HALLAS – Panorama (2026) *HQ*

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HALLAS – Sweden’s self-styled administrators of ‘adventure rock’ – has indeed created a new sub-genre, or perhaps their very own musical style. “Panorama” is the first Hällas album to be released via their own (aptly named) Äventry Records. This shift seems to signal the kind of confidence arising from a veteran band coming into their own. Accordingly, ”Panorama” experiments more than any previous Hällas album, but experimentation alone does not guarantee greatness. However, this IS great.
”Panorama” deftly delivers Hällas’ take on heavy, psychedelic prog hard rock. Indeed, these Swedes sound like URIAH HEEP counseling IRON MAIDEN. Perhaps the songs “The Emissary” and closer “At the Summit” best encapsulate classic Hällas, both ‘normal’ tracks around six minutes. And we say ‘normal’ because these guys open the album with “Above the Continuum”, a 21-minute / 7 part tour de force! Don’t worry, it’s all captivating.
On the aforementioned tracks, Rickard Swahn and Marcus Petersson bounce between wee-da-lee guitarmonies, Ren-faire acoustic plucks, and driving riffage. Nicklas Malmqvist supplies texture via sparkling analog synthesizers and percussive organ. It is the infectious guitar/key interplays, however, that define Hällas. Towards the end of “At the Summit,” Swahn, Petersson, and Malmqvist unite for delicious harmonized noodling, building drama before a serene denouement.
Wrapped in warm, ’70s-sounding production fans have come to expect, ”Panorama” supplies some of the strongest Hällas tunes yet.

Panorama’s experimentations, however, make it Hällas’ most singular statement. Its boldest innovation is “Above the Continuum,” a 20-minute, 7-part suite akin to the eponymous openers of Rush’s 2112 and Yes’s Close to the Edge. On this cinematic saga, Hällas brings Gregorian chants, strings, and horns to their brand of synth-rock. Floydian voice-overs materialize Panorama’s somber narrative, in which a hermit laments encroaching dystopia atop his tower. An imperceptible escalation that finally burrowed under my skin after ten or so listens, “Above the Continuum” is an early Song o’ the Year candidate.

How does one follow such a sprawling epic? With a trotting jam, of course. On “Face of an Angel,” a pre-release single, drummer Kasper Eriksson rides a sleazy Thin Lizzy groove with bassist / vocalist Tommy Alexandersson, who lays down a droningly hooky chorus. Hällas has dropped crowd pleasers before, but “Face of an Angel” is their poppiest ditty yet and the perfect counterbalance to the opening beast.
It is “Bestiaus,” though, that truly spotlights Alexandersson’s vocals. His smoky baritone and booming bellow sit center stage on this affecting piano ballad, standing alone in Hällas’s catalogue.

Five scenes spliced into one holistic picture, ”Panorama” is a grand album, which might not register when glancing at the runtime. Like every Hällas record, Panorama clocks in at just under 45 minutes, yet its more limited track count (5, instead of 7–8) renders every song utterly distinct.
There is zero filler here, only questionable moments. “Above the Continuum” has abrupt transitions in its opening minutes, but they don’t hinder the track as a whole. Additionally, the immediate fadeout on the punk ending of “The Emissary” is a bit shocking. Shock is surely the intended effect, but Hällas could have stretched the part a few measures and achieved the same. And “Bestiaus” itself feels a little like a moment, striving for songhood but not quite reaching it. Still, it’s an elegant setup for “At the Summit”—an epic but unprotracted finale.

With ”Panorama”, Hällas has delivered (why not?) their most adventurous album, but it’s also their best work to date. Excerpts hinted at excellence—Panorama achieves it. Per its namesake, Panorama provides a virtually seamless showcase of all that Hällas has done while splendidly surveying new terrain.
A fun yet serious record, ”Panorama” puts an angelic synth-rock face on a devilish narrative circulatory system. It’s only February, but these Swedes may have already dropped the neo-proto-metal album of 2026 (and a list-topping contender for yours truly).
Highly Recommended

01 – Above the Continuum
02 – Face of an Angel
03 – The Emissary
04 – Bestiaus
05 – At the Summit

Tommy Alexandersson (vocals/bass)
Rickard Swahn (guitar)
Marcus Petersson (guitar)
Nicklas Malmqvist (keyboards)
Kasper Eriksson (drums)
Tommy Alexandersson (bass)

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amazon.com/Panorama-Hallas/dp/B0DGLF8PQK