Modern metal juggernauts, Blaxem, shatters the norm with fiery intent with their latest, Ethereal. There’s a difference between playing heavy and hitting heavy and Blaxem understands this difference with clarity. In just five tracks, Blaxem delivers a feverish strike of metal that is feral, unfiltered, and self-assured. But beneath all the high-velocity distortion and torchlit theatricality is a band wielding their truth like a weapon.
What makes Ethereal stand out is its refusal to play it safe. The EP’s songwriting swerves away from formula by leaning into unpredictable structures and emotional pivots that feel organic rather than calculated. Tracks like “Miscellaneous” and “Radiant Abyss” are prime examples. By shifting gears without warning and keeping momentum through sharp turns rather than repetition, each riff feels earned and each vocal outburst lands with real conviction rather than dramatics for their own sake.
Lead guitarist Guille Malatesta lights up the record with a kind of furious precision that never slips into showboating. Every solo hits a nerve and then twists it like a knife in the back. He’s backed by a rhythm section that is as tight as it is relentless. Chelo Romanini’s bass snarls from the floorboards while Robert Unger’s drums thunder like they’re trying to shake loose the ceiling. And not to be out done, frontman Dann Hidalgo doesn’t just scream, he commands attention by infusing each line with urgency and belief.
There’s also something satisfying about how unified the vision is. From the explosive mixes to the jagged art direction, Ethereal feels entirely self-owned. With the frontman behind the console and Hakeen Mishea contributing to visuals, Blaxem makes it clear they’re not outsourcing their identity. That commitment to keeping it real, both sonically and philosophically, gives Ethereal its real fire.
