Krew (Blood)

About Krew

The idea of ‘Krew” appeared in February 2022. When the war began, we were completely devastated and heartbroken. As a Belarusian band, we have strong connections with Ukraine: we have relatives and friends living there, and in general it was always perceived as somewhat native land for us. Moreover, Belarusian territory was used by the Russian army, horrific betrayal and burden of shame.

We decided to compose this song to reflect our complex feelings and search for some deliverance in art. From the very beginning, we had an intention to show the proximity of 3 languages and 3 cultures, so we’ve also involved Polish and Ukrainian singers Ada Rusinkiewicz (Hethet) and Alex Pilkevych to reflect their own perspective and Yaroslav Dzhus to record bandura, traditional Ukrainian folk instrument. 

See song lyrics.

“Krew” (Blood) was created at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, motivated by a connection with friends living there. It is about the innocent victims of the war. Despite the dark theme, it is performed in a very melodic and energetic way.

Pearl Hunting review by Bernd Kröninger

🇺🇦 YAROSLAV DZHUS

YAROSLAV DZHUS is a modern Ukrainian bandurist, composer, and arranger, recognized for his groundbreaking work in revitalizing Ukraine’s musical heritage. He gained acclaim on TV shows like “Голос країни” and “Україна має талант,” and leads the ensemble Шпилясті кобзарі. Yaroslav’s Bandura Style project fuses traditional and contemporary sounds, showcasing his improvisational skills and emotive compositions.

🇺🇦 ALEX PILKEVYCH

ALEX PILKEVYCH is a Ukrainian progressive metal artist currently based in Wroclaw, Poland. With four album releases since 2014, he has collaborated with notable musicians in the genre such as Katie Thompson (Chiasma), Adam Janzi (VOLA), Max Morton. Alex’s music draws inspiration from bands like Leprous, Karnivool, and Opeth.

🇵🇱 ​ADA RUSINKIEWICZ

ADA RUSINKIEWICZ is a Polish vocalist and vocal coach specializing in extreme vocal techniques. Inspired by Melissa Cross, she aims to follow in her footsteps as a vocal instructor. Ada is a singer-songwriter in the progressive-depressive band HETHET.

Bandura

The bandura is a traditional Ukrainian string instrument with a large, trapezoidal wooden body and numerous strings (31 to 68) divided into bass, tenor, baritone, and treble sections. It produces a rich and resonant sound associated with Ukrainian folk music and traditional melodies.