Shunkan - "Hellbound"

Shunkan’s latest single, “Hellbound,” is a mammoth, heavy track that reintroduces the Los Angeles-based artist with no reservations. The song builds upon the darker offerings heard on her 2023 EP, She Nods, and represents a significant evolution from the more sonically subdued offerings on her 2019 full-length, Cumberland Falls. “Hellbound” is weighty in its raw, emotional subtext and sludgy instrumentation. 

Marina Sakimoto, the songwriter behind the project, shared that “Hellbound” represents “an initial descent into a transformative period for me. There’s that space in your life where you start sensing something may not be the best for you, but the allure of it keeps you around because… what else do you have to lose? Nihilism—mixed with a lost sense of identity—is one hell of a drug.” The track evokes post-apocalyptic feelings for this listener. The scene it sets in my head is one of fire, brimstone, and thick heat emanating from dark asphalt. And as Sakimoto implies, new beginnings can rise from the ashes.

“Hellbound” is the lead single from Shunkan’s forthcoming album, Kamikaze Girl, which is set for release in May via Ritefield Records. You can pre-order the record on vinyl via their website. You can also purchase “Hellbound” via Bandcamp or stream it on your platform of choice. Keep up with Shunkan via Instagram.