In an era where rock music often feels caught between a comfortable re-tread and an aimless experiment, Allen Brooks is a rare anomaly. He is an artist who deeply respects the genre’s foundational strength while fearlessly pushing its technical and visual boundaries. The veteran Missouri musician and filmmaker, whose career encompasses country twang, hard rock grit, and Hollywood cinematic flair, has once again tapped into his creative wellspring with the visceral new single, “Mirrors In My Mind.”
This release follows the sophisticated gloom of “Caviar and Cigarettes,” but finds Brooks plunging into a darker, more intensely gothic sonic realm-a collision between psychedelic introspection and gothic menace that echoes everything from Early Doors’ eerie organ washes to Marilyn Manson’s grinding intensity. It’s a track designed not just to be heard, but to be felt in the marrow.
A graduate of NYFA with a background that includes working on major projects like Warner Bros./Dwight Yoakam’s “Waterfall,” Brooks views a song as a visual medium. He scores the emotional landscape, much like a film director. His self-directed, storyboarded, and performed video for “Mirrors In My Mind” perfectly exemplifies this, blending dream logic with delirium. Utilizing cutting-edge green screen and AI animation, Brooks transforms his performance into something both ancient and futuristic. Most notably, his iconic owl persona, Valtherion, makes a return from the “Tragically Twisted” video, symbolizing mystery and the haunting necessity of self-confrontation that runs through the musician’s current catalogue.
“I never thought I’d be able to create the kind of music videos I can now,” Brooks admits, conveying a deep sense of satisfaction. “It’s a hell of a process… but completely worth it.” The result is a music video that functions not as mere accompaniment, but as the visual, cerebral extension of the composition.
Musically, the track is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Brooks maintains the acoustic heart he established on “Caviar and Cigarettes,” using electric distortion for atmospheric color, but the mood is decisively darker. The entire track is tuned down a half-step, employing esoteric chord variations to achieve an otherworldly resonance. His international team of Argentine collaborators-Mariano Vega (drums), Mariano Power (saxophone), and Plátano Ebrio (orchestral timpani)-contribute a tribal yet transcendental cohesion. This remote ensemble performs with striking unity under the expert guidance of Italian producer Andrew Caccese, whose final mix amplifies the track’s panoramic, cinematic scope. As Brooks wisely advises, professional engineering is paramount: “hire and involve the most professional engineers and producers you can afford.”
Lyrically, Brooks opens with a profound, surrealist image: “There’s a river in my ceiling, and the stars begin to swim.” It’s an immediate, poetic immersion into an altered mental space, reminiscent of Jim Morrison’s kaleidoscopic mysticism. Throughout the track, the imagery of “silver serpents on the table” and a body that’s “just a rumor” explores the dissolution of identity, the artist confronting his own multiplicity.
The claustrophobic verses are pierced by the chorus, which offers a sudden, humanizing blast of light: “These visions in my mind – they’re drivin’ me crazy… we don’t need nothin’ but love.” This simple, profound declaration reframes the preceding madness, confirming that love remains the beating human heart beneath the distortion. The surreal landscape is briefly grounded by Brooks’ inclusion of cultural “Easter eggs,” winking references to bands like Primus and Steam Powered Giraffe-a subtle nod to his shared musical lineage. This moment of levity is quickly followed by Mariano Power’s explosive, Viagra Boys-style sax solo-a necessary, distorted jazz scream of catharsis.
At 63, having served in the U.S. Navy and spent a lifetime as a road warrior with bands like Roxx Gang and Satisfaction, Brooks has nothing left to prove. He has shared the stage with legends from Steppenwolf to Molly Hatchet. Yet, unlike many peers, he refuses to calcify into a legacy act. His recent string of releases shows an artist driven by fearless experimentation and modern technology. “The fire’s still burning,” he asserts, hinting at a “life-changing offer” to be revealed in 2027.
“Mirrors In My Mind” functions as a dialogue with the self-the confluence of the musician, the veteran, and the dreamer. The song is a reckoning, where “Reflections throughout time” become autobiographical. In a spirit of radical authenticity and gratitude, Brooks has made the track a free download on allenbrooks.net: “No signups or things to join. Just download and enjoy.” This simple, powerful gesture is a revolutionary act in today’s algorithmic landscape, reminding us that music is meant to be shared. Allen Brooks delivers an ambitious, complex work that is both unsettling and uplifting-a truly incandescent moment of self-discovery.
