Cellar Darling
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{short description|Folk metal band from Switzerland}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Cellar Darling
| image = Cellar Darling Rockharz 2018 20.jpg
| caption = Cellar Darling performing at Rockharz Open Air 2018
| image_size =
| landscape = Yes
| alias =
| origin = Winterthur and Lucerne, Switzerland
| genre = Progressive metal, folk metal
| years_active = 2016–present
| label = Nuclear Blast{{cite web|url=http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/news/details/4628634.4628294.cellar-darling-sign-to-nuclear-blast.html|title=CELLAR DARLING – sign to Nuclear Blast!|date=19 January 2017|publisher=}}
| associated_acts = Eluveitie
| website = {{URL|http://www.cellardarling.com/}}
| current_members = Merlin Sutter
Ivo Henzi
Anna Murphy
}}
File:Cellar Darling Rockharz 2018 03.jpg
Cellar Darling are a three-piece Swiss progressive metal band from Winterthur and Lucerne, founded in 2016.{{cite news|title=Former Eluveitie Members Launch Cellar Darling|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-eluveitie-members-launch-cellar-darling/|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=27 September 2017}} The group was formed by Anna Murphy (vocals, hurdy-gurdy, flute), Merlin Sutter (drums) and Ivo Henzi (guitars and bass). Cellar Darling incorporates heavy metal, folk, classical, and progressive influences. Notably, the band uses a hurdy-gurdy and a transverse flute. The trio were previously part of the Swiss metal band Eluveitie.
History
=Formation=
In May 2016, three longtime members of Eluveitie announced their departure from the band. Anna Murphy (singer and hurdy-gurdy player), Ivo Henzi (guitarist), and Merlin Sutter (drummer) parted ways with Eluveitie in a highly publicised split. The details of the split were not cited in the press, but speculation ensued among fans. In June 2016 the trio announced the creation of Cellar Darling. The band quickly began working on new music for their debut release.
On 23 September 2016, Cellar Darling launched a single called "Challenge" along with the B-side track "Fire, Wind & Earth".{{cite news|title=CELLAR DARLING ARE BORN – EX-ELUVEITIE MEMBERS TAKE THE CHALLENGE – FIRST SONGS HERE, FIRST LIVE SHOW ANNOUNCED|url=http://metaltalk.net/news2016sg/2016540.php|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=Metaltalk.net|date=23 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321215546/http://metaltalk.net/news2016sg/2016540.php|archive-date=21 March 2019|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cellardarling.com/news|title=News|website=Cellar Darling}} The single was self released and the video was created and directed by the band themselves. The musical style of the initial release was a concrete departure from the folk metal genre of their previous band. Cellar Darling played their first shows in December 2016, supporting Amorphis in Zurich, Switzerland{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/cellardarlingofficial/videos/1213996575333405/|title=Cellar Darling|website=www.facebook.com}} and The Gentle Storm in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.{{cite web|url=https://www.melkweg.nl/en/agenda/the-gentle-storm-17-12-2016-2/|title=The Gentle Storm|publisher=|access-date=20 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000147/https://www.melkweg.nl/en/agenda/the-gentle-storm-17-12-2016-2/|url-status=dead}}
=''This Is The Sound'' and signing to Nuclear Blast=
In January 2017, the trio announced their signing to German independent metal label Nuclear Blast Records, and that their debut album would be released through the label the following summer.{{cite news|title=CELLAR DARLING Feat. Former ELUVEITIE Members: Debut Album To Be Released Via NUCLEAR BLAST |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cellar-darling-feat-former-eluveitie-members-debut-album-to-be-released-via-nuclear-blast/|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=19 January 2017}}
In May, it was announced that Cellar Darling's first album would be titled This Is the Sound and was to be released on 30 June 2017. A track list of the album was introduced.{{cite news|title=CELLAR DARLING Feat. Former ELUVEITIE Members: 'This Is The Sound' Album Due In June |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cellar-darling-feat-former-eluveitie-members-this-is-the-sound-album-due-in-june/|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=27 April 2017}}
Cellar Darling released their second single, "Black Moon", on 19 May 2017, along with a music video.{{cite news|title=[NEWS] CELLAR DARLING Release New Video|url=https://heavymag.com.au/news-cellar-darling-release-new-video/|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=d'Italia Pty Ltd}} This was followed on 17 June 2017 with a third single, "Avalanche".{{cite news|title=[NEWS] CELLAR DARLING Release Avalanche Video|url=https://heavymag.com.au/news-cellar-darling-release-avalanche-video/|accessdate=1 August 2017|publisher=d'Italia Pty Ltd}} Both videos were shot in Tenerife.{{Cite news|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cellar-darling-feat-former-eluveitie-members-black-moon-video/|title=CELLAR DARLING Feat. Former ELUVEITIE Members: 'Black Moon' Video|date=20 May 2017|work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|access-date=7 June 2018|language=en-US}}
The debut album was released on 30 June 2017 to widespread critical acclaim.{{cite web|title=[ALBUM REVIEW] CELLAR DARLING 'This Is The Sound'|url=https://heavymag.com.au/album-review-cellar-darling-this-is-the-sound/|website=Heavymag.com.au|date=9 June 2017|accessdate=1 August 2017}}{{cite web|title=Album Review: Cellar Darling – This Is The Sound|url=https://www.antiheromagazine.com/album-review-cellar-darling-this-is-the-sound/|website=Antihero Magazine|date=24 June 2017|accessdate=1 August 2017}}{{cite web|title=Cellar Darling – This Is The Sound|url=https://www.metal.de/reviews/cellar-darling-this-is-the-sound-261908/|website=Metal.de|accessdate=1 August 2017}}
= ''The Spell'' =
On 2 November 2018, "Insomnia" was released, accompanied by a music video created by Costin Chioreanu.{{Citation|last=Nuclear Blast Records|title=CELLAR DARLING – Insomnia (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|date=1 November 2018|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeXDYjDV2mw|access-date=3 November 2018}}
Cellar Darling's second album, The Spell, was released on 22 March 2019 on Nuclear Blast Records. The Spell is a concept album telling a story of "an unnamed girl who is birthed into a world that is full of pain, damaged and debilitated by the human beings that inhabit it".{{Cite web|url=https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/cellar-darling-the-spell/|title = Cellar Darling – the Spell (Album Review)|date = 21 March 2019}}
= "Dance" =
On 23 March 2021, the single and music video for "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8SukdPDCeQ&ab_channel=NuclearBlastRecords Dance]" was released. Although it was originally meant to be part of The Spell, the song was rewritten in 2020 and released alongside a music video.
"Inspiration came from two sources: the dancing plague of 1518, which is a fascinating story in itself, and an engagement with our contemporary world: doesn't it sometimes feel like we're in the process of dancing ourselves to death?"{{Citation |title=CELLAR DARLING - DANCE (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8SukdPDCeQ |access-date=2023-05-10 |language=en}}
Members
- Anna Murphy – lead vocals, hurdy-gurdy, flute, keyboards (2016–present)
- Ivo Henzi – guitars, bass (2016–present)
- Merlin Sutter – drums (2016–present)
=Live musicians=
- Nicolas Winter – bass (2017–present)
- Rafi Kirder – bass (2016)
- Rachel G – bass (U.S. tour 2022)
=Guest musicians=
- Shir-Ran Yinon – violin (2016–2018)
- Brendan Wade – uilleann pipes (2016–2017)
- Fredy Schnyder – piano (2016–2017)
Discography
=Albums=
- This Is the Sound (2017)
- The Spell (2019)
=Singles=
- "Challenge" (2016)
- "Avalanche" (2017){{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NWMiBj0yDJg|title=CELLAR DARLING – Avalanche (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|last=Nuclear Blast Records|date=16 June 2017|publisher=|via=YouTube}}
- "Black Moon" (2017)
- "Insomnia" (2018)
- "Dance" (2021)
=Music videos=
- Challenge{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DRkXJCRM64|title=Cellar Darling – 'Challenge' [Official Lyric Video]|last=Cellar Darling|date=22 September 2016|publisher=|via=YouTube}}
- Black Moon{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r-5ZkRL-EV0|title=CELLAR DARLING – Black Moon (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|last=Nuclear Blast Records|date=19 May 2017|publisher=|via=YouTube}}
- Avalanche
- Six days{{Cite news|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cellar-darling-feat-former-eluveitie-members-six-days-animated-video/|title=CELLAR DARLING Feat. Former ELUVEITIE Members: 'Six Days' Animated Video|date=7 November 2017|work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|access-date=7 June 2018|language=en-US}}
- Insomnia
- The Spell
- Death{{cite web|url=https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/news/details/5825376.4628294.cellar-darling-premiere-of-new-music-video.html|title=CELLAR DARLING – announce premiere of new music video for 'Death' and live Q&A session for their fans!|last=Cellar Darling|date=14 February 2019|publisher=|via=Nuclear Blast Records}}
- Drown{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU54MDtzrVU|title=CELLAR DARLING – Drown (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|last=Nuclear Blast Records|date=8 March 2019|publisher=|via=YouTube}}
- Dance
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.cellardarling.com}}
{{Commons category|Cellar Darling}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Celtic metal musical groups
Category:Swiss folk metal musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 2016
Category:Swiss progressive metal musical groups
Category:Melodic death metal musical groups
Category:2016 establishments in Switzerland