This is the debut album from Australian post-black metallers Oar.
Oar’s brand of post-black metal is expressive and dark. There is a sizeable doom influence, which is great to hear and works really well in the band’s blackened context. Elements of blackgaze and hardcore can also be heard, and these succeed in broadening the palette with which Oar paint their soundscapes. Continue reading “Oar – The Blood You Crave (Review)”
This is the debut album from Necrophagous, a death metal band from Sweden.
Featuring ex-members of Visceral Bleeding and Entrails, In Chaos Ascend contains 45 minutes of groove-laden, blast beat-driven timeless death metal.
The promo blurb compares Necrophagous’ sound to a combination of the above two bands, along with Continue reading “Necrophagous – In Chaos Ascend (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Wilderun, a progressive metal band from the US.
Wilderun play progressive metal with elements of death and symphonic metal, and touches of folk. This simple description does little to fully describe how good Wilderun are at weaving these various influences together on Epigone. Continue reading “Wilderun – Epigone (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Akelei, a doom metal band from The Netherlands.
Although billed as an EP, and despite the fact that there’s only three tracks here, this is actually a 37-minute release – longer than some albums. This is the the band’s first release in 11 years, and I really hope they don’t leave it as long as that until the next one comes out, as this is exceptional. Continue reading “Akelei – Een Van Ons (Review)”
This is the debut album from US one-man black metal act Antimony.
Antimony’s black metal is a combination of the progressive, atmospheric, and melodic styles. These are mixed together to produce lengthy songs that describe a journey into existential dread. The promo blurb states that it’s reminiscent of Moonsorrow, Mgła, and Drudkh, and this should give an appropriate starting reference for the style you’ll find on Ending. Continue reading “Antimony – Ending (Review)”
This is the latest EP from French death metallers Barús.
I enjoyed 2015’s self-titled EP, as well as 2018’s Drowned, so when it appeared Fanges was always destined for my playlists. Although billed as an EP, there’s actually an album’s worth of material for some bands here – 34-minutes spread out over two large tracks. Barús play atmospheric death metal with progressive and dissonant elements, and on Fanges they range wider and more freely than they have done before. Continue reading “Barús – Fanges (Review)”
Armed only with the album cover and the briefest promo blurb I’ve probably ever seen simply identifying this as black metal, I decided to take a chance on it. In fact, I’ll reproduce the promo text in its entirety here – Continue reading “Pakkt – To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance (Review)”
This is the second album from Mütterlein, a one-woman experimental band from France.
After being really struck by the quality of Mütterlein’s split with Limbes from earlier in the year, I was looking forward to getting to grips with what Bring Down the Flags had to offer. Continue reading “Mütterlein – Bring Down the Flags (Review)”
Tardigrada are a black metal band from Switzerland and this is their second album.
Vom Bruch bis zur Freiheit is 59 minutes long and contains four massive songs. Before each one of these sits a brief intro/interlude track, and against all expectations these are actually decent moments of rare calm and reflection amidst the atmospheric and emotive storms of the main songs. Continue reading “Tardigrada – Vom Bruch bis zur Freiheit (Review)”
Dakhma are a blackened death metal band from Switzerland and this is their second album.
Dakhma play an exotic form of blackened death metal that’s Zoroastrian-themed and highly detailed. Epic in scope and execution, Blessings of Amurdad offers a highly atmospheric exploration of extreme metal, without sacrificing the meaty, brutal riffs. The music is imbued with Middle Eastern influences that come to life not only Continue reading “Dakhma – Blessings of Amurdad (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 