Crystal Lake has released the double A-side single titled “Denial // Rebirth” on June 23, in conjunction with two impactful music videos for the tracks.

Notably, “Denial // Rebirth” marks the band’s first single featuring the new vocalist, John Robert C, following the departure of former vocalist Ryo in 2022, due to mental disorder.

While Denial‘s music video was released back on June 16, the song itself is only 90 seconds. From my personal perspective and interpretation, it functions more as an introduction for the second song, Rebirth, which release date coincided with the single’s release date.

The music video for Rebirth showcases the band’s signature intensity and combines that with a visually stunning narrative, taking help from INNI VISION, which is known for directing sophisticated and tasteful videos.

Watch the two music videos right after each other, beginning with Denial, then Rebirth:

What I noticed was that the core of Crystal Lake remains intact; however, certain elements such as melody and sentimentality—which were previously emphasized by Ryo—are now less prominent. Similar observations can be found throughout the rerecording, concert clips, and “covers” that we’ve seen so far of John. Although, this is still only a small sample size to go by!

As a whole, it serves as a monumental moment in the band’s history, signifying its revitalization and the beginning of a new era.

As a big fan of Crystal Lake myself, I do feel a little bittersweet about the development, but I’m glad that the band didn’t deter and continued on its journey with a new skilled vocalist.

The spot as the vocalist of Crystal Lake is well-earned by John, who went through an extensive six-month audition dubbed “THE LIGHT“, competing against 251 other contenders. Amongst the talented pool of candidates, John emerged as the chosen member, officially solidifying his role in Crystal Lake.

Guitarist YD has previously expressed his excitement about the band’s evolution, stating “through ups and downs, the band has become stronger”. YD is the sole original member since Crystal Lake’s inception in 2002, following guitarist Shinya’s departure from the band in 2020.

We look forward to seeing what Crystal Lake has in store for us!