Review: Ashen Horde – The Harvest

Review by Sandre the Giant Released: 1st May 2026 The fifth record from California’s progressive black metallers Ashen Horde comes on the heels of 2023’s excellent ‘Antimony’ record, but changes tack a little from their previous concept driven records into something a little more individualistic. ‘The Harvest’ has a loose theme about things ending, but Ashen Horde’s spectacularly eclectic influences are more the focus here, ranging from brutal, technical death through fiery black metal to 90s grunge and alternative. They’ve also got a new singer, former Necrotic Remains and Putrifier vocalist Karl Chamberlain. ‘The Harvest’; is out now self released. Opener ‘Autumnal’ did not go quite the direction I expected after those powerful, bleak opening moments; Ashen Horde’s black metal does not last in the second wave style for long before the proggy structures kick in, and then the rich clean vocals as well. But there is a potent engine of darkness and riffs living underneath that initial,…