Crown of Asteria is a one-woman black metal band from the US, and Nodus Tollens in a one-man black metal band, also from the US.
The split opens with the single 19-minute track Claw of the Firemaker by Crown of Asteria. The style is nature-influenced atmospheric black metal with elements of doom, folk, and ambient mixed in. It’s raw and unpolished, but this simply adds to the music’s charms. Continue reading
Tombs are a post-black metal band from the US, and this is their latest EP.
Tombs have a strong track record, (Savage Gold, All Empires Fall, The Grand Annihilation), so ensuring I listened to this release was an easy choice. Having undergone a twisted rebirth of sorts, (three out of the four members are new), the latest Tombs EP marks a more-collaborative version of the band, and the results are impressive. Continue reading
Sightless Pit are an experimental band from the US and this is their debut album.
This project brings together the considerable talents of members of Full of Hell, LINGUA IGNOTA, and The Body. Grave of a Dog sounds like a hideous amalgamation of these three parent groups, while also being its own monstrous creation too. Continue reading
This is the debut album from Mourir, a black metal band from France.
The music on Animal Bouffe Animal takes influence from the Scandinavian second wave, but then updates this with modern touches and uncomfortable dissonance, scathing sludge, and harrowing doom. The end result is 34 minutes of atmospheric rawness that combines old and new to produce something hideously enjoyable. Continue reading
Polaris are an Australian metalcore band and this is their second album.
The music on The Death of Me involves heavy aggression with melodic texture, and although it frequently combines the two, it also equally-frequently separates them. This results in an album that’s far more diverse than your average metalcore record, yet will probably mean that some people get Continue reading
Schizogen are a death metal band from Ukraine, and this is their second album.
Schizogen specialise in precisely executed brutal death metal. Spawn of Almighty Essence contains 39 minutes of ultra-brutality, replete with thick blast beats, fierce guitars, and murderous growls. Continue reading
This is the debut album from US heavy metal band Throne of Iron.
“Highly recommended for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Eternal Champion, Visigoth and Manilla Road!”, states the promo blurb, and it’s hard to disagree. Adventure One provides 42 minutes of classic metal escapism and fun, and I like what Throne of Iron are peddling. Continue reading
Reism are a Norwegian metal band. This is their third album.
Reism’s music contains elements of melodic metal, modern metal, and industrial rock. On Dysthymia the band have produced an album of good songs that hit the spot. Continue reading
Kreator are a legendary German thrash band who need little introduction.
Touring for the hugely enjoyable Gods of Violence album, this live album catches the band at a UK show in London, and records 73 minutes of thrashtastic tunes for prosperity. Bonus editions of this album Continue reading
Suicide Silence are an extreme metal band from the US and this is their sixth album.
2017’s self-titled album was an enjoyable throwback to the nu-metal era, replete with all of the requisite parts you would expect from such a release. On Become the Hunter Suicide Silence leave behind the experimental nature of their fifth album and instead focus on the more familiar extreme metal ground that they are known for. Continue reading
