As 2025 is slowly drawing to a close, I find myself returning to a familiar ritual: writing a long, reflective summary of the year behind me. This is never meant to be a simple chronological recap. Instead, I try to focus on the moments that truly mattered — the turning points, the struggles, the breakthroughs — and on how they shaped me, both as a musician and as a person.
Without question, the defining event of this year was the release of my new album Horror Sacri on August 21st, exactly two years after Thanatology. In many ways, this record became a watershed moment for Darkwave.
For the first time, I approached songwriting with a noticeably different mindset. I invested far more time and conscious thought into composition than ever before. Rather than thinking in terms of individual “songs,” I aimed to create full-fledged musical compositions — closer in spirit to how classical music treats form, development, and emotional architecture. Each track was meant to encapsulate complex emotional states and layered ideas, even if that complexity sometimes pushed the music further than my earlier recordings ever did.
Sound has always been a deeply sensitive matter for me, and Horror Sacri was no exception — quite the opposite. I devoted an enormous amount of effort to mixing and mastering the album. Although my technical knowledge in these areas has grown significantly over the years, I wanted this record to surpass everything I had done before. This perfectionism inevitably delayed the release, but I have no regrets. Horror Sacri sounds exactly the way it needed to sound, and to my ears, it stands clearly above my previous albums in terms of sonic depth and clarity.
Yet the most important step forward on Horror Sacri had nothing to do with production at all. This was the first Darkwave album to feature vocals. After three purely instrumental releases, I began to feel the boundaries of that format closing in on me. There were emotions and thoughts I could no longer fully articulate without the human voice and without lyrics. I felt constrained — even caged — and instead of accepting those limits, I chose to step beyond them. It was, quite honestly, a leap of faith. I have spent decades developing my skills as a guitarist, reaching a point where I can finally feel confident in that role. Vocal performance, however, was entirely different territory for me. I had no comparable training, no safety net — yet I went for it anyway. And I believe it was worth the risk. At this point, I must also express my deep gratitude to my friends Freddie and Fati, who contributed guest vocals to two tracks on the album. Their presence added dimensions I could not have achieved alone, making the record richer and far more multifaceted.
Because of this, I felt it was essential to dedicate several posts not only to the music itself, but also to the lyrics — their meanings, origins, and personal significance. For me, the lyrical layer of Horror Sacri stands on equal footing with the music. I also shared broader reflections on the album as a whole, as well as track-by-track insights, allowing listeners a deeper glimpse into the inner world behind the record.
The international reception of Horror Sacri exceeded anything I had anticipated. The album was reviewed and featured by several blogs and music platforms, most notably by Rock Hard Italy, where it appeared in the printed magazine alongside an interview. Seeing Darkwave discussed in such a respected and long-standing publication was both surreal and deeply humbling. The album also performed strongly on SoundCloud, reaching prominent positions — and in some cases the number one spot — on RepostExchange charts.
Just like Thanatology, Horror Sacri was also released in a limited physical CD edition. In an age of endless digital content, I still strongly believe in the value of something tangible — something you can hold, keep, and return to years later.
However, 2025 was far from being only about Horror Sacri.
Throughout the year, I was fortunate to participate in several collaborations across different genres. Stepping outside the boundaries of metal has always been important to me, and these projects allowed me to explore new musical languages. I contributed guitars to one of Eth Eonel’s Sonnets, a beautifully intricate piece blending metal, alternative music, jazz elements, and sophisticated harmonic structures. I also collaborated with French singer Ana Lyr on a cover of The Sorrowed Man by one of my all-time favorite bands, Nevermore. Additionally, my Swedish friend Freddie invited me to take part in several tracks by his synthwave project Terrorbit, where I happily added my guitar work to an already striking sonic universe. Beyond recording and releasing music, I was also invited to appear on a podcast, where I had the chance to talk not only about my long-standing admiration for Lacuna Coil, but also about Darkwave itself and the artistic path behind it.
As for the future — it is already taking shape.
Work on the next Darkwave album has begun, this time following a deliberately different creative process. I started the whole process by finalizing the lyrics before composing the music. I am currently recording an extensive set of demos, allowing the musical foundations to evolve organically over time. I revisit and refine these ideas again and again until they reach their final form. Only then will I move on to the definitive recordings, including the vocals.
Another major change is that I will not be handling mixing and mastering myself this time. Instead, I plan to collaborate with a professional mixing and mastering engineer, freeing up more time and mental space for songwriting and recording. I see this upcoming album as a kind of compendium — a distillation of everything I am and everything I have learned in music so far. Because of that, I refuse to rush the process. This record deserves patience, care, and absolute focus.
What can be expected from it? Dark, meditative, and deeply introspective lyrics, with a subtle but persistent flicker of hope beneath the surface. Musically, monumental and multilayered arrangements built upon progressive structures and thrash/death metal foundations.
To close this long annual summary of 2025, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my friends, listeners, followers, and supporters. This may sound like a familiar closing line, but it is anything but empty. Your presence, your messages, and your support are a real and tangible driving force that keeps this project alive and moving forward.
Thank you — and see you in 2026!