Release Date May 15th, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Occult Psychedelic/Black Metal
Origin Germany
Germany’s Junon gathers musicians known from acts such as Hidden In The Fog, Imha Tarikat and Temple Koludra, and the experience behind this debut is obvious. After a demo in 2025 pulled attention from the underground, “The Golden Citadel Of The Astral Sphere” arrives with a strange identity that mixes second wave black metal hostility, psychedelic rock mysticism and wild female vocals into something feverish and unpredictable. It is the kind of album that sounds born during sleepless nights and spiritual collapse, soaked in smoke, paranoia and occult fascination.
The strongest element here is the atmosphere. Junon do not approach black metal in a primitive or nostalgic way. The riffs constantly drift between aggression, hallucination and obscure melodic passages, while the vocals move from ritualistic chants to deranged eruptions that give the album a very unstable spirit. There is a clear avant-garde angle running through the material, though the band avoids disappearing into pointless experimentation. Even during the more abstract moments, the songs still have direction and intensity.
The psychedelic side of the album also deserves credit because it does not soften the black metal foundation. Fans expecting traditional structures and predictable songwriting may struggle with parts of this release, especially when the compositions begin mutating into stranger territories.
Some sections stretch longer than necessary and the album occasionally loses momentum during its more exploratory passages. Still, Junon manage to pull the listener back with strong melodic ideas and a very obsessive atmosphere that lingers after the music stops.
The production has a raw and organic character that gives the instruments enough power without sanding away the unsettling nature of the music. Everything surrounding this release works toward the same vision, strange, mystical and deeply uncomfortable in the best possible way.
Fans of Emperor, The Devil's Blood and Deathspell Omega will probably appreciate the twisted spiritual energy and unconventional songwriting more than listeners searching for straightforward black metal aggression. For those willing to step into Junon’s bizarre world, this debut offers many rewarding moments and enough individuality to separate itself from the endless flood of occult black metal releases appearing every month.
| 7.0
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