FINNISH DEATH-SLUDGE QUARTET BLACK ROYAL UNVEIL NEW SINGLE “WATER OF THE CROW”
New Music Video Online Now; First Taste of Forthcoming Album Due This Fall via M-Theory Audio
Following the crushing success of their previous full-length ‘Earthbound,’ Finnish masters of “death ‘n’ sludge,” BLACK ROYAL, have officially returned. The band have unleashed their haunting new digital single, “Water of the Crow,” accompanied by a striking music video. The track serves as the first glimpse into the group’s highly anticipated new studio album, slated for release later this autumn via M-Theory Audio. Please listen to “Water of the Crow” at all digital streaming/download platforms.
Formed in the frozen reaches of the North, BLACK ROYAL continues to refine their signature sound—a visceral concoction of Scandinavian death metal and blackened sludge. Critics and fans alike have described their sonic assault as “a fistfight between Crowbar and Entombed, with Behemoth and Mastodon awaiting to jump in the ring for round two.”
The Myth of the Black Pond
“Water of the Crow” is more than just a sonic onslaught; it is a conceptual dive into the ancient folklore of Lapland. The track explores the Sámi myth of the Saivo—bottomless lakes believed to be refuges for water spirits and sources of healing waters flowing from South to North.
“When watching the currents moving in deep waters, something awakens in the primitive parts of modern man’s consciousness. Only a healer or a soothsayer was allowed to take the water, and the spirit first demanded a metal object as a sacrificial gift – a silver coin, needle, or even animal antlers,” the band shares regarding the song’s inspiration. “After that, the spring bubbled up, where the healing water could be taken. Who was the spirit? It does not appear in the form of a person. It was a spirit in the water itself, which is the ultimate essence of water and its protector. Every natural body of water has its own owner, whether it’s a lake, a river, or a well. If you stayed close to it, you could enjoy the healing and refreshing power of the water, especially in the “crow water” drawn before sunrise or on certain festive nights.”
The accompanying music video (watch HERE https://youtu.be/vHCo3MZjC7Y?si=PoYnO9eSK-PDNwLG) was crafted by Markus Vähäaho of RAW•ART Creations, featuring additional atmospheric footage by Tanja Eronen.
To capture the raw, heavy energy required for the track, the band returned to Studio Watercastle to record with Arttu Sarvanne (Immortal Souls, Silentium, Enter My Silence). The final product was mixed by Jussi Kulomaa (Dreamtale, A.R.G.) at Metal Mixing and mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde (Blind Guardian, Oranssi Pazuzu, Xysma) at Virtalähde Mastering.
To celebrate the new single the band will play a local show –
March 28th – Bar Kotelo – Tampere, Finland
BLACK ROYAL is currently back in the studio putting the finishing touches on the rest of the album. Fans can expect more news regarding the title, tracklist, and release date in the coming months.
About BLACK ROYAL: Since their inception, BLACK ROYAL has built a reputation as one of Finland’s most formidable heavy exports, blending the groove of sludge with the frost-bitten aggression of death metal. Formed in Tampere, Finland in 2013, the self-released two EPs before signing with Swedish-based Suicide Records for their 2018 debut full-length, ‘Lightbringer.’ The sludge-infused death metal made waves within their homeland’s metal scene making Inferno Magazine’s Top 10 Albums of 2018 list, as well as praise from Angry Metal Guy for its “giant riffs and primal groove” and applauded by Metal Temple for its “refined arrangements and impactful atmosphere.”
BLACK ROYAL’s second album ‘Firebride’ was released in February 2020. The effort saw the group continue to build upon the momentum of their previous effort and refine their varied influences into a more cohesive display of suffocating death metal, hypnotic sludge, and catchy rock hooks. MetalSucks asserted that BLACK ROYAL crafted “some pretty gnarly sludge ‘n’ roll” and No Clean Singing noted that “for all its buzz-saw riffery and doomy delirium, ‘Firebride’ [was] all about the hooks.” Ghost Cult Magazine cited vocalist Riku‘s “harsh bark” and Jukka‘s “mammoth drums” while also giving plaudits to a sound that was “given touches of both tradition and imagination by [guitarist] Toni’s lead play” and bass notes from Pete that resembled “a jet taking off.”
Signing to international label M-Theory Audio BLACK ROYAL released ‘Earthbound’ in October 2022. which was highly praised as a crushing, mature blend of death metal, sludge, and stoner metal, earning accolades for its catchy, high-quality songwriting and confident, heavy sound. Often described as a step up in confidence and song quality from previous work, the album is lauded for balancing aggression with melodic, hook-filled moments.
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