Harakiri for the Sky – Arson (2018)

Continuing their meteoric rise on the Post-Black Metal ranks, today we have Austria’s Harakiri for the Sky and their fourth full-length release “Arson”. Delivering their most refined album to date, this duo unleashes a very melancholic vibe through their poignant style while perfectly balancing aggression with melody. Formed back in 2011, this outfit has constantly been improving upon their previous releases and now they are more than ready for wider appeal.

Opening with the intensity of “Fire, Walk With Me”, the band quickly showcases their signature style of mixing intricate drumming with crushing guitar leads and energetic singing. With Matthias Sollak handling all instruments, the band’s sound stays quite intact while adding a few refinements that allow longer songs like “The Graves we’ve Dug” and “You are the Scars” flow perfectly. With some hints of Melodic Death Metal elements from bands like October Tide and In Mourning present in the previously mentioned songs riffing, we get a mellower and yet aggressive sound that quickly surrounds the listener.

Instantly standing out from the rest of the songs, “Heroin Waltz” creates a very powerful and chaotic atmosphere. Mixing pummeling drums with catchy riffs and crafty acoustic guitars (courtesy of Bernth Brodträge), this track’s sound is quite rich and engaging while perfectly channeling J.J’s haunting vocals. One of the band’s most unique features is that their songs are also quite catchy, like the pummeling “Tomb Omnia” and the Punk-ish “Stillborn”, making up for two very powerful tracks to mosh and headbang to.

As the melancholy of “Voidgazer” comes to a climax, the band closes with the eeriness of “Manifesto”. The female vocals in this piece add an extra dimension to the band’s sound, allowing for a unique balance of aggression and fragility that only this track provides. Overall, “Arson” is one hell of an album which showcases the maturity and intensity behind the band’s highly refined sound. If you liked their previous albums, and prefer your Post-Black Metal without the Shoegaze influences other bands have, then Harakiri for the Sky is a band you don’t want to miss out on.

Label: Art of Propaganda

Release: February 16th, 2018

Genre: Post-Black Metal

Country: Austria