Since its origins in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Dmitry (a.k.a. Crying Orc), the sole mastermind behind the Këkht Aräkh project, has consistently sought to carve a distinctive path within black metal. Tracing back to 2014, his early experiments exposed the gaps he felt in the genre, culminating with his debut under the Këkht Aräkh moniker, the EP Through the Branches to Eternity (2018), and the records Night & Love (2018) and Pale Swordsman (2021), later reissued by Sacred Bones. Across these releases, Dmitry, now based in Berlin, established a signature contrast between ferocious, visceral black metal and delicate, introspective ballads: a dynamic that reaches new depth on his new record, Morning Star. Recorded between Berlin and Stockholm, the record emerges from a period of intense personal and artistic growth, blending aggressive black metal passages with textured, immersive soundscapes that feel both intimate and vast. The lo-fi warmth of the tape Portastudio imbues the record with a tangible, analog immediacy, lending grit and character to every note while allowing drifting, melancholic melodies to linger.
With the announcement comes the record’s first single, “Three Winters Away”, which you can listen to below this article. About the single, Dmitry states, “This song was written by me in 2024, while I was writing drafts that would eventually become the new record. I recorded all of the instruments myself except for the drums, which were recorded by my friend Jonathan (of Spira Me, Vanskapth, Olycka) in spring 2025, along with his drumming for all the other songs on the new record. The recordings took place between the cities of Berlin and Stockholm. The soundscape was shaped by VS–55 and Varg2™, who did the sound design and mastering on a tape Portastudio (for this song and for the whole upcoming record). The final mastering work was done by James Ginzburg (of Emptyset, Osmium). The song’s lyrics show me reflecting on changes in my life since 2021, when my previous album Pale Swordsman was released, as well as reflecting on the passage of time and the changes it brings. That said, the meaning still stays very much open. ‘Three winters away from my old life I look back and I smile’, one line says. It doesn’t reveal whether those changes were for better or for worse. The following lyrics suggest doubt, leaving space for listeners to interpret the story in their own way.”
Reflecting on the creation of the record, Dmitry says: “This album was created at a point where I’m more skillful as an artist, with a much clearer sense of my own sound than in my earlier work. It explores a different emotional palette – rawer, more honest, and more personal. On this record, I feel more like myself than ever before”. The writing and recording process was not without its challenges: stress, anxiety, and long stretches of writer’s block shaped the music, giving it a rare vulnerability and immediacy. Dmitry recorded nearly all instruments himself, with drums contributed by Jonathan (Spira Me, Vanskapth, Olycka). Bladee appears on “Eternal Martyr”, adding his vocals and co-writing lyrics – a collaboration that may seem unlikely at first, yet reveals an intuitive chemistry. Both artists share a commitment to world-building, emotional directness and carving a singular path outside their respective genres. Despite their different genres, Dmitry has long admired Bladee’s introspective lyrical style and saw how it could translate into black metal without disrupting the genre. Bladee’s own interest in black metal created a natural space for collaboration, and the project grew organically from their shared fascination with bridging their musical worlds.
Morning Star will be released on March 27th via Sacred Bones. Pre-orders are now available here.
Photo credit: Duran Levinson
