Release date: 24 April 2026
Label: No Remorse Records
”Dark Waters”, the third chapter in KONQUEST’s discography, feels less like a peaceful album and more like a descent in a dark passage with no clear bottom. It circles around a quiet, dangerous desire: the urge to switch off the light, to unscrew the mind from its socket before the noise becomes unbearable. The protagonist longs for silence, for the stillness that comes when thoughts finally surrender. Yet paradoxically, he never stops traveling. His body may stand still, but his mind sprints through centuries, through myths, through imagined past lives where fire is newly discovered and the world is simple enough to understand.
He dreams of the Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan, of ancient warmth and primitive clarity, of a time before overthinking became a cage. He measures himself against missed chances, against the version of his life he thought he would reach by now. Beneath it all runs a fear: that if he cannot rise above these dark waters of the mind, he will drown in them. The force pressing down is immense. The brain moves too fast. Fantasy becomes both refuge and battlefield. “Dark Waters” is the sound of a mind that never powers down: restless, brilliant, exhausted. It is a conflicted voyage between suffocation and escape, dedicated to those who feel crushed by their own emotions, yet still dare to imagine another shore.
Produced, recorded, mixed & performed by Alex Rossi. Mastered by Arthur Rizk. Cover artwork by Zeero. Photography by Valeria Calossi. Recommended for fans of HEAVY LOAD, IRON MAIDEN, THIN LIZZY, ANGEL WITCH, CENTURY.
Review
“Turn the Lights Off” gripped me right away with its incredible production. Every crash of the drums and every pluck of the bass string was just as pronounced as the guitars and vocals, without being overbearingly so. It reminds me a lot of the often bass-heavy mixing that many NWOBHM acts had. Speaking of the vocals though, I did find them a touch too quiet here for my personal liking, but it wasn’t a massive detraction. Alex Rossi handles all for Konqest in studio, every instrument and the production, with a live band accompanying him on tour. Another massive win for this track, and really Konquest in general, is that they manage to sound like a homage to the bands of yore without seeming like a cheap imitation or parody (as a fair chunk of our little niche can sometimes fall prey).
“Mindwanderer” ripped out of the gate with a stellar bassline, and an even more intoxicating riff. Now this one reminded me immediately of French metal from the 80s, the general flow and cadence of the track instantly made me think of Sortilège or High Power. Similarly, Rossi’s vocal delivery was like stepping into a time machine and seeing the Wahlquist brothers from Heavy Load performing in their heyday. This was an infectious little earworm that I found myself addicted to by the end, and I truly adored every piece of this one. Francophone metal, but really just metal from outside the usual suspects, from the 80s is a bit of a focus point for me, so this was right up my alley.
“One Ticket For One Ride” was a more traditional affair, with a touch of glam. The lynchpin of the track is the ‘oh-ohs’ done after and during the chorus. It’s a simple method, but damn it, it’s a proven way to get me to sing along. What at first made me roll my eyes with its simplicity, soon had me belting along with it. The mid-song breakdown was the stuff you’d hear from Sabbath or Budgie (who deserve Led Zeppelin’s spot in the Unholy Trinity of metal founders). Definitely a more ‘by-the-numbers’ track, but Konquest did it well.
“Dark Waters” had a more doom-draped opening, and an overall grittiness, the origin of which I couldn’t quite determine. It’s got a very unique vibe to it, compared to the first three tracks. The production is more in-your-face, and maybe even muddy at points, but in ways that just work (somehow). Alex’s delivery for the chorus is once again addicting, buoyed mightily by the sizzling bassline going along perfectly as each word leaves his lips. This one had pretty much everything, a great solo and some real headbanging parts, this was complete dynamite.
“The Giant”, the album’s lone instrumental offering, also features some synthesizers for the first time on the album. With a groove that would make Mark the Shark (Manilla Road) proud, this track was practically a Manilla Road tribute, and a damn effective one. The lack of vocals actually bolstered that feeling I believe. This was great!
“Man With A Stone” saw the return of the almighty synths right out the gate, setting the ambiance like the soundtrack for an 80s movie. Alex’s vocals here reminded me a bit of Trevor’s from Haunt. Driven forward by a seriously groovy bassline throughout, and an overall sick guitar sound, this one presents something just a bit different for Konquest. The bluesy bit after the guitar solo was the whipped cream on top, and an wonderful beginning to the ending sequence of this one. Another banger!
“Over the Edge” began with a razor-sharp riff and some drumming that reminded me of Duncan Scott (Diamond Head), I’m not entirely sure why but my mind went right to him specifically. Gotta say that I loved the echoey nature of the chorus, just a really sweet touch that gave the feeling of falling. Almost like someone had been pushed… over the edge. This also featured my favorite kind of solo, power chords galore. In the words of Martin Scorsese, ‘Absolute cinema!’.
“Kubla Khan (A Vision in a Dream)”, the longest track of the album at just a shade over 8 minutes, began slowly and almost methodically. The guitars were subdued and melodic, almost heartsick sounding, while the drums were soft and limited only the cymbals. Alex’s vocals were like a sad recollection of an old man and his life, there’s a real sense of mortality behind his words that I found particularly gripping. When things do finally kick in, it hits hard with some crushing riffs and great drumming (I also appreciated the same time and melody on the cymbals as before, good stuff).
Then they throw in a curveball with a break mid-song that featured some military-style drumming and the faint accompaniment of synthesizers, before a rather frenetic solo to break things up… and then back to the military drumming. A truly vile riff not long after, one of the most evil I’ve heard in some time (only helped by the distorted and demonic voice speaking over it). This was an incredible way to end the album, and Alex even threw in an evil laugh to cap it all off.
Conclusion
Konquest’s third album had a lot to live up to, following the titan that was 2022’s “Time and Tyranny,” and I’m quite pleased to say that it did so in spades. Simultaneously managing to be both a homage to their influences, as well as a statement that Konquest aren’t just another metal band with a nostalgic sound. Everything from the production, which is pitch perfect in capturing the 80s aesthetic in an earnest, and non-artificial, way, to the variety in tone and structure throughout the record presents itself as a triumph. It’s rare that a band can release an album where I can pick out every song after jut one listen, but Konquest’s Dark Waters is one such album. Easily in the running for album of the year in 2026!
TheNwothm Score: 9.5/10
Links
Bandcamp: http://konquest.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konquest?igshid=5h3edpvl57ax
