Last week, Los Angeles based, melodic punk quartet Grave Secrets dropped their latest single, the aptly titled ‘Anxious’. It’s frenetic and in-your-face and catchy, but it does have one glaring flaw: it simply doesn’t last long enough.

And yet somehow, they pack a lot into a mere two minutes. Right out of the gate, the stage is set for a raucous, punk infused journey, the video depicting lead singer/guitarist Viny Morales taking an ax to a wall with beat one - honestly, anxiety has never sounded so fun. It’s message is summarized succinctly in the chorus with a simple yell: ‘I’m way too anxious!’ they declare, atop a well-written guitar lead. It’s not hard to imagine that crowds will be chanting alongside the band with their fists in the air during this one.

Lyrically, the song takes a personal, albeit relatable, trip through struggles with mental health. Morales notes, “[The song] is about the feelings we all face from time to time, and more specifically, something I wrote as a testament to how I've felt ever since I can remember. I found nicotine (unfortunately) at a pretty young age, and I bite my nails like a weirdo quite often. So that's where the lyrics came from.”

The whole thing wraps up with a breakdown (metaphorically aligned with a mental one?), equipped with an effective time signature change, and you can’t help wanting one more run through the chorus just to scream along with the band. But hey - there’s nothing wrong with leaving your audience wanting more.

‘Anxious’ is an encouraging sign of things to come from Grave Secrets and their debut record on Wiretap Records, due out later this year. If the single is any indication, we’re going to need to find a volume knob that goes all the way to 11 stat.

‘Anxious’ was recorded and produced by Alex Estrada (Joyce Manor & Touche Amore) at his Pale Moon Ranch studio. You can find the song on all major streaming platforms.