UK black metal pioneer Theo Zhykharyev is set to release his most unorthodox album yet with Bridge of Sacrifice. The 13 March drop marks a pivot into the genre for Powerplant, now trading synth-heavy electro-punk and dungeon synth for eerie screams, blastbeats, and garage-rock guitars.
The result is a head-spinning mix that defies expectations – as seen in the title track's video, where Zhykharyev dons a trenchcoat and plays a Flying V in a creepy cellar. The song seamlessly segues into a wonderfully campy chorus, redolent of 80s goth-rock.
In an era marked by anxiety and uncertainty, Bridge of Sacrifice is a breath of fresh air – a defiantly fun, earnest, and escapist album that prioritizes Zhykharyev's passion for music above all else. This is his response to the world's troubles, not just as Ukraine's ongoing conflict hangs over him, but also as a way to cope with the anxieties of daily life.
Zhykharyev has always been unafraid to push boundaries in his music – from Powerplant's early electro-punk experiments to the synth-heavy dungeon synth of their later work. Bridge of Sacrifice is the next logical step, one that finds him merging two worlds: the dark magic of black metal and the joyous chaos of garage-rock.
This week, Zhykharyev's fans can look forward to more exciting new music – including tracks from Leeds math rock outfit Love Rarely, UK underground MC Fakemink, NYC musician Tama Gucci, and Philadelphia guitarist Chris Forsyth. Other notable additions include Sluice's wistful slowcore contemplation Beadie, Thundercat's ultra-dexterous jazz-funk bassline on I Did This to Myself (ft Lil Yachty), and Brown Horse's fantastic country-rock gem Twisters.
The result is a head-spinning mix that defies expectations – as seen in the title track's video, where Zhykharyev dons a trenchcoat and plays a Flying V in a creepy cellar. The song seamlessly segues into a wonderfully campy chorus, redolent of 80s goth-rock.
In an era marked by anxiety and uncertainty, Bridge of Sacrifice is a breath of fresh air – a defiantly fun, earnest, and escapist album that prioritizes Zhykharyev's passion for music above all else. This is his response to the world's troubles, not just as Ukraine's ongoing conflict hangs over him, but also as a way to cope with the anxieties of daily life.
Zhykharyev has always been unafraid to push boundaries in his music – from Powerplant's early electro-punk experiments to the synth-heavy dungeon synth of their later work. Bridge of Sacrifice is the next logical step, one that finds him merging two worlds: the dark magic of black metal and the joyous chaos of garage-rock.
This week, Zhykharyev's fans can look forward to more exciting new music – including tracks from Leeds math rock outfit Love Rarely, UK underground MC Fakemink, NYC musician Tama Gucci, and Philadelphia guitarist Chris Forsyth. Other notable additions include Sluice's wistful slowcore contemplation Beadie, Thundercat's ultra-dexterous jazz-funk bassline on I Did This to Myself (ft Lil Yachty), and Brown Horse's fantastic country-rock gem Twisters.
i was thinking about this the other day and how it would be amazing if they had those in europe too, but then i remembered that germany has these awesome christmas markets at night with twinkling lights and hot chocolate 
️
what a dream, right?
Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart 
- Pablo Casals
. Can't wait to hear more from these new collaborations!
But honestly, I'm hyped to see him experiment and push boundaries in his music - it's all about embracing your passions, you know? 
This album Bridge of Sacrifice sounds like just that: an unapologetic expression of his feelings and a breath of fresh air in these uncertain times. Can't wait to dive into the rest of the collabs he's got lined up too... Love Rarely, Fakemink, Tama Gucci, Chris Forsyth? Sounds like we're in for some serious sonic treats 
He's taking the black metal world by storm with Bridge of Sacrifice and it's literally giving me LIFE 
And I love how he's pushing boundaries - synth-heavy electro-punk to garage-rock guitars? That's like a musical identity crisis in the best way possible! 
