South African deathcore band Your Cynical Sanity have released the official music video for their new single ‘Empty’, a track written entirely by vocalist Myke Taylor.
Speaking exclusively to AFRICA.ROCKS, the band said “the song deals directly with the exhaustion of prolonged mental anguish and the point at which carrying both personal pain and the emotional weight of others becomes unbearable.”
“This song is about finally losing the will to continue suffering through mental anguish, not being enough for someone, and the pure exhaustion of the responsibility for other people’s emotions breaking you down to the point of wanting to die for the sake of feeling a sense of peace,” the band explained.
Those ideas are carried into the video, which places Taylor inside a room he has prepared for his own death. The setting is deliberately ordered and considered, reflecting the song’s theme of someone who continues thinking about other people even while reaching a point of complete personal collapse.
“The video is a poetic expression of a kill room that has been set up by you for your own suicide, symbolising the effort and consideration you give to others, even at a time when you are ending your own existence.”
The video was produced by Myke Taylor and Nasiphi Zwane, with Zwane also responsible for filming, editing and colour grading. Dolf Lombard handled the audio mixing and mastering.
‘Empty’ follows a period of renewed activity for Your Cynical Sanity. The band released Anhedonic in December 2024, an eight-track album developed from material that began taking shape during the COVID-19 lockdown.
‘Empty’ is available now on all major streaming platforms, with the official video also out now.
