With the new release of the single “Sober” from modern rock group Palisades, came a new music video to showcase the group’s unique grunge style. The video, much like the title suggests, tells the story of the lead singer, Brandon Elgar’s character struggling with addiction, not just with drugs and alcohol, but people as well. The video picks up with Elgar disputing a divorce, and when things get heated, he leaves and turns to a life of drugs, bar-life and partying. The video also incorporates cutaways of the band’s performance, seemingly in the eye of a raging storm. The visual effects, orchestrated by Kyle Monroe, suit the group’s style and tone and emphasize the storyline while showcasing the intensity of Palisades’ performances. When Elgar is kicked into a pool at a birthday party for a little girl, he begins to drown and is pulled out, unconscious. He barely survives and is escorted out of the party. He continues to use drugs as a form of coping and consumes more pills before driving away.
Cutting back to the band, the storm seems to be growing stronger. Lighting visuals tied with closeups of instruments brings the energy of the plot to the climax. When we see Elgar’s character again he has gotten in a car accident resulting in major injuries. Paramedics arrive and in the ambulance the spirit of his character watches as the paramedics fail to revive his body. A striking final image that encompasses a life of addiction. The emotion evoked by “Sober” is tied well with the music video directed by Tom Flynn and Mike Watts. Both the video and single are reminders of early `2000’s rock and have elements of the time with aspects of their own personal flair and modern style.
Bottom line, this is a killer video and definitely one that will stir up feelings with long time fans of Palisades and new ones alike. It's gritty, emotional, and extremely relevant in the crazy world in which we live today. Certainly, fans of Palisades will not be disappointed with this precursor to their new album, “Reaching Hypercritical”, dropping on July 22. Get ready, this one's gonna be fire!
- Kade McKenna