Country: Mexico
Genre: Avant‑Garde Metal / Progressive Metal / Atmospheric Black Metal / Modern Classical
For fans of: Sadness, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Thy Catafalque
Release: 3 July 2026
Review
Alex Becerra’s Nostalghia return with Departure, an album that continues the project’s avant‑garde path but with a stronger turn toward clean vocals and a richer orchestral palette. The opening with “Leaving” is characteristic: acoustic guitars, strings, percussion and piano build a dramatic intro that leads smoothly into “Dearly Departed”, where the black metal foundation meets Spanish guitar, winds and melancholic tremolos.
Becerra uses more clean vocals than on any previous record, leaving the harsh ones in a secondary role — although tracks like “Qa Muqu” show that he doesn’t abandon the wilder style. The production is rich, full of detail, with woodwinds, brass, bells and glockenspiel giving an almost cinematic dimension.
Although the album has many beautiful moments, the compositions don’t always flow smoothly. Tracks like “Dearly Departed” and “Uróboros” have abrupt transitions that break the flow, while some ideas feel more like spontaneous detours than organic development. The ten‑minute “Offret” is the most complete composition: it starts with a majestic doom‑black aesthetic, sinks into a chaotic mid‑section and closes with a heavenly ascent of bells, brass and the voice of Frida Zavala.
Departure is a bold, rich and emotional work, but not Becerra’s most coherent. Even so, even a “less strong” Nostalghia album remains more interesting than the scene’s average. Becerra keeps experimenting, exploring and refusing to repeat himself — and that is always commendable.
