Dancing with nature spirits ...
[ Logo: Heretoir ]
MEDIA FEEDBACK:
10 / 10
➤ "... an emotional masterpiece of Black Metal art, which is much more than just music ... interplay between hopeful on the one hand and the realization and despair on the other ... high pleasure ... production and mastering ensure a perfect sound of the whole, which comes across neither too rough nor too smooth, but earthy and natural ... this is exactly how atmospheric Post-Black Metal Anno '23 must sound."
(Metal Only)
10 / 10
➤ "… shatter traditional classifications, and regardless of genre will make you think 'this is just a great band'. Every now and then, there’ll be a band who come along and remind you how and why you fell in love with music … for Post-Metal fans or those looking for something a little different; add this album to your regular shuffle and playlists upon release day. You won’t regret it."
(Ever Metal)
10 / 10
➤ "... the polyphonic vocals, both harsh and clean, penetrate deep into the soul marrow as always - as do the lyrics, which mix a contemplation of the earthly status quo with earthy spirituality in a completely unkitschy way ... those who have loved HERETOIR from the very first hour will idolize them by listening to 'Nightsphere' ..."
(Bleeding4Metal)
97 / 100
➤ "… one of the best Post-Black Metal releases of 2023 … five masterful tracks … filled with dreamy and bleak soundscapes … will please any fan of the genre and the band … mid-tempo brilliance they are known for … blistering onslaughts mixed in between atmospheric passages … the weeping lead guitars are to die for … immerse the listener from start to finish … a seamless experience filled with different moods and engaging soundscapes …"
(Infernal Masquerade)
95 / 100
➤ "HERETOIR reminded me how fascinated I was by their previous album. 'Nightsphere', with its similar, contradictory and opposed elements, offers a certainly different, but just as striking and contemplative approach."
(Acta Infernalis)
95 / 100
➤ "... with bravura ... 42-minute emotional journey ... you land in your own refuge ... musical craftsmanship! One could also simply call 'Nightsphere' the Post-Black Metal record par excellence … the Germans of HERETOIR are at the top of this relevant subgenre. Must-buy, year-end list material!"
(Zware Metalen)
9,5 / 10
➤ "... has more depth than the Mariana Trench, more feeling, more heart, more sadness, i.e. all the emotions that can be conveyed by music, than any other album that has been doing the rounds in my player for years ... terrific sound image ... nothing here seems artificial, contrived or forced ... sounds like world-weariness set to music ... so magnificent ..."
(Zephyr's Odem)
4,5 / 5
➤ "... an emotional up and down between fantastic Rost-Rock melody arcs, Black Metal outbursts, cathartic clear vocals and thoughtful acoustic passages ... thoroughly great album ... offers almost everything you expect from HERETOIR or Post-Black Metal in general in just three quarters of an hour ... radiates a captivating atmosphere at all times ..."
(Stormbringer)
14 / 15
➤ "... all the components of the sound are woven together into a homogeneous overall picture through a sombre underlying mood ... another flawless masterpiece ..."
(Legacy Magazin)
4 / 5
➤ "… entirely touching and involving … spiritual but gloomy ascension … the sonic horizon of Nightsphere is constantly raised and remains strong … this is the echo of human’s cry who stares at darkness, nostalgia and ruinations."
(Heavy Music HQ)
4 / 5
➤ "The music is the focus ... the band manages to create a captivating atmosphere that transports the listener to another world ... the combination of raw aggression and melancholic beauty is masterfully executed ... an outstanding album that also convinces lyrically ... another milestone in their career ... proves that they are one of the leading bands in the genre ..."
(Schwermetall CH)
90 / 100
➤ "… full of angry feelings and melancholic atmospheres."
(X-Reviews)
9 / 10
➤ "... beautiful, melancholic melodies ... a successful concept album ... full of passion for nature and music ... has to be listened to all in one piece, only then the whole poetry behind it unfolds ... very intense, even hypnotic ... in my opinion suitable for any meditation in the great outdoors ... unique Post-Black Metal ... grabs me from front to back ..."
(Soundmagnet)
9 / 10
➤ "… very good … very elegant … very precise … very well thought-out … quite inspiring … very fascinating …"
(Adicto Al Metal)
9 / 10
➤ "... a bouquet of very densely atmospheric and emotional songs, in which there is a lot of beauty alongside poignant suffering ... a more than satisfying sound experience ... intense ... bursting with melodiousness and catchy atmosphere ... sounds well-rounded and mature ..."
(Hörspiegel)
8 / 10
➤ "... revel between beautiful melodies, carried drama and wild Black Metal frenzy ... convinces musically all along the line ... clear buy recommendation for all HERETOIR fans!"
(Powermetal DE)
8 / 10
➤ "… a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts … great … if you are a fan of atmospheric Post-Black Metal, you should check out this album!"
(Occult Black Metal Zine)
8 / 10
➤ "... the songs can captivate despite an average length of just under ten minutes and are entertaining ... HERETOIR sound more self-confident and firm in their own sound and break away somewhat from their Post-Metal role models ... stylistically 'Nightsphere' is somewhat less experimental compared to its predecessors ..."
(Metal DE)
8 / 10
➤ "... an impressive work by HERETOIR that meets and even exceeds expectations ... an album that musically captures the conflict between nature and technology in an impressive and stirring way and at the same time touches the soul of the listener ..."
(AM:plified Mag)
8 / 10
➤ "… compositional cleverness … an exciting journey through the desperate sound realm of Black Metal … with almost mesmerizing repetition Heretoir draws the listener under its spell … 'Nightsphere' can be seen as a Gesamtkunstwerk, which convinces with a richness of ideas and musical variety … pleases already at the first listen and has enough details which guarantee a lasting listening experience …"
(Markus' Heavy Music Blog)
8 / 10
➤ "... insanely dense soundscape that fascinates ... dramatically dark ... spherical ... a strong scent mark ... very competent ... the production fits the mood perfectly ... a real exclamation mark of German atmospheric Black Metal art."
(Rock Castle Franken)
77 / 100
➤ "'Nightsphere' is inclusive of all past aspects and traits … varietal, focused and particularly active for Post-Black Metal today …"
(Grizzly Butts)
7,5 / 10
➤ "... great cinema. A gripping, complex, atmospherically dense sound with various moods and high recognition value. Really great and also just as well implemented."
(Dark Festivals)
7,5 / 10
➤ "... melancholic and dreamy ... take the listener on an astral journey and enchant with countless melodies, acoustic pads and piano sounds ... very well done ... what I like best is the diverse guitar work, which comes into its own very well, especially over headphones ..."
(Crossfire Metal)
7,5 / 10
➤ "... tracks human emotions well … an ethereal dance between light and darkness …"
(Retumba)
7,5 / 10
➤ "... calm and atmospheric on the one hand, with clean vocals that evoke heavy and intense emotions, while it slowly changes and evolves into a strong Black Metal with mournful screams that are nerve-wracking ... offer different levels of anguish and despair as it takes you from the biggest to the smallest and then back to the beginning ... you can get lost in it ..."
(BrutalView)
3,75 / 5
➤ "… seamlessly blends atmospheric Black Metal elements with melodic clean passages, intertwining swirling blast beats with calm Post-Rock and ambient sounds … masterfully combines the intensity of desperate screams with the poignant emotionality of melancholic clean vocals, guiding listeners through a profound and mysterious musical journey in an ancient world."
(Heavy Metal Best)
3,5 / 5
➤ "… isn’t common among Post-Black albums … broody and melancholic, obviously by choice … it’s excellent atmosphere music … an album that is absolutely worth a listen."
(Metal Epidemic)
7,3 / 10
➤ "… a well-made Blackgaze/Atmo-Black album with a moving and consistent core tone in addition to well-written songs …"
(Metal Storm)
➤ "The star here is David 'Eklatanz' Conrad's vocals and the explosion of many levels of despair and anguish ... shows all the skills to convey emotion ... to be compared to a broken jaw and an eye opener ..."
(Metal Addicts)
➤ "… a gloomy album that combines the atmospheric Black Metal parts with clean melodic passages, lots of blast beats and quieter, almost Rock sounds … full of intensity through the desperate screams and more melancholic with clean vocals to emphasize the emotions … strongly composed … has its own unique sound ..."
(Rancor Metalzine)
➤ "... all grandiose, as already with 'Wastelands' ... all tracks work and literally stick in the auditory canal ... HERETOIR manage to captivate the listener from beginning to end ... you hardly know how to deal with the oppressive mood that the album makes you feel ..."
(Vampster)
➤ "… majestic and cavernous … there is something insidious about it … something between a funerary dirge and an ambient, dream-like backing … reflective … a solid, fantastic album whose concept is brought to life by the music HERETOIR has created … come for the music, stay for the story – I promise that it will devastate you."
(Nine Circles)
➤ "... a masterpiece not to be missed under any circumstances ... meticulous in every detail ... carefully crafted ... magnificent ... truly immeasurable ... moves to tears ... offers everything it needs in the Post-Black realm ..."
(Noisewriter)
➤ "... with splendour and glory ... the immense work on this album is palpable from start to finish, yet it remains accessible ... the beauty of this work reflects the beauty of its subject like a mirror ... we relive this chaos in the company of its ghosts again and again to our greatest pleasure ..."
(Verdammnis)
➤ "… sadness and sorrow are what characterises it ... a modern Post-Black Metal creation from a band that will surely fill us with emotions in the future ... able to surprise us ... their artistic concerns are more and will be different every time."
(Afternoiz)
➤ "It feels like the spirits of nature come together and sing their sorrow … almost like the lingering sadness after a brutal battle … impressive … this one goes into my AotY list …"
(Dissecting The Euphony)
➤ "... very big ... highly emotional ... haunting ... the band clearly foregrounds the particular feeling the song is meant to convey ... wonderful gloom and fatalistic melancholy ... Chapeau, HERETOIR, Chapeau!"
(Sonic Seducer)
➤ "… digs even deeper into slow, melodic melancholy … stronger than ever … 'Nightsphere' is easily an album to bridge the gap between Doom and Black Metal realms with grandeur …"
(The Progspace)
➤ "... multi-faceted and captivating ... Post-Black Metal with depth and a connection to nature ... not only musically impressive, but also mentally stimulating ... 'Nightsphere' allows for many interpretations and encourages the listener to reflect on the world around them ... an album with expressiveness ..."
(BlattTurbo)
➤ "... extremely well realized elements of quality ... rich musical tapestries ... emphasis on atmosphere ... vivid and detailed soundscapes ... waves of emotion ... professional and compelling formula ... passionate, ambitious and skillful ... a lethal combination ... remarkably strong ..."
(Wonderbox Metal)
➤ "… I feel like there’s serious genre stagnation, so even things I have enjoyed have been forgettable at best … HERETOIR … are the first band to break through for me so far … their ability to switch from that now well-trodden path to sad, doomy clean vocal sections is really great for breaking these long songs …"
(Toilet Ov Hell)
➤ "… you can sink into … gorgeous soundscapes … peace balanced against anguish … restful melodic calm building seamlessly to walls of furious shrieking and driving guitar … the contrast of tender, soulful harshes and throat-shredding screams is oh-so-satisfying and well-balanced … music made for cloudless nights with nothing but the branches of trees and stars above … fascinating … compelling …"
(Noob Heavy)
➤ "Having HERETOIR back is a reason to celebrate. Those underground darlings won tons of corpsepainted hearts with 'The Circle' – mine amongst them. 'Nightsphere' continues their fantastic blend of Black Metal, Shoegaze and Post-Metal and adds yet another chapters to their journey."
(Everything Is Noise)
➤ "... unique style ... characterizes a musicality in which the darkness and the alienation of the hardest part of the being is deepened with a hard-worked musical thread ... always under a gloomy atmosphere, with which humanity experiences the most elementary principles ... a good choice ..."
(Nada Hay Bajo El Sol)
➤ "... continues the discourse on despair, melancholy, anger and inner as well as outer conflicts, if not beyond ... only five tracks, but you don't even realise that more than forty minutes have passed, because 'Nightsphere' is able to captivate the listener. An intimate and introspective work that should be listened to and savoured ... those who are able to understand and appreciate these sounds will be impressed and convinced."
(The Murder Inn)
➤ "… slow, acoustic parts are well intertwined with melancholic chords and compressed vocals … hauntingly beautiful atmosphere … introspective moments provide a welcome respite before giving way to the intensity and power of double-bass pounding, blast beats, and scorching screams … creating a sense of continuity … emotions are intensified and energy levels rise and fall with each passing track … production quality remains high."
(Tzertzelos)
➤ "HERETOIR dropped a real bomb this year with 'Nightsphere' ... it was worth the wait ..."
(Thorium)
➤ "They have the experience, the technical and compositional skills, and they can arrange the songs. As soon as they manage to concentrate in five minutes what they usually offer in 9-10-11 minutes and more, they will be on top of the game and will be able to aspire to radio airplay on Virgin. The actual three pieces are in any case quite pleasant, stylish, polished and full of more than intriguing atmospheres …"
(Metal Skunk)
➤ "If you like your Black Metal on the moodier, more melodic, and/or more atmospheric side of things, then you should definitely give the new HERETOIR a listen …"
(No Clean Singing)
➤ "Masters of atmosphere ... highly melodic ... very engaging atmosphere ... rely extensively on spherical sounds ... very longing feeling ... true sound magicians ... rousing tones ... all those who like mysticism and atmosphere should definitely recommend this band ..."
(Metalmamas Neuigkeiten)
| Action: | HERETOIR |
| Title: | Nightsphere |
| Base: | Augsburg • Germany |
| Style: | Atmospheric Post-Black Metal |
| Genre: | Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Metal, Post-Rock, Shoegaze |
| FFO: | Alcest, Lantlôs, Amesoeurs |
| Type: | Full-length |
| Format: | CD + Vinyl |
| Label: | Northern Silence |
| Distro: | Soulfood |
| Release: | Oct. 06, 2023 |
Bulletpoints:
🔘 Third album of the poetic German tragedians
🔘 Enchanting songs, full of depth and beauty
🔘 Definitely one of the best acts of the genre
[ Glacierheart - Nightsphere Part II • Official Lyric Video ]
The band states:
"'Glacierheart - Nightsphere Part II' - a song with a very diverse songstructure that leaves room for aggressive blast beat passages summoning dark Black Metal atmospheres, as well as fragile Post-Rock parts with emotional clean vocals. The lyrics tell an epic tale of war between the natural world and the manmade realm of machines. The grand finale of 'Glacierheart' is dominated by fierce screams and rhythmic doublebass passages illustrating the clash of the spirits of the wild and industrialized mankind."
[ Twilight Of The Machines • Official Music Video ]
The band states:
„In a world in which the conflict between industrialized mankind and untouched nature is producing increasingly noticeable consequences, we wanted to process the theme in a piece of music. Inspired by the civilization-critical writings of John Zerzan and Stanley Diamond, we created a song that addresses the clash between the world of machines and the wilderness in a melancholic but also powerful way. The music video illustrates this confrontation in an impressive and stirring way, as the protagonist tries to escape his dreary working world and also to find refuge in the spirits of the woods."
Only 5 months after their 2023 mini-album "Wastelands", HERETOIR releasing their new intense full-length "Nightsphere"!
The new record is a concept album dealing with the struggle between the forces of nature and a world of machines. Humanity is in the midst of this confrontation, and the dichotomy between living as an animal among animals and existing as a cog in the wheel of progress determines the course of the story the five songs tell.
"Nightsphere" is a dark album that weaves atmospheric Black Metal parts with melodic clean passages, swirling blast beats with calm Post-Rock and ambient sounds, and the intensity of desperate screams with the poignant emotionality of melancholic clean vocals into a musical journey through an archaic world.
[ Artwork: Painting by Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach ]
It is also the first album that was entirely written by the full band, featuring contributions of every single member. "Nightsphere" features ambient sounds of the long-time befriended project Hidehidehide as well as guest-appearances of two giants of the (Post-) Black Metal genre - Tim Yatras of Austere who fuels the song "Twilight Of The Machines" with his anguish and Nikita Kamprad of Der Weg einer Freiheit who delivers intense and powerful vocals on "Glacierheart - Nightsphere Part II".
"Nightsphere"'s natural and organic but powerful sound was crafted by David Deutsch and Justin Felder at 1408 Productions in Hannover, who were responsible for the mix of the record. Furthermore Nikita Kamprad of Der Weg einer Freiheit took care of the mastering of the album.
Prepare to dive into a highly atmospheric night-realm and emotional maelstrom with "Nightsphere". All while new songs for a future release are already written and recorded. HERETOIR are more determined than ever to enter the stages of the world with full force!
The band says about "Nightsphere":
"This album is very special to us as this is our first album that was entirely written as a full band, featuring contributions of every single member of the band. The songs are dedicated to the spirits of the wilderness. 'Nightsphere' is an atmospheric maelstrom that will engulf you."
[ Pic: Toni B. Gunner Photography ]
FLASHBACK:
Combining the emotional and atmospheric elements of Black Metal with progressive rhythm-laden modern Metal structures and the beauty of Post-Rock and Shoegaze, HERETOIR is a nostalgic, melancholic and soothing soundtrack in a mad world. Founded (in Augsburg/Germany) by David C. in 2006, HERETOIR conceptually and lyrically deals with existence, self-reflection, fears and dreams – life in all its facets.
It is a musical universe set for the discovery of one’s deepest thoughts and the soul that rests in each of us. After a first demo and EP ("Existenz" (2008) & ".Existenz." (2009)), multiple compilation contributions and a split release with the band Thränenkind ("Wiedersehen – unsere Hoffnung", 2010) HERETOIR released their eponymous debut album "Heretoir" on February 25th, 2011 through Northern Silence Productions.
Melodizing the topic of loss, "Heretoir" was very well received by fans and press around the world, not least because of the powerful and atmospheric cover artwork of exceptional French artists Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets) and Metastazis (artworks for Alcest, Anathema, Enthroned, As I Lay Dying, Gorgoroth and many more).
With the release of the debut album Matthias S. (bass), Max F. (guitar) and Emanuel D. (drums) joined the line-up and HERETOIR evolved into a full band. It didn’t take long for the group to share stages with acts like Agalloch, Alcest, Eluveitie, Graveworm, Sólstafir or Secrets Of The Moon.
In parallel with the progression of the live shows, the EP re-recording/compilation "Substanz" was released on August 24th, 2012. After several European tours with Agrypnie, Der Weg einer Freiheit and Dornenreich and one tour through England with Dawn Ray'd, as well as performances at the Summerbreeze Open Air, the Ragnarök Festival, and support shows for renowned Post-Rockers God Is An Astronaut and melancholic masters Katatonia, HERETOIR was able to build up a reputation in the atmospheric Metal scene. In 2016 Emanuel D. left the band and Nils G. became the new drummer. The current line-up was completed by Kevin Storm, who joined the band in 2020.
Following more than 5 years of intense touring, the much-anticipated second album "The Circle" was released in March 2017. "The Circle" deals with the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Weaving crushing heaviness and atmospheric melodies, the album portrays an emotional journey – a life dedicated to self reflection and freedom.
Besides another very special cover art by Fursy Teyssier the album furthermore features guest vocals by Alcest mastermind Stéphane 'Neige' Paut and mastering by the renowned sound engineer Lasse Lammert. "The Circle" received incredible worldwide feedback by press and fans alike.
HERETOIR embarked on an extensive European tour in Spring 2017 together with the US Black Metal band Ghost Bath, visiting more than 15 countries in 5 weeks. More festival appearances and a tour with Finnish Melodic Death Metal masters Kalmah followed and in 2018 the band toured China for two weeks.
During the last years/pandemic the band worked hard and focussed on writing new material. 2023 marks an important year for HERETOIR:
On 10 th February 2023 the remastered version of the debut album "Heretoir" with bonus tracks was released. Only 3 months later the band released their new mini-album "Wastelands" on May 19th, 2023 – their first new material in 6 years – with great worldwide reception.
Email:
•
TRACKS
01. Sanctum - Nightsphere Part I 10:45
02. Twilight Of The Machines 08:34
03. Pneuma 06:57
04. Glacierheart - Nightsphere Part II 11:57
05. The Death Of Man 04:07
total: 42:21
•
LINE-UP
David 'Eklatanz' Conrad • Vocals, Guitar
Maximilian Forst • Guitar
Kevin Storm • Guitar, Backing Vocals
Matthias 'Nathanael' Settele • Bass, Backing Vocals
Nils Groth • Drums, Backing Vocals
•
DISCOGRAPHY
2009 • .Existenz. • EP
2011 • Heretoir • Full-length
2014 • Just For A Moment • Single
2017 • The Circle • Full-length
2019 • Golden Dust (Acoustic Version) • Single
2023 • Wastelands • EP
2023 • Nightsphere • Full-length
•
HERETOIR are available for interviews via phone, Skype, Zoom & email
📢 𝗣𝗥 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 • 𝐸𝓈𝓉. 2001
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