Russian blackgaze/post-metal band Varhara announces their highly anticipated album »The First Breath After« and premieres first single »Burial«!
Saint Petersburg, Russia based blackgaze/post-metal band Varhara premieres the first single »Burial« taken from their upcoming album, »The First Breath After«, scheduled for release on June 20th, 2025 via These Hands Melt.
Listen to »Burial« on all major streaming platforms!
Tracklist:
01. The Pitch / Smola / Смола
02. Hurricane / Uragan/ Ураган
03. Spark / Iskra/ Искра
04. The First Breath After / Pervyj vzdoh posle / Первый вздох после
05. The Celebration / Prazdnik / Праздник
06. Burial / Burial/ Буриал
Courtesy of Insomniac PR:
**Varhara announces the release of their highly anticipated album »Первый вздох после« (The First Breath After)**
Release date June 20th, 2025. Out on vinyl, CD and digital.
Varhara was founded as VOSK in 2015 in Russia, St. Petersburg by bassist, vocalist and songwriter Igor (previously active as a one-man band called Drowse) with his future wife, guitarist Ekaterina, taking inspiration from the work of various post-rock and black metal bands.
Since 2017, the band grew into a power-trio with a drummer joining the line up.
In 2020, after the tragic death of friend and collaborator Ilya, with whom the band members played in another project, a second guitarist, Alexander, joined permanently the band.
In 2020, VOSK changed name to Varhara and started to perform regularly live in the local, vibrant post-metal scene of St. Petersburg. The current line-up consolidated in 2021, during a show with fellow band Gigrøma. After that concert Gigrøma drummer Vladimir joined Varhara.
Already at the first rehearsal, it was obvious to everyone that the musicians, all sharing similar creative preferences and outlook on life, understood each other without words and perfectly interact in writing and playing music together. In the summer of 2021, the group drifted into the direction of a more emo-oriented mixture of atmospheric post-black and blackgaze. This is how the current line-up is formed and the current sound of the Varhara group appears.
Photo by Andrey Novozhilov
The band has played live with the bands GENA, Pechora, Gigrøma, Gnot, TRNA and VSPOLOKH, all sharing the same scene and live stages in St. Petersburg.
At the end of 2022, the band completed the recording of material for their breakthrough album »Pustotsvet« (Voidflower), a significant shift in sound from their roots, opening a great development of the band’s musicians which bring them a contract with Italian label These Hands Melt.
With expectations set high after their breakthrough album »Pustotsvet« and rodated with an ever-intense live activity, Varhara return with »Первый вздох после« (The First Breath After). The new album that sees the band turning their music to its very core while at the same time further expanding their sonic palette with elements of shoegaze and post-hardcore.
Wasting no time, the new album has a sense of urgency and intensity that functions as a reflection on the years passing-by, growing in age while wondering one’s own purpose. What do we learn, what do we question, what is worth for real and the answers we find along the way.
A first single »Burial« will be out on April 25th and the second single »Prazdnik« on May 23rd, both accompanied by videoclips shot by artist Olga Kann.
For more information, updates, and to stay connected with Varhara, please follow their official social media channels and visit their website.
**About Varhara:**
Varhara is a post-metal band based in St. Petersburg, Russia. The group’s sound is a fusion of atmospheric post-black and blackgaze influences, characterized by a profound emotional depth and sonic complexity. With a commitment to artistic growth, Varhara continues to push the boundaries of their music, engaging audiences across the globe.
Line-up:
Alexander Kalinin – Guitar, Synths
Ekaterina Belyantseva – Guitar
Vladimir Zankevich – Drums
Igor Belyi – Bass, Vocals, Lyrics
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well