The Libertines have released this shocker for Heart Of The Matter, directed by their regular collaborator Roger Sargent, which confronts their legendary notoriety head-on in a lurid satire on excess and tabloid demonisation.

The setting is a twisted peep-show, where paying customers are privy to frontmen Peter Doherty and Carl Barat taking turns in torturing, tormenting and forcing drugs upon what turns out to be (spoiler alert) themselves. And perhaps the most irksome image is of a couple who are literally getting off on the ultra-violence.

Sargent describes the video as a reflection of the song's unflinching gaze at the damage that Doherty and Barat have done to themselves over the past decade. "It will probably upset people. It is honest," he says. 

He also argues that if the video is labelled as controversial, that will be itself part of the demonising process by the media. "The people who will react in mock horror, to demonise and belittle do so only to sell more papers. They are really the ones that inhabit our little peep show."

ROGER SARGENT:

"The Libertines have never been a band to lack candour or bravery... almost to a fault. Their honesty and their friendship has played out, in the public domain often with dire consequences, unwillingly creating acres of tabloid print.

"In Heart Of The Matter, Peter and Carl reflectively talk about the damage and abuse they have caused themselves over the years, openly mystified that they have survived thus far. It's a catharsis, a bleak, bold and brave one. 

"To that end, when we talked about making the video for the song we ALL felt it had to be similarly honest. The unsettling subjects could not be shied away from. On the contrary, these had to be faced head on. 

"So we have this video. It's hard to watch. It will probably upset people. It is honest. Please don't be fooled though....the people who will react in mock horror, to demonise and belittle do so only to sell more papers. They are really the ones that inhabit our little peep show."