Synopsis
Halestorm's "Amen" follows the band members through a monotonous alternate reality in which they trade their instruments for ordinary jobs. Lzzy Hale works behind a desk, while the other members endure service, retail, and routine labor. Their frustration builds until they escape the workday and reunite in a raucous club performance. Framed as a tongue-in-cheek "Church of Halestorm," the video turns the song's message of personal freedom and self-acceptance into a celebratory rejection of conformity.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in early March 2015 as the second single campaign from Halestorm's third album, "Into the Wild Life."
- Each member plays an exaggerated version of a conventional worker: Lzzy Hale appears as an office employee, Arejay Hale works in a diner, Josh Smith drives a school bus, and Joe Hottinger works in a guitar store.
- Lzzy Hale described the song as being about taking ownership of everything you are. The video translates that idea into a visual contrast between restrictive day jobs and the freedom of performing rock music.
- The church imagery was especially appropriate because "Into the Wild Life" was recorded in a reformed church in Nashville. The band recorded the album's basic tracks live, together in a circle, to capture the energy of a performance.
- The "Church of Halestorm" concept also connects the video to the album's title, with the band literally leaving everyday life behind and stepping into the wild life.
- "Amen" became Halestorm's third No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. The achievement put the band in a tie with The Pretty Reckless for the most chart-toppers on that ranking by a female-fronted band at the time.