Unverkalt explores the limbo of darkness.
Formed in Greece, the band made a name for itself in 2020 with a debut album, followed by a second three years later. In 2026, Dimitra Kalavrezou (vocals), Themis Ioannou (guitar/keyboards), Eli Mavrychev (guitar/vocals), Joscha Hoyer (bass), and Christian Eggers (drums) signed with Season of Mist for the release of their third album, Héréditaire.
Slow and haunting Post-Metal clouds our minds while allowing us to maintain a connection with reality thanks to the two voices on Die Auslöschung, but as soon as the rhythm ignites, everything transforms, anchoring itself deeply in a dark and visceral violence. This is easily noticeable in the moment of calm that follows, as the reprise seems natural, though even more striking as it leads into Oath Ov Prometheus, the next track, where dissonance already reigns, quickly engulfed by raw rage. Trapped, we endure as much as we admire the heart-wrenching screams, letting the riffs wash over us, taking on different shades and styles before calming down to make way for Ænæ Lithi, where the sound transforms into ritualistic melancholy that progresses slowly, very slowly. The folk instruments only fall silent when the saturation explodes, but the track eventually runs out of steam before offering us a moment of respite on A Lullaby for the Descent, and here again, the arrival of saturation in no way detracts from the melancholic and intoxicating atmosphere that the five musicians have carefully constructed. The darkening is immediate with Penumbrian Lament, which takes only a few seconds to throw us into its vortex of violence, and even when we reach the eye of the storm, we resume our progression towards the imposing riffs that strike us again with coldness. The first moments of Introjects are quite strange, and I am surprised to hear the band mix its natural oppression and Post-Black touches with more joyful elements, which will eventually be swept away by the storm and the two voices that lead us to I, The Deceit, where unease already reigns. We feel that the sound is different, and it transforms even more when the band is joined by the recognizable voice of Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ), but although the alliance is unexpected, it is also very natural, reinforcing the power of the waves of fury with a touch of savagery that we lose when we reach Death is Forever in favor of a little tenderness. Although there are some touches of violence, the rhythm is quite gentle, lulling our minds with innocence before the vocal duo regains momentum, calming down only to meet Maladie de l’Esprit, the last composition that easily hypnotizes us, better confronting us with its heart-wrenching power and asserting one last time its share of darkness within this perfectly mastered sonic fog.
Capable of the utmost gentleness as well as the most virulent darkness, Unverkalt has reached a real milestone with Héréditaire. The album is as enjoyable as it is frightening, exposing us to all its facets in turn and mixing them together for our greatest pleasure.
95/100