Dutch blackgaze band NOCTAMBULIST has joined forces with These Hands Melt for the release of their second full-length album. To offer a glimpse of what’s to come, they’ve dropped their first single, “Aderlater.”
The band shared some insight into the track’s creation, explaining that it was a collaborative effort born from a set of initial chords by J.D. and Stef, which initially led nowhere.
“We were all listening to a lot of post-punk and new wave, and most of us had just seen The Cure live around that time,” NOCTAMBULIST revealed. Drummer Mitch came up with the intro pattern, which transformed the song’s rhythm from 6/8 to 4/4. The lead in the chorus was a contribution from guitarist Tristan, originating from an unfinished piece. “It all fell into place,” they added.
Lyrically, “Aderlater” delves into raw emotions, exposing personal vulnerabilities for the sake of music. It’s described as “an ode to insecurity.”
Formed in 2015 in Tilburg, Netherlands, NOCTAMBULIST was the brainchild of housemates J.D. Kaye, Sam C.A., and Mitchell Scheerder. From the beginning, their vision was to create a melancholic, hard-hitting style of black metal infused with post-rock, shoegaze, and post-punk elements. Their sound embodies sharp contrasts—balancing the serene and the overwhelming, the beautiful and the grotesque.
After finalizing their lineup with guitarists Tristan Tabbers and Stef Heesakkers, the band released their debut album, Noctambulist I: Elegieën, under Northern Silence Productions. Now, they prepare for the next chapter with their upcoming release through These Hands Melt, with further details to be announced soon.
