Progeny of Sun shines once again.
Still signed to Inverse Records, the band led by Niko Aromaa (vocals, Dark Archive, Skofnung), Jaakko Hautamäki (guitar), Tuomo Tolkki (bass), Juha Peura (drums), and Joni Kiviniemi (guitar) unveils its second album, Prophets of the Void, in 2025.
The album immediately gets to the heart of the matter with Swarmspawn, a massive, groovy track in which piercing melodies and roars blend naturally, making the rhythm even more aggressive. We feel trapped in this cyclone of brutality, followed by Penance’s darkness which immediately follows suit and offers a more majestic but also very persistent wave that captivates us and grabs our attention. The pachydermic mosh part assaults us one last time under the screams before letting Worldstone take over, while remaining aggressive, but this time including imposing keyboards to give the composition a whole new identity. There are also some unhealthy passages in both the instrumental and vocal parts, then the band returns to its raw and catchy groove with Decimation, the next track, which is perfectly named and will be a great asset for getting crowds moving live. The leads also offer a moment of levity before returning to aggression, then Colonus gives us a short breather to emphasize its raw power, supported by samples that sometimes manage to temper the jerky flow before giving way to a touch of melancholy on Lifeless Light. The track obviously features solid riffs, but it is imbued with a different energy from the others, a feeling confirmed by the final solo that leads us to Sun and Moon, where we feel a kind of galvanizing fulfillment. The track is perfect for accompanying a moment of solitude at the end of the day, but the break manages to bring us back to our senses before we set off again into more hazy sounds on Circle of Keres, a track where the band’s cold Finnish roots are most evident. The track quickly gives way to Diary Ender, which returns to heaviness, but also to wild and unexpected bursts tinged with delectable dark touches, before letting Deface hypnotize us with its twirling harmonics. A touch of clean vocals accompanies the saturation on the chorus, then it’s the break’s turn to adopt a gentler tone before intensifying again to join the disturbing introduction to Rain for Discouraged, which nevertheless allows us to catch our breath before charging forward once more. Once again, the guitars add a heavy touch to the furious rhythm before slowing down to give Forsaken Brigade its haunting atmosphere, adopting intoxicating Gothic influences to close the album on a more dreamy note.
While Progeny of Sun has nothing left to prove in terms of violence, the band has managed to diversify its roots to color Prophets of the Void in different ways. Melancholy and darkness are now an integral part of their identity, and are two major assets!
95/100
