Today, the alternative hard rock band Ashes to Omens shares the music video for “The Tide,” its recent emotionally-charged single touching on very personal mental health struggles.
It’s a heyday of MTV-worthy cinematic style music video that really draws the viewer in right alongside lead singer James Branton’s character, whose battle with internal demons is touchingly displayed for all on screen. Scenes alternate between the full band performing at the beach on the ocean’s edge and the inside of a dusty, dark wooden building with just a shred of hope beaming in through filtered light.
“As mental health advocates, it was important for us to showcase the desperation that the protagonist is going through in the video. That people understand that loss is hard, but it’s normal. That grief can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone. So we wanted that character to be isolated in every shot in some way, but also having the nuance of him never actually being alone,” says Branton.
Photographer Kat Wood accompanied the crew as an on-site technician, but she also makes an appearance at the end of the video as the caring hand that pulls Branton’s character out of his suicidal fugue and back into the world of the living. The realness of the emotions within the song are skillfully reflected in the story and execution of the visuals.
“The only real requirement that we had is that it be shot in a raw way the way early post ’90s grunge videos were shot. We didn’t want any CGI or special shots plugged in to the video itself, and we wanted the video to accurately represent us and the song. Halo Union Productions and Grant Butler Media took those simple ideas and molded it into something that we are very proud of,” says Branton.
The beach is a long way from home for an Athens band, and this music video was shot at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island with support from the Jekyll Island Authority. Branton says there were hundreds of beachgoers throughout the day that stopped to film and take photos with the band and its crew.
“Alexa Hawkins, Elizabeth Burns and the rest of the Georgia DNR were the most accommodating team I think we’ve ever worked with,” says Branton. “Everyone was so welcoming and excited to have us there. I think I recall them saying that we were the first rock band to film on that beach, and it was such an honor and a privilege.”
Although Ashes to Omens has existed as a band for eight years, the group is just ramping up. You’re likely to see their name a lot more around Athens this year with releases and show announcements on the way.
“‘The Tide’ represents the start of a new time for us as a band. This single is the fourth song from our sophomore EP due out in May of this year and is a nice book end to where we are at. We’ve been touring and opening up for larger bands like Ovtlier, Living Dead Girl, The Almas and a few others that I can’t announce yet, but like the song suggests, ‘The tide is coming in,'” says Branton.
Find all things Ashes to Omens at ashestoomens.com.
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.
