Black metal – Page 170 – Wonderbox Metal

Invertia – Another Scheme of the Wicked (Review)

Invertia are from the US and play Industrial Black Metal.

This is a release of two halves – the first five tracks are the album songs, and then the second five tracks are the album songs remixed. Side A and a Side B if you like, with Side B being longer than the first.

This is inventive and oppressive as only the best of Black Metal can be.

As extreme as this is they still know how to write songs. As warped and twisted as they are, and also know a good hook when they hear one.

The heavy effects, samples and noise conspire with the Black Metal core to create a claustrophobic and dense listening experience that coils around your brain and won’t let go until you have sworn blind fealty and obedience.

The tracks offer a bruising Industrial pounding with their blackened atmosphere, and there is a fair amount of variety on these tracks that it almost seems like different bands playing sometimes. It certainly seems like they have about five vocalists. Don’t mistake this as criticism though, this is a top release.

And all this is even before we get to Side B; the remixes.

I’m not normally a fan of remixes, as they are rarely done well, (in my experience). Here is an exception though as these reinterpretations of the originals feel like a continuance of the album and a further exploration into the dark psyche of the band, rather than being some novelty just tacked onto the end of a release, as is so often the case.

Intriguing, harsh and exciting; this is an album to keep returning to.

Aurora Borealis – World Shapers (Review)

Aurora Borealis are from the US and play Black Metal with a Death Metal influence. This is the sixth album from this underrated veteran band.

I’m already a fan of this band so was eagerly looking forward to getting my grubby mitts on this one. Aurora Borealis have always been one of those band who have managed to be brutal, melodic, extreme and catchy all at the same time, and this new album of theirs is no exception.

The drums speed by like carpet bombs going off and the guitars are as razor sharp as always.

The vocals are harsh croaks that sound way better than they probably should and the vocalist always seems to come up with interesting rhythms and patterns for his voice.

The songs are no disappointment, with each one providing the riffs and melodies needed, as well us the right combination of brutality and restraint necessary for involving songs. The tracks are mainly in the 4:00-5:00 range and allow each song to develop and breathe without losing focus.

Another exemplary album of brutal Black Metal from this group of experts.

Rauhnåcht – Urzeitgeist (Review)

This is Austrian Black Metal played with style and fervour.

Harking back to the glory days of the cream of the second wave of Black Metal, Rauhnåcht evoke the same feelings of mystical grandeur that bands like Emperor and Gehenna were so good at playing back in the 90’s.

The cold Black guitars are accentuated with keyboards that are obvious enough to help steer the songs but subtle enough to not be overwhelming. They provide an intoxicating accompaniment to the other instruments.

The songs charge, stalk, slash or prowl through their playing time, depending on the kind of mood the band are going for. Rauhnåcht seem perfectly willing and capable to excel at either fast or slow sections, usually both and everything in-between during the space of a song. Due to this the shortest song is 5:56, (Urzeitgeist), and the longest is 10:08, (Rauhnachtskind).

Vocals hiss like corrosive steam escaping from a vent, reminding me of the vocalist of Naglfar in their delivery. Subdued cleans also make an appearance at select moments and these are not over-used.

I really enjoyed this album. Along with the recent release from Akrotheism this has made me very happy that there are bands out there still doing this style of non-symphonic atmospheric Black Metal and doing it really, really well.

Treat yourself to this.

Panychida – Grief for an Idol (Review)

This is the third album by Panychida who come from the Czech Republic. They play Black Metal with a heavy Pagan influence.

Take a powerful Black Metal core, add some atmospherics and keyboards, infuse a bit of Primordial and old Dimmu Borgir into it and soak in a heady strain of Paganism and you have a good starting point for Panychida.

The songs are stirring and involving. They have aggression and exploration written into the guitars, as well as a good amount of epic Metal riffage.

Panychida offer a good variety of vocals, with almost every type making an appearance – screams, growls, whispers, cleans; they’re all here and all done well. Krastina (Grief for the Idol) is a great example of this as the vocals alternate between all of these and more in a short space of time.

Folk influences and instrumentation appear and these are done well without sounding out of place.

Panychida have produced a quality album. Give them a listen and see what you think.

Suffering – Chaosatanas (Review)

This is the first EP from Polish Black Metallers Suffering.

They blast off straight away into hyper-speed Satanic Black Metal with fingernail-scraping vocals and a sound that can kill small animals.

They also know when to slow down though and lock into a prime Darkthrone-esque groove that lets the Blackness develop and embrace the listener fully.

The riffs are as sharp as swords and the bleak melodies are as cold as death. Each song passes by in a daze of frozen distortion and melodic twilight.

The vocals are to be commended as they are ultra scratchy and are absolutely full of venom and hatred for all. Spewed out over blast beats and icy melodies it can be quite the Hell-raising experience.

Almost 29 minutes of darkness and Devil worship. Who doesn’t love Black Metal, eh?

Paramnesia/Unru – Split (Review)

Paramnesia are a French Black Metal band and their half of this split is a track enigmatically named III.

This is epic, searing and mystical Black Metal with some atmospheric Post-Metal/Doom sections included in the 15 minute play time. If you think of Black Metal such as Deafheaven you’ll be in the right area stylistically.

The song is very well laid out and evokes the appropriate feelings of Blackened tragedy and remorse. The sound, and in particular the drum sound, is flawless and allows the song to shine brightly.

Unru are from Germany, play Black Metal and they contribute a song called Die Welt in der wir sterben to this release.

Unru’s offering is a real mood-builder, with melody and Post-Metal influences tempered against the harsh, icy Black Metal core. The anguished vocals slice through the music and as with Paramnesia’s track the sound is first-rate and everything flows perfectly.

The song is almost 13 minutes of involving and caustic Black Metal that draws the listener in and holds attention.

A top quality release from two top quality bands. I can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t get hold of this Split straight away. Do it now!

Barbelith – Untitled (Review)

This is the latest from US Depressive Black/Post-Metal band Barbelith.

Their first EP was a corker, so I was looking forward to what this 2 track release would bring.

As with their previous release the band enshroud themselves in bleakness and woe, with anguished, tortured vocals lashing out at an uncaring world and a fate undeserved.

Barbelith manage to combine a mournful atmosphere with a style of Blackened Hardcore for the first track Caverns of the Mind. It’s interesting as the song seems to gain and lose momentum multiple times during its 6 minute length, switching between Depressive Black Metal and Blackened Hardcore as if it’s never sure whether it wants to end it all now or persevere for one final, desperate lunge at life.

The second song Rebirth takes less of its cues from Hardcore and more from Post-Metal, while retaining the aura of misery and lost hope. It has somewhat of a Deinonychus feel to it and as such is swamped in negative feelings and emotions; unlike the pure-strain misery of Deinonychus however, the net result here is strangely uplifting. The addition of angelic clean vocals as a background juxtaposition is an inspired choice.

2 tracks, 12 minutes. Utterly worth it.

Cultfinder – Hell’s Teeth (Review)

This is UK band Cultfinder and they play Black Metal with a hefty Thrash influence.

A relatively short release of 24 minutes; after a perfunctory intro, (and one interlude), we get 5 tracks of blazing, bestial Blackened Thrash full of Satanic energy coursing through its corrupted veins.

The songs are primitive and atavistic, harking back to simpler times of a purified Metal lineage without outside influences or detractions. The band are fully aware of the path they tread and do so with pride.

The vocals bark their way from the gutter and scrape like nails down a blackboard. Even so, they manage to effectively deliver a wealth of hooks.

The wills of the various musicians are nefariously bent towards the creation and propagation of primeval Metal, and they do this admirably and to full effect. The songs and the riffs stick in the brain even after the final song The Scourging Angel ends in a squeal of feedback.

Apart from a previously released demo this is the band’s first release, and thus is laid a foundation for the future. A terrifying future where Cultfinder’s Blackened vision has come to pass. Get in on the action early and have a listen to Hell’s Teeth.

Eissturm – The Purpose (Review)

This is US band Eissturm and they play Black Metal with Ambient and Folk touches.

This is Black Metal in the style of Vinterrikket with Metal tracks interspersed with more Ambient, Folky numbers.

In the Metal parts the guitars are fuzzy, atmospheric and concentrate on building mood with layers of ice cold depth. It’s heavily distorted and laden with reverberation.

The guitars aim to create maximum emotion and the extra effects create a veneer of feeling that radiates outwards from the songs like a cyclone.

The vocals are either emitted like static; scratching and screeching their way through the storms, or howling and tortured; crying out in anguish against the wind.

The ambient tracks reinforce the fact that this is Black Metal born of a frigid, desolate environment where survival is hard and night is perpetual. Each one adds to the mystique and flavour of the album and draws you into their world even more.

Like walking through a snowstorm in a barren landscape with no food or shelter for days. Icy and atmospheric Ambient Black Metal done well.

Sammath – Godless Arrogance (Review)

This is Sammath’s fifth album of Black Metal misanthropy from the Netherlands.

Oh but this takes me back! This is for the people who couldn’t get enough of Panzer Division Marduk – this has the same intensity and visceral assault.

Straight away the band are a whirlwind of razorblade riffs and frenzied drumming. As brutal as a stabbing and as clinical as a missile; these songs are not interested in who gets hurt but only in the wanton amount of collateral damage they can cause.

Accompanied by savage vocals sharp enough to tear reality the music is ferocious and vicious as only scathing Black Metal can be.

Dark melodies cloaked under waves of rhythmic misanthropy truly manifest themselves over time in the 8 hymns to warfare and death that the band deliver.

This is cold and violent. This is murderous and intense. This is Godless Arrogance.