Anonymous author and songwriter KIRIL releases literary debut album, The Fool and the Wyrm.

By Graeme Smith

The Fool and the Wyrm is not for the faint-hearted. In a world of shallow optimism, KIRIL cuts right to the wick with an extended tale of pessimism, and a questioning of the value of life. It’s his attempt to balance his Christian upbringing and the world in which he lives.

Opening track The Man in the Study pairs low, droning notes and distorted vocals that instantly gives us an idea of the experimental nature of how the album has been put together. Yet, cutting though it is a certain pop brightness that serves as a welcoming balm. When the vocals come in, they are pleading, reminiscent of the best of ’90s and ’00s emo folk. As a lover of the genre, I was immediately hooked.

The imagery in KIRIL’s lyrics is simply breath-taking. Poetry and emotion mingle to paint pictures in the mind and stir the heart. A lot of it is visceral, and the album feels all the more authentic as a result. Cattle is a particularly sorrowful moment, yet the cinematic instrumental tempers things, and I found it cathartic.

That cinematic feel carries through to Last Feast of Harlequin, an early highlight. A Philosophy of Redemption is another highlight – raw, minimal and heart-breaking. It starts a trend of intimate, ambient moments including Georgia, Rags and Festivals of Greater Masks before the latter builds things back up to a desperate crescendo. Greatness of the Ransom injects some dramatic piano before the album is rounded off by the tender Divine as Massacrist and acoustic vignette Silence in Heaven.

They don’t write them like this anymore. While there certainly will be those who don’t wish to share in the gloominess of KIRIL’s outlook, those who relate will revel in this album. If you’ve ever found yourself lost or questioning in life, then this is your soundtrack.

The Fool and the Wyrm is set for release 23 September 2024.