Weer eens op en top ATW: een erg humeurige en lange aanloop naar een episch en pakkend slot. Wat dit nummer extra speciaal maakt is de onheilspellende en licht verontrustende video bij het nummer. Drummer Robby Staebler stond in voor het concept, de regie, deels het filmen alsook de nabewerking en kreeg hierbij de hulp van actrice - en partner - Drea de Matteo (o.a. gekend van The Sopranos en Sons Of Anarchy). Beide zijn ook te zien in de clip.
Nothing as the Ideal is verschenen via New West Records
lees
"Before we recorded Nothing As The Ideal I knew I wanted to do a visual for RATS. The Tape demo that was stuck on repeat in my head was fully realized at Abbey Road. After the London session, all of us split ways to three different parts of the country right when the world shut down. Tucked away overlooking Los Angeles, Drea and I decided to put our heads together for this project."
Stuck in quarantine, they brainstormed shots and characters, which Robby said he'd never done before for a video. "I’ve always approached filming videos for the band as I do shooting still images - focusing on shapes, compositions, colors and tricks to pull a subconscious story from. This was totally different," says Robby. "Drea outlined a linear story that we worked out together before any film was loaded. Completely out of my comfort zone. I’ve also never worked on a slow song before, so the challenges for me were front and center. The heaviness of the world situation mixed with the seriousness of the story really took a toll after countless hours editing. The lines between storytelling and real life became blurred. In all the darkness we somehow managed to find moments of light. This film is overflowing with layered juxtapositions and messages that people will need to examine more than once to digest."
"'Rats' is a continuation of last year’s '1x1' project where Drea is pulled from the ground to give life in a time of turmoil. She was Mother Earth reincarnated. In 'Rats,' we introduce the images of mankind and the future. I am mankind, Drea’s son Blackjack is our creation... the future, and Drea is the life force of the planet, nature, Mother Earth. As mankind turns his back on his creation, he looks outwards for something new, leaving the work at hand unfinished and dismissed...The family is a microcosm for our world and society. Our root systems are being torn from the ground and sold back to us as mulch. We continue to dismantle nature to feed our progression towards extinction. Instead of cultivating the earth and ourselves through love and balance we neglect the seeds sown and ignite our world. Will we keep burning this to the ground? No air no life. No love no life. When the dust settles what will be left? RATS IN RUIN."
