It’s time for another selection of the best audio/visual cuts from 2015, a year so rammed with great music that even the most elitist, grumbling metal fan can’t complain. Last week I showed you videos from Ingested, Mastodon and Maruta. A bit of slam, a bit of trip and a bit of grind. This week has another wicked assortment of material and vibes; there’s something for everyone in here, if you don’t like anything here, why are you still here? Hop on over to watch stuff that I think is cool.
Primitive Man – “Loathe” (Marcus Morales, Neil Barrett)
As bleak and unforgiving as it gets, the video for “Loathe” is a perfect fit for the funeral doom and gloom of Primitive Man. If this twelve minute trip through depraved sound wasn’t tough enough to endure, stark images of the toils of addiction will make those minutes drag by even more. Not afraid to linger on each image, the directors put as much effort into making the viewer as uncomfortable as humanly possible. Violent, unflinching and at times hard to watch, this is the sludge/doom video I’ve always wanted. Keeping the band out of this one was a great idea too. Instead, “Loathe” is treated like a PSA or afternoon special, one with substance abuse, violence and a cackling old woman that still haunts my dreams today.
KEN mode – “Blessed” (Christopher Mills)
I love this fucking band. They are so crushing live and really need to be seen to be believed. This particular capture of the Canadian noise merchants is an example of all of the various visual tricks and treats that someone adept at digital film can get up to. There are slow motion crowd shots that synch up with the lurching, swagger of the main riff, intercut with tight, ultra close ups of the band and their abused instruments. Every skin and string can be seen connecting with a stick or pick, making the viewer feel every mighty note. KEN mode always have great videos with cool ideas, but this might be my favourite. It totally captures the feeling of being stuck right at the front of one of their shows. Dripping in sweat, mmm.
Napalm Death – “Smash A Single Digit” (Michael Panduro)
The oligarchs of grindcore released one of the early contenders for album of the year and with it, this sick animated video. In typical Napalm Death fashion, there’s visual metaphors for “the man” literally walking over the slave/worker drones. The video’s basic, line drawing style makes it easy to digest and understand, even when the subject itself is fairly obvious take on an old idea. It makes me smile though, ‘cuz animated Barney is hilarious and makes me want to sing that sweet chorus with him. Unfortunately, this is a really short track so I’m going to have to watch this again and again. And again. You should do the same.
Dead skin masks: 1
Sweaty crowd members: How many Canadians can you fit into one room?
Instances of implied oral sex: 1 (“Blessed” video too sweaty, might be one in there too)
Rancid drugs abused: 3
Minutes of Napalm Death goodness: 2
-MM