Hails, my fellow black metal fanatics! This is Sean from Black Metal Archives, and today, we’ve got a special one for you as we are diving into a unique and boundary-pushing new release. We’re looking at Vanessa Funke, a multi-instrumentalist and fellow writer for the Black Metal Archives family, whose latest work appears on the split album Locomotion of Escape, released alongside fellow artist, Tachanka. This six-track, 34-minute release is a striking display of artistic vision, with Funke’s contributions spanning the latter half of the album.
Vanessa Funke’s music resists easy classification. While rooted in black metal, her compositions pull from melodic death metal and gothic influences, crafting a sound that is both haunting and emotionally complex. Her work on Locomotion of Escape showcases her ability to fuse harsh aggression with melancholic melody, often using clean and distorted guitar passages to create an ebb and flow of tension and release. Layered piano and synth elements further enrich the atmosphere, lending a cinematic quality to the compositions.
Let’s take a closer look at Vanessa’s contributions:
Her first track, Oh My Heart, immediately immerses the listener in a soundscape of melancholic melodies, underpinned by an undercurrent of sorrowful yet dynamic riffing. The contrast between fragile clean sections and more abrasive blackened segments creates a sense of emotional turbulence that permeates the entire track.
Next, we have Run & Hide, bringing a more urgent and feral energy. Here, Funke’s use of soaring yet despondent opening synths and guitar leads injects a strong melodic current, while her vocals weave between ghostly whispers and harrowing shrieks. The interplay between the melodic guitar work and the raw intensity of the vocal delivery makes for an enthralling listen.
Closing out her section of the split, Losing You expands upon the previous tracks’ motifs while embracing a more gothic-tinged atmosphere, bringing down the tempo, but not the emotion. With layered synths and an eerie, almost doomy pacing, the song crafts a lingering sense of despair and reflection. This is perhaps the most evocative of the three, leaving the listener with a deep emotional imprint long after it fades into silence.
While the focus was mainly on our dear friend Vanessa’s tracks, Tachanka’s contributions to the album are not to be overlooked, as they are equally impactful, and really stand on their own while also providing an evocative experience opening the album, these six tracks go hand in hand seamlessly, and the entire album is worthy of your attention.
With Locomotion of Escape, Vanessa Funke continues to push the limits of black metal’s sonic and emotional potential. Her contributions to this split stand as a testament to her musicianship, weaving together raw intensity, melancholic beauty, and an experimental edge. This release is an essential listen for those looking to explore the genre’s more melodic and introspective side while still maintaining its bleak and visceral heart. Be sure to check out the full album and support these incredible artists over on Bandcamp!
Until next time—keep the black flame burning!
