Heretoir – Nightsphere (Review)

Heretoir are a post-black metal band from Germany and this is their third album.

Nightsphere contains 42 minutes of atmospheric post-black metal. Heretoir have an emotive, textured delivery, and across this album they seriously impress.

There are five tracks, of which three are actual songs, and two ambient instrumental mood pieces. Normally the latter would make me run for the hills, but here they’re extremely well-realised quality inclusions.

Heretoir’s vision of post-black metal is one that incorporate blackgaze and post-rock, allowing for the creation of rich musical tapestries. The emphasis is very much on atmosphere, with the intent to create vivid and detailed soundscapes that immerse the listener in waves of feeling.

Nightsphere mixes ethereal acoustic texture, soft introspective ambience, and melancholic singing, with emotion-led aggression, delicate power, and refined post-blackened distortion. It’s a compelling formula that’s professional and compelling. Heretoir are passionate, ambitious, and skilled; a deadly combination. The atmospheric worldbuilding, engaging mood-focused songwriting, and quality of final product on Nightsphere is remarkably potent.

All of the component parts of Nightsphere are immaculately crafted, but the vocals are particularly affecting. These range from beautiful clean singing to anguished screams. They’re hideously effective, and more diverse than is the norm for acts of this nature. I also like that the screams stay just the right side of the depressive black metal style that frequently goes hand in hand with post-black metal. Guest vocalists from Austere and Der Weg Einer Freiheit also appear, adding value where they do.

Well, this is a very accomplished record, make no mistake. Fans of blackgaze, post-black metal, and atmospheric black metal should definitely have this on their radar.