O’Death – ROAM Music Video Premiere (w/ Q&A Interview)

“You’re just a tourist in this fleshy-hell-party.” – Gabe Darling, O’Death Member & “ROAM” Director

O'Death - ROAM Music Video

In the music video for O’Death’s latest single, “ROAM”, mismatched body parts from sixteen people contribute to tunnelvision of a most peculiar kind. Psychedelic experiments usually seen on full-color blast are given carnivalesque life through black and white articulation, as viewers take a swirling ride past grim lyrics and disembodied structures. Created by band member Gabe Darling, the experience of this music video is perhaps best summarized using his own description; upon viewing it, “You’re just a tourist in this fleshy-hell-party.”

O’Death’s latest record, Out of Hands We Go, is out now on Northern Spy Records, and can be streamed in its entirety on CMJ.com. You can also catch them on their national tour now, with a series of west coast dates beginning in the Pacific Northwest with Stone Jack Jones! Full tour dates below, along with the music video stream and a Q&A with Darling, in which the humor behind his “fleshy-hell-party”-crafting mind truly shines through.

O’Death – “ROAM” Music Video

O’Death Fall 2014 Tour Dates

Mon 10.20 Boise, ID- Neurolux *
Wed 10.22 Seattle, WA- The Tractor *
Thu 10.23 Portland, OR- Mississippi Studios *
Fri 10.24 Eugene, OR- Sam Bond’s Garage *
Sat 10.25 Arcata, CA- The Depot at Humboldt State University *
Mon 10.27 Santa Cruz, CA- The Crepe Place *
Tue 10.28 San Francisco, CA- Brick & Mortar Music Hall *§
Wed 10. 29 Oakland, CA- Leo’s *§
Thu 10.30 Los Angeles, CA- Echo #§
Fri 10.31 Pioneertown, CA- Pappy and Harriet’s ??
Sat 11.01 Costa Mesa, CA- Wayfarer §::
Sun 11.02 San Diego, CA- Soda Bar # //

Mon 11.03 Tucson, AZ- Club Congress #
Tue 11.04 Albuquerque, NM- Low Spirits #
Thu 11.06 Asutin, TX- Austin @ FFF Nites $
Fri 11.07 Baton Rouge, LA- Spanish Moon #
Sat 11.08 New Orleans, LA- the BEATnik #
Mon 11.10 Nashville, TN- Exit / In *%
Tue 11.11 Atlanta, GA- The Earl %{}
Wed 11.12 Durham, NC- The Pinhook %
Thu 11.13 Washington, DC- DC 9 *%
Fri 11.14 Brooklyn. NY- The Bell House *>
Sat 11.15 Cambridge, MA- Middle East Upstairs >£
Sun 11.16 Portland, ME- The Space Gallery >

 

 

Advance tickets are available at odeath.net

* w/ Stone Jack Jones
§ w/ Guy Blackeslee
?? w/ Gram Rabbit
:: w/ Restavrant
// w/ All Them Witches
$ w/ Ex-Cult, and Babes
% w/ Joe Fletcher
# w/ Lonesome Leash
{} w/ Lily and the Tigers
> w/ Death Vessel
£ w/ Tigerman Woah

 

Q&A with Director Gabe Darling

The music video for “ROAM” clearly goes along with the title of the album, Out of Hands We Go. What inspired this theme, and what does it represent, exactly?

The album title has a feeling of release and possible journeys into the unknown. I know it’s a time a transition for a lot of the band personally, so it’s appropriate. I wanted to build something that had that feeling of venturing into a mysterious space. The song contains a lot of that lyrically and has a distinctly dark carnival vibe, so it seemed like it should turn into some dark fleshy party by the end. Which it did and maybe got out of hand. (Oh god, murder me. Murder me now.)

 

O'Death - ROAM Music VideoHands have made quite a resurgence in visual art in the past few years. Have you noticed this trend, and if so, why do you suppose it is? What draws you to using them as a visual object?

I feel like it would be strange if they weren’t a huge part of visual art. It’s what we see in front of us all the time. They are our means of manipulating our world, so I think they occupy a lot of our subconscious thought. I feel drawn to them a lot because they’re such a hugely expressive part of our bodies. Outside of a face, what’s more expressive? You ever try to communicate with a foot? It’s a disaster.

O'Death - ROAM Music Video

 

Can you tell me about the process of filming this piece? What techniques were used, and how much time was spent filming versus in post-production?

It was a simple shoot setup in my tiny apartment of just a bluescreen, a Canon camera, and a slider. Also there was a rotating stool to get turning faces and arms. There’s a fair amount of stop-motion in there. A lot of stuff shot was lit by just a flashlight so I could get hands coming out of stark darkness more easily.

The majority of it was spent in post, though. Compositing and rotoscoping are time-consuming processes, but I feel like I zone out into that stuff. It’s almost meditative.

 

What appeals to you about using black and white for all of this record’s visual collateral?

There’s something great about the limitation involved in black and white. Also, things can jumble together in comfortable ways when you take away their color. It’s purely by chance that the video and album art are both monochromatic. I was gonna go black and white when I started conceiving this thing because I had been really wanting to do something that felt like old spirit photography. It definitely wound up in a different place then that, but some of the original inspiration remains.

 

What are the emotions you are hoping to conjur with the imagery, and how does it tie in with the themes of the track itself? Is the cyclical nature of the music video purely an aesthetic choice, or were there philosophical motives behind it as well?

I just wanted the imagery to mirror the feel of the song. That there’s a strange mix of fun and revulsion in the darkness. That discovery can be rewarding even if it slightly monstrous. That’s why I wanted to escalate the imagery so that it would get a little overwhelming. And then you’re out again.

I liked the idea of coming back at the end, because it’s ultimately about journeying out from your comfort zone and knowing you can return. You’re just a tourist in this fleshy-hell-party. It’s a “nice to visit; wouldn’t want to live there,” sort of situation. Although I’m not sure “nice to visit” even applies.

O'Death - ROAM Music Video

 

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Written by
Vee Hua 華婷婷

Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the Editor-in-Chief of REDEFINE, Interim Managing Editor of South Seattle Emerald, and Co-Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. They also previously served as the Executive Director of the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences.

Vee has two narrative short films. Searching Skies (2017) touches on Syrian refugee resettlement in the United States; with it, they helped co-organize The Seventh Art Stand, a national film and civil rights discussion series against Islamophobia. Reckless Spirits (2022) is a metaphysical, multi-lingual POC buddy comedy for a bleak new era, in anticipation of a feature-length project.

Vee is passionate about cultural space, the environment, and finding ways to covertly and overtly disrupt oppressive structures. They also regularly share observational human stories through their storytelling newsletter, RAMBLIN’ WITH VEE!, and are pursuing a Master’s in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the Native American Studies Department at the University of Minnesota.

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