Arallu — Sierra Nevada Review

ByKristian Hours

Arallu is an unholy Black/Middle-Eastern Black/Death Metal band hailing from Israel. Arallu unleash their new single, “Sierra Nevada,” on July 11, 2025. Officially released on all digital platforms through the major distributor Plastic Head Megastore. Recounts the harrowing true story of the band’s vocalist, Daniel…

Arallu, Sierra Nevada Review: This review will evaluate every aspect of the album, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this album is worth adding to your collection.

The First Three Sins, The Summary

The First Sin, The Strings/Keys: Guitars twist through Middle Eastern scales, steeped in spiritual tension. Feverish bass lines rumble beneath, anchoring the chaos. Subtle Middle Eastern instruments thread through the mix, ghostlike and ceremonial. The Second Sin, The Vocals: Raw and explosive—each phrase torn between tortured screams and commanding declarations. The Third Sin—The Percussions: The drums hammer with fierce precision—blast beats and double kicks igniting chaos.

The Fourth Sin, Overall Discussion

A Tale Beneath the Chaos: The Origins of Sierra Nevada

Before we begin to explore the depths of this track, it’s essential to understand that Sierra Nevada is not merely a six-minute piece of music. It’s a powerful, heartrending story crafted through sound. Behind its brutal exterior lies a true and painful tale of brotherly love.

Sierra Nevada is a blistering and emotionally charged black metal track that channels real-life trauma into sonic catharsis. Released on July 11, 2025, the song recounts the harrowing true story of the band’s vocalist Daniel (aka Genie King), whose brother was kidnapped by the ELN guerrilla group during a trek to Colombia’s Lost City in 2003. Daniel’s personal mission to rescue him—101 days of uncertainty and peril—forms the backbone of the song’s lyrical and musical intensity.

“I know that I will prevail!!!” “Death ran away, all fears are now gone”

The Sonic Storm Begins & Echoes of Mourning and Memory

From the moment you press play, you’re drawn into a storm of sound. The opening riffs are violent and crushing, unleashing an overwhelming surge of distortion and thunderous percussion. It feels like standing in the heart of chaos — every element frenzied, urgent, and consuming.

The energy is so intense that it demands total immersion. As the track evolves, it decelerates into haunting, introspective passages. These moments are layered with mournful melodies and news excerpts, offering a sobering contrast to the fury that preceded them. The news clips serve as grim signposts, anchoring the listener in the reality that inspired the song.

Mythic Passage & Spatial Dread

The build-up to the climax is artfully executed. Middle Eastern folk influences weave through the black metal ferocity, imbuing the song with mythic overtones — echoes of ancient warriors and spiritual reckoning. The fusion gives the piece a sense of ritualistic passage, both sonic and emotional. These scales add mystique, transforming the track into an epic odyssey.

The sound design is careful and deliberate. The mix is dense yet clear, crafting an immersive experience that balances ferocity with precision. Spatial effects and reverberation enhance the sense of isolation and psychological upheaval. Transitions between sections are both seamless and jarring, mirroring the unpredictability of Daniel’s ordeal.

Grounded in Horror: Echoes of the Real

The integration of news excerpts, specifically referencing the 2003 kidnapping, is what truly makes Sierra Nevada so captivating. One excerpt appears during the mournful midsection, the other at the end — both ground the song in lived horror.

Resonance Through Ruin: A Testament in Blackened Catharsis

In conclusion, Sierra Nevada is more than a mere song. It’s a raw, emotional journey — an outpouring of pain, courage, and hope wrapped in relentless black metal brutality. This track is an intense and profound testament that music can serve as both an art form and a vessel for human emotion.

Closing: The Last Breath Beneath Sacred Ash

As Sierra Nevada reaches its final, haunting breaths, we extend our deepest thanks to Genie King for granting us the honour of reviewing this powerful single. What unfolds across its runtime is no ordinary track, but a ritual of remembrance—an offering forged in fire and grief.

The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia

For me, every release Arallu exemplifies a high standard of musical devilmanship, composition and arrangement. Their fruit of art-work is always fierce, emotionally charged, and fresh. They don’t just produce music — they create an experience that is visceral, intense, and meaningful. Sierra Nevada fits perfectly into that tradition, yet it stands apart because it is rooted in heartbreak — a brother’s story.  

It’s a composition that resonates emotionally while highlighting the band’s technical mastery and thematic depth.

Arallu — Sierra Nevada Review

The Sixth Sin, The Artwork

This artwork evokes the spirit of Colombian terrain—not just a song telling a story, but a visual ritual presenting it. It doesn’t accompany the music; it consecrates it.

The Seventh Sin, Disrelish

There is nothing disrelish about Sierra Nevada. It stands as an act of raw defiance and sonic mourning—brutal in delivery, sacred in intent. With this final sin, we close our descent and urge you to explore the unrelenting depths of Arallu’s work.

The Hymns

01. Sierra Nevada

Arallu

Butchered: Vocals, & Bass
Nir Death: Drums and Percussion
Haim Death: Guitars
Gal Pixel: Guitars

Hear The Music