This is the fifth album from US progressive black metal act Ashen Horde.
2023’s Antimony was Ashen Horde’s best album up to this point. This means that The Harvest is an eagerly anticipated new record from this notable band. Will it have what it takes to knock Antimony from the top spot?
The answer to that is more difficult to answer than you might expect, as this is a different Ashen Horde than we’ve encountered previously, although by no means a completely unrelated one.
The first thing you’ll notice is that Ashen Horde have a new singer. Serrated screams, soaring cleans, and deep growls are all used to great effect. The guy has a strong voice, especially his clean singing, which boasts both presence and power. He’s an obvious focus point for the album, but it’s not the only development in the Ashen Horde camp. Musically, the band have updated themselves once more, sounding the best they ever have production-wise.
Whether it is sharpened brutality, technical nuance, atmospheric reach, or progressive workouts, The Harvest is a beast of a record. It’s clear this marks a new era for Ashen Horde. As mentioned, the production levels are heightened, and the album feels more than ready for the live environment, something that the promo blurbs tells is is finally going to happen. Although you wouldn’t say that The Harvest sounds like a completely different band, it almost does – Ashen Horde have clearly refined their vision for engaging extremity.
As an overview, you’d say that The Harvest is a 43-minute progressive black and death metal album. Sort of. It’s getting harder and harder to know what to term Ashen Horde. Maybe a simpler extreme metal or progressive metal label would be appropriate, although I think progressive black metal hits most of the right talking points. Essentially, it’s a fusion of black, death, and progressive styles, all thrown skilfully together with technical flourishes, melodic highlights, and a compelling edge. The songs merge their various influences easily, resulting in a well-balanced extreme metal album that plunders different styles in different places. It’s all brought together within a modern progressive black metal framework that hits the spot.
The Harvest boldly and confidently opens up a new chapter for Ashen Horde. For a rough idea of where The Harvest is coming from, think a mix of Anaal Nathrakh, Enslaved, Ihsahn, In Mourning, and Tómarúm. Indeed, fans of bands like those would do well to make a beeline for The Harvest. Ashen Horde have produced a well-rounded album that’s extremely enjoyable. I think we may have found a real contender for Antimony‘s crown. Time will tell for sure. For now, The Harvest is a top tier album you need in your life.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 