by One-Eyed Doll has finally released the first video from their Witches album, which was released earlier this year. While “Afflicted” isn’t the strongest track ever written by the theatrical duo, the Patrick Kendall-directed video is highly ambitious and something to behold — even if Satan looks awfully familiar (DC’s the Joker if you’re missing my point). The video acts as a visual extension to the group’s new concept album, Witches, based on historical research of the Salem Witch Hysteria. The video itself was shot in Danvers (formerly Salem Village), modern-day Salem, Sleepy Hollow, and New York City, all in the aftermath of Winter Storm Juno.
Vocalist/guitarist Kimberly Freeman explains:
The video is a bit of fiction and history combined. The story ebbs between fantasy and reality to portray the confusion and desperation of the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692. The people of Salem Village were the captives of religious oppression, ruled by overwhelming guilt and fear. The entire album is, in fact, a concept about the subject. This particular song references (and directly quotes at times) historical court documents, including the forced confession of the first person accused of witchcraft in Salem. In the preserved handwritten records from 1692, she admits signing her soul over to the devil. Several young girls of the town convulse and swear that she has afflicted them with her magic. The ‘Afflicted’ music video isn’t the story of just one person, but a blend of accounts of various tragedies, mixed with metaphorical interpretations. We kind of meshed them together to create a fictional work. This video, along with the rest of the Witches album, is our way of paying tribute to the innocents who suffered so greatly under the weight of cruel religious hypocrisy in the 1690s. We’re humbled and honored to have worked with some incredible talent on this project, on and off screen. We even had some fans involved! It was a tough, great experience.
In addition to the video debut, One-Eyed Doll will be kicking off their annual Halloween Tour next month, featuring support from Stitched Up Heart and Run 2 Cover. A full list of dates can be seen below, and tickets can be purchased here.
One-Eyed Doll 2015 Halloween Tour Dates:
9/18 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
9/19 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven
9/22 – Missoula, MT – Stage 112
9/23 – Billings, MT – Pub Station
9/25 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
9/26 – Danville, IL – Vintage Villains
9/29 – Detroit, MI – The Token Lounge
9/30 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom
10/1 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Velvet Underground
10/2 – Ottawa, ON, Canada – Mavericks
10/3 – Clifton Park, NY – Trickshots
10/4 – New York, NY – The Studio @ Webster Hall
10/7 – Newport, KY – Thompson House
10/8 – South Bend, IN – Cheers Pub
10/9 – Louisville, KY – Expo Five
10/10 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
10/11 – Springfield, MO – Outland Ballroom
10/14 – New Orleans, LA – Southport Hall
10/16 – Fort Worth, TX – The Rail Club
10/17 – Austin, TX – Dirty Dog Bar
10/18 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
10/21 – San Antonio, TX – Fitzgeralds
10/22 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Backroom
10/23 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard
10/24 – Kansas City, KS – Aftershock
10/25 – Wichita, KS – The Elbow Room
10/27 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios
10/28 – Denver, CO – Moe’s
10/29 – Salt Lake City, UT – Area 51
10/30 – Las Vegas, NV – The Dive Bar
10/31 – Phoenix, AZ – Club Red
Rock Hard \m/
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