asauldm | Music

“R.I.P.” is a single by the American gothic metal/metalcore band Motionless in White, featuring the renowned American singer and songwriter Skylar Grey. The track has become one of the band’s most emotional and widely discussed releases in recent times.

For Motionless in White, bringing in a pop artist of this caliber was a bold move. Skylar Grey (known for her collaborations with Eminem, Rihanna, and Linkin Park, as well as co-writing the hit “Love the Way You Lie”) brought her signature, haunting “ghostly” vocals to the track. The contrast between heavy, aggressive riffs, Chris “Motionless” Cerulli’s deep growls, and Skylar’s delicate yet powerful voice created the unique atmosphere of a gothic ballad.

The title of the track, “R.I.P.” (Rest in Peace), is played upon here not only in the context of physical death, but as a metaphor for a painful breakup, saying goodbye to the past, and “burying” toxic relationships or an old version of oneself.

The music video for “R.I.P.” is shot in the style of dark fantasy and gothic horror. The visuals are filled with a somber aesthetic: an abandoned Victorian mansion, a misty graveyard at night, and symbolic scenes where Chris and Skylar are separated by crumbling walls. The video perfectly highlights the theatricality that Motionless in White is famous for, adding the grand scale of a Hollywood soundtrack to the song.

The composition proved that the band is capable of venturing far beyond the boundaries of classic metalcore, experimenting with a mainstream sound without losing their signature “dark” identity.