Synopsis

Set against a surreal World War I battlefield, two soldiers play chess in a muddy trench while Faith No More perform amid a series of stark, dreamlike images. Mike Patton appears as both detached observer and theatrical frontman, while explosions, military tableaux, and strange visual details turn the song into an unsettling spectacle. The video's polished, fashion-conscious style contrasts with its grim wartime setting, creating a deliberately artificial atmosphere that matches the song's dramatic shifts between dance-rock groove and heavy intensity.

Factoids & Trivia

• "A Small Victory" was released in 1992 as the second single from Faith No More's album "Angel Dust."

• The band wanted a visual approach that would complement the song's more accessible, dance-oriented character rather than simply repeat the hard-rock imagery associated with "The Real Thing."

• The video received a nomination for Best Art Direction at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. It lost to Madonna's "Rain."

• Despite the nomination, the clip received comparatively little MTV exposure in the United States. The band's official biography suggested that its unusual style did not fit the easy categories favored by the channel at the time.

• The video is notable for its relatively elaborate, high-budget appearance, using period-war imagery and stylized set pieces to make the performance feel more like a surreal art film than a conventional band clip.

• The single also featured Faith No More's version of the Dead Kennedys song "Let's Lynch the Landlord" as a B-side.