VIDEO PREMIERE: Danish Sludge/Hardcore Band LLNN Channel the Apocalypse

Music videos never really went away, but it seems like there have been more of them when it comes to heavy music in recent years.  Some bands still prefer to go for videos that are abstract or have a storyline that tie into the lyrics of that particular song, while others go the more direct route and have the music video show what it looks like when they play live.  I’m a fan of these types of videos, as they’re often able to capture the immense energy of a live performance and give the audience a glimpse of what to expect should they ever have the opportunity.

This is exactly what Denmark’s LLNN has done for the music video of their song, Rapture, which we’re happy to have the chance to premiere for you today.  Filmed by Rasmus G. Sejersen in what looks to be their rehearsal space, it’s an up and personal look at a band that’s going to catch the attention of quite a few people.  Though they’ve only been around since 2014, members have been involved in other bands in the hardcore and metal scene, including The Psyke Project.  With LLNN, they’ve delivered sludgy, apocalyptic hardcore that sounds like it’s going to suffocate you in its dense layers and massive volume.  Rapture makes an enormous impression, and watching the video definitely enhances the experience.  With an emphasis on getting up close and personal with each member of the band, you can feel the rage and intensity of the performance and it captures what I imagine you’d get if you were able to see them live.

LLNN reminds me of a wide range of bands, with nods to Neurosis and Amen Ra along with the denser, dark hardcore of groups like Celeste and some of the other Throatruiner Records lineup.  But they’re able to put their own spin on this apocalyptic and downright terrifying sound.  Right from the start of Rapture the tonality has that bleak, unnerving feel, and it doesn’t take long before the sound kicks up into a fury of pounding drums and riffs that hang over the air like a harbinger of the apocalypse.  But it isn’t all crushing intensity and bottom heavy riffing, as one of the biggest elements that set LLNN apart from the pack is their use of keyboards.  The keyboards are perfectly placed over the rest of the instrumentals and bring in a desolate, thick atmosphere that fills out the band’s sound significantly.  Add the extremely harsh and in your face vocal performance over this which barely gives listeners a chance to breathe, and you have a band worth paying attention to.

We hope you enjoy LLNN’s bleak, destructive take on sludge and hardcore, and can soak in the immense weight and energy of the music video.  Pelagic Records will be releasing the group’s debut full length ‘Loss’ on June 17^th, and if the rest of the album can live up to this track this could be a best of 2016 contender in the coming months.

LLNN | Pelagic Records