10 Best Metal Videos of 2014
Despite MTV's best attempts to not play music videos anymore, the art form is not dead. Regardless of a band's success or the amount of money at their fingertips, a mind-blowing video can still be made. And thanks to YouTube, new music videos are still turning fans on to new bands.
In this list, we count down the 10 Best Metal Videos of 2014. You've certainly run into some of these before, but we've dug up some hidden gems which are well deserving of the title 'Best of 2014.'
- 10
'Thirst' / 'Decayin' With the Boys'
Every Time I DieEvery Time I Die released once of the year's strongest albums with 'From Parts Unknown.' Known for their darker clips, Every Time I Die took a lighthearted approach while combining 'Thirst' with 'Decayin With the Boys.' Vocalist Keith Buckley has found himself in a happier place as of late, so the masterful lyricist wanted to bring 'From Parts Unknown' back to a basis of fun. 'Thirst' shows two best buds raising hell before heading to a ETID house party, while 'Decayin With the Boys' peers inside the rowdy show itself. Watch 'Thirst' below and then click on the link to watch 'Decayin' With the Boys.'
- 9
'Sailor's Prayer'
The Devil Wears PradaFrom the Devil Wears Prada's '8:18' album, the track 'Sailor's Prayer' received a unique visual accompaniment during the summer. Based in puppetry, the cartoonish characters come off as strangely human -- even when actual humans are in the same shot. The clip's puppet protagonist yearns for his far-away love, counting down the days until his return to land. The video's end takes a heartbreaking twist, but we'll let you watch for yourselves.
- 8
'Gloryhole' [NSFW]
Steel PantherThe men of Steel Panther are simple folk. All they need in life is heavy metal, copious amounts of cocaine and anonymous sexual encounters. The Panther procured an heroic amount of "seed" in the 'Gloryhole' video, which is most definitely NSFW. Though there are some hot chicks in a few bathroom stalls, the rest are populated by transexuals, little people, frat boys, clowns and a multitude of religious figures.
- 7
'I Live With Your Ghost'
MenaceNapalm Death's Mitch Harris unleashed a monster album this year. Under the moniker of Menace, Harris took a spacey, melodic and dare we say beautiful record with 'Impact Velocity.' Harris' clip for 'I Live With Your Ghost' is an animated powerhouse showcasing the collision of two planets and the destruction and heartbreak which unfolds. You share each step with the main character (who reminds us a lot of Isaac from ‘Dead Space’), embarking on a journey as tripped-out as the song itself.
- 6
'The Motherload'
MastodonMastodon's video for 'The Motherload' prominently brought metal and twerking together. The band has always approached music with a strong sense of fun, regardless of how complex or serious the music is. 'The Motherload' begins by parodying bleak metal music videos, but quickly turns into 'You Got Served.' The clip caused a bit of a stir, as various bloggers were fast to label Mastodon as sexist and chauvinistic, but it didn't stick, leaving us with a fun and unapologetic gem from the Georgia band.
- 5
'The Devil in I'
SlipknotSlipknot's 'The Devil in I' video is all about one's own destruction. How that destruction comes is different for each individual. For the two new Knot members, it's being stabbed to death by the other seven. For Corey Taylor, Jim Root, Shawn 'Clown' Crahan, Sid Wilson and Mick Thomson, the choice is self-destruction. As for Chris Fehn and Craig Jones, they had little say in their respective demises. 'The Devil in I' also acts as the reveal for Slipknot's '.5: The Gray Chapter' era masks.
- 4
'Kill or Become'
Cannibal Corpse"Fire up the chainsaw! / Hack their f--king heads off!" Cannibal Corpse is all about the gore, so for the zombie-inspired 'Kill or Become,' it only made sense to use everyone's favorite weapon against everyone's favorite horror foe. The grimy look of the clip makes the carnage feel even more gruesome. Does our protagonist survive the apocalypse? Check out Cannibal Corpse's clip to see for yourself.
- 3
'Now We Die'
Machine HeadMachine Head's career is rich with memorable music videos. With the band's 2014 full-length, 'Bloodstone & Diamonds,' Machine F'n Head delivered a great clip for 'Now We Die.' The video begins with creepy clowns playing violins while an old, bearded man sits uncomfortably nearby. A seemingly limitless cast of characters (none of which you'd like to find yourself face to face with) fill out the seven-minute video while the members of Machine Head play with fire, skulls and spikes.
- 2
'All Those Delicate Cuts'
Das MuerteYou may be unfamiliar with Boston avant-garde act Das Muerte, but this is a band worth paying attention to. For a smaller band, they went all-out in creating a genuinely creepy and stunningly cinematic video for 'All Those Delicate Cuts.' The clip immediately reminds the viewer of 'Sin City' while practically besting the visual style of the cult film. It's got sex, violence and mysterious grit, succeeding in every way possible.
- 1
'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' [NSFW]
BehemothBehemoth's 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' was technically released in Dec. 2013, but we had already compiled our 2013 Best Metal Videos list. With an entire year having passed since its release, not one metal video has come close to this one. The black and white clip isn't just stylistically gorgeous, but terrifying as well. The story of Satanic sacrifice and demonic transformation feels genuinely evil -- not an easy feat these days. If 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' was somehow stretched out to 90 minutes, it would be the most horrifying film of the 21st century.