Australian band ReeToxA are no strangers to writing brutally honest and personal lyrics, but “HMAS CERBERUS” is a particularly deep cut. Lead singer Jason McKee served for 10 years in the Navy, and this song is about the sustained mental damage even after all these years, and how alcohol was a way to cope with the PTSD. A way to “Fly Away” as he puts it into lyrics.
The song was inspired by a moment in a Melbourne beer garden where McKee saw four seasons in one day and reflected on his alcohol use and PTSD, realizing he never saw that kind of weather change during his time in the Navy because of constant travel. Musically, ReeToxA blends their 90s Oz rock roots with modern alternative and grunge elements, creating something that sits in that space between heavy and accessible. The track shifts dynamics like their previous work “Alcohol” did, but here it’s less chaos and more introspection. Instead of representing the uncontrollable nature of drinking, it mirrors the fractured mental state that comes from years of service and the aftermath. The production balances the brutality with enough melody that you can still move to it, which is a difficult line to walk.
ReeToxA is tackling subject matter that doesn’t get enough airtime in rock music. PTSD and alcohol abuse in the defense force a real issues, and “HMAS CERBERUS” doesn’t shy away from it. This is ReeToxA at their most vulnerable and most necessary. It’s deep, it’s honest, and it demands to be heard. The track is available across all platforms, with physical media on vinyl and CD through Bandcamp.
