This is the second album from Contaminated, an Australian death metal band.
Having enjoyed 2014’s Pestilential Decay, 2017’s Final Man, and 2019’s split with Kutabare, I almost missed Celebratory Beheading when it appeared on my promo pile due to the different style of artwork. Yes, I’m apparently that easily confused! I’m glad I took a second look though, as it’s great to catch up with what Contaminated are up to these days. Continue reading “Contaminated – Celebratory Beheading (Review)”
This is the third album from US grindcore band Knoll.
Following on from 2022’s blistering Metempiric comes As Spoken, its 41-minute follow up. On their new record Knoll have continued to push their punishing sound forward, embracing the nihilistic darkness more than ever. Continue reading “Knoll – As Spoken (Review)”
Chapel of Disease are a German progressive death metal/rock band and this is their fourth album.
Whereas 2025’s The Mysterious Work of Repetitive Art was a sinuous slab of old-school death metal played with uncommon depth, 2018’s …And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye took Chapel of Disease into much more progressive waters. Now, 6 years later, where does Echoes of Light find this exceptional act? Continue reading “Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light (Review)”
This is the second album from US one-woman black metal band Hulder.
2022’s The Eternal Fanfare grew on me over time the more I listened to it, so I’ve been looking forward to Verses in Oath. I’m pleased to say that it has met my expectations. Continue reading “Hulder – Verses in Oath (Review)”
This is the second album from US death/doom band Spectral Voice.
Featuring members of Black Curse and Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice play the sort of humungous death doom that crushes mountains and destroys villages. Sparagmos boasts 46 minutes of material that’s as distressing as it is rewarding. Continue reading “Spectral Voice – Sparagmos (Review)”
This is the latest EP from US black metal band Obsidian Tongue.
I’ve never properly reviewed anything by Obsidian Tongue, although I did love 2020’s Volume III and included it here. My very brief overview of “Highly accomplished atmospheric black metal with a voice of its own.” still applies, and The Stone Heart is definitely one to check out if you’re a fan of bands such as Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room, Wilt, Alda, etc. Continue reading “Obsidian Tongue – The Stone Heart (Review)”
This is the debut album from Angmodnes, a funeral doom band from the Netherlands.
Rot of the Soul is a 55-minute journey into funeral doom misery and woe. The music of Angmodnes is engrossing and immersive, covering the listener in layers of rich darkness and compelling atmosphere. Continue reading “Angmodnes – Rot of the Soul (Review)”
This is the second album from international blackened post-metal band Bipolar Architecture.
Metaphysicize contains 41 minutes of progressive/post-metal material that brings together elements of djent, blackgaze, hardcore, and post-rock. This mix of styles is more coherent than it sounds on paper though, presenting as a well-realised whole. Continue reading “Bipolar Architecture – Metaphysicize (Review)”
Unaussprechlichen Kulten are a death metal band from Chile and this is their sixth album.
I enjoyed 2014’s Baphomet Pan Shub-Niggurath and 2017’s Keziah Lilith Medea (Chapter X), (somehow I managed to completely miss out on 2019’s Teufelsbücher), and now Unaussprechlichen Kulten have returned with the 43-minute Häxan Sabaoth. Continue reading “Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Häxan Sabaoth (Review)”
Solbrud are a black metal band from Denmark and this is their fourth album.
IIII is an album of four parts, each written by one of Solbrud’s four band members. The end result is an ambitious album with an imposing length – 94 minutes – that takes the listener on a compelling journey into a vast atmospheric black metal vistas. Continue reading “Solbrud – IIII (Review)”
