Album Review: Khemmis – Khemmis
Reviewed by Sam Jones
I have adored Khemmis for years so when I heard the news they’d be releasing their latest, and self-titled, record I was ecstatic. Formed in 2014 out of Colorado, United States, Khemmis’ brand of doom is a world removed from their contemporaries, focusing keenly on mythology and more grounded human elements. 2015’s Absolution was a strong start but it was their 2016 opus Hunted (ten years old already!) that blew the doors open. The following years saw more albums, EPs, even a Split with Spirit Adrift; their last full length was five years ago with 2021’s Deceiver and with with their debut UK show finally taking place at Damnation, Manchester, UK, in 2023, which I was present for, a wider international audience was able to see them perform. Slated for release June 12th their self-titled and fifth album is their second through Nuclear Blast Records and shall hopefully continue the band’s renowned high-end quality.
Opening right out of the gate with blast beats and a piercing cry, Khemmis demonstrate the last five year wait hasn’t been for nothing. It’s a wonderful start as the band throw you into the cleaner, melodic vocals their sound is synonymous for; this self-titled record is already bristling with energy so even as the intensity may drop they’ve still got you by the throat; there’s no telling where you could lead you next. This is aided by the mix, balancing riffs alongside vocals equally to create a sound where no single component seeks to overpower the other, as well as merge the multitudinous forces of Khemmis into a singular driving force. Whilst Khemmis’ branch of doom is unique against other acts, this self-titled work truly sports a morose underlining that hasn’t necessarily been as present in previous efforts.
Something Khemmis are so good at is taking us through the varying heights and depths of human emotion through their music. Take Corpsebloom Garden where the songwriting provides a steady pace to follow, those clean vocals ensnare you with ease as they form the crux of the song, yet the riffs are essential to carrying you through the songwriting’s emotive highs and lows. Such emotive wavelengths in metal are difficult to attain, especially as an audience able to recognise it as such. Khemmis have always championed the human soul in their approach to doom but rarely has that humanity been so reflected in their sound. It breaks this amorphous barrier between ourselves and the art, where the two parties fuse as one. Listening is therefore as natural as breathing.
This endless energy Khemmis bring is supplied in droves through the drums which are active at every given moment they can infer their strength. Whilst drum patterns may on the surface sound very contemporary, Khemmis aren’t seeking to inject their sound with copious and crushing amounts of drumming; their priority for the drums is twofold: instil a light cushioning audiences can bounce off from as the riffs propel them forth, and secondly ensure the momentum doesn’t wane unless that’s the songwriting’s impetus purposefully. There are drum fills and inclusions of sporadic bass drumming but not so much that it becomes detrimental to the band during a track.
Though Khemmis’ aesthetic has never aligned with most Doom bands, I feel like this self-titled record is the most triumphant sounding work they’ve ever done which, I know, juxtaposes against our previous observations of the morose nature their songwriting purports. This record embodies the idea feeling hopeful in our darkest moments. You can’t help feeling destitute and marooned by all things you’ve been taught give love and yet there is somewhere something letting light in, and perhaps you can see if you just open the door. This notion extends to the protection too for Khemmis have seemingly recorded their most explosive work to date. Doom often sees everything closed in, cut off, isolated, whereas Khemmis herein have blown all the windows out with their sound, the doors torn off every hinge, their sound escaping through every crevice of every brick. In spite of the apparent gloom this record is underlined with, Khemmis truly champion the joy and splendour of life with this record; the belief that the storm though calamitous is just a passing thing and not far following are clear skies.
In conclusion, this could be my favourite Khemmis record to come out since Hunted. While there is no one song I could describe as the record’s magnum opus, its selection is very strong and music therein keeps you invested from start to finish. With massive riffs that bring the hammer down yet simultaneously keeping the essence of their sound grounded, Khemmis reveal the conflict in the human heart. It’s very easy listening, each track will go by as quickly as they began but you’ll recall a great majority of what you heard after just your first listen. As a result you’re enticed to return, to feel hopeful once again. This band have no weak records and this self-titled opus reinforces the idea; considering three out of four members have been there since the beginning it’s no wonder their songwriting is so consistently strong. Whatever chemistry they possess, it works.
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