Haerken – …Of Warriors and Kings

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Haerken are a new European band, and their ten-song debut album, …Of Warriors and Kings, released in 2014, is a fresh face on the monolith that is extreme music. (At least for Latin, the ‘ae’ is pronounced “i”.)

Modern, technical, crunchy, and fairly dry, the band’s sound could be described as more towards the ‘death’ end of the sound spectrum then say, folk or black metal.

The band hasn’t sacrificed production, song composition, or half their sound to “djent” type compression.

Abrasive, atonal, extreme-styled vocals incorporate passages like war chants (“One to Defend, One to Defeat”) that require a different delivery, and the vocalist nails it.

The majority of the guitar work is very thrash-based, rhythmic, involved, and riffy.

It will work well for listeners who enjoy the overall sound of of the genre, rather then singular elements like the drummer’s or guitarists’ speed.

Definitely mosh-worthy, this disc hits hard.

 

Track Listing:
Exordium
King Herla
The Eve of Bealtainn
One To Defend, One To Defeat
The Wild Hunt
Aetas Oblitus
A Call to Arms
The Kings’ Crusade
Torquilstone
The Bannauc Burn

 

Links:
Official Band Website
Official Soundcloud Page

 

4/5

About Iris North

My formal position is: editor and music reviewer. I joined the PlanetMosh army in 2012. I enjoy extreme metal, 'shred' guitar, hard rock, prog rock, punk, and... silly pop music!