Words by: Courtney Stark
Out 27 February, 2026
Via Listenable Records
For a long time, gothic metal has occupied this particular liminal space that privileges an inward reflection as opposed to an outward spectacle. It operates less as a theatrical display and more of a form of confession. Drawing from the brooding legacy of early Paradise Lost, Fields of the Nephilim, and Type O Negative, and tempered by the industrial precision associated with Nine Inch Nails, and velvet-draped decadent darkness of The 69 Eyes, Locus Noir situates itself within a lineage that is defined by intimacy and slow-burn melancholy. Emerging from the Swiss underground under the direction of Ben DMN (formerly of Sybreed), this project reaches a deep articulation on Shadow Sun, an album that rests comfortably within — and thoughtfully extends — the gothic rock, metal and industrial traditions from which it draws power.
On their debut album Shadow Sun, principal songwriter and vocalist Ben articulates a shift towards a melodic, haunting vocal register, one that synthesizes the theatrical poise of Peter Murphy with faint but unmistakable echoes of the late Peter Steele. Lyrically, the album operates within a dialectic of the esoteric and the intimate. It traces recurring preoccupations with love and death, desire and decay. The lyrics and themes live in the night — in its unrestrained excess, its creeping hangover, and the bitter echo that drifts long after dawn.
Shadow Sun features a particular track serving as the emotional and thematic fulcrum of the album which lies in track three – the particular cornerpiece of any album that reveals the artists core vision and the true mood of the record is revealed in its entirety. That is Cemetery Youth, which features Ben Christo of The Sisters of Mercy. Track 3 deepens the nocturnal atmosphere with Christo’s shadowy presence weaving effortlessly with Ben DMN’s haunting melodies. The track serves up the decadent, nocturnal glamour akin to The 69 Eyes with broody guitars and pulsing basses.
Meanwhile, Locus Noir’s take on Lady Gaga’s Marry the Night turns pop excess into a gothic ritual. Industrial undertones and smoky melodies and DMN dominating vocals recast the song into a familiar yet decadent track that makes the darkness feel tangible
Shadow Sun announces Locus Noir’s arrival like a cauldron of bats taking flight overhead. It’s intertwined with desire and melancholy. It’s filled with intimacy and dread. It’s haunting and melodic, guiding listeners through a night drive with Peter Steele at the wheel or down shadowed gothic corridors. It’s an album that feels like a nocturnal universe cast in shadow, filled with equal parts beauty and unease — and, bizarrely, something Mr Steele himself might even offer the faintest smile and approving nod.
