Spanish melodic doom metal band Hela announces new album »A Reign To Conquer« and premieres first single & music video »Emerald Mirror«!

Spanish melodic doom metal band Hela return with new single and music video »Emerald Mirror«. This is the first single taken from Hela’s upcoming album, »A Reign To Conquer«, set to release on February 27th, 2026 via Ardua Music and Tormo Records.

Tracklist:
01. Vessel To Nowhere
02. The Infinite Tower
03. Crystal Bridge
04. Emerald Mirror
05. Architect Of Disorder
06. Nomad

Courtesy of Imperative PR:

Taking their name from the Norse goddess of death, Spanish voyagers through realms of shadow and sorrow, Hela, formed in Elche, Spain in 2012. They quickly made their mark on the doom metal scene with their well-received debut album, »Broken Cross«, which was picked up for a vinyl release by the respected Svart Records. Their star continued to rise with their second and third albums – »Death May Die« and »Vegvísir« – their sound developing in a natural and organic way. Trends and fashions have always been meaningless to Hela, with their reputation being based on honesty of expression and a palpable passion for the music they create. The global pandemic ushered in a period of silence from Hela, with the personal changes of circumstance that life tends to bring following in its wake…but the time for their reawakening has come. With new vocalist Raquel Navarro adding her sublime, dreaming tones to the band’s most emotive music to date, Hela are poised to present »A Reign To Conquer«.

Photo credits: Marta Ariza

Opening track, »Vessel To Nowhere«, begins in forbidding fashion, with dark, cold and powerful chords before engaging melodies and warmly human vocals open up that daunting exterior. Portentous narrative passages lend weight, while the lead guitar takes hold of your heart in an ascending spiral of emotion. »The Infinite Tower« introduces a lightness, an ethereal feel as superb guitar lines flit like ghosts between the dreaming passages and storm-tossed, turbulent passions. A captivating piece, from the pinnacle of this tower you can gaze out across a landscape painted in the muted colours of dusk…and with each track we fall a little deeper into Hela’s embrace. »Crystal Bridge« speaks in a universal language, connecting with the listener at a fundamental level beyond words as its wistful melancholy and bittersweet reflections build to an overwhelmingly powerful chorus. There is a sense of journeying through this album, of onward movement, as we walk, drift, float, stumble and soar through the cascading guitars of »Emerald Mirror«, the waltz through emptiness and memories of »Architect Of Disorder« to arrive at the towering conclusion of »Nomad«…only to find that the journey continues – the restless nomad wandering the dusty paths of the world for eternity, with only the ghosts of lost loves for company. Hela have continued to grow, to subtly transform, to follow where their hearts and their music lead them…and »A Reign To Conquer« is a work of beauty that could only have been achieved through that open authenticity and untarnished integrity.

Recorded at the Red Records studio in Alicante, with Jose Franciso Rojo and mixed by the band’s own Julian Velasco, »A Reign To Conquer« was then mastered by Dan Swano whose touch has dusted albums by so many acclaimed artists with magic; from Barren Earth to Hypocrisy, Novembers Doom to Novembre…the list is practically endless. The result is an album of rare vitality and potency, an all-encompassing presence that holds the attention effortlessly. Adorned, as always, in the evocative imagery of Deadsign, »A Reign To Conquer« will be released by the highly regarded Ardua Music on CD digipak and digital formats and by Tormo Records on limited edition vinyl on February 27th, 2026. If you have yet to discover the fragility and power of Hela then now is the time. If you are a seasoned traveller, then welcome back to the road that never ends…

Pre-order at:
arduamusic.com | arduamusic.bandcamp.com
tormorecords.com | tormorecords.bandcamp.com

All music, lyrics and arrangements by Hela.
Recorded at Red Records Studio by J.F. Rojo (2023).
Mixed by Julián at The Basement Of Doom (2024).
Mastered by Dan Swano at Unisound (2025).
Artwork by Deadsign.net.
Band picture by Marta Ariza.

Hela is:
Raquel Navarro – Vocals
Julián Velasco – Guitars, Fx
Tano Giménez – Bass
Miguel Fernández – Drums

FFO: The Gathering | The 3rd And The Mortal | Inborn Suffering | Katatonia

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well