Belarusian symphonic metal force Belle Morte returns with a new album, Pearl Hunting, set for release on 24 January 2025, through Wormholedeath Records. Known for its dark, gothic edge and symphonic depth, Belle Morte ventures into bold new territory with Pearl Hunting, merging symphonic metal with a global array of traditional instruments that beckon listeners on a unique sonic journey.
Just as pearl divers plunge deep into mysterious waters in search of rare treasures, Belle Morte has delved into diverse musical traditions to craft Pearl Hunting. This ambitious album features 11 meticulously crafted tracks, each produced in collaboration with a line-up of guest musicians from across the globe. Recorded across continents, the album combines symphonic metal's majesty with traditional sounds from countries as far-reaching as Mongolia, Japan, and Peru, blending Eastern, Celtic, and Latin influences into a transcendent fusion.
Pearl Hunting stands out for its bold use of ethnic instrumentation, drawing from Belarusian, Celtic, Mongolian, Japanese, and Andean music. The band incorporates an impressive range of instruments, including the Belarusian duda, Ukrainian sopilka, Celtic bouzouki, and Armenian duduk, alongside the Peruvian pan pipes, Indonesian suling and gamelan, and Japanese shamisen, koto, and shakuhachi. Each track offers its auditory landscape, pairing symphonic metal's intensity with the haunting allure of the Trinity College harp or the guttural, earthy tones of the morin khuur.
The band released a lyric video for the album title track, and with it they invite listeners to step into Belle Morte's journey. Previously released single "Exorcism" can be found over HERE. Link
Pearl Hunting tracklist:
01. Pearl Hunting (feat. Hunt Max Kerner, Caterina Castiglioni, Yanina Yakshevich, Ada Rusinkiewicz)
02. Falling Idol (feat. Tero Kalliomäki)
03. Exorcism (feat. Ulziisaikhan Khoroldamba)
04. Blame Me (feat. Lernik Khachatrian)
05. Wintersleep (feat. Ella Zlotos, Marta Masciola)
06. Losing Faith (feat. Carlos Carty)
07. Black Waters (feat. Maulana Malik Ibrahim)
08. Willow (feat. Emma Spinelli, Rúben Monteiro)
09. September (feat. Rúben Monteiro, Ada Rusinkiewicz)
10. Jorōgumo (feat. Hisashi, Reigen Fujii, Souzan Kato)
11. Krew (feat. Yaroslav Dzhus, Alex Pilkevych, Ada Rusinkiewicz)
12. Exorcism (Acoustic Version)
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