Spectr3’s legend continues.
Known as one of the oldest Iberian Black Metal bands, the group comprising Gangreal (guitar/bass), Shunh Oath (guitar/bass), Javi Bastard (bass), Varg The Mighty (keyboards), Black`et (drums), and Lilith Necrobitch (vocals) will release their new album, A Procession of the Dead, in 2026, in collaboration with Solistitium Records.
The album opens with a mystical ritual accompanied by the clanking of chains on Torax” a track that starts off rather strange but eventually becomes aggressive, blending the arcane elements of Black Metal with a harrowing mix of growls from beyond the grave. We savor this raw yet melodious approach as the vocals haunt us with their pace, then the sound suddenly shifts to Phantom Drummer Of Tedworth, the next track, which proudly displays its melancholy coupled with icy influences. The harmonics add a more ethereal touch to the mix, making it almost accessible despite the sometimes energetic foundation, and then the keyboards come to the fore with the title track, A Procession Of The Dead, and its infectious intensity, within which the screams intensify tenfold. The rhythm slows down, allowing a mysterious, clear voice to emerge and guide us into this new universe, and the pace fits perfectly with the tones it develops, but the band doesn’t hesitate to return to a wilder energy with A Forest In Hell, revisiting the raspy sounds and agonizing vocal parts. The riffs rage on until they give way to Valse Spectrorum, a sort of interlude where the keyboards weave a majestic and haunting dungeon-like atmosphere before picking up again with the aggressive Blood Rituals In The House Of The Dead, a track that combines distorted instruments with much more ethereal keyboards. While the track remains effective, it cuts off slightly before its end for a long outro that lets us catch our breath before The Restless Spirit Of The Screaming Woods, a fairly short but above all highly virulent track that takes the essence of the aggressive roots and blends them seamlessly. The sound winds down to make way for Saducismus Triumphatus, a track twice as long that picks up at a brisk pace and features icy, biting melodies, as well as those intoxicating layers in the background that make the whole thing even more delightful, ensuring a perfect transition into the dark Into The Mausoleum. Once the interlude is over, the album concludes with “Goddesses of Vengeance,” a long track where contemplative, ethereal tones are complemented by a slow pace that feels unsettling and ominous, one that would be perfectly suited to a moonlit stroll through the woods, while being watched.
Despite its longevity, there’s a very good chance you’ve never heard of Spectr3, and one of the reasons is most likely its mix, which is rarely available outside the scene, but which gives A Procession of the Dead that unique and intoxicating touch.
75/100
