Year: 2021
Total Time: 1:24:11
Label: AOP Records
HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY are the living proof of a band that evolves in every single album, always creating lyrics and composing music at a high quality level. And it’s definitely a challenge and an achievement at the same time to manage to maintain the momentum, especially after an amazing album like “Arson”. Matthias and Michael seem to have found the most successful combination, building elaborately around the post element, enriching it sometimes with melodic (but also aggressive) Death Metal ideas, or with Black Metal elements. Besides, in the case of HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY, the genre of music they play is of very little importance, since what really matters is the diversity of emotions, moreover the palette of sound colours of each of their releases is fantastic.
Getting the physical product in my hands, I’d like to first point out the inspiring booklet. A really beautiful digibook packaging, 30-page booklet, and a wonderful – in its minimalist vibe – artwork. The symbols used “blend” in harmony with the album’s theme: Man, Nature, Mind and the Living Soul.
Moving on to the musical part, we are undoubtedly confronted with a sensational release. A unique album of wild beauty, which is according to my opinion the best of the five releases of the Austrians so far, and a significant point of reference for Post (Black) Metal. Allies of the Austrians in this partnership are Neige (ALCEST), Krimh Lechner (SEPTICFLESH), Leesa (Lisa Rodlauer), GAEREA. The above mentioned names say it all and are not limited to “symbolic participations” for commercial purposes (by the way, the album reached #4 in the German charts), but contribute essentially to the final result.
HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY had prepared us five months before with “I, Pallbearer”, continued to fire their warning shots with the amazing (song and video) “Sing For The Damage We’ve Done”, and, please take this into account, these aren’t even their highlights on “Mære”. Listen for example to “I’m All About The Dusk”, “Us Against December Skies”, “And Oceans Between Us”, “Silver Needle // Golden Dawn”… It would be unfair to start writing about how I perceive each track separately, since in the case of “Mære”, the songs function as a natural continuation of each other and the album has to be approached as a musical piece of art in its entirety.
Deep, dense, beautifully melancholic, introspective, holistic, these are a few words that approximate the musical greatness of “Mære”. An overwhelming album, a journey of heart and mind, through the contradictory combination of extremely aggressive riffs and imaginative melodies. Where rage turns to despair and the brightest light meets the deepest darkness, one word can describe the listening process of “Mære”: Catharsis.
Rating: 8/10
Editor: Kostas Kafritsas
Related Link: HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY – Facebook Page
