Three weeks prior to the much-anticipated release of their debut album, „Celestial Shrine„, Ukrainian collective WAIDELOTTE reveals a second taster. The album’s title track is a stunning fusion of folk-inspired, progressive guitar elements, vocals that oscillate between tranquility and ferocity, and vigorous drumming. ‚Celestial Shrine‚ truly epitomizes the album’s overarching atmosphere, perfectly encapsulating its core spirit.
Waidelotte – Celestial Shrine (youtube.com)
Composer Zlat recounts the song’s origins: „Everything started with a folk intro melody which afterward was played on tsymbaly. Usually, I compose in a kind of expressionist way, so everything after the intro is a flow, a natural feeling of what should be played next. It’s like storytelling, not a bunch of riffs in a logical way. The song includes polyrhythmic verses which are followed by a simple catchy chorus with an expressive guitar solo, a melodic bandura drop but also an aggressive metal blast piece – it’s a many-sided outspread composition that shows our protagonist’s perfection.“
Vocalist Andrii contributes insights regarding the lyrical aspects: „This song describes the final culmination of the album. It shows the lyrical hero at the highest point of his journey, encountering his omnipotence. The ability to harness the endless power was always hidden in the depths of his personality. However, it took a long journey to reveal the hidden treasures. Just like the lyrical hero, we have different hidden talents that require patience and practice to be revealed.„