Catalonia-based five-piece band HALFLIGHTED has been creating for the Gothic Metal scene since 2018. The band was formed by guitarist Óskart and Mark following the split of a previous project. While originally birthed from Death Doom Metal, the band has since evolved into a combination of many subgenres including Progressive, Sludge, and Psychedelia. Lyrics are a blend of English, Catalan, and German with a focus on war and inner struggle. HALFLIGHTED's debut album "Obliquy" was released on June 2 under WormHoleDeath.

HALFLIGHTED's ability to incorporate so many elements of the genre prove to be an immense talent. Among the distinct elements of Metal including growls and heavy riffs, the classic Rock drumming allows for a seemless sound. The first track "Ànima Fosca" is the only one so far to have a music video, released July 21 on Youtube, and it properly showcases the members' individual skills. The song alone bounces between different BPMs, making it a fun experience for anyone who's listening to HALFLIGHTED for the first time. Some tracks like "Fugint Del Foc Etern" almost give a classic Metal vibe akin to early IRON MAIDEN. Executed by lead vocalist MAD, vocals are simply the perfect layer atop intense guitar solos. German-lyric track "Der Letzte Krieg" features a brief sound bite of propeller planes before leading into a steady beat by drummer Pepe. This is the first of the German tracks on the album, and it is one of the more mellow ones (as mellow as Metal will allow). The use of different languages is a very interesting selling point for HALFLIGHTED, and I imagine this will easily bring in all kinds of fans, especially the ones who are open to the variety.

"This Winding Path" is one of my favorites. The guitar in this track stands out with a haunting psychadelic melody before leading into a chant-type vocal break which seems to be part of many of their songs. As always, I love to relate music to a type of movie genre, and while Metal is almost always associated with horror and fantasy horror, this is no acception. This would be the perfect outro to Robert Egger's upcoming Nosferatu reboot as this film is going to be the highest production version of the classic vampire film since the original back in 1922. "Desolació" is another one of HALFLIGHTED's hauntingly beautiful tracks, this one using a more simplified guitar in the intro that reminds me of "The Forest" by THE CURE at a slower tempo.

While I don't typically dabble in Death Metal, HALFLIGHTED's perfected use of all the right elements of many subgenres has made listening to them very enjoyable. The mood conjured up from their music is melancholy and somber, and you can't help but admire the musicality throughout all 7 tracks. This album has been many years in the making since their inception, and I hope they have more material for listeners to expect.