What unfolds in the strange new video for "Mothers of the Sun" by the Vancouver psych rock group Black Mountain is really anybody's guess. But one thing is certain: The epic song propelling the short film through its surreal landscapes and hooded characters will be one of the year's best rock anthems. Clocking in at nearly nine minutes, "Mothers" is the lead-off track to Black Mountain's monstrously good album, IV.

The video was directed by Ben Jacques and Justin Gradin. When asked via email for help in making sense of the video, the band wrote back, "When one of your drinking buddies / directors takes a boot to the head over a Jann Arden quip, while another maintains a predilection for knock-off Thriller jackets, it becomes easier to trust in the creative vision that's at work."

Black Mountain's IV is due out April 1 on Jagjaguwar.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.