In 2023, German genre-fusing visionaries LORD OF THE LOST are jumping from one highlight to the next! The year began with the band’s first-ever #1 debut on the Official German Album Charts with their new album, Blood & Glitter, followed by a nomination for Germany’s Eurovision Song Contest preliminaries. LORD OF THE LOST can be voted to enter the ESC with “Blood & Glitter”HERE! The voting is geo-targeted from Germany and is limited to one vote per device (Mobile Phone, Tablet, Laptop, etc). They played a completely sold-out club tour throughout Germany, and will continue on to support Iron Maiden again on their upcoming European tour. LORD OF THE LOST will also appear at several major festivals throughout Europe through the rest of the year and recently announced further shows.
In addition, the band has just released a fourth video from their successful new album for the song “Absolute Attitude”.
LORD OF THE LOST on “Absolute Attitude”: “As big advocates of the importance of self-irony and as fans of mockumentary or improv formats like The Office, it was time to produce a musical short film in this genre ourselves. Especially for a band like us, with a visually special album like “Blood & Glitter”, in an Instagram filter world, we feel it is important to consciously show courage for ugliness and to put humor above cramped realness. And Gas Lipstick in the role of a drug dealer should be nominated for an Oscar!”
In 2023, German genre-fusing visionaries LORD OF THE LOST are jumping from one highlight to the next!
The year began with the band’s first-ever #1 debut on the Official German Album Charts with their new album, Blood & Glitter, followed by a nomination for Germany’s Eurovision Song Contest preliminaries. Right now, they are on a completely sold out club tour throughout Germany, and will continue on to support Iron Maiden again on their upcoming European tour. LORD OF THE LOST will also appear at several festivals throughout Europe through the rest of the year.
With no time to rest, the band has just released a third music video from their successful new album for the song “Leaving The Planet Earth”.
The video underlines the hefty 80s vibes of the song, showcasing singer Chris Harms in androgynous and extraterrestrial stylings once again.
German genre-fusing dark rock outfit LORD OF THE LOST have been nominated to compete for presenting Germany in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the title track of their recent surprise album release, “Blood & Glitter”, which hit #1 on Official German Album Charts.
Chris Harms on the nomination: “We are a band that has never consciously adapted to anyone or anything. No trend, no scene, no expectation. We have always done what we like ourselves – at all times. That we are now being considered for the biggest music show in the world with our weird genre mix, as authentic and unbowed as we are, is a great honor and we are extremely looking forward to being able to make the ESC pre-selection a little more colorful in many ways. A song like “Blood & Glitter” is very hard for the German TV and radio landscape – it will polarize. And since we love contrasts, it makes it all the more exciting for us. Friends, it’s going to get loud on German television on March 3!”
Genre bending Lord Of The Lost have dropped a new single, ‘The Heartbeat Of The Devil’ originally from their latest album JUDAS (#2 German album charts), and second single from their upcoming EP of the same name, out May 6, 2022 via Napalm Records.
“The Heartbeat Of The Devil” is a 80s pop inspired dark piece of art that hits with its emotional impact created by vocalist’s Chris Harms nostalgic tone and an impeccable instrumentational soundscape.
LORD OF THE LOST on The Heartbeat Of The Devil: “With the pandemic and the unplanned free time – you can spontaneously record three cover versions of songs that move you at the moment. But why these three songs? “Judas” by Lady Gaga should be self-explanatory due to the title overlap with our current album. “Children Of The Damned” is a nod to our summer tour hosts Iron Maiden, who booked us as a support band. And “Wig In A Box”… well, if you don’t know the movie musical ‘Hedwig And The Angry Inch’, you should definitely change that. We saw the movie one day and one of us yelled, ‘let’s cover that song!’ – and as it always is with us, every spontaneous idea is put into action. Or at least it’s tried.”
Pre-orders for ‘The Heartbeat Of The Devil’ are available via the following link.
Today, Lord Of The Lost have released the first cover track from their upcoming EP, ‘The Heartbeat Of The Devil’– a cover of “Judas” by Lady Gaga – an artist that has inspired frontman Chris Harms for years.
LORD OF THE LOST managed to make this song their own while keeping the main structures of the song alive, adding retro synthesizer sounds, double bass passages and a combination of growling screams and clear vocals.
Chris Harms on “Judas”:
“Lady Gaga has caused me many sleepless nights in the past. That’s meant differently than that may sound at first – her songs stay in my head and stick to my heart, as do few other artists. There they remain, for very long. That’s why it is very exciting to me to interpret such a song vocally myself, always knowing that in today’s world, it’s not impossible for the result to be heard by the original artist herself. Sounds a lot like fanboy action – it actually is.”
Check out the cover of ‘Judas’ by Lord Of The Lost below.
As a direct reaction to the war in Ukraine, LORD OF THE LOST set a sign for peace and international understanding with new music. Shortly after the first attacks on Ukrainian targets became known, the band around Chris Harms set out to express their thoughts and feelings through a new song and to make a clear statement for peace. To release the song as soon as possible, the accompanying music video was shot by the band with selfie cams instead of their usual large-scale production.
LORD OF THE LOST on the current conflict and “Not My Enemy”:
“What’s happening in the world right now is not a war of people. It’s a war of the authorities. Civilians of different backgrounds are dying and suffering because of this war – inside Ukraine and outside. No human being chooses before birth within which borders they will be born. No border, which is held, moved or broken by the bloodhounds of the autocrats of this world, is worth that sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers hate each other and that innocent children are born and raised into these paradigms and ideologies. This hatred does not begin in a conflict like this, fueled by censorship, information warfare, and fake news – this hatred begins in the minds of each of us, as well as in the comment columns of increasingly anti-social networks. Especially in days like these, as well as in the years to come, it is even more important to understand that the only thing that separates us is what we allow to happen, yet at the core, everything unites us.
You’re not my enemy, you’re a part of me. You’re not my enemy, wherever you come from, whatever you look like and whatever you believe in. You’re not my enemy!
This song was created as an immediate reaction from us, shortly after the attack on Ukraine. We produced and released it as soon as possible in the hopes that it would touch and make people think. If even one person is reached with it, it was already worth it.”
LORD OF THE LOST once again provides a music video of the utmost quality and direction, arriving just before their upcoming Christmas store livestream on November 18.
Their latest video for “My Constellation” joins a great lineup of impressive videos released by LORD OF THE LOST this year. Foremost among them are the successful videos for “Viva Vendetta“, of which the Hamburg-based band has released in two versions, each with a brand new respective production.
Chris Harms from LORD OF THE LOST about the new video: „This video is so absurd, I can’t even add anything to it.“
LORD OF THE LOST released their new album, JUDAS, on July 2 – subsequently securing the band’s highest ever charting position at #2 on the German album charts. Even after this success, the Hamburg based band isn’t taking a break – following up with their most elaborate music video ever.
“Viva Vendetta” forms the basis of the double bonus album, LOTL+, which was included with some already sold-out physical album formats. LOTL+ consists of 32 versions by befriended bands and artists based on the instrumental tracks from “Viva Vendetta”. None of the artists were privy to the album concept or any further info on JUDAS, resulting in 32 fundamentally different versions.
The video for the album version of “Viva Vendetta” is set in a dark western scenario, in which the band members take on different roles: a blacksmith, a priest, a sheriff, a bartender and a hermit. They are all haunted by a dark entity, already known from the videos for “Priest” and “For They Know Not What They Do”. No matter where we stand in society, we are all equal before higher powers – this message is conveyed in a music video that is over seven minutes long and meets the highest cinematic standards.
Whether the five lonely cowboys in “Viva Vendetta” are cursed and damned by the protagonist, or saved and redeemed, can be interpreted either way in the end. Thus, even a Wild West music short film creates the actually absurd connection to the album concept of the Damnation and Salvation of Judas Iscariot.
LORD OF THE LOST on the new video:
“Even though we managed to transfer the basic theme of our JUDAS concept to the “Viva Vendetta” video, many may still ask what a western has to do with the topic, or us as a band at all. The answer is quite simple: Nothing at all! We just felt like the visual aesthetic of our own little Tarantino fantasy mashup. And that’s exactly what should drive an artist at heart: The desire to create, freed from all boundaries, especially your own.”
On their new offering JUDAS, LORD OF THE LOST draw the listener into a conflict that has lasted for thousands of centuries and is as old as mankind itself: The conflict between good and evil. On JUDAS, LORD OF THE LOST tell of this conflict from the perception of the character of Judas Iskarioth, known as highly diverse, and the so-called Gospel of Judas, a paper that’s said to consist of conversations between Jesus Christ and Judas Iskarioth and casts a different light on religious history as it’s told in the Bible’s New Testament.
LORD OF THE LOST on JUDAS:
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. This sentence could hardly apply any better to someone in theological history than to the figure of Judas Iskarioth, who represents only one thing at first glance: Betrayal. If you take a closer look, almost endless possibilities of interpretation open up here: from “Judas the murderer” to “Judas the redeemer” and “Judas the actual martyr”, who, if you believe in it, could only find room in hell for his salvific betrayal after dying for what he did, in complete contrast to Jesus Christ. This field of tension and the apocryphal writings of the “Gospel of Judas” are the basis for a double album that not only illuminates the dark and light side of history, but above all the grey areas in between, in which we move emotionally and ideologically throughout our lives and try to find our place.”
Orders for JUDAS can be made via the following link.
Hello everyone! Welcome back to the New Music Video Roundup. We’re here for a roundup of ten of the best recently released music videos. They’re not all within the same genre and they’re all different in some way or another but that means that there’s a little something for everyone here but come on, let’s get down to the music!
First up this week is Ginesse. This is the artist project of Los Angeles-based actress Cait Fairbanks — is sharing the video for “LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die” from her newly released EP, ‘Somewhere To Die.’
A hazy, melancholic indie-pop number, “LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die” is one of the five new songs featured on Ginesse’s new EP, ‘Somewhere To Die.’ Written in the aftermath of a particularly challenging breakup, the single is a thank you to the friends who stick around, even through the hard times. “LA can be a lonely place,” she says, “but this is a love song to the dope friends in my life who keep me from blowing my brains out, honestly.” Directed by Natalie Fält (Tegan and Sara, WENS, Lila Gold) and styled by Jordan Douglas at JXJ Studio, the “LA Isn’t Somewhere To Die” video is a haunting, vintage wonderland that feels like the perfect extension of the nostalgic world introduced throughout the EP.
Performing under the name Cait Fairbanks, Ginesse has already made quite a splash in the acting realm with her two-time Emmy-nominated role on The Young and the Restless and her performance as Veronica in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway show, Heathers: The Musical. In 2018 she launched her musical project, Ginesse, to enthusiastic praise from the likes of PAPER, NYLON, and Billboard.
Perhaps due to her strong thespian roots, she admits that she often approaches Ginesse as “a character to play.” But she also acknowledge that this is the perfect outlet to boil herself down in. She’s not wearing a wig or spandex but instead presents the most concentrated version of herself by telling genuine stories via metaphors that emote relatable, uncomfortable situations and feelings. “I want my music to make people feel like the whole world is wrapping around them,” says Ginesse. “If I give someone an emotional picture of a specific moment, that is truly special.“
Seconds up this week are Scranton Quartet Tigers Jaw with their second track to come from their upcoming record, ‘I Won’t Care How You Remind Me’.
Speaking about the track, vocalist/keyboardist Briana Collins had this to say.
“The lyrics for ‘Lemon Mouth’ are very personal and introspective. Sometimes self-reflection only happens for me when I’m thinking about characteristics that I want to change about myself. It can look like this sort of scanning of my own habits, things that are so consistent and familiar- but I can’t figure out the reason why I do them.
‘Lemon Mouth’ is the only song on the record that Colin [Gorman, bassist] plays guitar on and the first song that we had ever worked on writing together, which I think is really special. In the early stages of writing for the record, I showed Colin an iPhone voice memo of an idea I had written on guitar for a verse, but the chorus wasn’t all the way there and I wanted to know if he had any ideas. He picked up the guitar and played what he was thinking could work and it immediately made the song feel more complete. He helped push ‘Lemon Mouth’ from just a rough demo idea to a real song.”
Now recently, Eighty Ninety — the NYC based alt-pop project of brothers Abner (vocals, production) and Harper (guitar, production) James — have released the official music video for their new single, “Better As Friends.” In keeping with the band’s musical style, the new music video is both cinematic and minimalist, juxtaposing the picturesque New York City skyline with intimate studio shots.
“Better as Friends” is a dreamy mix of contemporary pop and hazy chillwave production propelled by a driving pulse that culminates in a yearning, widescreen chorus complete with soaring melodies, lush arrangements and the band’s distinctive guitar work. Following the brothers’ previous release, “Happier,” “Better as Friends” is the second single from Eighty Ninety’s forthcoming sophomore EP, slated for release in 2021. The EP was created in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Gian Stone (Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Halsey, Dua Lipa).
Eighty Ninety first broke out with their hit 2016 single, “Three Thirty,” which climbed to #2 on Spotify’s Global Viral Charts and was closely followed by their debut EP Elizabeth. Since then, the duo’s music has garnered over 26 million streams, featured on numerous Spotify playlists (New Music Friday, Pop Rising, Indie Pop, Chill Vibes, Viral Hits, and many more) and was even hand-picked by Taylor Swift for her official Spotify playlist “Songs Taylor Loves.”
The NYC based duo’s songs fuse intimate storytelling, sticky melodies, and minimalist pop productions built on acoustic instruments and electronic sounds in a style they call “808s and telecasters” — a shorthand for both their music and their anything-goes mentality in the studio. “We let the emotional arc of the song, rather than any set of genre conventions, lead us to instruments and sounds,” the brothers say of their process.
Moving on in this weeks roundup Brooklyn-based indie pop artist Middle Part creates synth-laden music in the hopes of making you feel something. Composed with honesty and sincerity, his music takes inspiration from both 90’s and early Millenium alternative bands. Middle Part was born when singer Andrew Selkōw moved to the deepest parts of Northern Alaska to find himself, after experiencing a major meltdown. Living in a shipping container in the isolated vastness of the Alaskan wilderness, Selkōw ignited his love for literature and music, with the musician sharing, “Art is important, no matter how you decide to approach it. There’s no age or formula so just create. It’s the most healing form of therapy I’ve ever experienced.”
His latest single “Busy” is the third single to be released off of I Wish I Was Alive. Detailing the songwriters interpersonal relationships and ego death, it is inspired by early millennium alt pop artists like Michelle Branch and Natalie Imbruglia, with a modernized sonic twist to the likes of Clairo. The stripped back “Busy” is set on a backbone of chugging acoustic guitars, breakbeats and sprinkled with synthesizers to achieve a sonically nostalgic song about the pitfalls of friendship in an attempt to signify that ego is unnecessary, and vulnerability should be the priority.
Selkōw confides, “A lot of this record is about ego, vulnerability, and dealing with loss. It’s also about finding a balance with your mental well being. Busy touches on that theme of letting go of your ego and being more vulnerable with the people around you. That’s the message I’m trying to get across, and I feel that ties in with the EP’s title, which is all about being more present rather than mentally checked out.”
Listening to Middle Part is like reading one of Selkōw’s journal entries and uncovering all the back and forth he has in his head on a regular basis. His honest songwriting grants people access to creating art in a safe space, admitting, “I just want people to relate. I so desperately want to connect and that might be the message.”
Now this next band For You The Moon has recently been on my radar with their signing to Slam Dunk Records with new single, ‘Lost Without It’.
It’s an early teaser from the pop-rock newcomers’ upcoming debut EP, set for release in 2021, and it arrives with a video that was shot in their current homebase of Leeds.
Frontman Isaac Cooter explains: “I wrote ‘Lost Without It’ when I was in that weird period after breaking up with somebody, in that place where you’re really trying to numb your own feelings and I was partying more often than I wasn’t. You end up surrounded by other people who are just as out of it as you are, probably trying to forget their problems by doing the same thing.”
The other week Palm Reader finally got to release their latest record, ‘Sleepless’.
The band released a video for ‘A Bird And Its Feathers’, just before the release of the record, which is one of the album’s most epic and expansive moments.
Vocalist Josh Mckeown had this to say about the track’s meaning:
“A Bird And It’s Feathers’ is a song about love, though I wouldn’t call it a ‘love song’. At least not in the traditional sense. I came to realise that I hadn’t written about it before and felt like that was an avenue I needed to explore in order to progress as a songwriter and as a human being with emotions and feelings. I wanted to speak about the intoxication of lust, of falling in love and the beauty in the darker side of those moments. I’ve found that love can feel like a sickness and also be the cure, so I really tried to get that point across. It was one of the final songs that made it to the cut for Sleepless and I’m so glad it did!”
Now, Ghostemane has once again teamed up artistically with his fiancée Poppy for a grippingly dark new video, Hydrochloride. This might be one of my favourite videos to date this year and it just shows you never know what amazing things December might bring. Or whenever you watch it.
Speaking to Kerrang! about the creative brilliance of Poppy, Ghostemane gushed recently, “As a visual artist, she’s just unmatched. That’s the one area of my career which I was never really able to fully realise myself. It’s a weird feeling putting a piece of myself into her hands like this, and waiting to see how it unfolds. But I’m excited. She’s an awesome partner. It’s the opposite of a toxic relationship.
Dark Metal sensation LORD OF THE LOST just released a new official video for “We Were Young” featuring Heaven Can Wait Choir, cut from their latest classical ensemble album Swan Songs III.
The heart-wrenching version includes intimate reminiscences from Chris Harms’ childhood and showcases a touching new facet of their bold universe. Told through genuine memories and clearly narrated through the style of a vintage Super8 camera, the audiovisual symbolizes the most personal output to date. The outstanding band proves once again that the greatest inspiration and the best director is life itself.
“With the new video for ‘We Were Young’ I would like to say thank you to my parents. The video is a reflection of my happy childhood, thanks to them, which paved the way for me to become who I am today. The video shows real Super8 film footage from my birth in 1980 until 1994, when the magnetic tape slowly replaced the celluloid. In the credits of the video you can see the time before my birth, which my parents have captured on film for themselves since 1967. The director of this video was life itself and it shows here an origin story that could not have been more personal”. – Chris Harms
Penultimate track time now! This is the incredible Wargasm.
‘Rage All Over’ is a combination of snotty punk attitude, industrial leaning atmospheres and several boots to the temple that will keep rattling round your head long after it has finished.
Plus the video is a dizzying three minute epic with plenty of discomforting imagery for you to lose yourself in.
The duo had this to say about the track:
“It always starts with a smile, and ends with something sick and twisted. Politicians lie. People are brainwashed. Services get cut. No one can afford a house. The cost of living goes up. Our wages go down. Art suffers. People suffer. The forests are burning, the waters full of chemicals and every day theres a new false flag hoisted next to a very real knife dangling above our heads. Nothing changes and nothing gets better. We wouldn’t say Wargasm is a political band; but we’re not just pissed off, we’re rage all over”
Lastly this week, You Me At Six have released the title track from their upcoming new album ‘SUCKAPUNCH’, and this is a little bit of a left turn for me.
It’s a track which has a build and never say die sentiment holding it all together, where it shows how far the band are willing to push their sound. Could this be the best YMAS record to date?
‘SUCKAPUNCH’ is set for release on January 15 via Underdog Records/AWAL.
And that’s it for another week of a countdown of the best singles out in the world in the last week. Be sure to check back next-time for another round of great music videos. If you have any suggestions for me to check out, be sure to send an email or message us via the socials on Facebook or Twitter!
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