Black metal – Page 150 – Wonderbox Metal

The Negation – Memento Mori (Review)

The Negation are a French Black Metal band and this is their second album.

French Black Metal always has something interesting to add to the genre and there are a large amount of quality and interesting Black Metal bands that call France home.

With this in mind, let’s have a look at The Negation. As becomes swiftly apparent, this is another gritty jewel in the French scene’s horned crown.

The Negation play grim-ridden Black Metal that stylistically speaks of bands like Deathspell Omega and Funeral Mist, mixed with the more orthodox Black Metal delivery of someone like Dark Funeral and the raging hatred of a band like Anaal Nathrakh.

Raging hatred is a good term for The Nagation; this is music that definitely rages and you can almost feel the heat come from the guitars. There’s an ugly brutality to this and the songs on Memento Mori are like dangerous slabs of spiked hatred-made-manifest.

Occasionally breaking out from the band’s onslaught are dark melodies and even the odd solo. These fleeting attempts to escape the nihilistic vacuum that the band creates are quickly drawn back into the fold though and smothered with darkness, not to be seen again until the next brief escape attempt.

Blackened screams that are seemingly filled with bile and disgust infest the music like malignant growths.

This is not pretty Black Metal. This is raw, evil and devastating. It’s also a damn fine listen.

French Black Metal wins again.

Midnight Odyssey – Shards of Silver Fade (Review)

Midnight Odyssey is an Australian one-man Black Metal band and this is his second album.

Well, what an epic release this is. Eight tracks, lasting a colossal 143 minutes. Shards of Silver Fade demands a big investment of your time. Is it worth it? You’re damn right it is.

Midnight Odyssey has a Black Metal base that has been expanded to include Ambient, Darkwave, Funeral Doom and Post-Black Metal, resulting in the weighty collection of tracks here.

In many ways it’s difficult to review a release such as this. It would be far better for you to just accept the fact that this is an album you need to get and go and get it. Once done, make a night-time trip to the top of some local hill or mountain, put on your headphones, gaze at the night sky and get lost in Midnight Odyssey’s transcendental, elemental, cosmic embrace.

In lieu of this, however, a darkened room will suffice for now; just zone out and concentrate on nothing but the music.

Anyway, if you have yet to hear them then my feeble prose will have to do. This is not a band to dip into for a quick fix of whatever you fancy, this is a band to pay attention to and take notice of.

These songs combine spacious Progressive Ambient/Doom with ancient Blackened moods that sound like they were old before metal was even invented. The combination of Darkwave, Doom and Black Metal is one that works incredibly well and sounds flawlessly delivered.

Grand orchestral passages sweep across the heavens and invoke feelings of loss and grandeur, frequently at the same time. This is highly emotive music but probably not in the way that you might think. Moving, is probably a better description. This is music that’s moving.

The vocals don’t let the side down either, with croaking Black Metal rasps sharing the stage with charismatic cleans that seem imbued with some form of long-lost wisdom.

An intriguing, ambitious and ultimately victorious merging of Burzum and Vinterriket; Shards of Silver Fade is easily up to the task of fitting in with such hallowed company.

If I haven’t made this clear by now, Shards of Silver Fade is a must listen. It’s a long one, of course, but well worth it. I suggest you start now.

Dys Inbunden – One with Morbidity, the Opus Misanthropy (Review)

Dys Inbunden are a Swedish Black Metal band and this is their second album.

Dys Ibunden have crafted a ferocious assault on the senses with their new album. It’s an intense 87 minutes of music that will leave you battered, bruised and probably sacrificed to some underworld deity or other. And yes, you read the playing time correctly. There is a lot of Black Metal here.

The songs are on the longer side and no opportunity to spread their dark message is missed. The majority of the album is hyper-aggressive Black Metal, so beloved of the Swedish style. The band skilfully add a bit of atmosphere and depth to this, however, otherwise the long playing time would mean this would get very boring, very quickly. Dys Inbunden play a more mature, complex version of the Swedish Black Metal style, in many ways, and these songs work because of this.

The vocals are a cross between standard Black Metal screams and a more Cradle of Filth-esque piercing delivery. Occasional cleans appear; these are used sparingly and are kind of like semi-heroic, chanting hymns. Or something.

The band have a rather muscular sound, which is unusual for a Black Metal band. The bass makes its presence felt and the combination of the guitars and drums makes it feel like you’ve been punched in the face a few hundred times.

If hostile Black Metal is your thing and you’re not adverse to a bit of depth and atmosphere then check out Dys Inbunden

Void Paradigm – Earth’s Disease (Review)

Hailing from France, this is the second album from Black Metallers Void Paradigm.

Here’s a band who come from the Deathspell Omega school of Black Metal. They’ve learned from the masters and have now applied what they know to their own creation. This is music that’s hypnotic and warped.

Straight from the start the band show that this is abrasive, discordant Black Metal that sings to its own twisted hymn sheet set to music that shouldn’t rightly exist in our reality.

Corrupted riffs spread their strange melodies and nefarious, atypical sounds abound throughout these five songs. The creative flair of a flawed genius is clearly on display, clashing with the ingenuity of a madman.

Speaking of madmen, the singer would certainly seem to qualify. His emotive-but-jarring shouts will be an acquired taste for some I’m sure, but his performance level and passion of delivery cannot be doubted.

So, this is not your standard Black Metal affair and Void Paradigm should be applauded for this. Earth’s Disease features a treasure trove of interesting ideas and different sounds. The songwriting of the band is unusual but the result is very pleasing.

The aesthetics of the band are familiar even if the music is not. That these have been filtered through the prism of a very creative and aspiring band makes Earth’s Disease a release to be savoured and enjoyed at length.

The dark, swirling core of the music is augmented by Avant-Garde elements and there’s enough stimulating and inspired flourishes here to really impress. Progressive and Experimental elements also combine with these aforementioned aspects of their sound, firming up Void Paradigm’s mastery of their chosen dark art.

It’s an off-kilter and disturbing world that the band have carved for themselves across these 39 minutes, and one that cries out to be explored; just be wary on your travels.

For Black Metal that’s individual, charismatic, esoteric and wonderfully obtuse, look no further, for Void Paradigm are here.

Merda Mundi – VI – Khaos (Review)

Merda Mundi is a one-man Black Metal band from Belgium. This is his second album.

The brains behind this outfit we already know due to some of his previous releases, (C.O.A.G., We All Die (Laughing)).

Merda Mundi play raw and misanthropic Black Metal that’s brutal and not for the easily scared.

The label blurb makes comparisons to Anaal Nathrakh and Antaeus and it’s easy to see why; this is a visceral and bloody assault that leaves no stone unturned in its quest for carnage.

The music is harsh and fast, with a good recording that brings out the grime and grit of the songs without sounding too rough around the edges. The album sounds on fire and every bit as dangerous.

The music gallops along at a frenetic pace. The guitars rage and the drums bludgeon. The vocals sound utterly unhinged and quite daemonic in places.

This kind of music has a deep love of all things brutal and is evil enough to cater to those who love both types of Black Metal. Lurking underneath the brutality and devastation is a deeper level; these songs also have dark melodies and atmospheric sections that don’t let up the intensity but do add another layer of listening experience to the tracks. It’s skilfully done.

If you want an album that knows how to create malevolent atmospheres as well as being able to rip your head off then VI – Khaos is the place to be.

Isolert – Isolated Soul (Review)

Isolert Isolert are a Black Metal band from Greece and this is their first release.

A short demo of just 12 minutes length; Isolert play Black Metal in the Scandinavian vein.

This is grim, Old-School Black Metal with plenty of speed and hateful invective to power the tracks along.

I’m a big fan of the production on this release – it’s raw and underground yet everything remains balanced. They’ve got the mix right between the Black Metal aesthetic and an enjoyable, listenable sound.

The Blackened riffs are frozen and icy and the songs are instantly recognisable for what they are.

The vocals are well-performed rasps in the classic Black Metal style, although some variations appear in the form of whispers and short-lived cleans.

This is a decent demo and a strong entrance for this new band. Give them a listen. Feel the isolation close in and the frigid winds howl.

Gorgoroth – Instinctus Bestialis (Review)

This is the tenth album by these veteran Norwegian Black Metallers.

This is a band that need no real introduction, and the album is the same; Radix Malorum opens things off with a bang and blast beats aplenty.

On Instinctus Bestialis the band stay true to their roots and deliver 31 minutes of Norwegian Black Metal as it is meant to be played.

The album has a quality recording that’s dark enough to suit the genre but polished enough to sound really strong. Everything is clear and full of fiery vigour.

The riffs are suitably Blackened but Gorgoroth impress by inserting some good melodies into the mix where needed. These Blackened melodies help the songs have extra depth, but they are not overly flashy; they work with the structure of the songs to enhance them without being the focus of attention.

I also like the Thrashy edge that Gorgoroth have always been so good with. This gives their sound a heavier dimension that some Black Metal lacks. Again, it’s not an overly ostentatious part of their sound but it all adds to the whole. Burn in His Light is a prime example, featuring a very satisfying and crunchy guitar riff.

Over two decades since their formation Gorgoroth continue to have what it takes to show the world that they still have sharpened teeth. Instinctus Bestialis is a finely realised collection of Black Metal songs and is firmly a winner in my book.

All hail Gorgoroth!

https://www.facebook.com/gorgorothofficial

Kaosophia – The Origin of Extinction (Review)

Kaosophia are a Ukrainian Black Metal band and this is their début album.

Kaosophia play occult Black Metal with plenty of speed and bite that’s inspired by the likes of Gorgoroth, Watain and Marduk.

The riffs are Blackened and the melodies evil. On top of this though the band also use some tasty Thrash-inspired riffs on occasion. It’s not a huge part of their sound but it’s there.

The vocals are hateful croaking screams that may be the norm for the genre but are still performed well.

Kaosophia operate at all speeds and manage to create dark atmospheres regardless of whether they’re blasting out at full throttle or creeping around much slower. Either way, the Blackened melodies and writhing riffs give an impression of grandeur and horror.

This is a really enjoyable 46 minutes of music. This is the kind of Black Metal that it’s easy to like; a well-recorded and well-written slice of apocalyptic hymnals.

Check them out.

Agonie – Nemesis (Review)

Agonie are a Black Metal band from Germany. This is their début EP.

Here we have three tracks, just under 16 minutes of Black Metal, consisting of two original songs and a Zerfall cover.

This is very honest, authentic Black Metal with a great sound and a real feeling of darkness emanating from it.

Razor-sharp croaking screams and blasting frosted riffs propel the band through the 3 tracks in seemingly no time at all.

The Blackened melodies employed by Agonie are very, very enjoyable. Something about them just screams quality. Whether they play fast or lock into a groove the band milk every riff for its full potential and still have enough left over for the drums and vocals to not seem like complete afterthoughts.

This kind of pure Black Metal is always a pleasure to listen to and Nemesis sounds as if it could have come straight out of the 90’s in many ways. This is not about recapturing lost glories though, it’s about the here and now and what they have to offer Black Metal in 2015. The answer? Great fucking tunes.

The pacing is right and each song succeeds in offering a transcendent listening experience where the listener is transported to some dark, evil dimension and plagued by daemons. It doesn’t sound fun and it’s not supposed to, but for those select few who thrive on such things Agonie provide an exquisite experience for those with tastes that run to the esoteric.

Kind of a cross between the rolling atmospheric nature of Vinterriket, the classic template of Darkthrone and the occult stylings of Nehëmah.

The final track is a cover of a song by a band named Zerfell. They’re not a band I know but the track fits well with the other two and if anything is the more aggressive of the three.

By crikey this is good. I genuinely can’t wait for a full length from these.

Extremely highly recommended.

Lifestream – Post Ecstatic Experience (Review)

Lifestream are a French Black Metal band and this is their début album.

Lifestream play their Black Metal in a dark and atmospheric style that recalls the Norwegian scene at its height, and Emperor in particular.

Well-written songs are powered by blast beats and bile. Twisted guitars and winding, atypical melodies are used frequently to create unexpected avenues of musical exploration.

Keyboards are used to add extra layers, but not overly so; they enhance the overall atmosphere of the songs without drawing needless attention to themselves.

The songs draw you in and enclose you in a shroud of darkness that you’re only too happy to be smothered by. This is an ambitious and atmospheric release from a promising new aspirant and Lifestream show that they have what it takes to play in the big leagues.

An album like this draws influence from the Norwegian style, as mentioned, but also contains enough quintessential elements of the French scene to be identifiable as such. Underground, occult and inscrutable; Lifestream have created an ambitious and impressive 53 minutes of supreme Black Metal art.