Svalbard frontwoman Serena Cherry has announced a new solo album under the name, Noctule. She will be releasing her debut album, Wretched Abyss on May 28, 2021, worldwide via Translation Loss Records, Church Road Records, and Through Love Records. Inspired by the game Skyrim, and epic music, the project has been an open secret of late as Serena has hinted at its evolution on social media. The title track and first single/video debuted at Revolver, and you can check it out now!
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-svalbard-singers-skyrim-themed-black-metal-project-noctule
Noctule is the new black metal solo project from Serena Cherry (Svalbard). During the UK national lock down in 2020, Serena decided to write an entire black metal album themed to the RPG computer game Skyrim. Each song is about different dungeons, story lines and weapons within the award-winning game. She notes: “I have always associated Skyrim with black metal. The snowy mountain settings, the morbid themes, the Norse mythology backbone – it just goes hand in hand for me.” Prior to her 10 year career as the front woman of Svalbard, Serena previously played in a black metal band and has been excited to get back to her musical roots. With hypnotic, interlocking tremolo guitar leads, pummeling blast beats and reverb drenched vocals; Noctule sees Serena spread her dragon wings and take off in an intriguing musical direction on her own.
Wretched Abyss will see it’s worldwide release on May 28, 2021 via Translation Loss Records (North America), Church Road Records (EU/UK), and Through Love Records (Germany).
Wretched Abyss Track listing:
- Elven Sword
- Labyrinthian
- Wretched Abyss
- Evenaar
- Winterhold
- Deathbell Harvest
- Unrelenting Force
- Become Ethereal
Noctule is:
Serena Cherry
Recorded, mixed, and mastered in Bristol, UK, in January 2021 with Matt Francis.
Additional guitars & additional writing on Evenaar and Deathbell Harvest by Matt Francis
Photo: John Ashby @gryphonbristol
Album Artwork: Steven Kingscote