Belarusian post‑black metal act Dymna Lotva have unveiled the opening track and first single, accompanied by a striking video, "Zory", taken from their forthcoming fourth full‑length, Vyraj, due for release on 7 August via Prophecy Productions.
Vocalist Nokt comments on "Zory": "For millennia, the stars have guided us through the night. According to Belarusian legends, the Milky Way guides migrating birds to warmer climes at the end of summer, and its stars also lead the souls of the dead to another world. So where are we now? Is this a strange land or a different realm? Maybe we have already died and just didn't realise it yet?"
Although Vyraj rests on a firm foundation of black and post‑black metal, Dymna Lotva move far beyond any easy categorisation by drawing inspiration from doom, heavy, and progressive metal, while delving even deeper through elements of electronic music, goth, and folklore. The album is a cornucopia of atmospherically dense compositions that lead the listener on an emotional journey — from the darkest depths of depression and fear, through raw anger and defiance, to moments of ecstatic exhilaration. Vyraj is a musical kaleidoscope of shifting patterns and vivid sonic colours, often dissolving into captivating melodies that at times even approach a pop‑like immediacy.
Vyraj is not part of the trilogy; instead, it continues the path set by Dymna Lotva's sophomore full‑length Wormwood (Палын), which likewise stood as a self‑contained work. With Wormwood, the band returned to the theme of Chornobyl in 2017.
Dymna Lotva continue to carry the torch of rebellion, though — unsurprisingly, given that the founding members were forced to flee Belarus due to political persecution and ongoing attempts by the Lukashenka regime to censor and suppress their art. Yet on Vyraj, their lyrical focus turns elsewhere. The album's central concept may be described as Belarusian ethno‑astronomy. In Slavic lore, the starry sky is associated with the afterlife and journeys — themes that intertwine closely with the musicians' personal experience of forced emigration. This idea is encapsulated in the album title Vyraj, the mythical realm to which birds migrate for the winter and where the souls of the departed find their final rest.
A key aspect of this concept is the notion of finding a way back home, just as birds return in spring. A group of the band's friends travelled to the dying Belarusian village from which Nokt's ancestors hail, spending an entire night photographing the sky during the Perseid meteor shower from a small family cemetery. These images form the basis of the album's cover art and booklet.
With Vyraj, Dymna Lotva take a significant leap forward in their rapid artistic evolution. The rebellious Belarusian dissidents demonstrate powerfully that they are far more than a "one‑trick pony" in every conceivable creative dimension. It is easy to foresee that this unique and highly original band will soon appear on even larger festival line‑ups and European stages. Link
* Dymna Lotva - Live 2026:
22 May - Bugrfest, Stará Ves, CZ
04 July- Under the Black Sun Festival, Friesack, DE
23 July - Gothoom, Ostrý Grúň, SK
15 August - Niech Cisza Milczy, Pyskowice, PL
22 August - 666 United Metal Fest, Łęka Wielka, PL
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