Synopsis

A red-haired boy is trained by a bearded mentor for an important chess match. His opponent is a sinister eyepatch-wearing player backed by two intimidating cheerleaders. The eccentric preparation borrows the structure of a martial-arts training movie, turning chess into an absurdly high-stakes showdown. As the match unfolds, the boy draws unexpected strength from his mentor's bizarre methods and the spirit of a ruby-eyed pigeon, leading to a surreal and explosive victory.

Factoids & Trivia

• The clip is an unofficial, fan-made video rather than an official Sleigh Bells production. It was released online on November 12, 2010.

• Actor Ian Hamrick plays the young chess competitor. He was previously known for appearing in M.I.A.'s controversial "Born Free" video.

• The video was described at the time as a collision between the training-movie formula of "The Karate Kid" and the awkward comedy of "Napoleon Dynamite."

• Its exaggerated chess tournament, strange mentor, eyepatch-wearing villain, and animal imagery give the clip a deliberately cinematic quality that was unusual for an unofficial music video.

• Sleigh Bells reportedly responded positively to the clip, with the band describing it as "pretty badass."

• "Riot Rhythm" was one of the final songs completed for Sleigh Bells' debut album, "Treats." Derek Miller said the track came together in roughly six hours on the last day of recording.