Sneak Out & Party Hard in Arcade Fire's Cinematic, Eerie "Afterlife" Video

FUSE TV - Sneak Out & Party Hard in Arcade Fire's Cinematic, Eerie "Afterlife" Video

What's better than sneaking out of your parents' house late at night to party, ammirite? Sure... but sometimes the dark night can get spooky.

Such is the gist of Arcade Fire's cinematic new video for "Afterlife," directed by Emily Kai Bock (Grimes' "Oblivion"; Grizzly Bear's "Yet Again"). It starts with a Latin American man in a cowboy hat selling flowers on the roadside, before returning home for dinner with his two sons, a toddler and a teenager in high school. The elder son asks his father for permission to visit a friend's house, but is denied, and later rebels by sneaking out to party until the break of dawn. Meanwhile, the father—apparently a widower—and toddler, both asleep on the couch, have dream-like experiences, both revisiting a woman in different scenarios; she's the wife and mother taken by the afterlife, coming to visit in the cover of darkness. 

The song's initial lyric video, released weeks ago, was set to the 1959 film Black Orpheus, an adaptation of a Greek legend set in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. It showed the dramatic, bloody death of one of the film's main characters behind AF's spooky lyrics of crossing over. It has a similar vibe with the new official music video: Both thrive on the nighttime, exploring the shadows of supposedly joyous events like Carnaval and partying with your bros. AF's new album Reflektor does the same—the moon-lit disco beats and graveyard synths; Win Butler's hushed and chilling lyrics; the band's new look of white tuxedos and face paint; the eerie, glowing decor at recent gigs. Welcome to the afterlife.

Arcade Fire hit the road for a massive tour early next year—wear your snazziest duds! 

Work Hard, Play Hard

20m

Work Hard, Play Hard

Hard Reboot

20m

Hard Reboot

102 Sneak Peek

46s

102 Sneak Peek

103 Sneak Peek

1m

103 Sneak Peek

T-Pain's Wild Night in London: Sneak Peak

2m

T-Pain's Wild Night in London: Sneak Peak

Out in the Ring

1h 43m

Out in the Ring

It's Hard Being Precocious

21m

It's Hard Being Precocious

Out in the Ring - Trailer

2m

Out in the Ring - Trailer

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

3m

Ian Sings His Heart Out in "Starts With You Baby" Music Video

Hard Times for Milk & Poster

1m

Hard Times for Milk & Poster

Bolkow Castle Party

21m

Bolkow Castle Party

Party of Five

44m

Party of Five

Sneak Peek Inside J. Dilla's Record Collection

1m

Sneak Peek Inside J. Dilla's Record Collection

Party Planners: G-Thing

1m

Party Planners: G-Thing

Everybody Loves A Party

20m

Everybody Loves A Party

Viewing Party: G-Thing

2m

Viewing Party: G-Thing

It's Hard To Raise Yourself These Days

20m

It's Hard To Raise Yourself These Days

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

Fire Hot Fitness

44m

Fire Hot Fitness

Shake Out

21m

Shake Out

Fuse's Wildest New Series The Hollywood Puppet Shitshow: Sneak Peak

1m

Fuse's Wildest New Series The Hollywood Puppet Shitshow: Sneak Peak

More Rapid-Fire Questions

1m

More Rapid-Fire Questions

Fire On The Floor

22m

Fire On The Floor

Reebok Classic Leather 30th Anniversary Party

1m

Reebok Classic Leather 30th Anniversary Party

Comin Out Swinging

20m

Comin Out Swinging

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

1m

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

41m

A Quinceanera Dress That Last Beyond the Party

The Cast Answers Rapid-Fire Questions

1m

The Cast Answers Rapid-Fire Questions

GTFO: Get the F&#% Out

1h 14m

GTFO: Get the F&#% Out

Does Sports Need a Time Out?

23m

Does Sports Need a Time Out?

GTFO: Get the F&#% Out - Trailer

1m

GTFO: Get the F&#% Out - Trailer

David Bowie: Out of this World

59m

David Bowie: Out of this World

Cody Spells Out Love On The Field

1m

Cody Spells Out Love On The Field

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

3m

Tina Serves Up Sass In "Me and You" Music Video

Does Finance Talk Stress You Out? Amara La Negra & Sharelle Rosado Tell All

5m

Does Finance Talk Stress You Out? Amara La Negra & Sharelle Rosado Tell All

Video Games-Rated MA

24m

Video Games-Rated MA

Punching In

45m

Punching In

Moving In

41m

Moving In

Poetry in Falsetto

21m

Poetry in Falsetto

Back In Time

22m

Back In Time

Trouble In Paradise

21m

Trouble In Paradise

Get In Formation

20m

Get In Formation

Lawyer In Lust

44m

Lawyer In Lust

Lost In Paradise

21m

Lost In Paradise

Drama In Paradise

22m

Drama In Paradise

Christmas in Carolina

1h 11m

Christmas in Carolina

Leitis in Waiting

1h 5m

Leitis in Waiting

Rae in LA

20m

Rae in LA

Up in Smoke

24m

Up in Smoke

Hot In Hollywood

22m

Hot In Hollywood

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

2m

Bougie on a Budget Music Video

Sleepless in North Hollywood

23m

Sleepless in North Hollywood

All in the Family

20m

All in the Family

Salt in My Soul

1h 28m

Salt in My Soul

Chaos In The Cage

44m

Chaos In The Cage

In Football We Trust

1h 25m

In Football We Trust

New Girl In Town

22m

New Girl In Town

Eminem: Count Me In

3657s

Eminem: Count Me In

No Christmas In India

21m

No Christmas In India

Tension In The Tenderloin

20m

Tension In The Tenderloin

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

5m

Got a Guy G-Fella Music Video

What's In Your Fridge: Smino

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Smino

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

56m

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong

1h 3m

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong

Diva’s Day In Court

20m

Diva’s Day In Court

What's In Your Fridge: Dumbfoundead

2m

What's In Your Fridge: Dumbfoundead

What's In Your Fridge: Tinashe

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Tinashe

The Beatles: In the Life

1h 2m

The Beatles: In the Life

In Memory Of Mascot Man

18m

In Memory Of Mascot Man

1 Night in San Diego

1h 23m

1 Night in San Diego

In Football We Trust - Trailer

2m

In Football We Trust - Trailer

What's In Your Fridge: Omar Apollo

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Omar Apollo

What's In Your Fridge: DaniLeigh

56s

What's In Your Fridge: DaniLeigh

Big Trouble In Little Chinese Restaurant

9m

Big Trouble In Little Chinese Restaurant

What's In Your Fridge: Maria Isabel

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Maria Isabel

What's In Your Fridge: Joyce Wrice

2m

What's In Your Fridge: Joyce Wrice

What's In Your Fridge: Guapdad 4000

1m

What's In Your Fridge: Guapdad 4000

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

20m

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

Smoothini Schools Iggy Azalea In Magic

2m

Smoothini Schools Iggy Azalea In Magic

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong - Trailer

2m

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong - Trailer

1 Night in San Diego - Trailer

1m

1 Night in San Diego - Trailer

Diet In A Day Dani Leigh

51s

Diet In A Day Dani Leigh

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

2m

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

Lost In Translation - Aight, So Boom

2m

Lost In Translation - Aight, So Boom

Bon Jovi: No End in Sight

47m

Bon Jovi: No End in Sight

What's In Your Fridge: G-Eazy

57s

What's In Your Fridge: G-Eazy

Diet In A Day G-Easy

54s

Diet In A Day G-Easy

Transcendent Season 2 Starts In June!

1m

Transcendent Season 2 Starts In June!

In Your B.A.S.E.

22m

In Your B.A.S.E.

What's In Your Fridge: Dave East

2m

What's In Your Fridge: Dave East

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

20m

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

1m

Ian Calls Music Video Editing Process "A B-tch"

Dipset in the Building Minus Cam'ron

3m

Dipset in the Building Minus Cam'ron

What's In Your Fridge: A$AP Ferg

2m

What's In Your Fridge: A$AP Ferg

OMG... We're in a Horror Movie

1h 38m

OMG... We're in a Horror Movie

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

Is There Cultural Appropriation In Plastic Surgery?

17m

Is There Cultural Appropriation In Plastic Surgery?

The First Time, In A Long Time

20m

The First Time, In A Long Time

Fare is Fair

21m

Fare is Fair

And Then There Were Six

46m

And Then There Were Six