Though it might appear that “western” civilization is burning for the sake of all that was felled and broken this last century all crises and a slow-heaving downfall were prophesied long before being plainly spoken, pleaded against in open forum for decades. An unwitting planet whipped by storms and burnt alive in repetitious alternation is prime setting for this sixth full-length album from Vienna/Salzburg, Austria-based post-black/melodic metal duo HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY who’ve returned with their most deliberately stoked and remiss album in some time. ‘Scorched Earth‘ reflects tragedian years in recent history as much as it does a break-up, largely personal observations and experiences dealing with communal divestment in the structures that bind human beings together, sans the usual puppetry. As a follow-up to one of their best-received releases to date this album serves to uphold the signature of the band while packing its hourlong resound with unheard of nuance, taking a few more chances under its breath in its implication of tragedy fueled change.

Getting back into the thick of Harakiri For the Sky‘s muse first involves travelling back in time when depressive and atmospheric black metal ideals slowly became their own contemporary of dark melodic metal, call it post-black metal if you will. There are few discographies which I find exactly as daunting as this duo’s for the sake of the engrossing nature of their often longform, densely droning yet melodious works which (typically) escape any cloying affect for the sake of their harder edges and impassioned bark-sung vocal cadence. This style had emerged beyond their formation in 2011 in careful steps, logically exiting the cave of post-black delirium toward more melodic highs by their breakthrough third LP (‘III: Trauma‘, 2016) where their ouevre threatened something slightly progressive, Agalloch-esque in its temperament and a live ensemble had been formed to help continue raising the proverbial bar. At that point we could consider them spiritual contemporaries with groups like Forgotten Tomb or Totalselfhatred at a glance.

Built as an outlet for musing on “Love, life and death” most often in the first person the distinct, readable vocal cadence and lyrics of J.J. (Karg) have become increasingly important to both developing the present signature and overall evolutionary sound of Harakiri For the Sky. Nowhere has this ongoing refinement of voice been more potent than the space shared between ‘Arson‘ (2018) and the huge double LP ‘Mӕre‘ (2021) both of which I’d reviewed in the past to both glowing and exhausted muse, finding myself pulled back into their world an its ~8-10 minute washes of shouting and dramatic rants which brim with intricately stoked melodic ideas. For the most relevant explanation of my thoughts and references to this band one could refer to my review of that fifth LP while also finding immediate precedence for style and voice heading into ‘Scorched Earth‘ by listening to the two immediate albums released prior.

Granted, ‘Mӕre‘ is a tough act to follow in terms of having felt like its extended length had explored the very extent of songwriter, guitarist/bassist M.J.‘s (ex-Bifröst) wanderlust for post-black inspired doldrums in the long form, a font which takes cues from post-rock melodies, atmospheric metal and even melodic/post-hardcore in developing its twists, turns and floaty plateaus. That levitating edginess Harakiri From the Sky are known for feels like it receives a more succinct update on ‘Scorched Earth‘, an album of frustration and almost gleeful dramatism threaded through its work. Opener “Heal Me” feels like a quick seat at the table in this sense, no real need for too dramatic an opening when the conversation is going to be long and brutally taxing in its examination of the self and the state of the world. Joining the fray on that first song is Tim Yatras of the recently revivified Austere, a piece which has the two vocalists trading verses and doubling-up for certain parts to the point that the piece is an odd blend of old and new sensations. I have to admit this song did not make sense to me as an opener until I’d really sat with this record’s full hour a few times and had at least some understanding of its vast stretches mapped out in mind.

Much of ‘Scorched Earth‘ is for sure less about the state of the world and more about conveying extreme emotions as the lyrics themselves focus on separation under extreme circumstance as well as failed relationships, cursed encounters and some manner of self-evisceration in response as we find with the (wildly violent) video for “Keep Me Longing“. In typical Harakiri For the Sky fashion this nearly eleven minute song uses a protracted form of atmospheric black metal lilt to stretch its post-rock melodicism across, pummeling through its mid-section as we find one of several examples of the band picking up the pace for this record compared to the last. That said the chiming, sweetly set melody that does form threatens to fall into generica if not for J.J.‘s impassioned bark fighting against the cheese of it all a bit. I don’t think this’d bother a dedicated Insomnium fan per se, though the shuttered ears of a popular black metal fan might find themselves caught within the wrong music box for those ten minutes.

For my own taste the ten minutes spent with “Without You I’m Just a Sad Song” felt a bit more natural even if built upon a similar foundation, slightly more of that post-grunge rock rhythm and Dark Tranquillity-sized melodies warming the experience toward some rhythm guitar interest throughout. The typical joy to be found in any Harakiri For the Sky record is clear enough there, the run-on and ranting feeling that the “in the pocket” sweetness of the song will never end is yet enough motivation to stick with the full listen. With that point in mind perhaps the most key single and obviate crowd pleaser on this album, “With Autumn I’ll Surrender“, feels like it was pulled directly from Side A of Amorphis‘ ‘Am Universum‘ as it kicks off with its piano-braced melodic implication amidst layers of distorted guitar and creeping electro-shuddering movement, eventually matching the outburst of energy found on “Without You I’m Just a Sad Song.” For my own taste those two piece were enough to find me falling back into the pleasure of listening to this bands devices working on a full tank of gas, it feels like they could write these songs in their sleep ad infinitum at this point.

A crow shot down with arrows, a hunted fox corpse left to rot, an owl burning alive, a wolf skinned alive face first… all serves as a lot to take in as I consider this fine cover art from Brvno Gonzalez, an illustration which depicts each of the unfortunate animals found on Harakiri For the Sky‘s five album covers prior now collectively sent fleeing from the burning forest. This is one of the most interesting aspects of this release in the sense that it implies sweeping change alongside the band suggesting this depicts an end of an era in some sense. After spending far too many hours in the midst of this recording I can say that while I do think dramatic change would be a welcome prospect for the band’s outlook I wouldn’t say ‘Scorched Earth‘ is an album which burns away the past or reaches for brazen new territory beyond its use of robust piano-lead melodies, less patience for sentimentality observed within similarly extensive pieces. The nuance is there though the change on the horizon will take some squinting to observe.

Though I am not at all an observer of popular melodic metal with any real frequency there is some genuinely inspired and subversive work put into all of Harakiri For the Sky‘s work which upholds their “disturbing yet beautifully put” body of work where the suicidal nature of the human animal only seems to intensify in its character as the reality of anthropocene existence sinks in deeper. Immersive and grand in its well-proven strokes with just a few obvious strays from their usual path ‘Scorched Earth‘ is a reminder of the gravity their work possesses by contrition, easily pulling any willing ears down into a deceptively fucked-up pit of unkind introspection. If we can excuse some of the extra/bonus tracks here for quality and potentially skip “Too Late for Goodbyes” here and there on repeat listens I’d say this one deserves a moderately high recommendation. That said I’m only more curious where they’ll take this gig in the future based off of the lingering farewell feeling provided herein.

---