Halifax Rock Band Dali Van Gogh Release New Video “Past Crimes”

Halifax hard rock five piece Dali Von Gogh have just released a new single and lyric video for their favourite anti-love song “Past Crimes” The freshly pressed video depicts two lovers at the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic; it serves as an allusion to the stress and turmoil of the last year, and the toll it’s taken on even the closest relationships. If you’ve been locked up inside with your partner for the past 12 months, no matter how strong the relationship, there’s a fair chance you can relate. It was originally envisioned as a live action story but, as many Canadian bands have, they were faced with numerous delays due to related restrictions, and the band converted the concept into an animated lyric video. Dali Van Gogh is another great example of the resilience of artists, and how pivoting can sometimes make for a better product in the end, one you might not have even imagined if you weren’t forced to face the challenges in front of you. The lyric video was animated by guitarist Isaac Kent and the visuals compliment the track perfectly. The track reminds me of Alice of Chains with a modern and Canadian touch and if you’re into gritty grunge rock, I think you’ll be a fan. 

Highlighted with a Tchaikovsky-inspired keyboard line, the song churns through a near-despondent ‘lost love’ narrative and the haunting consequences of old mistakes. The groove-centric duet features bandmates John Scotto and Rachelle Moreau trading lead vox as they’re supported by drummer Johnny Moore, bassist Lance Hicks, and guitarist Isaac Kent. Inspired by real-life experiences, it was Kent who first tabled the song’s concept.

“Without getting into too much detail, the first draft of the song was written about the breakdown of a close relationship in my personal life,” he shares. “It wasn’t originally going to be a duet but, once it clicked to me that this could be taken as a love story of sorts, the lyrics came together.”

Produced by JUNO-nominated songwriter Rob Laidlaw (Platinum Blonde, Honeymoon Suite), “Past Crimes” is Dali Van Gogh’s second 2021 offering, and the fourth tying into the band’s ongoing concept release; The Testimony. The song follows last year’s singles: “Heavy Living” and “Boneyard” and this year’s “Stand Up, Wake Up,” a re-imagining of a track off of 2017’s “From Ashes”.

First formed in 2008, Dali Van Gogh returned to the stage in 2015 following a fire that destroyed Kent’s home and recording studio: every instrument, computer, and master disk, not to mention countless mementos from his personal life, were lost. “Almost nothing was recovered,” he recalls. “Needless to say, it was a major roadblock, but also the driving force behind everything I’ve done, everything I’ve fought for since.

“That includes Dali Van Gogh.

“It’s been quite a journey getting this far”, Kent continues, expanding on putting material together for the release. “The pandemic has wreaked havoc every step of the way, not the least of which on the music video, which we had to change dramatically last minute.

“On the bright side, animation allows us to tell any story we want, and in some ways made it much easier to tie the concept into The Testimony,” Kent adds.

The Testimony, a story the band has been delivering through both music and a digitally-issued tie-in novel, is a high-concept journal of sorts, that takes place in the near future. With multiple viewpoint characters, and conflicting accounts, Dali Van Gogh have used The Testimony to tell the story of those who have come into contact with its main character, ‘The Preacher’ — an enigmatic figure whose very presence alters the world around him.

By using an animated video, “we can keep things more mysterious with our ‘Preacher’ character,” Kent adds. “When we show less of him, it lets the audience make up their own minds on what he’s doing, and what his goals are.”

Pages to The Testimony are released regularly on their website, linked here www.dalivangoghmusic.com

Click below to watch “Past Crimes” by Dali Von Gogh 

Todays Song of The Day (April 14th) is Past Crimes by Dali Van Gogh. Every weekday on Dropout Radio at 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 7PM & 10PM ET we’re showcasing some of Canada’s best independent music, from artists of all genres and all across the country. Stay tuned ’til the end of The Song of The Day on Dropout Radio to find today’s Secret Code and for your chance to win free Dropout merch!