It goes without saying that John Carpenter’s film scores are monumental works of horror, but synthwave band GUNSHIP wondered what it would be like if he had tried his hand at an ’80s power ballad. That’s an experience the group set out to recreate in their remix of Lionface’s “No Hope State,” and we’re happy to premiere the music video for that effort today, exclusively on Nerdist.

The video was described by director Silver Strain as “an allegorical take on the dismantling of the healthcare system, dressed as a post-apocalyptic music video with a fragmented revenge narrative.” Furthermore, the band said the remix and accompanying clip had some decidedly cinematic inspiration, if that wasn’t already obvious: “The moment we heard the door-kicking-in-intensity of [Lionface singer Kat Marsh’s] voice belting out the incredible melodies and lyrics in ‘No Hope State,’ we knew we had to remix it.

Getting into the specifics of their creation, Strain added, “We used vintage synths and drum machines to evoke a genuine sense of the golden age of cinema, but all credit to Kat from Lionface; she wrote a real face-melter here!”

For the record, Marsh is a big fan of the song’s reinterpretation, saying, “They ended up creating much more than a remix, it’s a full on re-imagining of the song. It’s become the definitive version for me!”

The song appears on GUNSHIP’s new “Black Edition” vinyl release of their self-titled debut album. The 12″ double gatefold 2x 180-gram heavyweight vinyl set has some gorgeous packaging, with a matte black sleeve that includes touches of pink metallic foil, and the interior features an illustration of a Mad Max-style truck by Florian de Gesincourt. Here, check it out for yourself:

Do you agree that this is the definitive version of the song, or do you have a special place in your heart for Lionface’s original recording? Head to the comments and let us know what you think!

Images: GUNSHIP

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