Drowning Atlantis // Black Smoke [Video Review]

Michael Dixon
May 16, 2018
2 min read

Song: Black Smoke

Band: Drowning Atlantis

Release: “Transitions” EP Out May 27th

Area: Campbelltown, New South Wales.

Date of release: 13/05/2018

Genre: Melodic Hardcore

Record Label: Independent

Videographer: Christopher Moss at Carousel Visual Media

Engineered, Mixed and Mastered: Clayton Segelov at The Brains Studios

For Fans Of: Architects, Structures, Like Moths to Flames

“You ignored their calls when they cried for help. Putting the blame on someone else. Burn the bible and hang the priests. I will never bow down to my knees. Forsaken and your convinced. I will never beg you to forgive. You can never force me to believe.”

'Black Smoke' is the latest single to be lifted from the upcoming EP “Transitions” by South Western Sydney-based melodic hardcore band Drowning Atlantis. It's another impressively heavy track with huge lyrical references to religion "You are no god! You are no saviour!" and dealing with personal issues and inner demons "Isolation. Alone. I feel so cold."

The music video directed by Christopher Moss at Carousel Visual Media brings many of these lyrical references to life with a dark hooded figure, a hanging noose, white smoke, a burning bible, an old television set and a collection of white brightly lit candles. The band are located in an underground sewer-like area with sections of graffiti covered brick walls in the background. Towards the end of the music video, we see lead vocalist Brock Marshall contemplating taking his life, standing in front of the hanging noose and having a fight with the hooded figure (physical form of death).

I give the boys a lot of props for trying to explore some deep concepts both in their lyrics and in the music video. Whilst most melodic hardcore bands don’t have much to offer in those departments, it’s good to see Drowning Atlantis trying to give the audience some thought-provoking imagery to chew on in questioning God and religion whilst having the strength to overcome your personal battles.