Minneapolis, Minn.-based, Indie hip-hop collective Doomtree have released a video for their song, “Final Boss,” which is the first single from the group’s most recent album, “All Hands.”
The video for “Final Boss” premiered online at Stereogum on February 12th, 2015. And, if we had to sum it up in a word, that word would be violent. The video features Doomtree members Sims, Dessa, P.O.S., and Mike Mictlan sitting down to what looks to be a delicious feast. During the Rocky Horror-esque meal, the group members in attendance trade off on tightly written verses, but they are blissfully unaware of the danger that lurks in the shadows in the form of Cecil Otter. He proceeds to pick off each dinner guest one by one, after their verse, and the other’s surrounding the table fail to be notice that their fellow guests are dropping like flies. For each kill, Otter employs a different weapon.
As Stereogum writer Aaron Lindberg notes, the video for “Final Boss” is a “grim comment on the inevitability of death,” but the video’s violence calls to mind the “low-key gory “Tiff” video from fellow Twin Cities band Poliça.”
Now, there is one unexpected plot twist toward the end of the video, but you’ll just have to click the “play” button on the video, below, to find out what happens.
“Final Boss” is the opening track on Doomtree’s latest release, “All Hands,” which is available now on the group’s own label, Doomtree Records. The track, itself, was premiered at The A.V. Club in early January. And, as noted above, rappers Sims, Mike Mictlan, P.O.S. and Dessa, all shared vocal duties. Mxdwn’s own Nicolle Periola hit the nail on the head, in an earlier article, when she wrote that the collaborative effort on the song “highlights the group’s signature intensity while showcasing each unique voice.” And, Doomtree’s own Lazerbeak handled the production duties on “Final Boss.”
The audio and, subsequent, music video release for “Final Boss” is the second to come from the group. They had previously released a video for their song, “Gray Duck,” in December 2013.
Lastly, looking ahead at the spring and summer festival season, Doomtree are going to be appearing and performing in July at the inaugural Eaux Claires festival, which was created and curated by Bon Iver’s frontman Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner of The National.