The Japanese metalcore band will release its next full-length November 13 through Arising Empire, with Fuki of Unlucky Morpheus appearing on the title track.
Japanese metalcore band Sable Hills have announced their next studio album, Homura, for release on November 13 through Arising Empire.
The band has also released the album’s title track, featuring guest vocals from Fuki of Unlucky Morpheus. “Homura” arrives with an accompanying music video and serves as the first detailed look at a record that continues Sable Hills’ combination of metalcore, melodic death metal and distinctly Japanese musical influences.
The song centers on endurance following destruction, using images of wounds, ashes and ruins to frame its message of perseverance. Rather than treating those images solely as symbols of loss, the track presents them as part of a process of survival and rebuilding.
That idea extends to the album title itself. “Homura” is an older Japanese term meaning “flame,” giving the record a central image that connects its heavier musical elements with themes of persistence and rebirth.
Musically, the title track moves between aggressive riffing, melodic passages and screamed vocals while incorporating traditional Japanese elements into Sable Hills’ established metalcore foundation. Fuki’s guest appearance adds another vocal dimension to the track and connects the release with another prominent name from Japan’s heavy music scene.
The collaboration comes as Sable Hills continue building on several years of international activity.
In 2022, the band won the grand prize at the Wacken Open Air Metal Battle, becoming the first Japanese act to receive the competition’s top honor. That milestone preceded the group’s signing with German label Arising Empire and the international release of its third album, Odyssey, in 2024.
The following year brought additional attention through “Namu.” According to figures supplied with the announcement, the track has surpassed 3 million streams on Spotify and 5.4 million views on YouTube, while related live clips accumulated more than 30 million views across Instagram and TikTok.
Those milestones provide the backdrop for Homura, which finds Sable Hills placing greater emphasis on Japanese influences while retaining the heavier foundations that have defined their recent work.
The title track’s collaboration with Fuki also reinforces that direction. Known for her work with Unlucky Morpheus, Fuki joins the band on a song that ties Sable Hills’ international metalcore identity more directly to the group’s Japanese roots.
With Homura, the band appears to be using that balance as a central part of its next album cycle: combining modern metalcore and melodic death metal with cultural and musical elements drawn from Japan rather than separating those influences from one another.
The album’s preorder period is currently underway ahead of its November release.
Album Information
Artist: Sable Hills
Album: Homura
Release Date: November 13, 2026
Label: Arising Empire
Featured Artist on “Homura”: Fuki of Unlucky Morpheus
Pre-Order Information
Pre-orders for Homura are currently open ahead of the album’s November 13 release.
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