Album Review: Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP Records)

Despair, loss, love, and existential struggles have always been the foundation of Harakiri for the Sky’s distinctive sound. Since their formation in 2011, multi-instrumentalist M.S. and vocalist J.J. have gained recognition for pushing musical boundaries with their emotionally charged blend of atmospheric extreme metal and melodic post-rock, grunge and modern hardcore, carving out a genre of their own. After maintaining a steady two-year release rhythm and producing five albums in nine years, the band decided to break from tradition following 2021’s “Maere” (which peaked at #4 on the official German charts). Taking four years to craft their next epic chapter, Harakiri for the Sky will now release their new tour-de-force, “Scorched Earth”, on January 24th, 2025 through AOP Records.

Has it really been four years since we last experienced new atmospheric and emotional black metal in opulent form? Harakiri for the Sky are back and goodness, do they have something mighty in their hands. Not only just decidedly melancholic but blisteringly blackened as we’ve all come to expect. This is Harakiri for the Sky as we know them, but they continue to evolve in interesting ways. This album isn’t a rethread of past glories, but it is also comfortingly familiar.

The word ‘comfort’ isn’t one that many would use to describe this band and this album, but in Harakiri for the Sky’s own way, they offer it. Beginning with the wrought wretched heaviness of Heal Me, a track with rivets of melody and so much heavy power. Harakiri for the Sky’s ability to sound so emotionally black and twisted never fails to impress and this opener is just the start of an experience that fills the heart, mind, and soul with sorrow, but also creates strong feelings of elation too.

Of course, as every Harakiri for the Sky fan knows, this is par for the course. As is the extensive length of tracks and how each will ebb and flow. Up next? Two ten-plus minute efforts called Keep Me Longing and Without You I’m Just a Sad Song. The former, a track that reaches such an epic apex it’s staggering (dare I say – one of the best songs they’ve ever crafted), and the latter is a brash delivery of melody and metal that has a unexpected pop accessibility, while being unrelentingly brutal in places.

Three tracks in, nearly thirty minutes of music, and it feels like Harakiri for the Sky are only getting started too. There’s no sugar-coating that this album is a time investment, but it’s one that truly does play off. Few won’t be enamoured with the more active pacing and explosive black metal flareups of No Graves but the Sea. Nor will anyone be left wanting with the dramatic post experimentation of With Autumn I’ll Surrender. Two more outstanding efforts.

How about I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep though? There may be no better showcase of Harakiri for the Sky’s ability to make a melancholic sound so addictive. One of the album’s most powerful tracks that puts you through the emotional wringer in the best way possible.

It is exhausting, but before it gets too much, it comes to an end (unless you count the two bonus tracks). The final track is Too Late for Goodbyes and it features one of the most talented musicians in modern metal music, Serena Cherry of Svalbard fame. An unexpected guest, but a very welcome one as this track offers up a cacophony of intense blackened metal that takes a more brash stance but has this stunning melodic drop and clean singing segment. Beautiful, as is the Harakiri for the Sky way.

They’ve put out many great albums, so it’s hard to say where this one ranks when compared to the brilliance that came before. However, what can be confidently stated is that this is another slab of brilliance from a band that really doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Only a band as capable as Harakiri for the Sky would cover Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out) in such a unique way, and only a band as confident as Harakiri for the Sky would throw in another bonus track called Elysian Fields and it be one of their finest.

Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth Track Listing:

1. Heal Me (feat. Tim Yatras / Austere)
2. Keep Me Longing
3. Without You I’m Just a Sad Song
4. No Graves but the Sea
5. With Autumn I’ll Surrender
6. I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep
7. Too Late for Goodbyes (feat. Serena Cherry / Svalbard)
8. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Bonus Track – feat. P.G. of GROZA) (Radiohead Cover)
9. Elysian Fields (feat. Daniel Lang / Backwards Charm)

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