Founded in Connecticut in 2022, Balmora quickly became one of the most talked-about names in the modern metalcore revival movement. Drawing heavily from late-90s and early-2000s influences such as Undying, Prayer for Cleansing, and melodic death metal, the band built a passionate following through a combination of blackened atmosphere, melodic guitar leads, emotional songwriting, and metallic hardcore aggression. As anticipation grew around These Graven Halls, expectations naturally followed.

Unfortunately, while the album possesses all the ingredients of a standout modern metalcore record, it rarely manages to assemble them into something truly memorable.

The title track "Balmora" serves as a brief atmospheric introduction built around haunting choirs and gothic textures. It immediately establishes one of the album's strongest qualities: atmosphere. The dark, dramatic presentation creates genuine intrigue and suggests a record filled with emotional weight and cinematic scope. Sadly, much of what follows struggles to capitalize on that promising opening.

"Ammonite" introduces the band's heavier side with sharp riffing, aggressive vocals, and solid drumming. The harsh vocal performance remains one of the album's most consistent strengths, delivering convincing intensity throughout the record. However, the inclusion of DJ scratches feels strangely out of place. Rather than enhancing the song's atmosphere, they often pull attention away from the stronger elements of the track and create moments that feel more awkward than innovative.

"Ophelia" emerges as one of the album's better songs. The faster pacing, energetic drumming, and melodic riffing inject much-needed life into the record. The softer clean vocal section provides a welcome contrast, creating one of the album's more emotionally engaging moments. Yet even here, Balmora run into a recurring issue. The song builds effectively toward its heavier moments, only for the breakdown to arrive with less impact than expected. That problem follows the album almost everywhere it goes.

The interlude "...an apology everlasting..." helps maintain the record's gloomy atmosphere but ultimately feels too brief and underdeveloped to leave a lasting impression. While it contributes to the album's aesthetic, it doesn't add much substance to the overall experience.

"The Beautiful Writing" highlights many of the album's strengths and weaknesses simultaneously. The aggressive vocals remain strong, and the occasional bursts of double-kick drumming create moments of excitement. However, the songwriting often feels incomplete, as though ideas are introduced but never fully explored. Several sections hint at emotional depth before settling into breakdowns that fail to provide the catharsis the songs seem to be building toward.

That same issue becomes even more apparent on "Inheritance & Solitude." The gothic and symphonic textures create an interesting atmosphere, but the riffs themselves rarely carry the necessary weight. The breakdown-heavy approach should be one of the album's strongest selling points, yet many of the heavier sections feel oddly hollow. The bass remains buried throughout much of the track, reducing the overall impact of moments that should feel crushing.

"Needles & Rags" opens with one of the album's strongest atmospheric moments. The acoustic guitar introduction creates a genuine sense of melancholy before transitioning into faster metallic hardcore territory. Unexpected vocal techniques and occasional groove-focused sections add variety, but the song gradually loses momentum and ultimately feels longer than necessary.

"The Day You Died" stands out as one of the stronger entries. The bass becomes more noticeable, the riffs feel sharper, and the band's performance sounds more focused overall. Ironically, the track also highlights one of the album's biggest flaws: inconsistent production. Throughout the record, the mix frequently shifts between sounding reasonably full and surprisingly thin. Some sections have weight and presence, while others feel strangely hollow and lacking low-end punch.

"Augustyne" continues the pattern of strong ideas paired with uneven execution. The vocals once again deliver convincing aggression, and several riffs lock into satisfying grooves. Unfortunately, clunky transitions and another underwhelming breakdown prevent the song from fully capitalizing on its stronger moments.

The second interlude, "...an effigy to the star of all sorrow...," once again prioritizes atmosphere over substance. While it contributes to the record's mood, it never develops enough to become a memorable part of the listening experience.

Late-album highlights "Moon Light Hysteria" and "Timor Mortis" feature some of the strongest riffing on the entire record. The haunting backing vocals of "Moon Light Hysteria" add welcome depth, while "Timor Mortis" incorporates bell samples and more creative rhythmic ideas that help distinguish it from earlier tracks. Even so, both songs suffer from familiar issues. The breakdowns remain surprisingly lightweight, and several sections stretch beyond their welcome without providing enough memorable moments to justify the runtime.

Ultimately, These Graven Halls feels like an album full of unrealized potential. The atmosphere is excellent. The influences are solid. The musicianship is competent. The vocals consistently deliver. Yet the songs rarely generate the emotional impact, urgency, or heaviness they seem designed to achieve.

Rather than creating defining moments that demand repeated listens, much of the album blends together into a collection of songs that feel merely adequate. There is nothing outright bad here, but there is also very little that truly stands out. For a record carrying significant hype within the metalcore revival community, that sense of indifference becomes its biggest weakness.

Balmora clearly possess the tools necessary to create something special in the future. These Graven Halls simply feels like a record that never fully brings its strongest ideas to life.