One of the overarching themes on Sorority Noise’s new album is addiction, and how our vices affect ourselves and everyone around us. “Nolsey” tackles this from a few different angles: there’s the battle between temptation and logic (“barely breathing enemies”), the feeling of self-loathing and worthlessness (“it’s always been my dream to be empty”), and, perhaps most importantly, the immense pressure we put on other people to help us get through it all. The song builds to a celebratory affirmation — “So drain me of the parts that weigh me down, take my skin and tear me up/ Make me out to be stronger than I know” — and undercuts the self-actualization with bitter truth: “I know you’ll never love me/ I pretend that you love me/ You’ll always be the reason I stay clean.” Sometimes the people that we need the most are the ones that we end up alienating forever, and life goes on. Sorority Noise sounds revitalized and optimistic here, but at what cost? Listen below.

Joy, Departed is out 6/16 via Topshelf Records.