Junius Enter ‘Beast’ Mode in Most Aggressive ‘Ritual’ to Date

Afterlife-obsessed Massachusetts metalgazers Junius take their sweet-ass time between (excellent) concept albums, but the delay between 2011's Reports From the Threshold of Death and next month's Eternal Rituals for the Accretion of Light (both on Prosthetic) makes sense: Founding guitarist Michael Respach-Nieves peaced out, leaving frontman Joseph E. Martinez to craft the new opus all by his lonesome — guitar, bass, vocals, the works (with the exception of Dana Filloon's drums). Junius debuted the dazzling "The Queen's Constellation" (fuuuuuck, that introductory keyboard hook) via Rolling Stone in late January, and are delivering their "Clean the Beast" video exclusively on CLRVYNT today.

As for metaphor, greater meaning and whatnot, Martinez is only willing to (somewhat cryptically) share, "This video is a love letter to my wife." Listening to the song and watching the bombardment of brutal imagery, that can only mean the woman has rad taste. The verse staccato is among the band's most punishing to date, supplemented by rare-but-welcome shrieked backup vox, and the clip is rife with shots of pepper-spraying and protest (and one very well-timed Richard Spencer-decking). You'll have to wait for a Martinez Q&A to figure out how the Trump's America commentary ties into the frontman's obsession with near-death experiences, reincarnation and the like; in the meantime, dig on the badass song and pre-order Rituals pronto. (Tour dates below.)

JUNIUS on TOUR
Apr. 17 — Boston, MA - Great Scott #
Apr. 18 — Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery #
Apr. 19 — Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie #
Apr. 20 — Kingston, NY - BSP Lounge #
Apr. 21 — Pittsburgh, PA - Black Forge Coffee House #
Apr. 22 — Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus #
# with InAeona