We have finally reached the point where we get to listen to the fifth album by the German black metallers Firtan, who started their journey in 2010 with a specific sound and lyrical themes revolving around pagan black metal.
By now, black metal dressed in lyrics revolving around philosophy, nature, and other related themes has created an environment that has produced very good results, as was also demonstrated by their excellent previous album, “Ethos.”
“Helios” does not reveal all of its quality from the very first listen and requires time. Shadows, darkness, light, intensity, and atmosphere come together in an impressive whole, full of imagery.
Firtan have now definitively left behind the need to prove that they can stand among the leading bands of the genre.
“Helios” has black metal as its starting point, but with plenty of elements from across the metal spectrum. The aggressive guitars that come to the forefront coexist with melodies, progressive structures, and atmospheric passages that feel almost cinematic.
The result is dark, but not monochromatic.
From the very first minutes of the album, it becomes clear that this is not a typical atmospheric black metal band. Firtan gradually build the intensity, allowing the compositions to breathe and leading them to reveal their full dramatic weight.
The way “Helios” handles time is particularly interesting. Firtan are not afraid of lengthy compositions and slower passages. Rather than constantly trying to keep the listener on edge, they allow room for the melodies to develop.
There are, of course, many moments throughout the album featuring a characteristic raw black metal aggression.
Despite the different influences, there is no sense that Firtan are trying to fit everything into a single record. The changes come naturally.
Black metal remains at the core, but around it an entire world is created, filled with progressive, atmospheric, and post-metal shades.
The production plays an important role in this. The instruments have room to breathe, the guitars retain their power without drowning out the details, and the drums provide the necessary dynamics. The vocals remain harsh and aggressive, functioning more like another instrument within the overall sonic landscape rather than as a conventional “voice” placed over the compositions.
Fortunately, “Helios” is not an easy album.
It requires time and, above all, a willingness to explore. It does not offer an easy refrain that will win you over immediately, nor does it rely on a single impressive moment to make an impact. Its strength lies in the overall experience.
Firtan take everything they have built over the years and push it one step further. “Helios” is dark without being monotonous, atmospheric without becoming overly ethereal, and progressive without losing the aggression that is part of their DNA.
If you have not done so already, follow Firtan even now and enter their dreamlike world.
The album is released by AOP Records.
Spyros Tribos
8,5/10
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