Hot Mustard – “The End of Time” ft. Alanna Royale (Video)

Hot Mustard debuted a new single, “The End of Time,” on Friday. It’s paired, in signature HM fashion, with a music video created by Opus Thimble (aka the band’s own Jack Powell). The track is the fourth and final single from Hot Mustard’s upcoming album, Seconds, which will drop on March 31st. 

“The End of Time” examines the natural cycles of life and death, growth and decay, with both care and whimsy.

The video features a background of skulls and flowers that frames a collage of alternating images depicting train station entrances and tracks, as well as human faces. Instrumentation glides along as we take in a parade of human ingenuity and hubris.

“The End of Time” features less of an emphasis on brass than previous Hot Mustard releases. Instead, there’s a focus on bass and organ, which was provided by the illustrious Ross Bogan. 

The instrumentation seems to emulate the cyclical nature of life, with a funk-driven, mild, yet at times slightly foreboding beat and tone. A lonesome whistle is a quirky but ominous touch.

Time is frequently referenced in the animation: a ladybug appears with a clock under its flapping wings, and later on, a bird sits atop another clock, holding a reaper’s sickle. 

The standout moment from “The End of Time” is undoubtedly the vocal portion, a rare sound on the typically wordless Hot Mustard track. Vocalist Alanna Royale adds smooth intrigue to the song, singing of destruction and rebirth: “Well my friends I think we’ve found the end / Bright lights / Big Bang / And the whole thing starts again.”

Royale’s soulful crooning brings us to the conclusion of the track as the video centers around the animation of an abandoned train. Flowers grow up around it until the train is no longer visible, then even the flowers retreat into the earth, leaving behind no trace in the patch of green grass.

Watch the video for “The End of Time” below.