samurai shotgun’s “blast” explodes out of speakers

“We are many / There is no beating us.”

Their first appearance at AFROPUNK Battle of the Bands back in 2015 cemented Samurai Shotgun as one of the best live bands out there. The Atlanta quintet’s fierce combination of post-hardcore and hip-hop is electric on stage. But their latest video for their single “The Blast” adds “visual stylists” to the band’s resume. The stark imagery, directed by drummer Jovan Lecaro, dresses the band in shrouds, while still movement is juxtaposed against the energy of frontman Mateo’s performance. Shocks of violence erupt like the chords and synth stabs in the song, building to a gut-punch of a final image. There’s a marriage between the ultra modern in the minimalist use of color and framing and the golden age of the music video that feels one fisheye lens away from a throwback.

The band fires on all cylinders through the song, with DJ Queys contributing some of his best work to the band’s confrontational style, while Mateo captures the confidence and swagger he exudes onstage on record. Samurai Shotgun has never been a band that holds back, but with “The Blast” it feels like their revolutionary fervor is unleashed for real.

Stay tuned for more from Samurai Shotgun this summer. In the meantime, track them on Facebook.