Dustin Bates, the lead singer and architect of the rising band Starset, has done research for the U.S. Air Force and taught at the International Space University and is currently a PhD candidate in electrical engineering. You know, pretty average dude.

It feels strange to introduce an artist’s video with his resume, but in this case it’s especially appropriate. After taking a single glimpse at the dystopian music video for Starset’s song “Halo”, it feels weightier to consider the technophobic vision of our inevitable doom through the lens of someone who has credentialed expertise. With each successive video the band has rolled out, we have seen a wider scope of the doomed world Bates envisions, but “Halo” actually provides a bit of hope. Though humanity is facing extinction, our protagonist is willing to risk his own life to save his boo, and that is a life-affirming archetype that will never go away no matter how f–ked we are after the singularity/nuclear holocaust.

With pinch of 2000s emo and a sprinkling of Muse, Starset sounds at once futuristic and dystopian, like this is rock music to remind us all of the angst we had when things were relatively normal. Not to say that these emotions were displaced, but Starset’s video is reminding me that things could be so much worse.

Starset’s debut album Transmissions is out now via Razor & Tie and you can catch the band right now on their tour with Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless. Check out dates below.

Tour with Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless
May 6 – Pittsburg, PA – Stage AE
May 8 – Clive, IA – 7 Flags Event Center*
May 9 – Somerset, WI – Somerset Amphitheater (W/Northern Invasion)
May 10 – Rockford, IL – Coronado Theater
May 12 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
May 13 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
May 15 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summerstage
May 17 – Columbus, OH – Rock On The Range*
May 19 – Flint, MI – Whiting Auditorium
May 20 – St. Louis, MO – The Pagenant
May 21 – Lousiville, KY – Expo Five
May 22 – Little Rock, AR – Little Rock Riverfest*
May 23-24 – Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma*
May 26 – Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center
May 27 – Houston, TX – Bayou
May 29 – Council Bluffs, IA – WestFair Amphitheatre*
June 2 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore
June 3 – Magna, UT – The Great Salt Air
June 4 – Las Vegas, NV – Vinyl
*festivals/radio shows

Tour with 10 Years
June 5 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House
June 6 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Concert House
June 7 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven
June 9 – Idaho Falls, ID – The Peppertree
June 10 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater & Club
June 12 – Joplin, MO – Venue 340
June 13 – Macomb, IL – The Outskirts
June 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
June 19 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
June 20 – Pennellville, NY – Oswego County Events
June 21 – Manchester, NH – Jewel