The two leading lights of the New Metal Poptimism class of 2012 are simultaneously embracing the most pop move of all — making rock videos! First up, SPIN Essential’d bubblegrunge super-hooksters Torche have dropped a clip for Harmonicraft album highlight “Kicking.” In it, a surprisingly non-hipster game of adult kickball devolves into a 2001-style hallucination full of mutated Phoebe Cateses (see photo) and suggestive hot doggery. Also, I think we spy esteemed metal writer J. Bennett serving up a pitch (if you’re into inside kickball).
Next up, the also SPIN Essential’d Baroness have a more serious take for their far more serious track “Take My Bones Away.” Our review kind of called them the lost ’90s alt-metal band, and this joint starts with live video/audio just like Pearl Jam’s “Evenflow” and Danzig’s “Mother” videos, but then just evolves into some sweaty live footage, shot over a month, possibly confusing more than a few Meshuggah fans who showed up early. Watch that one below too!