Vancouver, BC progressive metal project SWANWRITER explores broken trust and longing in the new single, “betrayal”. The track arrives ahead of the second full-length album, melodies of despair, set to release independently on June 26, 2026.
On “betrayal”, project founder Koda shares, “The narrator in the song suffers a betrayal after trusting the other person with their life. Still, they continue to wait in vain, hoping that the other person will return. This single is my experiment to make a long prog metal track from the album into a 4-minute song with a more conventional structure.”
Compositionally, “betrayal” is structured around a haunting piano melody that carries across the track. Koda’s lead vocal melody rises and falls alongside enhancing the somber mood. A sense of longing is magnified through the lead guitar line that gently joins the steady and established instrumental arrangement. An abrupt explosion into heavy distortion and intense rhythms unveils further depth of emotion and heightening within the narrative.
The longest track on the album, the lyrics for “betrayal” derive from a horror game called “The Witch’s House”. Following the protagonist’s journey, in which she has entrusted her life to her best friend, the game’s narrative leads to a path of betrayal.
SWANWRITER leans further into dynamic contrasts both across “betrayal” and melodies of despair more widely. The music throughout aptly conveys moments of intimacy while also blending seamlessly each track’s narratives and themes into the sound.
melodies of despair was produced and mixed by Koda, mastered by Roland Rodas, and features cover artwork by 無た｡ / muta.
About SWANWRITER:
SWANWRITER is a dark progressive metal project based in Vancouver, British Columbia, created and performed entirely by the anonymous multi-instrumentalist known as Koda. Formed in 2023, the project emerged from a desire to merge progressive metal songwriting with classical composition, atmospheric storytelling, and emotionally driven arrangements.
Having studied classical piano from an early age before later discovering extreme metal, Koda developed SWANWRITER as a space to explore long-form composition without stylistic limitation. The music draws influence from progressive and experimental metal alongside classical composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin, resulting in compositions that emphasize dynamics, texture, and narrative pacing.
SWANWRITER debuted with There is a darkness in June 2023, establishing a sound centered on extended song structures, melodic development, and cinematic atmosphere. Rather than focusing on technical exhibition, the project prioritizes mood, storytelling, and cohesion across full-length releases.
Themes throughout SWANWRITER’s work often intersect with psychological horror, melancholy, and introspection, shaped in part by inspiration from horror games, film soundtracks, and dark ambient music. Each release is approached as a complete artistic statement, with careful attention given to sequencing, emotional progression, and sonic detail.
Operating independently, SWANWRITER remains a studio-focused project, with future ambitions that include composing music for horror and narrative-driven media.
Connect with SWANWRITER:
Bandcamp: https://swanwriter.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanwritermusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swanwritermusic/
X / Twitter: https://x.com/swanwritermusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@swanwriter
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6unE9CWOXt5c4UIiaHD5RR
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/swanwriter/1686779640
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@swanwritermusic
melodies of despair Track List:
- the painted valley
- labyrinth
- girl on the wall
- waltz of the lost ghosts
- betrayal
- phobia