apanthropy

Morgal
The Seventh Circle
Werewolf Records
Released: June 26th, 2026

Rating: 8.5/10

“A compact listen, a brief intro track and six new cuts, totaling 32 minutes of nocturnal attack, there is no overstaying the welcome, as it moves in lethal manner, destroying soft target after soft target before descending back into the abyss.”

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1 – Intro
2 – Stormchaser
3 – Tales of Woland
4 – Goddess of Death
5 – Blessed in Hell
6 – Harbinger’s Ritual
7 – The Damned from the Seventh Circle
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Emerging from the rancid underpinnings of the Finnish black metal underground in 2014, Morgal, from the beginning, took the definition of consistency and made it truly lethal. Three demos and a split with Exitius were spread between 2015 and 2017, the band’s self-titled debut EP emerged in late 2018 and, at that point, Morgal gained a violent amount of sonic momentum, one capable of carving their own pathway. Adhering to core central concepts of black metal, Morgal excelled at punishing speed, and layered razor-like melodies that often occupied higher registers and timbres, it seems like such a simple formula – speed and melody – but the way Morgal presents it is really a study in dynamics and songwriting.

Nightmare Lord, the band’s full-length debut, was a brilliant display of intensity, range, and cruel power. It was compact – 35 minutes – and to the point, but the journey was near-cosmic and horrifically violent, like the aftermath of a calvary charge against underequipped and underprepared troops. The percussion streamed incessantly, a homicidal exhibition of complete power – explosive footwork, ripping triplets, wall-shaking blastbeats – never a moment for one to catch their breath. That percussion, paired with the twin guitar attack created by Crusher, became a defining pairing and prominent characteristic of the band’s sound. Crusher’s riff crafting on Nightmare Lord did not hide behind tricks, flash, or waste. Each note was efficient, each sequence of melody was triumphant and heralding, the pairing of these crisp sharp melodies to driving rhythm lines was simply superb, grossly effective.

The beast Morgal raises its carnivorous head once again in the form of The Seventh Circle, released on June 26th, 2026, through Werewolf Records. Nightmare Lord was an immense album, The Seventh Circle functions an extension and progression of the sound the band has been developing since 2018. It is more raw, more explosive, more epic, it exemplifies the spirit of the band, its logical methods of destruction, delivered with tonality that feels entirely ancient.

Crusher’s epic riff crafting is now paired with the playing of new guitarist Killhammer, Exiler retains his position behind the kit, and new vocalist Tomb Nekrofiler serves as the accursed spearhead of the war machine, attending to bass guitar duties as well. Some additions, some replacements, five years have gone by since the debut record, and the offering has been crafted and served now. The heavens will be crushed under the hammer of Morgal.

A compact listen, a brief intro track and six new cuts, totaling 32 minutes of nocturnal attack, there is no overstaying the welcome, as it moves in lethal manner, destroying soft target after soft target before descending back into the abyss. ‘Intro’ feeds into and sets the tone for ‘Stormchaser,’ which, anybody who has been following the band since their early days, will come as no shock, but will still strike with relentless impact. The build up and violent ascent into the apex of the sound is marred and scarred with violent and frantic blasting, morphing into less dense transitional patterns and packed to the point of suffocation with flourishes and fills. Exiler has repeatedly demonstrated his endurance and pure mania behind the drum kit, The Seventh Circle and its opening contusion initiate new listeners into total machine-gun baptism.

The double guitar attack separates into two warring fronts – primary melody and primitive tremolo rhythmic chord progressions – dancing like snapping serpents before conjoining into anxious doubled riffs – overdriven grind of tremolo chords, the surgical dissection of sharp melodies, and the perverted brief moments of harmonization – it reaches terminal levels quickly and sets a wild tone that should hook the listener into experiencing the deeper reaches of the album.

Those moving deeper into the darkness encounter tracks such as ‘Goddess of Death,’ an exploration of epic leading melodies and pure grinding trench warfare. Explosive in its movement, transitions move and shock in a manner that would break necks, sweeping movements of notes ensorcell with sensations of windswept power and screaming rebuttal. Each note is power. Each note is destiny. For a moment, one forgets about the world outside of the song. The central bridge builds into a crest, with the apex featuring exceptional soloing and lead work, very methodical, very ornate, packed with licks and surely worthy of dissection by any seasoned guitar player.

‘Blessed in Hell’ is the tank that treads the grave of angels. A barrage of violence, some of the most intense drumming on the record, whose intricacy and speed would demand near superhuman endurance. A vocal-heavy cut and one focused more on raw power and rhythmic assault. It is violence of this scale that has helped Finland achieve notoriety throughout the world of extreme music. Blaring chords interchange with thrashing movement and the constant state of tension oppresses the listener under its proverbial weight. Once again, exceptional soloing and lead work. This should not go unnoticed by any listener, as the framing of the solos, the movements leading into it and out of it are just as crucial as the solo itself, which adds a violent thunderstorm of cosmic color to the tonality of the track.

Those exploring the deepest reaches of The Seventh Circle encounter the epic and sweeping ‘Harbinger’s Ritual,’ the shortest primary track on the record, but possessing enough songwriting power to keep the record interesting deep into its lifespan. ‘The Damned from the Seventh Circle’ is the warmarch into the abyss, the closing track, the inferno at the end of the tunnel. God’s light reduced to flecks of dust in the cold sun, a storming and unmerciful presentation of manic drumming, rapid staccato accents, riff crafting in melodic blood that hasn’t been tasted since the late 1990s, a bewildering end to the record.

At no point is there a stage of relief, some moment of introspection, a light in the darkness. It is a tsunami of musical information.

Production on The Seventh Circle is noticeably different from that of Nightmare Lord. The drums are the most noticeable change between the debut and the sophomore effort. The spread of tones off the kit includes a boxy – almost rehearsal room quality – bass drum paired with a low and bassy snare, distant and spatial splashes of brass and cymbal, and tom rolls that sound like a rain of burning hail. It is much rawer and more confrontational when pitted against the almost demonically regal production on Nightmare Lord. Riffs still retain surgical tone, with the tone becoming a hallmark of the sound. Rapid-fire tremolo that reaches into middle or higher octaves must remain clear, avoiding muddy digitalization or untamed signal, and must shine like radiant fire in the middle of the dark sea, and those characteristics are captured perfectly once again. The vocals are more straightforward, centered in the mix, and more defined than previous releases. Lord Warmoon was a difficult frontman to replace, but Tomb Nekrofiler holds rank and keeps the approach to vocal execution in a relatively equal manner, not going out of the way to become too boisterous or overembellished, but fitting the music like the claw of a hammer to the back of a stranger’s head.

It feels like the strange days of 2000-2022 really dimmed the light on a lot of great Finnish releases, so for Morgal to swing back around five years later with a stunning addition and worthy progression to their discography, it feels like a great win for the band. Not only do listeners get another solid Finnish release, but the ancient spirits stir once again for those to find their back to the debut full-length and EP. A worthy catalog to explore, now redefined through the power of The Seventh Circle. A band truly becoming a sound of their own.

Label: Werewolf Records
Band: Morgal

AJK