Music videos can be their own artistic pieces in themselves. It is one way of representing the visual ideas of the music artist in less than five minutes. When the video is made of a mixed media of live action, claymation, and special efforts combined with a catchy beat, it’s something that should be shared.
““The fire was a reminder of how horrifying life can be,”- Aaron Bruno (AWOLNATION)
AWOLNATION’s newly released music video, “Slam (Angel Minors)” is one song from from the upcoming album, ANGEL MINERS & THE LIGHTNING RIDERS. The song is one more element in the journey between fame and doubt that Aaron Bruno, songwriter, has been dealing with. It is also a conceptual album born from dealing with with the tragedy of the 2018 Woolsey Fire that ravaged through most of Malibu, California and destroyed homes and livelihoods. Bruno’s home was able to survive the fire but he did loose his home studio. The studio was decades accumulation of art, inspiration, and gear that helped lead to his 2011 hit, “Sail.” For the upcoming album, he pretty went back to basics as with most artists. He used his bedroom and living room space to create his music. Unlike most artists, he was able to enlist several high profile musical friends, such as Rivers Cuomo from Weezer to help lay out some tracks.
The music video for”Slam (Angel Minors)” is a battle between two groups. It is a battle that represents that paranoia and anxiety from the pressures of being the “best.” Both groups are references from a previous music video which is also called “The Best.” Both videos tie in together with similar concepts but different visually.
The ones with the white hoodies and stick masks are the “Lightening Riders.” Aaron Bruno was inspired by his audience creating a lighter/cameraphone during live shows. This created a “lightning wave” and became a metaphor for Bruno. “I realized we were the Lightning Riders riding the lightning wave,” he laughs.“ That was a little bit of hope, positivist and community that I felt in the heaviest, scariest, darkest moment of my life.”
The dark cyclops beings are the Angel Miners and reflects the paranoia and doubt. A line in the song: ““there’s always someone looking over you” adds to the whole panic and tension of the setting.
Just as you can see from the model represented in the cover art, the song and album are about duality. The duality of wanted to do best but having so much doubt to do so.
“Any given day I feel one way or the other….The whole album is about flitting between those two states of mind.”
– Aaron Bruno (AWOLNATION)
The video begins with the Angel Miners waking up to giddily creating the disasters of fires and volcano. They are the ones creating and coaxing the fear and doubt from the uprooting of peace. They are so proud of their work as evidenced by the rock wall of framed disasters. They come head to head with Lightning Riders and a battle occurs. At the end, no one is the victor as both sides continually chase and fight one another.
It is an entertaining video with it’s cartoonish and wacky fight scenes. It is like watching the panels of a comic book come to life with the 2D background and theatrical movement. Bruno even comes in with a palm full of fire with his face painted half blue. The video is completely with it’s action packed fight/dances as it mingles with monster models and art.
ANGEL MINERS & THE LIGHTNING RIDERS is out April 24, 2020
