LOOT THE BODY - "White Plume Mountain" from Hex Volume 1 (Music Video Premiere)

As many of your dear readers will undoubtedly agree, fantastical escapism is a potent elixir with a massively significant appeal. The opportunity to leave behind the doldrums and anxieties of the cursed real world, even if ever so briefly, is an opportunity worth taking every damn time. A little adventure is more often than not the balm to sooth our burnout, and, as such, we scribes spend a lot of time imagining worlds and characters that exist outside the stringent lines of reality. Call us nerds if you want. Hell, we welcome it. We wear the label proudly.

The same rings true, I can only imagine, for L.A.'s own Loot The Body. Overtly inspired by the dungeon-crawlin' world of, well, Dungeons and Dragons, this one-man adventuring party writes rockin' tunes about the various flora, fauna, and fantastical tribulations of the franchise in question. His latest 6-track EP, the appropriately entitled Hex Volume 1, is a little more hefty and riff-centric than prior work, but no less enjoyable. Indeed, for metalheads like us, this foray into a slightly more aggressive sonic arena goes down reeeeal smooth.

​Introductions out of the way, we're very pleased to present here today the music video for opening track "White Plume Mountain." Check it out below, and, as always, we'll catch ye on the other side!

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Comfortably perched someplace betwixt indie psych rock, classic rock, prog rock, and traditional metal, "White Plume Mountain"--and, of course, Hex Volume 1 as a unit--hits that perfect balance of easy listening and engaging songwriting. This track is highly melodic and never too bombastic for its own good, but manages to deliver moderately chunky riffs alongside some delightfully bright synths. The former lends a little weight to the whole affair, while the latter adds just enough psychedelia to give it a nostalgia-inducing retro vibe. And this isn't even considering the vocals, which are crisp and cheery without feeling overtly saccharine. The balance here is impeccable, and while Loot The Body's earlier work is quite excellent, I'm excited to see a continuation of this shift in direction. At the end of the day, a penchant for catchy composition remains a constant, and if that isn't a strong suit on its own merit, I dunno what is.

And, lest it be forgot: the video itself. This is a bright and colorful and lush experience, much like, conveniently enough, the track itself. Featuring a swath of psychedelic imagery as well as the narrative's antagonist--a white-bearded evil wizard--the video is, simply put, as nice to watch as the song is to listen to. Loot the Body has never been a slouch when it comes to high-quality music videos, a fact you can independently verify over on YouTube. Needless to say, "White Plume Mountain" serves as a continuation of the quality I've come to expect.

Like unto the best of creations influenced by the experience of diving deep into a fantasy or sci-fi environ, "White Plume Mountain" draws you in and encourages you to stay awhile. Hex Volume 1 as a whole feels like the epitome of feel-good summer soundtrack, and, lucky for yours truly, it's a hot 'n' sunny summer day here at the Sleeping Village. As such, we'll be cranking some Loot the Body and enjoying life. We hope you join us in doing so!

Loot the Body - Hex Volume 1  was released today, June 3rd, 2021. Find it (and buy it) here!

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Loot the Body can be found:
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