Herezjarcha— Arch-Heretic —is the sophomore effort from Pennsylvania-based Profane Elegy, who are determined to escape the boundaries of genres. Following the path carved by 2023’s When All is Nothing, they see the coexistence, if not the union, of black and death metal, but also an atmospheric, ambient kind of doom, and they simply double down on every aspect.
It isn’t the first time a metal artist claims to avoid categorization, and many, if not most, modern artists in extreme subgenres borrow from the less extreme and incorporate generous reverb. The claims of Profane Elegy, therefore, don’t spark much interest whether or not you’ve heard the debut. Listeners dislike/like their sound on their own terms. Still, there is actually something different in the way they combine their disparate aspects, and Herezjarcha is all the stronger for it.
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If you dive blindly into Herezjarcha at any random moment, you’d be forgiven for taking it as true blackened death — especially reminiscent of Keres, or a less polished Vredehammer. Rough growls tear like a cold wind over malevolent arpeggios, ascending and descending ominous scales in relentless percussive attacks, satisfyingly rugged. But in a moment, the mood of Profane Elegy shifts from malice to despair, and clean vocals lead a mournful chorus, with layered, post-black percussion dominating the soundscape. The opener “Exeunt Omnes,” which begins —like many others— with wild, thrashy black metal energy, foreshadows the way the album repeatedly shifts atmosphere and surprises the listener, as the riffs soften and merge with softly sung “ohh-hh-hh”. Their blackened foundation is rent by change, from the stripped-down atmosphere to the satisfying duets with the screams, from black n’ roll irreverence to sludgy blackened doom and icy black metal. Although they actually have little in common, the best comparison to the pairing of a live blackened death with unapologetic, cleans-driven melody by Profane Elegy is Sludge. Herezjarcha is far more interesting and multifaceted than it may appear at first glance.
Profane Elegy do nothing by half measures and throw themselves with equal vigor into both their heaviest and their softest sides. Their blackened death is rugged and dynamic, whether overly aggressive (“I AM”) or in a shrieking, slow pursuit of style and acrobatics (“Haunted” “And Then We Are Gone”). The harsh vocal production adjacent to the second wave, slightly muffled and noisy, adds to the overall rawness, intensifying the more directly brutal and giving harshness to the more melodic, atmospheric style. From the first side, things really get heavy, and the swirling, scream-filled soundscape is irresistible, but as the album progresses, it’s the second that sees Profane Elegy doing some truly cool things. Otherworldly scales blend into a layered cascade of hits (“As My Heart Turns to Ash”), or invite the chords of melancholy to join them (“The Accuser”). More and more space is devoted to varied, stripped-down silences. Things don’t just hang on the reverb. A space opens up in which a wild riff becomes briefly mournful, and after a few swells of tension, an almost frantic feeling takes over as the cleans take the lead (“As My Heart…”). It isn’t the addition of atmosphere that’s good, it’s the way Profane Elegy place a mournful, post-adjacent mood alongside their harsh, blackened side that manages not to sacrifice either, even when combined.
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However, fully devoted to the spirit and execution of their different faces, Profane Elegy prove that they haven’t fully refined the formula of their coexistence. The seething, variously wild and epic, blackened death on display in Herezjarcha is extremely enjoyable, while the vulnerability and atmosphere that other influences bring create a strong emotionality and work very well in combination. This doesn’t prevent the slightly awkward way one transitions into the other – especially in the first half of the record. Balance and integration improve as the runtime progresses, to the extent that the second end, if stretched to the length of a full LP, would receive a score at least half a point higher. Even so, the difference in sound between the raw and ugly and the comparatively glossy is stark and can give the impression that one is suddenly hearing an entirely different artist when the former completely gives way to the latter.
What Profane Elegy achieve with Herezarcha, however, is confirming their ability and their personality. Among a sea of underground metal artists presenting their bold and subversive creations, Profane Elegy stand with the confidence of honest distinction. They may not have finished the execution yet, but in just 38 minutes, Herezarcha is well worth the time you’ll need to experience their raw expression.
Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: Bandcamp | Releases Facebook worldwide: January 30, 2026
The review was written by Angry metal guy.
