1914 | Viribus Unitus | Napalm Records

Release Date: November 14^th, 2025

Format: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Genre: Blackened Death Metal

Country: Ukraine

1914 is a Ukrainian blackened death, doom metal band that has carved its own corner in extreme metal through its focus on World War I narratives. The group approaches the subject with historical detail and emotional depth, turning personal accounts and battlefield events into heavy, atmospheric storytelling. “Viribus Unitis” continues this direction, bringing forward the human struggle of conflict, survival, and the long road home.

“Viribus Unitis” presents 1914 at their most expressive, with the band shaping their familiar mix of harsh vocals, crushing death metal ferocity, and slow burning doom into an album that focuses strongly on endurance and the personal cost of war. The atmosphere is bleak, cold, and emotionally heavy, delivered through storytelling that follows a Ukrainian soldier from the early battles to the distant end of the conflict. The historical grounding gives the album a solid narrative backbone, while the vocal guests add distinct emotional colors. Aaron Stainthorpe brings sorrowful depth to “ADE (A Duty To Escape)”, and Jerome Reuter closes the album with a haunting performance that lingers long after the final note.

The pacing stays steady and deliberate, with the band using melody as a counterpoint to the harshness. Guitars shift between blackened blasts and doom soaked lines, while the vocals move from raw roars to mournful clean passages. The emotional core lies not only in the chaos of the battlefield, but also in the fatigue, the frozen landscapes, and the internal scars that follow the protagonist all the way to the end. By the time the final chapter arrives, the album has taken the listener through exhaustion, grief, and the faint hope of a return to family.

1914 stays committed to their concept, presenting the war without romanticizing it. Their music remains rooted in the brutality of extreme metal, but the emotional pull comes from how they present the soldier’s perspective, not from any attempt to embellish the darkness. Guest voices, melodic passages, and atmospheric layers work together to underline the story instead of overshadowing it. The result is an album that delivers harshness and sorrow with equal strength, while maintaining clarity in its storytelling.

“Viribus Unitis” stands strong in the band’s catalogue, offering depth and emotional bruising through simple, direct delivery. Its narrative focus and carefully shaped sound give it a lasting impact, showing 1914 continuing their journey through World War I history with honesty and intensity.

Score: 8.5