(written by Islander)
Loss and remembrance… these are the overarching themes of a new album by the Belgian atmospheric black/doom band Splendidula. Fittingly, the album’s title is Absentia, an apt name because the music’s emotional core lies in the tragic absence of loved ones.
No one can avoid the death of friends and family members. It’s only a matter of time. It’s rarely foreseeable, and often it seems unjust because it’s so random. Splendidula went through such a period beset by loss, and in the making of this new album they dedicated themselves to remembering, and to mourning.
As a new sign of what they achieved in their music, today we’re premiering a video for a song called “Echoes of Quiet Remain“. It includes a guest vocal appearance by Aaron Stainthorpe, known of course for his iconic role in My Dying Bride (and High Parasite). We’ll begin with Splendidula’s own statement about the song:
photo by Tom Hens, edit by Kristien Cools, background by Aaron Bonogofsky
“Echoes Of Quiet Remain” holds a special place within Absentia, an album dedicated to those we have lost. The song grew from a few unfinished riffs written by our bassist Peter [Chromiak], who passed away in 2022. The lyrics were shaped by the grief of losing our loyal companion Gimli, while the spoken words by our former guitarist Pieter [Houben] are a heartfelt tribute to Peter. When we met Aaron Stainthorpe, one of the favorite artists of our dear friend Sven who passed in 2021, it felt like fate to invite him as a guest vocalist. This song brings together the stories of our lost ones, and that is why it had to be our first single.”
And here is Aaron Stainthorpe’s comment:
“The decision to take part in this song wasn’t simply based on the excellent music, but the story behind it, and the ensuing sadness. When I was informed that the song, and indeed the entire album, was dedicated to the memory of the band’s lovely friend, Sven, I was totally in. Emotional music has been the backbone of my music career and this is exactly what we have within Splendidula. Dark and beautiful, this comes straight from the heart.”
As most of us know too well, the death of loved ones leads to a complex of emotional reactions, ranging from solemn and sorrowing introspection to confusion, anguish, anger over life’s tragic vagaries, and torment over the holes left in our hearts. “Echoes of Quiet Remain” comes across primarily as an outpouring of pain and rage, like an impassioned proclamation that nothing good can come from the death of those we love.
The passion in the song is strikingly manifested through multi-faceted vocals, which range from strident and soaring singing by Splendidula vocalist Kristien to her own explosively shattering screams, and from vocalist Guy’s vehement howls to Aaron Stainthorpe’s stricken and soulful voice.
The music itself is also bursting with visceral passion, generating pulverizing low-frequency blows, clobbering beats, and melodies that miserably wail and feverishly burn, backed by nuanced bass-lines that in their own way add to both the grief and the emotional tension in the song.
But the song also gentles and becomes introspective, as lonely guitars sadly ring over vividly tumbling beats, joined by Pieter Houben’s spoken words (in Dutch) mentioned earlier. Yet even as the speaking continues, the song’s intensity magnifies again, becoming expansive and searing (a tremolo-picked and synth-enhanced blaze of torment) but also very hard-hitting in the low end, and eventually accompanied by downcast male singing and a reprise of Kristien’s heartbreaking melody (but in Dutch for this closing rendition).
The well-made video provides an interesting interpretation of the song’s themes, with various women appearing in various settings and emotional states.
Video credits: Lyric video by Artifacts From The Tangent Universe; visuals by Cottonbro Studio, Ron Lach, Yaroslav Shuraev, Kelly, Roman Odintsov, Pressmaster, ArtHouse Studio & Charlie Mounsey.
SPLENDIDULA is:
Joachim – Drums, Bass & Synths
Kristien – Vocals
Guy – Guitar & Vocals
Absentia was recorded by JDB at Kosmik Womb. It was mixed by Tim De Gieter at Much Luv Studio, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, and completed with cover art by Aaron Bonogofsky. In addition to Aaron Stainthorpe, the album includes a guest appearance by Tim Yatras, known for his work with Austere and Germ.
Absentia will be released in 2026 by Argonauta Records, and it’s recommended for fans of Alcest, My Dying Bride, Amenra, Sylvaine, and Austere. To stay up to date with Splendidula and the approach of Absentia, follow the locations linked below.
https://splendidula.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/splendidula.band/
https://www.facebook.com/Splendidula
https://www.argonautarecords.com/
https://argonautarecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords/