Review: Haimad - When Night Rode Across the North

Band: Haimad Album: When Night Rode Across the North Genre: Melodic Black Metal Country: Sweden Label: Northern Silence Productions Released: November 7, 2025

Introduction

Following the 2019 EP aptly titled The Return Haimad’s long-awaited debut full-length album, When Night Rode Across the North, finally arrives nearly three decades after the band first appeared in Sweden’s mid-90s melodic black metal scene. For a project that built a cult following on a handful of demos and EPs, the real question is whether Haimad can translate that early promise into a complete album…. Track Listing:

1. When Night Rode Across the North 2. Nen Cenedril 3. Where Serpents Wait in Withering Ruins 4. Naur 5. Voice of the Dread Abomination 6. Of Smokeless Fire and Smouldering Ash 7. The Key to the First and Final Day

The Album The album opens with the title track, which immediately reintroduces the core elements that defined Haimad’s early material. Cold, tremolo picked guitar melodies, prominent keyboards, and vocals that lean into a harsh but controlled delivery. The songwriting is steady rather than flashy, and the atmosphere is built through repetition and layering rather than oversized orchestration. The band keeps a firm grip on the balance between guitars and keyboards, allowing both to carry the narrative without one overwhelming the other. Tracks like Nen Cenedril and Where Serpents Wait in Withering Ruins show the band’s melodic instincts at their strongest. The riffs are straightforward but effective, often relying on classic Scandinavian motifs that will feel familiar to fans of the Second wave. The keyboard work adds color without drifting into theatrical territory; it supports the mood rather than trying to dominate it. The drumming, performed by the legendary Nils "Dominator" Fjellström, provides tight structure and keeps each track moving with purpose. One of the album’s standout qualities is its consistency. Even as the songs shift between more aggressive passages and slower, atmospheric moments, the tone stays cohesive. Naur and Voice of the Dread Abomination demonstrate this well: both songs develop gradually, layering riffs and synth lines to build tension without leaning on abrupt transitions. The band seems more interested in maintaining a clear mood than in surprising the listener, and the album benefits from that restraint. Later in the record, Of Smokeless Fire and Smouldering Ash brings in a slightly darker and heavier approach, though still within the same framework. The closing track, The Key to the First and Final Day, steps into a more ambient space, using sparse arrangements and sustained tones to provide a calm but somber ending. It’s a natural conclusion that reflects the album’s interest in atmosphere over spectacle.

Conclusion

Overall, When Night Rode Across the North is not an attempt to reinvent symphonic black metal. Instead, it’s a deliberate return to a sound Haimad helped define decades ago. Fans of earlier Scandinavian melodic and symphonic black metal will find a lot here that feels familiar in a positive way. This album succeeds by knowing exactly what it wants to be, a focused, atmospheric, and fully realized statement from a band finally releasing the full-length its early work hinted at. It’s a strong, confident debut that stays true to Haimad’s roots without feeling outdated.

BMZ Rating: 8,5 out of 10

Support Haimad here: https://haimad-northernsilence.bandcamp.com/album/when-night-rode-across-the-north

Your thoughts on Haimad

We love to hear your opinion about this album. You can do so by becoming a member and comment on this post.

Or share your opinion and thoughts on our social media channels, or join the discussion on our Discord—where we talk about all things black metal. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook page, Black Metal Zine, for updates on our latest articles, and take a look at our Instagram @blackmetal.zine for concert photos and more!