HEXVESSEL reveal a nocturnal visualiser for ‘Nights Tender Reckoning‘ as the melancholic next advance single taken from the forthcoming new full-length “Nocturne“. The seventh album of the enigmatic Finnish black metal shapeshifters has been slated for release on June 13, 2025.
Pre-sale link: http://lnk.spkr.media/hexvessel-nocturne
HEXVESSEL comment: “(de)Composed using the Diurnal Scale of Putrefaction, a 24-note digression mirroring each hour after death, ‘Nights Tender Reckoning’ explores the brain’s night-time alchemy”, singer and songwriter Mat “Kvohst” McNerney explains. “Through night’s rebirth, we attune to threshold experiences, ritual memory, and the pagan instinct to find meaning in the dark. I was inspired by My Dying Bride’s ‘Towards The Sinister’ demo from 1991 and early Tiamat. I didn’t want to spoil the performance of Saara Nevalainen who sung the live version of the song at Roadburn, so those who buy the deluxe edition of the album will get two different but unique versions of the song.”
Tracklist
1. Opening
2. Sapphire Zephyrs
3. Inward Landscapes
4. A Dark & Graceful Wilderness
5. Spirit Masked Wolf
6. Nights Tender Reckoning
7. Mother Destroyer
8. Concealed Descent
9. Unworld
10. Phoebus
With their seventh full-length “Nocturne”, HEXVESSEL explore the liminal spaces between light and darkness, nature and solitude on an epic album. The ever evolving and shifting Finnish band has reawakened their treasured roots in folk music and psychedelic rock as they artfully weave acoustic interludes, cosmic synths, and spectral piano into the frost-spun threads on their black metal loom.
“Nocturne” sounds both familiar and fearlessly progressive as echoes of tradition entwine with a fresh reinvention of their characteristic sound. According to singer and songwriter Mat “Kvohst” McNerney, this work has been created to capture the essence of night, a sombre veil where nature is a path between worlds. It is furthermore revolving around spiritual growth, transcendence through darkness, and enlightenment.
The seed of this masterpiece was sown by the performance of a commissioned work at Roadburn Festival 2024 that was originally entitled: “Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne”. With this album, it arrives fully fleshed in recorded form. This opus magnum blends the raw spirit of Quorthon’s black metal with the intricate minimalism of contemporary composers such as Philip Glass, György Ligeti, and Avro Pärt. Its eclectic nature is elevated and underlined by select guest performances, including the vocals of Saara Nevalainen, as well as the avant-garde black metal luminaries Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (DHG/DØDHEIMSGARD), and ORANSSI PAZUZU’s Juho Vanhanen.
While HEXVESSEL are based in Tampere, Finland, they were founded by English singer & songwriter Kvohst aka Mat McNerney after he moved to the country in 2009. In many ways, HEXVESSEL reflect their founder. The vocalist and songwriter has instigated and been involved in various bands ranging from UK black metal act CODE, a stint in Norwegian legends DØDHEIMSGARD, and to rock shooting stars BEASTMILK – later ‘continued’ with GRAVE PLEASURES to name but a few of his success stories.
If there is a constant element in McNerney’s work, it is a permanent evolution and ever-lasting search for new forms of expression and artistic development. This also applies to HEXVESSEL – as the band shifted from using more folkish and psychedelic elements to their current incarnation as an atmospheric black metal outfit over the course of time. True to their nature as a musical enigma, none of that was ever exclusive but elements of the above as well as post-punk and other stylistic references have been there before and remain present.
HEXVESSEL continue their free spiritual journey as shamanic shapeshifters. Their music resonates with solitary reflection and themes of personal spiritual transcendence, while staying open to reinvent and explore nature mysticism through sonic means.
With “Nocturne”, HEXVESSEL invite all souls on earth to a transcendental night ritual that is imbued with DARKTHRONE, TANGERINE DREAM, Philip Glass, and sounds unearthed from the dead past, now instilled with new life.
Band: Hexvessel
Album title: Nocturne
Release date: June 13, 2025
Style: Black Metal
Label: Prophecy Productions
Review Impact Date: May 12, 2025
Line-up
Mat Kvohst McNerney – vocals, guitar
Kimmo Helén – piano, keys, strings, guitar
Jukka Rämänen – drums, percussion
Ville Hakonen – bass
Guest musicians
Aleksi Kiiskilä – lead guitars
Saara Nevalainen – vocals
Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez – lead vocals on ‘Unworld’
Juho Vanhanen – backing screams on ‘Phoebus’
Produced by Mat McNerney & Jaime Gomez Arellano
Recorded by Mat Mcnerney & Jaime Gomez Arellano at Pine Hill Studio, Akaa (FI)
Mixed by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Porto (PT)
Mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Porto (PT)
Artwork by Benjamin König
Layout by Mat McNerney & Jari Laurén
Available formats
“Nocturne” is available as a 2CD 36-page artbook, on Digipak CD, as a Gatefold black vinyl 2LP, as a Gatefold Arctic pearl vinyl 2LP, and as a Gatefold marbled black & white vinyl 2LP (only in ltd. bundle incl. artbook & other items).
Shop
http://lnk.spkr.media/hexvessel-nocturne
Links
https://hexvessel.com
www.facebook.com/hexvessel
www.instagram.com/hexvesselband