Sundry Jeddah-based band Statues of Sinking Men (SoSM) show a glimpse of what’s to be expected from their upcoming album ‘Death Crossed Lovers’ with a gritty new music video of ‘Gorgeous Day In Hell’ in collaboration with Saudi singer/songwriter GHADA on Saudi label Wall of Sound. At first listen, one wonders what genre to place the band in. “Is it rock? Is it metal? Maybe electronic? Or even alternative?” Well, the band fuses all of the aforementioned styles at once.
Having found a definitive style, SoSM excels at combining the synth-sounds of electronic music alongside distorted guitar riffs and rock-inspired drum arrangement to execute their sonic blender. This single is an ode to the fake smiles we have to put on due to social pressures and the tedious repetitiveness of everyday life. Through an intense instrumental that fluctuates between being an alternative track and a heavy-metal piece of work, the band voices their concern in an uncompromising manner.
The track kicks off with an effortless drum pattern along a grainy synth-line and a chorused guitar riff before taking an emotional turn in the chorus with the dissipation of the melodies and the introduction of GHADA’s vocals which adds a static texture to the grittiness of the track. Mid-way, the track takes the shape of a typical-metal single with a chromatic riff that goes flawlessly with the powerful drumming provided. The single goes into a build-up with GHADA’s vocal alongside a piano-line, bringing things to a rough culmination, ending the track the same way it began.
Director Sammy Sayed offers a gloomy visual piece of work, which goes hand-in-hand with the lyrical direction of SoSM. Keeping the entire video in black and white, Sayed portrays a man who seems to be in distress till he reaches a breaking point and lashes out, symbolizing the simple human that explodes after reaching their breaking point after being caught up in life’s bullshit.
