BlackRain are releasing their brand new single “If This Is Love” today — an emotion-filled power ballad that delves into the struggles of a romantic relationship on the verge of turning toxic. The track will appear on the band’s upcoming album, Orphan of the Light, scheduled for release on February 27, 2026.
Originally, BlackRain had planned to reuse an unreleased older song, “Singin’ Out”. Although the track was ultimately deemed unsuitable for the artistic direction of the new album, it won’t be entirely discarded: it will be included as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of Hot Rock Time Machine. Faced with this decision, the band had to urgently craft a brand-new ballad… and that’s how “If This Is Love” was born — a song that immediately stood out as the obvious choice.
“We believe a real hard-rock album must always include its ballad. It’s part of the genre’s DNA. We had ‘Singin’ Out’ ready to go, but it no longer fit the spirit of Orphan of the Light*. So we wrote ‘If This Is Love’ very quickly… and from the very first listen, everyone knew it was the right track.”*
— Swan Hellion, vocalist of BlackRain
As usual, BlackRain entrusted the music video to Matthieu de la Roche — not only the band’s long-time director, but also their bass player. This double role allows him to capture the band’s visual and emotional identity with unique precision.
The new video dives into a dense, mysterious, and cinematic world, enriched with unapologetic references to David Lynch — an aesthetic BlackRain is particularly fond of.
“With BlackRain, we often play with symbols, subliminal images, or nods to our influences. For this video, we used some Lynch-inspired elements that fans might recognize… and I even hid a few visuals for those who enjoy digging deeper.”
— Matthieu de la Roche, bassist and director
A release timed for the holiday season
The band openly embraces the decision to unveil their ballad now, a period traditionally favourable to this kind of song. BlackRain had already tapped into this wintery sensitivity when they released the ballad “Nobody But You”, which received an enthusiastic response at the time.
Discover “If This Is Love”:
