Naarm/Melbourne-based metal band The Last Martyr have followed up the announcement of their EP and release of the title track, Requiem featuring Alt.‘s Daniel Cullen-Richards, with a visceral music video directed by Andrew Vaughan (Windwaker, Days Like These).
Designed and built within Fabrik Studios, the nature-themed DIY set features flowers, grass and a mound of Earth crafted from dirt and turf, symbolising humankind’s fragile connection to nature. The once-vibrant set is soon ravaged, acting as a stark commentary on humanity’s neglect of Mother Nature, before a rogue rose blooms from the land. The hazmat-suited character attempts to pick the rose before confronting an ominous fate, with fast cuts of the band’s performance amplifying the urgency and intensity of this portrayal of environmental destruction.
The Last Martyr talk about the inspiration behind Requiem: “‘Requiem’ visually represents humankind’s relationship with the earth. There are two sets – Set #1 is a mound of grass and nature to represent the earth, and Set #2 is a swing set wrapped in vines representing the innocence of humankind. The video starts off lush and throughout the video, the scene is destroyed, burned and charred, covered in ash to show the lost innocence and humanity’s complete disregard for the environment through the poisoning of its land and the heavy adoption of harmful technology, furthering the disconnect. Nearing the end of the video a rogue black rose grows. As a character in a hazmat suit picks the strange flower up from the ground, it electrocutes him. This is the consequence of our actions.”
