I See Stars - Murder Mitten Music Video

Alcohol drinkers beware: I See Stars’ music video for “Murder Mitten” will sober you up (see video below).  The Michigan boys never fail to deliver intense and engaging music videos, and this one is no exception.  They incorporate messages with these videos instead of focusing on flashy and ostentatious aesthetics, which I give them much respect for.

When I saw I See Stars on Halloween, Devin introduced “Murder Mitten” with a little bit of a personal background about him and Andrew Oliver’s mother being an alcoholic.  “Murder Mitten” focuses on the repercussions of their mother’s addiction by the interweaving of home video footage of them as kids and camera cuts of their mother drinking and losing sight of what’s important.  It’s an emotionally driven video that will leave you struck by the end.  Everything happens so fast that you barely have time to process everything.  Essentially, the video puts your life into perspective for a moment because at the end of the video, after witnessing an intense rush of emotion, Devin and Andrew leave a post-script message that inspires hope for everything we do, which is a nice ending sentiment.

Breathe Carolina - "Savages"

Breathe Carolina released their first single post-Kyle Evens leaving the group titled "Savages." I was genuinely very curious to see how David Schmitt would progress the band with a new crew behind him.

If you're looking for a song to dance to in your room while you're getting ready to go out for a night of partying, "Savages" is for you. Overall, it is a decent song with a catchy chorus, however, the track unfortunately feels empty without Kyle. The song emulates a pure electronic/dance feel to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because everyone loves moving to pumping beats, but it's not the same Breathe Carolina I'm used to rocking out to. In comparison to past musical works, even instrumentally, "Savages" loses the rock and music breakdown vibe the band normally transcends to audiences, which is disappointing.  I can't even picture the song being performed in a concert venue setting because it sounds like another generic club song.

"Savages" can be streamed on Breathe's website and is available for purchase on iTunes.

Album Review: I See Stars - New Demons

New Demons is a treat for old and new fans alike. Old fans will love the progression and growth of the Michigan-natives delivering a promised heavier album while new fans will be delighted to discover an electrocore band with panache. They excel in combining a hardcore and electronic sound to blend well naturally, however, many of the breakdowns interwoven with dubstep sound contrived. The band is notable for their rebellious demeanor, angry at world’s authority, but tracks such as “New Demons,” “We Are Not in Kansas Anymore” and “Boris the Animal” delve into dark depths of the mind and reflect on personal feelings with honest and confrontational lyrics. 8/10