Arizona-based rock band Thoughts Within have released a brand new video for their second single “The Person I Am”, featuring fan-submitted stories surrounding mental illness. “The Person I Am” is the follow up to the band’s debut single “Strangers”, which was released in March of 2020.

“The Person I Am” takes a stronger active rock-influence than their debut single “Strangers”, which leaned heavier into metalcore and screaming. Throughout the entirety of the song, the band utilizes ominous electronics, reminiscent of something you would hear on Linkin Park’s debut album Hybrid Theory, setting an eerie tone right from the start. There is an excellent balance of triumphant moments, where the instrumentals flourish, and drawn back moments, where the vocals take center-stage and let the message of the song shine through.

Lyrically, “The Person I Am” deals with the topic of mental illness. “The main theme of “The Person I Am” is the daily battle with mental illness that I face,” said vocalist Vincent Wilson. “It talks about the internal struggle I have of not liking feeling down, but also seeming to refuse help whenever it’s possible. The chorus speaks on that; it’s essentially saying that people are trying to change me, but this is who I am, and it’s my own battle to fight.” Thoughts Within have done a great job of putting those feelings into the lyrical content of the song, making it easy for anyone struggling with a similar situation to connect with.

For the music video, the band wanted to try something different. “We reached out to our fanbase and had them send in videos talking about their battles or showing positive reinforcement.” Wilson continues, “Never did we think we’d receive as many as we did, or did we ever expect to receive videos from around the world. The song may seem hopeless, but the video is hopeful, so it’s a pretty cool balancing act.” Ending with a simple message of “You are not alone”, Thoughts Within have carried this message throughout the whole campaign.

With only having released two singles to date, Thoughts Within have established themselves in the scene as a promising up-and-coming act, sure to be found on the SiriusXM Octane charts in no time. While there is no official word on any upcoming projects, be sure to stay on the lookout for what’s to come from these guys.