Let’s face it, we’ve all been involved in long-term relationships, be it friendships or romantic involvements. Everything is perfect until one day things change and the relationship comes to an end. However, once the final chapter is written, where do you go from there? Do you quickly recover and move forward or do you sit in limbo trying to figure out what went wrong? For three former members of Swiss melodic death metal band, Eluveitie, sitting stagnant wasn’t in their fate, when the band decided to part ways mid-tour in 2016.
Quickly gathering their composure, drummer Merlin Sutter, vocalist Anna Murphy and guitarist Ivo Henzi, formed the three-piece Folk-Rock outfit, Cellar Darling. The band began working on new material for their break-away debut, This Is The Sound, quickly getting signed to metal label Nuclear Blast in early 2017.
For members of Cellar Darling, the writing process for their first album came naturally, keeping their folk influences while creating a sound that would separate them from their former band. This Is The Sound is proof that second chances at your dreams really do exist; no matter how the cards fall on the table, there is still an opportunity to rise from the ashes and win.
I can honestly say that when I interviewed drummer Merlin Sutter a few weeks back, I really had high hopes for this release. I wanted to see this band create something the public will embrace and they did exactly that. With an eclectic mix of heavy guitars, drums, soft and beautiful vocals, all mixed with folk influences from violins, tin whistles, and the hurdy-gurdy, Cellar Darling created a sound like no other.
But it all wasn’t just about the powerful instrumentation. Let’s remember this band was formed out of a necessity to all members whose only dream was to continue playing music, and the lyrical content reflects that. With songs like “Six Days”, “Dark Moon”, “Fire Wind & Earth” and “Rebels”, I think the band subconsciously used the lyrics to reflect the pain that they experienced when the split happened. 
So, what can we expect from this release? First, forget everything you have known about these three former members of Eluveitie. This is not a cheap knock off of that band, Cellar Darling is a band that is in their own league. Expect heavy folk influences, shredding solos from guitars, violins, and the hurdy-gurdy, as well as powerful vocals and stellar songwriting. With a total run time of just under an hour, This Is The Sound, is a powerful statement from Cellar Darling, proving that when things fall apart, not all is always lost.
I promise you will not want to miss this release when it officially drops on June 30th across all music streaming and download services.
