The dim, labyrinthine cellar featured in the new Left to Vanish music video probably feels like home to fans of basement shows. Many fans of the resurgent metalcore group have probably windmilled in tighter and shadier quarters. But the setting in the video for their new single “Pity” isn’t about nostalgia—even though we all miss concerts. It’s a metaphorical representation of mental claustrophobia as much as physical. The band has never shied away from emotive themes since their formation in 2001. But nearly two decades later, the band makes their music even more personal while sharpening their throne-smashing sound.
You don’t need a flashlight to find a worthy riff in “Pity.” The song’s restless pulse is a headbanging engine. The single’s scarlet polish includes a swelling chorus that will thrill fans of their Dethroned LP. You can even take your pick between several destructive breakdowns that could rip a room apart. But Left to Vanish continue to balance the muscular momentum of their music with silver-linings of melody. The contagious scream-along chorus illuminates the song’s unlit passages. The band’s bond is loud and clear in the video as the members shout in unison. It’s just a matter of time before fans join in.
“This was an important video for us to make,” shares guitarist Sean Salm. “Coming back from a 8 year hiatus we feel like we have a lot to prove during this new era of Left to Vanish. We’ve all had our speed bumps adjusting to real life after the band split in 2009. Bob Meadows (ex-A Life Once Lost)—who has taken over vox when we reformed in 2017—has had his own personal battles after ALOL split in 2013. Transitioning from an active touring band to the “9 to 5” grind wasn’t easy, and over the years left us all with a void. Bob’s lyrics in “Pity” dives deep into depression, which in the video we wanted to capture seeking light in darkness. Its symbolism cuts deep in the Covid pandemic world we’re all navigating together currently, as we’re all looking for any sign of light.
“We’re excited over the course of the next few months to drop new music,” Salm continues. “When we came back from our hiatus in 2017, we quickly released Dethroned, which was a follow up to our record Versus The Throne via Lifeforce Records in 2008. With our record Dethroned we were getting our legs back under us and was our first record with Bob. These new songs we’re about to release is LTV in our groove.”
Make your way through the darkness and stream Left to Vanish’s “Pity” below.
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