More than 20 years after the band's debut, Shinedown's message of inclusion has never wavered.
Mental health has been a focus of the band's messaging over the last decade-plus, with frontman Brent Smith chronicling his sobriety and bassist/producer Eric Bass disclosing his lifelong battle with depression.
Smith recently joined Q104.3 New York's Out of the Box with Jonathan Clarke to discuss the band's uplifting single "A Symptom of Being Human," from the Planet Zero album.
"The focus of the song really is the dynamic of we're all a work in progress, so in 'Symptom,' and these lyrics came pretty quickly... It all means that in this lifespan ... you're allowed to have as many human moments as you need," Smith explains.
"So you're always going to evolve. 'Symptom' was really a song about letting the world know that we all do share the human condition, we're all connected to one another, but it's okay as you evolve to feel differently at different times in your life. But there's nothing wrong with you. ...I think the worst thing you could do is be quiet; you should always ask for help if you need it."
Last year, Shinedown raised thousands of dollars for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Smith says it all serves a larger goal of letting people know that they don't have to feel stuck.
"The world can be a really beautiful place, but it can also be really devastating and hard to navigate," he says.
Watch the full conversation via the player above!
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Check out the official music video for "A Symptom of Being Human":