Album Review: Galväo – Abismo de Almas Enfermas

Band: Galväo
Title: Abismo de Almas Enfermas
Label: Independent
Release date:  October 3rd, 2025
Country: Portugal
Format reviewed: High-Quality Digital Recording

Album Review: Galväo – Abismo de Almas Enfermas by Sílvia

I’ve been playing this album on repeat for some days, ‘cause I really like the atmosphere it distills. Besides the Black Metal instrumentation, I’m enjoying the vocals a lot: raspy and understandable, sometimes with some obscure backing vocals added, singing in Portuguese.

I’m mainly focused on the instrumentation when I listen to this EP, because the tremolo riffs and the harmonies are mesmerizing. I can be listening to new details every time I press the “play” button, maybe some guitar notes in the background that I hadn’t noticed before, or a passage with some bass highlights that resonate specially… Truth is, the atmosphere brings me far, far away…

The sound envelops you as made of many layers, at times the music embraces the listener so they get lost in bewitching atmospheres. Almost intoxicating. The bass is highly noticeable, as in “Festim Infernal”, I love the depth this instrument creates. I mean, guitars are great of course, but I can’t imagine bass not being there. Vocals are aggressive but not of the “demonic kind” if you know what I mean. There’s almost always a guitar in the background playing harsh and continuously, along with the resonance of the bass, and the other guitars build tremolo riffs and fantastic harmonies around.

Drums can be gentle at times, with varied patterns as in the first part of the closing track, “Abismo de Almas Enfermas”, where guitars and bass create pure beauty, a haunting and dreamy landscape. But don’t get fooled, as percussion can also play at full, with a blasting bass pedal, and become overwhelming with plenty of blast beats and a big use of cymbals,  as in “Usurpador”, the great opener. 

Even if I can’t understand Portuguese, I feel the anguish and the suffering in these songs (and of course, using a translator helps a lot). Galväo was releasing only instrumental music before this EP, and I really enjoy this addition. Music serves the atmosphere and lyrics put the emotions into words. Another outstanding album from 2025 that I recommend not to skip. 9/10

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9/10  Epic Storm
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