Black Smoke Rising was released on 6 March 2026 via Apollon Records. It is Gjenferd’s second album, and it sounds like a band that has truly found its feet.

Gjenferd draw inspiration from classics such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, combined with a modern hard rock approach inspired by Ghost and Hällas. It’s not a bad place to be, and Gjenferd pull it off convincingly without coming across as if they’re copying anyone.

The opening track, ‘Crimson Rain’, sets the tone straight away. The organ is there right from the start, the chorus drives the song forward, and it’s really catchy without being cheesy. There’s a distinct 70s vibe throughout, and it works perfectly as a gateway to the album. Guitars and organ form the core of the sound, driving solid riffs and a catchy vocal line with a clear pop sensibility beneath the heaviness.

What’s most impressive about *Black Smoke Rising* is that there isn’t a single weak track. The band varies the intensity skilfully throughout the album. There are heavier sections, lighter moments, and enough variety to make the 41 minutes fly by. The songs are rich in melody and vocal harmonies, driven by the massive organ sounds, and the album expands the band’s songwriting craft, with tracks that feel more layered, more cohesive and more firmly grounded.

‘Stillferd’ clearly stands out as the album’s oddest track. At just over a minute long, ‘Stillferd’ is an instrumental, folk-influenced snippet that breaks up the flow in a way that actually works. It’s a bold move to include something like this in the middle of a hard rock album, and it’s a sign that Gjenferd are thinking of the album as a whole and not just as a collection of tracks.

The closing track, ‘Spread Like Wildfire’, at almost eight minutes, is the album’s longest and shows that the band can also master the epic format when they want to.

Their debut album was very well received both nationally and internationally, including a 4th-place finish on the Doom Charts in May 2024. With *Black Smoke Rising*, they have surpassed that achievement. The album entered the Doom Charts at number 3 for March 2026 with 14,454 points. This is no coincidence. This is an album that deserves that position.

*Black Smoke Rising* is one of the best Norwegian rock albums in a long time. The Bergen quartet have produced something that will stand the test of time.