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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Agartha
Album.......: The Hidden
Year........: 2025
Genre.......: Heavy Metal
Type........: EP
Label.......: No Remorse Records
Language....: English
Source......: WEB/FLAC (24bit)
Quality.....: 1787kbps / 48 kHz / Stereo
Tracks......: 5 tracks
Playtime....: 00:26:17
Size........: 343.1 MiB
R.Date......: 2026-07-10
S.Date......: 2025-10-03
Url.........: https://open.qobuz.com/album/g5edeytn8xkca
01. Intro 2:18
02. Silver King 5:03
03. The Hidden 6:13
04. South Flight 7:10
05. Into Hyperborea 5:34
The genres given on AGARTHA's Encyclopaedia Metallum
profile - Heavy Metal / Hard Rock - are slightly
irritating as the band's sound has definitely more
facets than just this. In the intro alone, BLACK SABBATH
and various other bands seem to shine through. This
tendency continues throughout the five songs of the EP,
with GRAND MAGUS springing to mind as the strongest
opportunity to compare (possibly inappropriate, but
anyway). 'Silver King', for one, is certainly very epic
but does not have the doom bits which characterise the
(earlier) sound of the Swedes. But the vocals do
sometimes resemble the voice of JB Christoffersson,
whereas I am also reminded of METAL INQUISITOR's Robert
'El Rojo' Zerwas, and even Ozzy sometimes. Great names,
great gripping soundscapes! 'The Hidden' is more
(classic) Hard Rock - like, and also has these epic
lyrics. These two songs are my recommendations, as the
trademark old school approach followed by AGARTHA
becomes really clear when listening to them. Despite
sometimes being hard to grasp, this is certainly no
'feel-good Hard Rock' or even AOR but really delving
into the field of classic Heavy Metal proper. This was
also an impression the band members themselves once gave
in an interview with Filthy Dogs Of Metal webzine, when
they described their sound as intended 'to sound like a
lost demo from 1983', a perception that certainly rings
true when listening to their EP "The Hidden". MANILLA
ROAD, cited in said interview, absolutely show through
as one of their influences. This is really interesting
given that the (just two) members of the band have a
distinct Black Metal and Death Metal background, but who
am I to complain about them worhshipping old heroes in
such a creative manner and finding their own sound, too?
So far, AGARTHA only released a demo and this EP. Let's
hope they stick to their principles when it comes to
putting together a full-length album!