Enigmatic Danish metal quintet (0) releases first single ‘Det Sortner’ from new album ‘KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS’

(0)240927 — (0) – Photo by Martin Goltermann

(0) is a Danish band that breaks down the boundaries between black, progressive, drone, and post-metal, completing its unique sound with Danish lyrics and growl vocals. All of this comes to life when (0) in a dark sphere fuses intense, raw sound with a massive use of lighting and impressive visual elements to create a spectacle of a live performance.

After a four-year release hiatus, (0) is now back with its second full-length album, KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS (Danish for BREAK.DARKNESS.AGAINST.LIGHT), adding further dimensions to the enigmatic band’s artistic work. Today sees the release of the album’s first single ‘Det Sortner’ (‘It Blackens’ in Danish), which is accompanied by a lyric video conveying the song’s dark theme, which according to the band is “..about hating yourself so much, that you don’t want to exist, and about how long time and how much strength is takes to move on from there.”

KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS will be released on vinyl and digital formats, and both are now available for pre-orders. The vinyl version comes in two editions with one being black version limited to 200 copies, which can be pre-ordered HERE, and a Green Marble version limited to 100 copies which can be pre-ordered HERE. The album can be pre-saved and pre-ordered on digital formats HERE. Also, (0) will be announcing forthcoming shows in near future.

Watch the lyric video for ‘Det Sortner’

And stream the single HERE

On (0)’s self-titled debut EP, listeners are first introduced to the band’s experimental and unconventional approach to various genres and their distinctive sound, built around insistent and patient guitar constructions. The band’s vision of letting the music speak for itself was reflected in minimal promotion and an anonymous appearance. This only fueled the growing interest around the band, which soon played well-attended Danish concerts, including festivals When Copenhell Freezes Over and Royal Metal Fest.

The debut EP and subsequent shows also gained international attention, and in April 2020, (0) released its debut album, SkamHan, via Napalm Records. Here, one is met with a wall of guitars, growling vocals with Danish lyrics, and drone-based melancholy. On the album, the band continues to navigate the shadowy intersections of black, progressive, drone, and sludge metal, but SkamHan appears more organic than the EP, offering a journey through seven tracks that dive into the darkest corners of the human mind. The release coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, and (0) was only able to tour with the album the following year, embarking on a 14-day European tour and performing at several international festivals, including Mystic Festival in Poland and Gefle Metal Festival in Sweden.

Since then, (0) has remained creative, seeking new paths and crafting the music that has now become the band’s second album, KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS. The record features nine new compositions, recorded with producer Lasse Ballade (Konvent, Solbrud, Strychnos, etc.) over three weeks in the summer of 2023. As is characteristic of (0)’s sound, the album features an organic, analog feel that comes across as vibrant and alive in all its raw, untamed performance. The material is possibly elevated even further than in previous releases—the songs are sharply honed, and the production does justice to the band’s dynamic range, with the band’s amalgamation of experimental metal genres hitting with overwhelming weight.

The album title, KNÆK.MØRKE.MOD.LYS, is taken from a poem written by one of the band’s guitarists. While the poem is not included as part of the album’s lyrics, it is written on the album’s inner sleeve, as it resonates with the themes and vibe of the album. Melancholy is the feeling that permeates (0)’s sound and lyrics, and also the new album. The lyrics focus on the darker aspects of life, such as grief, depression, guilt and shame, frustration, and anger. The themes operate both on a deeply personal level and on a broader scale, with the title track addressing climate change and the frustration that comes with it. But light always plays a role for (0), and light becomes more evident when one has first been enveloped in darkness—light as a search, an instinct, and a will in humanity that pushes us to continue living, despite the darkness that will eventually consume us all.