CHVE (Colin H. van Eeckhout of Amenra) signs to Relapse Records

Colin H. van Eeckhout, known as the vocalist of Amenra, has signed a deal with Relapse Records for the release of a solo album in 2024. His solo project, CHVE, features the use of the hurdy-gurdy and various percussion instruments, delving into a more introspective and vulnerable space. 

Additionally, Colin will be featured in the film "Skunk," premiering at Filmfestival Oostende on January 27, 2024. The movie has received accolades, being recognized as one of the top films of Spring 2024 by De Standaard newspaper in Belgium.

The official press release continues:

As the vocalist of Belgian post-metal collective Amenra, Colin H. van Eeckhout is known for his ability to connect with listeners, and to guide them on Amenra's transformative path to healing. With his solo work as CHVE, he gets to tell his own story – one that aims to take the listener deep within themselves, to tap into something primal that dwells in us all.

Colin began writing his solo music 14 years ago, but he didn't set out with that specific intention in mind – it happened organically. After buying a hurdy gurdy with Amenra guitarist Lennart Bossu, Colin began experimenting with the sounds it could make. Before he knew it, he had made almost enough music for an album.

Colin says:

I'm a very emotive person: I judge and work with feeling. I was trying to speak through the instrument, and finding how to squeeze emotion out of it. I think it's interesting to see what you can get out of an instrument without learning to play it first, because then you work with it in a very honest, direct way.

Though I wasn't planning on doing a solo album, I've been in bands since my teens, and there's always that question mark if you're in a band: what would your personal story be, and what would it sound like?

For Colin, CHVE represents the opportunity for full creative freedom: to experiment with sound without any limitations, and to embrace the vulnerability that comes with creating alone. The hypnotic music of CHVE is almost mind-altering, as the droning repetitions of the hurdy gurdy, various percussions and effects meld with the soft otherworldliness of Colin's voice. Though not in the metal realm, the music contains a weight and heaviness on a par with that of Amenra.

 Colin explains:

With your main band, there are a lot of boxes and expectations to check. If you're alone, you can do whatever you want. But in a way, the solo work takes more out of me. Suddenly when I'm on my own, everything falls on me. That's very confrontational. I had a fear of failure as a kid, and that stays installed in you. But when it succeeds and you're able to build something, it feeds your self-worth.