Slaveson – Heraklit

Slaveson is a solo project founded in Neumarkt Im Mühlkreis, Austria. The man behind this ongoing endeavor (founded in the mid-90‘s!) is Tom Haugeneder – responsible for all vocals, lyrics and the recording. On March 6th 2026 this one man death/thrash metal machine from Austria will self-release its fourth full-length titled Heraklit.

Heraklit is seperated in two chapters featuring the following ten tracks:

Chapter I – Zerfall:
1. Zerfall
2. Schattengold
3. Zwischen Stahl und Stille
4. Martyrium
5. Heraklit

Chapter II – Rebirth:
6. Toxic Empire
7. No King no Slave
8. Ruins of Lies
9. Chains of Tyranny
10. Unbound at Dawn

Three of the tracks opening this new album are in his native German, while the remaining songs are all in English. Like the case with its 2024 forerunner, Lack of Breath, this most recent opus also features some strong mid-tempo riffing and doom-influenced sections. Thus, Heraklit features numerous razor-sharp riffs, a dry and raspy vocal style & programmed drums. Since Slaveson is a solo endeavor, I feel that it could benefit from a live drummer to enhance overall cohesion of otherwise intense and emotional materials. The production features a dark, gritty, and lo-fi production style, creating a thick and oppressive wall of sound.

Lyrically it oscillates between nihilistic gravity, social critique and personal catharsis. As usual, all the songs for Heraklit are written by Tom, and I really enjoy his unique working method which remains a key feature: each song was composed and recorded in its final album version in a single day! With that in mind, I think that Heraklit marks a strong return for the band, promising high-intensity blend of death/thrash/doom metal. If my words still fail to persuade you, then you should just listen to the first single “Zerfall” (Decay), offering a first glimpse into their new material. The aforementioned track also happened to be my personal standout track, due to its unique combination of a raw aggression and an oppressive atmosphere. Thematically it addresses the inevitable collapse of internal and external systems.

Simultaneously with the album announcement, the official cover artwork has also been revealed for the first time – a visual statement that impressively reflects the album’s thematic turmoil and philosophical depth.

Following Icarus (2023), The Fabled Beast (2023) and Lack of Breath (2024), Slaveson continue his uncompromising path with Heraklit – raw, unembellished, honest and with a clear stance. For further insights into Tom/Slaveson and his latest opus Heraklit visit the author’s facebook or bandcamp.