The USA-based post-punk outfit Vision Video has unleashed a scathing "Dead Gods" single, previewing its third album, Modern Horror, due on 22 October.
The latest single is a scathing critique of those who use dogma and ideology to justify violence and authoritarianism. "Dead Gods" is a sonically sneering song with huge ferocious guitars and dark, driving bass, the synthesizers creating an atmosphere of horror or the feeling of walking through a dangerously haunted cemetery. Dusty Gannon, whose vocals shift and sail through lines of bitter anger and acidic sarcasm, says: "This is a song that spits in the face of the rise in Christo-fascists and people who enable the proliferation of war in the name of religion".
"I wrote 'Dead Gods' as a response to seeing the acidic vitriol of Christian Nationalism rise in this country, but also as a criticism of religious fanaticism worldwide. I've been an anti-war activist for some years now and through my experiences with that I've found that religion is often used as justification for the ugliness of war. 'Dead Gods' was written as a challenge to that mindset. I wanted it to be defiantly anthemic and serve as a musical conduit to put intense feelings of frustrations and fears into. We went in a much darker, heavier direction than we ever have before with this track to really impart those feelings," says Dusty Gannon.
"I have always loved the guitar work of Bauhaus and Killing Joke, so I wanted to pay homage to those really dissonant tones that they created, but still serve a hooky melody. I think Emily really made some incredible sounds with the synth work on this track as well. She and Ben Allen crafted the patches from scratch with a Juno 106 and Jupiter 8, and they managed to make this incredibly haunting organ sound that was perfect for the track. The parts are very horror-inspired and are gorgeously written. Ryan did a great job at capturing the energy with the drums as well - he is an incredibly vigorous drummer, but also maintains a sense of control and skill that you rarely see in drummers."
The Modern Horror album goes to much darker and more acidic places than earlier releases; it leans into Gannon's experiences as an anti-war Afghanistan veteran and former firefighter-paramedic to draw attention to the systematic disenfranchisement and seeming hopelessness of our current world circumstances. An unrelenting exposition of the real-world horrors facing all of us, this record warns against further war and brutality.
Modern Horror maintains its grit under the nails by presenting a larger, more refined sound than earlier Vision Video offerings. Charged with anger and frustration, it does not lose its sense of direction or listenability. The guitar work is fierce and dissonant but still melodic. Vocally and lyrically, Gannon belts and cries out in a pleading yet controlled manner. Emily Fredock, utilizing vintage synths, creates gorgeous and haunting melodies that remain in your head well after the record stops, while newcomer Ryan Houchens' drumming gives new energy to the band with a keen sense of ferocity.
Moving in a very different sonic direction, the band worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Ben Allen (Erasure, Animal Collective, Washed Out, Deerhunter), who recorded and mixed this album at Maze Studios in Atlanta. The album was mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Frank Arkwright (The Smiths, New Order, Joy Division, Primal Scream, Blur, Mogwai). The album features cover artwork by Ryan Dunn.
Formed in 2020 by Dusty Gannon (synths and vocals), whose character videos featuring "Goth Dad" have won the hearts of hundreds of thousands of followers, and Emily Fredock (guitar and vocals), Vision Video creates accessible modern goth rock with a message. Intense and uncompromising, their music injects modern malaise into classic post-punk and new wave, bringing in a refreshing modern element while paying homage to artists like The Chameleons and The Cure. Link
Vision Video - Tour Dates:
Oct 25 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club (Southern Gothic Festival)
Nov 25 Berlin, Germany - Urban Spree
Nov 26 Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
Nov 28 Bochum, Germany - Die Trompete
Nov 29 Bielefeld, Germany - Movie (with the Cassandra Complex & SJÖBLOM)
Nov 30 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Soundville (with Lifeless Past)
Dec 1 Brighton, UK - The Hope & Ruin *
Dec 2 Nottingham, UK - Bodega Social
Dec 3 Liverpool, UK - Quarry *
Dec 4 Kings Heath, UK - Hare & Hounds *
Dec 6 Bristol, UK - Marble Factory ^^
Dec 7 London, UK - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire **
Dec 9 Dublin, Ireland - Opium *
Dec 10 Belfast, UK - Limelight Complex *
Dec 12 Glasgow, UK - The Garage ^^
Dec 13 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK - Riverside 1 ^^
Dec 14 Manchester, UK - Albert Hall **
^ with The Nightmares
* with Mark Burgess (The Chameleons)
^^ with The Chameleons
** with The Chameleons and The Membranes
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