Hard rock/metal band Awaken The Giant released the official music video for "Hypnotize" May 18th, 2022, and it certainly looks like this is going to be very popular with the band's growing fan base. This is the second video release from the band's recent EP, Black & Blue. Awaken The Giant includes Tab Cocchia (vocals); Blake Suarez (guitar, vocals); Mike Yorks (guitar); and Dustin Lanier (drums). The band has been gaining quite a following lately from playing live shows in various locations on the Gulf Coast.
The video has a complex simplicity that tells the story of this beautiful and enchanting ballad. The band is playing in a darkened room with lines of neon light cascading down the walls. The lighting is black and white during the verses, but becomes colorful during the chorus. The colors blend together in various combinations that include pink, red, blue, and purple. This lighting concept is one of my favorite things about the video.
In separate scenes, a ballerina is dancing alone in what looks like a room in an old, abandoned house. The dancer symbolizes the woman who is trying to hypnotize the man. However, she doesn't need to do that, because he's already hooked.
So many words come to mind to describe this video, Beautiful. Breathtaking. Mesmerizing. And, a total cliché -- "hypnotizing". The video was filmed and edited by Adrian Arce, owner and founder of Checkonetwo Productions. When asked about the lighting concept, he states "I made the projection with Adobe Premiere. I used shapes and overlays and aligned them to the beat."
My take on this meaningful song is a theme of longing. It reminds me of being in a rocky relationship, and having a desire to move on to something new, something better, with someone else who might possibly be just out of reach. Once with that person, however, you are in a comfort zone where everything is in perfect harmony.
Awaken The Giant will be releasing new music and more videos in upcoming months. The band will also soon be announcing summer tour dates. You can find Awaken the Giant on Facebook, Instagram, Linktree, and Spotify.
TOP PHOTO CREDIT: Renee Schmidt Harvey
<Annie Schlottman>
