I wouldn’t say that Italian outfit Heruka are the easiest band to get to grips with either musically or thematically. One thing is certain though, they have ramped up their output after a couple of finding feet releases in the early 2000’s, then they went relatively silent for well over a decade. Back with debut album Deception’s End in 2018 they quickly followed that up with an EP a year later and are now here with their second album. The group are made up of past and present members of Legion of Darkness, Throne of Molok, Ars Macabra and Blood Legion. Yes, you would be right thinking they were a black metal band but that is where things get slightly curious. Musically they dwell at the side-lines of the genre, certainly not a traditional band within its multi-layered spheres, nor are they orthodox, neither are they particularly atmospheric, folk, pagan or depressive. There are some symphonic elements but one would not look at them in quite that respect either, blackened death, punk laden? Nope not that either. I guess with their clattering modus operandi and harsh vocals they are a bit of everything but essentially, I find Heruka have thrash at their heart as much as anything; but you wouldn’t call them black thrash either; said it was slightly confusing. Heruka simply call what they do oneric so I guess that’s as good a description as we need. We do get a good sense of where they are coming from narratively this time however and having looked at the surreal via Baudelairian poeticism on last release ‘Turning To Dust’ here they explore “the unknown depths of mental illnesses through the eyes of the insane.” Welcome to their asylum.
Ironically as I sit here to write this the sun is beaming through my window in dazzling brilliance but the men in the white coats are busy with those they already have locked up and luckily, I have avoided the padded room so far. ‘Time Collapse’ is an urgent opener battering straight in and romping away. Lyrically there is a lot of depth here and it is obvious that whoever wrote them has studied medical conditions some of which are related via spoken words at a slight gap in the raving lunacy of the music. Main vocalist Nekrom is nothing short of rabid and he needs to be to keep up with the thrashing tumult of the music. Everything is flung out like the clappers but there is plenty of melodicism and groove about it all and the energy enthusiastically infects the listener. Piano notes bring atmosphere and keyboards waft in adding a slight depressive and symphonic grace before the title track hammers in, we are locked up in a padded cell but bounce off the walls determined to escape. There’s a certain amount of technicality about all this and the playing is tight and fast without tripping over itself something that if it did would result in a real car crash. There’s also some near classical zeal amidst it all think of Rimsky-Korsakov’s famed Flight Of The Bumblebee and that is the sort of breakneck thrashy speed we are hitting here. It really helps having the lyrics too as they are flung out so quickly each songs words resemble an essay; too much to go into here but if you are interested in learning about ‘Walking Dead Syndrome’ aka Cotard’s it’s all there. Things get biblical and philosophical with ‘The Eleventh Rule’ which injects some cleaner vocal parts into things and there’s a hell of a lot to take in; the never standing still musical frenzy being just one part of the puzzle.
Thankfully despite the songs twisting and turning as they do, they don’t overstay their welcome although the combined result of listening to the album does leave you feeling like you have been dragged through a hedge backwards. With its stand out “you are alone” hollering, giddy fluidity and even a couple of lunatic cackles ‘White Coats Don’t Understand’ sticks out around the half way mark before instrumental ‘Unreal Consciousness’ brings a little mania-settling ease to things. Progressive nuances coat ‘The United States Of Insanity’ subtly before the blasts rain down and vocals deliver vitriolic condemnation. I also note the meandering bass work nicely bringing some further definition and clarity amidst the burgeoning madness. All elements are co-ordinated as furious as it may be. I would say things rapidly gallop towards the finish but they have hardly stopped in that respect since the album started. I hope Heruka manage to keep up with the impetus of late as they definitely have something interesting going on here. There’s a lot to take in but mental illness is a complex thing to tackle and the turmoil of it and all the ups and downs that it entails are handled with sophistication beyond the absolute hellish battering of the music. Dig in and hold on for dear life, it’s a wild ride here.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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