Year: 2023
Total Time: 50.55
Label: Tree House Records

HERETIC is a Brazilian Progressive Metal band with oriental influences, based now in Portugal. They were founded in 2010 and since then they are very active in terms of recordings, since they have already released 10 full-length albums, 3 live albums and 3 EPs.

In 2023 they released the album “Gilgamesh” emphasizing as much as possible at the oriental touches that almost all their compositions have, since Gilgamesh is a mythical heroic figure from Mesopotamia. This album has troubled me quite a bit since its compositions are quite good, they combine Metal music with traditional oriental instruments and generally manage to stand out. On the other hand, Erich Martins’ voice sounds a bit incongruous with the music and in several parts I got the impression that he was singing something else than what I was listening to as a background music.

However, their ideas are quite advanced. It’s worth listening to the intro of “Judgment Day” for example, which starts with a “thousand and one nights” atmosphere and continues with powerful drums and nice guitar solos, while Martins gives one of his best performances in this album. Even more special is “Tendencies Over Certainties” especially at the arranging section. One of my favorite moments on the album is undoubtedly the instrumental “Arak II” and also “Fortune And Pain” which goes up and down at the rhythm, alternating musical patterns at the same time.

Here we are talking about an album that deserves the attention of a restless listener who is looking for mixtures between genres. Perhaps a more fitting combination of vocals and composition would have taken it a few levels higher but, even so it is a good album.

Rating: 7/10
Editor: Kostas Boudoukos
Related Link: HERETIC – Bandcamp Page