The Great Old Ones are a French black metal band and this is their fifth album.
It’s been six long years since 2019’s Cosmicism, but we finally have some new material from The Great Old Ones. I thoroughly enjoy their work, (also check out 2014’s Tekeli-li and 2017’s EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy), so greedily consuming Kadath as soon as I could was always going to happen. Continue reading “The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Review)”
Vyre are a German progressive black metal band and this is their fourth album.
I’ve enjoyed watching Vyre develop their sound, from the post-black metal of 2014’s The Initial Frontier Pt. 2, to the increasingly avant-garde stylings of 2018’s Weltformel. Which brings us to Voidserpent, a new album that offers us 42 minutes of new material from this expressive and interesting act. What have they done this time around? Continue reading “Vyre – Voidserpent (Review)”
Bloodbark are a black metal band and this is their second album. The country of origin and number of members is apparently unknown.
Sacred Sound of Solitude provides us with 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal. The atmospheric core is augmented by elements of post-black metal, blackgaze, and post-rock, contributing to the richness of the album’s blackened heart. This approach allows Bloodbark to produce music that’s immersive and textured. Continue reading “Bloodbark – Sacred Sound of Solitude (Review)”
This is the second album from Swedish solo black metal act Häxkapell.
Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp is a 40-minute black metal album brought to us by a member of Sons of Crom. This is a detailed, multifaceted form of black metal, consisting of many component parts that work together to create something engaging and enjoyable. Continue reading “Häxkapell – Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp (Review)”
Barshasketh are a black metal band from New Zealand/Scotland and this is their fifth album.
I first encountered Barshasketh on their 2015 split with Void Ritual, and then again on their 2017 split with Outre. Both primed me for the emergence in 2019 of the formidable Barshasketh, which ably demonstrated what the band could do across a full length. Well, it may have taken the best part of six years, but Barshasketh have now returned with the 44-minute Antinomian Asceticism, and let me tell you, it’s lethal. Continue reading “Barshasketh – Antinomian Asceticism (Review)”
Bergthron are a German black metal band and this is their seventh album.
After a 15-year absence, Bergthron have unexpectedly appeared out of nowhere with 32 minutes of new material in the form of Neu Asen Land. If you know any of Bergthron’s first few albums or so, this almost sounds like a completely different band, so don’t go expecting the sprawling atmospheric black metal epics of their early work. If you’re unfamiliar with them though, or aren’t bothered by a change in direction, then there’s much to enjoy here if you are of a certain taste. Continue reading “Bergthron – Neu Asen Land (Review)”
A Thousand Sufferings and Kludde are both from Belgium. The former play doom, and the latter black metal.
A Thousand Sufferings start this split off with two songs totalling 13 minutes. I’ve enjoyed all of the band’s work so far, (Burden, Bleakness, Stilte), which made me eager to hear what Het Pact had in store. Continue reading “A Thousand Sufferings/Kludde – Het Pact – Split (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK black metal band Sluagh.
Brought to us by current/ex-members of Ageless Summoning, Barshasketh, and Dvne, (and many others), II contains 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal, played with old-school authenticity and heart. It’s raw and unashamedly ancient, driven by a love of the traditional black metal style as seen through a contemporary Scottish-focused lens. Continue reading “Sluagh – II (Review)”
This is the sixth album from international, (Germany/Finland), black metal band Order of Nosferat.
I’ve had a soft spot for Order of Nosferat since discovering their vampiric brand of black metal on their 2023 split with Lunar Spells, which this year’s The Absence of Grace just reinforced. Yes, this is the band’s second full length of 2024, and across these 45 minutes Order of Nosferat have produced another corker of an album. Get ready for the second wave furious majesty of Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok! Continue reading “Order of Nosferat – Towards the Nightrealm of Orlok (Review)”
Atra Vetosus are an Australian black metal band and this is their third album.
I always enjoy catching up with Atra Vetosus. Periodically they emerge from wherever it is they slumber, unleashing quality black metal as they do so. If you haven’t heard them before, make sure you check out 2018’s Apricity and 2021’s Even the Dawn No Longer Brings Hope, alongside this new record, of course. Especially this new one, actually, as we’ll see. Continue reading “Atra Vetosus – Undying Splendour (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 