Photographer Laura Meek
We have reviewed a couple of previous releases by Alas de Liona before. But, especially as we have been quiet this Halloween (distracted I think by the loss of Ace Frehley) the fact that she released a halloween style single on October 25 made it hard to resist for me.
Let me share the press release:
Following the release of her ethereal, introspective and widely lauded record “Gravity of Gold” in September 2024, Alas de Liona brought out her bombastic Halloween single ‘For Forever’ and an accompanying “Lost Boys” 80s-themed video, written and directed by the singer-songwriter herself. Feeling like the initial release was rushed, Alas has decided to give the track its time to shine for 2025 and has been promoting it throughout October.
Reminiscent of Wolf Alice and Sharon Van Etten, the drama-filled single explores immortality through the perspective of a brooding vampire, showcasing Alas’ signature elegant vocals and imaginative songwriting. ‘For Forever’ was tailor-made for her favourite holiday season and also offers a glimpse into ‘Vespertina’, an upcoming vampire-related project currently in the works…
Alas de Liona: “While I can’t give too much detail on this project right now, I can say that it’s not just music I’m working on, but there will be (if all goes according to plan) at least a Vampire EP, if not a full vampire album by this time next year.”
The gloomy single explores immortality through the perspective of a brooding vampire. Showcasing Alas’ signature elegant vocals and imaginative songwriting, this track was tailor-made for her favourite holiday season and also offers a glimpse into ‘Vespertina’, which she speaks about below…
Alas de Liona: “The single is part of a larger, vampire-related project, into which I’m pouring a lot of energy. While I can’t give too much detail on that right now, I can say that it’s not just music I’m working on, but there will be (if all goes according to plan) at least a Vampire EP, if not a full vampire album by this time next year.”
2025 has been a little less hectic for Alas, spending a few months seeing family back in California, but still finding time to perform at North Berwick’s Fringe by the Sea and for her own show at Edinburgh’s Leith Depot.
Also coming up is the release of a unique music collaboration by Studio Faire Play, featuring Alas, Viktoria Grynenko, a Ukrainian violinist now living in Canada and Sacha Lattuca, a pianist from Palermo. The musicians spent 3 days collaborating at Studio Faire, a creative’s residency in the south of France, and performed as a trio on the final day, the recording of which will be released on 7th November.
My review: You will enjoy this one. I had a listen (and a watch of the video) suitably late at night with the wind in the trees outside. Alas has got a great voice and plays with that Gothic imagery in her delivery. There is a haunting element to it, a touch of Enya in her style. For me, this is a song for the darker days and the cold fingers of winter, folk combining nicely with the vampiric imagery; if a genre existed for vampire folk then this would sit there!
Let me give a summary, Alas de Liona is back to claim Halloween as her own with “For Forever”—a hauntingly beautiful slice of vampire folk (yes, that should be a genre and I’m trademarking it here and now lol). With her ethereal vocals and gothic edge, this track is pure moonlit magic—best enjoyed with a storm outside and maybe a glass of red… 🍷🦇 Expect chills, charm, and the promise of a full vampire project on the horizon.
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Stream music from Alas de Liona here
By Anna-Louise Burgess 043520