Metalcore group Afterlife are redefining the genre with the release of their new single “Burn It Down.” The four-piece took the lyrics of their new song “Burn It Down” literally in the fire-filled video for the track.
In the video, vocalist Tyler Levenson pours tanks of gasoline on the ground before lighting a match to instigate the flames. Dark and smoky scenes are juxtaposed against volatile explosions to emphasize the chaotic vibe of the song. The red-hot fire combined with the powerful instrumentals from Andrew McGuire (guitar), Tristan Edwards (bass) and Luke Walkinshaw (drums) also help to visualize the group’s internal rage.
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“Filming the video for ‘Burn It Down’ was such a cool experience because we got to use full pyro, and that’s something we’ve always wanted to do and it fits the lyrics in the song incredibly well, and come on…who doesn’t love fire?” Levenson exclusively tells Alternative Press. “There were moments during the video where we would be rockin’ out and a 12-foot flame would be a foot or so away from us, so it really kept the energy high the whole time, and the end result is absolutely awesome!”
Afterlife had to take safety precautions when filming to ensure they wouldn’t get hurt by the fire but also due to restrictions set by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Filming music videos in the pandemic was a first for us, and we did everything we could to ensure everyone was safe on set,” Levenson continues. “We had pyro techs to ensure none of us were blown up, and everyone maintained a safe distance as well as wore masks in between takes.”
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With “Burn It Down,” the group took the anger and exasperation they have felt throughout the pandemic and channeled it into a cathartic anthem about change.
“‘Burn It Down’ was written towards the tail-end of the recording process, and at that time, we were many months into the global pandemic, which personally resulted in a lot of anger and frustration with how things were being handled in not only our country but around the world,” Levenson says in a press release.
“Writing and recording music in a time where there is this looming sense of fear and uncertainty put me in a place where I’ve never been before mentally, and at that time I felt very hopeless and as if my ‘world’ was on fire, so I wanted the song to feel very empowering and anthemic in tone to counter how I was feeling which resulted in the lyrics ‘You bring the match, I’ll bring the gas, Together we’ll burn it and live among the ash’ and ‘When push comes to shove, You gave us no choice’ to really visualize that we’ve had enough and it’s time for change, which I’m sure many others feel the same exact way as we do.’”
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With “Burn It Down,” fans can listen to new music from Afterlife as well as get excited about what’s to come next from the group.
“I hope you guys love the new song and video and we promise we have so much more in store for you all!” Levenson says exclusively to Alternative Press.
You can watch “Burn It Down” below and share your thoughts on the fiery video in the comments.
More on Afterlife
Afterlife was formed in 2015 and released their first EP Vicious Cycle in early 2017.
After signing with Hopeless Records, Afterlife then released their debut album Breaking Point at the start of 2019.
The album touches on many important topics such as mental health and political apathy and included fan-favorite tracks such as “Throat” and “Giving Back The Pain.” The group also collabed with Crystal Lake’s Ryo Kinoshita on “PSA” and paid homage to Linkin Park through “Holding On.”
Then in September 2020, the four-piece released another anthemic single “Wasting Time.” The track was written in the hopes of empowering people to strive for change, both internally and in society.
At the beginning of 2021, Afterlife were also featured in Alternative Press’ 100 Artists You Need To Know issue, where they revealed they have been working on their second full-length album.
“We believe this album is the most exciting and ambitious collection of songs we’ve written, and we cannot wait for you to hear them,” the band said in the issue.
You can find Afterlife’s feature in Alternative Press’ 100 Artists You Need To Know issue here. Let us know what you think of the group’s new single, “Burn It Down,” in the comments below.