1914 - Viribus Unitis (2025)

Hailing from Ukraine, 1914 has been unleashing their very atmospheric and emotional Blackened Death/Doom Metal for over a decade with great success. Focusing on World War I and related themes, the band’s music is piercing, emotive, and very well crafted. Delivering ten tracks and nearly 60 minutes of music, “Viribus Unitis” showcases the band’s sonic evolution, perfecting their signature Doomy style with more poignant atmospherics and craft vocal arrangements.

After a mood setting atmospheric, “1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl)” blows open this release with fierce riffing and blistering drumming. The mood setting intros on each song perfectly frame the stories the band portrays providing context to tracks like “1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge)”, “1916 (The Südtirol Offensive)”, and “1917 (The Isonzo Front)”. Blending punishing onslaughts with more melancholic sections and great guest appearances like Aaron Stainthorpe (ex-My Dying Bride) on “1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape)”

Musically, the band’s mixture of genres creates very unique soundscapes that are both hellish and melodic, with doomy and dreamy passages. The best example of this is the 3 piece “1918” track, presenting a wide variety of moods and tempos, particularly going into more melancholic Doom territories in the later two parts. Featuring Jerome Reuter of Rome, “1919 (The Home Where I Died)” is definitely one of the most haunting and piercing pieces in this release.

As a whole, “Viribus Unitis” is one step in 1914’s evolution into darker and more melancholic territories thanks to additional vocal arrangements that add more dynamism to the band’s already different sound. If you have never heard 1914, this is a great place to start as they are fully immersed in their lore and style. If you like music that ranges from harsh and fast paced brutality, to more introspective and atmospheric vibes, definitely give this one a try.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: November 14th, 2025

Genre: Blackened Death/Doom Metal

Country: Ukraine