Track by Track – 4. Messiah of Shrinking Shores

“Messiah of Shrinking Shores” unfolds like a sorrowful parable — the story of a soul who gave everything, only to be abandoned by both Heaven and Earth. Written in poetic form years ago, the lyrics speak in third person, echoing the voice of someone who once carried the burdens of others, now discarded, worn down, and left with nothing but silence. “The ashtray of God” — a chilling metaphor for spiritual obsolescence — captures the depth of his disillusionment, culminating in the heartbreaking surrender: “Let me sink into the flood.”

This song gives voice to that universal moment when we feel used up, overlooked, and forgotten — when the world no longer sees us as valuable, only convenient. Hungarian vocalist Fati Urbán lends her angelic, haunting tone to these emotions, adding an ethereal fragility that elevates the pain into something strangely beautiful.

Though the song carries the atmosphere of gothic and doom influences, it never settles into one mood. Progressive metal elements weave through its structure — the intro and outro riffs pulse with complex time signatures, and the chorus rides on staccato rhythms that resist collapse. It’s both a lament and a protest; a farewell and a final cry for meaning.


You can already pre-order the album by clicking here: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri. By pre-ordering, you get one track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released on the 21th of August.

Track by Track – 3. Ego mortuus sum

“Ego mortuus sum” (“I am dead”) marks a violent turning point on the album — a cry from the edge featuring the fierce vocal presence of Fredrik Keith Croona (Against I). Musically, it’s a collision of extremes: progressive structures twist through shifting time signatures before collapsing into relentless staccato grooves, while old-school death metal riffing forms the scorched earth on which the vocals roar.

The song was born in a moment of spiritual rupture — a place where faith felt hollow and rituals failed to heal. Lying on the metaphorical altar brought not peace, but anguish. The lyrics rage against sacred comfort, throwing brutal imagery into the light: Heaven reimagined as a “cesspool of saints”, sanctity as emptiness. It’s raw, it’s defiant — the sound of someone shouting into the void.

Yet amid the fury, a thread of hope weaves through. The chorus draws from Psalm 29: “Domine, clamavi ad te et sanasti me” — “O Lord, I have cried to thee, and thou hast healed me.” Even at the height of spiritual collapse, the possibility of redemption remains — battered but not erased.


You can already pre-order the album by clicking here: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri. By pre-ordering, you get one track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released on the 21th of August.

Track by Track – 2. Impressions… The Black Virgin

Impressions… The Black Virgin is rooted in a personal poem written over two decades ago. Originally conceived as a tribute to the gothic metal pioneers Virgin Black — whose music explored the spiritual and the sublime — the piece gradually evolved into something more intimate: a meditation on suffering, endurance, and what it means to remain human beneath unbearable weight.

The lyrics reinterpret the Christian beatitudes through a darker lens, suggesting that perhaps blessed are those who broke beneath their loads. In this worldview, strength lies not in triumph, but in survival — in the quiet defiance of carrying on when all else seems lost. The haunting echo of Virgin Black’s iconic line, “All is lost but hope”, finds its reflection here: “All else is lost, save hope beyond all death.”

There’s no cathartic release in the end, no redemptive arc — only the stark confession of weariness: “For Lord, no more I am the dead or living – a symptom now, a shadow barely breathing.” And yet, beneath the grief, a subtle thread of comfort emerges: a melodic fragment borrowed from the Gregorian chant “Consolamini, popule meus” — “Be comforted, my people.”

Even in desolation, a faint light endures.


You can already pre-order the album by clicking here: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri. By pre-ordering, you get one track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released on the 21th of August.

Track by track – 1. Dies Irae

Dies Irae — “The Day of Wrath” — draws its name and inspiration from the iconic medieval Latin hymn that envisions the Last Judgment: a cataclysmic reckoning where the trumpet sounds, the dead rise, and every soul stands trial before an all-powerful Judge. Traditionally sung at Catholic Requiem Masses, this ancient text has haunted Western music and imagination for centuries, inspiring giants like Mozart and Verdi to transform it into timeless works of art.

This reinterpretation takes a more critical and personal path. Rather than presenting the full, fire-and-brimstone narrative, the track distills the original into select verses — fragments that echo through the music like distant voices from a troubled past. The piece challenges the deeply rooted notion of God as a merciless arbiter, replacing fear with reflection. In doing so, it questions how such doctrines have shaped our inner world — replacing love with dread, grace with guilt.

The composition opens and closes with solemn church organ passages, framing the piece like the arches of a ruined cathedral. The final organ reprise, however, carries a subtle shift — a glimmer of hope, as if the weight of centuries-old judgment might finally give way to something more compassionate.


You can already pre-order the album by clicking here: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri. By pre-ordering, you get one track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released on the 21th of August.

Unveiling the Cover of Horror Sacri

I’m proud to share with you the official cover artwork of Horror Sacri, the new Darkwave album — a visual that captures the essence of what this record is all about: reverence and decay, silence and scream, light and darkness intertwined in a sacred dance of ruin.

The photo was taken by my dear friend and gifted photographer Márta Sándor, whose eye for beauty hidden in erosion and stillness gave this album its haunting face. Her image of a weatherworn statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary behind rusted bars speaks volumes: not only about religious iconography distorted by time and social constructs, but also about the themes I explore musically — memory, trauma, transcendence, and the blurred line between the sacred and the profane.

Just like the music, this artwork doesn’t offer easy answers. It invites you to look closer, to feel, and perhaps to find a reflection of your own inner ruins.

Horror Sacri consists of eight tracks that blend progressive metal with atmosphere, narrative, and a sense of tragic grandeur. It is my most personal release to date, and having this powerful image as its visual gateway is a privilege and a blessing.

You will find the full album on digital platforms from the 21th of August, but this cover — this moment frozen in rust and stone — now belongs to it forever.

You can already pre-order the album by clicking here: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri. By pre-ordering, you get one track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released on the 21th of August.

No Vision is Born Alone — In Gratitude

As my new album Horror Sacri prepares to unfold its wings, I pause to offer my deepest thanks to the souls who walked beside me in the shadows and light — not only as gifted artists, but as kindred spirits. Their presence shaped this record in ways no words can fully hold.

Freddie (Fredrik Keith Croona; Against I, Terrorbit, Duo Latera) — On Ego Mortuus Sum, your voice strikes like flame in the dark. Thank you for lending it the force of storm and sorrow, of fire and stillness.

https://tfreco.bandcamp.com

Fati (Fati Urbán) — You breathed a sacred ache into Messiah of Shrinking Shores, where every note trembles like a lost prayer. Thank you for turning silence into longing, and longing into light.

https://www.youtube.com/@FatiUrbán

Márti (Márta Sándor) — Your eyes saw beyond appearances. Your photographs do not merely depict — they inhabit the album’s soul: solemn, vulnerable, true.

https://www.instagram.com/sandor_marta

This album bears scars — and blessings. It carries echoes of many voices, and the imprint of generous hands. I’m honored that yours are among them.

Pre-orders are now open: https://darkwave-metal.bandcamp.com/album/horror-sacri

Pre-order has started!

New Album Incoming – Pre-order Available Now!
After two years of writing, reflection, and relentless work, the new Darkwave album is finally complete.

“Horror Sacri”
Releasing August 21st on Bandcamp.

The album is a dark, introspective journey through spiritual collapse, personal reckoning, and the fragile search for meaning. Drawing from sacred texts, progressive metal, and orchestral elements, each track confronts the silence that follows prayer — and the quiet defiance of those who still choose to hope. With Horror Sacri, Darkwave enters new territory: for the first time, vocals join the music to convey a message that’s both intimate and transcendent. 

Pre-orders are now open on Bandcamp — and as a thank you, one track will be instantly available to everyone who pre-orders.

Whether you’ve followed Darkwave since the beginning or you’re discovering it now, this album invites you to step into a world where beauty and despair, faith and doubt collide.

This is not comfort.
This is confrontation.
And it begins now.

You can pre-order the album by clicking here!

Unveiling the Soundscapes: A Progress Report on My Upcoming Album

It’s time for a quick update on where I stand with the creation of my new album. As of now, about 80% of the guitar and bass tracks have been recorded, and the orchestral arrangements and additional instrumentation are nearly complete. Currently, I’m deep into programming the drum parts while also recording vocals with the help of some talented friends. Expect a mix of guttural male growls, ethereal female vocals, and even some choir sections where you might hear my own voice in the mix.

As for the guitar solos? Most of them are still in the idea phase, waiting to be fully realized. But one thing’s for sure – the album will feature a booklet with conceptual photography, courtesy of a friend who’s capturing the visual essence of the project.

What can you expect from this release? First and foremost, the sound will be deeper, more thunderous, and more immersive than anything I’ve done before. The vocals will range from aggressive growls to soaring clean female singing, layered with deep, polyphonic choruses. Lyrically, the album explores the fear, confusion, alienation, and even rage of an individual standing before the vast unknown of a transcendent reality. The lyrics will be primarily in English, with some sections in Latin to enhance the atmosphere.

Musically, the album draws heavily from thrash and progressive metal, infused with elements of classical and modern symphonic composition. You’ll also find influences from Middle Eastern and Balkan folk music woven into the sonic tapestry.

This is shaping up to be my most ambitious and emotionally intense work yet. Stay tuned – there’s much more to come! The album is expected to be released in the summer of 2025.

The Art of Slow Destruction and Rebirth

I’m not afraid to admit it: progress on the new album has been steady but deliberate. This time, I’m venturing into uncharted territory. For the first time ever, vocals will play a key role, and the sound…? It’s thicker, heavier, and more brutal than anything I’ve done before, thanks to the punishing growl of standard C tuning.

But it’s not just about the sound – this album is a journey. I’m weaving a deeper cohesion into every track, using recurring musical motifs and lyrical themes to tie the whole thing together. Stylistically, it’s my signature blend of experimental thrash and death metal infused with progressive and symphonic elements. Lyrically, I’m diving into themes of existential uncertaintydisillusionment, and the flickering light of hope – all through the lens of our search for meaning beyond the veil of the physical world.

This project means too much to me to rush. There’s no deadline, just the relentless pull of creativity driving me forward in every spare moment. I promise, I’m giving it everything I’ve got – and when it’s finally ready, I hope it resonates with you.

Thank you for sticking with me and supporting this journey. Your faith in me fuels every note I write. Stay tuned – it’ll be worth the wait!

The long annual summary post

I know that nobody reads long posts anymore, but I can’t become a person who I’m not: I am simply unable to put a text together out of five concise sentences. So, please bear with me – my usual long annual summary post will follow.

2023 has been a wild ride to me. I managed to release Thanatology, my third full-lenght album (regardless that Spotify notoriously keeps calling it an EP…). Believe me, I poured all my heart and soul – and also a huge amount of time, practice and effort – into it. I know that I’m some kind of a perfectionist – and perfectionism is often considered to be a two-edged sword. Besides composing, recording and programming all the tracks, I spent countless hours with learning how to mix and master a decent metal album. Not gonna lie, the result turned out much better than I expected – Thanatology sounds clearer and more natural compared to the first two releases. Still, there is always a place for further imporvements (says the perfectionist…) – so I decided to remix all my releases before re-issuing them on physical CDs in the near future. This is the most important activity that keeps me busy these days. So please keep an eye on this website and/or my socials if you’re interested in getting physical Darkwave goodies (CDs and – hopefully – some merch, too).

Thanatology received extremely good feedback: it was favorably reviewed not only by people who listened to it, but also by metal webzines – metalhasnoborders.com even listed it among the best albums of August, 2023! (Just a side note: to tell the truth, this was absolutely unexpected to me! My focus has always been on creating something meaningful and to connect with people who resonate with my musical experimentation. Therefore, the possibility of being mentioned together with important players of the modern metal scene never occured to me. To see Darkwave on the same page with Crypta, Angra or Brujeria is really an amazing honor!). Right now, Thanatology is on the third place in a poll at metalhasnoborders.com for the best metal release of 2023 (the final results will be announced in early January) – who could have imagined such an enormous success a couple of months ago? I certainly didn’t, that’s for sure.

To cut a long story short, it seems that Darkwave finally stepped through the shadow line, if you know what I mean. I could continue writing about the main events of 2023 for hours, but the release and favorable reception of my beloved Thanatology fills my thoughts with pride, joy and thankfulness. I – of course – have plans that will provide me enough work for at least a decade, but I already summarized them elsewhere. Therefore, let me finish this lenghty annual summary post with a word of gratitude. Darkwave is surrounded by the love and support of a circle of good friends and supporters, and I am extremely grateful for each and every one of you for being here and encouraging me! A musician without listeners would be nothing more than a bizarre manifestation of a dead end.

Thank you for being with me in 2023! I just have one simple request: please never forget about me! 2024 will be another fascinating year for Darkwave, and I can’t wait to see, what the future holds for us!