This is the second album from US one-man black metal band Starer.
Hot on the heels of last year’s 18° Below the Horizon, (which made it into my year end list), the artist behind the band has returned already. This time he’s packing 50 minutes of new material spread out over four grandiose songs. Continue reading “Starer – The What It Is to Be (Review)”
This is the second album from Black Fucking Cancer, a black metal band from the US.
What can you say about a band with a name like Black Fucking Cancer, other than to describe them as sounding completely and utterly evil? 2016’s Black Fucking Cancer and 2019’s Boundless Arcane Invokations – Split with Gloam, both impressed me with their malignant take on underground black metal, so when Procreate Inverse raised its ugly head, I knew I had to prepare myself for a beating. Continue reading “Black Fucking Cancer – Procreate Inverse (Review)”
This is the third album from UK black metal act Sidious.
I’ve enjoyed watching Sidious develop from their symphonic black/death beginnings, (Revealed in Profane Splendour), to their metamorphosis into the pure black metal form of their last album, (Temporal). Now we have Blackest Insurrection, where the band spend 48 minutes showcasing a refinement of their raw blackened assault. Out of the two, I’d say that this is the superior release when compared to Temporal, and it’s great to hear the band improving their sound. Continue reading “Sidious – Blackest Insurrection (Review)”
This is the second album from Ukrainian one-woman blackened doom band Sidus Atrum.
Spiral of Life contains 40 minutes of modern black metal mixed with death/doom elements. It’s an album that uses its influences well, taking strengths from both styles to produce something very enjoyable and engaging. Continue reading “Sidus Atrum – Spiral of Life (Review)”
This is the debut album from Cailleach Calling, a black metal band from the US.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Dawn of Ouroboros, Botanist, and White Ward, Dreams of Fragmentation contains 40 minutes of music spread out over four tracks. Continue reading “Cailleach Calling – Dreams of Fragmentation (Review)”
Mara are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2019’s enjoyable RÖK, Loka Mær delivers a scant 26 minutes, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Continue reading “Mara – Loka Mær (Review)”
Krvl are a Belgian post-black metal band and this is their debut album.
On Kravaal we are treated to a traditional blackened sound that’s been augmented with modern elements. Krvl combine a 90s second wave influence with a modern black metal approach that Continue reading “Krvl – Kravaal (Review)”
This is the second album from Izthmi, a black metal band from the US.
Izthmi play an atmospheric form of modern progressive black metal. Continue reading “Izthmi – Leaving This World, Leaving It All Behind (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Norwegian blackgaze/post-metal one-woman act Sylvaine.
Nova is a highly atmospheric journey. If you’re a fan of the shoegaze/blackgaze genres, then this is for you. The promo blurb states that this is for fans of bands such as Alcest, Deafheaven, Harakiri for the Sky, and Emma Ruth Rundle, and it’s hard to argue with that. Continue reading “Sylvaine – Nova (Review)”
Archvile King is a solo black metal band from France and this is his debut album.
The music of Archvile King is that of classic black metal mixed with elements of thrash, punk, and folk. The latter style is lesser-heard in general, but can be detected in some of the melodies and the occasional acoustic guitar, (and is especially apparent in tracks like Chroniques du Royaume Avili and À la Ruine). The punk and thrash elements are embedded in parts of the blackened guitars that rage and tear out of the speakers like envenomed claws. Continue reading “Archvile King – À la Ruine (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 