Lately I’ve been feeling that I’m scattering myself across too many places — several social media platforms, a YouTube channel, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and my own website. It’s exhausting, and it fragments something that should be whole. No matter how hard I try, I can’t really tell who sees my posts, or who still walks with me through this journey of sound and thought.
So I’ve made a decision. From now on, I want to breathe more life into my official website — to make it the heart of everything I do. That’s where I’ll share my updates first, where I’ll build something small but genuine — a quiet, steady space for those who truly resonate with my music and words.
I’m not disappearing from social media, but I want to rely less on these fleeting platforms, and more on a place that feels like home — free from algorithms, noise, and constant fragmentation.
If you’d like to stay connected, please subscribe (for free) on my website. The Subscribe button is in the lower right corner (both on desktop and mobile – see screenshots below).
It’s free, simple, and means more than you might think. Thank you for walking this path with me.
It’s always a special moment when your work finds its way into the hands of people who truly listen. I recently had the honour of seeing Horror Sacri reviewed in Rock Hard Italy — one of the most respected metal magazines in Europe — and it received 7.5 out of 10.
What moved me even more than the rating itself were the words they chose to describe the album. They called it “a paradigm of inner exploration”, a phrase that resonated deeply with me. That’s exactly what this record was meant to be — a reflection of the human condition, of those quiet, uneasy dialogues between faith and doubt, spirit and decay, transcendence and despair.
Horror Sacri was never about adhering to genres or trends. It was an attempt to build bridges between forms of expression that are often seen as opposites: the brutality of extreme metal and the fragility of classical harmony; the bleakness of doom and the improvisational breath of jazz. To me, these are not contradictions — they are different languages that, when spoken together, tell a more complete story about who we are.
What Rock Hard Italy captured so beautifully is that Horror Sacri is not just an album — it’s a journey inward. A search for meaning in the chaos, for light in the ruins. And reading that someone else perceived it in that same way is one of the most rewarding feelings an artist can have.
I’m deeply thankful to the editors and reviewers of Rock Hard Italy for their thoughtful words, and to everyone who has taken the time to listen, reflect, and share this music. Your attention keeps the dialogue alive.
The screenshot below is taken from the original print edition of Rock Hard Italy, October 2025 (page 110), where the review appeared. For easier reading, I’ve also transcribed the text version and included my English translation below.
“Horror Sacri è il quarto capitolo discografico a marchio Darkwave, progetto dietro il quale si cela il musicista e compositore ungherese Zsolt Némethy. Provare a contestualizzare la natura della proposta risulta un’impresa ardua, considerando la varietà delle influenze in gioco: per contro, l’ascolto diventa un’esperienza faconda e gratificante, una volta immersi nel complesso crogiulo di idee elaborate dall’artista. Complice la presenza di due vocalist (una novità assoluta, per quanto riguarda il percorso sin qui sviluppato), Darkwave ha assunto sfumature ancora più stratificate rispetto al recente passato, aggiungendo ulteriori tasselli alla sperimentazione di intrecci che contemplano in egual misura metal estremo, doom, jazz, progressive e musica classica, tanto per citare solo alcune delle influenze. Se poi a tutto ciò si aggiungono una marcata connotazione introspettiva e riflessioni filosofiche ed esistenziali, il quadro si arricchisce ulteriormente: l’album diventa di conseguenza il paradigma di una ricerca interiore che trova nella dimensione musicale il proprio riflesso, inaugurando una nova fase di un’esplorazione condotta senza pregiudizi.”
“Horror Sacri is the fourth album released under the name Darkwave, the project led by Hungarian musician and composer Zsolt Némethy. Defining the nature of this work proves to be a challenging task, given the wide range of influences at play; yet, listening to it becomes a rich and rewarding experience once one dives into the complex crucible of ideas shaped by the artist. With the inclusion of two vocalists – an absolute first in Darkwave’s evolution – the project has taken on even more layered nuances than in the recent past, adding new dimensions to an ongoing experiment that intertwines, in equal measure, extreme metal, doom, jazz, progressive, and classical music, to name just a few of the influences. On top of all this, the strong introspective tone, along with the philosophical and existential reflections, further enrich the overall picture. As a result, the album stands as a paradigm of inner exploration, one that finds its reflection in the musical dimension, inaugurating a new phase of a journey carried out without prejudice or boundaries.”
I recently took a look at how the tracks from my latest album Horror Sacri performed on RepostExchange — a platform where independent artists can share and promote each other’s music, and where listener engagement shapes the Pop/Rock and overall Top 40 charts.
Here’s how the songs did:
Ego Mortuus Sum reached #1 on both the Pop/Rock Top 40 and the Re-Ex Top 40 — the highest position any of my songs has ever achieved there.
Soul Hunt stayed on the charts for 10 days, making it the longest-lasting track from the album.
Messiah of Shrinking Shores, Secreta, Soul Hunt and, somewhat surprisingly for an instrumental, Miserere, also made it to the Re-Ex Top 40 — with Miserere climbing all the way up to #5.
I’m deeply grateful for all the support, plays, and feedback. These numbers aren’t just statistics — they’re echoes of connection, and I’m truly thankful to everyone who helped Horror Sacri find its audience.
My Swedish friend Freddie (Fredrik Keith Croona) has resurrected his dark synthwave project Terrorbit — and I had the pleasure of playing guitar on two tracks from the new EP, fittingly titled Resurrection: “Shinjuku Vampire” and “Neon Blood.”
I was already part of Terrorbit’s first era (see posts here and here), and it felt great to be invited again. Synthwave is quite foreign territory for me — far from the world of metal riffs and textures I usually live in — but that’s exactly why I enjoy these collaborations so much. They open new perspectives, challenge the way I think about sound, and remind me that there’s always something to learn when you step outside your comfort zone.
Thanks for having me again, Freddie. This one truly bleeds neon. ⚡️
Last night I met up with some of my old classmates. Some of them I hadn’t seen in decades, others I’ve stayed in touch with here and there… and then there was my oldest friend — the one I started making music with when we were just kids.
I still remember those early days: we were maybe ten years old, learning to play guitar together, dreaming about forming our first band. We spent countless hours practicing, listening, planning. And even when life later took us to different places — me to Munich, him to London — the friendship never faded. The music kept us connected through it all.
We played in many projects together over the years, explored all kinds of genres, and it was actually him who first introduced me to music recording and production. We even joined a local talent show once — what memories! Our musical tastes still overlap a lot, and every now and then we bump into each other at concerts of the bands we both love.
Now, decades later, sitting together again over a fine Irish whiskey, that same old vibe was still there. I tried his freshly bought instruments, we talked for hours, and at some point we both realized: the dreams we once had as kids… we actually made them come true. He makes a living from music — teaching guitar, playing in bands — and my own life also revolves around music, in my own way. Different paths, same passion, and both of us happy with where we ended up.
And best of all: after all these years, we’re planning new things together again. Music, of course. Always music.
My website, “darkwavemetal.com – Sacred Dread. Sonic Redemption”, has recently crossed 5000 views. I know – in a world obsessed with numbers, algorithms, and endless scrolling, that might not sound like much. But to me, it means the world.
Every visit represents a person who, for a brief moment, stepped into this small universe I’ve been building piece by piece – through sound, thought, and emotion. Five thousand times, someone looked beyond the noise and chose to listen. And that, in itself, feels almost unreal.
When I started Darkwave, I didn’t aim for fame or numbers. I just wanted to create something honest – something that could speak when words fall short. To know that this music, these fragments of silence and distortion, have found their way to even a few hearts… that’s more than I could ever ask for.
So if you’ve ever visited, listened, or shared a moment within this world – thank you. You’ve made this solitude feel a little less silent.
I’m thrilled to share that the first full review of my new album Horror Sacri has just been published — and by none other than Metal Digest. Reading someone else’s words about your creation is always humbling, and this review gave me more than I dared hope for.
Metal Digest describes Horror Sacri as “a bold leap” in my musical path — a transformation from purely instrumental roots into what they call a “striking vocal debut.” They highlight the album’s layered textures: symphonic swells, electronic undertones, and touches of jazz, all woven into a cinematic soundscape. But more than that, they emphasize that “rich baritone vocals and bursts of old-school riffage ground the album, giving it weight and character.”
That part struck me deeply. Stepping forward as a vocalist was one of the most stressful decisions I’ve ever made in music. Until now, all my albums had been instrumental, and this felt like stepping onto unknown ground. I carried a lot of doubts — about my own ability, about whether my voice could hold the weight of the music. To see the vocals not only accepted, but praised, was a surprise that I will hold onto with gratitude.
The review also notes that it is “an ambitious and fascinating evolution that reveals new dimensions of the project’s sound.” Reading those words reminded me of why I do this: to explore, to stretch, to take risks. To try and express more than what I can in ordinary life.
I want to say a sincere thank you to Metal Digest for giving Horror Sacri this thoughtful treatment. I’m honored that you listened, engaged, and allowed your readers to step into this world with me.
Here’s to new chapters, new sounds — and to all of you who come along for the ride. Your support and your voices mean just as much to me as any review, and I’m grateful to share this journey with you.
For the record, I insert the original text of the review here: “Hungary’s DarkWave project makes a bold leap with Horror Sacri, shifting from instrumental roots to a striking vocal debut. The record blends symphonic swells, electronic textures, and subtle jazz elements into a layered, cinematic soundscape. Yet it’s the rich baritone vocals and bursts of old-school riffage that ground the album, giving it weight and character. Themes of faith, doubt, and transcendence thread through each track, forming a series of dark, standalone vignettes. Energetic synths and intricate percussion keep the momentum alive, even when the atmosphere grows dense. While not without its uneven moments, Horror Sacri is an ambitious and fascinating evolution that reveals new dimensions of the project’s sound.”
