Cellar Darling

We are storytellers.

We want to carry you away into our world of music. ​

We want to unleash feelings and experiences by telling stories and drawing symbols, in the way mankind has done since its existence: through legends, folk tales, theatre, drama, spirituality - and through songs.

We reinvent folk tales for our age as the very essence of what they once were: stories of everyday life.

We may sing about the future, we may sing about the past - for essentially, they are the same. If you come to experience our show, you will not know what to expect. If days are bright, our performance shall be bright. If they are dark, it will be dark. In any case, we will tell you stories: those you’ve missed in a world where no bed time stories are told anymore, or those which have never been told before.

Biography:

Cellar Darling was formed by Anna Murphy (vocals, hurdy-gurdy), Merlin Sutter (drums) and Ivo Henzi (guitars & bass) in the summer of 2016. The trio has previously been part of the core of Switzerland's most successful metal band to date, Eluveitie, touring the world in 45+ countries on 6 continents for over a decade, and forming a bond that could overcome any adversity.
Anna, Ivo & Merlin have turned the departure from their old band into a new beginning, and have moved on to make their own music, while continuing the spirit of musical innovation they have become known for. Cellar Darling’s music is an epic, theatric combination of Ivo’s grand, heavy riffs, Merlin’s energetic drumming, and Anna’s unique, both powerful and fragile voice. Their sound is shaped by the hurdy-gurdy, with its signature folky, earthy tones, and their lyrics tell stories and tales both old and new, true to the band's stated mission: the reinvention of folk tales for our modern age as the very essence of what they once were.

With their very first release, the single ‘Challenge’, along with the bonus track ‘Fire, Wind & Earth’, released in September 2016 after an intense creative retreat, Cellar Darling is already breaking the boundaries between musical genres, blending rock, metal, and folky melodies into a powerful mix.

Cellar Darling are currently working on their debut album, scheduled for release in 2017.

​"We have fallen. We have screamed. We have battled. We found strength. We will overcome.

‘Challenge’ is about an inner struggle, a battle you are fighting against yourself and the world. It is you, screaming at yourself in the mirror and getting high on new found strength. It is failing, overcoming and achieving. The bipolar dance that is life.

The song is inspired by a visual image that crept into Anna’s head during what felt like a period tainted with recurring downfall and getting back up again. The music accompanying this image is a symbiosis of dance and combat, sweet and angry.

​“Challenge is about an inner struggle, a battle you are fighting against yourself and the world. It is you, screaming at yourself in the mirror and getting high on new found strength. It is failing, overcoming and achieving. The bipolar dance that is life."

‘Fire, Wind & Earth’ was written recorded in the same sweaty summer sessions. The idea for the intro riff was stuck in Ivo’s head for a long time. As soon as all of Cellar Darling started working together on it, the whole song just evolved naturally. The result is a very straightforward and furious song, both musically and lyrically!"

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“For over 12 years we got to do what we love most in the world, and when it all fell apart one faithful day last summer, we were as stunned as our fans. Eluveitie was our life, having toured the world many times over, meeting fans in all corners of the planet...

What we are left with is the overwhelming support from the best fans in the world, as well as incredible creativity, drive, and the desire to share with the world what we have in store for the future. Friendship and support have helped us through a very dark period, filled with anguish and uncertainty, and we are thankful to both our fans, and the colleagues and friends who came through for us – you know who you are.

"What we are left with is the overwhelming support from the best fans in the world, as well as incredible creativity, drive, and the desire to share with the world what we have in store for the future."

One thing that never ceased, is the music flowing in our veins. The three of us have helped each other up and have channeled all that energy into these two songs. We’ve stepped up to the challenge that life threw at us. We are looking forward to continuing our musical journey with you all. For your friendship, we will reward you thousandfold!"

- Anna, Ivo & Merlin