The newest collaborative release from French-trio featuring the members of Locrian, Holy Circle, Axebreaker is available now via Arsenic Solaris.
“You get everything. Noise, Ambient, World Music, Classical and Neoclassical. If you like your music challenging, like to listen around the bend – then check out the collaboration between Brutalism and Toru. It will bend your mind!” – Veil of Sound
Track-list:
1 . Witches’ Cliff
2 . Deconstruction of Interior Voids
3 . The Lantern of Darkness
In a rare meeting of minds and sonic sensibilities, French instrumental trio Toru and Baltimore-based solo project Brutalism (Terence Hannum of Locrian, Holy Circle, Axebreaker) present a new split LP, set for release on May 2nd, 2025 via the French label Arsenic Solaris. What began as a spontaneous recording session in France evolved into a transatlantic collaboration rooted in intuition, texture, and mutual admiration. Toru had just completed their second album, ‘Velours Dévorant,’ when they returned to the studio with no fixed plans—only an impulse to create.
Reflecting on the creation and visual concept of the split, Arthur (Toru) shares: “Shortly after recording our second album, ‘Velours Dévorant,’ we felt this strong momentum and a need to stay in that creative headspace. The track ‘Witches’ Cliff’ emerged from that session, and its long format felt perfect for a split release.” Over two intense days, the trio—Héloïse (guitar, Marseille), Nicolas (drums/percussion, Nice), and Arthur (8-string guitar, Lyon)—built a single, 22-minute composition titled ‘Witches’ Cliff.
“Around that same period, we stumbled upon Terence’s sculpture ‘Bouquet,’ which ended up on the cover of ‘Velours Dévorant.’ – continues Arthur. “This marked the beginning of a fruitful connection. Toru later approached Terence with the idea of a split LP, which he gladly accepted—bringing this unique transatlantic collaboration to life.” Layer by layer, Toru summoned a dense sonic journey, fusing ambient minimalism, electroacoustic techniques, and ritualistic doom into a single immersive arc. The piece captures their raw, intuitive process—equal parts improvisation and cohesion.
On Side B, Brutalism responds with two new tracks that seamlessly blur the lines between atmospheric black metal, ambient, shoegaze, and field recordings. With sonic roots in the architecture of decay, Brutalism’s contribution evokes immense concrete structures and the emotional weight they carry—raw, brutal, and hauntingly beautiful. Founded in 2019 by multi-disciplinary artist Terence Hannum, the project released its debut ‘The Charged Void’ via Annihilvs and Cloister, gaining recognition for its stark emotional depth and genre-defying form.
The record’s visual identity is just as collaborative: the cover features Arthur’s photographs taken in French Guiana: “it shows sand streaked with dark effluents from the Amazon River, while the back cover captures the lush jungle surroundings of an abandoned rum distillery,” shares Arthur. The layout and editing were handled by Terence himself, merging both artists’ visions into a cohesive artifact.