Morning Star [LP] (Black Ice Vinyl)

Kekht Arakh - Morning Star [LP] (Black Ice Vinyl)

Morning Star finds KA«kht ArA¤kh arriving at a truer, more refined version of himself. Recorded between Berlin and Stockholm, the album emerges from a period of intense personal and artistic growth, blending aggressive black metal passages with immersive, textured soundscapes that feel both intimate and vast._x000B__x000B_Since his origins in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Dmitry (a.k.a. Crying Orc), the sole mastermind behind the project, has sought a distinctive path within black metal. This vision unfolded through his debut Through the Branches to Eternity EP (2018) and the albums Night & Love (2018) and Pale Swordsman (2021), establishing a signature tension between ferocious, visceral black metal and delicate, introspective ballads. On Morning Star, this dynamic reaches new depth. Created at a point of artistic clarity, the album explores a rawer, more personal emotional palette, shaped by stress, anxiety, and long stretches of writers block, giving it rare immediacy and vulnerability._x000B__x000B_Dmitry recorded nearly all instruments himself, with drums by Jonathan (Spira Me, Vanskapth, Olycka). Bladee contributed vocals and co-wrote lyrics on a€œEternal Martyr,a€ an unexpected collaboration that reveals intuitive chemistry. VS--55 and Varg2a„¢ add abstract sampling and subtle textural design, giving Morning Star its distinctive grain and analog warmth, while James Ginzburg (Emptyset, Osmium) handled final mastering, enhancing dynamic depth and atmospheric richness._x000B__x000B_Several tracks revisit earlier material with fresh perspectives. a€œWA¤nderera€ and a€œDrA¶msA¥nga€ are partially rerecorded or fully reimagined. Intense, driving passages collide with sparse, contemplative interludes, producing a landscape both visceral and haunting. Themes of isolation and wandering surface in a€œWA¤nderer,a€ dreamlike melancholy in a€œDrA¶msA¥ng,a€ existential struggle in a€œAngest,a€ and reflections on time and transformation in a€œThree Winters Away.a€_x000B__x000B_With Morning Star, KA«kht ArA¤kh synthesizes past explorations with new collaborative energy, producing a record that honors 90s black metal tradition while embracing lo-fi warmth, melancholic melodies, sonic experimentation, and emotional candor. The result is a deeply personal statement - an album that is both an arrival and a continuation of his artistic journey.