They’re here. Prepare to need to walk away from the screen to contemplate the bombshell Actus Reus dropped on September 23rd. “Thoughts Revoked” is a powerhouse laced with easter eggs, symbolism, commentary and even a couple goofy moments, all of which will chokehold viewer’s attention. If there is any video that will consistently pull someone back in order to find another detail, it will be “Thoughts Revoked.” Everything from the lyrics, to the video, to the cover art stitches together a glimpse at the ways crooked people have stayed in power. This track refuses to be held back and rips itself from expectation demanding “to just let me breathe” and be released from control.
A stellar video accompanies an addicting track. “Thoughts Revoked” is packed with symbolism expanding on Jimmy’s backstory, hinting at how he became the knife wielding icon fans of Actus Reus has come to know. His being in a suit and walking into a pretty nice house are tell-tale signs that he was once a normal person pushed to the limit – especially when he is in the woods, seemingly having a mental break down. What caused him to go from the suit wearing, kicking it up in Suburbia type to carving “survive” into someone’s forehead? Near the one minute mark, a tree trunk is graffitied with “now cry later” over the band’s logo ties into how he is on the verge of “drift into the fray/thoughts revoked.” Split second moments such as the psychiatric notes flashing at the end of the video give potential hints about what exactly made Jimmy snap. Callbacks to previous videos such as the pig mask indicate Jimmy feeling trapped by the ideals he is brainwashed into believing he wants. Who pushed him to the limit? Is he sick of being another cog in the machine? Was he used as a human guinea pig in the MKUltra experiments? Theories spiral throughout the video. One thing is for sure: Jimmy got sick of being someone else’s puppet, as shown with him being tied up and manipulated, and the rest of the video is leading up to how he snapped enough to murder the person controlling him. There’s a possibility that the man at the very beginning is the initial target, since Jimmy’s in his usual outfit of sneakers and overalls as opposed to the suit for the rest of the video. There’s a call back to “Cultist” where someone is wearing a pig mask while keeping Jimmy restrained. This is further emphasized by his being tied up in the strings, and when he finally pulls away, he regains his senses.
While there are plenty of intense moments in “Thoughts Revoked,” Actus Reus doesn’t hold back on making the video as much fun as possible. The color palate is absolutely stunning. Everything is vibrant and adds to the liveliness. Lyrics such as “if this is life then what is death” are punctured with glimpses of Jimmy bouncing on a trampoline as if he is the personification of Chaotic Neutral. There probably isn’t a deeper meaning to this other than everyone just wanted to have fun, but I’m going to make one up anyway: The micro bunny hops Jimmy indulges in juxtaposed with “the land of fire and soot remains” symbolizes how he wishes for nothing more than to watch the world he set fire to burn from his more enlightened perspective. Alternatively, it could symbolize the dangers of jumping to conclusions via over analyzation because a broken school system provided only the most rigid way of thinking, therefore, the initial intention of the song is undeniably accomplished. Regardless, few music videos can brag about how they incorporated a tie dye hat and puns (thots?) into their message about regaining autonomy.
Absolutely no one will be surprised if Actus Reus becomes a staple in the Next Generation of metal. We grew up listening to Slipknot, In this Moment, and Judas Priest. Actus Reus headlining in similar legendary shows feels…fitting. There is no lack of talent or ambition from any of the members. They continue to show how much they believe in their art and their message by going above and beyond in every project they release. Every video possesses a memorable aesthetic complete with an up and coming horror icon, and “Thoughts Revoked” breaks the metaphorical speakers. (Or the actual speakers.) The new single embodies everything their fans love about them and their music. Don’t you dare miss out.
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