Ahamkara - I'm late again to the melodic black metal party but I'm glad to have made it

Ahamkara

The Harrow of the Lost

Bindrune Recordings

25 April 2025

I messed up. Again. I should have told you about this melodic black metal band way earlier. Ahamkara (U.K.) released an album in 2014, but to be honest, I don’t know if I actually heard it, I don’t remember listening to it. Now, in 2025, they’ve released a new album, and this one I’ve heard tons of times. I’m not really sure why I had some difficulty grasping the music at first. Maybe listening to it in the car wasn’t the best way to experience it. Personally, I find that black metal usually doesn’t sound great in a car. I’m not a car audio expert or technician—I’m sure there’s a way to adjust a sound system to suit black metal, but I don’t have the technical skills for that. Anyway, I’ve found that the album sounds best through headphones.

Setting aside my tardiness and general incompetence, let’s get to the heart of the matter. The band is often labeled “atmospheric black metal,” and that’s fine. I’m not going to argue with it, but this isn’t “forest,” “synth” or meandering black metal. There’s a lot of speed and energy here. The slower parts are also quite melodic, and honestly, that’s what I like about it: it still sounds very much like black metal. Ahamkara presents a lively, melodic style that really works for fans of the genre. The combination of fast-paced rhythms and intricate melodies creates an enjoyable listening experience. What stands out most to me is how each song layers melodies over the riffs. It’s not just nonstop rhythm guitar, which can be fun but loses my interest quickly.

The album is made up of four tracks, totaling around 43 minutes. The “atmospheric” parts are done with guitars, no ambient filler, no political themes, and it's not mellow, post-metal vibes. It’s fast, melodic black metal with slower moments that are well-executed, not distractions. As for the lyrics: they focus on the sorrow of loss and are clearly written from a mature, thoughtful perspective by adults who’ve experienced the death of a loved one. For example: “Beyond the veil there is fear, an immeasurable gulf that gnaws incessantly, on the febrile ragged edges of my grief, torn intolerably open to the foulness of the world.” The lyrics are a bit difficult to understand at first reading, and that's on purpose. It's direct, in-your-face yelling about clichéd topics.

The Harrow Of The Lost by Ahamkara

https://www.facebook.com/theembersofthestars https://theembersofthestars.bandcamp.com/album/the-harrow-of-the-lost