Style: Progressive metal, post-metal, sludge metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Mastodon, Gojira, Cult of Luna, Kvelertak
Country: Denmark
Release date: 27 February 2026

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“I stopped listening to band X after their third album” is a variation of a sentence that all metalheads have said at least once in their music listening careers. What is it that turns devoted fans away from a once-promising young band? Many will point to bands that have “sold out”—adjusted their sound to appeal to the masses, or simply lost touch with their musical roots. In reality, the appeal of many young up-and-coming acts is the burning-hot passion that drives their songwriting and performances. A vitality that often only budding acts can successfully bottle.  Luckily for us, the fire burns bright behind the Danish band, Heksproces, who arrive with their debut album, Dejlig er Jordan. But can they capture their passion successfully, or will they be engulfed in flames by inexperience and naivety?

Heksproces deliver stout, sludgy riffs reminiscent of Remission-era Mastodon inside of longer-form progressive song structures akin to Anciients. The absolutely massive rhythm sections of “Lys Formørker” and “Struber Messer” evoke modern versions of Mastodon’s “March of the Fire Ants”. Slow, sustained, deep guitar and bass tones whose rumblings bring you back to Blood Mountain. While the beefy riffs of Dejlig er Jordan may function as the main course, the interconnecting passages are far from filler material. Unlike many post-metal flavored albums where rhythm sections seem to stretch on endlessly, Heksproces convey their musical messages with a clear purpose. Whether setting the stage for a sludgy feast or lulling the listener into a melodic reprieve, each section feels necessary. Even within the longer repetitive post-metal sections, as in the closing of “Lys Formørker”, the music continues to evolve. In this example, the rhythm section unravels piece by piece until falling apart altogether into the brawny close of the track. 

The standout performances of guitarists Mads Aspesgård Kofod and Claes Sørenson provide constant intrigue on Dejlig er Jordan. Throughout the album, the pair uses harmonization and variations of the musical themes, keeping Heksproces’ sound fresh and lively rather than stale through repetition. The guitars emote via subtle vibrato, slight bends, occasional tremolo picking, and sliding between notes in their longer sections. While a flawless, clinical precision typically characterizes album recordings, Kofod and Sørenson’s playing emulates a live performance, full of personality and charisma. Soaring bends and long sustained notes infuse the guitar solos, dripping with emotion. In these, the spirit of Brent Hinds lives on. The addition of various elements, like the flute over clean guitars in “Masker Glemmer” and soothing female vocals in “Inden” further enrich Heksproces’ charm.

Certain aspects of Heksproces’ performance, however, do scorch the listener. Sørenson’s vocal performance does not reach the height of the music. The musicianship of Dejlig er Jordan calls for an equally varied and interesting vocal performance, but Sørenson’s growl remains relatively monotonous throughout. “Struber Messer” contains a deep vocal chanting that borders on vexing, but is hidden enough in the mix that it mostly blends into the background. The relative musical immaturity of the band rears its head in certain sections that could benefit from smoothing out. As an example, the instrumentation in the harmonized tremolo picking section in the front half of “Solen Synker” sounds like a band teetering on musical desynchronization, though ultimately Heksproces gracefully recovers. 

In Dejlig er Jordan, Heksproces provide a surprising highlight to early 2026. The album demonstrates a young band heavily relying on their musical influences, though in doing so, carving out a distinct musical voice of their own. Although shaving off five minutes of excess may have strengthened the final product, at forty-five minutes, the album does not suffer from musical bloat. Dejlig er Jordan is an impressive collection of musical ideas and performances seamlessly connected into a unified package. With this strong starting point, hopefully the young band will nurture the flame within. I know Heksproces are on my radar, and I suggest putting them on yours as well.

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Recommended tracks: Lys Formørker, Struber Messer, Masker Glemmer
You may also like: Anciients, Dvne, Intronaut, Conjurer
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Independent

Heksproces is:
– Claes T. Sørenson (guitar and vocals)
– Mads Aspesgård Kofod (guitar)
– Sebastian Bech Westerdahl (drums)
– Thomas Langemark Trojahn (bass)
With guests:
– Jonas Lorentzen (throat singing on “Struber Messer”)
– William Frøland (flute on “Masker Glemmer”)