Review: “Doom” by Horion

Hailing from Bayonne France, Horion have spent the past couple of years sharpening their blades with performances across their homeland, the Basque Country and Landes region while completing work on a debut EP, a portrait in dark and melodic Black Metal with both Death and Doom influences. Described as a raw and coherent statement of artistic vision that offers an introspective and brutal journey, it is claimed that the cello performs a central role as a main instrument in this dance macabre. Lyrically that is coupled with an unflinching view of a world ruled by violence with a socially aware undercurrent as humanity turns its back on those most vulnerable…

…this journey down the left hand path begins with “Monarque” (or “Monarch“), a tune with a sober melancholic introduction that is rooted in Scandinavia which is then shattered into a million little sharp pieces by fierce Death Metal style vocals. On this one the cello effectively replaces a lead guitar, adding depth and texture to the sonic assault on the senses in a way least expected. It’s the chorus where the Black Metal is at its most prominent, the rise and fall over the six and a half minutes as powerful and potent as they come. There are some lead guitars in the final moments which are a nice touch, the overall aesthetic being one that is very much avant-garde in nature. Equally as abrasive as it is melodic “Stronghold” has a sombre quality to it that is majestic and you can just picture members of bands like Imperial Triumphant hearing this and being enthralled by the concept. There are moments of Folk Metal intertwined with this one, the cello parts layered so they offer more in the way of orchestration which works well. What is great about it though it that it’s by no means overpowering and doesn’t drown out any of the other instruments in the mix.

Flirting with odd time signatures and eerie, haunting background sounds makes “Cages de Chair” (or “Cages of Flesh“) an unsettling piece, especially when you add shriller Death Metal vocal moments to the usual bark and bite. Another furious piece of socially aware sound, this one punches hard, swinging at everything that moves even vaguely in its vicinity. There is an eerie almost tribal bridge section that takes this one down an occult ritual like tangent, the sweeping leads that come in towards the end adding a real sense of drama to the social event of the year. There are almost Mathcore sensibilities with title track “Doom“, which flirts with influences that are a long way away from Black Metal and that’s a joy to behold because variety is the spice of life and freedom to experiment should be actively encouraged. The track is four minutes of utter bedlam, the macabre sounds of the cello providing a dark underpinning for the racing percussion and off kilter guitar work as the guttural screams reach fever pitch. It shouldn’t work on paper but the reality is often stranger than fiction and here everything hangs together perfectly, the band somehow finding balance with musicianship that far exceeds the age of this project [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Monarque
2. Stronghold
3. Cages de Chair
4. Doom

“Doom” by Horion is out 26th March 2026 via Void Wanderer Productions