and Slipknot.

But Levenson and his crew have come a long way — each successive release is a creative step forward. In "Burn It Down," frustration and resolve forge a promise the band uses as a sonic beacon to reach listeners. Undoubtedly, Afterlife aren't the only ones who want a change.

"I'm sure many others feel the same exact way as we do," Levenson adds.

"Burn It Down" is now available to download and stream.

Afterlife, "Burn It Down"

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