Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)

Hailing from the forests of Colorado, today we have the return of Blackened Doom/Folk Metal outfit Velnias with “Substrate Haruspex”. Featuring eight tracks and over 48 minutes of majestic music, this release further sets the band apart from the rest. With a certain Agalloch-esque vibe, these guys navigate crafty doomy territories with plenty of atmospherics and engaging guitarwork. Pushed for comparisons, this release is for fans of outfits like Primordial, Agalloch, Fen, and Dordeduh.

After setting a very magical vibe with the opener “Impetus Arcanum”, featuring lush atmospherics and even some western-ish twang, the listener gets fully immersed in this release as “Divination of Simulacra” comes around. With powerful vocal harmonies and doomy riffs, this track masterfully builds momentum until the harsh vocals and heavier passages make way. Velnias excels in delivering engaging melodies that slowly progress into captivating passages, as the crafty “Resonance of the Concentric” showcases.

The progressions between focal points of songs and in transition pieces like “Mantra for the Seeker” and “Nihil Equilibrium”, showcase the band’s very Agalloch-esque nature. Painting lush soundscapes and then injecting harsh contrast is a magical feature of the band, particularly on longer pieces like “Corporeal Anathema”, our favorite tracks in this release. Closing strong with the enigmatic “Rending of Dyadic Convolution” and “Forsaken Equipoise”, we are treated to engaging guitar leads and excellent drumming, keeping things heavy, atmospheric and yet delicately executed.

As a whole, “Substrate Haruspex” is a triumphant release by Velnias, six years after their last full-length album. We have managed to see the band live a couple of times, and even recently before the release of this album, and they bring the same level of detail and execution to their intense live shows. If you are looking for something Doomy, Folky, and very atmospheric that transports you to heavily wooded and nature inspired realms, look no further and check this one out.

Rating: 96/100