Behind The Scenes: 7 Minutes In Heaven – ‘Heathens’ (Music video)

Chicago based alternative group, 7 Minutes In Heaven, best known for their 2015 smash Side Effects, which featured singles ‘I’m Okay’ and ‘Fireworks’, have released a video cover of Twenty One Pilots’ ‘Heathens’. Viewable here, the band partnered with Snaproll Studios, a video production company owned and operated by Bryan Buchelt, to cover the track which gained tremendous acclaim as the lead single for the Suicide Squad motion picture soundtrack. The session is the first outing for the band’s newest member, Brennan Gilbert on drums and follows on from their recently announced signing with independent label Rude Records. Here Alex and Timmy from the band talk us through the creation of this video, as they take us behind the scenes…

“Acrophobia, or fear of heights, isn't the most uncommon fear. We all fear the unknown, to go places that life, or gravity, have kept us from occurring naturally. As musicians, it is in a way our lot in life to challenge the fear of the unknown, and to go places with our music that may seem unconventional, both literal and metaphorically.

An airplane hangar, not the typical environment one might imagine for us in 7 Minutes In Heaven, but when we asked our good friend Bryan Buchelt to shoot a live acoustic cover video, that’s exactly where we ended up: surrounded not only by very much working airplanes, but by some of Indiana's very own aviation history, from endless aero books, to a flight simulator. We even used airplane chairs as seating in the cover video. Snaproll Sessions is a brain child Bryan B. and was the perfect marriage where we had all the resources not only to produce, but then a platform of his own to truly give the cover the final touch to take flight.

While we were there we were all given a hands-on flight lesson from Bryan, which was awesome. After this and background on the working planes, we set up for our video shoot in the hangar. We chose to do a clean acoustic cover of the song Heathens by Twenty One Pilots. It was a unanimous decision. When we were asked to make a cover song by our newly signed label Rude Records, we decided on Heathens because we connected to it the most out of any mainstream song there is, but mainly because of the genre crossover, a lot of our fans also listen to Twenty One Pilots too. We love the darker tone of a song tearing up radio charts, and even receiving Grammy nominations on this particular track. Being able to manipulate a mostly electronic, full group song into an acoustic, one shot version was just too much fun to not release.

This was the first musical/film debut for our newly added official drummer Brennan Gilbert, who has done multiple tours with us as well as being a long-time friend. He's been with us for two years in April of this year so it was all very natural and it wasn't a total shock to most of our fans. Having him be a part of this was a great way to bring him out doing a full group project, as we prepare to return to the studio to begin recording our debut EP through Rude Records. Although limited to a slap box, having a strong rhythm section with an acoustic performance makes the whole song just sound tighter. We can't wait for you all to hear what more we have in store from Brennan and the entire group. We’re excited to have him more involved with everything to come.

At the end of the day, facing a fear or taking a journey into the unknown, we can all feel a little disconnected from reality, we can feel a bit like heathens. Despite the crazy world we live in, I think music is not only a source of motivation, but can sometimes be the vehicle we need to challenge the unknown, and come out with experiencing the greatness we may have thought impossible.”