Finnish atmospheric black metal band Hexvessel have released their seventh full-length album, Nocturne, on June 13, 2025, through Prophecy Productions. The album, hailed as a masterpiece, is streaming in full on YouTube and has earned critical acclaim, scoring #2 in Metal.de’s soundcheck and #10 in Germany’s Rock Hard magazine. Nocturne explores the liminal spaces between light and darkness, blending black metal with folk, psychedelic rock, and minimalist influences from composers like Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt.
Stream Nocturne in Full:
Order Nocturne: lnk.spkr.media/hexvessel-nocturne
Nocturne is a transcendental night ritual, born from a commissioned performance at Roadburn Festival 2024 titled Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne. Frontman Mat “Kvohst” McNerney describes it as capturing “the essence of night, a somber veil where nature is a path between worlds.” The 10 tracks weave frost-bitten black metal with acoustic interludes, cosmic synths, and spectral piano, featuring guest vocals by Saara Nevalainen, Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (Dødheimsgard) on Unworld, and Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu) on Phoebus. Critics praise its immersive depth, with Heavy Music HQ noting, “Nocturne enthralls completely, delivering a dark parade that mesmerizes for a full, electrifying hour.”
Tracklist:
- Opening
- Sapphire Zephyrs
- Inward Landscapes
- A Dark & Graceful Wilderness
- Spirit Masked Wolf
- Nights Tender Reckoning
- Mother Destroyer
- Concealed Descent
- Unworld
- Phoebus
Available Formats:
- 2CD 36-page hardcover artbook
- Digipak CD
- Gatefold 2LP (black vinyl)
- Gatefold 2LP (arctic pearl vinyl, limited to 500 copies)
- Gatefold 2LP (white/black marbled vinyl, limited to 500 copies, bundle only)
- Deluxe bundle (includes 2LP, 2CD artbook, 7” single, poster, patch, signed photo, cloth bag)
Production Credits:
- Produced by: Mat McNerney, Jaime Gomez Arellano
- Recorded at: Pine Hill Studio, Akaa, Finland
- Mixed/Mastered by: Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Porto, Portugal
- Artwork: Benjamin König
- Layout: Mat McNerney, Jari Laurén
Band:
- Mat Kvohst McNerney: Vocals, Guitar
- Kimmo Helén: Piano, Keys, Strings, Guitar
- Jukka Rämänen: Drums, Percussion
- Ville Hakonen: Bass
Guest Musicians:
- Aleksi Kiiskilä: Lead Guitars
- Saara Nevalainen: Vocals
- Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez: Lead Vocals (Unworld)
- Juho Vanhanen: Backing Screams (Phoebus)
Founded in 2009 by English-born vocalist Mat McNerney (aka Kvohst) in Tampere, Finland, Hexvessel began as a psychedelic folk rock outfit before evolving into atmospheric black metal with 2023’s Polar Veil. McNerney’s diverse career spans Code, Dødheimsgard, Beastmilk, and Grave Pleasures, reflecting his restless creativity. Nocturne builds on Polar Veil’s frostbitten sound, drawing from Darkthrone, Tangerine Dream, and minimalist composers, while exploring nature mysticism and spiritual transcendence. Mystification Zine calls it “a thicker double LP sized volume for chapter two of their chilling nightside mysticism.”
Hexvessel will bring Nocturne’s ritualistic sound to select U.S. and European shows:
- 7/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
- 7/20 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
- 7/21 – Oakland, CA @ Stork Club
- 7/23 – Portland, OR @ The High Water Mark
- 7/25–27 – Blackfeet Nation, MT @ Fire in the Mountains Festival
- 7/30–8/2 – Bergen, NO @ Beyond the Gates Festival
- 8/14–16 – Francavilla al Mare, IT @ Frantic Fest
Tickets: Available via hexvessel.com or venue websites.
Connect
- Website: hexvessel.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/hexvessel
- Instagram: instagram.com/hexvesselband
- Bandcamp: hexvessel.bandcamp.com
- YouTube: youtube.com/@HexvesselOfficial
Stream Nocturne, order your copy, and join Hexvessel’s transcendental night ritual—a sonic journey through darkness and enlightenment!