Black Orchid Empire have never done anything halfway. “Scissormouth,” the fifth single from their forthcoming album ‘Lore’, is out now on Year Of The Rat Records, and it’s exactly the kind of heavy, hook-driven rock track that reminds you why this band has built such a fierce and loyal following.
The song draws from the Japanese folklore myth of Kuchisake-Onna, the Slit-Mouthed Woman, a scissor-carrying demon who asks “do you think I’m beautiful?” with no safe answer available. Vocalist Paul Visser breaks it down: “The myth of Kuchisake-Onna is so dark and unsettling we immediately knew it had to be a song. There is no answer that doesn’t result in horror. We love this tune and had so much fun with the imagery. The ending is especially brutal.”
That instinct for dark, narratively rich material is what separates Black Orchid Empire from the pack. Their sound combines heavy-hitting savagery with intense melodic beauty, technical grooves and gigantic sing-along choruses working together rather than against each other. It’s a genuinely difficult balance to strike, and they nail it every time.
The band arrives at ‘Lore’, due May 8th, with serious momentum behind them. Supported by BBC Radio 1, Spotify, Apple Music, Knotfest, PROG, and Kerrang, and with previous album releases on Long Branch Records and Season Of Mist, their new home at Year Of The Rat Records feels like the right platform for their biggest move yet. Live, they’ve shared stages with Skunk Anansie, HED P.E, INME, and played festivals including Download, Tech Fest, and Planet Rockstock.
A UK headline run kicks off later this month. All dates are worth catching.
UK Tour Dates:
May 21 – Derby – The Victoria Inn
May 22 – Leeds – Boom
May 23 – Birmingham – Scruffy Murphys
May 24 – Cheltenham – Frog and Fiddle
May 28 – Cardiff – Fuel
May 29 – Guildford – The Star
May 30 – Bournemouth – Bear Cave
May 31 – London – New Cross Inn