Reliqa – Secrets of the Future (2024)

Fans that are committed to traditional Metal subgenres may want to sit out on this one. Reliqa are a new band in terms of discography and hail from Sydney, Australia. I have seen some confusion on whether Secrets of the Future is their 1st or 2nd LP, but according to the group itself all their 3 past releases, including the 8-track Eventide, are considered EPs. This means that in our hands we have their debut album. 

In terms of sound direction, we are dealing with a very modern Prog/Alternative hybrid that does not shy away from many other genres including frequent visits from Djent or Metalcore. By searching some of their influences, I found names out of the traditional Metal scene or Metal in general, which explains why they sound so fresh. For my ears that are trained in the Power/Symphonic territories, the closer I could go in terms of references, was a crossover between Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and Ad Infinitum, but also much more than that. 

Secrets of the Future is a debut, but it does not sound like one. Reliqa took their time, utilized experience acquired from the nearly 60 live shows they performed since 2017, warmed up through their EPs and tackled their LP fully focused and committed. The result is a fully professional record with 12 new tracks where sentiment, catchiness, power and variation prevail. No small feat, that they got the attention of Nuclear Blast along with a place in their roster, which allowed them to ship an album of crystal clear sound and strong production values. 

What I really like is how they spit in the face of limitations and putting labels in music. Inclusion of some electronic sounds is just the tip of the iceberg, when vocalist Monique even raps at a point or two. I am not the slightest fan of it in general, but it blends so seamlessly in Reliqa, that I even enjoyed songs like A Spark . That’s what I admire the most. They borrow from so many different musical categories, but they are implemented in a natural way into their compositions that never disorient you. On the contrary it allows them to create a solid, yet diverse collection of songs. 

Tracks that ended up as my favorite are the emotional Crossfire, the super hit Terminal, the funky Keep Yourself Awake and I would surely want to headbang on a concert of them performing Physical. Haven’t seen them live, but I have the impression that their music is very much tailored to shred on stage.  

Secrets of the Future is undoubtedly a work of extreme dedication but also talent. I can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a record so much that is out of my usual musical tastes. Perhaps I must go back to Fallen from Evanescence to find that, with Reliqa being much heavier than them of course, but they also need to be approached with an open mind. I have it on repeat without losing interest and that is more than enough for me. The score they get is just a starting line, that future releases will shift up or down. It comes with a huge “congratulations” from my side and lots of album revisits. What remains, is their chance to tour outside of their continent and prove their worth on stage.

80/100

Pavlos Pavlakis

On behalf of Metal Domain