Review: Akhlys – House of the Black Geminus

Review by Ralka Skjerseth

Akhlys – House of the Black Geminus

Record Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Year: 2024

Rating: 9/10

Playing mostly Black Metal sounds with a touch of dark ambient, Akhlys is a controversially cryptic unit renowned for their chaotic and nightmarish sounds, presenting lyrical themes that revolve around dreams, and occultism, and the dark. Via Debemur Morti Productions, Akhlys released their 4th studio album entitled House of the Black Geminus, which is a follow-up to their acclaimed 2020 release Melinoë.

With the release of this recent work, Akhlys deliver an intensely atmospheric sonic experience; intense and almost cinematic with all the abrasive loudness that they offer. They did a remarkable job in exploring new terms of mixing and melody; blending conventional Black Metal with elements of Dark Ambient and Death Industrial, in a more experimental and focused way compared to their earlier works. The eclectic convergence between Ambient/Industrial and Black Metal that they presented on this album helped create a harrowing and psyche-blowing nuance.

Akhlys

With the eclectic rawness that persists on this album it creates a dynamic, drastic shift from transgressive chaos to a rather structured and experimental take on soundscapes. The raw and aggressive vocals featured on this album are accompanied by an intense, sonically layered guitar work. There are, of course, tracks that showcase intricate riffs of fury and indignation and extended atmospheric sprawl, such as “Through the Abyssal Door” and “Sister Silence, Brother Sleep”. Thematically, this album is inclined towards the discourse of esoteric and mythical tradition; emphasizing on passages relating to the underworld of dreams, revelation, and dread. Production-wise, it has a strong focus on a loud and relentless wall of noise, with distortions that are meant to be intentional– combined with a dark, immersive nature and abyssal-themed aesthetic.

Compared to their previous releases, it is fair to say that this album passes as a step forward that enhances elements from previous releases while simultaneously offering a more compact and ferocious sound. Long-time fans from the era of their earlier works such as The Dreaming I and Melinoë will probably notice a deliberate character development in their musical style and intensity. This album stands as a testament to genuine innovation and unrelenting craftsmanship.

My verdict is that it’s impressive how this album shows that the chaos and order dichotomy can coexist at the same time and is not mutually exclusive; shown Akhlys’ genuine take on incorporating both loud chaos and structured instrumentation on this album– making the experience of listening to it a unique, experimental one.