Dave French is preparing to release Secrets Of A Krummholz Heart, the debut full-length from his long-developing solo project, SEMANTRON. Set for release on July 10th in both digital and vinyl formats, the album’s first single, “At The Feet Of Friendship,” serves as a powerful introduction to the project’s atmospheric and nature-driven identity.

Best known in the metal world for his work with YOB, French has also collaborated throughout his career with names such as Steve Von Till, Harvestman, and Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth. SEMANTRON, however, stands apart as a far more personal creative outlet — one French has been shaping for years across endless tours, hotel rooms, and quiet moments immersed in nature.

The foundation of the album was recorded in an isolated cabin near Mount Adams in Washington State. French tracked the acoustic guitar foundations there before completing the remaining drums, bass, vocals, and electric guitar parts between his personal studio and YOB’s rehearsal space. The recordings incorporate not only traditional instrumentation, but also environmental sounds including wind, bird calls, clashing stones, and cracking ice. This approach emerges as one of the defining elements behind the album’s meditative and organic atmosphere.

According to French, “At The Feet Of Friendship” stands as a symbolic piece dedicated to the concept of friendship itself. The track layers numerous sounds captured from nature, intertwining them with guitars, synthesizers, and drums to create a ritualistic sonic framework.

Consisting of six tracks, Secrets Of A Krummholz Heart is being described not merely as a side project, but as the first major chapter of French’s creative identity — one he has quietly cultivated for nearly four decades. The album’s musical direction is said to resonate closely with the atmospheric and experimental spirit of acts such as Pink Floyd, Dead Can Dance, and Earth.

Alongside the album’s release, SEMANTRON will also perform a handful of special live shows. Dave French is set to appear with a full band at the project’s Seattle release show on July 10th, before performing a series of solo sets in August as part of Steve Von Till’s live dates.

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