The best way to overcome fear? Give it a name, and stare it right in the face.

That what Brianna Barnes has decided to do. The folk rock songwriter has battled with fear and anxiety for her entire life, and releases “The Mountain (Ode To Lady Fear)” today to personify this demon, in the hopes that it will encourage others to do the same.

“This song was inspired by a season of fighting a battle with intense anxiety,” Barnes recalled. “Fear has always been a villain in my life — so, I decided to personify her and write a song about the battle.”

Written by Barnes and arranged by James Rushin, “The Mountain (Ode To Lady Fear)” is a gripping and intense song, marked by Barnes’ powerful, pointed vocal delivery and simmering instrumentation. The heat turns up at the 2:10 mark, as Barnes uses vivid imagery to put the listener at the forefront of her battle. Then, the tension boils over with a scorching guitar solo shortly before the three-and-a-half minute mark.

“I wanted to capture that gripping, dark presence that fear can have; the sense of its shadow, personified as a villain, that ‘lassoes your mind,’ getting in the way of whatever mountain is in front of you to climb,” Barnes said. “I don’t believe fear ever really goes away, but I’ve learned how to talk to my fear. How to face her. Sometimes, she wins the battle, and sometimes I win. But, I think the important thing is to keep fighting.”

Here is your soundtrack for that fight. Climb “The Mountain” below!