REVIEW: NevBorn - Alkaios • Part II • The Peacock

NevBorn are a progressive metal band from Switzerland who've combined a love of storytelling and complex tracks, and they've just released their second album called Alkaios • Part II • The Peacock. This latest release is a continuation of their first album Alkaios • Part I • The Eagle, and the album continues to tell the story of Herakles in four expansive tracks, each featuring four more of the labours that were given to him to be performed.

Starting off with a track called ‘Elis’, the almost fifteen minute long track tells the story of the fifth labour Herakles was told to do, the cleaning of the stables of King Augeas of Elis. Beginning with the sound of water, implying the cleansing of the stables with the River Alpheios, and featuring haunting vocals of the band’s frontman Matthieu Hinderer, the band dives into the story, told from the perspective of Herakles himself through the enchanting melodies that fit the narrative perfectly.

The second track on the album is called ‘Stymfalia’. Portraying the sixth labour, where the hero had to face the man-eating Stymphalian birds with bronze beaks and metallic feathers near Lake Stymphalia in Arcadia, the band decided to go for a slower tempo, complimented by heavy guitar riffs performed by Hinderer, Julien Ehrensperger and Alan Gualandris. Turning more aggressive as the story was coming to the peak, the song showed off the emotions of Herakles precisely.

One of the most famous stories from the Greek mythology, the capturing of the Cretan Minotaur, is Herakles’ seventh labour and the subject of 'Knossos', the third song on the album. The slower transition between this and previous song gives the listener enough space to get prepared for the piercing screams that are about to come, highlighting the brutality of the fight, before changing back into a peaceful melody featuring a synths and a saxophone solo. The clear vocals are highlighting the urgency of the matter right before Xavier Almeida’s mesmerising drum work, that evolves into beautiful and heavy melody. The track, longest of the four, is surely the highlight of the album, featuring many changes in the pace, vocals, and use of instruments, reflecting the way the infamous story goes.

Last, but not least, is ‘Tirida’. The song is portraying the eighth labour, capturing the man-eating mares of the Thracian king Diomedes. The track starts off with a melody resembling the sound of running horses, that is present throughout the song until the end, before turning into a magnificent blending of guitars, synth and drums, supported by the great bass player Brice Geiser. The band decided to include piano as well, which is an interesting addition, but with the heavy motifs of this particular track sometimes feels like too much, as the harmonies supported by synth get too overwhelming. There is, however, still a striking balance between the heavy and light melodies, even when the song is inclining more towards the heavy side, and the track is very pleasant to listen to.

NevBorn’s newest album surely is a well executed work, including lovely riffs and bone-chilling vocals. It continues with the theme of the first album flawlessly and will sound even better when the whole trilogy is out. The band’s usage of synths with classic instruments is well done, does not sound too crowded and compliments the vocals. Although the addition of a piano was a good idea, the placement was not a perfect choice, as it was drowning in the other sounds, but all together the album is a lovely experience for anyone who enjoys the Greek mythology and welcomes a new telling of the well-known stories.

Score: 8/10

NevBorn’s new album Alkaios • Part II • The Peacock was released on March 30th 2025 via Luminol Records.

Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Photos: NevBorn