Sammale – Sammale (Review)

Sammale - SammaleThis is the debut album from Finnish one-man black metal act Sammale.

Brought to us by a member of Marrasmieli, Sammale contains 32 minutes of atmospheric folk-tinged black metal. With just over half an hour of material the artist behind Sammale has delivered an album that can effortlessly be replayed over and over again. Continue reading “Sammale – Sammale (Review)”

Eihort – Consuming the Light (Review)

Eihort - Consuming the LightThis is the debut album from UK black metallers Eihort.

Consuming the Light consists of six original blackened hymns and a Samael cover. All told, we’re given 33 minutes of classic black metal from a band that obviously know and love the style very much. Continue reading “Eihort – Consuming the Light (Review)”

Jours Pâles – Tensions (Review)

Jours Pâles - TensionsThis is the second album from French post-black metal band Jours Pâles.

Last year’s Éclosion came out of nowhere and hugely impressed me. I ended up enjoying it so much it appeared on my end of year list too. I wasn’t expecting another album so soon, but here we are with Tensions, which contains 61 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Tensions (Review)”

Rudra – Eight Mahavidyas (Review)

Rudra - Eight MahavidyasRudra are a black/thrash metal band from Singapore. This is their tenth album.

I last caught up with Rudra on 2016’s Enemy of Duality, so it’s good to be able to see what they’re up to six years later. Eight Mahavidyas is a 58-minute folk-influenced black/death metal album that is worth getting to know, and getting to know well. Continue reading “Rudra – Eight Mahavidyas (Review)”

Misþyrming – Með Hamri (Review)

Misþyrming - Með HamriMisþyrming are a black metal band from Iceland and this is their third album.

Following on from 2019’s splendid Algleymi, Misþyrming have now returned with 44 minutes of new material on Með Hamri. Prepare yourself for the sort of album that carves its name into the landscape for all to see its metallic glory and tremble at its approach.

Continue reading “Misþyrming – Með Hamri (Review)”

Chamber of Mirrors – Shadow Kingdom (Review)

Chamber of Mirrors - Shadow KingdomThis is the debut album from US one-man black metal act Chamber of Mirrors.

Delivering 35 minutes of underground black metal, Shadow Kingdom is a good showcase for what the artist behind Chamber of Mirrors is capable of. Continue reading “Chamber of Mirrors – Shadow Kingdom (Review)”

Dødsengel – Bab Al On (Review)

Dødsengel - Bab Al OnThis is the fifth album from Norwegian black metal band Dødsengel.

I haven’t caught up with Dødsengel in a while, but enjoyed both their 2013 split with Nightbringer – Circumambulations of the Solar Inferno – and their 2017 album Interequinox, so when Bab Al On appeared with its very striking album art, I knew I wanted to explore that it had to offer. Continue reading “Dødsengel – Bab Al On (Review)”

Imha Tarikat – Hearts Unchained – At War with a Passionless World (Review)

Imha Tarikat - Hearts Unchained - At War with a Passionless WorldThis is the third album from German black metal band Imha Tarikat.

Imha Tarikat’s well-written contemporary black metal is satisfying and rewarding to listen to. It combines elements from the modern and classic styles into something all of its own. Elements of hard rock, heavy Continue reading “Imha Tarikat – Hearts Unchained – At War with a Passionless World (Review)”

Udånde – Slow Death – A Celebration of Self-Hatred (Review)

Udånde - Slow Death - A Celebration of Self-HatredUdånde is a black metal solo act from Slovakia.

After enjoying 2021’s Life of a Purist, I wasn’t expecting to see a new Udånde album so soon, but I’m not complaining. Providing us with 39 minutes of melancholic black metal, 2022’s Udånde offers a harrowing journey into nightmare and desolation. Continue reading “Udånde – Slow Death – A Celebration of Self-Hatred (Review)”