Headbang to Your Webcam to Unlock Music with This Heavy Metal Promo

According to Spotify, heavy metal is ruling the streaming airwaves across the world, revealing metal fans as the most loyal among music fans.

To announce electrocore metal band Crossfaith’s latest 'Freedom' EP with the first single ‘Diavolos,' the band is introducing a one-of-a-kind promo: by engaging with their fans digitally, visitors of an interactive site can headbang in front of a webcam to unlock a live stream of the new track. The moment the fan stops the headbanging, the music stops. You can give it a go here.

In addition to fans earning the exclusive rights to sample the new song, they are rewarded along the way with a long sequence of tantalising visual effects that showcases the contemporary artwork of the album cover. 

Upon completion of the song, fans are further rewarded with artwork generated from an image-tracking algorithm of their headbanging.  

This experiential idea from Ogilvy Japan and Sony Music Japan is a unique promo fitting to Crossfaith -whom originated from Osaka, Japan- as they are renowned for their intense live performances. 

“Traditional ways of promoting music albums just aren’t as effective anymore as it was in the past. In its place is a new era in which musicians blend art, advertising and technology in smart and exciting ways. That is why we created this unprecedented piece to help launch and propel the band’s new music,” said Ajab Samrai, chief creative officer of Ogilvy & Mather Japan. 

“The band has been known for fusing metal with hardcore, dubstep and other electronic forms, but it is ultimately a metal band,” added Ogilvy creative director Aaron Phua. “It is important that the idea is authentic and natural for the band and their fans to engage in without being a “sellout”, headbanging certainly connects them with the music both physically and emotionally.”