Having started as a solo project for Smith, it’s no surprise that there are quite a few Altars of Grief -isms in this piece, but the “blackened” label is serious. Similar to their traditional ways, I’d say Derelict Heart could be the result of a union between Arctos and Altars of Grief — there’s a desolate, bleak darkness at the heart of the music that fits Smith’s doom metal band, but the presentation is passionate and wild.
Branson Heinz and Roman Chester deliver on drums and bass, respectively, each running marathons of intensity throughout Derelict Heart . Andrew Caruana joins Smith on guitars and plays aggressively without Heinz’s drum speed, with a bit more or less tremolo here and there. Their vocals are just as harsh and biting. The duo growls, roars and thunders in strange harmony. Smith also sings, and Caruana plays keys, both adding new dimensions to an already powerful sound.
The result is a metal that is more blackened than doom, and very strong for it. “Endless” starts powerfully. Smith and Caruana play an upbeat riff, thundering through a strong intro. The doom elements persist through an acoustic guitar, a sorrowful solo and a strong atmosphere of darkness.
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Northern Graves do a fantastic job of evoking the vast, empty plains of their homeland, Saskatchewan. “Derelict Heart” is the best example, a majestic, slow burn that starts in doom waters before reaching a beautiful, blackened climax. Smith and Caruana’s vocals are powerful, and Heinz’s drumming reaches manic heights. The guitars surround you and carry you into ghost towns.
In quieter moments, the song, distant and orchestral, is subtle, loose and inspired. It’s a surprisingly beautiful song and demonstrates in the best way the union of black metal, doom metal and the unique inspiration that defines Derelict Heart and Northern Graves . Even the non-metal track, “Keeper of the Plains”, serves an important role by providing a particularly distinctive atmosphere. Derelict Heart thrives on atmosphere, making it feel like more than the sum of two sub-genres and more like its own unique entity.
In terms of production, Derelict Heart sounds surprisingly clean and full of energy, with only two small flaws. The first is that the drumming is strangely loud. As mentioned, Heinz is a fantastic drummer and a major factor in the energy of Derelict Heart . He gives them power and presence.
But his presence is often too loud, especially on “Lanterns”. “Lanterns” is a gorgeous song, falling more on the doom metal side with slower, sadder passages interspersed with orchestral melodies, clean/harsh vocal duets and beautiful riffs – but the blast beat drumming is so high in the mix that it distracts. The second is the album’s closing track, “Hazard”, a cover of Richard Marx that, while appropriately blackened to fit Northern Graves , isn’t effective as a closer for Derelict Heart .
Especially after the stunning title track, it stands out. It has less doom, a quieter atmosphere and much cleaner singing than the rest of Derelict Heart , and, while it’s an exciting cover, it feels like an odd way to close the album. Tonally, it’s a little strange, although I can’t bring myself to really dislike it – the skill and passion of Northern Graves are hard not to like.
There are many ways to blacken doom metal, but Northern Graves found an amazing sound on Derelict Heart . It isn’t particularly sad or even particularly bleak, but it essentially evokes the scale of a desolate wilderness. It’s a powerful, memorable experience that I found resonant and moving. I’m already looking forward to more.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Meuse Music
Websites: northerngraves.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/northerngraves
Worldwide release: April 17, 2026
