When I finally dropped the needle on Zeicrydeus’ latest, I felt a pang of regret. This had been out since April—initially on CD and cassette—yet it somehow evaded me until the vinyl pressing arrived. The moment it hit the turntable, I knew I’d been sleeping on something special.
Zeicrydeus, helmed by Canadian musician Foudre Noir with Chakal on session drums, doesn’t simply mimic the familiar contours of Black Metal. Their creative roots draw from a rare pairing: the shadowed Hellenic traditions of Necromantia, Rotting Christ, Zembial, and Varathron alongside the battle-hardened grandeur of Manowar, Running Wild, and Mortuary Drape. This collision of worlds creates a sound that feels both arcane and heroic.
The album breathes with a distinctly Greek spirit—majestic, ritualistic, and heavy with atmosphere. The bass guitar isn’t relegated to the background; it steps forward, shaping melodies that twist and coil like incense smoke, just as the early ’90s Greek legends once did. Song structures refuse to settle into monotony—tempo shifts arrive like turns in a labyrinth, and flashes of classic Heavy and Epic Metal break through the darkness.
“Profane Spells & Naked Swords in the Emerald Meadows of Nhaath” charges forward on pure Heavy Metal gallop, its mid-’80s steel shining through the haze. Yet the Hellenic Black Metal essence remains stitched into the fabric of the track. Then comes “Sous L’ombre Éternelle des Vestiges d’Heghemmon,” where the melodic specters of early Iron Maiden and vintage Helloween drift into view—unexpected, but strangely fitting.
This isn’t an album for the genre gatekeeper who demands an unbroken wall of tremolo and blast beats. Zeicrydeus isn’t here to be “orthodox.” Instead, they expand the map—exploring varied terrain while keeping the overall mood shrouded in shadow.
The closing cover of Thou Art Lord’s “The Era of Satan Rising” is more than a tribute; it’s a seal on the band’s allegiance to the mysticism and melodic fire of the early Greek scene.
Having followed metal since the mid-’80s, I recognize the rare balance achieved here: reverence for tradition without creative stagnation. Zeicrydeus have delivered a record that is as unpredictable as it is cohesive—a work that rewards those willing to wander off the straight path.
90/100
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