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  1. Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light Review By Mystikus Hugebeard

    For a band you’ve most likely not heard of before, Shabti sports a remarkably intriguing pedigree (at least for my tastes). You see, Shabti is comprised of members from Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Fires in the Distance, and even live Panopticon performers. These aforementioned names will likely ignite the interest of fellow atmo-black lovers as they did to me. Instead, annihilate those puny expectations, for Shabti is actually an amalgamation of proggy, techy, blackened death, much to my surprise. Surprise, but not chagrin – the pre-release single “Rise of the Shabti” got me sufficiently excited, and I trust the weathered musicians of Shabti to deliver something great on the enigmatically titled Haze, Cacophony, and White Light.

    Shabti wastes no time playing their hand, coming out the gates of “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” sprinting at full speed. It’s immediately clear that Haze, Cacophony, and White Light leans eagerly into its prog aspects, often reminding me of Neuraxis in a way I genuinely struggle to justify. Riffs barrel on by, connected by endless, labyrinthine little guitar and drum fills. Shabti likes to teeter their music right on the edge of weird, with slippery compositions and a flirtatious attitude towards dissonance, though I’d say it never quite takes the full plunge. Furthermore, the album just sounds excellent; the performances are snappy all across the board, and the sound mixing is crisp and clear. I particularly enjoy the sound of the guitars; they have a swinging weight heard especially well in the riffs of “Rise of the Shabti.” By all measures, the sonic ingredients of a good album are here.

    Sadly, it never quite comes together into a memorable, exciting album. The song structure is loose in a way that there’s never really a satisfying build or climax, and few riffs ever stand out in my memory for longer than a song’s duration. Outside of the noteworthy, pleasant gallop in the latter half of “Blood for a Blessing,” if you threw me anywhere between the opening “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” and “Haze, Cacophony, and White Light,” I don’t think I could identify which song it was. The funny thing is that very little stands out as actually bad; it’s just that nothing ever quite coalesces. In a vacuum, I can appreciate the guitar work in “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood,” and I appreciate the harmonic play that closes the title track, but there ever remains little identifiable direction or momentum. Well, in that regard it’s worth mentioning the nearly 10-minute “A Weary Creation”; it’s notably more structured and loops back into its earlier ideas, but there’s not enough strong material to justify the runtime, and the song approaches being unpleasant.

    Still, there are some exceptions. The penultimate “Sojourner” is pretty solid, with some stronger melodic focus, and the closer “Rise of the Shabti” is easily the album’s best. It employs refreshingly chunky riff-work without sacrificing the structural weirdness, and is always the song I’m most excited for. I’ll remind you that “Rise of the Shabti” is what got me so excited for the album in the first place, and I do wish Shabti leaned just a little more in that direction for their next album. The strong final stretch ensures the album never ends on a truly sour note, and to the album’s credit, Haze, Cacophony, and White Light clocks in at just around a clean 40 minutes.

    Haze, Cacophony, and White Light is complex, undeniably so. But even as the winding path the album takes became clear across my usual slew of endless replays, the album refused to click. It’s eccentric enough to avoid actual boredom, but too aimless to inspire excitement. It’s clear that there’s a ton of solid ideas behind Shabti that work well enough in a vacuum, but just never quite seem to congeal together in the right way. Nevertheless, Shabti are no hacks, and if my words have made you curious, then I do encourage you to check it out at least.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
    Label: Contemn Light
    Websites: facebook | bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

    #25 #2026 #andWhiteLight #Aug26 #BlackMetal #Cacophony #ContemnLight #DeathMetal #FallsOfRauros #FiresInTheDistance #Haze #Neuraxis #ObsidianTongue #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Shabti #TechnicalDeathMetal
  2. Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light Review By Mystikus Hugebeard

    For a band you’ve most likely not heard of before, Shabti sports a remarkably intriguing pedigree (at least for my tastes). You see, Shabti is comprised of members from Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Fires in the Distance, and even live Panopticon performers. These aforementioned names will likely ignite the interest of fellow atmo-black lovers as they did to me. Instead, annihilate those puny expectations, for Shabti is actually an amalgamation of proggy, techy, blackened death, much to my surprise. Surprise, but not chagrin – the pre-release single “Rise of the Shabti” got me sufficiently excited, and I trust the weathered musicians of Shabti to deliver something great on the enigmatically titled Haze, Cacophony, and White Light.

    Shabti wastes no time playing their hand, coming out the gates of “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” sprinting at full speed. It’s immediately clear that Haze, Cacophony, and White Light leans eagerly into its prog aspects, often reminding me of Neuraxis in a way I genuinely struggle to justify. Riffs barrel on by, connected by endless, labyrinthine little guitar and drum fills. Shabti likes to teeter their music right on the edge of weird, with slippery compositions and a flirtatious attitude towards dissonance, though I’d say it never quite takes the full plunge. Furthermore, the album just sounds excellent; the performances are snappy all across the board, and the sound mixing is crisp and clear. I particularly enjoy the sound of the guitars; they have a swinging weight heard especially well in the riffs of “Rise of the Shabti.” By all measures, the sonic ingredients of a good album are here.

    Sadly, it never quite comes together into a memorable, exciting album. The song structure is loose in a way that there’s never really a satisfying build or climax, and few riffs ever stand out in my memory for longer than a song’s duration. Outside of the noteworthy, pleasant gallop in the latter half of “Blood for a Blessing,” if you threw me anywhere between the opening “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” and “Haze, Cacophony, and White Light,” I don’t think I could identify which song it was. The funny thing is that very little stands out as actually bad; it’s just that nothing ever quite coalesces. In a vacuum, I can appreciate the guitar work in “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood,” and I appreciate the harmonic play that closes the title track, but there ever remains little identifiable direction or momentum. Well, in that regard it’s worth mentioning the nearly 10-minute “A Weary Creation”; it’s notably more structured and loops back into its earlier ideas, but there’s not enough strong material to justify the runtime, and the song approaches being unpleasant.

    Still, there are some exceptions. The penultimate “Sojourner” is pretty solid, with some stronger melodic focus, and the closer “Rise of the Shabti” is easily the album’s best. It employs refreshingly chunky riff-work without sacrificing the structural weirdness, and is always the song I’m most excited for. I’ll remind you that “Rise of the Shabti” is what got me so excited for the album in the first place, and I do wish Shabti leaned just a little more in that direction for their next album. The strong final stretch ensures the album never ends on a truly sour note, and to the album’s credit, Haze, Cacophony, and White Light clocks in at just around a clean 40 minutes.

    Haze, Cacophony, and White Light is complex, undeniably so. But even as the winding path the album takes became clear across my usual slew of endless replays, the album refused to click. It’s eccentric enough to avoid actual boredom, but too aimless to inspire excitement. It’s clear that there’s a ton of solid ideas behind Shabti that work well enough in a vacuum, but just never quite seem to congeal together in the right way. Nevertheless, Shabti are no hacks, and if my words have made you curious, then I do encourage you to check it out at least.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
    Label: Contemn Light
    Websites: facebook | bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

    #25 #2026 #andWhiteLight #Aug26 #BlackMetal #Cacophony #ContemnLight #DeathMetal #FallsOfRauros #FiresInTheDistance #Haze #Neuraxis #ObsidianTongue #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Shabti #TechnicalDeathMetal
  3. Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light Review By Mystikus Hugebeard

    For a band you’ve most likely not heard of before, Shabti sports a remarkably intriguing pedigree (at least for my tastes). You see, Shabti is comprised of members from Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Fires in the Distance, and even live Panopticon performers. These aforementioned names will likely ignite the interest of fellow atmo-black lovers as they did to me. Instead, annihilate those puny expectations, for Shabti is actually an amalgamation of proggy, techy, blackened death, much to my surprise. Surprise, but not chagrin – the pre-release single “Rise of the Shabti” got me sufficiently excited, and I trust the weathered musicians of Shabti to deliver something great on the enigmatically titled Haze, Cacophony, and White Light.

    Shabti wastes no time playing their hand, coming out the gates of “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” sprinting at full speed. It’s immediately clear that Haze, Cacophony, and White Light leans eagerly into its prog aspects, often reminding me of Neuraxis in a way I genuinely struggle to justify. Riffs barrel on by, connected by endless, labyrinthine little guitar and drum fills. Shabti likes to teeter their music right on the edge of weird, with slippery compositions and a flirtatious attitude towards dissonance, though I’d say it never quite takes the full plunge. Furthermore, the album just sounds excellent; the performances are snappy all across the board, and the sound mixing is crisp and clear. I particularly enjoy the sound of the guitars; they have a swinging weight heard especially well in the riffs of “Rise of the Shabti.” By all measures, the sonic ingredients of a good album are here.

    Sadly, it never quite comes together into a memorable, exciting album. The song structure is loose in a way that there’s never really a satisfying build or climax, and few riffs ever stand out in my memory for longer than a song’s duration. Outside of the noteworthy, pleasant gallop in the latter half of “Blood for a Blessing,” if you threw me anywhere between the opening “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” and “Haze, Cacophony, and White Light,” I don’t think I could identify which song it was. The funny thing is that very little stands out as actually bad; it’s just that nothing ever quite coalesces. In a vacuum, I can appreciate the guitar work in “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood,” and I appreciate the harmonic play that closes the title track, but there ever remains little identifiable direction or momentum. Well, in that regard it’s worth mentioning the nearly 10-minute “A Weary Creation”; it’s notably more structured and loops back into its earlier ideas, but there’s not enough strong material to justify the runtime, and the song approaches being unpleasant.

    Still, there are some exceptions. The penultimate “Sojourner” is pretty solid, with some stronger melodic focus, and the closer “Rise of the Shabti” is easily the album’s best. It employs refreshingly chunky riff-work without sacrificing the structural weirdness, and is always the song I’m most excited for. I’ll remind you that “Rise of the Shabti” is what got me so excited for the album in the first place, and I do wish Shabti leaned just a little more in that direction for their next album. The strong final stretch ensures the album never ends on a truly sour note, and to the album’s credit, Haze, Cacophony, and White Light clocks in at just around a clean 40 minutes.

    Haze, Cacophony, and White Light is complex, undeniably so. But even as the winding path the album takes became clear across my usual slew of endless replays, the album refused to click. It’s eccentric enough to avoid actual boredom, but too aimless to inspire excitement. It’s clear that there’s a ton of solid ideas behind Shabti that work well enough in a vacuum, but just never quite seem to congeal together in the right way. Nevertheless, Shabti are no hacks, and if my words have made you curious, then I do encourage you to check it out at least.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
    Label: Contemn Light
    Websites: facebook | bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

    #25 #2026 #andWhiteLight #Aug26 #BlackMetal #Cacophony #ContemnLight #DeathMetal #FallsOfRauros #FiresInTheDistance #Haze #Neuraxis #ObsidianTongue #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Shabti #TechnicalDeathMetal
  4. Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light Review By Mystikus Hugebeard

    For a band you’ve most likely not heard of before, Shabti sports a remarkably intriguing pedigree (at least for my tastes). You see, Shabti is comprised of members from Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Fires in the Distance, and even live Panopticon performers. These aforementioned names will likely ignite the interest of fellow atmo-black lovers as they did to me. Instead, annihilate those puny expectations, for Shabti is actually an amalgamation of proggy, techy, blackened death, much to my surprise. Surprise, but not chagrin – the pre-release single “Rise of the Shabti” got me sufficiently excited, and I trust the weathered musicians of Shabti to deliver something great on the enigmatically titled Haze, Cacophony, and White Light.

    Shabti wastes no time playing their hand, coming out the gates of “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” sprinting at full speed. It’s immediately clear that Haze, Cacophony, and White Light leans eagerly into its prog aspects, often reminding me of Neuraxis in a way I genuinely struggle to justify. Riffs barrel on by, connected by endless, labyrinthine little guitar and drum fills. Shabti likes to teeter their music right on the edge of weird, with slippery compositions and a flirtatious attitude towards dissonance, though I’d say it never quite takes the full plunge. Furthermore, the album just sounds excellent; the performances are snappy all across the board, and the sound mixing is crisp and clear. I particularly enjoy the sound of the guitars; they have a swinging weight heard especially well in the riffs of “Rise of the Shabti.” By all measures, the sonic ingredients of a good album are here.

    Sadly, it never quite comes together into a memorable, exciting album. The song structure is loose in a way that there’s never really a satisfying build or climax, and few riffs ever stand out in my memory for longer than a song’s duration. Outside of the noteworthy, pleasant gallop in the latter half of “Blood for a Blessing,” if you threw me anywhere between the opening “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” and “Haze, Cacophony, and White Light,” I don’t think I could identify which song it was. The funny thing is that very little stands out as actually bad; it’s just that nothing ever quite coalesces. In a vacuum, I can appreciate the guitar work in “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood,” and I appreciate the harmonic play that closes the title track, but there ever remains little identifiable direction or momentum. Well, in that regard it’s worth mentioning the nearly 10-minute “A Weary Creation”; it’s notably more structured and loops back into its earlier ideas, but there’s not enough strong material to justify the runtime, and the song approaches being unpleasant.

    Still, there are some exceptions. The penultimate “Sojourner” is pretty solid, with some stronger melodic focus, and the closer “Rise of the Shabti” is easily the album’s best. It employs refreshingly chunky riff-work without sacrificing the structural weirdness, and is always the song I’m most excited for. I’ll remind you that “Rise of the Shabti” is what got me so excited for the album in the first place, and I do wish Shabti leaned just a little more in that direction for their next album. The strong final stretch ensures the album never ends on a truly sour note, and to the album’s credit, Haze, Cacophony, and White Light clocks in at just around a clean 40 minutes.

    Haze, Cacophony, and White Light is complex, undeniably so. But even as the winding path the album takes became clear across my usual slew of endless replays, the album refused to click. It’s eccentric enough to avoid actual boredom, but too aimless to inspire excitement. It’s clear that there’s a ton of solid ideas behind Shabti that work well enough in a vacuum, but just never quite seem to congeal together in the right way. Nevertheless, Shabti are no hacks, and if my words have made you curious, then I do encourage you to check it out at least.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
    Label: Contemn Light
    Websites: facebook | bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

    #25 #2026 #andWhiteLight #Aug26 #BlackMetal #Cacophony #ContemnLight #DeathMetal #FallsOfRauros #FiresInTheDistance #Haze #Neuraxis #ObsidianTongue #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Shabti #TechnicalDeathMetal
  5. Shabti – Haze, Cacophony, and White Light Review By Mystikus Hugebeard

    For a band you’ve most likely not heard of before, Shabti sports a remarkably intriguing pedigree (at least for my tastes). You see, Shabti is comprised of members from Falls of Rauros, Obsidian Tongue, Fires in the Distance, and even live Panopticon performers. These aforementioned names will likely ignite the interest of fellow atmo-black lovers as they did to me. Instead, annihilate those puny expectations, for Shabti is actually an amalgamation of proggy, techy, blackened death, much to my surprise. Surprise, but not chagrin – the pre-release single “Rise of the Shabti” got me sufficiently excited, and I trust the weathered musicians of Shabti to deliver something great on the enigmatically titled Haze, Cacophony, and White Light.

    Shabti wastes no time playing their hand, coming out the gates of “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” sprinting at full speed. It’s immediately clear that Haze, Cacophony, and White Light leans eagerly into its prog aspects, often reminding me of Neuraxis in a way I genuinely struggle to justify. Riffs barrel on by, connected by endless, labyrinthine little guitar and drum fills. Shabti likes to teeter their music right on the edge of weird, with slippery compositions and a flirtatious attitude towards dissonance, though I’d say it never quite takes the full plunge. Furthermore, the album just sounds excellent; the performances are snappy all across the board, and the sound mixing is crisp and clear. I particularly enjoy the sound of the guitars; they have a swinging weight heard especially well in the riffs of “Rise of the Shabti.” By all measures, the sonic ingredients of a good album are here.

    Sadly, it never quite comes together into a memorable, exciting album. The song structure is loose in a way that there’s never really a satisfying build or climax, and few riffs ever stand out in my memory for longer than a song’s duration. Outside of the noteworthy, pleasant gallop in the latter half of “Blood for a Blessing,” if you threw me anywhere between the opening “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood” and “Haze, Cacophony, and White Light,” I don’t think I could identify which song it was. The funny thing is that very little stands out as actually bad; it’s just that nothing ever quite coalesces. In a vacuum, I can appreciate the guitar work in “Ambrosia and Lambs Blood,” and I appreciate the harmonic play that closes the title track, but there ever remains little identifiable direction or momentum. Well, in that regard it’s worth mentioning the nearly 10-minute “A Weary Creation”; it’s notably more structured and loops back into its earlier ideas, but there’s not enough strong material to justify the runtime, and the song approaches being unpleasant.

    Still, there are some exceptions. The penultimate “Sojourner” is pretty solid, with some stronger melodic focus, and the closer “Rise of the Shabti” is easily the album’s best. It employs refreshingly chunky riff-work without sacrificing the structural weirdness, and is always the song I’m most excited for. I’ll remind you that “Rise of the Shabti” is what got me so excited for the album in the first place, and I do wish Shabti leaned just a little more in that direction for their next album. The strong final stretch ensures the album never ends on a truly sour note, and to the album’s credit, Haze, Cacophony, and White Light clocks in at just around a clean 40 minutes.

    Haze, Cacophony, and White Light is complex, undeniably so. But even as the winding path the album takes became clear across my usual slew of endless replays, the album refused to click. It’s eccentric enough to avoid actual boredom, but too aimless to inspire excitement. It’s clear that there’s a ton of solid ideas behind Shabti that work well enough in a vacuum, but just never quite seem to congeal together in the right way. Nevertheless, Shabti are no hacks, and if my words have made you curious, then I do encourage you to check it out at least.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
    Label: Contemn Light
    Websites: facebook | bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

    #25 #2026 #andWhiteLight #Aug26 #BlackMetal #Cacophony #ContemnLight #DeathMetal #FallsOfRauros #FiresInTheDistance #Haze #Neuraxis #ObsidianTongue #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Shabti #TechnicalDeathMetal
  6. Aujourd'hui sur Blog à part –

    Fires in the Distance: Circadian Promise

    J’avais découvert Fires in the Distance sur un album qui avait été un coup de cœur immédiat et ce n’est pas sans appréhension que j’attendais Circadian Promise.

    #blackAtmosphérique #deathMetal #FiresInTheDistance #mélodeath #USA

    https://wp.me/ppneF-bR0

  7. I can't decide whether I prefer 'Air Not Meant for Us' or 'Circadian Promise'.

    They both absolutely bang. #FiresInTheDistance #Music

  8. I can't decide whether I prefer 'Air Not Meant for Us' or 'Circadian Promise'.

    They both absolutely bang. #FiresInTheDistance #Music

  9. I can't decide whether I prefer 'Air Not Meant for Us' or 'Circadian Promise'.

    They both absolutely bang. #FiresInTheDistance #Music

  10. I can't decide whether I prefer 'Air Not Meant for Us' or 'Circadian Promise'.

    They both absolutely bang. #FiresInTheDistance #Music

  11. I can't decide whether I prefer 'Air Not Meant for Us' or 'Circadian Promise'.

    They both absolutely bang. #FiresInTheDistance #Music

  12. Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise Review By Thus Spoke

    Not many bands can craft as characteristic an aura as Fires in the Distance. Their dreamy melodicism yet grounded weight lend their music an instantly recognizable and powerfully uplifting tone. Debut Echoes from Deep November already shimmered with the promise of something special, and 2023 sophomore Air Not Meant for Us more than made good on this promise, gliding effortlessly into my top 5 for that year. At this point in a band’s career, one might start to fear a slip in quality—a complacent settling into an easy and familiar groove—where the magic fades a little. One might, but in my case, this was somewhat eclipsed by the glittering stars that filled my eyes when Circadian Promise appeared on the horizon. Returning to the paradigm of mental health, rendered through the imagery of flight and freedom, Fires in the Distance console even the most timorous of hearts and deliver once again.

    Everything uniquely great about Fires in the Distance is back on full display in Circadian Promise, and more besides. The sparkling arias of keyboards gain strength on the backs of soaring lead guitars and the steadfast heft of bass and drum. Synths subtly decorate the soundscape with just a touch of drama. Dynamic, steady tempos propel you forward. But Fires in the Distance don’t rest in the surety of this admittedly winning formula. New vocalist Brendan Hayter1 uses his savage screams to inject a new intensity to the heaviness and amplifies already stirring passages with hearty cleans—first of their kind for the band. The keyboards also see a renaissance of sorts with extended moments in the spotlight (“Lightless Days of a Songless Bird,” “Once the Silence Takes Your Place”), and solos stretch further towards the epic (“By this Time Tomorrow”). This evolution remains entirely natural. Whatever fierceness seizes the percussion or harsh vocals, the music remains easily compelling and distinctively rousing. Similarly, the singing never pushes songs even close to the saccharine boundary; their emotionality is perfectly pitched.

    Fires in the Distance set a high bar with their previous work, but somehow Circadian Promise clears it. The music demonstrates a mature exploration of tension and contrast, shifting slightly away from doom and back towards melodeath, playing with the duality of clean and harsh vocals, folding the fragile and the fierce into potent progressions. Songs might use an ardently sung bridge to allow a melancholic theme to provide tangible closure (“Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, the Author of my Fade”), or show vulnerability beside a heavier counterpart to the rhythm and melody (“Once the Silence…”). Just as much emotion comes from the ardent screams that ring over turbulent drums (“Once the Silence…”) or rise in tandem with tremolo-picked or swiftly arpeggio-ing riffs (“Lightless Days…,” “Agonal Dreaming”). Every refrain is just as deceptively simple, memorable, and lovely as ever, but with the increased dynamism, they shine still brighter. Layered transitions through synths and piano (“Lightless Days…,” “By This Time Tomorrow,” “Once the Silence…”) seamlessly weave movements together. Fluid, energetic drumming shapes the soundscape with bolstering fills and assertive rolls into steady, sweeping ascents (“Of Radiance…,” ), rocky climbs (“Once the Silence…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and endless onward glides (“By this Time Tomorrow”), metaphorically embodying their themes. As a result, they hit harder and stick longer.

    Circadian Promise is also made more compelling by its structure. Almost the same length to the second as Air Not Meant for Us, it uses its time better, eschewing instrumental interludes and long intros and crafting long songs with assured builds (“Of Radiance…”, “Lightless Days…”), moving reprises (“To You,…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and thrillingly layered evolutions (“To You…,” “Once the Silence…”).2 “Lightless Days…” is possibly the only candidate for a trim, weakened slightly by its itineracy. Whilst being in many ways more dramatic and heavy than prior releases, it’s simultaneously more reflective thanks to a slight lilt in the tunes and openness in the cleans, and some fantastic keyboard-centred passages, integrated beautifully into the metal (“Of Radiance…,” “By this Time Tomorrow”). This heightened reflectiveness also shows up through Fires in the Distance’s substitution for pithy Christopher Hitchens with the rather more introspective Alan Watts (“By this Time Tomorrow”) in the role of sampled British intellectual.

    To those who previously felt Fires in the Distance’s brand of melodeath too airy to be impactful, Circadian Promise may be the album that shows you the light. Bolstered and tempered with a more striking heaviness and passionate cleans, the characteristically stirring beauty of the melodies sings louder and warmer than before. Circadian Promise fully becomes its concept as its powerful pieces coalesce into a fortifying tonic you surely can’t resist, lifting your spirits, and Fire in the Distance themselves, up into the stratosphere.

    Rating: Excellent
    DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Prosthetic Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
    Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

    #2026 #45 #AmericanMetal #CircadianPromise #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #FiresInTheDistance #Jun26 #MelodicDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews

  13. Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise Review By Thus Spoke

    Not many bands can craft as characteristic an aura as Fires in the Distance. Their dreamy melodicism yet grounded weight lend their music an instantly recognizable and powerfully uplifting tone. Debut Echoes from Deep November already shimmered with the promise of something special, and 2023 sophomore Air Not Meant for Us more than made good on this promise, gliding effortlessly into my top 5 for that year. At this point in a band’s career, one might start to fear a slip in quality—a complacent settling into an easy and familiar groove—where the magic fades a little. One might, but in my case, this was somewhat eclipsed by the glittering stars that filled my eyes when Circadian Promise appeared on the horizon. Returning to the paradigm of mental health, rendered through the imagery of flight and freedom, Fires in the Distance console even the most timorous of hearts and deliver once again.

    Everything uniquely great about Fires in the Distance is back on full display in Circadian Promise, and more besides. The sparkling arias of keyboards gain strength on the backs of soaring lead guitars and the steadfast heft of bass and drum. Synths subtly decorate the soundscape with just a touch of drama. Dynamic, steady tempos propel you forward. But Fires in the Distance don’t rest in the surety of this admittedly winning formula. New vocalist Brendan Hayter1 uses his savage screams to inject a new intensity to the heaviness and amplifies already stirring passages with hearty cleans—first of their kind for the band. The keyboards also see a renaissance of sorts with extended moments in the spotlight (“Lightless Days of a Songless Bird,” “Once the Silence Takes Your Place”), and solos stretch further towards the epic (“By this Time Tomorrow”). This evolution remains entirely natural. Whatever fierceness seizes the percussion or harsh vocals, the music remains easily compelling and distinctively rousing. Similarly, the singing never pushes songs even close to the saccharine boundary; their emotionality is perfectly pitched.

    Fires in the Distance set a high bar with their previous work, but somehow Circadian Promise clears it. The music demonstrates a mature exploration of tension and contrast, shifting slightly away from doom and back towards melodeath, playing with the duality of clean and harsh vocals, folding the fragile and the fierce into potent progressions. Songs might use an ardently sung bridge to allow a melancholic theme to provide tangible closure (“Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, the Author of my Fade”), or show vulnerability beside a heavier counterpart to the rhythm and melody (“Once the Silence…”). Just as much emotion comes from the ardent screams that ring over turbulent drums (“Once the Silence…”) or rise in tandem with tremolo-picked or swiftly arpeggio-ing riffs (“Lightless Days…,” “Agonal Dreaming”). Every refrain is just as deceptively simple, memorable, and lovely as ever, but with the increased dynamism, they shine still brighter. Layered transitions through synths and piano (“Lightless Days…,” “By This Time Tomorrow,” “Once the Silence…”) seamlessly weave movements together. Fluid, energetic drumming shapes the soundscape with bolstering fills and assertive rolls into steady, sweeping ascents (“Of Radiance…,” ), rocky climbs (“Once the Silence…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and endless onward glides (“By this Time Tomorrow”), metaphorically embodying their themes. As a result, they hit harder and stick longer.

    Circadian Promise is also made more compelling by its structure. Almost the same length to the second as Air Not Meant for Us, it uses its time better, eschewing instrumental interludes and long intros and crafting long songs with assured builds (“Of Radiance…”, “Lightless Days…”), moving reprises (“To You,…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and thrillingly layered evolutions (“To You…,” “Once the Silence…”).2 “Lightless Days…” is possibly the only candidate for a trim, weakened slightly by its itineracy. Whilst being in many ways more dramatic and heavy than prior releases, it’s simultaneously more reflective thanks to a slight lilt in the tunes and openness in the cleans, and some fantastic keyboard-centred passages, integrated beautifully into the metal (“Of Radiance…,” “By this Time Tomorrow”). This heightened reflectiveness also shows up through Fires in the Distance’s substitution for pithy Christopher Hitchens with the rather more introspective Alan Watts (“By this Time Tomorrow”) in the role of sampled British intellectual.

    To those who previously felt Fires in the Distance’s brand of melodeath too airy to be impactful, Circadian Promise may be the album that shows you the light. Bolstered and tempered with a more striking heaviness and passionate cleans, the characteristically stirring beauty of the melodies sings louder and warmer than before. Circadian Promise fully becomes its concept as its powerful pieces coalesce into a fortifying tonic you surely can’t resist, lifting your spirits, and Fire in the Distance themselves, up into the stratosphere.

    Rating: Excellent
    DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Prosthetic Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
    Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

    #2026 #45 #AmericanMetal #CircadianPromise #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #FiresInTheDistance #Jun26 #MelodicDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews

  14. Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise Review By Thus Spoke

    Not many bands can craft as characteristic an aura as Fires in the Distance. Their dreamy melodicism yet grounded weight lend their music an instantly recognizable and powerfully uplifting tone. Debut Echoes from Deep November already shimmered with the promise of something special, and 2023 sophomore Air Not Meant for Us more than made good on this promise, gliding effortlessly into my top 5 for that year. At this point in a band’s career, one might start to fear a slip in quality—a complacent settling into an easy and familiar groove—where the magic fades a little. One might, but in my case, this was somewhat eclipsed by the glittering stars that filled my eyes when Circadian Promise appeared on the horizon. Returning to the paradigm of mental health, rendered through the imagery of flight and freedom, Fires in the Distance console even the most timorous of hearts and deliver once again.

    Everything uniquely great about Fires in the Distance is back on full display in Circadian Promise, and more besides. The sparkling arias of keyboards gain strength on the backs of soaring lead guitars and the steadfast heft of bass and drum. Synths subtly decorate the soundscape with just a touch of drama. Dynamic, steady tempos propel you forward. But Fires in the Distance don’t rest in the surety of this admittedly winning formula. New vocalist Brendan Hayter1 uses his savage screams to inject a new intensity to the heaviness and amplifies already stirring passages with hearty cleans—first of their kind for the band. The keyboards also see a renaissance of sorts with extended moments in the spotlight (“Lightless Days of a Songless Bird,” “Once the Silence Takes Your Place”), and solos stretch further towards the epic (“By this Time Tomorrow”). This evolution remains entirely natural. Whatever fierceness seizes the percussion or harsh vocals, the music remains easily compelling and distinctively rousing. Similarly, the singing never pushes songs even close to the saccharine boundary; their emotionality is perfectly pitched.

    Fires in the Distance set a high bar with their previous work, but somehow Circadian Promise clears it. The music demonstrates a mature exploration of tension and contrast, shifting slightly away from doom and back towards melodeath, playing with the duality of clean and harsh vocals, folding the fragile and the fierce into potent progressions. Songs might use an ardently sung bridge to allow a melancholic theme to provide tangible closure (“Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, the Author of my Fade”), or show vulnerability beside a heavier counterpart to the rhythm and melody (“Once the Silence…”). Just as much emotion comes from the ardent screams that ring over turbulent drums (“Once the Silence…”) or rise in tandem with tremolo-picked or swiftly arpeggio-ing riffs (“Lightless Days…,” “Agonal Dreaming”). Every refrain is just as deceptively simple, memorable, and lovely as ever, but with the increased dynamism, they shine still brighter. Layered transitions through synths and piano (“Lightless Days…,” “By This Time Tomorrow,” “Once the Silence…”) seamlessly weave movements together. Fluid, energetic drumming shapes the soundscape with bolstering fills and assertive rolls into steady, sweeping ascents (“Of Radiance…,” ), rocky climbs (“Once the Silence…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and endless onward glides (“By this Time Tomorrow”), metaphorically embodying their themes. As a result, they hit harder and stick longer.

    Circadian Promise is also made more compelling by its structure. Almost the same length to the second as Air Not Meant for Us, it uses its time better, eschewing instrumental interludes and long intros and crafting long songs with assured builds (“Of Radiance…”, “Lightless Days…”), moving reprises (“To You,…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and thrillingly layered evolutions (“To You…,” “Once the Silence…”).2 “Lightless Days…” is possibly the only candidate for a trim, weakened slightly by its itineracy. Whilst being in many ways more dramatic and heavy than prior releases, it’s simultaneously more reflective thanks to a slight lilt in the tunes and openness in the cleans, and some fantastic keyboard-centred passages, integrated beautifully into the metal (“Of Radiance…,” “By this Time Tomorrow”). This heightened reflectiveness also shows up through Fires in the Distance’s substitution for pithy Christopher Hitchens with the rather more introspective Alan Watts (“By this Time Tomorrow”) in the role of sampled British intellectual.

    To those who previously felt Fires in the Distance’s brand of melodeath too airy to be impactful, Circadian Promise may be the album that shows you the light. Bolstered and tempered with a more striking heaviness and passionate cleans, the characteristically stirring beauty of the melodies sings louder and warmer than before. Circadian Promise fully becomes its concept as its powerful pieces coalesce into a fortifying tonic you surely can’t resist, lifting your spirits, and Fire in the Distance themselves, up into the stratosphere.

    Rating: Excellent
    DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Prosthetic Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
    Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

    #2026 #45 #AmericanMetal #CircadianPromise #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #FiresInTheDistance #Jun26 #MelodicDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews

  15. Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise Review By Thus Spoke

    Not many bands can craft as characteristic an aura as Fires in the Distance. Their dreamy melodicism yet grounded weight lend their music an instantly recognizable and powerfully uplifting tone. Debut Echoes from Deep November already shimmered with the promise of something special, and 2023 sophomore Air Not Meant for Us more than made good on this promise, gliding effortlessly into my top 5 for that year. At this point in a band’s career, one might start to fear a slip in quality—a complacent settling into an easy and familiar groove—where the magic fades a little. One might, but in my case, this was somewhat eclipsed by the glittering stars that filled my eyes when Circadian Promise appeared on the horizon. Returning to the paradigm of mental health, rendered through the imagery of flight and freedom, Fires in the Distance console even the most timorous of hearts and deliver once again.

    Everything uniquely great about Fires in the Distance is back on full display in Circadian Promise, and more besides. The sparkling arias of keyboards gain strength on the backs of soaring lead guitars and the steadfast heft of bass and drum. Synths subtly decorate the soundscape with just a touch of drama. Dynamic, steady tempos propel you forward. But Fires in the Distance don’t rest in the surety of this admittedly winning formula. New vocalist Brendan Hayter1 uses his savage screams to inject a new intensity to the heaviness and amplifies already stirring passages with hearty cleans—first of their kind for the band. The keyboards also see a renaissance of sorts with extended moments in the spotlight (“Lightless Days of a Songless Bird,” “Once the Silence Takes Your Place”), and solos stretch further towards the epic (“By this Time Tomorrow”). This evolution remains entirely natural. Whatever fierceness seizes the percussion or harsh vocals, the music remains easily compelling and distinctively rousing. Similarly, the singing never pushes songs even close to the saccharine boundary; their emotionality is perfectly pitched.

    Fires in the Distance set a high bar with their previous work, but somehow Circadian Promise clears it. The music demonstrates a mature exploration of tension and contrast, shifting slightly away from doom and back towards melodeath, playing with the duality of clean and harsh vocals, folding the fragile and the fierce into potent progressions. Songs might use an ardently sung bridge to allow a melancholic theme to provide tangible closure (“Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, the Author of my Fade”), or show vulnerability beside a heavier counterpart to the rhythm and melody (“Once the Silence…”). Just as much emotion comes from the ardent screams that ring over turbulent drums (“Once the Silence…”) or rise in tandem with tremolo-picked or swiftly arpeggio-ing riffs (“Lightless Days…,” “Agonal Dreaming”). Every refrain is just as deceptively simple, memorable, and lovely as ever, but with the increased dynamism, they shine still brighter. Layered transitions through synths and piano (“Lightless Days…,” “By This Time Tomorrow,” “Once the Silence…”) seamlessly weave movements together. Fluid, energetic drumming shapes the soundscape with bolstering fills and assertive rolls into steady, sweeping ascents (“Of Radiance…,” ), rocky climbs (“Once the Silence…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and endless onward glides (“By this Time Tomorrow”), metaphorically embodying their themes. As a result, they hit harder and stick longer.

    Circadian Promise is also made more compelling by its structure. Almost the same length to the second as Air Not Meant for Us, it uses its time better, eschewing instrumental interludes and long intros and crafting long songs with assured builds (“Of Radiance…”, “Lightless Days…”), moving reprises (“To You,…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and thrillingly layered evolutions (“To You…,” “Once the Silence…”).2 “Lightless Days…” is possibly the only candidate for a trim, weakened slightly by its itineracy. Whilst being in many ways more dramatic and heavy than prior releases, it’s simultaneously more reflective thanks to a slight lilt in the tunes and openness in the cleans, and some fantastic keyboard-centred passages, integrated beautifully into the metal (“Of Radiance…,” “By this Time Tomorrow”). This heightened reflectiveness also shows up through Fires in the Distance’s substitution for pithy Christopher Hitchens with the rather more introspective Alan Watts (“By this Time Tomorrow”) in the role of sampled British intellectual.

    To those who previously felt Fires in the Distance’s brand of melodeath too airy to be impactful, Circadian Promise may be the album that shows you the light. Bolstered and tempered with a more striking heaviness and passionate cleans, the characteristically stirring beauty of the melodies sings louder and warmer than before. Circadian Promise fully becomes its concept as its powerful pieces coalesce into a fortifying tonic you surely can’t resist, lifting your spirits, and Fire in the Distance themselves, up into the stratosphere.

    Rating: Excellent
    DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Prosthetic Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
    Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

    #2026 #45 #AmericanMetal #CircadianPromise #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #FiresInTheDistance #Jun26 #MelodicDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews

  16. Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise Review By Thus Spoke

    Not many bands can craft as characteristic an aura as Fires in the Distance. Their dreamy melodicism yet grounded weight lend their music an instantly recognizable and powerfully uplifting tone. Debut Echoes from Deep November already shimmered with the promise of something special, and 2023 sophomore Air Not Meant for Us more than made good on this promise, gliding effortlessly into my top 5 for that year. At this point in a band’s career, one might start to fear a slip in quality—a complacent settling into an easy and familiar groove—where the magic fades a little. One might, but in my case, this was somewhat eclipsed by the glittering stars that filled my eyes when Circadian Promise appeared on the horizon. Returning to the paradigm of mental health, rendered through the imagery of flight and freedom, Fires in the Distance console even the most timorous of hearts and deliver once again.

    Everything uniquely great about Fires in the Distance is back on full display in Circadian Promise, and more besides. The sparkling arias of keyboards gain strength on the backs of soaring lead guitars and the steadfast heft of bass and drum. Synths subtly decorate the soundscape with just a touch of drama. Dynamic, steady tempos propel you forward. But Fires in the Distance don’t rest in the surety of this admittedly winning formula. New vocalist Brendan Hayter1 uses his savage screams to inject a new intensity to the heaviness and amplifies already stirring passages with hearty cleans—first of their kind for the band. The keyboards also see a renaissance of sorts with extended moments in the spotlight (“Lightless Days of a Songless Bird,” “Once the Silence Takes Your Place”), and solos stretch further towards the epic (“By this Time Tomorrow”). This evolution remains entirely natural. Whatever fierceness seizes the percussion or harsh vocals, the music remains easily compelling and distinctively rousing. Similarly, the singing never pushes songs even close to the saccharine boundary; their emotionality is perfectly pitched.

    Fires in the Distance set a high bar with their previous work, but somehow Circadian Promise clears it. The music demonstrates a mature exploration of tension and contrast, shifting slightly away from doom and back towards melodeath, playing with the duality of clean and harsh vocals, folding the fragile and the fierce into potent progressions. Songs might use an ardently sung bridge to allow a melancholic theme to provide tangible closure (“Of Radiance and Levitation,” “To You, the Author of my Fade”), or show vulnerability beside a heavier counterpart to the rhythm and melody (“Once the Silence…”). Just as much emotion comes from the ardent screams that ring over turbulent drums (“Once the Silence…”) or rise in tandem with tremolo-picked or swiftly arpeggio-ing riffs (“Lightless Days…,” “Agonal Dreaming”). Every refrain is just as deceptively simple, memorable, and lovely as ever, but with the increased dynamism, they shine still brighter. Layered transitions through synths and piano (“Lightless Days…,” “By This Time Tomorrow,” “Once the Silence…”) seamlessly weave movements together. Fluid, energetic drumming shapes the soundscape with bolstering fills and assertive rolls into steady, sweeping ascents (“Of Radiance…,” ), rocky climbs (“Once the Silence…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and endless onward glides (“By this Time Tomorrow”), metaphorically embodying their themes. As a result, they hit harder and stick longer.

    Circadian Promise is also made more compelling by its structure. Almost the same length to the second as Air Not Meant for Us, it uses its time better, eschewing instrumental interludes and long intros and crafting long songs with assured builds (“Of Radiance…”, “Lightless Days…”), moving reprises (“To You,…” “Agonal Dreaming”), and thrillingly layered evolutions (“To You…,” “Once the Silence…”).2 “Lightless Days…” is possibly the only candidate for a trim, weakened slightly by its itineracy. Whilst being in many ways more dramatic and heavy than prior releases, it’s simultaneously more reflective thanks to a slight lilt in the tunes and openness in the cleans, and some fantastic keyboard-centred passages, integrated beautifully into the metal (“Of Radiance…,” “By this Time Tomorrow”). This heightened reflectiveness also shows up through Fires in the Distance’s substitution for pithy Christopher Hitchens with the rather more introspective Alan Watts (“By this Time Tomorrow”) in the role of sampled British intellectual.

    To those who previously felt Fires in the Distance’s brand of melodeath too airy to be impactful, Circadian Promise may be the album that shows you the light. Bolstered and tempered with a more striking heaviness and passionate cleans, the characteristically stirring beauty of the melodies sings louder and warmer than before. Circadian Promise fully becomes its concept as its powerful pieces coalesce into a fortifying tonic you surely can’t resist, lifting your spirits, and Fire in the Distance themselves, up into the stratosphere.

    Rating: Excellent
    DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Prosthetic Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
    Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

    #2026 #45 #AmericanMetal #CircadianPromise #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #FiresInTheDistance #Jun26 #MelodicDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews

  17. You're sick and tired of bad news?
    Well, here's some to brighten your mood: #FiresInTheDistance is about to drop a new album on June 12th.
    That should definitely help!

    #metal #newmusic

  18. You're sick and tired of bad news?
    Well, here's some to brighten your mood: #FiresInTheDistance is about to drop a new album on June 12th.
    That should definitely help!

    #metal #newmusic

  19. You're sick and tired of bad news?
    Well, here's some to brighten your mood: #FiresInTheDistance is about to drop a new album on June 12th.
    That should definitely help!

    #metal #newmusic

  20. You're sick and tired of bad news?
    Well, here's some to brighten your mood: #FiresInTheDistance is about to drop a new album on June 12th.
    That should definitely help!

    #metal #newmusic

  21. You're sick and tired of bad news?
    Well, here's some to brighten your mood: #FiresInTheDistance is about to drop a new album on June 12th.
    That should definitely help!

    #metal #newmusic