John Carpenter has released an animated new music video for his song “Alive After Death,” which features dark imagery created by Boneface. Liam Brazier animated the video music video, and the single comes ahead of Carpenter’s upcoming album Lost Themes III, Alive After Death, which will be released on February 5 via Sacred Bones.
Cinematic synths match the dark animation, vibrant reds contrasting deep blacks as a skeletal hand taps the main character’s shoulder. Skeletons continue pointing towards a room, the spirit of a cat leading the character to a train which takes them to the afterlife. Animation of a red glowing sun sets into the black, a coin dropped on the train platform to symbolize passage to the afterlife. The character then explores the world, fit with brides and daisies, lions with white glowing eyes and heads on candelabras.
The dark synths maintain their sound through the length of the track, an electric guitar making its entrance towards the end as the music video reaches its climax. Carpenter blends futuristic sounds and ’80s synths, creating a horror aesthetic that matches Boneface’s animation.
Carpenter announced Lost Themes III: Alive After Death in October, releasing the single “Weeping Ghost.” July had seen the release of singles “Skeleton” and “Unclean Spirit,” with “Skeleton” also expected to appear on the forthcoming album. Lost Themes III: Alive After Death sits as the third part of Carpenter’s Lost Themes album series, the first having been in 2015 while the second followed in 2016. This third installment will also serve as Carpenter’s first non-soundtrack album in four years.