Heretoir are a post-black metal band from Germany and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2023’s Nightsphere comes Solastalgia, which brings us 63 minutes of new music from Heretoir, (which includes an In Flames cover). I confess, I wasn’t expecting this to be as good or as impactful as it is. Continue reading “Heretoir – Solastalgia (Review)”
Vígljós are a Swiss black metal band and this is their second album.
Tome II: Ignis Sacer contains 43 minutes of material from this enigmatic act. Vígljós’ style is rooted in the second wave, but brought to life with expressive synths, mellotron, and an occasional hard rock feel to some of the riffs. Continue reading “Vígljós – Tome II: Ignis Sacer (Review)”
This is the debut EP from Swedish solo black metal act Shatterer.
The Shatterer style is atavistic, violent, and moody. It’s firmly rooted in the 90s second wave, with suitably raw and unpolished production values. Mainstream black metal this is not. It’s a journey back in time, to the dawn of the genre, and burns with passionate zeal because of this. Continue reading “Shatterer – Fire (Review)”
Doom Cult Commando are a German black metal band and this is their debut release.
Originally seeing the light back in January, Das Erwachen der Schlange is a 19-minute assault of raw black metal. Across four tracks, Doom Cult Commando reveal their iron grip on what it takes to make old-school Satanic black metal. The production is grim and raw, but not overly so, and the band weaponise this in their war against the light. Continue reading “Doom Cult Commando – Das Erwachen der Schlange (Review)”
This is the sixth album from German black metal band Der Weg Einer Freiheit.
Innern is the greatly anticipated follow up to 2017’s Finisterre and 2021’s Noktvrn, the latter placing prominently on my 2021 end of year list, (which in retrospect Finisterre should also have done in 2017). It’s safe to say that I’ve been excitedly looking forward to this new record, especially after seeing the band at last year’s Fortress Festival. Continue reading “Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern (Review)”
LVTHN are a Belgian black metal band and this is their second album.
LVTHN play occult black metal that’s dark and obscure. The Devil’s Bridge contains 43 minutes of their esoteric brand of sonic violence, delivering both an aggressive blackened assault and grim ritualistic atmosphere. Continue reading “LVTHN – The Devil’s Bridge (Review)”
This is the twelfth album from French one-man black metal band Esoctrilihum.
It’s always a pleasure to get a new Esoctrilihum release. If you’re familiar with the artist’s past work, (such as 2018’s Pandaemorthium (Forbidden Formulas to Awaken the Blind Sovereigns of Nothingness), 2021’s Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath, 2022’s Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh, 2023’s Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac, or 2024’s Döth-Dernyàlh), you’ll know that you never quite know quite what to expect from this prolific and idiosyncratic artist. What does the 87-minute Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm have in store for us? Continue reading “Esoctrilihum – Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm (Review)”
This is the third album from US solo symphonic black/death metal act Tine.
Tine made a very positive impression on me with 2015’s The Forest Dreams of Black, and followed this up well with 2022’s Mergae Maris Profundi. As such, it’s with expectation that we turn to the 42 minutes of new material that A Winter Horrorscape provides us with. Continue reading “Tine – A Winter Horrorscape (Review)”
This is the debut album by international black metal band Vörnir.
Brought to us by current/ex-members of Chaos Moon, Dagger Lust, Häxanu, Krieg, Triumvir Foul, Osgraef, Ringarë, Skáphe, Wormlust, and many, many, many more, Vörnir is a new band with a wealth of experience. All of which made me very interested to check out the 38 minutes of material on Av Hädanfärd Krönt. Continue reading “Vörnir – Av Hädanfärd Krönt (Review)”
This is the eighth album from Australian black metal band Pestilential Shadows.
For such a long-running band this is my first encounter with Pestilential Shadows. Wretch caught my eye though, with its 48 minutes of material that satisfies my taste for all things old-school black metal. Continue reading “Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 