watch Direct Hit's "Altered States" video, catch them at SXSW
Milwaukee punks Direct Hit! released their fourth album Crown of Nothing on Fat Wreck Chords last year, and we’re now premiering the new video for “Altered States” from that album. The album tackles all kinds of punk subgenres, from synthy pop punk ballads to raging hardcore, and “Altered States” is one of the more straightforward mid-tempo punk rippers. With its grim lyrics and catchy-but-not-too-poppy melodies, fans of fellow Midwest punks Alkaline Trio will probably dig this one. Vocalist Nick Woods says:
Devon brought “Altered States” to the table early on in the process of writing Crown Of Nothing. Lyrically, it’s a nihilist song – it’s the point at which the characters in the album’s story find themselves on the same page, and come to a bunch of bleak conclusions about humanity and the afterlife. “Time tends to equate all the pointlessness in the heaven we hope for with all that we create” is a line that kind of keeps me up late at night when I think about it too much. Even though it’s one of my favorite tracks on the record, if I listen too closely I have to listen to all the rest of the tunes that follow it to remind myself of the redemption that comes from hopelessness. We shot the video pretty quickly in a single night with our pals Adam and Derek and their crew, who’ve created a lot of our media over the last few years.
The video is a performance clip with the band wearing laser-light sunglasses, and you can check it out below. Pick up your copy of Crown of Nothing at the Fat webstore.
The video drops just ahead of Direct Hit’s four SXSW shows in Austin this week. That includes Smartpunk’s “Fire Festyval” (lol) party with Bob Nanna (Braid, Hey Mercedes), Mikey Erg, Mark Rose (Spitalfield), and more; Untitled Fest with Ratboys, awakebutstillinbed, Blis, and more; and other shows.
After SXSW ends, they’ve got more upcoming tour dates in the South. All dates are listed, with the flyers for their SXSW shows, below.
Direct Hit! — 2019 Tour Dates
3/14 – SXSW @ The Bungalow
3/15 – SXSW @ Valhalla
3/15 – SXSW @ Pearl St Co-Op
3/16 – SXSW @ Durty Dog
3/18 – McAllen, TX @ Yerberia Cultura*
3/20 – Monterrey @ Cafe Iguana
3/21 – Gomez Palacio @ Ojo de Tigre Bar
3/22 – Zacatecas @ Amsterdam Spot
3/23 – Guadalajara @ Aniversario Rompehuesos
3/24 – Mexico City @ Gato Calavera
3/26 – Orlando @ Soundbar*
3/27 – Tampa @ Crowbar*
3/28 – Gainesville @ High Dive*
3/29 – Atlanta @ Masquerade*
3/30 – Greenville, SC @ Radio Room*
3/31 – Charlotte, NC @ Milestone*
* – w/ The Eradicator
