Ember Belladonna’s debut album ‘The Grove’ is one of 2024’s more interesting metal releases. Promoted under the folk metal banner, the bulk of the material takes the cult subgenre beyond its typical remit. Ember isn’t interested in assaulting her audience with massive jigs – as per those pioneering Skyclad records – and her material doesn’t venture into the black metal infused extremes of a band like Northern Oak. Her take on folk metal comes from a much purer place where gothic metal riffs prop up some fantasic new age melodies, often with Ember’s flute work at the forefront.

It can be hard promoting something destined to be a cult record when you’re an independent artist, but Ember and her team have put in some hard yards to champion this great work, and as everyone gets ready to say goodbye to another year – and almost eleven months after the album hit Bandcamp – they’ve shared another video clip. This time around, the visuals support the album’s title track, which presents the flute the main draw. By placing dream-like, new age melodies against a tinkling harp, it feels more like a traditional piece compared to some of the more immediate album cuts and dispenses with the heavier elements, but with its blanket of synthesised strings and harpsichord-ish sounds fleshing out a really smart tune, it still offers plenty to enjoy for the more adventurous ear.

We’ve got Ember Belladonna pegged for more great sounds in 2025, but in the meantime, you can check out the new video below.