Review by SzejkElRopa on July 3, 2026.

"Where are you heading to on holiday?" I frequently ask my colleagues. "Oh, thanks for asking! I am going to visit Greece" - they at times respond. Well, I cannot say their choice is by any means bad. Beautiful buildings, delicious food, beaches - there is almost everything one might need to have a fantastic vacation. However, lurking in the darkest corners of this country, there is a group of people these vacation-goers probably don't know and won't like to know about. They seem indifferent to everything their homeland has to offer; instead, they channel bitterness, hatred, and despair into their music. Fortunately, they do not lack talent. One of the examples is a trio playing under the name Hor.

First thing I noticed is the vocals - they are very high in the mix, which immediately conjured up other Greek acts such as Insanity Cult or Sørgelig that also have this. Another similarity with these bands is the atmosphere, because it is ritualistic and executed almost perfectly. A prime example of this is the second song - "Into Great Nothing". While the previous one - "Reborn In Scorn" didn't make me love (maybe that is the wrong word in this type of music) the album, the next one surely did. It starts with a ferocious, absolutely hateful outburst of vocals, which is combined with blastbeats; however, this is suddenly stopped by the sound of a church bell. Following that, a melody kicks in. Both the bell and the melody make this song sound as though one were descending into the titular nothingness. Furthermore, with a little slowdown, the melody turns into more hopeless, making the song more introspective. The vocals work perfectly with the music and excellently convey emotions. Surprisingly, that's not enough, because after some time, another pause happens, and the voice speaking, probably in Greek, appears. Shortly afterwards, a slower section can be heard. I was (and still am) in awe of the little bass solo, which is, in my opinion, the peak of the song. It is equally emotional as the aforementioned melody.

Okay, enough ranting about one song. Surely, this album isn't only about this, right? Fortunately, it isn't, because "III" has other highlights. While the album isn't inconsistent in style, one cannot say that songs blend into each other, although some sections, especially the faster ones, sound slightly similar. "Prometheus Unbound", for instance, is a more aggressive piece of music, moving at a fast pace most of the time, and is driven by headbanging, furious riffs. On the whole, the bass work deserves praise because it is audible most of the time, and certainly adds more depth to the music. To provide one example, the beginning of "In Deathless Light...I Reign!" has an especially audible bass guitar. The whole album alternates between hateful moments and the more melodic ones. It is like a chaotic journey through the darkest corners of the soul. Apart from the misanthropic elements, there is also some place for tragedy. Fortunately, these emotions always work with the music. Noteworthy is the one at the end of "Ecce Mortuus", because its execution, combined with the depressing vocals, is absolutely great. The remaining songs also contain plenty of well-crafted moments, which enhance the emotional impact, without any of them definitely dominating. Lastly, I would like to point out the rapid melodies in "Stellar Silent Tomb," which I believe are yet another highlight of the album, lending it a tragic feel. Although "III" lasts only a little longer than 37 minutes, listing every moment I liked is quite futile because it would eventually become boring. By no means boring is the drumwork, though, because infamous Ungod definitely shows some proficiency in that field - he doesn't play the same thing over and over, and he undoubtedly contributes to the good quality of the album. His usage of a wide range of cymbals, as well as moments when the album slowed down and he used the bass drum, were, in my opinion, the best.

Well, all ot this I have written will not convince any normal person to listen to Hor; nevertheless, enthusiasts of abnormal music should pay Greece a visit. "III" is a fantastic album that shows not only primitive, raw emotions, but also maturity and great musicianship. The only thing I would wish for is that all tracks were as great as "Into Great Nothing" - in that case, this album would be absolutely perfect. As that's not the case, I give it 9/10. Recommended for the fans of old-school, aggressive black metal with a ritualistic sound.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by SzejkElRopa on July 3, 2026.

"Where are you heading to on holiday?" I frequently ask my colleagues. "Oh, thanks for asking! I am going to visit Greece" - they at times respond. Well, I cannot say their choice is by any means bad. Beautiful buildings, delicious food, beaches - there is almost everything one might need to have a fantastic vacation. However, lurking in the darkest corners of this country, there is a group of people these vacation-goers probably don't know and won't like to know about. They seem indifferent to everything their homeland has to offer; instead, they channel bitterness, hatred, and despair into their music. Fortunately, they do not lack talent. One of the examples is a trio playing under the name Hor.

First thing I noticed is the vocals - they are very high in the mix, which immediately conjured up other Greek acts such as Insanity Cult or Sørgelig that also have this. Another similarity with these bands is the atmosphere, because it is ritualistic and executed almost perfectly. A prime example of this is the second song - "Into Great Nothing". While the previous one - "Reborn In Scorn" didn't make me love (maybe that is the wrong word in this type of music) the album, the next one surely did. It starts with a ferocious, absolutely hateful outburst of vocals, which is combined with blastbeats; however, this is suddenly stopped by the sound of a church bell. Following that, a melody kicks in. Both the bell and the melody make this song sound as though one were descending into the titular nothingness. Furthermore, with a little slowdown, the melody turns into more hopeless, making the song more introspective. The vocals work perfectly with the music and excellently convey emotions. Surprisingly, that's not enough, because after some time, another pause happens, and the voice speaking, probably in Greek, appears. Shortly afterwards, a slower section can be heard. I was (and still am) in awe of the little bass solo, which is, in my opinion, the peak of the song. It is equally emotional as the aforementioned melody.

Okay, enough ranting about one song. Surely, this album isn't only about this, right? Fortunately, it isn't, because "III" has other highlights. While the album isn't inconsistent in style, one cannot say that songs blend into each other, although some sections, especially the faster ones, sound slightly similar. "Prometheus Unbound", for instance, is a more aggressive piece of music, moving at a fast pace most of the time, and is driven by headbanging, furious riffs. On the whole, the bass work deserves praise because it is audible most of the time, and certainly adds more depth to the music. To provide one example, the beginning of "In Deathless Light...I Reign!" has an especially audible bass guitar. The whole album alternates between hateful moments and the more melodic ones. It is like a chaotic journey through the darkest corners of the soul. Apart from the misanthropic elements, there is also some place for tragedy. Fortunately, these emotions always work with the music. Noteworthy is the one at the end of "Ecce Mortuus", because its execution, combined with the depressing vocals, is absolutely great. The remaining songs also contain plenty of well-crafted moments, which enhance the emotional impact, without any of them definitely dominating. Lastly, I would like to point out the rapid melodies in "Stellar Silent Tomb," which I believe are yet another highlight of the album, lending it a tragic feel. Although "III" lasts only a little longer than 37 minutes, listing every moment I liked is quite futile because it would eventually become boring. By no means boring is the drumwork, though, because infamous Ungod definitely shows some proficiency in that field - he doesn't play the same thing over and over, and he undoubtedly contributes to the good quality of the album. His usage of a wide range of cymbals, as well as moments when the album slowed down and he used the bass drum, were, in my opinion, the best.

Well, all ot this I have written will not convince any normal person to listen to Hor; nevertheless, enthusiasts of abnormal music should pay Greece a visit. "III" is a fantastic album that shows not only primitive, raw emotions, but also maturity and great musicianship. The only thing I would wish for is that all tracks were as great as "Into Great Nothing" - in that case, this album would be absolutely perfect. As that's not the case, I give it 9/10. Recommended for the fans of old-school, aggressive black metal with a ritualistic sound.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Dominik on October 10, 2026.

I am sure that, like me, you know people who are appalled by the "abrasive" noise created by the "abuse" of electric guitars. Well, here is your salvation. Flesia, a band hailing from Leipzig, Saxony, set out to prove that you can produce completely unhinged, non-melodic extreme metal using nothing but drums, bass guitar and a slightly unbalanced vocalist. "Achterbahnekstase" ("Rollercoaster Ecstasy") is the aptly titled latest work of the band. It consists of three songs and 40 minutes of playtime, and a rollercoaster it is. Whether you become ecstatic or not depends on your tolerance for being put in a tumbler straight from a Stephen King novel, which cleans you in blood and feces, chews on you, and spits you out in pieces. The three cuts cover my complete spectrum, from "gimme more of that" to "do I really have to go through another repetitive loop again?".

"Druck" ("Pressure") opens in brutal fashion. The song immediately blasts you against the wall, and the frontman is hellbent on outdoing Anaal Nathrakh's vocalist in terms of how much vitriol you can spit within a minute. For the first four minutes, the pace is relentlessly high, with most variation coming from short breaks and vocals that occasionally move into deep growls before snapping back. The bass for a change is pleasantly audible (Ok, just kidding, of course. Wanted to check how attentively you read this review.). The music is extreme to the core, while probably still qualifying as some kind of black metal. Mid-song, the pace drops but the intensity increases, and you start wondering just how much pressure the two instruments forming the rhythm section can produce. The frontman roars like a wild boar, before, at the 6:30 minute mark, the drummer starts speeding up and treating his drums like an ancient anvil. As with riding a rollercoaster, everything is about repetition and going in circles. The final four minutes return to the beginning and unmistakably tell you that buying a ticket for this hellish ride came without a safety net or any guarantee that you'll survive the experience. I liked it, though I have to admit that you feel dragged through a wringer while somebody tries drilling little holes in your brain. I issue a warning: this is not for the faint of heart. Then again, any prohibition will likely create the opposite reaction.

"Raserei" ("Frenzy") doesn't let go and is as appropriately named as its predecessor. The band stays loyal to their formula. The only change seems to be that the slower, more intense parts do the heavy lifting, while the excessive, nearly omnipresent blasting of the opener serves as a reprieve here. I can relate to everyone claiming that listening to this release physically hurts. It does. Interestingly, into the sixth minute, "Raserei" starts to confuse the hell out of me. It stops as if you crashed face-first into a wall, and the song continues as if the band decided to start a parody of extreme, bass-guitar-driven doom metal with just the riffs missing. The drums move at a perceived 5 bpm while the bass plays in slow motion. Of course, this cannot last, and the song regains most of its intensity going forward. The "riffs" would be melodic if it weren't for the fact that they're played on bass guitar. That the song ends in a frenzy shouldn't come as a surprise.

The closer, "Im Kreis Nach Unten" ("Spiralling Downwards"), doesn't present anything new. This could easily be the result of putting the other two songs in a blender and seeing what comes out. The band does not necessarily spiral downwards, but rather completely out of control. That the song is maybe the weakest track on the album may stem from the fact that, at 14:34 minutes runtime, your ears bleed, your throat is raw, and the bass starts to give you indigestion. This is one that overstayed its welcome.

The album is a case of the sum of its parts being less than its parts. Listening to each song alone gives me just the right dose of aggression for a day, while the release as a whole may make you want to destroy things you'll regret the day after. The fact that the cover artwork reminds you more of a hardcore / grindcore release underlines the possibility that, maybe, just maybe, the band knows exactly that sometimes they're toppling over the top but do so with a twinkle in their eyes.

Rating 7.7(8) out of 10, because three doses of controlled violence (8/10) are more enjoyable than one prolonged session in the sonic washing machine (7.7/10).