Immerse yourself in the spellbinding world of Dutch symphonic metal band BLACKBRIAR with their next single release, 'Floriography'. This piece blends powerful riffs and delicate orchestrations, creating a captivating atmosphere. The lyrics evoke a hidden world where mysterious flowers carry secret messages, revealing Easter eggs throughout the melody.
Watch the video for 'Floriography' here: https://youtu.be/TDaC_O1Oyyc
Stream 'Floriography' here: https://blackbriar.bfan.link/floriography
Zora Cock comments: "'Floriography' marks the start of our upcoming third studio album. It's a song full of mystery, dark academia meets Sherlock Holmes. The song's protagonist deciphers hidden messages from a secret lover through the Victorian language of flowers, cryptic poetry, lyrical acronyms, and marks carved in trees. She may have even left some for you."
Formed in 2012 by Zora Cock, René Boxem, Bart Winters, and Frank Akkerman, BLACKBRIAR crafted their first single in 2014 with 'Ready to Kill', but it was 2015’s second single 'Until Eternity' that truly propelled them into the scene. A sweeping track with an equally compelling and beautiful video, it continues to draw many to the act with over 20 million views since its debut. Taking advantage of the growing buzz surrounding the band, they independently recorded and released their first EP, Fractured Fairytales, as well as acquiring a second guitarist in Robin Koezen. This EP laid down an impressive foundation for the band’s ethereal and breathtaking sound and brought about new opportunities for the act, including tour dates in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and more, where the band played alongside EPICA, HALESTORM, IN THIS MOMENT, DELAIN and MaYan.
To keep moving ahead with full control of their creative ideals, the band successfully crowdfunded their follow-up EP, We’d Rather Burn, and brought it to life in October 2018. This EP would be the first time the band worked alongside esteemed producer Joost van den Broek to arrange and produce the effort, and this fruitful collaboration allowed BLACKBRIAR’s whimsical and enigmatic sound to reach new sonic heights. Released the same day as their self-made video for 'I’d Rather Burn,' this EP showcased a stronger sense of dreamy atmosphere and brought listeners beautifully grim tales of witches, banshees, and sea sirens. In the time following, keyboardist Ruben Wijga (ex-Re-Vamp) took a larger role within the band and began playing shows, after being involved in the songwriting process since Fractured Fairytales.
A busy 2019 followed, the band released a haunting single in May entitled 'Snow White and Rose Red'. A duet with Ulli Perhonen, their take on the Grimm’s fairytale featured striking cinematic visuals to accompany the spellbinding track. Continuing to dig deeper into fairytale realms, BLACKBRIAR closed the year with their third EP, Our Mortal Remains. Ever-sharpening their intoxicating blend of storytelling and breathtaking musicianship, the EP brought about new live exposures for the act as well. Small, sold out tours with EPICA in 2019 and 2020, as well as a sold out opening for DELAIN’s Apocalypse & Chill release show in Utrecht followed, with more future plans then being put on hold due to COVID-19.
Championing their continued independence, which included everything from songwriting, maintaining their web presence, overseeing merch, as well as shooting and producing their own videos and photos, BLACKBRIAR reached out to their ever-growing and loyal fanbase for assistance to make their full-length album a reality in 2020. Fans fervently heeded the call, reaching the €25,000 goal in under 24 hours and ending with a total of €70,000 and achieving all five stretch goals. An impressive accomplishment for an independent act, which also showcases a strong internet presence with over 230,000 YouTube subscribers and 56.5 million channel views as well as 37.9 million Spotify streams and 275,000 monthly streamers on the platform.
Entering 2021, the band relinquished a bit of control in signing exclusively with Doomstar Bookings to help properly support their highly anticipated first full-length album, The Cause of Shipwreck, which released in April. Once again recorded with renowned producer Joost van den Broek (EPICA, AYREON, POWERWOLF) at Sandlane Recording Facilities, this release showcased the band’s continued evolution into masterfully dark gothic storytelling and theatrical aesthetics that entice you into a deadly yet spellbinding musical paradise. On the live front, launching into success with six sold out Dutch club shows, they later extended into more European territories such as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and the Czech Republic as the band moved into 2022.
Despite a very successful 2021, the band still hungered for more, unleashing their latest single, 'Fairy of the Bog' in December. A song about ‘het meisje van Yde’ (Yde girl), it’s a mixture of folklore, myth, and ancient local history wrapped into a more mystical and magical package that showcases what BLACKBRIAR does best. Due to winning ‘Drents Talent Award Culture 2021’ from ‘Stichting Kunst & Cultuur,’ BLACKBRIAR performed ‘I’d Rather Burn’ live on television together with the Dutch ‘Noordpool Orchestra in early 2022. In April, the band parted ways with founding member and bassist Frank Akkerman. Not a band to slow down, they welcomed Siebe Sol Sijpkens from The Netherlands as their new bassist. A happy and energetic performer with a lifetime of global performances, he is a welcome addition to the act as they continue to strive forward.
With their vision looking firmly into the future, with a major label behind them, they set their sights on 2023 to conjure their most deadly siren song yet. Previously releasing the song 'Crimson Faces' to celebrate their partnership with Nuclear Blast Records, the band then unveiled to the world their second album A Dark Euphony. According to Zora, “We've had the pleasure of working with producer and musical genius Joost van den Broek, and we gave it our all to write this record and feel that this is our most complete, personal, and mature album to date.”
With accolades behind them, such as being nominated three times for ‘Best Artist’ in EuroSonic/Noorderslag‘s Popgala Noord (2018, 2020, 2022), and continued fan support with current monthly streaming totals on YouTube and Spotify near 1.5 million streams, the world is primed and ready for more spectacular journeys into darkness and beauty.
Stream/order BLACKBRIAR's last album A Dark Euphony here: https://blackbriar.bfan.link/a-dark-euphony
BLACKBRIAR are:
Zora Cock - VOCALS
René Boxem - DRUMS
Bart Winters - GUITARS
Robin Koezen - GUITARS
Siebe Sol Sijpkens - BASS
Ruben Wijga - KEYS
For more:
https://www.instagram.com/blackbriarmusic
https://www.facebook.com/blackbriarmusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PXQUX3BYTSVj7LcvviOmI
