Rock Monsters Romania

by Anca Samoilă

Every artist has at least one album that contains the deepest parts of their heart and soul and this is the case with Wavebreaker by June Turns Black as well. This album is reflecting feelings like loneliness, anxiety, rage and the struggle to fight and break free from all these negative feelings that are compared with sinking and drowning underwater. 

As a black metal fan, I must say that I was surprised by the raw and brutal screams, it really felt like pure emotion being unleashed. The aggressiveness of the vocals and the riffs are beautifully combined with the atmospheric synths, creating a chaotic universe where the human being is trying not to be swallowed by despair. It reminds me a bit about the album “Eternal Nightmare” by the deathcore band Chelsea Grin.

The first song, “Hurt Me” opens like a confession to someone, only to transform, seconds later, into an unleashed burst of pure rage. The story of this song is about the experience of emotional abuse and the confrontation with the abuser, but also with oneself. The vocals, shifting between screams and cries, are amplified by the crushing riffs and the drums. 

The second song, “Atonia”, as the name of the song says, is capturing the moment when the muscle atonia is occurring in the sleep time. In this case, the sleep is overwhelmed by nightmares. The sound comes like a wave, with moments of calm and vulnerability succeeded by moments of furious screams. 

“Wavebreaker”, the song that bears the album’s name, represents an overwhelming sensation of loneliness. It sounds like a cry for help, begging the Wavebreaker to show mercy and save them from the drowning memories of past traumas. 

“Scream for the voiceless” opens with eerie synths and the words “I’m still breathing”, evoking the feeling of someone struggling to keep their head above water. It starts with a calm tone, becoming more enraged as the song goes on, expressing the frustration and the lack of help from the others of those who feel unheard. 

“BRNDNC,” short for braindance, is the most energetic song of the album, despite all the rage that is expressed. The combination of harsh screams, calm vocals, heavy riffs and synths really caught my attention and I can honestly say that this is my favourite song of this album.

“We kill what we love” is expressing the realisation of the self-destructive pattern that can emerge in close relationships and I can say that this message went really close to my heart. The haunting melodies of the songs that are building the breakdown moment feel like the negative thoughts that someone has before the inevitable moment when all the pressure is released in a violent emotional outburst. 

The final track, “Have you,” is the most vulnerable track of the album. The soft, ambient sound is disrupted by sudden bursts of raw emotions that made me feel a bit vulnerable and reminded me of my own past. The narrative explores a toxic relationship, where one individual reflects on their own hurtful and possessive behavior toward their partener. 

After listening to all these songs, I can say that I had an emotional journey through some of my past traumas as well, but, oh boy, it felt good to let it go through all the rage expressed in this album, in a non-destructive way of course. I can gladly recommend this album to those who want to let go of past memories that are still haunting them.  

If you enjoyed their album as much as I did, you can see them live at Shatter Fest on May 23-24.