Melechesh – Sentinels of Shamash (EP)
Release Date: 10th April 2026
Label: Reigning Phoenix
Stream
Genre: Black Metal
FFO: Absu, Al-Namrood, Scarab.
Review By: Jeff Finch
According to the literature, Melechesh have been a black metal band that occupied two spaces simultaneously: sounding ancient while also sounding razor sharp. On Sentinels of Shamash, this new EP, that duality is rather apparent, even to this brand-new listener.
From the outset, the EP brings riffs. Just a bevy of riffs that get those face muscles primed for stank time, masterfully weaving in soundscapes that feel ripped from ancient Mesopotamia, a possible cacophony in theory but damn near a symphony in practice. And that’s because the riffs themselves carry that middle eastern tone, blackened thrash coiling around the Middle East flair like a serpent until effectively two become one. There’s a sense of purpose here in why they do what they do, that musical focus displaying a care for the outcome and its recipients rather than simply checking a box and moving on. The band is confident, they are masters of their craft and by virtue of allowing these songs to unfold before us, rather than spoon-feeding a standard musical structure, atmosphere builds while that forward momentum never relents.
As to be expected with (a lot of) black metal, the music IS aggressive: blast beats, jagged riffs, and one hell of a black metal snarl all coalesce to hit with crushing intensity. But here’s the thing: there’s melody, there’s groove, it’s not a wall of sound that takes a wrong turn into utter chaos. The incredible production helps the music feel controlled, almost liturgical, each instrument possessing an obvious clarity while still holding onto that Melechesh grit.
For a new listener, the biggest strength might be how immersive the EP is without demanding prior familiarity. Mythology with a Mesopotamian twist provides something to sink one’s mind into, but this listener can attest that the music helps carry the thematically sound lyricism; one mustn’t become a Melechesh master to feel it, the band provides the master key.
At 21 minutes over just three tracks, the average song length is a weighty seven minutes a pop, a couple of large appetizers that might fill you up but also might leave a sense of longing for more; it depends on the consumer. While this EP is longer than a great many full LPs, that feeling of wanting more is legitimate. 21 minutes could prove to be too little, too much (unlikely) or just right, and while quality over quantity is the standard, when this EP is that quality, it’s really easy to want more quantity of that quality. This EP is strikingly effective as an entry point into the band, capturing the essence of the band and a massive chunk of what they can offer, it’s just a shame there wasn’t more of it.
(4.5 / 5)
