With a monumental scope and unrestricted ambition, A Flock Named Murder’s Incendiary Sanctum expands the boundaries of black, doom, and death metal while redefining their sound in 2025

Words by Felix Bartlett | April 30, 2025

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Seven years after their formidable debut, An Appointed Time, A Flock Named Murder returns with a sophomore album that doesn’t just meet expectations, it obliterates them. Incendiary Sanctum is not a mere continuation of past triumphs but a bold, self-contained monolith of sound, weaving together black, doom, and death metal with post-metal grandeur. This is a record pulls you into its labyrinthine depths with an intensity that only grows richer with each spin.

The album’s four colossal tracks (each an epic journey in itself I may add) balance raw ferocity with haunting elegance. High-pitched black metal shrieks and deathly growls intertwine over a foundation of tremolo-picked fury and doom-laden riffs, while melodic solos and atmospheric passages add layers of depth. There’s a Nordic-like majesty in the faster sections, a mournful grace in the slower passages, and an undeniable emotional weight that lingers long after the final notes fade.

What’s most striking is how effortlessly Incendiary Sanctum avoids the pitfalls of excess. Despite its sprawling runtime, not a moment feels wasted. The album’s meticulous craftsmanship ensures that every blast beat, every melancholic melody, and every doom-drenched dirge serves a purpose. Tracks like ‘Garden of Embers’ and ‘To Drown in Obsidian Tides’ stand out as masterclasses in dynamic songwriting never dulling or overstaying their welcome. A feat worth mentioning when each track clocks in at well over ten minutes long.

A Flock Named Murder could have rested on the promise of their debut. Instead, they’ve crafted something far greater: a work of staggering ambition and execution. I urge you, don’t sleep on Incendiary Sanctum. This album is not one to be trifled with and is shaping up to be one of 2025’s best metal albums.

Verdict: 💀💀💀💀💀

For fans of:  Agalloch, Neurosis, Inter Arma

 Incendiary Sanctum drops on the 2nd May via Hypaethral Records