Impure Wilhelmina present “Électricité noire”, the first single taken from their forthcoming studio album “Le sanglot”. The track introduces the record’s emotional and conceptual core, standing as both an ode to rock music and a meditation on its enduring cathartic force.
Opening with a massive and haunting arpeggio, “Électricité noire” gradually unfolds into a surge of raw energy. A solitary voice emerges within the composition to remind the listener that rock itself is a form of dark electricity. Through performance and expression, sorrow is allowed to speak. In a world that appears fractured and unstable, the song frames music as a necessary outlet for anger, grief and disillusionment.
Accompanying the release is a music video directed by Steven Blatter (Prog-Pics), built around the physical immediacy of performance. Filmed with the band playing the track in a stripped and direct setting, the visual reflects the song’s focus on the raw force of music itself.
Watch the video for “Électricité noire” below.
Within the broader narrative of “Le sanglot”, the track occupies a crucial position. Conceived as the sonic equivalent of a sob, the album observes the world through a stark lens, confronting ugliness, mediocrity and quiet violence. Yet the opening movement carried by “Électricité noire” also hints at the possibility of grace, establishing the fragile tension between darkness and light that runs throughout the record.
“Le sanglot” is out on May 22nd, 2026, via Season of Mist.
Available Formats:
• CD Digipak
• Digital Download
• Various 12” Vinyl Editions
Pre-order & pre-save “Le sanglot” here.
Tracklist:
1. Électricité noire (5:01)
2. Cent mille plaies (3:43)
3. Abîme (6:26)
4. Larmes de joie (5:02)
5. Dévoreur d’étoiles (6:00)
6. Train mort (4:03)
7. Frelon ivre (4:40)
8. Blanche réalité (5:35)
9. Demain J’abandonne (4:04)
10. À Jamais radieuse (5:52)
Born from Geneva, Switzerland’s thriving alternative music scene, Impure Wilhelmina has been developing a truly unique blend of sound over the years, somewhere in between metal and progressive-tinged dark rock. The band’s distinctive style is dense, melodic and deeply melancholic, brought to life by introspective lyrics both profoundly humane and chilling, infused with raw emotion.
Impure Wilhelmina was founded in 1996 and made a name for itself in the early 2000s, with a series of iconic albums – “I Can’t Believe I was Born in July” (2003) and “L’amour, la mort, l’enfance perdue” (2005) along with several European tours. Little by little, the quartet led by guitarist and vocalist Michael Schindl won over the hearts of a now loyal fan base, who appreciate how the band turns dark themes into a universe of healing sound.
Impure Wilhelmina’s story is also one of perpetual renewal. The band’s sound has evolved from its gritty beginnings to more mature, melodic productions driven by clear magnetic vocals. “Black Honey” (2014), “Radiation” (2017) and “Antidote” (2021), widely appraised by critics, pushed horizons further yet for the band, signed to the label Season of Mist since 2015.
Throughout the years, Impure Wilhelmina has played hundreds of shows across Europe, performing at underground venues and large festivals alike, including opening for icons such as Gojira, Baroness, Amenra, Sólstafir and Crippled Black Phoenix.
Since 2023, the band has been working on its next album to follow “Antidote”. The process is enriched by the arrival of new guitarist Edouard Nicod, joining Sébastien Dutruel (bass), Mario Togni (drums) and Michael Schindl (guitar and vocals). Their new album entitled “Le sanglot”, set to be released by Season of Mist in 2026, will showcase the band’s next radical yet organically logical transformation: lyrics entirely in French, unleashing dimensions of sound you wouldn’t expect, with renewed creative energy.
«Rescapé de l’ancien monde, touché par la grâce»
Line-up:
Michael Schindl — Vocals, Guitar
Mario Togni — Drums
Sébastien Dutruel — Bass
Edouard Nicod — Guitar
Production Credits:
Recorded at Kitchen Studio, Geneva, Switzerland.
Produced, engineered & mixed by Yvan Bing at Kitchen Studio, except for track 9, recorded by Serge Morattel at Rec Studio.
Mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.
Recording Line-up:
Michael Schindl — Vocals, Guitar
Mario Togni — Drums
Sébastien Dutruel — Bass
Edouard Nicod — Guitar
Guest Musician:
Marion Leclercq (Mütterlein) on the track 6, “Train Mort”
Cover Art: Giganto
Photography: Mehdi Benkler
