Origin: Russia
Location: Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai
Formed: 2020
Status: Changed name (active as Слёзы Серого Кота since 2024)
Genre: Atmospheric / Depressive Black Metal
Label: Independent
Themes: Not officially listed
Years active: 2020–2024 (as Failan), 2024–present (as Слёзы Серого Кота — “Tears of a Gray Cat”)
Failan was an atmospheric/depressive black metal project from Krasnoyarsk, active between 2020 and 2024 before changing its name to Слёзы Серого Кота. Entirely composed and performed by a single musician, the project embraced a deeply personal, melancholic style rooted in lo‑fi production, sorrowful melodies, and themes of emotional fragility. Failan’s music often blended atmospheric black metal with depressive black metal aesthetics, creating a sound that felt intimate, wounded, and introspective.
The project emerged in 2020 with a burst of creativity, releasing multiple works within the same year. The single Naughty Child on the Edge of a Volcano and the EP Dreamers introduced Failan’s raw, emotionally charged style—minimalistic riffs, distant screams, and a sense of fragile melancholy. The full‑length Astorids and the demo Evil Deeds of the Coven expanded this early vision, weaving depressive atmospheres with ambient textures. The demo Разлука and the full‑length One Story further solidified Failan’s identity as a solitary, emotionally expressive project, often exploring themes of loss, longing, and inner collapse.
In 2021, Failan continued its prolific output with the single Empty Promise, the demo Memories of Her Lips, Tribute to Her Tears, and the EP Sore. These releases deepened the project’s depressive black metal elements, incorporating more melodic phrasing and a stronger sense of emotional narrative. The full‑length Last Desire (2021) became one of the project’s defining works, capturing a blend of sorrow, nostalgia, and atmospheric bleakness that resonated with listeners drawn to raw, heartfelt black metal.
After a period of silence, the compilation Unreleased/demos appeared in 2024, gathering rare and unfinished material that documented the project’s creative evolution. That same year, Failan officially changed its name to Слёзы Серого Кота (“Tears of a Gray Cat”), signaling a new artistic chapter while maintaining the same emotional core and musical direction.
Despite its underground status and minimal public presence, Failan cultivated a small but dedicated following within the Russian depressive and atmospheric black metal scene. Its music remains a testament to solitary expression—fragile, melancholic, and deeply personal.
Final lineup (Failan)