Synthwave pioneers Gunship – comprised of Dan Haigh, Alex Westaway and Alex Gingell – enlist rock veteran Gavin Rossdale (Bush) and DarkSynth heavyweight Carpenter Brut for their enthralling new anime short-film video ‘DooM Dance’. In true retro style, Gunship are releasing the DooM Dance video on VHS tapes complete with 90s anime-styled packaging.
Combining both anime style animation and laser enhanced live action, Gunship continues their unwavering commitment to the music video as an integral part of their creative output, sharing the first of four new videos they are set to reveal this year following the release of their latest album Unicorn.
The new ‘DooM Dance’ video is Gunship’s homage to the golden era of anime. A salute to 1990’s era VHS anime releases, the slick video poster shows Miku and Maka – the two femme fatale protagonists starring in the video. In-keeping with Gunship’s tradition, live action footage of Gavin Rossdale, Carpenter Brut and Gunship features alongside an unforgettable anime experience straight from the heart of the 1990s.
Veteran voice actor Sean Barrett – (known for his anime roles in classic 80s/90s anime Dominion Tank Police, Cyber City Oedo 808, Lupin the 3rd, Star Fleet, and Roujin Z) also provides narration for the ‘DooM Dance’ video.
‘DooM Dance’ is inspired by the frenetic ‘dance’ gamers perform when vastly outnumbered and battling wave after wave of enemies in the now legendary video game DooM. Together with their collaborators, Gunship administer a shot of neon adrenaline to rock, metal, electronic and gaming fans the world over!
Dan Haigh of Gunship says: “Both CyberCity Oedo and Dominion Tank Police were pivotal influences on me growing up. To finally get hold of these mythic VHS tapes in the 90s, in the UK, featuring animation all the way from Japan, was like finding the rarest treasure. I think my small town had literally one copy of Cyber City which was bootlegged to near disintegration. To discover in an instant that animation could convey dark and atmospheric adult stories but also be such an amazing medium for bringing cutting-edge and controversial science fiction concepts to life, opened a gateway to anime love that I’ve kept ever since. This golden era of hand-drawn anime included many greats – Cyber City, Ghost In The Shell, Akira, Wicked City, Appleseed, Patlabor, Goku Midnight Eye, etc – which in my opinion significantly influenced a generation of Western directors and artists in a fantastic way. Gunship would not be the way it is without these memorable and thought-provoking works of art.”
Gunship have made a name for themselves by linking their music and video releases with popular culture. Whether that be film, like the Blade Runner x The Terminator dystopia in their previous release, ‘Monster In Paradise’ (feat. Milkie Way, Dave Lombardo, Tim Cappello, Tyler Bates) which has just been shared as the new soundtrack for the latest CALL OF DUTY video game trailer – or the gaming world, as with ‘DooM Dance’ and previous album single ‘Taste Like Venom’, which paid homage to Sega’s classic arcade game Outrun.
With their latest album Unicorn, Gunship invite their listeners to celebrate the power of imagination. Named after the international icon of fantasy and imagination, it’s emblazoned with the tagline “Imagination Is A Weapon”. The trio’s trademark, synth-laden atmosphere and transportative soundscapes have continued to evolve to include more rock, industrial, and EDM influences, allowing the listener to revel in an alternative reality on a 14-track electric thrill ride.
Unicorn also boasts a diverse array of special guests, who each bring something different to the project. Collaborators include: John Carpenter, Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Carpenter Brut, Timmy Cappello (Lost Boys, Tina Turner, Ringo Starr), Health, Tyler Bates (John Wick, Guardians of the Galaxy etc), Lights, Power Glove, Charlie Simpson, Britta Philips (Jem), and Milkie Way (Wargasm).
