Video Premiere: Mars Red Sky, “Under the Hood”
It took me a while — I’m talking a couple of months of steady listening — but I was eventually able to make it through the ending of this track without tearing up. “Under the Hood” comes from Mars Red Sky‘s 2016 full-length, Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul) (review here). The progression of the Bordeaux trio’s third outing nestles it between the crushing roll of “Mindreader” and the free-swinging “Friendly Fire,” but it’s an unmistakable highlight and emotional apex for the record — a wounded love song executed in a heavy psychedelic context. Amid one of the most gorgeous melodies the three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Julien Pras, bassist/backing vocalist Jimmy Kinast and drummer Mathieu “Matgaz” Gazeau have to-date conjured, the impression “Under the Hood” makes is nothing short of stunning and, at least for me, it’s moving enough to get choked up by listening.
I’ve covered these guys a lot in the six years since they released their self-titled debut (review here), and it’s been a thrill to watch them take shape as the progressive, far-reaching outfit they’ve become in that time, but you’ll have to take my word for it when I say I’m singly honored to premiere this video. I genuinely love this song.
Mars Red Sky aren’t wasting any time moving forward from Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul). Though they’ve toured steadily since it came out — including a stop last year in Brooklyn to headline The Obelisk All-Dayer (video here) — and have more dates lined up this Spring and Summer highlighted by Desertfest Berlin and Hellfest, etc., they also announced last month that work has begun on a new experimental single-song EP that will hopefully be ready for issue as we move into the warmer months. The plan as I understand it is a limited, physical-only release, and though it remains to be seen whether or not it will tie into their next long-player the way 2016’s Providence (review here) set the stage for Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul), as a fan of the band, I can’t wait to hear what immersive weirdness they come up with this time around.
More on that when I hear it, and in the meantime, here’s the clip for “Under the Hood,” which adopts footage from 1983’s Chronopolis, followed by Mars Red Sky‘s upcoming live dates and more info off the PR wire.
I hope you enjoy:
Mars Red Sky, “Under the Hood” official video
“Under The Hood” is taken off MARS RED SKY’s third album “APEX III (Praise For The Burning Soul)”, released in February 2016 on Listenable Records. The video was put together and edited by Geoffrey Torres, Jimmy Kinast and Colin Manierka, and features mages from 1983 sci-fi movie “Chronopolis” by Piotr Kamler.
The band also announced the release of a brand new track, coming out in June as a very limited 12’’EP only available through the band’s store. This 19-minute exclusive song was recorded live on analog tape at La Nef in Angoulême.
MARS RED SKY will take the road this spring for an extensive tour across Europe, taking them on the stages of major festivals such as Hellfest and Download Festival France.
MARS RED SKY ON TOUR
08/04 LIEGE (BE) Insert Name Festival
29/04 BERLIN (D) DesertFest Berlin
05/05 CREIL (FR) La Grange à Musique
10/05 DONOSTIA (SP) Dabadaba
11/05 PORTO (PT) Cave 45
12/05 LISBOA (PT) Sabotage Club
13/05 MALAGA (ES) Sala Eventual Music
14/05 MADRID (SP) Wurlitzer Ballroom
03/06 SIZUN (FR) La Bergerie Rock (w/ James Leg)
09/06 PARIS (FR) Download Festival France
15/06 NEUDEGG ALM (AT) Funkenflug Society
17/06 CLISSON (FR) Hellfest Open Air
24/06 BOURLON (FR) Rock In Bourlon
21/07 RIEGSEE (D) Raut Oak Fest
30/07 ALBI (FR) Xtreme Fest
05/08 SAINT-MAURICE-DE-GOURDANS (01) Sylak Open Air
Mars Red Sky on Thee Facebooks
Listenable Records on Thee Facebooks
Tags: Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul), Bordeaux, France, Listenable Records, Mars Red Sky, Mars Red Sky Apex III (Praise for the Burning Soul)
