The video prepared for KrvL‘s song “Zielenrust“, which you’re about to see and hear, is a beautiful but haunting piece of art. Slow-moving and only occasionally accented by color, it depicts a solitary figure communing in their own way with the expanse of the ocean and its gently rolling tides. Mysterious and mesmerizing, it’s an interesting setting for a song that proves to be… shattering.
The song is the first single from the forthcoming second album by this Belgian black metal band, whose name is a compacted reference to the Belgian forest named Kravaal. Entitled Donkere Paden (“Dark Paths”), it will be released on October 11th by These Hands Melt and has become available for order just in time to take advantage of another Bandcamp Friday.
The band have stated: “We’ve poured our souls into crafting an atmospheric black metal album that will transport you to realms of chilling beauty and crushing despair. Prepare yourselves, for KrvL‘s reign of darkness begins anew when Autumn falls…”
Chilling beauty and crushing despair… those references certainly apply to “Zielenrust“.
It’s fitting that the video portrays the slow heaving of the ocean and the caress of the tides as they reach the shore, because the music itself rolls like a dark tide — but one that might drown you if you’re not careful.
As it slowly rises and falls, the song’s central riff is rough in its tone and dismal in its mood. The bass dimly moans, and other tones that gleam like a setting sun on the waters wail as they drift through those darkened ebbs and flows, beautiful but stricken with grief.
The vocals, on the other hand, are utterly wrenching to hear, the screams of someone emotionally coming apart at the seams. But they’re not the only signs of despair in the song. Steady and plodding at first, the drums explode in blasting intensity, and the music rises and sweeps in a manifestation of more intense tragedy.
KrvL do other things to pull the listener deeper into what they’re doing, quelling their storm of sound to make way for the ragged and wrecked ring of a guitar that contorts in its agony, and pale, mysterious tones that mourn.
The music swells and storms again, the vocals even more ruinously tortured (on this song Shazzulah from Wovennest makes a striking guest appearance), but is abruptly cut off like the fall of a blade — but not before the song has succeeded in submerging the minds of listeners through its tidal spells.
The captivating video was filmed by Olga Kann and Vadzim Swirski, and edited by Olga Kann, who also stars in this short film.
In addition to the guest appearance by Shazzulah on “Zielenrust“, the album also includes a guest vocal appearance by H. from the band Oerheks.
With lyrics in Dutch, the new album contemplates topics such as nature, finding inner peace, nemesis, resurrection, and an attempt to find light in the darkness.
Donkere Paden will be released by These Hands Melt on CD, Vinyl, and Digital formats. It’s available for pre-order and pre-save now.
PRE-ORDER:
VINYL: https://t.ly/krvlV
CD: https://t.ly/krvlD
DIGITAL: https://krvl.bandcamp.com/album/donkere-paden
PRE-SAVE:
https://share.amuse.io/track/krvl-zielenrust
KRVL:
https://www.facebook.com/KrvL1745/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqsOIHqIMfh/
https://krvl.bandcamp.com/releases
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XNtjjTvy1HSjsYcfpIRHI?si=SIvYpPx3Q3a9QrR6QMXqeQ
