My love affair with Swedish “adventure rockers” Hällas began nearly a decade ago, when I stumbled upon the modern-day classic “Star Rider” as part of Darkthrone legend Fenriz’s eponymous playlist on Spotify. As a fan of all things ’70s from the time I was a young lad, I was immediately hooked. In an era when classic rock-flavored acts were all the rage (Remember Greta Van Fleet?), Hällas had it all. The ’20s proved to be even more glorious, as they released two more brilliant albums (2020’s Conundrum and 2022’s Isle of Wisdom) and embarked upon their first American tour, of which I caught the jam-packed Reggies stop.
A few years have come and gone since that enchanted evening, and I couldn’t help but find myself pondering, roughly around the release of Heather & Hearth from fellow classic prog revivalists, Phantom Spell, “I wonder what on earth Hällas are up to.” Well my friends, the answer to this burning inquiry has arrived in the form of the best 27th birthday present ever (It was this past Saturday, for those wondering), Panorama. It is the band’s fourth full length and, without question, their proggiest effort to date, which speaks volumes for a band who’ve made their bones breathing new life into the sounds of the genre’s golden age.
In what might go down as the ballsiest move of 2026, the album opens with a 21+ minute, side-long opus entitled “Above the Continuum”, which is the band’s most ambitious piece to date. Fans of the band from a metal or hard rock persuasion might be dissuaded by such a daunting song length, but fear not. Despite its grandiose runtime, “Above the Continuum” flows like an old Yes or Genesis epic of the same nature: Never relying on filler, whether it be textbook soundscapes or mindless soloing, and always keeping the ball rolling. With its fusion of everything from classic ’80s AOR and banging Heep-esque metal, to Wishbone Ash-tinged pastoral atmosphere and symphonic bombast, it is the epitome of everything this band has set out to achieve since their inception, wrapped up in an epic prog package of brilliance.
Equally as brilliant are the “conventional” cuts that make up the B side. Of course, when I use the term “conventional” to describe Hällas, I’m referring to songs that don’t reach double digit in runtime, but I digress. “Face of an Angel” expands upon the AOR vibe of their last couple albums, and could easily pass as a late ’70s Barclay James Harvest song. Following this melodic nugget is “The Emissary”, which upon its single release, was described by a friend as a lost song from Against All Odds era Quartz, and truthfully, I hear it. It’s certainly the most forceful and heaviest cut of the album at this point, reminiscent of English ’80s neo-prog that flirted with AOR hooks and metallic gusto.
A gentle piano-based piece entitled “Bestiaus” follows, so delicate that even the slightest breeze could interrupt its precious grace, before the explosive “At the Summit” serves as an apt closer, rounding out Hällas’ least metal album to date in proto-metal fashion. Its heavy prog, organ-centric attack recalls that of Purple and Heep: Two bands whose influence could be heard on this band going back to their earliest days. With Panorama, Hällas further cement themselves as not mere imitators of this sound, but peers of these legends, carving out their own catalog of opuses. Panorama stands boldly alongside its predecessors, and paves the way for a vast future. Whatever follows, just know this: It’ll be prog-tastic!
9 out of 10
Label: Äventyr Records
Genre: Progressive Rock
For fans of: Genesis, Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep