Hongo – Aquellos Tiempos Que Aún No Vivimos

A band of such high caliber as Hongo doesn’t need much of an introduction for those initiated into the cult status of Galicia’s neocrust scene. They are one of the few acts still active from the days of Ekkaia, Madame Germen, and Cop on Fire. Mixing epic neocrust, melodic black metal, sludge, and a touch of emocore, Hongo have always had a highly original sound, one that feels almost impossible to replicate and unmistakably their own.

Their fourth full-length release, Aquellos Tiempos Que Aún No Vivimos (Spanish for “Those Times We Have Not Yet Lived”), came out on LP in March 2026 and consists of three long, dismal songs that continue the band’s journey into the mysterious depths of the human soul, its darkness, and the desolation we are surrounded by.

With a total length of 34 minutes, the album moves through progressive soundscapes built around beautiful guitar harmonics, solos, and post-rock passages that slowly turn into sludgy epic crust. There is always this feeling of tense passion on the brink of explosion, often erupting into exquisitely crafted melodic black metal tremolo riffs. The guitar work here is spectacular, switching between different genre tropes and weaving them together into something truly distinctive. It does a brilliant job of building bleak sonic landscapes that remind us of Hongo’s previous work, while also showing a clear progression toward even darker territories.

The rhythm section holds everything together with a complicated but natural balance, making the arpeggios, tremolos, and slow, catchy sludge-crust parts hit even harder. Combined with the despondent deep growls and screams of their singer, the album sounds better than ever, carrying a bold sound that pulls you into an almost psychedelic journey through profound gloom and complex internal struggles.

With thundering drums, creative bass lines, and intricate epic guitar work, Hongo once again create something deeply touching. Their music expresses sorrow and grief through an exploration of the innermost human emotions, dwelling into the lugubriousness of the soul and the silent, fragile nature of our being. The long, tense passages keep building until they explode into a wide spectrum of sounds, holding our attention for the entirety of this epic record.

We hold our breath waiting for those exquisite yet powerful outbursts, whether they come at the end of a song or suddenly appear in the middle. After them, the fragile, quiet parts return, only to collapse again into beautiful epic neocrust riffs that reach the listener’s sensibilities and expose the soul’s vulnerability. Hongo’s blend of dark, sludgy heaviness and black metal greatness is still unique, and the vocals are openly emotional and heartfelt, ranging from the deepest growls to fragile shrieks and shouts.

Hongo have obviously progressed a lot and achieved a wonderful, bleak piece of art with this record. Their musical journey, which started back in 2000, continues to explore new paths and territories, always armed with minor chords and the melancholic nature of their particular style. I think this is one of the best records of 2026 so far, if not the best, surpassing a lot of other great releases.

To sum it up, few bands manage to mix genres in such an interesting way without ever sounding repetitive or tired. Hongo have always known how to express sadness and anger through music, and this time the result is a total musical despondency that holds tight for 34 minutes, without a single moment that feels derivative. Composing such long symphonies of grief is difficult, and very few bands manage to do it with so much beauty and variation. Anyone into extreme music should check out this release, as it brings together so many different styles and moods that there is something here for everyone.