Devin Townsend and Ché Aimee Dorval’s new band Casualties of Cool, which got its start thanks to a pledge campaign run by Townsend himself, just released a video for the song “Mountaintop.” The video, animated by Jessica Cope, incorporates the same dark, atmospheric themes Townsend and Dorval established on the album.

Townsend planted the seed for Casualties of Cool and its debut self-titled album with an online pledge drive. The drive, which Townsend explained as a way to “make uncompromising music, and have it accompanied by a visual representation and ultimately a live show that is unlike anything before us in terms of scale and creative freedom,” ultimately earned 546% of its original goal.

After releasing several individual tracks online, the Casualties of Cool LP debuted on May 14. For Townsend, the album marks a huge departure from his other projects. He said:

It’s not a metal album, nor is it meant to be a statement about my interest in metal. It’s a side project from my work with DTP, Ziltoid and my touring band. I love that music, and always will…this is something different. This is something that I would write late at night while working on other projects as sort of a ’release’…a way to make music for myself, without pressure from ANYONE to do things a certain way. It’s an independent release, and it’s dark, quiet, and special.

Check out Casualties of Cool’s video for “Mountaintop” below: