Nonpoint Debuts ‘Wheel Against Will’ Video

Posted on December 9, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Spinefarm Records

Nonpoint released its latest music video this week.

The band debuted the video for its latest single ‘Wheel Against Will‘ on Wednesday. The song is the fourth single to be released from the band’s new album X since the album’s release on Aug. 24 via Spinefarm Records.

The band debuted the album’s first two singles, ‘Chaos & Earthquakes‘ and ‘Dodge Your Destiny‘ in June. The album’s third single ‘Fix This‘ debuted only weeks later in July via Loudwire, while the official video for ‘Chaos & Earthquakes’ followed in August.

The new ‘Wheel Against Will’ video places the up-tempo opus and its seeming sociopolitical commentary against a visualization of the band at work in the studio. Mixed into the video is footage of front man Elias Soriano up close and personal reciting the song’s lyrics while friends recite the song’s chorus and drummer Robb Rivera practices his part in what looks like a hotel room.

Eagle-eyed audiences will note Rivera sporting a Machine Head pullover in some of the scenes as a bonus of sorts. It is not known if these scenes were shot before or after Machine Head announced its breakup over the summer.

Nonpoint is currently wrapping its tour with P.O.D., which is touring in support of its own new album, Circles. The remaining live dates on the bands’ tour are noted below.

NONPOINT ON TOUR:
12/11: Lynchburg, VA @ Phase 2
12/12: Greensboro, NC @ Cone Denim
12/14: Destin, FL @ Radio Show Club LA

More information on Nonpoint’s new video is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://www.nonpoint.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nonpointofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/nonpoint

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Neither Its Best Nor its Worst Album, Machine Head’s New Album ‘Catharsis’ Deserves At Least One Listen

Posted on January 30, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

The day is finally here and the long wait is finally over. Machine Head’s new album Catharsis is finally here. The band’s ninth new album, it has faced a lot of scrutiny from audiences leading up to its release, with many comparing it to the band’s 1999 album The Burning Red and its follow-up, 2001’s Supercharger, and others even calling it worse than those efforts. Given, this may not be another master work from Machine Head — unlike The Blackening and Bloodstone & Diamonds — but it still deserves at least more of a chance than so many have given it. That is due in part to the very musical arrangements that have come under fire from audiences and critics alike. They will be discussed shortly. The album’s lyrical themes, which in many cases are not so dissimilar from those of the band’s past albums, will be discussed later, as they are just as important to discuss in examining this album. Last but definitely not least of note is the bonus concert recording included in the album’s deluxe expanded edition. It could be argued to be the album’s crown jewel. When it is set alongside (or in this case atop) the album’s musical arrangements and its relatively familiar lyrical themes, the end result is an album that while again not the band’s best work is still deserving of more respect than it has received.

Catharsis is one of the most interesting and important albums that Machine Head has put out in the course of its now 20-year life span. Not since the days of The Burning Red and Supercharger has the veteran San Francisco, California-based heavy metal band come under so much scrutiny from audiences and critics alike, splitting them almost down the middle. Many have even compared this record to those albums, unjustifiably no less. That is due in part to the album’s musical arrangements. As has been noted by so many critics — both professional and independent — the album’s musical arrangements run the gamut over the course of the album’s 15-song, 74-minute run time. The album’s opener, ‘Volatile,’ which was also the album’s most recent single, boasts an arrangement that can easily be compared to that of ‘Game Over,’ which was included in the band’s most recent album, 2014’s Bloodstone & Diamonds. The album’s title track, which was one of its earliest singles, boasts an equally solid arrangement that harkens back to the band’s earliest days while also hinting a little at its more recent albums, too. ‘Beyond the Pale’ meanwhile takes listeners back to the chugging sound that the band crafted on Supercharger, again presenting yet another piece of the band’s body of work. One could even argue that there’s a hint of Pantera in this arrangement. ‘California Bleeding’ goes back to the days of The Burning Red with its up-tempo arrangement. To an end, it could even fit in Supercharger’s body as could that of ‘Triple Beam,’ the clearly anti-drug anthem, and ‘Kaleidoscope.’ The much softer socio-politically-charged ‘Bastards’ could easily fit into any of the band’s albums stylistically speaking, despite what people would like to believe of the song. ‘Hope Begets Hope’ meanwhile reaches all the way back to Burn My Eyes (one of the band’s masterpieces)with its arrangement while ‘Screaming at the Sun’ sounds like it could just as easily fit into the body of The More Things Change. Considering how soft and contemplative ‘Descend The Shades of Night’ (from From The Ashes of Empires) was, ‘Behind A Mask’ could just as easily be argued to be a work that would fit alongside that song with its semi-acoustic arrangement. is it as good as ‘Descend the Shades of Night’ in regards to its arrangement? No, but it is still an interesting work nonetheless. The album’s final handful of songs also reaches back to the band’s early days. All in all, what audiences get in this album’s collective arrangements is in reality a tapestry of the band’s body of work up until now. Given, much of that body is the band’s earlier work, but it is still an interesting picture that is painted. It makes the album worth at least one listen if no more.

Staying on the note of the arrangements’ importance here, the album’s lyrical themes are just as important to discuss in examining this record as are its musical arrangements. The album’s lyrical themes are even more diverse than its musical arrangements. ‘Volatile’ is a statement addressing the events of last year’s events in Charlottesville, VA that resulted in one person’s death. ‘California Bleeding’ takes on the elitist cultures that exist in that state, even going so far as to use the band’s 2007 row with Disney over the company’s refusal to let the band perform at the House of Blues in Anaheim (since apparently it was property at the time owned by Disney) as part of its argument. ‘Triple Beam’ meanwhile is clearly a statement about the dangers of drug use and the illegal drug trade. ‘Hope Begets Hope’ changes things up with a strong message of…well…hope in dark times as is the album’s closer. There’s even a musing about the person that so many of us have just below the surface in ‘Behind A Mask’ as well as plenty of other themes throughout the record’s other songs. All in all, the themes that this record tackles in its lyrical content adds even more reason to listen at least once. Are the lyrics themselves that deep? Sadly, no. To that end, the critics are right. There is a lot of simplicity in the album’s lyrical content for lack of better wording, but despite this, it does at least leave little room for interpretation. In other words, that simplicity makes understanding the songs’ themes that much easier. The band can’t be faulted for that. As a matter of fact, when one compares the lyrics in this album’s songs to those of the band’s previous works, one could argue that those previous works are simple in their own right. Flynn screaming “I hope you burn in hell” to a journalist who wrote about Dimebag Darrell’s death in ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ is simple. That cannot be ignored. Nor can Flynn yelling “Let freedom ring with a shotgun blast’ in the band’s timeless classic ‘Davidian.’ Keeping that in mind, though the lyrics in this album are simple, they are not the first time the band has presented something simple, and that simplicity does prove important at least in part to this record’s presentation, believe it or not. When the songs’ lyrical themes and general content are joined with the album’s musical arrangements, the whole of those elements gives plenty of reason for audiences to give this record at least one chance. They are not its only important elements. The record’s deluxe edition boasts an expansive 21-song live recording from the band’s 2015 tour that anchors the whole thing.

The bonus live recording that comes with Catharsis‘ deluxe edition gives more reason than anything else for Machine Head fans to give this record a chance. Originally recorded Feb. 21, 2015 at the Regency Center’s Grand Ballroom, the concert presents a set list that lifts from what was at the time every one of the band’s albums to date. The band’s more recent albums — Bloodstone & Diamonds, The Blackening, Unto The Locusts and Through The Ashes of Empires — are the most heavily represented of the band’s albums. Bloodstone & Diamonds and The Blackening each got four nods while the other two records each got three. Burn My Eyes, The More Things Change and The Burning Red were each represented with two songs while Supercharger got just one nod. That aside, the fact that the band pulled from every one of its albums up to that date gives the concert plenty of depth. The concert’s audio and video editing are deserving of their own credit as is the concert’s cinematography. That is especially the case considering that the fact that the Grand Ballroom was clearly not the largest venue. That seemingly relatively tight space had to have posed its own challenges in recording the concert, and those efforts paid off in the end. They paid off because they give home audiences the best seat in the house regardless of whether or not they were there at the concert’s taping. Keeping in mind the work put in by everyone behind the scenes to make this recording a reality, and of course the work put in by the band itself, this recording proves to be one that every Machine Head fan will appreciate. That being the case, it proves to be the anchor for the deluxe edition of Machine Head’s new album. If for no other reason than this recording, true Machine Head fans will give this record a chance. In doing so, hopefully those fans will also agree that the album’s musical arrangements and its lyrical themes make it worth at least one chance.

Machine Head’s brand new ninth full-length studio recording Catharsis is one of the most controversial records that the veteran metal outfit has released to date. The sad reality is that in going through this record, much of that controversy that has split audiences so clearly is unjustified. True, the album’s musical arrangements don’t fully live up to muster. That is only because they take audiences back through the band’s catalog, stylistically speaking. The album’s lyrical themes and general content are simple, yes. However, this album is not the first time that the band has crafted such simple lyrical material. That is not to talk down about the band, either. It is meant, instead to point out to the haters that their criticism of this album’s lyrical material is unjustified. Considering that much of the band’s previous work presents its own lyrical simplicity (including even some of its more recent albums), this album is just a little more simple. That being the case the album, again, still deserves at least one chance if no more. the bonus live DVD that accompanies the album’s deluxe edition gives more reason than anything for audiences to give this record a chance. The concert’s expansive 21-song set, joins with its equally laudable audio and video editing, the band’s own performance and the concert’s cinematography to make the experience one that every Machine Head fan will agree is enjoyable. Keeping this in mind, when this recording is joined with the album’s new studio material, Catharsis proves to be an effort that deserves more credit than it has gotten. That is the case even despite it clearly not being one of the band’s best albums. It still does not deserve as much hate as it has gotten and is getting. Catharsis is available now in stores and online in both standard and deluxe edition. More information on Catharsis is available online now along with the band’s tour in support of the album and more at:

Website: http://www.machinehead1.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MachineHead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MfnH

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Machine Head Unveils ‘Volatile’ Lyric Video

Posted on January 25, 2018 by philspicks

Machine Head is stirring up the masses again with yet another single from the band’s upcoming album Catharsis and its lyric video.

The band unveiled today the album’s opener, ‘Volatile,’ which was written as a tribute to Heather Heyer, who was killed by a racist neo-nazi in last year’s Charlottesville, Virginia protests. It is just one of the socio-politically charged songs included in the album. The equally controversial ‘Bastards,’ which was also just recently released, is also included in the band’s new album.

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Also already released ahead of Friday’s release of Catharsis are the singles and videos for: ‘Kaleidoscope,’ ‘Bastards,’ ‘Beyond The Pale,’ and the album’s title track.’ As an added bonus, the band has already released full live clips of ‘Ten Ton Hammer‘ and ‘Now We Die,’ which are included in the full bonus live concert recording included in the album’s deluxe extended edition.

The full track listing both the album’s standard and expanded edition is noted below.

CATHARSIS TRACK LISTING:
1. Volatile
2. Catharsis
3. Beyond the Pale
4. California Bleeding
5. Triple Beam
6. Kaleidoscope
7. Bastards
8. Hope Begets Hope
9. Screaming At the Sun
10. Behind a Mask
11. Heavy Lies the Crown
12. Psychotic
13. Grind You Down
14. Razorblade Smile
15. Eulogy

BONUS CD/DVD DIGIPAK TRACK LISTING:
1. Imperium
2. Beautiful Mourning
3. Now We Die
4. Bite The Bullet
5. Locust
6. From This Day
7. Ten Ton Hammer
8. This Is The End
9. Beneath The Silt
10. The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears
11. Darkness Within
12. Bulldozer
13. Killers & Kings
14. Davidian
15. Descend The Shades Of Night
16. Now I Lay Thee Down
17. Take My Scars
18. Aesthetics Of Hate
19. Game Over
20. Old
21. Halo

Machine Head launches its tour in support of Catharsis today in Phoenix, Arizona. The nearly six-week tour runs through March 7 in Seattle, Washington, and includes performances in Madison, Wisconsin; Oakland, California; Boston, Massachusetts and a number of other cities nationwide. More information on the band’s tour, its new album and more is available online now at:

Website: http://www.MachineHead1.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MachineHead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MfnH

Machine Head Releases More New Music From ‘Catharsis’

Posted on January 18, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Veteran metal act Machine Head will release its latest album Catharsis next week. In anticipation of the album’s release, the band last week released the album’s latest single, ‘Bastards.’

‘Bastards’ is perhaps the band’s boldest composition to date because it is an extremely stark departure from everything that fans have ever come to know from the band. Rather than being a full-on exhibition of anger and frustration, this song, musically, is a much more thoughtful work that still expresses its own share of frustration about America’s current political and social state.

What so many audiences are perhaps missing about this song is that it is sung from the standpoint of a parent trying to explain the things going on in the world to one’s child/children. He clearly points that out in the song’s lead verse, which explains why this song is such a noticeable departure for the band from the rest of its works. It also exhibits a certain emotional growth in front man Robb Flynn, too, to which true audiences should be happy. It shows a willingness by Flynn and company to go out on a limb and try something that is completely alien to them.

Along with ‘Bastards,’ Machine head has also already released the singles ‘Beyond The Pale,’ ‘Catharsis,’ and live clips for ‘Now We Die‘ and ‘Ten Ton Hammer.’ The live clips are included in the full live recording included in Catharsis’ deluxe edition. The concert is a full 20-song concert originally filmed from a performance the band held in 2015 at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California.

Pre-orders are open now for Catharsis. The track listing for the album’s standard and deluxe edition is noted below.

The band will hit the road the day before Catharsis’ release for a nearly six-week tour that includes performances in Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois and a host of other cities. The band’s current tour schedule is noted below.

MACHINE HEAD ON TOUR:
1/25 — Phoenix, AZ — Nile Theater
1/27 — Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine Theater
1/29 — San Antonio, TX — Aztec Theater
1/30 — Dallas, TX — Gas Monkey Live!
1/31 — Houston,TX — HOB
2/2 — Birmingham, AL — Saturn
2/3 —Pensacola, FL — Vinyl MH
2/5 — Orlando, FL — Plaza Live
2/6 — Atlanta, GA — Centerstage
2/8 — Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of Living Arts
2/9 — New York, NY — Playstation
2/10 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
2/11 — Montreal, QC — Club Soda
2/13 — Toronto, ON — Danforth MH
2/14 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom
2/15 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE
2/16 — Cleveland, OH — Agora
2/17 — Detroit, MI — Majestic
2/20 — Des Moines, IA — Woolys
2/21 — Madison, WI — Majestic
2/22 — Minneapolis, MN — First Avenue
2/23 — Chicago, IL — Concord MH
2/24 — Saint Louis, MO — Pops
2/27 — Denver, CO — Summit MH
3/1 — Las Vegas, NV — HOB
3/2 — Los Angeles, CA — Fonda
3/3 — Oakland, CA — The Fox Theater
3/5 — Portland, OR — Roseland
3/6 — Vancouver, BC — Commodore
3/7 — Seattle, WA — Showbox Market

Tickets, VIP packages and dates are all available here.

More information on Machine Head’s upcoming live dates, music, and more is available online now at:

Website: http://www.machinehead1.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MachineHead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MfnH

Project 86 “Among” Rock and Metal’s Best On Phil’s Picks 2017 Top New Hard Rock & Metal Albums

Posted on December 27, 2017 by philspicks

Courtesy: Project 86/TAG Publicity

For those about to rock, we salute you!

Yes, everyone knows that phrase from AC/DC’s classic song by the same name. As popular as it is, it is more than just a song lyric and title. It is a statement of honor for the acts and audiences who span the rock community. This year, as with every year prior, there are so many bands to honor as the year nears its end, including hard rock and metal bands. In case it hasn’t become clear by now, this article focuses on this critic’s choices for the year’s top new hard rock and metal albums. As with every list before, compiling it was not an easy task. New releases from Project 86, Arch Enemy, Iced Earth, and so many others made this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums very crowded. That is putting it lightly. Between well-known mainstream acts and their lesser-known independent counterparts, the two sides collectively offered so many impressive new albums.

Topping this critic’s list of the year’s top new hard rock and metal albums is Project 86’s latest album Sheep Among Wolves. The band’s 10th full-length studio recording in 20 years, this record takes all of the best elements of the band’s past — both musically and lyrically — and uses them to craft a work that is just as memorable and engaging as its predecessors. Also on this year’s list from Phil’s Picks are new albums from — as already noted — Iced Earth and Arch Enemy — as well as new offerings from Overkill, Act of Defiance, Prong, Adrenaline Mob, Blacktop Mojo and others. As with every list, this list presents this critic’s Top 10 titles plus five additional titles for a total of 15 records. That being noted, here for you is Phil’s Picks’ 2017 Top 10 New Hard Rock & Metal Albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2017 TOP 10 NEW HARD ROCK & METAL ALBUMS

Project 86 — Sheep Among Wolves
Prong — Zero Days
Act of Defiance — Old Scars, New Wounds
Overkill — The Grinding Wheel
Iced Earth — Incorruptable
Blacktop Mojo — Burn The Ships
Adrenaline Mob — We The People
Marty Friedman — Wall of Sound
Corroded — Defcon Zero
Dragonforce — Reaching Into Infinity
The Haunted — Strength In Numbers
Doyle — As We Die
Demon Hunter — Outlive
36 Crazyfists — Lanterns
Arch Enemy — Will To Power

That’s all for this list. Again, it was not an easy list to compile. Acts the likes of Eve To Eve to Adam, Marty Friedman, Sepultura, Annihilator, Mastodon and so many others all deserve their own share of credit. With that in mind, it becomes easy to see why no disrespect was meant to any one act or another here. Every noted act released its own impressive album. Only so many spaces were available, sadly.

2018 is already shaping up to be an interesting year in its own right, with new material from Ministry on the way alongside new albums from Judas Priest, Saxon, Machine Head, Corrosion of Conformity, Tool, Clutch and lots more. Stay tuned for all of that in the new year. To keep up with all of the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Machine Head Unveils ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ Live Clip

Posted on December 18, 2017 by philspicks

Machine Head and Nuclear Blast Records are getting audiences excited again about the band’s new album Catharsis.

The two sides unveiled Monday the live clip for its performance of its classic song ‘Ten Ton Hammer.’ The performance is taken from a 2015 performance held at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, CA. The 21-song set is included exclusively in the limited expanded edition of Machine Head’s forthcoming album Catharsis, which is currently due out Jan. 26, 2018.

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

The new video is just the latest look at the new album’s bonus live recording. Machine Head and Nuclear Blast also recently unveiled the video for the band’s performance of ‘Now We Die,’ which is also included in the live recording.

Also recently debuted is ‘Catharsis” companion video and the audio stream of ‘Beyond The Pale.’ As if that is not enough, the band also recently unveiled a behind-the-scenes making of companion video for the ‘Catharsis’ video.

Pre-orders for Catharsis are available now. The album’s track listing is noted below.

In celebration of Catharsis‘ release, the band will launch a winter/spring tour Jan. 25 in Phoenix, AZ. The almost two-month-long tour currently runs through March 7 in Seattle, WA and includes performances in Buffalo, NY; Detroit, MI; Los Angeles, CA and other cities nationwide. The tour’s current schedule is noted below.

More information on Catharsis is available online now along with the band’s live dates, news and more at:

Website: http://www.MachineHead1.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MachineHead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MfnH

Machine Head Unveils ‘Catharsis’ Video

Posted on December 8, 2017 by philspicks

Machine Head has unveiled the video for the title track from its forthcoming album Catharsis.

The album’s latest single was unveiled just recently. The video places the band in an asylum setting as it performs its new song. That footage is crossed with footage of Butoh dancers in the grim setting for a powerful visualization of the song’s musical and lyrical energy. Audiences can view the video online now here.

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

The Butoh dance rose from post-WWII era Japan. According to information provided about the dance, it involves dancers painting themselves in ash, “taking on a gaunt, deathly look.” The dire facial expressions and body language are collectively meant to express the pain and suffering that rose from atomic warfare. Front man Robb Flynn said that the use of the Butoh dance to help illustrate the song’s lyrical theme was an important addition to the video.

“‘Catharsis’ was a tricky concept to translate to a visual,” Flynn said. “How do you express somebody’s catharsis? Frasier, the director, brought up the Butoh dance concept, and it tied in so well into the idea of what catharsis could be. When the Butoh dancers began performing for the video, we were blown away. Their expressions were so pained, almost horrifying, and yet very sad; It was extremely moving.”

Flynn added the use of the asylum setting for the vide was just as critical to translating the song’s message as the use of the Butoh dancers.

“On a personal level, I related to this aspect,” Flynn said. “My uncle Jimmy lived with us for years while growing up. He had experienced some pretty severe drug testing when he was younger and didn’t come out of it very well. For the rest of his life, he would do things like not eat for seven days straight and talk to Jesus all day. It was a trip to grow up with that at home. So, we took these disparate elements and turned them into a very cinematic and psychedelic visual to express that.”

Audiences can get even more insight into the video’s creation online now with a special “making of” video that includes footage showing how the makeup was done along with the Butoh dancers’ choreography and more. That video is streaming online now here.

‘Catharsis’ is just the latest video to be released from the band’s forthcoming album. The band also recently unveiled the live video for the band’s performance of ‘Now We Die.’ The song is one of an extensive live set included in the album’s deluxe edition. Also streaming online now is the song ‘Beyond The Pale,’ which is also included in Catharsis‘ body.

Pre-orders for Catharsis‘ standard and deluxe edition are open now. The album’s full track listing is noted below.

CATHARSIS TRACK LISTING:
1. Volatile
2. Catharsis
3. Beyond the Pale
4. California Bleeding
5. Triple Beam
6. Kaleidoscope
7. Bastards
8. Hope Begets Hope
9. Screaming At the Sun
10. Behind a Mask
11. Heavy Lies the Crown
12. Psychotic
13. Grind You Down
14. Razorblade Smile
15. Eulogy

Machine Head will hit the road this winter for a tour in support of Catharsis. The tour is currently scheduled to launch Jan. 25 in Phoenix, AZ and run through March 7 in Seattle, WA. It will also include performances in Buffalo, NY; Madison, WI; Los Angeles, CA and other cities nationwide.

The tour’s current schedule is noted below. Tickets and VIP packages are available here.

More information on Machine Head’s upcoming tour, album release and more is available online now at:

Website: http://www.machinehead1.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MachineHead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MfnH

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Tag Archives: Machine head

Nonpoint Debuts ‘Wheel Against Will’ Video

Neither Its Best Nor its Worst Album, Machine Head’s New Album ‘Catharsis’ Deserves At Least One Listen

Machine Head Unveils ‘Volatile’ Lyric Video

Machine Head Releases More New Music From ‘Catharsis’

Project 86 “Among” Rock and Metal’s Best On Phil’s Picks 2017 Top New Hard Rock & Metal Albums

Machine Head Unveils ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ Live Clip

Machine Head Unveils ‘Catharsis’ Video