Sledgehammer

歌曲創作於兩年前 ^[2]  。為了慶祝《星際迷航》系列誕生五十週年，蕾哈娜特地將這首歌曲獻給了《星際迷航》的第十三部電影《星際迷航3：超越星辰》 ^[3]  。蕾哈娜從小就是《星際迷航》的粉絲，對於能為《星際迷航》的電影獻唱主題曲，她感到萬分榮幸 ^[4]  。為配合主題，蕾哈娜甚至特意裝扮出異域色彩濃重的外星人彩妝 ^[5]  。

I hit a wall I never felt so low so low

Like a waterfall my tears dropped to the floor the floor

They left a swimming pool of salted crimes crimes

Oh what could I do to change your mind

Nothing

I'm bracing for the pain and I am letting go

I'm using all my strength to get out of this hole

I hit a wall I thought that I would hurt myself

Oh I was sure your words would leave me unconscious

And on the floor I'd be lying cold lifeless

But I hit a wall I hit 'em all watch the fall

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer

Yeah I hit a wall I prayed that I would make it through make it through

I can't survive a life that's without you that's without you yeah

And I will rise up from the ashes now the ashes now

Oh the sparrow flies with just the crumbs of loving spilled yeah

I was bracing for the pain and then I let it go

I gathered all my strength and I found myself whole

I hit a wall I thought that I would hurt myself

Oh I was sure your words would leave me unconscious

And on the floor I'd be lying cold lifeless

But I hit a wall I hit 'em all watch the fall

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer

You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer ^[6] 

這首歌氣勢磅礴，蕾哈娜也電影《星際迷航3：超越星辰》中跌宕起伏的劇情通過充滿情感的演唱表現了出來 ^[7]  。聽覺方面，歌曲整體走向緩慢而神秘，營造出極致的空靈。宏大場面中藴藏着幾乎炸裂的能力 ^[5]  。

《Sledgehammer》中有最細緻化展示。從開場的靜謐到隨後的爆發，全程鬆弛但不失緊張。聲音處理處於野蠻生長態勢，這是有別於程式化的女聲，跟學院派的精緻相悖，這屬於原始吶喊，所有發聲都是本能迸發。也正是因為如此，這款嗓音跟《星際迷航》配搭，那種未知的感覺完全得到體現。這種異域色彩的“怪”充分滿足獵奇慾望，對於普通聽者而言，領率歌曲就足夠完成奇妙探險旅行。來自上古的原生態聲響出現在現代語境中，這含帶着時光穿梭意味。 ^[5] 

《Sledgehammer》的MV於2016年7月1日釋出，由弗洛里亞·席基斯蒙狄執導，在加州特羅納的尖峯石陣完成拍攝。 ^[8] 

該部MV是全球首部全片採用IMAX攝影機拍攝完成的MV。弗洛里亞·席基斯蒙狄使用ALEXA IMAX攝影機，曾用於拍攝《美國隊長3》中的巔峯對決場景。該攝影機結合IMAX具有專利性的數字原底翻版技術，將以大片質感的頂級視覺和最具IMAX特色的廣闊視野呈現天后蕾哈娜與《星際迷航》的“宇宙級”合作。從MV中可以看出蕾哈娜此次的裝扮與以往有很大的不同，一身紅衣性感又神秘，頗有異域風情。 ^[7]