WATCH: Chelsea Wolfe Explores the “American Darkness” in New Video

The gothy Americana single is the latest from Wolfe’s sixth LP, “Birth of Violence.”
WATCH: Chelsea Wolfe Explores the “American Darkness” in New Video

The gothy Americana single is the latest from Wolfe’s sixth LP, “Birth of Violence.”

Words: Mike LeSuer

photo by Ben Chisholm

July 16, 2019

Over the course of this decade, Chelsea Wolfe has consistently filled the role of Lana Del Rey for those of us relieved to have not found a prom date. Drifting through the blackened genres of darkwave, dark folk, industrial rock, and doom metal (and most recently, making an appearance on a to-be black metal classic), Wolfe’s latest endeavor feels particularly rooted in a moody vein of Americana introduced with lead single “The Mother Road,” and confirmed with the new follow-up track “American Darkness.”

For her second single, the LA-based singer channels an unlikely pair of artists for the video component’s dour energy: “It began as a sort of homage to a scene in the Paul Thomas Anderson film Magnolia, where the characters are singing along to the Aimee Mann song ‘Wise Up,’ Wolfe explains, “but I wanted our version to be explored through the lens of the tarot.” With approximately as many characters to keep track of, and undeniable occult overtones, this comparison checks out.

Watch the video below for a slightly less emotionally investing take on the PTA montage, and browse Wolfe’s impending acoustic tour dates.

Birth of Violence is out September 13 on Sargent House. You can pre-order it here.

08/31: Pasadena, CA – Pasadena Daydream Festival * (Non Acoustic Set)
10/18: San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
10/19: Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
10/21: Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
10/22: Estes Park, CO – Stanley Hotel
10/24: Chicago, IL – Metro
10/25: Detroit, MI – Senate Theater
10/26: Toronto, ONT – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
10/27: Montreal, QC – Le National
10/29: Boston, MA – Royale
10/31: Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
11/01: New York, NY – Brooklyn Steel
11/03: Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
11/04: Charlotte, NC – McGlohon Theater
11/05: Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
11/06: Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
11/08: Dallas, TX – Texas Theatre
11/09: Austin, TX – Levitation
11/10: Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
11/12: Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf
11/13: Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
11/15: Los Angeles, CA – The Palace Theatre
11/16: San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
11/18: Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
11/20: Seattle, WA – The Showbox
11/21: Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre

* All dates with special guest Ioanna Gika except 8/31