Riket – 2026 (album)

Riket – 2026

Release date: 10th April, 2026||Genre: Death metal||Label: Black Lion Records

Long awaited, the debut full-length from Riket is finally here

Proper. Swedish. Death metal. All sung in Swedish. A solid album’s worth of material from Riket may seem well overdue, but, now that it’s here, it has been well worth the wait. From mid-paced stomp, to hard harmony, to machine gun riffing, this is very pleasing to the metal ear. With nods to the likes of At The Gates, Grave, and (from across the water) Carcass, the whole affair sinks in its meathooks from the off.

Each track on 2026, as the already released singles show, delves into a tale of woe from their nation’s past. 1867: Storsvagåret tells of “the great hunger,” cold, harsh nature reaping the populace. Its predecessor, 1868 Sommar vid Vinterviken, backs the story of a Stockholm factory explosion, with swinging, punk tinged death metal. Most recently, the track 1948: Att döda ett barn is awash with mournful melodics, supporting the discourse of child mortality on the highway. The rest of the record carries on in kind, each number playing host to a different theme, and a unique earworm.

Recorded and produced by Sverker Widgren, the hovering hand can be heard here. Widgren’s previous work has included albums by Mörk Gryning, Frantic Amber, and Centinex. That levelled tightness, without suffocation of the visceral edge, has carried over to bolster 2026 wonderfully.

Not slow, but never rushed, this full-length is served up with calm confidence, letting the riffs do the walking. Slab after slab, every song feels like an essential pit-starter. Get stuck in now. This could be the beginning of something truly ugly.

A+

Slow Dragon