After four years away from the studio, Denver heavy metal outfit Khemmis have returned with a record that serves as both a reaffirmation of their identity and a reflection on the enduring power of the music that brought them together. Released via Nuclear Blast Records, the band’s self-titled fifth album arrives as the follow-up to 2021’s Deceiver and finds the Colorado quartet reconnecting with the spirit that has defined them for more than a decade.
Since emerging with 2015’s Absolution, Khemmis have established themselves as one of modern doom metal’s most distinctive voices. Landmark albums including Hunted, which earned Decibel’s Album of the Year honours, Desolationand Deceiver have seen the group develop a sound that balances towering riffs with melodic flourishes and a strong sense of emotional weight.
Recorded once again at Flatline Audio in Colorado, Khemmis captures the current lineup of Ben Hutcherson, Phil Pendergast, Zach Coleman and bassist David Small, who joined the band in 2022. Despite geographical distance and lineup changes, the group’s chemistry has remained intact, with the addition of Small helping to inject fresh energy into the songwriting process.
Across eight tracks, the album embraces the elements that have long distinguished Khemmis while presenting a more focused and immediate approach. Supported by artwork from Christopher Remmers, the record moves confidently between galloping heavy metal, expansive doom and moments of catharsis, reflecting a band that remains committed to exploring the breadth of its sound.
Eleven years into their career, Khemmis continue to demonstrate why they are held in such high regard within contemporary metal circles. Their self-titled album does not seek to reinvent the band so much as reinforce the qualities that have made them one of the genre’s most respected names, capturing a group that remains firmly rooted in the music that first inspired them.
Stream the album HERE.
