ANA
Title:Motivated By Death
Label:Eclispe Records
Release Date:29/05/2026
In the year of riffs and ridiculous egos, when the world was drowning in beige music and boring stage clothes, a crack split open in the sky.
Not a holy crack. Not a cosmic crack.More like the universe rolling its eyes and saying:
“Fine. You Mother Fuckers need help!
Through that tear strutted ANA, not walking, not floating, but runway‑stomping like the apocalypse had a dress code.
At the front: Anna Khristenko, the deity of couture carnage, voice sharp enough to slice a god in half.
Behind her, the masked super‑humans:
Josh Mak, guitar sorcerer and part‑time architect of sonic doom.
Cody Lamb, bass brute, shaking tectonic plates for fun.
Cleveland drummer and certified thunder technician.
Mark Shi, keys wizard, summoner of cinematic chaos.
Together, they forged the eight‑chapter scripture known as Motivated By Death a holy book for people who wear black even in summer.
Opening with my absolute favourite, "Hate Me" the prophecy begins with a slap. Khristenko snarls like she’s reading hate mail from the universe and loving every second. Josh’s guitar answers with: “Yeah, keep talking. See what happens.” Its an amazing start hellishly delightful with more attitude than a pissed off cobra in a lake of fire! "Shadow of Life" Mark paints the sky with ghost‑light while Cody rumbles like a stomach full of regret. The message: Live now, you beautiful disaster.
"You Loved Me More Than I Love Myself " Is a ballad so raw it should come with a warning label. Anna opens her chest, shows you the scar, and then sings like she’s daring it to bleed again.
chases ghosts, Cleveland chases tempo, and the whole band chases your emotions with a butterfly net dipped in venom.
As "Following The Wind" beats and batters your senses its an immense tune as is the whole album but this with the opening track is a firm favourites of mine. "Eyes of a Child" a symphonic masterpiece as the guys turns everything into a memory you didn’t know you had.
Toxic romance but make it couture. As "Sick Love" spills out of your speakers the vocals are mesmeric as the groove that feels like a heartbeat on the edge of a bad decision.
"Papa" The emotional nuke. the band holds the world still, and suddenly you’re crying in a leather jacket.This track hits harder than your rent.
Final track "Aerials" (The Reforging)ANA take a classic and rebuild it like a luxury skyscraper made of sorrow and steel.
It’s reverent, radiant, and unmistakably theirs.
🖤
When the last note fades, the prophecy seals itself with a wink and a knife: “Death motivates the weak. Death inspires the brave.
Death fuels ANA.”
This isn’t an album.
It’s a couture‑metal initiation ritual. A cosmic fashion show where the models fight back.A prophecy delivered with venom, humour, and enough theatrical fire to light up Melbourne and the world for a decade.
Review: Seb Di Gatto Reviewed :25/05/2026
Score:10/10
Track Listing:
1.Hate Me
2.Shadow of Life
3.You Loved Me More than I Loved Myself
4.Following the Wind
5.Eyes of a Child
6.Sick Love
7.Papa
8.Aerials (System of A Down cover)
Band Lineup:
Anna Khristenko (Vocals), Josh Mak (Guitar), Cody Lamb (Bass), Cleveland (Drums) and Mark Shi (Keys)
