01. Consequentia
02. A Place We Cannot Go
03. Floating Chrysanthema
04. The Clockmaker’s Intention
05. Riddance
06. Harbinger
07. The Unobtainable Sleep
08. Kobayashi Maru
09. Irene
Byzantine are one step closer to becoming a full-fledged progressive metal band rather than a thrash band. But is this a move in the right direction, or a step too progressive?
Byzantine, formed in West Virginia in 2000, originally started as a thrash band with Southern-tinged groove and classic Bay Area influences, comparable to the likes of Megadeth, Testament, Lamb Of God, and Pantera. However, they have explored in various musical territories and developed more progressive tendencies since their reformation back in 2010 following a brief hiatus. They’ve been described as a forward-thinking band with lyrical content that tends to focus on subjects involving problems with American society and religion.
Now they return to the scene 8 years on from their previous offering The Cicada Tree to present their seventh full-length release, Harbingers. The album cover here depicts Irene of Athens – the first female empress of the Byzantine Empire, which ties into the album’s title, Harbingers, meaning “the ones who usher in great change”. This theme also reflects on the changes the band have gone through in their 25-year existence, both in style and line-up. Here, we see another line-up alteration as bassist Ryan Postlethwait joins the ranks alongside another return to the group for on/off guitarist Tony Rohrbough. The remaining line-up consists of Brian Henderson (guitars/backing vocals), Matt Bowles (drums), and founder Chris Ojeda (lead vocals/guitars).
Although Byzantine are mainly still thrash-oriented, their style is now a long way from how they initially began, and this is their most structurally diverse and progressive venture yet. The tempos regularly shifts between slow, moderate, and rapid, but these shifts happen at such an alarming rate and can suddenly disrupt the flow of a song. On the other hand, it shows a great level of musicianship to be able to suddenly change the tempo at will. The rhythm interchanges between groovy and complex, and the drumming is sometimes even tribal-like, while occasional synths are present to capture a more spacey, atmospheric touch. The guitar work is very diverse, the riffs ranging from heavy progressive chugging to highly melodic classic thrash, while the leads vary from breakneck shredding and jazzy wailing, to slow bluesy acoustic sections. With 2 lead guitarists and a rhythm guitarist on board, there’s certainly no shortage of delicious solos and riffs, and the striking combination of groove, technicality, and prog sounds very much like a performance inspired by the great thrash guitarists such as Jeff Loomis, Dimebag Darrell, Dave Mustaine, and James Hetfield. There’s also such a dynamic range in the vocal department, where frontman Ojeda and backing vocalist Henderson perform a variety of styles, from soft passionate clean singing to aggressive semi-harsh wails and rasps.
Byzantine have certainly lived up to their forward-thinking description here, as they’ve managed to push the boundaries of progressive thrash even further than before on this latest release. While their classic groove and Bay Area-inspired origins remain true to their core, they’ve incorporated new influences, as well as elements from right across their discography, along with hugely dynamic songwriting, an excellent quality production, and a higher standard of composition. With all that said, is Harbingers their best or most memorable release to date? Maybe not. It’s certainly their most creative, and perhaps most ambitious, but it’s not exactly filled to the brim with magical moments or long-lasting hooks. What it is though, is consistent, as there isn’t a single song that I’d consider subpar quality, but at the same time I’m not convinced I’ll be remembering any of them in a year or two from now.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 23.06.2025 by Feel free to share your views. |