Belarusian doom/post-black metal band Dymna Lotva stream new full-length album »Vyraj«; out today via Prophecy Productions!
Belarusian doom/post-black metal band Dymna Lotva has just released their fourth full-length album »Vyraj« this Friday, August 7th, 2026 via Prophecy Productions.
Listen to »Vyraj« on all major streaming services!
Tracklist:
01. Zory
02. Veha
03. The Boat Of Despair (feat. Aaron Stainthorpe)
04. Viedźmieragina
05. Niama Darohi
06. Bu Samoje
07. Ustań Za Mianie
08. Return My Coffin Home (feat. Ingvarr)
Courtesy of Prophecy Productions:
Belarus dissidents Dymna Lotva premiere their highly anticipated new album »Vyraj« in full, set for release on August 7, 2026.
Order »Vyraj« LP/CD/digital HERE.
Says the band: “In Belarusian mythology, Vyraj is both the land where birds depart for winter and the mystical realm where souls journey after death. They all make their way there along the starry river – the Milky Way.
The night sky is a guide to all travelers – for the living and for the dead.
When you listen to this album, look up.”
Dymna Lotva are taking a quantum leap in their rapid musical evolution with their fourth album »Vyraj«. The rebellious Belarus dissidents are powerfully demonstrating that they are far more than a ‘one-trick pony’ in every conceivable artistic aspect. Although »Vyraj« is still based on a solid foundation of black and post-black metal, Dymna Lotva move far beyond any easy labelling by also drawing inspiration from doom, heavy, and progressive metal, while venturing even deeper by incorporating elements from electronic music, goth, and folklore.
The album is a cornucopia of great songs that are atmospherically dense and invite the listener onto an emotional roller-coaster ride from the darkest depths of depression and fear, via raw anger and defiance, to heights of ecstatic exhilaration. »Vyraj« is a musical kaleidoscope with ever changing patterns and sonic colours of remarkable beauty – that often dissolves into captivating melodies that at times even achieve a pop-like appeal. Dymna Lotva continue to carry the torch of rebellion, which is only natural as the founding members had to flee their native Belarus due to political persecution and continued attempts by the Lukashenka regime to censor and suppress their art. Yet on »Vyraj«, they put their lyrical focus elsewhere.
The album’s main concept could be described as ‘Belarusian ethno-astronomy.’ In Slavonic legends, the starry sky is associated both with the afterlife and with journeys, which becomes closely intertwined with the musicians’ personal experience of forced emigration. This idea is captured in the album title »Vyraj«, which is a mythical realm to where birds migrate for the winter, and where the souls of the departed find their final rest. Dymna Lotva take another big step with »Vyraj« in their breathtakingly rapid artistic evolution. It is easy to predict that this unique and highly original band will soon appear on even bigger festival billings and European stages.
Lineup:
Jauhien – Music, Guitars, Bass, Keys
Nokt Aeon – Lyrics, Vocals, Flutes
Mikita Stankevich – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Bocian – Drums
Guest musicians:
Aaron Stainthorpe (High Parasite, ex-My Dying Bride) – Guest vocals (Track 3)
Ingvarr Vox (Schreigarm) – Guest vocals (Track 8)
Andrii “Deicider” Sovgar – Backing vocals (Track 6)
Jauhien, Mikita, Andrii “Deicider” Sovgar, Jan Mačuĺski, Aliaksandr Čarnuha – Balbuta Choir (Track 6)
Miraslava Palynskaya, Jan Palynski – Children’s vocals (Track 2)
Déhà (Wolvennest, Silver Knife, Slow) – Fretless bass (Track 8)
Deanna F. – Harp (Track 2)
Velzevul – Backing vocals/FX (Track 8)
Now, it is official: vocalist Katsiaryna “Nokt Aeon” Mankevich from the Belarusian expatriate metal bands Dymna Lotva and Hangover in Minsk stands accused of ‘extremist activity’, ‘financing terrorism’, and three more criminal charges in her home country.
The band had previously learned through opposition channels that some of their music videos had been legally categorised as ‘extremist materials’ by a court in their home country.
In the latest escalation, the Investigative Committee of the Sovietsky District of Minsk officially opened a case against Mankevich, who lives in exile in Poland, in June. She has been summoned to appear in the Minsk City Court for a hearing on August 14.
The vocalist released the following statement:
“It has been claimed that metal in general and black metal in particular have become too safe and tame”, Katsiaryna “Nokt Aeon” Mankevich quips. “Well, hold my beer as I am now officially charged under five articles of the Belarusian Criminal Code that include ‘extremist activity’ and ‘financing terrorism’. This could mean sentences up to twelve years in prison for me. Maybe Lukashenka’s regime wants to make metal extreme again? Alright, dark jokes aside, this criminal case is completely fabricated and politically motivated. It is clearly connected to my participation in protests against the regime and to my support for Ukraine. To me, it feels even somewhat flattering that this regime is still keeping an eye on us six years after the protests and five years after I was forced to leave Belarus. This confirms that I am on the right path and also provides me with a strong motivation to keep going. Please do not worry about me. Poland has granted me international protection status because of such political persecution. As a result of this trial, Belarus could seize all my properties still remaining in the country. Well, spending my money on creating music turned out to be a great idea after all. And to the Investigative Committee of the Sovietsky District of Minsk I say: Kiss my extremist ass!”
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well