The Relentless Ticking of the Clock — Deathrock Crooner Daniel Knutz Debuts his Video for “Victim of Time”

Lines on my face tell stories of the years

Each wrinkle a reminder of joys and tears

I try to escape there is no way to go

But I’ll keep dancing until Time fades my soul

Time, that relentless tide, sweeps all in its path—dimming brilliance, eroding grandeur, leaving behind whispers where once there were symphonies. Its ceaseless march strips us bare, peeling away layers of our certainty until we stand face to face with our own fleeting nature. We grasp at moments, futile as clutching smoke, hoping to halt the decay that turns all to echoes. Each tick is a thief, each second a reminder that permanence is but an illusion. In the face of time’s erosion, we struggle not to despair but to glean meaning, to create, to live vividly before the sands slip away.

Berlin artist Daniel Knutz’s latest offering, Victim of Time, strikes like a clock’s cold chime, its relentless rhythm echoing life’s battle against the unyielding march of moments. The lyrics speak to the slow erosion of all things, the steady fade of what once shone bright, leaving us to wrestle with the fleeting nature of existence. Yet, amidst the fading light, Knutz offers defiance—a rallying cry to rise, to waltz boldly through the fleeting hours, to hold fast to the fire of each moment. The track throbs with life’s urgency, its imagery rich with the paradox of beauty and impermanence. Victim of Time urges its listeners not to cower beneath the weight of inevitability but to carve meaning into the passing seconds, to embrace the fleeting with a fierce joy, and to celebrate the fragile dance that defines us all.

Knutz’s baritone voice crashes in like thunder, deep and resonant, filling every corner with an overwhelming gravity. His voice doesn’t merely accompany the music—it dominates, rolling and reverberating through the track like an unshakable force. The entire piece vibrates with a tension that tightens with every beat, pulling you further into its gravitational pull.  Victim of Time surges with the kind of dark ferocity that recalls Sisters of Mercy, Peter Murphy, Depeche Mode, and Clan of Xymox. Through this dense storm cuts a sharp, melodic synth, crackling dry and electric, flickering like lightning across the sky.

The video, directed by Knutz and captured through the lens of Apostolos Tsakiris, draws deeply from the angular allure of German expressionism. Knutz’s stark presence, both haunting and defiant, is interspersed with the relentless ticking of a clock, a grim reminder of time’s impartial march. Slow-motion sequences stretch moments into eternity, while overlays and fractured light evoke a sense of reality bending under the weight of passing seconds. It’s a bold visual meditation on time’s inescapable grip, the impartial force that unites us all in its steady erosion. In its stark contrasts and cinematic flourishes, it distills the paradox of existence: the beauty in our frailty and the strength in facing the universal passage of time with open eyes and steady resolve.

Watch the video for “Victim of Time” below:

Before stepping into the solo spotlight, Daniel Knutz was the relentless force behind Brazil’s The Knutz, the post-punk deathrock band he formed with his brother Tiago Abud. With three albums and two live records, The Knutz carved their place in the scene, culminating in a 2017 Latin American tour and the critically lauded 2018 release The Tower. Seeking new horizons, Knutz left Brazil for Berlin, where he co-founded the flamboyant and theatrical Discodrama with Ludmila Houben. Eventually, Knutz struck out alone, fully embracing his artistic independence. From recording and directing to releasing his work, he charts a fiercely personal path.

Listen to Victim of Time at the link below, and order the track here.

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