Album Review: Haiduk – Exomancer (Self Released)

Haiduk is a blackened death metal solo project by guitarist Luka Milojica with a focus on fast riffs and atmospheric guitars. The project’s third full-length album, Exomancer is set for release on October 17th 2018.

There’s a wonderful level of heaviness, darkness and down right aggressiveness in the riffing of opener, Death Portent. Before the atmospheric vocals even turn up, it sets itself up nicely as a coldly focused effort.

Unsummon and Evil Art bring dramatic rhythm to the forefront while retaining an uncompromising forcefulness of heaviness. The drumbeat of Evil Art in particular, mixed with twisted riffs, is impressive.

Unlike many other blackened death metal releases, Haiduk keep the tracks short and digestible. There are no 6+ minute epics here, just 2-3 minutes of fast metal music and all the work of one individual.

Enjoy the intensity of the pacey riffing as Pulsar, Blood Ripple and Once Flesh deliver memorable slices of heaviness. There is a feral quality to these tracks, often when vocals make themselves known but the decent production gives it a smoother and more rounder appearance. It makes it all so much more listenable, something that could be lacking across a 10-track album.

The praise heaped on Haiduk’s new album is deserved as it nails just what makes this sub-genre such an enjoyable listen. All the elements of death metal are present but with the added excitement and bleakness of black metal. Haiduk takes both and smashes them together to make a very fine release.

Haiduk – Exomancer Full Track Listing:

1. Death Portent
2. Unsummon
3. Evil Art
4. Subverse
5. Icevoid Nemesis
6. Doom Seer
7. Pulsar
8. Blood Ripple
9. Once Flesh
10. Crypternity

You can pick up the album over on Bandcamp, Big Cartel and through Haiduk’s website where you can also find previous releases. Find out more by liking Haiduk’s Facebook Page and subscribing to the YouTube Channel.