Vlk

„It came about in those days that the wandering of wolves and mankind began.“



Vlk (pronounciation: vilk) was founded in 2021 as a solo project by multi-instrumentalist and music scholar Wolf-Georg Zaddach in Berlin/Brandenburg and combines his love for black and progressive metal, jazz and contemporary music.

„Vlk“ is Czech and means „wolf“. The wolf is a symbol, an allegory for a confrontation, about whose conflictual nature we humans only gradually become aware of. In the real encounter with the wolf we experience our own hubris and an alienation from nature, which for a long time we could often only understand as the ‚other‘ and ‚unknown‘. Vlk is about this confrontation, and everything that can emerge from it.

Thus vlk stands for dark, distorted, transgressive music and art.


„Solastalgia I“, 2023/2024

Listen, Buy and Follow

“VLK has constructed the bridge for one’s mind to trek upon and in its path, become cocooned in its aphotic atmosphere”

Metal Digest review

„Solastalgia I“ is a concept album and the first part of a trilogy. Solastalgia is a made-up word, formed from Latin (solacium – consolation) and ancient Greek (algos – pain), which was first used by environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht in the 2000s. Solastalgia refers to the pain and grief of losing our environment: emotions driving to despair, which we bring upon ourselves through our greed and hubris. As a result, the climate and biodiversity crises are intensifying the destruction of the environment and nature.

The album is an artistic reflection and processing of the loss of home, the wealth and diversity of nature, and the livelihoods of all life, which ultimately lead to destruction, agonizing death, and extinction. A dystopian outlook and a warning for the present at the same time.

The trilogy is accompanied by short stories by Wolf-Georg Zaddach as well as photos and images by the artist Sara Zaddach.

VLK offer a dense atmosphere without losing themselves in the kitsch of many atmospheric black metal bands. The concept can also be easily understood with the texts and offers an exciting look at the world and what can become of it. I’m excited to see how the series will continue.

Bleeding For Metal, review


Music Video to „Indigenuity“, released Sept 15, 2023 (watch in full screen mode)

„The agonies and furies of the video’s protagonist in a ruined landscape are matched by the eerie agonies in the music, and its boiling frenzies. It’s a disconcerting experience, just as disturbing as the developments that inspired the album.“

No Clean Singing about the music video (check full review)

Reviews in English and German:



Debut EP „Transdescendence“, 28 July 2021

„If this is what one man can do on his first solo EP, I certainly look forward to what VLK can create in the future.“

David Salomon in his review on Midnight’s Children


„Stunning, beautiful album that soars through your soul, it has fantastic atmosphere of class post apocalyptic Black metal with killer synth melodies.“

Anonymous fan on the Bandcamp-page




“Transdescendence” is the result of an ongoing personal journey, a thriving in a certain sense, that called for aesthetic expression in more ways than one. It is reflected equally in the composition and instrumentation, the lyrics and production, the cover artwork, logo, photography, and videos.

The title of the EP is inspired by the French philosopher Corine Pelluchon, among others. She understands the term as a contemplation and self-knowledge, an experience and recognition of one’s own vulnerability, but also connectedness with everything that surrounds us and with everything that was, is, and will be.

Moreover, some personal traumatic experiences and shocking observations became motivations in a certain sense. These range from very personal experiences of serious illness of the beloved to the distressed witnessing of a shocking destruction of life on this planet by us, the dominance of an all-consuming greed and hubris and a growing enthusiasm for hostile, narrow-minded, intolerant worldviews.

We are not the first to observe, lament or criticize all this. This gives us at the same time the relief of not being alone with it, and the shock of nevertheless living in a world that to a considerable extent can do nothing with the way of feeling and thinking, with which we are familiar. All we can do is to share this with all of you and humbly continue to learn and hopefully grow. 

“Transdescendence” is about a journey of awareness and understanding, an ongoing journey, oppressive and wonderful at the same time. For vlk, it has now begun.

Contact

Get in touch: vlk.wolfmetal -at- gmail.com

Also follow Vlk’s Instagram and facebook page.