Harakiri For The Sky
Aokigahara

Listening notes

Harakiri For The Sky's second full-length album, Aokigahara, was released in 2014 on the Art Of Propaganda label. The Vienna-based duo — known for blending black metal with post-metal and broader rock influences — titled the record after the dense forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, a location carrying considerable cultural weight. The album's thematic reach extends beyond that single reference point, as the tracklist suggests engagement with disparate subjects: "Jhator" takes its name from a Tibetan sky burial ritual, while "69 Dead Birds For Utøya" directly invokes the 2011 Norwegian terrorist attack on Utøya island.

The vinyl edition spreads ten tracks across a double LP, occupying four sides. Side A carries "My Bones To The Sea" and "Jhator," with Side B following through "Homecoming: Denied!," "69 Dead Birds For Utøya," and "Parting." Side C houses "Burning From Both Ends," "Panoptycon," and "Nailgarden," while Side D closes the record with "Gallows (Give 'Em Rope)" and "Mad World." Track durations are not confirmed in the available documentation and are omitted here accordingly. No catalog number has been assigned to this release.

The title "Panoptycon" on Side C appears to reference Jeremy Bentham's panopticon architectural concept, though the intended spelling or meaning as used by the band is not confirmed here and warrants verification. Similarly, "Mad World" as a closing title may invite comparison to existing songs of that name, but no connection can be confirmed from the available facts.

Aokigahara sits within a period of growing visibility for atmospheric black metal in European underground circles, though specific reception or chart data for this release is not available for inclusion here. Collectors and genre enthusiasts researching this pressing should verify edition-specific details, including any variant pressings, directly against physical copies or label documentation, as such information is not captured in the current source material.