Tharaphita – Öise taevaga üheks

• Country: Estonia
• Style: Pagan black metal
• Label: Werewolf Promotion
• Release date: July 2026

Estonian pagan black metal veterans Tharaphita have released Öise taevaga üheks (“One with the Night Sky”), their sixth album and first full-length in twelve years, since 2014’s Ülestõus. The band, active since 1995, previewed the record with the new song “Surmaraud” at the start of 2026 and the title track in early July. The CD is out through Werewolf Promotion, with a vinyl edition following in the autumn.

Ten songs and around 47 minutes, all sung in Estonian, deliver raw but atmospheric pagan metal rooted in local myth and nature, from “Taara pikne” (“Taara’s Lightning”) to “Hiie kättemaks” (“Grove’s Vengeance”). The production keeps the rough edges the band have always had, and the long gap between albums hasn’t dulled their fire. A couple of mid-tempo songs blur together, but the title track and closing pair “Aeg” and “Videvik” end things on a strong, brooding note.

Best tracks:

Öise taevaga üheks
Surmaraud
Taara pikne
Aeg

Author’s rating: 8/10