For a good number of years now, Viennese duo HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY has been a household name for carrying authority when it comes to matters of atmospheric black metal, post-black-metal, or blackgaze. Their previous studio outing “Mære” (2021) was a genuinely versatile portfolio piece of how to make anger and despair sound absolutely gorgeous. Ah, yes – this band is one of those outfits you cannot pigeonhole into a single genre. Set for release on January 24th, 2025, via Napalm Records, their new studio album “Scorched Earth” is yet another fine assortment of richly layered, luminous darkness that defies labels. Black-metal puritans probably will not be too happy with the long-winding song titles suggesting a more post-rockish approach, let alone the wider-than-usual range of emotions; without the harsh vocals, some sections resonate with an almost pop-tinged aura! The trademark melancholia is still prominently present throughout the album, so there is no need to fear that this dynamic Austrian duo has made a Faustian deal with the Old Forktailed Fiend, of any sort. At over 100 minutes, “Scorched Earth” is not only a gargantuan harbinger of sorrow but also a monolith of the whole spectrum of human emotions.
Featuring Tim Yatras of AUSTERE, “Heal Me” opens the album with such blackened heaviness that it becomes clear right from the beginning this Austrian duo still means business. The song alternates between the slow-crushing, almost sludgey verses and the post-hardcore-tinted choruses, and the piano motif, introduced halfway into the song, is a nice cherry on the top. The melodic twists and turns, paired with the shout-along belting of Yatras, bear resemblance to some of those Norwegian black-metal acts of a tad more folksy variety.
That said, the somewhat Scandinavian folk-black-metal vibe gets even stronger in “Keep Me Longing,” with its triplet melodies. Then again, with a little less abrasive approach, this song could even be from ALCEST‘s songbook. The post-something-esque piano and guitar arpeggios light the way in the long, unforgiving fall into the netherworld of yearning. The song is also a sublime exercise in time dilation; you know how it goes, you have seen Interstellar, haven’t you? When the song ends you will be surprised to realize that almost 11 minutes just passed you by. The song sure doesn’t feel that long. Being such a sucker for lengthy epics of this sort, I feel compelled to put it on repeat already, but let’s proceed.
Next up, “Without You I’m Just A Sad Song” is another 10-minute epic. Without the harsh vocals, this could be a PLACEBO song from the era when the band was still good – that is, when they were still indulging in hard drugs and the pain and anguish in the songs were genuine emotions. Well, okay, Brian Molko & Co. would probably not have opted for blast beats but you know what I mean. The main motif, recapitulated in the song’s coda with just a music box and strings is pretty catchy, so you might feel tempted to put this beast on repeat right away, too.
After the somewhat SÓLSTAFIR-like terrain of “No Graves But the Sea,” these Viennese rogues throw a surprise jab with the absolute pinnacle track, “With Autumn I’ll Surrender.” Released as the lead single, the song blends folksy metal with subtle electronic flourishes – and hits a jackpot. So, five tracks into the album, these two Austrians have scored three absolute bangers already. Not bad.
Okay, after such a perfect banger, “I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep” feels a bit like a letdown, but on repeated listens, it turns out to be a decent track, after all. Still, it is no match for what’s coming next. Featuring Serena Cherry of SVALBARD on vocals, “Too Late For Goodbyes,” is yet another sublime banger. Bringing the standard-issue selection to a close, the song juxtaposes melodic, uptempo black metal against Cherry‘s dreamy, shoegazey vocals. Yeah, if Murkyr or Sylvaine are anywhere near your cup of tea, you will love this one!
As the first bonus track, HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY throws in a cover rendition of the RADIOHEAD classic, “Street Spirit (Fade Out),” and it is guaranteed to send shivers up your spine. Here, Thom Yorke‘s signature wailings are replaced by the vocals of P.G. of GROZA and he does a pretty impressive job at conveying the emotion of the original. This cover was released ahead of the album, in December 2024, and it sure did hype me up for this new HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY effort well in advance.
Last, featuring Daniel Lang of BACKWARDS CHARM on vocals, “Elysian Fields” serves as the second bonus track, bringing the album to a close, for real, on a dreamy and atmospheric note. What can I say? “Scorched Earth” is a sublime album with a good few epics to envelope you in a dip of curved spacetime where all you can say is, “One hour here is seven years on Earth…”
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Heal Me
- Keep Me Longing
- Without You I’m Just A Sad Song
- No Graves But the Sea
- With Autumn I’ll Surrender
- I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep
- Too Late For Goodbyes
- Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Lineup
Matthias ”MS” Sollak – guitars, bass, drums
Michael ”JJ” Wahntraum – vocals
Kerim Lechner – session drummer
Label
Napalm Records
