ZAND storms back into the spotlight with the brilliantly twisted new video for their single TOES!’. A five-minute fever dream that fuses cult cinema nostalgia with their signature industrial-pop chaos. Paying homage to everything from The Substance to The Muppets, ZAND crafts a noir tale pulled straight from the darkest corners of their imagination—equal parts grotesque and genius. Hot off the heels of their breakout 2024 hit ‘Cocktail Molotov’, featured on Netflix’s Arcane soundtrack and racking up over 24 million streams Watch the video for ‘TOES!’ HERE or by clicking the image below. 
Speaking about the new video ZAND said, “Arguably my best music video yet, TOES! is my most creatively ambitious visual work despite boasting a film crew of just three people with a pretty small budget. The video is a gripping tale of murder, mystery, puppetry, cheap rubber masks, possession, wigs, dinner meetings with a stranger for “business” (terrifying), an ambiguous newspaper, bangers and mash, fish and chips, a bored waitress, and ultimately, the struggle to live with both the brightest and darkest parts of yourself. This one feels more like my first short film rather than just a music video – I really got to exercise my movie making bone. I’ve always wanted to employ puppets in my visual work and this was the perfect opportunity to do so, the idea’s been in my head for a long time now. Here goes my puppeteering debut, I guess…” “This story is essentially a metaphor for continuously battling with yourself – the Boar character represents all the “ugly” parts of one’s psyche – so in my case horrible intrusive thoughts, imposter syndrome, chronic mental illness, the downsides of neurodivergence, even struggles I’ve had with substances like alcohol before I went sober. In the end, The Boar is tricked by The Puppeteer and Sue, turning him into a harmless little pig puppet – not killing him (like The Boar killed The Sewerstar who ended up reincarnating as Sue The Puppet lol) but making him smaller, storing him away, easier to deal with, learning how to control him. At the end of the day, every one of these characters you see are cut from the same cloth, because they are the same person and they forget that constantly – hence The Puppeteer’s surprise to see The Boar reveal they’re the same person behind the mask. It’s about not allowing those “unsavoury” parts of you to completely take over. They may feel strong at times and as if they can overpower you completely, but remember you’re the master pulling the strings – not them. Hope that all makes sense. There’s way more going on that I could explain for ages but I’ll let you guys put all that together and interpret for yourself” ‘TOES!’ marks a bold reinvention evolving from the likes of ZAND’s previous works (2023’s ‘SEWERSTAR’ and 2020’s ‘Ugly Pop’) as they enter an artistic metamorphosis, shedding the “ugly pop” label once self-coined for their music and signalling the birth of an entirely new era—one which paves the way for their long (long, long, LONG) anticipated debut album. This new era, this musical and creative shift was announced recently through the Daily Drain newspaper, created by ZAND, which detailed the death of the Sewerstar and the launch of this new era. We hear their raw versatility pushed to new heights, seamlessly blending a chaotic concoction of genres—from nu-metal and pop, to rap and electronica—infused with pulsating bass, chuggy guitars, and garnished with a touch of cocky yet self-aware wit. With vibes similar to ‘Pretty Hate Machine’ era Trent Reznor, raps reminiscent to early Eminem, aspects of black metal and the most exciting aspects of modern pop music. Written, composed and produced by ZAND with additional production from longtime collaborator, friend and award-winning metal producer Dan Weller, ‘TOES!’ pokes fun at anyone and anything: “bozos”, pathetic men, “twits” and more, with even ZAND themself catching a stray.. “Sometimes, to make good art… one must embrace complex feelings, a method completely unheard of in songwriting,” says ZAND heavily. “So, I took it upon myself to channel said feelings into 3 minutes and 50 seconds of sonic posturing, thus TOES! was born – my ultimate hater anthem. No one is safe from her clutches, including me.” Live wise ZAND has recently toured North America with Zheani in September 2024, which followed an 18 date US headline tour in 2023. They have also performed at major UK and EU festivals, including Reading and Leeds, 2000trees, Slam Dunk, Milan’s SummerSad Festival, and Berlin’s CTM Festival. In August 2023, they collaborated with Jeremy Corbyn on a fundraising show in Sheffield to support grassroots venues. They have also toured alongside iconic and alternative acts such as Peaches (on the European leg of The Teaches of Peaches 20th anniversary tour), Scene Queen, Bob Vylan, and Vukovi. Last month they also played the Alyx Holcombe booked and run ‘Mantra’ live music night in London – look out for live shows in 2025 very soon. ZAND is a relentless force in the underground alternative scene—an uncompromising multi-disciplinary artist. Someone who enjoys sculpting a sound built on destroying genre boundaries and painting with a technicolor sonic palette. This Blackpool-born artist has carved out a loyal cult following since the inception of their project, with their work doubling down on the signature characteristics it has become notorious for: razor-sharp lyricism, tongue-in-cheek delivery, and an unfiltered, gloriously unapologetic and completely obnoxious energy that is impossible to ignore. There really is no one like ZAND, a total one off. An artist and human being that personifies taking risks and forging their own way in music, 100% independent, 100% all their own creation, imagination and vision, and someone who is only just getting started. | 
