This is the second album from Brazilian solo black metal act Autrest.
On Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves, the artist behind Autrest provides us with 42 minutes of nature-inspired atmospheric black metal. It’s well crafted, and the artist clearly knows what he’s doing. Continue reading “Autrest – Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves (Review)”
This is the second album from one-man black metal band Hasard.
This is the 46-minute follow up to 2023’s Malivore, which showcased the artist behind Hasard’s vision for dark, nightmarish black metal. Abgnose contains an idiosyncratic form of dissonant avant-garde black metal, one that’s enriched with dark orchestral symphonics as part of its journey into the abyss. Continue reading “Hasard – Abgnose (Review)”
This is the third album from Finnish black metallers Sarastus.
Agony Eternal contains 42 minutes of material, and is brought to us by current/ex-members of Iron Harvest and Order of Nosferat. Sarastus unleash their classic black metal might in no uncertain terms across these nine songs. It’s Finnish melodic black metal, played with cold fury and a fiery heart. Continue reading “Sarastus – Agony Eternal (Review)”
This is the debut album from Italian black metal band Blutsauger.
Nocturnal Blood Tyrants contains 34 minutes of primal, atavistic black metal. Blutsauger play it hard, nasty, and grim. It may be 2025, but around these parts it’s 1993. I liked this one a lot. Continue reading “Blutsauger – Nocturnal Blood Tyrants (Review)”
This is the debut album from US black metal band Execrari.
Containing a member of Relentless, Execrari’s style is rooted in black metal’s second wave, while also showing some contemporary influences and progressive, melodic, and avant-garde tendencies. Desolation Manifest has come out of nowhere to really impress. There are six songs, spanning 47 minutes, and each track is a powerful reminder of just how potent black metal can be in the right hands. Exciting even, despite its ancient roots. Continue reading “Execrari – Desolation Manifest (Review)”
Phosphorus are a German post-black metal band and this is their debut album.
I came across this randomly as a recommendation on a forum, and I’m glad I checked it out. Phosphorus play a hybrid style, bringing us 37 minutes of compelling material on Frail Grasp of Broken Hands. Continue reading “Phosphorus – Frail Grasp of Broken Hands (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Austrian solo black metal band Rauhnåcht.
My last encounter with Rauhnåcht was 11 years ago (!) on Urzeitgeist, so I’m long overdue a visit to these pagan black metal lands. Across 41 minutes of material, Zwischenwelten reveals an artist that has apparently only continued to refine and improve his art over time. Continue reading “Rauhnåcht – Zwischenwelten (Review)”
This is the third album from US black metal solo act Blackbraid.
Following on from 2022’s Blackbraid I and 2023’s Blackbraid II, Blackbraid III contains 52 minutes of music, (including a Lord Belial cover), and continues to meet the benchmark of high quality black metal that its predecessors set. Continue reading “Blackbraid – Blackbraid III (Review)”
This is the second album from UK black metallers Sea Mosquito.
Majestas contains 44 minutes of esoteric black metal. As a rough starting point, think of a compelling mix of bands such as Aara, Blut Aus Nord, Inherits the Void, Deathspell Omega, Labyrinthus Stellarum, Mare Cognitum, Selbst, and Vorga, although Sea Mosquito do offer up an experience that’s their own. Continue reading “Sea Mosquito – Majestas (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK black metallers Praesider.
Enter the Praesidium contains 48 minutes of old-school symphonic black metal. Praesider’s music evokes such a strong sense of nostalgia in me for the 90s that it’s almost overwhelming. Make no mistake though, Praesider are a skilled bunch and know their subject matter inside out. Continue reading “Praesider – Enter the Praesidium (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 