https://youtu.be/nUfhOUYeSWQ
https://youtu.be/i_PMJYb30Q8
Band info
Band: Strunkiin
Album: ‘A Past That Never Was‘ & ‘Kingdom of Frost‘
Released: January 28th, 2026
Genre: Symphonic black metal
Location: Finland
Review
Diptychs in art are the union of individual pieces conjoined in aesthetic dialectics. ‘A Past That Never Was’ and ‘Kingdom of Frost’ by Strunkiin – the duo from Finland – were released concurrently, the former being a revisit of their melodeath debut, and the latter being an exploration of the bright and glorious field where Immortal meets Wintersun.
The band has been featured in our network before, with their 2017 EP ‘XX121’. They have taken a clear anti-AI stance, and amongst their multiple releases, they have participated in the roster of the Black Metal Rainbows compilation.
Imagine two adventurers setting off from the same origin point. ‘APTNW’ – a warrior, embarks on a breathtaking journey, traverses climactic soundscapes, packing sprinting and suspenseful riffage, formulating a psychotropic saga with every sword swing and every battle cry, while ‘KoF’ – an explorer, paces gracefully, inhaling deeply at every sonic corner, documenting every change in the auditory scenery like a naturalist mapmaker of old.
Both albums are essentially immersive and emotive paintings using notes instead of brushes. Taking the instrumental path is not an easy undertaking, as it inherently elevates the perils of the journey at hand, but as with every painting, the narration on both albums is wordless and interwoven within the canvas of the synthetic array itself. When the adventurers meet again at the sojourn’s end, and the dyptich closes upon itself, the perennial lust for the ceaseless quest will reverberate in color.
We are very glad to feature Strunkiin in the network yet again, this time with a double presentation.