Fjords - Gehenna (Album Review)

Release Date: February 16th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Gehenna - Tracklisting

1.Virgilio 02:53

2.Inferno 13:51

3.Purgatorio 05:10

4.Paradiso 10:55

Members

André Figueiredo (Drums)

Rafael Borges (bass)

Review

Gehenna is the debut album from Doom/Shoegaze/Stoner Metallers Fjords who I originally featured back in April 2020 when I reviewed their debut self-titled EP. That release showcased what a dangerous style of Doom, Stoner, Fuzz and Prog  music the band created within an entirely Drum and Bass duo structure. Fjords continues with that wicked setup but applies a Shoegaze and Noise Rock element to their music with the band delivering a sublime Doomgaze energy into their music.

Things do get extremely chaotic and superbly weird with Fjords adding electronic beats, glitchy noises and certain “computer game” based sound effects which aligns the band more closely to the likes of Genghis Tron in places. The album opens with the fairly straightforward Virgilio which has a standard Punk Rock/Noise Rock which allows Fjords to set the musical groundwork and framework for the album. There is a sullen sludgy delivery which keeps within the bands “LESS IS MORE” delivery with a certain KOWLOON WALLED CITY influence being heard for the first time.

Second track Inferno is perhaps where the real fun and damage starts with Fjords starting to explore their “real” Doomgaze and Progressive themes with those different sound effects and electronic beats I mentioned previously. FJords have more time to play with here as the track runs for almost fourteen minutes and it’s an epic style of different musical genres all vying for complete creative control. There’s still a great sense of warped melody bursting throughout the seams of Doom, Noise, Industrial. Electronica, Sludge and Progressive movements. The vocals are way out of control and more settled for a Punk Rock and Noise Rock environment but they get the job done. Inferno is delightfully crazy but somehow it brilliantly works for a surreal style of musical entertainment. 

The final two tracks of Purgartario and Paradiso offer over sixteen minutes which sees Fjords once again experimenting with their sound that remains highly original and wonderfully unpredictable but still delivers wave after wave of riff-driven instrumental rock/metal. The nightmarish and vivid creative aspect is another highlight with Fjords unlocking unsettling DOOMED OUT and INDUSTRIAL grooves which have a certain “twisted” identity to them but the band always find a way of delivering intense music that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Gehenna is a complex and highly vivid album that is probably meant for a cult and niche audience within the underground scene. The album is best described having a non-linear structure with Fjords going into multiple different directions with each passing moment but that’s what makes the album truly work and fully stand out.

Fjords dare to be different and release an album that needs your full undivided attention. This won’t be for everyone but if you have the time and willpower then Gehenna can only be described as a highly original and fucked-up musical experience of the highest order. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

LinkTree | Facebook | BandCamp

Fjords - S/T (EP Review)

Release date: April 17^th 2020. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Fjords – S/T – Tracklisting

1.Hela 03:16

2.Garðarshólmi 03:16

3.Múspellsheimr 07:08

4.Leifr 03:04

5.Yggdrasill 06:40

Members

André Figueiredo (Drums)

Rafael Borges (bass)

Review

Fjords is a Psychedelic Stoner Metal Duo from Portugal and the band have just release their self-titled debut EP. The EP is quite an interesting style of music with Fjords playing a heavy style of Drone, Doom, Psych Rock, Post-Punk and Post-Rock which is all held together by the band’s great style of Stoner Metal.

With this being a Bass/Drum Duo, you don’t really miss a standard heavy guitar and the guys have to work quickly in playing a Stoner Metal groove and the band pull this off with style and supreme confidence.

Opening song – Hela – is a Post-Rock/Post-Punk song with the band bring a Doom/Stoner Metal atmosphere on the later stages of the song. Though, it’s good to see Fjords bringing an experimental drive to their music. These guys seem influenced by OM on this song and perhaps the entire album. Things get very trippy indeed especially with the cool vocals adding a more “out of this world” effect. The pounding grooves of both André and Rafael show that they mean business for a more direct volatile sound.

Second song – Garðarshólmi – is more colder and calculating compared to the opening song with the vocals having a “folk-rock” sensibility but that’s only a rouse for the band to surprise you with more of their bass-heavy grooves that do take time appear but the song becomes more compelling when they do appear. The atmosphere is quite raw and this is reflected in the overall production of the EP. As the overall sound of the EP is very real and you feel part of Fjords volatile world.

Third song – Múspellsheimr – is where I feel Fjords start to become a real band of sorts. As they have more time to play with. As this song runs for 7 minutes and Fjords play a wide range of different distorted sludge based sounds with the bass guitar leading the way with some impressive loud riffs along the way. The vocals are quite good indeed even though the sound could have done with more work. However, this is the standout song on the EP with Fjords showing a real passion and flair for creating heavy atmospheric noises. The guys even find time to play a “Jazzier” style of Post-Doom in the middle of the song.

The final two songs – Leifr and Yggdrasill – continue with the heavy distorted Post-Punk, Post-Doom and Stoner Metal grooves on both songs with Yggdrasill being the other standout song on the EP.

Fjords have made a mighty impression with myself on their debut release. It’s not the best sounding release but the band do show some excellent creative ideas of their own on this record and I definitely want to hear more from these guys in the future.

My advice is give these guys a chance and you’ll be surprised by the fantastic amount of different heavy sounds that Fjords have included on this release.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp