Vatican Premier New Anti-Suicide Video “Slit Of Creation”
Suicide is a difficult topic. It hits home for too many people, and yet is ignored by so many. It is an issue that most of us are going to come into contact with: a friend, a family member, a classmate, a colleague. It was in the news a lot last week with the tragic suicide of Chester Bennington, which may have been in response to the equally devastating loss of Chris Cornell. I can imagine that it is impacting a lot of people right now; the deaths of celebrities are known to trigger suicides in those that are already struggling.
I hope the song you’re about to listen to comes at a time where you can fully feel its impact and meaning. If you are having suicidal thoughts, we urge you to seek help: confide in others. The world may be dark, but remember that friends are what give it light. Now let’s listen to some fucking metal.
Be aware, this video has an instance of self harm, so if that’s gonna make you have a bad time, uh – don’t watch?
“Slit of Creation” premiered as an exclusive for New Noise Magazine and is hard-fucking-core with an intense anxiety-inducing riff right at the beginning that digs into your brain with its shrill cry, and it never stops going hard from there. It has some kind of rape-y vibes, but I suppose in a video about suicide manifest it’s kind of hard to not communicate something so gruesome, so beyond. The clip does a really great job of unsettling me, which I think is the point: suicide is not a comfortable topic.
The video holds a whole lot of symbolism. As the protagonist sleeps, we see where the intention begins for so many, lying alone at night seeing only one solution. It creeps, and in the morning it is gone, though the pain lingers. The chase scene in the graveyard is the most visually symbolic scene; standing at a headstone the girl finds herself attacked by the thought again that her pain could be gone, just like theirs. The chase through the graveyard, instead of out of it, is a symbol in itself: it shows how she remains surrounded by death, inspired to take her own life. Finally she trips and is captured: even the smallest setback can cause real harm. The cuts of footage between that are clues to her demise also seem to show that she never had a chance to escape the vice-grip of these suicidal tendencies.
Vocalist Jonathan Whittle released a statement about the song and video, which gives much more meaning to the events described:
“The ‘Slit of Creation’ video depicts an individual mentally battling depression and suicidal thoughts. In the beginning, it shows her going to bed alone at night, with a killer appearing when she hits the lights (not necessarily a physical being, but more so a figment of suicide in the conscience). In her subsequent dream state, she is trapped in a room to face the killer/suicide, from whom/which she runs while mourning at a close friend’s gravestone. That’s similar to what we fought through while mourning our close friend’s passing. This track and ‘Boundless Image’ go hand-in-hand and were written within a three-week span while grieving. ‘Boundless Image’ is more so about his struggle and the image burnt into our minds. ‘Slit Of Creation’ is focused on finding a new sense of life through the experience – hence creation.
“In the past, I’d always kept suicide as an option in the back of my head, if all else fails. That was a terrible way to live, but losing a friend put everything into perspective and kicked that thought out of my brain because of the damage I know it would cause those I love. Somehow, the tragedy saved my life. The video shows multiple shots of the killer standing nearby, getting closer each time, as a representation of that stagnant thought growing. Towards the end it shows the character giving in and letting the killer/suicide catch up to her, torment her to the point of torture, before ultimately resorting to suicide with a slit wrist/throat in the bathtub. Whether she’s still dreaming or that it’s actually taking place is up to the viewer.”
Much of what I said is in his statement, which shows how good of a video this really is: it really communicates what the artist intended and is filled with easily recognizable symbolism. I do wish the film quality was a bit higher, but it matches with the sound of the song and makes the clip seem less like a dream and more like a memory.
Whittle had one more thing to add to this, which I believe is prudent and is a good line to close on (emphasis mine):
“I would urge anyone thinking of ending their life to not let that dream become a nightmarish reality. There is help out there for you, no matter how dark it seems; please seek it out. I know it’s cliché, but it will get better.”
Vatican’s latest album, Ache of Eternity, is available for pre-order now, and you can get the album in a couple of different color options here. The band just kicked off an East Coast tour, and you can find the dates below:
7/26/2017 Ortliebs – Philadelphia, PA – This Is Hardcore pre-show w/ All Else Failed, Absolute Suffering
w/ Absolute Suffering, Strength Approach, Momentum:
7/31/2017 The Flying Dutchman – Roanoke, VA
8/01/2017 Morning Glory Coffee – Wilmington, NC
8/02/2017 The Golden Pony- Harrisonburg, VA
8/03/2017 The Anvil- Altoona, PA
8/04/2017 Sugar City- Buffalo, NY
8/05/2017 Fuze Box- Albany, NY
8/06/2017 American Legion- Florence, MA
w/ Breaking Wheel, Momentum:
8/08/2017 Championship Bar- Trenton, NJ
8/09/2017 Sidebar- Baltimore, MD
8/10/2017 House Show- Florence, SC
8/11/2017 Cory’s Grilled Cheese- Charleston, SC
8/12/2017 Cloud Springs Deli – Ringgold, GA
8/13/2017 Erv’s – Atlanta, GA
8/14/2017 Space Station at Starlandia – Savannah, GA
8/15/2017 Transitions – Tampa, FL
8/16/2017 Nighthawks – Jacksonville, FL
