Volbeat's new song "Last Day Under the Sun" — from the Danish act's forthcoming Rewind, Replay, Rebound — might have a morbid-sounding title, but the track itself is a beautiful, uplifting anthem. Premiering with it is a gorgeous music video that illustrates the song's lyrical exploration of tragedy and redemption — themes which singer-guitarist Michael Poulson says were inspired by the life of country star Johnny Cash.
"When I read his [autobiography], he went through tough times with alcohol and drugs," he says. "He walked into a cave to lay down to die. But he wakes up and feels like he has been given a second chance."
The video presents a series of vignettes that show characters suffering through the darkest times in their life. Poulsen's stirring vocals bring about a visceral, chill-inducing reaction while onscreen one child is killed by a negligent truck driver and another is separated from her parents — and so it goes, the pain in life exemplified through each devastating event echoes in the song's emotional passages.
A breakthrough comes when each of the characters are drawn to a bright, glowing light. They form a procession and begin to trek toward the burning white spot in a forest, which reveals itself upon discovery as a sort of portal to another plane of existence. A child is the first to dare into the unknown and, after a shaky transmutation process inside the portal, come out on the other side to discover he is reunited with his lost parents. The other sufferers follow suit, each finding their own peace through entering the mysterious doorway.
"Last Day Under the Sun" follows Rewind, Replay, Rebound's previously released singles "Leviathan" and "Parasite."
The new record is due out August 2nd with pre-orders available on the band's official webstore. The band will hit the road soon with support coming from Baroness and Danko Jones – find dates here.
Track list:
01. Last Day Under The Sun
02. Pelvis On Fire
03. Rewind The Exit
04. Die To Live (feat. Neil Fallon)
05. When We Were Kids
06. Sorry Sack of Bones
07. Cloud 9
08. Cheapside Sloggers
09. Maybe I Believe
10. Parasite
11. Leviathan
12. The Awakening of Bonnie Parker
13. The Everlasting
14. 7:24
