Wildhunt - Aletheia - review
Wildhunt - Aletheia - review
Tracklist
01. Touching The Ground02. The Holy Pale
03. Made Man
04. Kanashibari
05. In Frozen Dreams
06. Aletheia
07. Sole Voyage
A review by
AndyMetalFreak January 12, 2026
Wildhunt is a thrash/heavy metal band formed in Vienna in 2011, with a style very much influenced by the golden generation of 80s thrash and the NWOBHM scene, and by equally blending both genres, they fit nicely into a niche in which very few bands dwell. They released their full-length debut Descending in 2016, but then seemed to fall into a lengthy slumber. After a decade-long absence, they have finally returrned to unleash their long-awaited sophomore Aletheia.
Compared with Descending, Wildhunt push the boundaries even further on Aletheia by introducing more epic and progressive arrangements, depicting dark fantasy tales with thought-provoking lyrics delving into society and the complexities of the human mind. The songwriting is more detailed and matured, resulting in a more emotional and diverse offering. They've upped the ante in their production too, where the sound quality is more refined, weighty, and of a high modern standard. However, the album is still geared towards a combination of old-school thrash and traditional heavy metal, but in no way is it less energetic or exciting than the debut was. Think of them as regrouping during their absence before returning to the scene refreshed, and putting on extra armour for a more epic battle this time instead of another light skirmish.
The album immediately takes you by surprise, opening with the ballad-like intro "Touching The Ground", which eases gently in with melancholic acoustic strings overlapped by a sweet melodic guitar lead, before erupting into a more ferocious heavy/thrash instrumental. Similarly to the mid-album interlude "Kanashibari", this is by no means a highlight of the record, but it acts as a taster for what's to come. From here on in, listeners are met with high-end thrash and heavy metal instrumentation, as memorable epic riff melodies interweave constantly with exhilarating shredding leads, sustained by rapid drumming and groovy bass lines. Short acoustic sections also feature, adding a touch of melancholy, creating more diversity and emotional depth to the songs.
Longer songs such as the 11-minute closer "Sole Voyage" even take on a more progressive form by easing the foot off the gas with regular intervals and unpredictable rhythm shifts. The instrumentation generally takes priority over the vocals, at times making half of each song an instrumental, but the vocals when present are performed in an epic heroic kind of manner that is ideally suited for the lyrical content and melodies.
Aletheia is ultimately intended for pleasing those who are more into the traditional and melodic side of metal that want something a bit less predictable than most of the adrenaline-fueled material this style of music is generally renowned for. Those seeking out music with the epicness of Manilla Road, the thrash qualities of Annihilator, and with slightest progressive touches of Fates Warning will be in for a real treat with Aletheia.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 6 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 12.01.2026 by
Written on 12.01.2026 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
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Posts: 64452
Another good review and band to check.
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