In Victorian literature’s dimly lit, flickering corridors, one might imagine the hesitant footsteps of Berlin musician William Bleakechoing in the dark. As a figure deftly maneuvers through the shadows, Bleak could very well be a tragic protagonist caught in a narrative of mystery, obsession, madness, and the supernatural.
Initially, William Bleak’s music was awash in the ethereal echoes of dreamy rock, capturing the essence of shoegaze and the fleeting nature of memories slipping through one’s fingers. But the stark chill of Berlin’s winters left its mark on the band, driving a transformation. Their music has grown bolder, colder, and heavier, pared down to its raw core for a sound that strikes with greater force. William Bleak now channels the dark spirit of his gothic literary predecessors, infusing his post-punk, cold-wave style with a blend of electronic beats, frenetic guitar riffs, and resonant basslines. This evolution reflects a deepened connection to the haunting and the profound, a tribute to the enduring shadows of the past, reframed through a modern lens.
Now, the Teutonic Troubadour releases Skin On Skin, a desperate cry for human connection in a world of plastic love and digital distance. A soul is caught in the torment of longing and loss—a desperate need for genuine connection clashes with the agony of unreciprocated feelings. The pain of past love lingers, rendering present pleasures hollow. Despite the raw intimacy and confessions, there’s a haunting emptiness, leaving the narrator yearning for something real and true.
The video for Skin on Skin unfolds in stark duo-chrome, red and black as William Bleak pours his soul into the microphone, his face adorned in corpse paint. It’s an intense performance, a ritual of sorts, seeking to conjure that elusive “something real.” Whether it succeeds remains to be seen, but it’s a fun video nonetheless.
Watch the video for “Skin on Skin” below:
Listen to the song below, or order on Bandcamp here:
Follow William Bleak:
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