“The retrofuturistic entity from hopeless carbon fields of Southern Poland” of Marita Volodina & Arkadiy Berg, a.k.a. Stridulum deliver sleek and stripped-down Coldwave / Darkwave frequencies, equally haunting and seductive, simmering and reverberating into a swirling murky and magnetic concoction of hypnotic driving drum programming, EBM-fueled droning low ends, icy-bright synth lines, and intoxicating impassioned vocal harmonies, drenched in noir aesthetics.
The duo have dropped an Official Video, by Adam Mróz, for “Eterna”, the third single taken from last November’s sophomore studio album “Paradigm”, via Manic Depression Records.
Trying to keep one’s flame alive during a fight with inner demons, “Eterna” elicits both clattering and flickering hypnotizing doom-laden bass lines, lilted by softened metronomic thudding kicks, enfolded by a desolate chilly slow-floating blanket of glowing wistful synth melodies, smooth bursting echoes, and far dazzling glimmers, whilst beautifully tragic vocals layer deep pain with angsty cries and helpless screams.
Dramatic black and white visuals directed by Adam Mróz use striking contrasts and symbolic imagery over a starring performance by Mirosława Masłyk and Janusz Masłyk to sync with the duality of the soundtrack. Haunted portals to the unseen past trigger traumatic memories where violent flows of blood pour down outstretched hands of hopeless abandon, creating a disturbing feeling of wanting to forget, while hoping to remember.
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