Humanity’s grapple with death is a tale that is as old as time. While leaps in technological and medical advancements have vastly improved our survivability and extended our life expectancies, we continue to strive for ways we can indefinitely delay the inevitable. There are many fictional works featuring individuals who are rabid for power, seeking the end goal of immortality. You’ve likely heard enough of these stories to know that they always regretfully discover that immortality is nothing but an inescapable curse; death is what gives life meaning after all. While it is a fate that we all wish we and our loved ones could be exempt from, death is the very essence of life. Nothing we do would have any meaning if we just did it forever and ever, and the people in our lives wouldn’t be special if we all just existed indefinitely. Death allows us to appreciate those that we have in our lives as one day, they will sadly be nothing more than just a memory, as will we.
I spent my entire childhood and adolescence struggling with the concept of death. The mere thought of it emotionally crippled me and it wasn’t until 2016 in which I finally came to terms with my own mortality and that of humanity. I still often find myself preemptively mourning the eventual deaths of living family members and close friends. While it is a burden to have these thoughts, they’re subtle reminders to live in the present and to deeply appreciate those that I hold dear. It allows me to live my life to the fullest as each day that I/we have is not guaranteed, but a gift. A little long-winded, but this train of thought is the very heart of today’s exclusive video premiere, Vægtløs‘ “Ingenting kan forhindre, at små struber skælver en forårsnat”.
Vægtløs is a new Danish band set to release their debut record, Aftryk, in early 2024. While this may be their first release as a band, you’ll come to find that their fusion of post-metal with blackened hardcore embellishments sounds as fantastic and is as emotionally gripping as music from the seasoned, veteran bands within the genre. Their vibrant, cinematic soundscapes beautifully glisten with the intense passion and mourning that is captured within each and every note. The first single, translated as ‘Nothing can prevent small voices from trembling on a spring night’, is a song that left a huge impression on me upon first listen, but after I read into its meaning, I was moved even more. Vægtløs‘ vocalist Troels Sørensen had this to say about the inspiration of the track:
‘My sister in law was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 2019 and this song was originally intended to be a get-better rally call, but as her life was tragically taken away the song took a new direction: this song is for her young daughter. Life is beautiful, and that is why it hurts, and we need to take that into account when life shows its darkest face. Let every memory of people we love remain forever.‘
As a whole, Aftryk consists of songs that are dedicated to loved ones close to the band who are no longer with us or are currently fighting an uphill battle against deadly diseases. While the lyrics are entirely in Danish, you don’t need to be familiar with the language to hear the emotional anguish and subtle optimism that bleeds from every single note and bellow. Gorgeously balancing the slower, somber passages drenched in all the reverb with the absolutely cathartic and equally oppressive walls of sound, Vægtløs crafts a truly visceral musical experience in just a nine minute run-time. Once the back half of the track comes crashing down, the guitar leads that linger in the background stick out in how they provide that slim veil of hope that we desperately need to cling onto in these trying times. The music itself is as bittersweet as the memories of those we lost and miss on a daily basis.
Vægtløs‘ debut, Aftryk, is set to release sometime in early 2024 and it is something I highly suggest you keep on your radar if you’re the type of person who doesn’t shy from feeling every which emotion that can be captured by wiggly air. While the specific release date may be currently ambiguous, it’s all the more reason to keep up to date with Vægtløs‘ socials (Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp). Soon enough all the details will come to light! Be sure to also keep an eye on Silent Pendulum Records‘ webpage as well for preorder information!
