Kardashev – Alunea

Let me say this over and over: One of the most underrated albums of this decade so far is Liminal Rite. Kardashev proved it could dominate almost every flavor of extreme Metal with that record, so you can imagine how utterly frozen I was when I got the promo for Alunea. I didn’t just play it—I threw myself into it, waiting for greatness with expectations so monstrous it’d make most bands collapse under the pressure. But here’s the kicker: I refused to believe this project could disappoint. Kardashev has already mastered its own strain of Progressive Metal—a sound so distinct it gives it license to take risks no other band could survive. Now, the only question left was: Would it work?

Alunea is an even more Prog-infused twist on Kardashev’s formula. Don’t mistake that for weakness, though. The brutality hasn’t vanished—the hostile, bone-splintering breakdowns still land like sledgehammers—but now they’re woven into something bigger, more melodic, more explorative. This album doesn’t just attack you; it submerges you, like an emotional purge you didn’t know your soul was begging for. It speaks in its own tongue, both metaphorically and literally—some of the vocal phrasing here is so alien, so intentional, that it feels like language itself is bending to serve the music. That’s the kind of artistry we’re dealing with. And despite its labyrinthine complexity, Alunea keeps most tracks locked into a merciless 5–6 minute runtime. No self-indulgent wankery, no meandering—just surgical precision.

Yes, there are Deathcore elements here (breakdowns still erupt like landmines), but they’re integrated so deftly that they never feel cheap. (Unlike some bands that treat breakdowns like a replacement for riffs—a crime against Metal!) If anything, Alunea plays out like standing in the heart of a hurricane, bathed in an eerie, almost sacred light. The chaos is omnipresent, the storm is unrelenting—but there’s something transcendent in the eye of it all. Let’s be real: Kardashev is a band built on despair. The melancholy isn’t just there—it’s palpable, a raw nerve flayed open. I’d joke about not mixing pills with this album, but honestly? Don’t mix pills, period. (And maybe keep a therapist on retainer).

Now, the real struggle: trying to find flaws. Alunea is a monster of an album, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t constantly measuring it against Liminal Rite. Is it better? I don’t know. It’s different—more ambitious in scope, more varied in execution. The conceptual depth is undeniable, but does it gut me the way its predecessor did? Maybe time will tell. Then again, if you think Metal should be all knuckles and no nuance, then Alunea isn’t for you. Go spin some Six Feet Under and wallow in the muck.

Will this dethrone Liminal Rite as my favorite Kardashev record? Too early to tell. But what I can say is that Alunea left me spiritually overhauled—a lush, devastating, and strangely healing experience. It’s the feral counterpart to In Vain’s 2023 offering, and if I’m feeling reckless, I’ll even say it might outshine whatever Fallujah does next. (Or maybe I’m just too deep in the hype.) Either way, Kardashev isn’t just pushing boundaries anymore—it’s erasing them. And if you’re still unmoved? You won’t be for long.

Cry a little bit

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release date: April 25, 2025

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Kardashevband/

Country: USA

Score: 3.8/5.0 and it might go up later on!