June 2022 – Page 3 – Wonderbox Metal

Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism (Review)

This is the debut album from Bekor Qilish, an extreme metal solo act from Italy.

Across 28 minutes the artist behind this band delivers his vision for extreme metal – a complex and layered avant-garde assault on the senses. Blending the technical and progressive strains of black and death metal into an experimental extreme metal framework, Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism is a jarring and unfriendly piece of work, that nonetheless rewards connoisseurs of esoteric underground extremity. Continue reading “Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism (Review)”

Verberis – Adumbration of the Veiled Logos (Review)

This is the second album from Verberis, a black metal band from New Zealand.

Across five expansive songs, Adumbration of the Veiled Logos spends 58 minutes transporting the listener to vast blackened soundscapes and subjecting them to harrowing esoteric visions. Continue reading “Verberis – Adumbration of the Veiled Logos (Review)”

Gozer – An Endless Static (Review)

Gozer are a UK post-metal band and this is their debut album.

Described as for fans of Neurosis, Cult of Luna, and Isis, An Endless Static offers us 47 minutes of post-metal darkness across five weighty tracks.

Gozer’s music is harsh and Continue reading “Gozer – An Endless Static (Review)”

Hundred Year Old Man – Sleep in Light (Review)

Hundred Year Old Man are a post-metal/sludge band from the UK and this is their second album.

I really liked 2018’s Breaching, so am pleased to see the return of Hundred Year Old Man. The band have obviously been feeling creative since I last caught up with them, as Sleep in Light contains a whopping 80 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Hundred Year Old Man – Sleep in Light (Review)”

Esoctrilihum – Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh (Review)

This is the seventh album from French solo black metal act Esoctrilihum.

I enjoyed 2018’s Pandaemorthium (Forbidden Formulas to Awaken the Blind Sovereigns of Nothingness), and then enjoyed even more 2021’s Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath. Has this upward trajectory of enjoyment continued with Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh? Continue reading “Esoctrilihum – Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh (Review)”

Merihem – Incendiary Darkness (Review)

This is the debut album from international black metal band Merihem.

Featuring members of bands such as Frostmoon Eclipse, Israthoum, Manetheren, and Suffering Hour, Incendiary Darkness contains 39 minutes of occult black metal.

These songs weep nightmare Continue reading “Merihem – Incendiary Darkness (Review)”

Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns (Review)

This is the fifth album from French death metallers Exocrine.

Exocrine have a good reputation around these parts, (see 2018’s Molten Giant and 2020’s Maelstrom), so I’m pleased to say that on new platter The Hybrid Suns the band have done nothing to tarnish this. Quite the opposite, in fact. Continue reading “Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns (Review)”

Inexorum – Equinox Vigil (Review)

This is the third album from US melodic black metal band Inexorum.

Inexorum play fast-paced melodic black/death metal, combining both styles into a sharp blackened framework. Equinox Vigil contains 40 minutes of quite satisfying music. Continue reading “Inexorum – Equinox Vigil (Review)”

Vexes – Imagine What We Could Destroy /// If Only Given Time (Review)

Vexes are a US alternative/post-metal band and this is their second album.

2018’s Ancient Geometry was a highlight of that year that I still regularly return to. Providing a slow-burning album that was full of emotive presence and luscious songcraft, it grew on me more and more over time. As such, I’m extremely pleased that Vexes have returned, but I have to say I wasn’t expecting them to bring a double album with them. Yes, Continue reading “Vexes – Imagine What We Could Destroy /// If Only Given Time (Review)”

White Ward – False Light (Review)

This is the third album from Ukrainian post-black metalers White Ward.

2016’s Futility Report was a fine album, but when 2019’s Love Exchange Failure came along it really made its mark on the extreme metal landscape. Last year’s Debemur Morti teased us some new material, but now here’s the main event. So what does False Light hold for us? Continue reading “White Ward – False Light (Review)”