Skullcrusher – Maelstrom

Sounds like:
Julia Holter, Samia, Julien Baker

What’s so good?

Skullcrusher (Helen Ballentine) is a heavy artist – not in the metal sense, but in the emotional weight she carries through her lyrics. I discovered her after her recent release And Your Song Is Like a Circle. The album is an exploration of recovery from loss, addiction, and isolation. Ballentine is vulnerable with her audience, giving us a glimpse of what has been spiraling in her mind. We’re witnessing her find herself again.

“Maelstrom” is a powerful whirlpool, a vortex sucking us into the album’s center. The song grieves the dead and undead. The artist mourns a relationship of a friend who is still living. In some ways, that’s even harder to bear. 

Ballentine’s music is immersive; you don’t just listen, you sink in. Her delicate vocals take control with the support of a looping, muffled drumbeat and soft guitar. To add onto the song’s fragility, the piano sounds almost ghostly, as if it’s been played for centuries. She questions her own reality while a choir enters and echoes like they were in a cavern during the recording. Her style reminds me of a Tim Burton film – delicate and whimsical with gothic, haunting undertones. The October release was a wise choice.

1. Original post: Skullcrusher – Maelstrom

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