10,000 Years – Esox Lucifer

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · September 9, 2026

The Swedish heavy trio 10,000 Years formed in 2020 and released 2020’s debut EP, 2021’s II, 2023’s III, various singles, and 2024’s colossal, All Quiet On The Final Frontier. They are now back with their latest album called Esox Lucifer, their second for Ripple Music. The band consists of Alex Risberg on bass and vocals, Alvin Risberg on drums, and Erik Palm on guitars. Esox Lucifer was released on August 7th 2026. It contains eight tracks at thirty five minutes long.

10,000 Years is a fantastic band that incorporates stoner, metal, doom, and even some thrash and black metal into their progressive and hulking sound. Sweden is known for some of the most talented heavy stoner rock bands ever and 10,000 Years are no exception. The band takes a more Slayer-esc/ High On Fire ferocity into their riffing but blends in an atmospheric annihilation with their tones. Each of their recordings has progressed their sound into the epic scores of All Quiet On The Final Frontier (review here), one of their finest, in my opinion. I felt that album was their strongest yet and I’m pleased to hear that they built off of that momentum. Esox Lucifer has the orchestrated heaviness and epic melodies as Frontier, but pushes their sound even further.

The album begins with “Beasts Of The Northern Wild”, an instrumental introduction of nature sounds and psychedelic jamming. The song has an upbeat swagger that steers you into the fire storm of “Pursuit Special”. This song cranks out the energetic and rocking rage that the band are known for! The distinct vocals from Alex Risberg sneers with raw attitude and aggression throughout this record. The music is on another level! “Pursuit Special” has a driving pulse of rocking immediacy scorched in monolithic riffs and bulldozing intensity. There’s a divine and harmonious flow to these tracks as “Fleur de Sledgehammer” expresses. They have a spectacular way of crossing melody and chaos in an instant and forge some of the most spellbinding and glorious tones captured by my eager ears. The spoken passage at the end of this piece is impactful. The band utilizes a good amount of double bass drumming from the powerful percussionist, Alvin Risberg. His presence in the band has been a huge asset.

“Church Of The Red Museum” has a classic old school metal rhythm that shreds. They incorporate excellent guitar leads and noises that really ignites the feel of the song. It has an epic metal elegance sewn into it. The next song, “Alien Tactics” is a heavy and ethereal piece of musical art. Dark and dynamic tones and galloping rhythms of the heavy sonic apocalypse. Esox Lucifer has a deep and powerful aura that is further enhanced with the next two tracks, “Two Million Stone” and “Paranoidium”. Both songs further transcend 10,000 Years into deeper atmospheric and heavy psychedelic doom territory. The band never lose their hardcore and metallic edge though and each new sonic discovery is merely an enhancement to their already established sound.

The final cut and title track “Esox Lucifer” is a beautiful and viscous closer. It starts subdued, hits hard in a brutal way, but then flowers in the divine leads and melodies. The guitar playing of Erik Palm throughout Esox Lucifer is exceptional! Flawless and psychotic changes through heavy and light, the song drifts into a cosmic voyage through space with esoteric tones floating along. 10,000 Years has proven to match the brilliance of All Quiet On The Final Frontier, and turn it up a notch! Esox Lucifer is setting a new standard for top quality heavy music emerging from Sweden and leveling everything that stands in its way.