This is the second album from Dutch black metal solo act Verwoed.
Drawn in by the evocative cover art, I approached The Mother with expectations of dark splendour and vicious aggression. I soon found more than I had bargained for, as the artist behind Verwoed took me on a multifaceted 44-minute journey into the sort of black metal waters that are normally best avoided due to how vibrant, otherworldly, and treacherous they are. Continue reading “Verwoed – The Mother (Review)”
This is the second album from Vorga, a German black metal band.
With 2022’s Striving Toward Oblivion Vorga made a notable impact in the world of melodic black metal. Now they’re back with Beyond the Palest Star, which delivers another sci-fi trip through 43 minutes of sharp melodic aggression. Continue reading “Vorga – Beyond the Palest Star (Review)”
Sacrificial Vein are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
Containing the singer of Nothingness in their ranks, Sacrificial Vein play avant-garde/dissonant black metal. Black Terror Genesis is a 47-minute journey into darkness. Continue reading “Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)”
This is the debut album from Norwegian solo black metal act Udåd.
Brought to us by the artist behind Mork, Udåd contains 47 minutes of raw, old-school black metal. Udåd contains primal blackened energies that are channelled directly from the early 90s, but given a creative twist of the knife by the artist’s keen vision. Continue reading “Udåd – Udåd (Review)”
Wormwitch are a black metal band from Canada and Sadistic Ritual are a thrash metal band from the US.
Barring a couple of singles in 2022, this is the first we’ve heard from Wormwitch since 2021’s Wolf Hex, (also make sure you check out 2019’s Heaven That Dwells Within if you haven’t already), so these three songs – 16 minutes of new material – are a welcome sight. Continue reading “Wormwitch/Sadistic Ritual – Split (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swedish black metal band Dödsrit.
Whereas each of Dödsrit’s well-regarded previous albums, (including 2018’s top notch Spirit Crusher), contained four songs, Nocturnal Will breaks with tradition and delivers six tracks in total, (although to be fair one is a sub-minute interlude). Continue reading “Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will (Review)”
This is the second album from Acathexis, an international black metal band.
Acathexis is given dark life by Jacob Buczarski(, the artist behind the amazing Mare Cognitum), the insanely prolific Déhà, (COAG, Cult of Erinyes, Silver Knife, Slow, We All Die (Laughing), and many others), and a singer from some bands I don’t know, (Dany Tee, from Los Males del Mundo and Seelenmord). Immerse may only have four songs, but with a total duration of 50 minutes, there’s a lot here to delve deeply into. The album is Well-named, and the songs are sprawling and immersive. Continue reading “Acathexis – Immerse (Review)”
This is the fifth album from international black metal band Order of Nosferat.
I was introduced only last year to Order of Nosferat on their split with Lunar Spells, and I fell for them hard. Given the chance to explore a full album of their vampiric black metal supremacy, how could I resist? Continue reading “Order of Nosferat – The Absence of Grace (Review)”
Khold are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their eighth album.
Du Dømmes til Død contains 33 minutes of black metal that’s primitive and deadly. Khold’s latest release hits the spot nicely. Continue reading “Khold – Du Dømmes til Død (Review)”
Imperatus are a Vietnamese black metal band and this is their debut album.
Imperatus play second wave black metal that’s spiced up with thrash and death metal flavouring. The promo blurb states that this is for fans of Marduk, Immortal, Nordjevel, and Dark Funeral, which sets the scene nicely for what At the Mercy of the Wind has to offer. Continue reading “Imperatus – At the Mercy of the Wind (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 