From Rock Bottom to Sobriety; Checkmate's "325" Dives Deep in Addiction

Addiction is a very scary and complicated disease. What is first seen as a helpful coping mechanism quickly turns into a devastating condition that ravages people's body, mind, and lives.

With a quivering voice that resembles that of Conor Oberst and heavy guitar riffs similar to Touchè Amore, Billy Beitz and Checkmate attempt to describe a life torn apart by opiates in their new track "325.”

"'325' is very personal to me," said guitarist/vocalist Billy Beitz. "I used to be addicted to opiates and hurt a lot of people that were close to me during that time. That's something I can't take back, but have been working on myself and have been sober for a year."

Each lyric and instrumental piece of the track is a carefully curated story of how Billy's brain worked while he was actively addicted. From the lyrics "it's easier to die, and I know that it's wrong but it feels so right," to the guitar breakdown in the middle that could be interpreted as spiral towards rockbottom, "325" hits all the darkest moments.

"As of today, I've been sober from alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics for a complete year. Mentally, I’m still not near where I want to be. but I want to try to show people that there is freedom away from addiction and healthy ways to deal with these emotions."

"No one has to feel alone. You can be anything you want to be."