Harakiri For The Sky – Aokigahara (2014)

After leaving a great impression on us with their self-titled debut full-length, Austria’s Harakiri For The Sky returns with an even more impressive release with Aokigahara. Delivering nine (plus one bonus track) onslaughts of perfectly crafted Black/Post-Black Metal anthems, the band calls upon a wide variety of guest vocalists to further expand their commanding (and very atmospheric) sound.

Setting a very depressing mood with the demoralizing “My Bones to the Sea”, the doomy riffs nicely dictate a very calm pace to this killer song. With M.S in charge of all the instruments and J.J delivering the punishing vocals, this duo produces very melancholic music in the vein of acts like Heretoir, Lantlos, etc., but with their own signature style. The intensity picks up with the emotive “Jhator”, a track that features Seuche (Fäulnis) on guest vocals, and nicely shapes the aural abuse in a different direction than the band’s usual antics.

The atmospheric elements of “Homecoming Denied” make this one of the best songs in the release since they allow it to nicely evolve and transmit extreme levels of aggression and angst. With a different pace we have “69 Dead Birds for Utoya”, a song that features Plague of Whiskey Ritual on vocals. This track has a somewhat different pace that showcases the band’s expansive song, but still retains their signature atmospheric elements. Another standout track in this release is the very well-crafted and engaging “Parting”, a song that features some very unique melancholic passages that will get stuck in your head for days.

As the best song in this release we have “Burning From Both Ends”, a very aggressive and upbeat track that features none other than Torsten of Agrpynie on vocals. The doomy/Post-Black Metal elements of this track are excellent and greatly show the band’s unique musical identity. The bleakness of “Panoptycon” made it a close runner for best song of the album, thanks to the participation of Eklatanz (Heretoir). This song is a true atmospheric gem, and one of the best representations of Post-Black Metal these days.

Just before closing this release, the band belts out the nihilistic “Nailgarden” before closing with the melancholic “Gallows (Give ‘Em Rope)”. Here are get to fully enjoy the band’s brilliant manipulation of Black Metal into different shapes that very few bands can achieved these days. If you have the vinyl version of this release, the band put together a very characteristic and unique cover of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears, a song that you should not miss.

As a whole, “Aokigahara” is a huge leap from their debut full-length release. The duo is firing on all cylinders with 10 crushing tracks that further refine the uniqueness of Harakiri For The Sky’s sound and concept. If you like your Black Metal to be melancholic and atmospheric without losing the raw and brutal edge, this is one band you do not want to miss.

Label: Art of Propaganda

Release: April 21st, 2014

Genre: Black Metal / Post-Black Metal

Country: Austria