(written by Islander)
Buried Shallow’s new single “Rise, I The Martyr” is not about golf. To oversimplify the lyrics, they are essentially about the joys of making heavy music and raging on stage. But someone had the genius demented idea to send these Australians out on the links for the song’s video, adorned in apparel that you’re unlikely to see on any course, public or private.
The result is a hell of a lot of wild fun, over on the “batshit crazy” side of the sanity scale. A large part of the fun is the brutal soundtrack to the increasingly brutal match, i.e., the song itself. Somehow it all works, or at least that’s our assessment. You can assess for yourselves down below, because (with big smiles) we’re premiering the song and video today in advance of the single’s official release on February 27th.
But first, let’s have a look at the band in their usual finery:
And now let’s have a peep at them in their formal golf attire:
We can scratch our heads about where Buried Shallow acquired these clothes. We can scratch even harder wondering why anyone thought they could earn money by manufacturing such outfits. But let’s put aside these perplexities and focus instead on what you’re about to hear and see.
The song itself is a blazing fireball of sound, and a heavy-grooved bludgeoner too, a metalcore marauder that’s equal parts slashing, searing, gut-slugging, and neck-wrecking. The drums are punishing, the bass-work pulverizing, the riffage gutting, and the vocals napalm-strength. The high-toned lead guitar maniacally swirls, convulses, and blisters.
But the song is multi-faceted, and thus also includes soaring swaths of melody that cast a darker shade on the affair, infiltrating moods of bleakness, sorrow, and yearning, and creating a riveting contrast with the song’s visceral grooves, pugilistic beatdowns, and cut-throat vocals.
As for the video, it was probably as much fun to make as it is to watch, though it probably required a few first-aid kits and splints by the time it was finished. It also provides a good idea about what a rush it must be to see Buried Shallow on stage. Kudos to everyone involved in the making of it.
(On a personal note, this writer has never played golf, and considers watching the sport to be akin to watching paint dry. But if more games were like this one, reconsideration would be in order!)
For more info about Buried Shallow, their music, and their merch, check out the links below.
https://merchraven.com/collections/buried-shallow
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Q24AnfvzW5HhU9vqSyky6
https://www.facebook.com/BuriedShallow
https://www.instagram.com/buried_shallow/