Angry Metal GuyKhirki – Κυκεώνας [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]
By Kenstrosity
In 2021, Greek hard rock trio Khirki single-handedly reignited a fire inside a genre I, for a long time, felt had decomposed six feet under the soil. It just felt like every hard rock act regurgitated the same albums over and over throughout the mid-aughts, with little to no variation or innovation to speak of since. Yet, Κτηνωδία absorbed all of the latent creativity nobody on Earth seemed to exploit and shoehorned every drop into a massive triumph of a debut. Three years later, on comes Κυκεώνας. Does it prove Khirki to be a one-trick pony like so many other bands before them, or are we in for another unqualified success?
It’s safe to say you already know the answer to that question. Of course Κυκεώνας kicks ass! A testament to exuberant, explorative, and exquisite songwriting, Κυκεώνας represents everything that was great about Khirki before, elevated by a greater sense of cohesion, smoothness, and vibrancy. Throughout its forty-seven minutes, lush acoustics, tumbling drums and claps, weeping violin, and jaunty woodwinds provide effervescent decoration informed by traditional Greek folk music. Meanwhile, ascendant tremolo leads invite a shimmering post-metal accent to many songs, providing a nice shift away from the doom-tinged atmosphere of the first record. “Heart of the Sea” in particular shows how adventurous Khirki are with that post-metal influence in their chosen format; Khirki refuse to stick to a singular formula yet strive for an unmistakable voice entirely their own. And it works.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Κυκεώνας doesn’t share the immediacy of Κτηνωδία, but not for assessing that as a detractor. In fact, it is its subtlety, sophistication, and nuance that puts Κυκεώνας on the map. Infused with myriad themes and spine-tingling harmonies, major hits like “Pumping the Vein,” “The Watchers of Enoch,” “Συμπληγάδες,” and Song o’ the Year contender “Heart of the Sea” showcase an epic character bolstered by killer performances across the board. A greater presence of extreme metal-inspired drum patterns, implemented with a light touch, prove to be an especially exciting development. Using these flawlessly integrated techniques—especially the double-bass power metal run in “Father Wind” and post-y blasts in “Heart of the Sea”—many of Κυκεώνας’s best songs overtake the high points of Khirki’s previous work.
Κυκεώνας is also the more consistent of the two records, both in tone and in style, without sacrificing its sense of adventure. Stoner-heavy closer “Hekate” constitutes the starkest departure from Khirki’s approach album-wide, and yet their trademark bluesy swagger and folky bounce hold the line, strong and unfazed. “Featherless” reminds you what Khirki’s base structure sounds like, yet it wouldn’t work nearly as well in their back catalog as it does here. “Your Majesty” takes it slow and steady, much like how Khirki had when exploring doom aesthetics previously, but its brightness and reverential air make it an ideal companion to its more upbeat album-mates. “Pumping the Vein” aggresses with much of the same upfront bravado as 2021’s “Deadpan” or “Raging Bull,” but its funkier attitude makes it a shoe-in for Κυκεώνας’s ebullient musical palette.
In short, all of Κυκεώνας’s pieces fit snugly and seamlessly together, forming a buttery-smooth and consistently engaging record in a genre not known any longer for either trait. Khirki, as far as I’m concerned, single-handedly carry the genre on their more-than-capable shoulders. Κυκεώνας is the proof.
Tracks to Check Out: “Pumping the Vein,” “Συμπληγάδες,” “Heart of the Sea,” “Hekate”
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KMäNriffs
