With a history spanning over 22 years, Spain’s Balmog is far from an unknown name in the international extreme metal scene. Throughout the decades, the band has built a solid reputation for their uncompromising creativity, atmospheric depth, and unwavering commitment to their own artistic path. Now, they return with their fifth full-length album, Laio—a word that means “lament” or “wail” in Galician, the native language of their home region. And truth be told, there couldn’t be a more fitting title to capture the spirit of this record.
Laio is anything but an easy listen. It’s a layered, mournful journey that drifts between black metal, death metal, and avant-garde territory, without ever fully anchoring itself in any single genre. Balmog thrives on pushing boundaries, exploring unexpected turns, subtle shifts in dynamics, and weaving a deep sense of melancholy through everything they create.
With Laio, Balmog proves that even after more than two decades, they are not only still relevant, but continue to evolve, experiment, and delve deeper into their own sonic identity. The result is an intense and sincere body of work—one that feels as dark as it is personal, a lament that lingers long after the final notes have faded.
Although Balmog occasionally flirts with elements of post-black metal, the band firmly keeps the musical reins in hand, remaining deeply rooted in atmospheric black metal. There are moments of experimentation with effects pedals and layered sound textures to keep the sonic landscape fresh and engaging, but this never comes at the expense of the sheer force that crashes over the listener like a Spanish steamroller.
What sets Balmog apart is their ability to combine intensity with a certain depth. Tracks like the slightly experimental Like God Knows or the ominously brooding The Silence of the Trumpets illustrate this perfectly. The latter, in particular, evokes echoes of later Celtic Frost, with its sluggish, almost ritualistic atmosphere and suffocating sense of tension.
Despite this experimental edge, Balmog remains faithful to their foundations: raw, entrancing black metal steeped in atmosphere and menace. It’s precisely this mix of familiar aggression and distinctive execution that keeps the listener hooked to the record — always wondering what lies beyond the next fog-shrouded wall of sound.
With their latest album, Balmog once again proves they’re far from finished. The band delivers a powerful piece of work where intensity, atmosphere, and craftsmanship come together seamlessly. Each track exudes conviction and reflects a clear artistic vision — this is not a band simply following the black metal rulebook, but one that dares to push boundaries while staying true to the genre’s core essence.
The production is carefully crafted without sounding overly polished, and the compositions strike a fine balance between raw energy and subtle depth. The result is an album that lingers in the mind and leaves the listener wanting more. Balmog definitely leaves us hungry for what’s next — and if this is any indication of what’s to come, we’d better brace ourselves.
85/100
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