He was already starting to resemble the town. Once more he was the brother of silence and in melancholy of this sorrowful Bruges, his soror dolorosa... - "Bruges-la-Morte" (1892)
Author: Bartłomiej Krawczyk
In 1892, a short novel by the Belgian symbolist poet and writer Georges Rodenbach (1855–1898) was published - " Bruges -la-Morte", a pioneering novel for the time of its creation, illustrated with 35 black-and-white photographs of the city of Bruges . In the book, widower Hugues Viane mourns the death of his wife, surrounded by objects that remind her: her clothes, letters, portraits, a long lock of her hair. Going through the stage of mourning after the death of his beloved, Hugues rarely leaves his home. However, one day, a man comes across a dancer named Jane on the street, who looks like his wife. The man becomes obsessed with her, which ends tragically.
Bruges in "Bruges-la-Morte" is a city personified by the author, gloomy, dead, cold, rainy, gray, melancholic. In this respect, the most famous novel by Rodenbach, a lawyer from Paris, is somewhat reminiscent of the hypnotic gothic horror novel "Malpertuis" by the Flemish writer Jean Ray (1887–1964), set in Ghent, Belgium.
What is captivating, Rodenbach, who died in 1898, was buried in the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. His granite tomb is truly extraordinary: a sculpture of the writer trying to get out of it, holding a flower in his hand and mocking irreversible death. As a digression, I would like to add that the largest necropolis in Paris is the equally fascinating tomb of the Raspail family, a fragment of which decorates the cover of my favorite Dead Can Dance album, "Within the Realm of a Dying Sun" (1987).
Therefore, the mournful name of the band Soror Dolorosa (Sister Pain, Sorrowful Sister) is inspired by Rodenbach's novel, which is rich in symbolism.
Musical landscapes of Soror Dolorosa
Soror Dolorosa , one of the most recognizable French cold wave/gothic rock bands today, was formed in 2001 in Toulouse. Andy Julia has sung in it since 2007 . The French performed at famous Gothic festivals, such as Wave Gotik Treffen or our native Castle Party in Bolków (in 2013 and 2019). Their discography includes the debut EP "Severance" from 2009 and four studio albums: "Blind Scenes" (2011), "No More Heroes" (2013), "Apollo" (2017) and the latest "Mond" (2024) . It is worth adding that their albums are currently released by the German Prophecy Productions (e.g. Empyrium, The Vision Bleak, Tenhi).
Soror Dolorosa songs that stuck in my memory was "Autumn Wounds" from their debut full-length. From the very beginning, the music of the coldwave/goth rock/post-punk band was filled with a stuffy mood of sadness, melancholy and nostalgia. If you are struggling with a painful sense of rejection and loss, you are living with memories of beautiful moments that are irrevocably gone, and searching for the support you deserve, then the music of the French artists should be a soothing balm for your wounds.
This also applies, of course, to Soror Dolorosa's - "Mond" , which sounds like a return to the new wave, cold wave and post-punk roots of the 80s ( Joy Division , The Cure - "Faith" and "Pornography" in particular). The premiere of "Mond" took place on October 4 via Prophecy Productions , the album contains catchy, hit songs, strongly synthwave, but still marked with resignation, tenderness and sadness.
Take "Souls Collide" for example, one of the most emotional songs on the album, with Andy Julia singing desperately in the chorus. My favorites also include the somber "Broken Love" and the ethereal, even dreamy "Hurlevant" . In turn, "Obsidian Museum" captivates the listener with its catchy and spontaneous character. The guitar and bass are pleasantly emphasized in this track, with the keyboards receding into the background.
The undeniable advantage of Soror Dolorsa is vocalist Andy Julia , who can sing in a beautifully moving way. His catchy choruses are simply masterful! "Mond" is an excellent album to listen to during lonely autumn walks accompanied by cold, rain and internal dilemmas. I hope that the French will sooner or later present songs from the new album during their long-awaited concerts in Poland.
