Gruesome Drop Grisly New Video “Fatal Illusions” About Mass Shootings in America
Guardians of old-school death metal Gruesome have just dropped a brand new music video for the track “Fatal Illusions” from their upcoming full-length Twisted Prayers. The video, while not for the faint of heart, is highly relevant in light of recent events, addressing what it’s like to be inside the deranged mind of a mass shooter and exposing the aftermath through clips of (what I assume to be) actual footage of similar tragedies.
If it’s not obvious already, don’t watch this one at work or around kiddos. It’s viscerally disturbing, as it should be. However, vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey would like us all to ensure that this protest against gun violence doesn’t get twisted into some sort of political agenda:
“‘Fatal Illusions’ is a track that was truly co-written by Dan, Gus and myself musically and it was a lot of fun to arrange everyone’s riffs while we put the song together. One of the coolest things about this new record, for me personally, is that the writing has become more and more of a team effort, which is invigorating and keeps things interesting for us. When looking at Spiritual Healing for inspiration, one of the more depressing realizations that I came to as far as the lyrics, was that many of the topics that Death were addressing back in 1990 are still major issues today. As everyone knows, mass shootings have reached epidemic proportions in this country and we felt that it was a very ‘death metal’ appropriate topic to tackle. This tune is more about the delusions that lead someone to commit this kind of violence; the mindset that would make someone take such a drastic and tragic course of action. Before anyone starts projecting their own politics on the song, this is not an anti- or pro-gun song. This is an anti-mass shooting song. And if you think that there’s anything controversial about that, you can fuck right off.”
Twisted Prayers is Gruesome’s homage to the legendary Spiritual Healing by Death. The record, which is set to be released on June 1st, will feature a pair of special guest appearances from Death guitarist James Murphy. Pre-order here, and check below for summer tour dates.
7/14/2018 Crowbar – Tampa, FL w/ Exhumed
7/15/2018 Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL w/ Exhumed
7/19/2018 Obscene Extreme 2018 – Trutnov, CZ
7/20/2018 Red & Black – Warzawa, PL
7/21/2018 Hydrozagadk – Chorzow, PL
7/22/2018 Modra Vopice – Prague, CZ
7/23/2018 Free & Easy Festival – Munich, DE
7/24/2018 Durer Kert – Budapest, HU
7/25/2018 Metaldays – Tolmin, SL
7/26/2018 Viper Room – Wien, AT
7/27/2018 Master Of The Unicorn – Ernsthausen, DE
7/28/2018 Stonehenge Festival – Steenwijk, NL
7/29/2018 Bastard Club – Osnabruck, DE
7/30/2018 Immerhin – Wurzburg, DE
7/31/2018 Nomansland – Volmerange-les-mines, FR
8/01/2018 7er Club – Mannheim, DE
8/02/2018 Wacken Open Air – Wacken, DE
8/03/2018 Klubb Dissonans – Jonkoping, SE
8/04/2018 The Crypt – Linkoping, SE
8/05/2018 Underwerket – Valby/Copenhagen, DK
8/07/2018 Chemiefabrik – Desden, DE
8/08/2018 Musik und Frieden – Berlin, DE
8/09/2018 Partysan Open Air – Schlotheim, DE
8/10/2018 Das Bett – Frankfurt, DE
8/11/2018 Helvete – Oberhausen, DE
8/12/2018 Alcatraz Open Air – Kortrijk, BE
