Pheonix-based genre-bending group This Modern gears us up for their forthcoming EP, 'Object in Motion,' with a series of music videos. More recently, This Modern released the series' second installment with "Maniacal."
Living by the words "high risk, high reward," This Modern strives to carve a new and definitive path amid our oversaturated industry. The group prides themselves on their instrumental/sonic versatility, as they've never failed to capture an audience's attention with their blend of melodic rock/pop and modern hip-hop/rap.
This Modern recently released the second installment of their music video series with "Maniacal," which follows "Symphonies," where the protagonist was left hell-bent after attempting to avenge himself. This Modern mentioned that the music video for "Maniacal" walks a fine line between being focused on a dream while not letting the process get to you.
Hitting play on the music video for "Maniacal," we pick up where "Symphonies" left off, watching our protagonist seeking out antagonist HVSHI in an attempt to even the playing field. After going back to the drawing board on several attempts to track him down while scouring HVSHI's Instagram for more clues, he finally finds an address that might just help him out.
We must mention that the song is incredible; its blend of powerhouse rock and confident hip-hop leaves us hooked and locked in. Moving back to the music video, the protagonist creeps up to HVSHI's house while waiting for him to leave, only to walk in and set a carefree blaze amongst his home. As the video comes to an end with This Modern's powerhouse performance inside the blazing house, we're honestly left in a state of shock with the entire concept and This Modern's electrifying. performance
Set your heart on fire with This Modern's latest music video for "Maniacal," and prepare yourself for their forthcoming EP, 'Objects in Motion,' on October 15th.
Welcome to BuzzMusic This Modern. What an exciting and stimulating visual experience you've released with your latest music video for "Maniacal." What inspired the in-depth concept within this video series?
Thank you for saying that! We went through a lot of different concepts before we finally landed on this one. Originally, we wanted to make a fully “CGI” video that would have required extensive animation work and a green screen. After running into a couple of setbacks in our attempts, we realized we might need to pivot. The concept we landed on is largely about the duality of human beings. The Maniacal video is a sequel to the video we did for our song Symphonies. Symphonies tell the story of a subdued, nervous man who allows the voices in his head to take him down a path that ultimately leads to an unfortunate robbery. The Maniacal video tells the story of the same man who is no longer nervous or subdued, but inspired, angry, and hell-bent on revenge.
Could you introduce us to your group members and what your creative process was like when creating the single itself, "Maniacal?" How did you achieve such a powerful and exhilarating sound?
There are a total of four of us in the group. Sean Whiteman is our drummer and engineer, Tim Willsey is our co-engineer as well as backup vocals and programming, Tre Scott is our guitar player, and I (Marcus Reardon), handle all lyric writing and frontman duties. Our goal with Maniacal was to create a song that could easily be played at sports stadiums and over sports highlights. The 4 of us grew up playing and loving sports, and we wanted to contribute something to that space through our music. The goal for any of our songs is to have a big chorus that makes you want to stand up and scream, and we’ve become rather good at it through the masterful production of Sean and Tim.
Did you work with any directors or videographers when creating your music video for "Maniacal?" How did your team help bring the video to life?
We are very fortunate to work with someone we feel is truly one of the next biggest music videographers in the country - Chase Warren (@chaseawarren). He was the originator of the ideas for both Symphonies and Maniacal. He recruited the help of Billy Bennett (@billybennettfilms), and together they made magic. The attention to detail that Chase puts into every single shot is unlike anything I’ve seen in my career. The band took a backseat and just did whatever Chase told us to do. My only goal was to put as much effort into playing my role, as our director was putting into each shot.
How does "Maniacal" enhance the theme of your forthcoming EP 'Objects in Motion?' How does this single complement the entire EP's concept?
We wanted to put Maniacal out as a single because it sets a certain energetic tone that I feel will get people excited and inspired. Our EP, Objects in Motion, is simply a reference to Newton’s First Law of Motion that states an object in motion will stay in motion unless met with an unbalanced force. It is a reference to us as a unit staying strong, consistent, and active despite the difficulties presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s about taking every loss in stride, and continuing to overcome any “unbalanced forces”. Maniacal fits perfectly as the anthem because it speaks to being undeniable through everything.
What's next for you?
We are looking forward to our EP release on October 15th, followed by a handful of shows before the end of the year. We have our own studio, Interchange Audio, so we're constantly writing and producing new music.