Ahamkara - Harrow of the Lost

Ahamkara is an atmospheric/melodic black metal band from the UK, who formed in 2012. Their latest album, “The Harrow of the Lost,” is their second full-length album. 

I haven’t had a chance to dive into their debut album but I have found “The Harrow of the Lost” to be quite the engaging album. It’s deeply rooted in black metal but definitely isn’t afraid to walk a more melodic path. There are more than enough moments of fast paced, blackened fury to be had but it’s interspersed between melodic riffs, melodies, and atmospheric soundscapes. 

I like the production—it isn’t raw to the point of being detrimental to itself but it’s also not something I would call clean. The vocals and drums in particular are caustic and helps keep the album on the extreme side of the genre even when it’s stretching outside the confines of it. 

The album consists of four songs, all of which are long but the album is still a solid 42 minute journey so it isn’t a taxing experience even for those fans who might not like longer structures.

The songs are well composed so their lengths fly by. Each one has several moving parts but nothing is in a rush or sounds overly messing and complicated. The use of clean tones is very prominent, used for building up to a massive hook or an explosion of aggression.

The opening tones of “The Circle of Remembrance,” eventually break into melodic riffs as the song ramps up the tension. With help from the drums, I felt the song getting louder and heavier as the seconds ticked by. My patience was rewarded around the 2:22 mark when the drums get inhumanely fast and the atmosphere grows more sinister.

The subtle keys add a lot to the songs but they never try to take over, confident in letting the song take a more traditional black metal approach for the time being. Around the halfway mark, catchy melodies crash against the waves of drums. I want to give special mention to the bass, which is both audible and interesting. This part is oddly soothing and just as it reaches to the point of being arresting, a wonderful little clean passage arrives, complete with a gentle guitar solo. 

The lead guitar is quite good throughout the other songs as well, the beginning of “Our Scars Shall Abide in the Thaw,” being a strong showcase for it. The production works in this song’s favor, the buzzing riffs working with the melodies in the best way possible. The song takes on an almost hypnotic feel, the band’s aggressive and melodic natures mixing expertly. 

Some of the album’s darkest and most serene passages can be found in this song so I’d say this one is a good representation of what the album represents. At the 7:20 mark, the song introduces an intricate clean section that’s emotive in the best ways. It slides back into black metal territory with ease, offering a different side on the same coin.

“Channeling Grief,” is perhaps the darkest of the four songs. The guitars and bass consist of a menacing tone but the melodies drop their brightness for a more monochrome tone as well. The tempo is fast for most of the song, both the riffs and atmospheric pieces raging through. It sounds harrowing in places especially at the 3 minute and 6 minutes mark, the band holding a clawed grip on battering the senses. The song fades out briefly at the 7:40 mark but I didn’t have time to catch my breath for long as it jumps back into fray once more. 

The final song, “Ordeal of Ascension,” takes a similar approach in the beginning by walking a more straightforward blackened path. But beween the fire and brimstone, little sparks of light shine through the cracks. This makes the song dense yet expansive, something that isn’t easy to do but the band pulls it off.

All in all, “Ahamkara’s “The Harrow of the Lost,” is a solid atmospheric black metal album that contains elements of both outside the box ideas and more traditional ones to appease many types of black metal fans. 

Rating: Solid