Ahamkara – The Harrow Of The Lost

Written by on 25-04-2025 at 22:41.

British Cascadian black metal outfit Ahamkara needed ten years to process the grief of the passing of their singer, Steve Black. And of course you never forget something like that. However, the band has decided not to bury the hatchet but to just handle it and release a new album ten years after their debut, The Embers Of The Stars, namely The Harrow Of The Lost via Bindrune Recordings.

The only remaining original band member, Mr. Michael Blenkarn, has managed to surround himself with two new members who gave him inspiration to complete this new album with four new songs. Austin Lunn plays drums on Panopticon while Mrs. Alexandra Blenkarn-Dunning of Nemorous plays with effects and keyboard tones.

Cascadian black metal implies rather long drawn out songs that lean closely against the background, the nature from which the band members originated and that have a pronounced atmospheric character. That is why it should not surprise us that there are only four songs on this second album of this British band. From the first notes you are in a robust soundscape that is first painted by quiet, haunting notes. The Circle Of Remembrance has its beginning and probably also its end point, if they are not the same of course. The unfortunate thing is that the production framework that was built around the music does not radiate enough warmth, it sounds just a bit too cool and too cold. You can call it good, but in this subgenre, sounds that are too sharp are not really preferable. It often results in the loss of detail or in the loss of the atmospheric message. Nevertheless, the three band members in Ahamkara do their utmost to captivate you with strong melody lines. These are delivered to you by means of meandering lead and solo parts.

Also typical of this genre are the somewhat higher screams that often seem to be somewhat lost in and between the instruments. This is also the case on this record. However, you can warm yourself to many other elements. A warm bass line in combination with plucking guitar passages, for example in the opening bars of Our Scars Shall Abide In The Thaw. A song in which the main melody is brought to life in an eerie way with the help of the drum parts of Mr. Lunn, who certainly does not shy away from playful playing on the cymbals.

The British lads in Ahamkara have knocked on the door of the Cascadian black metal community again ten years after their first album with The Harrow Of The Lost. I would let them in because the musical adventure they bring here is meant for many ears.

Score:

80/100

Label:

Bindrune Recordings, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. The Circle Of Remembrance
  2. Our Scars Will Abide In The Thaw
  3. Channeling Grief
  4. Ordeal Of Ascension

Line-up:

  • Michael Blenkarn – Vocals, guitar
  • Austin Lunn – Drums
  • Alexandra Blenkarn-Durning – Synth

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