Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has shared a lyric video for his new single, ‘The Promise’.
The song is the title track to Christian Bale’s latest film, a romance that also happens to be about the 1914 Armenian genocide.
Cornell spoke at length on writing for the film, a job he didn’t take lightly.
“The film and plot are your band mates and the song has to be true to the story and the characters in it. The Promise’ to me is mainly about paying homage to those we lost in the Armenian Genocide, but it’s also about shining a light on more recent atrocities. The same methods used in the Armenian genocide were used to carry out crimes against humanity in Bosnia, Darfur, Rwanda and right now in Syria on multiple fronts, contributing to a massive global refugee crisis.
“Unfortunately, the words ‘never again’ seem like just words”, Cornell continues, “when we recall these mass executions of the twentieth century, as well as renewed racism and prejudice around the world. Even in the US, the warning signs – isolating groups based on race and religion – are evident. We really need to tell these stories and keep telling them in as many different ways as we can.
In keeping with the film’s overaching message, Cornell will donated his proceeds from the song to the International Rescue Committee.
“As humans, we have a tremendous capacity to trudge ahead in our lives and not look at the difficult and challenging moments”, he says, “but I think it’s important. Educating ourselves on the past is the best way to understand the present and avoid future atrocities by understanding and intervening. We must educate and stand as one to combat this fear and violence, and as citizens of the world, work to protect each other’s human rights.”
Listen to the song, below.
