The Dark Americana outfit :Skull & Dawn: will release their second full-length album, The Harvest, on 17th October through The Circle Music. The first single, ‘Down To Hell (Black Cat Bar)‘, is now out with a new video.
‘Down To Hell (Black Cat Bar)’ tells a story of late-night revelry and a dark descent. The band describes it as an “urban ceremony” filled with banjos, distorted guitars, percussion, chains and “lots of alcohol”, culminating in a fall into a “dark well” that leads straight to hell.
You can stream the single here and check out the video here at RAMzine.
The upcoming album The Harvest dives deep into a mysterious world of Southern Gothic horror, featuring songs about dead lovers, serial killers, lone cowboys, and lost souls. The album blends the band’s neofolk past with a true Americana sound and a Southern Gothic atmosphere.
Despite having only one full album to their name, Greek duo, :Skull & Dawn:‘s roots go back to 1999 and have gone onto cultivate a distinctive sound that pushes the boundaries of Southern Gothic and dark Americana, that’s led to them signing with The Circle Music label.
“When we listened to their new album The Harvest’, our decision to collaborate with :Skull & Dawn: was a one-way road,” commented a representative from The Circle Music. “This album is full of unique atmosphere and abundant emotion, something often missing from the music we love these days. Very soon, we hope you will agree with us.“
The Circle Music continued: “Although at first glance the style of :Skull & dawn: might seem out of step with The Circle’s previous releases, for some inexplicable yet undeniable reason, The Harvest felt destined (from the moment of its creation) to be released by us.
“It’s not just the fact that :Skull & Dawn: have shared the stage with several of The Circle’s artists during live performances; it’s the very atmosphere of the album itself. From the very first listen, we all had the same instinctive reaction: The Harvest had to be released by us. There was simply no other way.”
Guests on the album include Okoi Thierry Jones (Bölzer), Perikis Tikof (Opened Paradise), and Ioanna Noir Zacharopoulou (Glitter Grotesque).
The album can be ordered here and digitally here.
:Skull & Dawn: evolved from their industrial noise beginnings as Trick or Treat? in 1999, through the folk and classical influences of Défilé Des Âmes, before embracing their current American South-inspired sound. Their 2016 debut album, Zombie Horses, fused their foundational intensity with American folklore, drawing comparisons to artists such as The Bad Seeds and King Dude. The band has also maintained a strong live presence, performing with notable acts across various genres.
From 1999 to 2002, under the moniker Trick or Treat?, they delved into industrial noise, crafting music with hammers and electric screwdrivers to produce heavy percussion. This early, raw sound laid a foundation for their experimental approach to music.
Their journey continued as Défilé Des Âmes from 2002 to 2009, where they moved away from industrial sounds to embrace the heritage of Old Europe. This era saw them incorporating folk and classical instruments, resulting in releases like the full-length LP Lust & Stone (Steinklang Records) and a split EP titled South European Folk Compendium. They also made notable appearances on compilations and collaborated with prominent artists within the dark folk and neoclassical scenes, including a feature on Sieben’s Ogham Inside the Night.
