This week’s Heavy Music HQ reviews includes releases from Acherontas, Amalekim, Black Honey Cult, Bleed, Crematory, Encelado, A Flock Named Murder, Hate, Maestrick, Misfire, Namebearer, Nightfall, Palantyr, Paradise Slaves and Strega.
The ratings are on a 5-star scale.
Acherontas – Nekyia – The Necromantic Patterns (Zazen)
Acherontas, now stylized as Αχέροντας since 2021, have evolved significantly in their exploration of occultism and hermeticism concepts. Their deepening understanding of these concepts has transformed them into truly fearsome yet wise black metal alchemists. With their tenth album Νekyia – The Necromantic Patterns, Acherontas have not just delivered a statement but a revelation: the occult is no longer merely a theme — it’s a lava-like elixir from which the fiery spirit of their music drinks in bold, consuming gulps.
Νekyia, without a doubt, stands as one of the band’s most significant works to date, if not their magnum opus. The six- to eight-minute pieces are meticulously crafted to facilitate dynamic emotional shifts, leading to an epic climax that evokes a terrifying spectacle of the rise and presence of all demonic and darkest forces. Yet, they also manage to stir passion in the listener with their emotional melodies. Νekyia – The Necromantic Patterns is an exceptional Orthodox black metal release, delivered in an undeniably forceful, intense, and epic unorthodox manner.
Rating: 4
(Arash Khosronejad)
Amalekim – Shir Hashirim (Avantgarde)
Amalekim deliver Shir Hashirim as a classic black metal mystery, akin to what we’ve come to expect from bands hailing from places like Iceland. However, the band pushes further, adopting a more direct and melodic approach here — one that reminds me more of acts like Gaerea.
There’s a cathartic energy present without relying on the excessive minimalism that many others in the genre overuse. The album is a consistent effort, keeping the listener engaged from start to finish. As much as I appreciate a black metal album with an intriguing occult aesthetic, it’s important to note that Amalekim aren’t breaking new ground here. Rather, they’re skillfully blending different influences into a solid and reliable sound, though they’re not reinventing the wheel. Still, it’s a thrilling ride into unnamed horrors.
Rating: 3.5
(Carlos Tirado)
Black Honey Cult – Black Honey Cult (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Coming from the mind of Lords Of Altamont frontman Jake Cavaliere comes Black Honey Cult, a new project blending the styles of The Velvet Underground and The 13th Floor Elevators. What started as just an idea fifteen years ago, has been brought to life into a dark, atmospheric listen of a self titled debut album.
Though Black Honey Cult may be a new project, the sound and overall tone are right on par with Cavaliere’s Lords Of Altamont. The psychedelic twist to the post-punk genre makes for a unique blend that is not all the commonplace in the genre and leads to tracks like “LSD and Me” and “Golden Dragon” stand out among her contemporaries. For fans of the post-punk or similar genres, Black Honey Cult will be a nice addition to the genre and it will be interesting to see any future works that come from the band.
Rating: 3.5
(Dalton Husher)
Bleed – Bleed (20 Buck Spin)
Evoking the sounds of the late ‘90s and early oughts with their alternative metal sounds, Dallas’ Bleed ready their attack with a self-titled debut. Their 2021 EP Somebody’s Closer brought about sounds similar to Deftones and Helmet than it did anything that would resemble popular nu metal bands and for that we are thankful. Album opener “Climbing Down” has a few record scratches mixed in, but the overall atmosphere is heavy and sounds vaguely like shoegaze, emphasizing massive riffs to bring this whole package together.
Ryan Hughes’ vocals are ethereal, transcending the heaviness with their innate beauty, all while the guitars and drums crash around them, providing the perfect night driving type of album. Give one listen to “Killing Time” and tell me that I’m wrong. “Enjoy Your Stay” is another memorable track; you can feel the band jumping up and down with their guitars to help you “get up!” as the drums bounce around creating a fun and transcendent atmosphere, all while being able to bring the overt heaviness back abruptly. It’s what Bleed do so well. By providing a fresh take to classic alternative metal by way of shoegaze, Bleed’s chaotic yet resplendent debut is the exact kind of retro shot in the arm we needed.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
Crematory – Destination (Rock Of Angels)
With their latest effort Destination, Crematory have now released 17 albums in over 30 years of existence. And to be honest, the music hasn’t changed much – it’s still that dark death metal with gothic electronic sounds. This album is very song-oriented and while it’s often enjoyable, you also get the impression that the band is running out of steam.
A cover version of Type-O-Negative’s “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend” fits Crematory’s music style like a glove. “Banished Forever” is a well-written song with some cool guitar licks. And “Days Without Sun” is a fun and catchy song. Apart from all that, the lead vocals generally feel weak and unconvincing. Destination does have its moments but it’s not the band’s best work.
Rating: 3
(Chris Galea)
Encelado – Pillars Of Creation (Regenerate)
Death metal has gone through so many iterations that a single review couldn’t cover them all, but Encelado’s debut EP Pillars Of Creation won’t have that problem. This is conventional death metal; everything a listener would expect a band in this genre to do. Any sort of distinguishing features — a bass guitar solo on “Gravety,” drums getting their own spot to shine on “Dark Nebulas” — are stunted by a sterile production.
The demonic-sounding vocals are appropriately jarring, though they are sometimes too low to be heard properly. Pillars Of Creation is an EP of ideas, some coming together better than others. The splashy cover art (a 1995 photo from NASA of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula) is the most standout part of this EP.
Rating: 2.5
(Dan Marsicano)
A Flock Named Murder – Incendiary Sanctum (Hypaethral)
With four songs hovering between 13 and 19 minutes each, A Flock Named Murder have high aspirations on Incendiary Sanctum. The songs get longer and longer as the album goes on, setting up a challenging sonic gauntlet. The group handles this atmospheric black metal with a meticulous touch, which is important for an album densely packed with content.
The experience of uncovering a guitar solo that glides in or an acoustic break with a field recording of church bells chiming in the background is worth the time. It’ll take some effort, and there are parts where one would wonder what a few minutes cut off here and there would do for the pacing, but A Flock Named Murder are committed to this illuminating style of black metal.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Hate – Bellum Regiis (Metal Blade)
As they mark their 35th year as a band, Polish crushers Hate show no sign of slowing down. Bellum Regiis is their second album with the current lineup, and thirteenth overall. Translated to “A War Of Royalty,” it explores the struggle for power.
Hate’s blackened death metal emphasizes the black metal this time around. There are orchestrations along with some female vocals and even acoustic sections that add depth and variety to the record. Tracks like “Iphigenia” bring the atmospherics and vibes of black metal while also incorporating a lengthy guitar solo. “Alfa Inferi Goddess Of War” is the album’s shortest proper song, shifting between groove and blastbeats. ATF Sinner’s harsh vocals are potent throughout Bellum Regiis, another consistent and very well executed Hate album.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Maestrick – Espresso Della Vita: Lunare (Frontiers)
There were a couple of EPs in between, but it has been about seven years between full-lengths for the Brazilian prog metal band Maestrick. Espresso Della Vita: Lunare wraps up the story of a one-day train journey as a metaphor for life that began with Espresso Della Vita: Solare.
Maestrick’s compositions can be very cinematic, with brass and classical parts. There are also heavy sections and of course a lot of progtastic forays. Their songs have plenty of twists and turns, whether on shorter numbers like “Upside Down” and “Sunflower Eyes” or epic tracks. There are a few of the latter, most notably “The Root” and the 18 minute closing track “The Last Station (I A.M. Leaving).” Female vocals on songs like “Mad Witches” also add variety. The emotional timbre of Espresso Della Vita: Lunare shifts from upbeat and lighthearted to somber and dark, with Maestrick displaying many different sides, musically and lyrically.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Misfire – Product Of The Environment (MNRK Heavy)
Misfire start things slowly on their second full-length Product Of The Environment before letting loose on “Day to Day,” giving a powerful beating to your eardrums like a classic Exodus record. Sporting a new vocalist in the form of bassist Dan Stapinski, Misfire hasn’t missed a beat.
“We Went Through Hell” is rife with riffs that bludgeon the listener, while also using their songwriting abilities to break up that beating with ample grooves and guitar solos, making for the sound of another thrash metal band that was simply born too late, yet understands the genre’s assignment. Misfire do a great job of keeping the energy consistent with songs like “Left For Dead” and “Privacy” near the end that continue to give the listener that rush of energy you have come to expect from crushing thrash metal. Product Of The Environment proves to be the sound of a new toxic waltz.
Rating: 4
(Tom Campagna)
Namebearer – Industries Of The Fading Sun (Self)
Industries Of The Fading Sun is the debut EP from Namebearer, the duo of vocalist/guitarist/bassist Brian Tenison and drummer/vocalist Brendan Hayter. Both musicians share a musical connection outside of this group, being involved in other black metal bands together. This project has a psychedelic/progressive slant to it, emphasized with Hayter contributing synths to a few songs.
They are a major part of instrumental closer “Crystals Distill To New Earth,” a reserved denouncement for a release that can get very raw. Surprisingly, the use of melodic vocals is about split with their harsher counterpart. There are unexpected turns Industries Of The Fading Sun takes beyond that, including the use of Finnish lyrics on “Jäätyneen Järven Uumenissa,” to amplify how unconventional Namebearer conduct themselves.
Rating: 3.5
(Dan Marsicano)
Nightfall – Children Of Eve (Season Of Mist)
Nightfall, the celebrated blackened death metal band from Greece, have returned with Children Of Eve, one of their strongest albums in years. There’s been some changes in the lineup since Nightfall’s previous album; Vasiliki Biza has joined on bass and Kostas Kyriakopoulos now does most guitar work. Former Septicflesh alumnus Fotis Benardo is on drums while founding member Efthimis Karadimas is still on vocals.
The album is dark but it’s brimming with ideas. Each song has its own musical identity and Nightfall seem to have handled each composition with meticulous care. And it gets better: the songwriting is solid and the music’s melody never detracts from the heaviness. Children Of Eve reminds me a lot of early Paradise Lost and Karadimas has also cited Death’s Spiritual Healing as an influence on this album. Indeed, both albums possess a rebellious attitude. Closing track “Christian Svengali” sounds like a march into hell, which in a way can be said for the whole album. This is possibly the most complete Nightfall album to date.
Rating: 4.5
(Chris Galea)
Palantyr – The Ascent And The Hunger (Jawbreaker)
The Ascent And The Hunger, a 6-song EP by the French band Palantyr, formerly Destrukt, is an exciting traditional-styled work. It has speedy riffing that will appeal to fans of older bands in the genre. This has a similar magic to what made bands like Crimson Glory so successful in the past.
The guitar riffing is simple, yet effective. Athena’s vocals add character to the songs. The entire affair is rousing and will do service to fans of the style. If there is a flaw to be found it is in how the songs have too simplistic a structure. There isn’t the innovation that recent metal works have brought and this makes the album somewhat generic sounding. This is still a fine piece of heavy metal magic.
Rating: 3.5
(Adam McAuley)
Paradise Slaves – With Hell In His Eyes (Spinefarm)
Paradise Slaves are a new band, but their members have impressive resumes. The lineup includes vocalist Brock Lindow (36 Crazyfists), guitarist Jon Kita and bassist Brad Horion from Diecast, drummer Ryan Manning (Pentagram) and guitarist Tyler Stroetzel, the younger brother of Killswitch Engage’s Joel Stroetzel.
With Hell In His Eyes embraces genres including metalcore, hard rock and hardcore. The songs are melodic, with tracks like “Aesthetic Of Serpents” and “A Fever To Defeat” having radio appeal without skimping on the heaviness. They amp up the extremity on “Swim North,” which features Unearth’s Trevor Phipps. The band goes back to the early ’90s to put a harder edge on Soul Asylum’s “Somebody To Shove.” As you’d expect from Paradise Slaves’ pedigree, With Hell In His Eyes has excellent musicianship and songwriting.
Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)
Strega – Stryx Strega Strygae (Masked Dead)
Strega (‘Witch’ in Italian) were formed by members of Ponte Del Diavolo and Darkened, but this 3-track EP takes quite a different musical direction than the latter two bands. Stryx Strega Strygae sounds like Iron Maiden sung with black metal vocals and that in itself is a curious premise.
The three songs are very similar to each other and sonically speaking the EP feels more like a demo. The lyrics are all written in what the band calls “Arrakyan.” Is Arrakyan an Italian dialect or is it an invented language similar to what Paul Chain used to do? It’s not really clear. The songwriting needs more polishing and fleshing out, but Strega may have stumbled onto something interesting here.
Rating: 3.5
(Chris Galea)
