SEMBLANT – “Murder of Crows” (Official Video)

Dark Melodicism and Dual-Vocal Drama

“Murder of Crows” arrives as one of the defining statements from Semblant’s album Obscura, released March 6, 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl. Written by guitarist Juliano Ribeiro, the track distills the band’s blend of melodic death metal power, gothic atmosphere, and a striking dual-vocal interplay that has become central to their identity. It is a precision-cut single with a cinematic sheen, anchored by sharp riffing and a chorus that lingers long after the final refrain.

The official video underscores the song’s tension and thematic pull, pairing performance intensity with a character-driven thread. It presents Semblant operating with complete confidence, tightening the focus on their contrasting voices and the shadowed psychology of the lyrics.

How the Song Moves

At its core, “Murder of Crows” balances aggression and clarity. The guitars lock into muscular, minor-key figures that pivot between chugging syncopations and melodic leads, building pressure beneath the vocals. Thor Sikora drives the track with assertive kick patterns and crisp cymbal accents, while Johann Piper shapes the low end with lines that emphasize contour and weight rather than flash. J. Augusto’s keyboards provide atmosphere in measured bursts: cinematic pads, ominous swells, and subtle lines that widen the mix without overpowering it.

The defining feature is the conversation between voices. Mizuho Lin brings a soaring, emotive clarity that elevates the choruses, cutting through the arrangement with focused intensity. Sergio Mazul counters with a grittier, harsher delivery that frames the verses with menace and urgency. The two approaches never cancel one another; instead, they interlock, creating a call-and-response architecture that pushes the song forward. When the band opens space, the melody moves with almost symphonic lift. When the rhythm section tightens, the track snaps into a sharper, more predatory posture.

Lyrics: Envy, Betrayal, and the Flock

Ribeiro’s lyrics sketch a world of veiled threats and fraying loyalties. The recurring image of a “foe with black wings” functions as a cipher for destructive envy and collective malice. The title’s nod to the collective noun for crows is more than a rhetorical flourish. It suggests how hostility gathers, circles, and descends in formation, turning individual grievance into a communal hunt.

Lines like “Unveil the foe with black wings, moving in circles” and “By the hands of those we trust” trace the arc from suspicion to betrayal. The “point of no return” might be emotional rather than literal, a moment when trust shatters and paranoia becomes protective instinct. In the chorus, the plea to “fly away” from “vicious jealousy” reads as both warning and self-preservation. Throughout, the imagery is concrete enough to feel immediate, yet broad enough to invite personal projection.

The structure supports that tension. Verses coil around tightly phrased observations, then release in a chorus that insists on forward movement. The band mirrors the text with dynamic surges: guitar figures bend toward the chorus, drums open up into more expansive patterns, and the keyboards step forward to add a cool, spectral glow.

On-Screen Atmosphere

The official video is directed and produced by Caio Cobra, with cinematography and post-production by João Leão. Edited by Cobra and Leão, it maintains a clear line between performance focus and narrative suggestion, using pacing and framing to reinforce the song’s sense of pursuit and unease. The involvement of Marjo Suicide and Fran in acting roles hints at a storyline that tracks the song’s psychological contour, while Glaucia Weidner’s make-up work heightens mood and character detail without slipping into excess.

Camera and lighting by Alceste Ribas and Betão Sassarrão give the group sharp definition in the frame, emphasizing contrast and shape. André Meister’s main assistance rounds out a production team that keeps the clip compact, cohesive, and tightly aligned with the music. The result is a video that amplifies the track’s core motifs—secrecy, encirclement, confrontation—without telegraphing every beat of the narrative.

Within the Arc of Obscura

Obscura is a record that leans into modern heaviness while preserving a gothic sense of drama, and “Murder of Crows” sits near its center of gravity. The song exemplifies the album’s balance of hook-forward writing and metallic grit. It is accessible without sanding off the edges, and it retains a haunted quality that rewards repeat listens. As a single, it serves as both entry point and statement of purpose, framing the band’s dual-vocal dynamic as more than a stylistic flourish. Here it is structural, thematic, and essential to the song’s impact.

European Tour 2021

The following European dates were announced for 2021:

03.03.2021 – Hannover (DE) – Indra
04.03.2021 – Bochum (DE) – Rock Fabrik
05.03.2021 – Rotterdam (NL) – Baroeg
06.03.2021 – Namur (BE) – Belvedere
07.03.2021 – London (UK) – The Underworld
08.03.2021 – Paris (FR) – La Boule Noire
09.03.2021 – Lyon (FR) – Rock & Eat
11.03.2021 – Porto (PT) – Hard Club
12.03.2021 – Lisbon (PT) – RCA Club
13.03.2021 – Sevilla (ES) – X Club
14.03.2021 – Madrid (ES) – Caracol
15.03.2021 – Barcelona (ES) – Bóvedo
17.03.2021 – Pratteln (CH) – Z7
18.03.2021 – Munich (DE) – Backstage
19.03.2021 – Weinheim (DE) – Cafe Central
20.03.2021 – Bratislava (SK) – Randal Club
21.03.2021 – Berlin (DE) – Musik Und Frieden

Credits

Song: “Murder of Crows”
Album: Obscura
Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Release Date: March 6, 2020
Music & Lyrics: Juliano Ribeiro

Video Production

Director/Producer: Caio Cobra
Cinematography/Post-Production: João Leão
Editing: Caio Cobra & João Leão
Main Assistance: André Meister
Cameras & Lights: Alceste Ribas & Betão Sassarrão
Make-up: Glaucia Weidner
Acting: Marjo Suicide & Fran

Line-up

Mizuho Lin – Female vocal
Sergio Mazul – Male vocal
Juliano Ribeiro – Guitar
Johann Piper – Bass
Thor Sikora – Drums
J. Augusto – Keyboards

Final Thoughts

“Murder of Crows” captures Semblant in sharp relief: a band fluent in heavy textures and dark melody, intent on storytelling through contrast and control. As a showcase for the two vocalists and a gateway into Obscura, it is both immediate and enduring, the kind of single that reinforces identity while broadening reach. The video, aligned closely with the song’s themes and tone, completes the picture with a concise, well-judged visual counterpart.