PETA support shocking Maroon 5 video

Animal rights activists at PETA have thrown their support behind Maroon 5's controversial new music video by applauding Adam Levine's "convincing" depiction of a manic butcher and insisting the blood-drenched promo "does not go far enough".

In the gory footage for the band's new track Animals, Levine plays a crazed meat merchant who stalks a beautiful blonde, portrayed by his wife, model Behati Prinsloo.

Throughout the video, the singer is seen writhing among dead animals, hacking at carcasses, dangling from a meat hook and kissing Prinsloo as masses of fake blood pours over them.

The promo has sparked outrage among anti-rape campaigners, who have accused the group of glamorising violence against women, but Maroon 5 have won the support of activists at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

PETA bosses have applauded the video for its graphic portrayal of the meat industry, insisting Levine's crazed character illustrates why animals should not be slaughtered for their meat.

Ben Williamson, a spokesman for PETA, tells WENN, "Actually, we think Adam does a very convincing job of making slaughterers look deranged... If anything, the video doesn't go far enough in showing the bloody horror of the meat industry and the misery that animals endure before their carcasses end up on a meat hook or butcher's chopping block... We're all 'animals', but anyone upset by the bloody scenes in the video had better opt out of real life violence by choosing to be a compassionate, vegan animal!"

Williamson also reaffirmed PETA's support for Prinsloo, who plays Levine's victim in the promo, because of her opposition to America's controversial SeaWorld resorts which have faced allegations of animal cruelty, adding, "We love Behati for her anti-SeaWorld stance."

The Victoria's Secret model frequently posts anti-animal cruelty pictures on her Instagram.com page and has been vocal in her opposition to SeaWorld.