Passion, Despair, and Heartbreak — Two Lovers Explore a Desolate Lighthouse in Darkwave Trio Chernaya Rechka’s Video for “Romance”

the sea is frozen in your eyes

I am chained tightly in the ice

and in the stupefied gulls’ chorus

my cry is lost forever

In the new video for Romance, a chilling tableau from darkwave trio Chernaya Rechka, the sea’s stark frostiness mirrors in one’s soul. A couple are trapped on a desolate island, population: one foreboding lighthouse, and a few seagulls echoing a wrenching despair with their hapless squawks. What started as a sexy romantic getaway to make out in a spire becomes a nightmare of self-doubt, rage, violence, reckoning, and paranoia. The cruel irony of nature and emotion intertwine in the gorgeous, if unsettling, cinematography. Isn’t life just a series of frozen moments, where one’s anguish often goes unnoticed, lost in the vast expanse of indifference? And how will it end?

“We have long wanted to shoot a cinematic emotional video that would immerse the viewer in the atmosphere of the music of Chernaya Rechka,” says the band.  ‘Romance fit perfectly with the script written by our drummer after visiting the lighthouse, which eventually became the main location for the video. A story of love, despair, alienation, euphoria, and death – all intertwined into one mystical plot.”

Watch the video for “Romance” below:

For the past eight years, Chernaya Rechka, which means ‘Black River’ in Russian, has been captivating audiences with their unique musical style. Their music is infused with the sounds of Kirov and Saint Petersburg, and the talented trio wears their roots on their sleeves. Den is a skilled drummer who moves to the rhythm of the music, while Jenya is a bass master in his own right. Igor’s guitar playing is poetic, and his voice has the power to warm even the coldest of hearts.

In their self-named album, Chernaya Rechka takes a fearless plunge into the mercurial seas of today’s tunes and melodies. They craft a reflection of our messy souls, pairing keen lyrics that beckon us to muse over our innermost thoughts with a blend of biting electronics and comforting guitar strums. It’s as if they’re handing you a ticket: “Dive into our dark river; you just might find a new self on the other shore.” The video, as we see, perfectly illustrates this sentiment. And while they may strike a chord reminiscent of luminaries such as Joy Division, REM, and a dash of U2’s October days, they have a sound rooted in the here and now that captures the creative spirit of the modern darkwave scene.  Yet, even though the band probes the shadowy margins of the human experience, it would be a mistake to box them in entirely with the gloominess of more contemporary post-Soviet musings.

Chernaya Rechka is out now via Artoffact Records.

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