Using royalties from their first ever-single, Savage Lands recently protected 60,000 square feet of Costa Rican rainforest from getting chopped down. But on their new single, "Black Rock Heart", these angry metalheads are warning us that if we don't listen up, the world as we know it might not be around much longer.
Watch the video for "Black Rock Heart" featuring Kai Uwe Faust from Heilung and Chloé Trujillo below.
Just listening to "Black Rock Heart" helps support Savage Lands. 100% of the song's royalties fund the musician-run non-profit's preservation efforts in Costa Rica. Donations can also be made at https://savagelands.org/donation/
Savage Land's first single was a fitting tribute to the endangered howler monkey. But even though it's still plenty heavy, "Black Rock Heart" aims at more spiritual concerns. The video begins with an ominous warning: the spirits of nature are reaching out to us... Of course, who else could represent these magical beings but visionary artist Chloé Trujillo and Heilung's chief of ceremonies Kai Uwe Faust.
Channeling the protective powers of an Obsidian stone, Chloé sends Kai to warn of the doomsday scenario that's unfolding right before our eyes. Don't mistake the derelict buildings or rusted heavy metal machinery that dot this deserted landscape for the work of AI. Savage Lands shot this video on location in Salton Sea, which is the site of the biggest environmental disaster in California history.
"That we tried to create an ocean just shows our own ignorance" says guitarist Sylvain Demercastel, who co-founded Savage Lands alongside Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren. "The Salton Sea is a very symbolic area. It was the perfect place for us to shoot this video. Sadly, there's hardly a tree in sight".
Kai bangs on his hand drum. Still, even when he's screaming in the band's face, the message falls on deaf ears. Black Bomb A's Sebastian Poun strains his voice into a bat-like shriek before exploding on a room full of TVs, computers and other man-made creations that are supposed to make us happy.
"We wanted this song to reflect our mounting frustration with the way the real estate heat wave is destroying Costa Rica's ecosystem", says Sylvain. "Black Rock Heart" does sound angrier and more aggressive than what we've previously heard from Savage Lands. Sylvain shoots off a guitar solo that howls away like a flare gun, but the riff is a wicked stroke of downpicking that's only sharpened by the low end's blackened groove. "It's got a bit more black 'n' roll to it, which plays into the title".
But "Black Rock Heart" isn't all doom and gloom. Just as Chloé's clean singing cuts through those venomous shrieks like a salve, the song ends with a positive sign. The black arrow that falls from the sky is a final message for us to act on the benefit of our planet, before it's too late.
"That's the reason why we started Savage Lands", says Sylvain. "It's up to us to do something".
Kai and his fellow Heilung warriors are continuing to support Savage Lands on their 2024 tour dates. The Nordic collective are donating $1 for every ticket sold to the non-profit's ongoing forest preservation efforts in Costa Rica.
"The question is: 'Do you like to breath'?", Kai asks. "Do you like trees. Then you really should follow Savage Lands".
Picture by Gornoss
Savage Lands are planting their eco-friendly flag at Hellfest!They'll play the main stage on Friday, June 28, with help from some very special guests.
Stop by the Savage Lands booth to learn more about the green zones, nature sanctuaries and other preservation projects that they're building in Costa Rica. Make a donation and receive the chance to win a one-of-a-kind guitar.
Artists occasionally support causes through donations to organizations. With SAVAGE LANDS, Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren teamed up with his guitar-wielding friend Sylvain Demercastel to create their own US 501(c)3 non-profit.
Savage Lands raises money for reforestation and the creation of sanctuaries free of human destruction in Costa Rica. Using their own royalties, donations and other fundraising efforts, the organization builds nature sanctuaries, establishes green zones and other land preservation projects. They partner with other non-profits, scientists and forest engineers, as well as Decibel Magazine and Season of Mist.
Donate: https://savagelands.org/donation/
"If you want to make a difference, take action! Our greatest hope with Savage Lands is that it will inspire you to join us, and if you can, to start your own initiative to help preserve animals, forests, and our planet", says Dirk.
Learn more about Savage Lands
https://savagelands.org/
Stream
https://orcd.co/savagelandsblackrockheart
Recording lineup for "Black Rock Heart"
Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth) - Drums
Sylvain Demercastel - Guitar
Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A) - Bass
Poun (Black Bomb A) - Vocals
Chloé Trujillo - Vocals
Kai Uwe Faust - Vocals
Lineup for "Black Rock Heart" Video
Florian Pons - Drums
Sylvain Demercastel - Guitar
Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A) - Bass
Poun (Black Bomb A) - Vocals
Chloé Trujillo - Vocals
Kai Uwe Faust (Heilung) - Vocals
Recording
Savage Lands at Daufembach Studio in Los Angeles, CA
Additional songwriting by Florian Pons and Stephane Buriez
Production
Adair Daufembach
Additional production by Stephane Buriez