Band – Ahamkara
Album – The Harrow Of The Lost
Country of Origin – United Kingdom
Genre – Atmospheric Black Metal
Release Date – April 25, 2025
Label – Bindrune Recordings
Author – Porous
Over a decade has passed since Ahamkara’s debut album and they’ve now returned with an incredible follow-up: “The Harrow Of The Lost”. If you were unaware, Steven (the original vocalist) tragically passed away shortly after their first release. The band’s line-up now consists of founding member Michael taking over throats and guitar shredding, along with Alexandra (of Nemorous) providing the ambient synth, and Austin (of Panopticon) as a speed demon on those drums.
As I sat down to fully immerse myself in this new Ahamkara treasure, the once sunny spring morning had descended into grey skies and an ominous silence. It was the perfect time for this, especially as the opening track “The Circle of Remembrance” opened with a blustery soundscape and calming somber melody. But then the riffs start up. And there are sooo many sick riffs throughout this entire album. About a minute in, the guitar harkens back to 80s metal, backed by excited toms and sky-opening synth. It builds and builds until the epic black metal kicks in. Michael’s vocals are teeming with that raw quality I appreciate in this genre. The song weaves in and out of anguished to hopeful hooks. And all the while, Austin is ferociously rolling through drum fills and bruising those skins in the most delightful way. The final minute is one of the most beautifully epic ends to a song I’ve heard in quite some time. The distorted ferocity in his vocals are tempered by Alexandra’s inspiring atmosphere, and it’s really something to behold.
The next song is “Our Scars Shall Abide In The Thaw” and also opens with a melodic intro. But Ahamkara doesn’t just explode out of that pretty passage into expected blastbeats. Instead, the stylized Emperor-esque layered riffage is accentuated by tension-building drums, a very appreciated detail in my opinion. And I cannot stress enough how many riffs there are. I thought back to that scene in Tim Burton’s “Batman”, where the Joker asks, “Where does he get those wonderful toys?!” Keep em coming, Michael! One of the moments in this song that really stood out for me happens around the 6 minute mark, where it’s just blistering fast, but with very creative melodies, and extended shrieks. But those final few minutes really feature Alexandra shining through with ethereal ambiance against a well-placed and foreboding dissonance.
Sometimes song titles are literal and sometimes they’re a mystery. “Channelling Grief” is understandably the former. The emotion conveyed in these vocals throughout the entire song is palpable. There’s also a whole variety of interesting axe sections layered over each other, backed by an earnest beat. About two minutes in, Austin really goes all out with the ferocity and fills. I’m a sucker for well-placed ride cymbals ringing through! The second half of this track contains a plethora of bellowing shrieks and rasps over a journey of instrumentation that ultimately ends in a relentlessly heartfelt finale.
The final track opens with speed. “Ordeal of Ascension” is fast and eerie, but there’s always a hint of melodic expression. The synth is well-placed throughout and breaks through the storm of vocals at just the right moments. Halfway through, there are a number of interesting riffs one after the other that I had to rewind multiple times as I couldn’t get enough. But before this final track concludes, the Ahamkara trio put in the work to really flesh out the suspense. Austin’s war-like drums, Michael’s melodic speed-picking, and Alexandra’s hopeful keys are opening the door to an incredibly raw and emotional end to a gorgeous album.
I didn’t know Steven, but I’ve got to believe he’d be so incredibly proud of what these three unleashed in “The Harrow Of The Lost”. The passion and grief is ever present throughout this epic release and I’m so excited for everyone to hear it!
Author’s Biography: Porous has been possessed by heavy music for the vast majority of his life. For most of it, that love was exorcised by playing metal, punk, and hardcore with other musicians. Nowadays Porous writes/records music mostly on his own, but engages with the community by supporting/encouraging other musicians, and one of those ways is through writing! In early 2025 he joined MoshPitNation to contribute album/show reviews, concert photography, and hopefully an infectious love for sincere heavy music.
