ONLY HUMAN Premiere Inventive Debut Album “Planned Obsolescence”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by © Nikolaj Bransholm

ONLY HUMAN are already on the brink of a major discovery with their debut album. On Planned Obsolescence, the Danish upstarts invent an existential form of prog metal that speaks to our not-too-distant dystopia.

“Combining the two recent prog micro-genres (post-Tool and post-Periphery/TesseracT) with a clear love of various electronic styles, Planned Obsolescence actually sounds like it was designed to last”, New Noise writes. “The riffs never overpower, the rhythms feel soothing and buoyant, and vocalist Patrick Grønbæch Christensen employs his impressive range in a way that compliments rather than contrasts with the music. In short, this is prog for those who also like brevity”.

“The verses are often airy and light, the vocals tender, and the choruses huge”, says Heavy Metal Philosophy. “While the commentary is scathing, it is not dread that I feel but hope”.

Planned Obsolescence was released yesterday, on March 27 on Season of Mist, and you can hear all eight inventive songs by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.

“The album is supposed to wake people up to all the ways technocracy is encroaching on society”, Only Human vocalist Patrick Grønbæch Christensen says. “Tech companies often design their products to have an expiration date, so that we’re forced to replace them with the newest model. Through our social media and the adoption of influencer culture, we now live in a reality where humans are products to be consumed and disposed of”.

Order the album here: https://orcd.co/onlyhumanplannedobsolescence

Concept albums are standard issue for metal, especially in the prog space. But when the five members of Only Human first put their heads together in 2023, they decided to build the very human fabric of the band around one increasingly prescient idea.

“We like a lot of bands that just play rock music, but we wanted ONLY HUMAN to be about something”, Christensen says. “We’re interested in creating a musical universe that portrays a future on the brink of collapse”.  

Planned Obsolescence reckons with technology’s increasingly hostile takeover. “Techno Fascist” comes crashing down amidst a turbulent downstream of low-tuned chugs. The intrusion of beats, blips and synthetic swirls into the heavy mainframe of “Breach” mirrors not only how technology has seeped into our everyday lives but also the looming threat that it poses in rendering humans obsolete.  

While Planned Obsolescence is full of existential dread, that doesn’t mean the album leaves us no hope. There’s nothing broken or even outdated about Only Human. The band’s fusion of heavy polyrhythmic grooves, anthemic hard rock and haunting electronic soundscapes hits like a deep breath of fresh air. “Defy and learn to walk again”, commands blood-pumping lead single “Automata”.

“When the world is going badly, the reason is because people gave up”, Christensen concludes. “Things aren’t hopeless. We can absolutely fight back. Hopefully, this album gets people to think about valuing humanity over profit”.

On Planned Obsolescence, Only Human invent existential prog metal for our dystopian future.  

Tracklist
1. Drift (4:44)
2. The Sun and the Moon (3:54)
3. Steep Descent (5:56)
4. Death Cult (3:40)
5. Techno Fascist (6:01) [WATCH]
6. Automata (6:12) [WATCH]
7. Aspire (4:22)
8. Breach (5:41) [WATCH]

Full runtime: 40:32

Catch ONLY HUMAN live and in the flesh during their upcoming record release show, as well as at Sweden Rock Festival and Naestved Metalfest.

ONLY HUMAN Live in 2026
May 2 – Copenhagen, DK @ Rust (Record Release Show)
June 3-6 – Sölvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock Festival
August 27-29 – Næstved, DK @ Næstved Metalfest
September 5 – Grindsted, DK @ Metalbox Festival
November 7 – Hjortshoj, DK @ Viruphuset (with Cold Night for Alligators)

Despite evolving with greater speed and scope than other corners of the metal archives, progressive metal never strays from the cutting edge. ONLY HUMAN are fresh on the scene, having signed with Season of Mist at the beginning of 2026 ahead of an appearance at this year’s Sweden Rock Festival. But the Danish band are already on the brink of a major discovery with their debut album. With Planned Obsolescence, they’ve invented an existential form of prog metal that warns of our not-too-distant dystopia.

“The album is supposed to wake people up to all the ways technocracy is encroaching on society”, says vocalist Patrick Grønbæch Christensen. “Tech companies often design their products to have an expiration date, so that we’re forced to replace them with the newest model. Through our social media and the adoption of influencer culture, we now live in a reality where humans are products to be consumed and disposed of”.

ONLY HUMAN were assembled through online and IRL connections. The band started in 2022 with Christensen on both guitar and vocals and drummer Andreas Pröll. The two were soon joined by bassist Guillaume Blanjean. As their music grew in scope and became more ambitious, they decided to recruit additional guitarists. Martin Hastrup and JaCK Kijne joined in 2024, just as Planned Obsolescence was starting to take shape.

All five members of ONLY HUMAN are brought together by a vast host of shared interests. The band’s name comes from a pivotal scene in The Matrix. Other late ‘90s totems — from drum ‘n’ bass to Linkin Park and Opeth — twisted together with the modern-day influence of TesseracT, Periphery and Bring Me The Horizon to inform their collective DNA. But from the very beginning, they were determined to deviate from the norm.

“We like a lot of bands that just play rock music, but we wanted ONLY HUMAN to be about something”, Christensen says. “We’re interested in creating a musical universe that portrays a future on the brink of collapse”.

Planned Obsolescence reckons with technology’s increasingly hostile takeover. One of the first songs that ONLY HUMAN wrote together, lead single “Automata” expands from a scrolling syncopated rhythms into mainframe-shaking grooves, as the surrounding world narrows in on itself. “We’ve offloaded critical thought”, says Christensen, who also took on all phases of the production process. “We’re not really doing things because we want to do them. It’s because an algorithm has decided that’s what we should do”. Brain rot might be the silent killer for today’s digital age, but the steady intrusion of beats, blips and synthetic patches into the album’s song wiring imitates how corporate greed and invasive technologies fight to control our day-to-day existence. Like a virus, “Techno Fascist” emerges unsuspectingly before it comes crashing down amidst a turbulent stream of low-tuned chugs.

ONLY HUMAN’s vision for the future verges on apocalyptic. “Breach” closes the album by looking past the point of no return. Amidst its crushing despair, even the song’s glowing keys appear like a comet bound for Earth. But while fueled by existential dread, Planned Obsolescence isn’t void of hope. After all, there’s nothing broken, outmoded or dated about this new band. Unlike the attempts of artificial intelligence, their fusion of prog, djent, hard rock and electronic soundscapes is the product of much care and hard work. They had to tinker with several different versions before “Steep Descent” finally reached its climactic bridge. “Cast your flame beyond this bleak reality”, Christensen beckons as dizzying melodies and a stellar guitar solo propel him and his bandmates into the next stratosphere.

“When the world is going badly, the reason is because people gave up”, Christensen concludes. “Things aren’t hopeless. We can absolutely fight back. Hopefully, this album gets people to think about valuing humanity over profit”.

Lineup
Patrick Grønbæch Christensen- Vocals
Martin Hastrup – Guitars
JaCK Kijne – Guitars
Andreas Pröll – Drums
Guillaume Blanjean – Bass

Recording, Mixing and Mastering Studio
Only Human Studio

Production Credits
Producer & Sound Engineer – Patrick Grønbæch Christensen
Mixing Engineer – Patrick Grønbæch Christensen
Mastering Engineer – Patrick Grønbæch Christensen (Digital and CD), Brett Caldas-Lima (Vinyl)

Cover Art
Guillaume Blanjean

Follow Only Human
Official Website: https://onlyhuman.band/
Bandcamp: https://onlyhumandk.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlyhumandk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnlyHumanDK
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/dk/artist/only-human/1742337573
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/11Cl9Vdw4xGPUMtcurjgg1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@onlyhumandk

LOST IN KYIV Announce New Album “We’re All Going To Be Fine” + Release Video Single ‘Burst’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Over the course of more than a decade, French quartet Lost in Kyiv have refined a sound that fuses cinematic ambition, electronic precision, and visceral live energy into something unmistakably their own.

Today the post-metal band announce their new album We’re All Going To Be Fine (19th June, Pelagic Records), along with the first single, the transcendent ‘Burst’.

Stream ‘Burst’ and pre-order the album here: https://orcd.co/lostinkyiv

The band state: “‘Burst’ is the perfect introduction to this new chapter for Lost in Kyiv. It really showcases the heavier, more raw direction we took on this record. The addition of our new drummer Jérémie and the use of lower tunings allowed us to create something more brutal and direct, while keeping the atmospheric emotion that defines us.”

On the new album Lost in Kyiv push their identity further than ever; sharpening their production, intensifying their dynamics, and embracing a darker, more immersive sonic architecture.
 
The band state: “We’re All Going To Be Fine explores the tension between hope and inner collapse, and how modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other. The songs were inspired by personal experiences, societal pressure, and the idea that we often become our own worst enemy. We were also inspired by the work of Carl Gustav Jung (who is the voice at the end of the album), especially his ideas about exploring the human psyche, as well as themes from movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Melancholia.” 

Lost in Kyiv’s music has always thrived on tension between the organic and the synthetic. On We’re All Going To Be Fine, that integration reaches a new level of clarity and depth. The writing and production process was long and exacting, allowing the band to refine every transition and tonal detail. Songs unfold with architectural precision, motifs are introduced subtly before expanding into vast, multi-layered climaxes. Dynamics are handled with patience and control, silence and minimalism are deployed as strategically as explosive crescendos. This careful pacing gives the album a cinematic flow and larger narrative in which struggle and compassion coexist.
 
“We always wanted to write music around strong themes, and for the first time, we decided to focus on something more internal than on previous albums. This time, we wanted to explore the fragility of mental health and the human psyche, the relation we have with ourself.”

This is the first album with new drummer Jérémie Legrand. Rhythm plays a central role in the band’s identity – the drums provide impact and structure, locking into intricate patterns that interact with bass-driven synth pulses. At times the groove feels almost mechanical, echoing the steady insistence of electronic music; at others, it breathes and swells with human elasticity. This interplay creates a powerful sense of movement, an impression that the music is always advancing, even in its most introspective passages.
 
Embracing a more direct connection with their audience, through studio session glimpses and carefully curated visual teasers, Lost in Kyiv are opening a window into their creative process, revealing the human dimension behind the meticulously crafted sound. This balance between mystery and transparency mirrors the music itself; enigmatic yet emotionally accessible, precise yet deeply felt.

The band state: “We almost consider this album as the first record of a new version of the band. That’s why we decided to use the name Lost in Kyiv now. We don’t want to erase the past, but it really feels like a new direction. The choice of spelling Kyiv instead of Kiev felt natural to us. We use this spelling more often now and feel it aligns better with our values and how we see the situation. We had been thinking about it for a long time, but we needed the right moment in the band’s history to do it. It’s a change, but it’s still clear that we are the same band. Artistically, I think this album marks the beginning of a new direction, louder and more metal-oriented than what we did before.”

Track list:
1. Enlightened
2. Burst
3. Mantra
4. Eclipse
5. Becoming
6. Euphoria
7. Liminality

Lost in Kyiv are:
Jean-Christophe Condette : Bass, Synths
Dimitri Denat : Guitars
Maxime Ingrand : Guitars, Synths, Machines, Programming
Jérémie Legrand : Drums, Programming

Lost in Kyiv online:
PELAGIC ARTIST * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * BANDCAMP * SPOTIFY

SPELL Unveil New Single + Music Video ‘Take My Life’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by: Caitlin Delaplace

More than half a century into its life, what exactly is heavy metal? Is it a kind of belief system? Is it something to be observed as a relic, or an exhibit in a museum? Or is it, to paraphrase Christopher Lee’s Due de Richeleau in The Devil Rides Out “A living force, which can strike at any moment of the night“? For Vancouver’s SPELL, that question has never been more vital.

The latest single, “Take My Life“, offers one of the most revealing entry points into their new chapter. Released on March 27th, 2026, the track stands as perhaps the starkest embodiment of the album’s central tension – where classic heavy metal confidence collides with profound existential weight. Driven by a swaggering, mid-paced pulse and steeped in the spirit of vintage ’80s metal, the song delivers a chorus built for raised fists and midnight exorcisms alike. Yet beneath its strut lies something far more disquieting. As vocalist and bassist Cam Mesmer explains, “‘Take My Life’ is about an intimate encounter with death, and the power dynamics at play. Where I’ve had to make a decisive move, and been fearful, but others have given me confidence.”

This is a track that captures SPELL at their most direct, dynamic and disarmingly honest. As both a standalone statement and a key moment within Wretched Heart, it signals a band not only at the height of their powers but actively redefining what those powers can be. Stream a music video for “Take My Life“, directed by James Barry and Sean Edwards for Ramble Films, at this location.

Vancouver based hypnotic heavy metal outfit Spell, will release its new LP, ‘Wretched Heart‘, on May 1 via Bad Omen Records. A shadow-drenched journey through desperation, passion and defiance, ‘Wretched Heart‘ sees Spell transform heavy metal into something urgent and human – gothic, cinematic and hypnotic. Not only Spell‘s strongest record to date but also a thunderous celebration of eccentricity which stalks its nocturnal realm with both savage finesse and beguiling charm. ‘Wretched Heart‘ is the follow-up to Spell‘s 2022 LP, ‘Tragic Magic‘, an album hailed as a celebration of “the mystique and darkness within hard rock and heavy metal“.

Pre-order/stream Wretched Heart HERE.

Available on CD, Single LP (spined LP with insert) in Solid Purple, Transparent Red & Blue Marbled, and Red & Black Smoke, and digitally.

‘Wretched Heart‘, in all its gory glory, embodies a very vital paradox – a record made by true believers who yearn for catharsis beyond. The oxymoron of anthems forged from steel, yet with a very human heart. Even the most cynical bystander will likely struggle not to be bewitched.

Track listing:
01.) Dark Inertia
02.) Lilac (stream VIDEO)
03.) Take My Life (stream VIDEO)
04.) Unquiet Graces
05.) Oubliette
06.) Iron Teeth
07.) Exquisite Corpse
08.) Savage Scourge
09.) In Duress
10.) Wretched Heart

Spell is Cam Mesmer (vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, synthesizers), Al Lester, (vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, drums), Jeff Black (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Gabriel Tenebrae, (lead guitar, synthesizers). Follow Spell on Facebook and Instagram.

THE 69 EYES Announce New EP “I Survive”, Out June 5th, New Video Single ‘Cold Sweat’ Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Marek Sabogal

Finnish rockers THE 69 EYES are thrilled to announce their new EP ‘I Survive,’ set for release on June 5, 2026 via BLKIIBLK. To celebrate the announcement, the band shares a cover of the timeless Thin Lizzy hit “Cold Sweat.”

After touring Europe earlier this year with D-A-D on the Cowpunks & Glampires tour and continuing with shows in Finland, the new single is a fresh-sounding and hard-rocking take on the song, originally released in 1983.

THE 69 EYES version is produced by Erno Laitinen and mixed by Barry Pointer (Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe). The video for the song was filmed in January during the band’s recent European tour. It features a cameo by Portuguese goth legend Fernando Ribeiro from Moonspell.

Vocalist Jyrki 69 comments:

“A friend of mine sent me our demo of ‘Cold Sweat’ from over ten years ago and asked why we never released it. After hearing the demo, Gabi Hakanen, head of Vallila Music House, said this is exactly THE 69 EYES at their best. Rock for the radio! Every respectable rock band also covers Thin Lizzy at some point, so now that is done as well.”

The band will continue touring in Finland until early April, after which they will return to the rest of Europe. See the updated tour dates HERE.

Once you’ve survived the 80’s rock scene, you become unstoppable – and THE 69 EYES are living proof. Formed in Helsinki in 1989 and still going strong with the same line-up some four decades later, the Helsinki Vampires have earned their legendary status.

In a world with fewer and fewer true believers in leather jackets, midnight sunglasses, and low-slung guitars, THE 69 EYES keep the Johnny Thunders flame burning like an endless sleazy club night back in the days.

Their biggest hit, “Lost Boys” from 2005, was made into an iconic music video by MTV‘s Jackass star and skater Bam Margera and remains on annual Halloween rock playlists.

One foot on glam, another one on goth, THE 69 EYES have released thirteen albums, reaching gold and platinum and a mainstream status in their native Finland, where they are signed to Gabi Hakanen’s Vallila Music House. Their previous studio album, ‘Death Of Darkness,’ was released in 2023, and they have been touring without any notable breaks all over the world for the last twenty years.

Vocals, a lead and a rhythm guitar, a bass, and drums are the classic rock band line-up. THE 69 EYES have that magic on stage that is needed for these elements to carry on beyond the rock’n’roll dreams, theirs and their cult following.

Pre-order the EP here: https://ffm.bio/the69eyes-isurvive

‘I Survive’ Track List:

  1. I Survive (ft. Steve Stevens)
  2. Cold Sweat
  3. In The Misery
  4. Devil’s Rose (ft. Ed Mundell)

THE 69 EYES are:
Jyrki 69 – Vocals
Bazie – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Timo-Timo – guitar
Archzie – Bass, Backing Vocals
Jussi 69 – Drums

Follow THE 69 EYES: 
Website
Facebook
Instagram

FRONTIERS RECORDS Share New Single + Visualizer ‘Songs The Night Sings’, Feat. Tezzi Persson

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment

📸: Arianna Ceccarelli

FRONTIERS RECORDS shares “Songs The Night Sings,” a new single featuring Tezzi Persson (Hell In The Club, Venus 5), as part of the upcoming ‘XXX Anniversary Compilation,’ a special project celebrating 30 years of passion, creativity, and unforgettable music. The record is set for release on May 22, 2026, and will be only available on CD, on the label’s webstore.

The track was originally released in 2019 by the Finnish symphonic metal band the Dark Element.

Tezzi Persson comments:

“It’s an honor to be a part of this anniversary album and to get to do a version of this great song from The Dark Element. Happy anniversary FRONTIERS, cheers to many more years to come.”

“Songs The Night Sings” Line Up:
Tezzi Persson – vocals
Alessandro Mammola – guitar
Andrea Arcangeli – bass
Alessio Lucatti – keyboards
Alfonso Mocerino – drums

Starting from an idea of Serafino Perugino, the ‘XXX Anniversary Compilation’ brings together some of the greatest melodies and voices from the world of melodic rock. This special release celebrates the label’s rich legacy by revisiting iconic tracks from the FRONTIERS catalogue, reimagined with dynamic new performances from an extraordinary lineup of guest vocalists.

Each track has been recorded exclusively for this anniversary project and showcases the powerful reinterpretation of beloved FRONTIERS classics through the voices of today’s standout rock artists.

Aldo Lonobile, Head of A&R Europe at FRONTIERS LABEL GROUP and producer of the record, comments:

“Producing the 30th anniversary record for FRONTIERS RECORDS has been both an honor and a responsibility. This label has built a legacy on passion and vision, and, with this album, we wanted to celebrate that history in a meaningful way. Having a mix of established and new generation of FRONTIERS artists reinterpret the iconic tracks that shaped our identity is more than a tribute – it’s a bridge between eras.”

“With a tracklist discussed together with the FRONTIERS President Serafino Perugino, this record is a celebration of where we come from, and a powerful statement of where we’re headed”, he continued.

Under the expert production of Lonobile – who also performs part of the guitars on the album – the performances are backed by a stellar lineup of musicians: Alessandro Mammola (guitar), Andrea Arcangeli (bass), Cristian Timpanaro (bass), the keyboards team – Alessio Lucatti & Antonio Agate, Alfonso Mocerino, and Fortunato Grillo on drums, delivering powerful new arrangements that bring renewed energy to these fan-favorite tracks.

‘XXX Anniversary Compilation’ isn’t just a compilation – it’s a tribute to 30 years of rock excellence, a heartfelt thank you to the artists, fans, and collaborators who have been part of the FRONTIERS RECORDS story.

Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or discovering these songs for the first time, this album delivers powerful performances, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable spirit of FRONTIERS.

Pre-order the anniversary album here: https://ffm.bio/xxxanniversary

‘XXX Anniversary Compilation’ Track List:

  1. Separate Ways (Feat James Robledo)
  2. Watch The Fire (Feat Cassidy Paris)
  3. Weight Of The World (Feat Karmen Klinc)
  4. Viva La Victoria (Feat Dyan Mair)
  5. Hypocrisy (Feat Stina Girs)
  6. Edge Of Tomorrow (Feat Ronnie Romero)
  7. Love Will Set You Free (Feat Santiago Ramonda)
  8. Songs The Night Sings (Feat Tezzi Persson)
  9. My Guardian Angel (Feat Fabio Caldeira)
  10. When The Heartache Has Gone (Feat Mattias Olofsson)
  11. No More Hell To Pay (Feat Giorgia Colleluori)
  12. Down From The Mountain (Feat Nicklas Sonne)
  13. Little Drops Of Heaven (Feat Robin McAuley)

UNVERKALT Release ‘Oath Ov Prometheus’ Live Studio Performance

Posted by tarjavirmakari on March 28, 2026
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: . Leave a comment
Photo by Phrenetica

Over the past decade, Unverkalt have drawn closer and closer to the edge. On their new album, the post-metal luminaries pull the veil from our cursed existence in search for an answer to one pervasive questions: What do we carry that was never ours? In response, Héréditaire now stands as their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.

“[…] there’s a good chance that Unverkalt could be one of this year’s breakout bands”, No Clean Singing says about Héréditaire.

Metal Injection agrees. “It’s a combo unlike anything I’ve heard before and I’m excited about it”.

As they prepare to bring Héréditaire to the stage, today, Unverkalt are releasing a live studio performance of the song that sparked their freshly blackened vision. “Oath Ov Prometheus” sets fire to the myth of man’s creation with the band’s command of smoky atmosphere and suffocating doom.  

“‘Oath Ov Prometheus” is one of the songs on our new album that we really love to perform”, Unverkalt vocalist Dimitra Kalavrezou says. “It was the first song we wrote for Héréditaire and our first with extreme vocals. We are very excited to bring it to the stage this year during our upcoming shows”.

The live studio performance of “Oath Ov Prometheus” was filmed and edited by Themis Ioannou at Noir Surge Studios. The audio for the performance was engineered and produced by Andrey Letchik.

Héréditaire is out now on Season of Mist. Order & Stream: https://orcd.co/unverkalthereditaire

Tracklist:
1. Die Auslöschung (6:06) [WATCH]
2. Oath Ov Prometheus (5:40) [WATCH]
3. Ænæ Lithi (5:34)
4. A Lullaby for the Descent (5:11)
5. Penumbrian Lament (6:02)
6. Introjects (5:25) [WATCH]
7. I, The Deceit (feat. Sakis Tolis) (5:47) [WATCH]
8. Death is Forever (4:50)
9. Maladie de l’Esprit (5:34)
Full runtime: 50:11

UNVERKALT are drawn to the edge. Since emerging from the underground, the Germany by way of Greece post-metal band have balanced boundless atmosphere with suffocating heaviness. Their third album and first since signing with Season of Mist doesn’t continue in that direction so much as it plunges into the darkness that’s always been waiting below. Héréditaire lifts the veil from our cursed existence. What emerges is Unverkalt’s heaviest and most heartfelt offering.

“Our aim has always been to blend softer, more romantic elements with extreme chaos. With Héréditaire that time has now come”, says the band’s guitarist and chief composer Themis Ioannou. “This album is a lament for what is far older than our very existence. It speaks of what seeps through generations, searching for an answer to one pervasive question: What do we carry that was never ours?”

From the beginning, Unverkalt was born from an urge to give life to grief. In 2017, Ioannou started the band with vocalist Dimitra Kalavrezou in hopes of creating something that was slow-burning and visceral, crushing yet delicate. Their debut made good on that promise: “…so rivetingly beautiful that you will have to deepen to digest it”, Metal Hammer Greece wrote in awe of L’Origine du Monde. “Easily on the top-10 of 2020”.

The band’s second album followed three years later to further acclaim. While swooning between obsession and annihilation, A Lump of Death: A Chaos of Dead Lovers sharpened Unverkalt’s vision by pushing their avant-garde streak with more force. “Beyond being able to point roughly towards a couple of different genres, it is utterly impossible to compare them to any other artist out there making music in the same vein”,  The Sleeping Shaman admired. Echoes and Dust agreed: “It stands in its own right as a beautiful slice of filmic post-rock, a soundtrack without a movie beyond the one playing in your head”.

Héréditaire is still possessed by cinematic visions. Like a camera coming into focus, lead single “Die Auslöschung” appears through a thickening haze before it’s snapped out of a trance by drummer Christian Eggers’ fiery blast beats. The album shifts between colors, textures, even languages. Stirred by a mournful saw of strings, “Ænae Lithi” raises memories of the Great Fire of Smyrna that were handed down by Themis’ grandmother. But where previous albums took cues from French painting and European film noir, this one throws back the velvet curtain in favor a veil. “Oath Ov Prometheus” dismantles the myth of man as god’s perfect creation with Kalavrezou’s freshly blackened vocals.

“We love to experiment with every album”, Ioannou says. “With Héréditaire, we wanted to introduce extreme vocals because they bring out all these heavy feelings. It’s like they’re shaking you awake”.


While Héréditaire is a pulse-pounding new direction for Unverkalt, the album’s arc traces back to our deepest and darkest origins. Amidst the tremolo-picked wreckage of “Penumbrian Lament”, long-held beliefs are swallowed into the void of guitarist Eli Mavrychev’s death growls. “It’s all sorts of dead ideas / They cling to us all the same”, Kalavrezou whispers, only to break into screams on “Introjects” beneath Joscha Hoyer’s throbbing bass line. “The concept behind the record is tied in with the album’s overall heaviness”, she says. “Each song peels back another blackened layer of memory, trauma and suffering, which linger over us like ghosts: invisible, yet endlessly present”.

Kalavrezou’s mystifying cleans remain one of Unverkalt’s defining traits. Even when trembling beneath the monolithic riff of “I, The Deceit”, her contempt for those who stand by as the world burns is heated when forged alongside her Athenian brother-in-arms Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ. But as the album draws to a close, Héréditaire ends shadowed in doubt for the future. “Bathed in lies / Can we make it better” she wonders before disappearing into the shivering wake left by “Maladie de ‘Esprit”.

“This album is not meant to resolve”, the band says, “but to dissolve patterns from those who came before, faceless yet familiar. The colors have drained. What remains is veiled in black, not as a symbol, but as a truth that covers everything”.

On Héréditaire, Unverkalt lift the veil on our cursed existence with their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.

Recording Lineup:
Dimitra Kalavrezou — Vocals
Themis Ioannou — Guitars, Keys
Eli Mavrychev — Guitars, Vocals
Joscha Hoyer — Bass
Christian Eggers — Drums

Guest Musicians:
Sakis Tolis — Vocals on “I, The Deceit”

Songwriting Credits:
Comped by Themis Ioannou.
Lyrics by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev.
Lyrics for “I, The Deceit” by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Joscha Hoyer.

Recording Credits:
Recorded & Engineered by Unverkalt.
Drums Recorded & Engineered by Christian Eggers at Noir Surge Sound, Berlin, Germany.

Production Credits:
Produced by Themis Ioannou.
Vocals produced by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev.
Mixed by Joshua Barber.
Mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios, Lübeck, Germany.

Cover Art:
Themis Ioannou

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