Punk rock band Pussy Riot has released a new video for their song “RAGE” today. The video is the band’s campaign to push for the release of political prisoners, including their fellow bandmate, Masha Alekhina.

The Moscow-based band has always been known for their bold stance in politics and feminism. Songs like “1312” and “Riot” featuring IXXF took a stance for issues like police brutality and equal rights. Their song “RAGE” is another demonstration for the need of change in the state of politics where they live.

Alekhina had been arrested and is currently under house arrest for her participation during an Anti-Putin protest on January 23. She was detained for 48 hours and is currently a suspect in a criminal case, according to Pitchfork. She had also been prosecuted for “violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules”, which could result in her serving two years in jail.

The video directed by Nadya Tolokonnikova was shot in February 2020 and was supposed to be released with the band’s album also titled Rage later this year. The band figured with the state of politics and current events in their homeland, it was the perfect time to release the video now. The video, which starts dark with sirens flashing in the distance, turns into a protest with people all around and the camera whirling in an ongoing circle, symbolizing chaos.

Pussy Riot filmed the music video in St. Petersburg with over 200 LGBTQ+, feminist and anti-authoritarian activists. The studio which the band used to shoot the video was raided by police in the middle of the production, with the completed version culminated of the footage that the team did record before the raid.

The song, which was co-produced by Chris Greatti and Crazy Demxns, “reflects on what one feels being an enemy of the state and a heretic in their own homeland, about pain and depression it may cause, about jail cells and police batons, and about people finally refusing to obey and expressing their rage at last,” according to a recent press release from the band.

Photo Credit: Brett Padelford