3 New Videos To Watch

Today I got to see three new videos for 3 Up and coming bands that have really turned heads these past few months, all very good, but I have put them in an order that I think really show how awesome they are.

Artist:  MERIDIAN INCIDENT
Label:  INDEPENDENT
Video:  “YELLOW WINGS”
Director:  Megan Cowen, Adam Schmid, Ray Smart

Meridian Incident is an intriguing progressive rock group from Minneapolis with an eye towards creating music that reverberates below the surface. With an impressive knack for combining compositional and technical artistry, they’re akin to artists such as A Perfect Circle, Tool, Porcupine Tree, and even a touch of Pink Floyd who straddle the line between instant accessibility and long-lasting impressions. Their new single, “Yellow Wings,” shows just how powerful this collective has become and why they’ve found themselves on some of the most prominent Twin Cities stages.

A concept album about an intriguing hero or heroine that lives in all of us, the forthcoming Istology is based on a screen play (written by lead singer Ray Smart) that tells the story of Janey, a girl tormented by abuse as a child who embarks on an unbeaten path of self-discovery. Subtly including iconic worldwide spiritual imagery, Istology follows Janey through a journey plagued by shadows of self-destruction and loathing, to a place of understanding and acceptance of self. The album tells Janey’s story as she evolves through a remarkable transformation: learning to overcome, learning to love, and finally learning to trust.

“Yellow Wings” is a rocking performance clip with a bittersweet narrative of Janey as she transforms from one world to the other. Despite the best efforts of others around here, Janey is already on a path of self-destruction that she cannot avoid. Her wings are not a pristine white like would be expected because they reflect the difficult path she’s taken in life, but she’s an angel nonetheless and has earned her peace. As the story plays out a performance by Meridian Incident is happening side by side, with each phrase, hit, and gutting lyric exploding with an enhanced sense of purpose and conviction.

More at their Facebook Page and on their Website

Artist:  SURVIVORMAN – LES STROUD
Label: INDEPENDENT
Video: “ARCTIC MISTRESS”
Director: Les Stroud/Barry Farrell

Millions of dedicated viewers know Les Stroud as Survivorman: the nature-loving, joke-cracking, critter-eating, odds-defying star of the television program of the same name. As Survivorman, Stroud has braved the elements in some of the harshest — and most gorgeous — places on earth, filming himself and his struggles as he takes on Mother Nature in its most ferocious forms. Stroud’s adventures are compelling viewing and the show has been broadcast in Canada and internationally on the Discovery, Science and Travel Channels for 16 years.

As if that isn’t enough, Les is also an accomplished musician. He tackles songwriting and performing with the same single-minded dedication that has been the hallmark of his award-winning television show. Just as Survivorman demonstrates Stroud’s respect for the outdoors, his songs celebrate the power, vastness, beauty, and increasing fragility of the planet we inhabit. Les calls his musical style, Earth Music, songs with a purpose, written to raise consciousness about the mounting ecological challenges of the 21st Century.

“Arctic Mistress”, Stroud’s latest single and the first song released from his upcoming 2017 album, is both a celebration and a warning. Over an exciting and seductive song, Les reminds us that this remote and frozen part of the globe is rapidly warming — and the consequences of the thaw will be felt far beyond the Arctic Circle. Stroud is never didactic, but he is insistent, and he has every reason to be. He’s an explorer with first-hand knowledge of these Polar Regions, and he’s determined to share what he’s learned with the rest of the world.

Much like an episode of Survivorman, the video for “Arctic Mistress” features stunning footage of the Earth’s natural wonders; mammoth icebergs, titanic glaciers, and great snow-covered mountains. This is the Arctic, imposing and impressive, and Stroud’s love for it is palpable. But it is also a region undergoing dramatic change, and Les asks whether the ice caps will themselves survive. In one dramatic sequence, a wall of ice, weakened by warming, collapses to the sea in a cloud of water vapor. The implication is clear: Is this the fate of the Arctic and perhaps the entire World if we fail to act now with courage and urgency?

More on his Facebook Page

Artist: VAMA
Label: AGENTIA DE VISE
Video: “GHOSTS AT WAR”
Director: Hypno

Through its epic live shows and soaring songwriting, VAMA has helped rebels and dreamers like find their escape. This Romanian quintet has been a staple on the scene for nearly a decade, and though their name is still new to many American viewers they are poised to make a big impact in 2017. With a style reminiscent of artists like Coldplay, Kings of Leon, and The Killers, they’re a natural fit in venues as large as stadiums or as intimate as a living room. For their new single, “GHOSTS AT WAR,” they flex this musical muscle with impressive power.

On top of being a musical fixture in Romania, VAMA lead singer Tudor Chirilia is also recognized as one of the most preeminent young cultural leaders in Romania. Aside from being a well known actor and producer of events, he has been tirelessly traveling the country to connect with the youth of the country and foster a culture of mentorship for high school students. His time directly engaging fans in such a benevolent fashion has helped him create songs that have an uncanny knack for speaking directly to each and every listener.

The uncanny accuracy in “GHOSTS OF WAR” of what a long-term relationship can feel like is something that so many viewers can relate to. It shows a couple leading a seemingly benign existence in their lovely home, disinterested in most everything around them. Their expressions are empty and the emotion gone, but one look below the surface a different kind of passion exists. Whether it be smashing the coveted iPad with a hammer, dropping the pearl necklace in the blender, or just simply screaming until they’re hoarse in each other’s face, there’s a tension that needs a release. Afterwards, however, a beautiful thing happens when they redirect that energy into the love they have for one another, creating a fleeting intimate moment that may just be enough to keep them together.

Throughout the video, VAMA is rocking out in the background and dropping a heartfelt soundtrack of their winning blend of pop songwriting and rock n roll performance prowess. It’s this kind of approach and realization that has made VAMA one of the most beloved groups on the European continent.

Visit Their Facebook Page

Our Source has more great artists to show me, in turn, I will show you, so hang on 2017 is going to be a great year for videos.