The lines between electronic music and metal have always been a bloody blur. From the screeching drone of Nine Inch Nails to the thrash-pit booms of early Skrillex, the cross-pollination continues today.
The latest installment comes courtesy of Underoath frontman Aaron Gillespie as he takes the mic for Canadian producer Rezz’s latest single “Falling.” Showcasing the blend of mechanical stomps and shrill synths that have earned Rezz a dedicated dance music fanbase, the release is the latest from her forthcoming Beyond the Senses EP. Rezz’s industrial techno sound is hypnotic with a hint of psychedelia, though the upcoming EP appears to lean towards more straight-forward structures. On “Falling,” Gillespie plays with traditional electronic elements of repetition while shaping his outcast refrain into verse-chorus familiarity.
“Falling” is accompanied by an intense music video that shows Gillespie tied to a chair, stuck in an unfriendly virtual world that taunts him with self-harm. Rezz, in her signature swirl goggles, rescues him into a Matrix-esque world. The video’s VR-centric storyline ties into the producer’s plan to host EP listening parties in a series of virtual reality environments. No telling if the “Falling” environment will also feature dirty toilets, but one can dream.
The cross-genre collaboration follows Underoath’s 2018 LP Erase Me. The band is playing festivals across Europe this summer before heading out in support of Korn and Alice in Chains alongside punk-rappers H09909. Rezz’s six-track Beyond the Senses is due out July 24 her first release, on AWAL records.
Watch the music video for “Falling” featuring Gillespie exclusively on SPIN.
