It is not my usual choice, Post-Black Metal. But it is a new year, so why not challenge the cerebrum with the fifth album by Austrians Harakiri For The Sky? It is a lengthy piece of work, with only the two bonus tracks coming in at under seven and a half minutes. That gives you plenty of time to absorb the harrowing vocals that rage and scream and to explore and embrace the sheer intensity of the musical elements which wash and flow over you in huge swathes of emotion.
Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP Records)
Release Date: 24 January 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
For anyone unaware of this style’s roots, it is self-evident in the ferocity of opener Heal Me that Post-Black Metal draws deeply from the Black Metal genre in many ways. There remain the blast beats, the shimmering banks of riffs that explode with an intensity that few can capture and deliver with such power, and the weight of the frenzied passion which always sorts out the top-level beasts.
Throw in an angst-ridden vocal style and haunting lyrical content that cuts deep with emotional impact, and you have a huge album to explore.
The track titles give a huge clue to the themes within Scorched Earth. This is not going to be an album about unicorns, dragons and rainbows (although it would be magic if it were). No, this is a deep dive into human emotion, feelings, darkness and misery.
The howling of Michael ‘JJ’ V. Wahntraum, alongside multi-instrumentalist Matthias ‘MS’ Sollak’s magical music, soaks so deep that after a mere one play, I was left alone, lost, and somewhat depressed.
The expansive Keep Me Longing and Without You I’m Just A Sad Song are designed for arenas and for ArcTanGent and Damnation festivals. The latter song is balanced with some more gentle passages that are almost poppy in feel, although they last seconds before the crunching riffs crash back in.
Throughout the album, the contrast between some delicate pieces of music and the shouting aggression of Wahntraum works better than might be expected. The deep melodies that race in the background of Without You I’m Just A Sad Song are uplifting, and although the subject matter is miserable, it is a phenomenal track. It’s followed by another huge song, No Graves But The Sea.
If I had criticism for this album, it would be the slightly repetitive nature of the songs. With Autumn I’ll Surrender follows No Graves But The Sea and segued so subtly that I almost did not hear the join.
It is this manner of intense melding of sounds that makes Harakiri For The Sky such a proposition. It is not comfortable, the music jars and the vocals are, at times, almost unlistenable.
But stand apart from that, and there is much to embrace here. The delicate passages that are woven within each song are intelligent, not always immediately apparent but they hit hard in the feels.
And my view is that this is what you want a band like this to do.
Sollak’s musicianship is superb, as he guides and crafts each song through a maelstrom of outrage and anger. It is unsurprising that Too Late For Goodbyes features Svalbard’s Serena Cherry, for this is the type of vibe that Svalbard are so good at crafting. Traumatic lyrics that speak of suffering and distress work incredibly well with the erupting cacophony that storms along. It is quite the song, ebbing from gentle acoustic guitar parts to crushing Black Metal parts, and Cherry’s crystal-clear voice is given time to breathe.
I am left a little challenged after repeated plays of Scorched Earth. There is much to appreciate. The musicianship is top quality, and although I do not love the vocal delivery, the raw passion that flows through from start to finish allows it to stand tall.
In Scorched Earth, I imagine Harakiri For The Sky have set down the marker for 2025. It will be interesting to see what comes close.
Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth is available to pre-order from AOP Records. Harakiri For The Sky released Street Spirit as a single as “it resonates deeply with the emotions that drive our music—a haunting reflection of despair and hope. We loved Radiohead’s masterpiece ever since its release and it also reflects our ’90s indie rock roots.
“Therefore, we felt compelled to reinterpret it in our own style together with our good friend, PG of Groza, who brought another layer of raw intensity and allowed us to capture the song’s deep melancholy.”
