Raphael Weinroth-Browne – Lifeblood: Album Review

By Mike Ainscoe on 7th October 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

Raphael Weinroth-Browne takes his cello – and plays. Be prepped for something special.

Release Date: 3rd October 2025

Format: digital / CD / double vinyl

CELLO GALORE

There seems to be a bit of a cello thing going on of late. Jo Quail’s Notan has recently fallen under the ATB spotlight as often does her association with much of the Doom Metal crowd. Raphael of course is known to us through similar lines in his work with Norwegian titans Leprous, yet both find time for their own solo ventures alongside their session demands.

While Jo takes on a more atmospheric and apocalyptic approach, Raphael follows up 2020’s World’s Within with a collection that contrasts her often eerie atmospheres with more classical and ethnic influences. Looking particularly ominous with the intense red saturation and snake imagery, there’s a strongly imposing sense of richness to add a visual accompaniment to the haunting and aching ambience of Lifeblood.

An album Raphael describes as “my most autobiographical work to date. As a metalhead turned full-time cellist making original music outside the classical realm, I’ve taken the road less travelled.“

A SEDUCTIVE OPENING

The title track breaks free with a winding presence as a gentle hypnotic pulse emerges and accompanies an increasingly busy arrangement. Hard to believe that almost nine minutes pass and rather than let the album flow, the temptation may be to simply rewind and start again. A track that’s a seductive opening to a set which is built on sounds produced using just an acoustic cello, amplifiers, and effects pedals, with the exception of a barely registering bass drum adding some depth to the haunting journey in Pyre and Nethereal.

A ethnic and spiralling frenzy in Possession is a vibe picked up on with Ophidian. The dense sawing pattern (which might be an overly simple way of describing it) has Raphael suddenly earning the tag of the Seth Lakeman (Dartmoor inspired folk musician) of the cello, particularly when he heads into a cello shredding section. Any thoughts that a solo cello trip might be a trial are dispersed within the opening ten minutes.

AMBITIOUS REALMS

The effects board comes into play as the opening minutes of the ambitious realms of Nethereal are built on an insistent percussive pattern before the remainder sees an patiently built journey. One that takes a breather before launching into a swirl that sees controlled restraint (imagine much hair thrashing) and unleashed passion that conjures up romantic visions and candlelit tristes in darkened Venetian halls.

Labyrinthine contributes another composition that adds to the album’s more visual qualities. An arrangement where the transitions between moods sees another ten minutes of an arrangement fly by. A less is more quality is represented on Winterlight that eases in its way with the most gossamer of subtlety. Alongside the waves of bowed notes and the sadness that seems to pervade Glimmering, they add a contemplative air to bring down the curtain on proceedings.

SOLO? CELLO?

There could be some who might scoff at the prospect of a solo cello album. All instrumental!? No singing!? Oh ye of little faith. Take on the challenge and wallow in the opportunity to absorb the dark yet euphoric qualities of the cello played out by a craftsman.

Here’s the video for Possession: