Inferno – Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity) (Review)

Inferno - Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity)Inferno are a black metal band from the Czech Republic and this is their eighth album.

I always enjoy a new encounter with the work from Inferno. Both 2013’s Omniabsence Filled by His Greatness and 2017’s Gnosis Kardias (of Transcension and Involution) were enjoyable and satisfying examples of sophisticated black metal art. Continue reading “Inferno – Paradeigma (Phosphenes of Aphotic Eternity) (Review)”

Nordjevel – Fenriir (Review)

Nordjevel - FenriirNordjevel are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their latest EP.

This EP contains two new songs exclusive to this release, one new song that will be on the band’s upcoming album, a live track, and a cover of a Possessed song. All told, it’s 23 minutes of material. Continue reading “Nordjevel – Fenriir (Review)”

Order of the Wolf/Pessimista – Split (Review)

Order of the Wolf Pessimista - SplitThis is a split between two solo bands rooted in black metal – Order of the Wolf from the UK and Pessimista from Brazil.

This actually came out last year originally, but is now getting a tape release. This is my first encounter with both bands, and this split acts as a very good introduction to them. Continue reading “Order of the Wolf/Pessimista – Split (Review)”

Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)

Coldcell - The Greater EvilThis is the fourth album from Swiss black metallers Coldcell.

Featuring the drummer of Schammasch and guest vocals on two songs by the singer of Zatokrev, Coldcell spend 49 minutes delivering atmospheric modern black metal that’s sinister and layered with existential dread. Continue reading “Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)”

Cicada the Burrower – Corpseflower (Review)

Cicada the Burrower - CorpseflowerThis is the fourth album from one-woman black metal band Cicada the Burrower.

Corpseflower is an intriguing and engaging collection of tracks that mix jazz, post-hardcore, psychedelic rock, and post-rock into a 31-minute progressive/post-black metal framework that also incorporates elements of blackgaze and depressive black metal. Continue reading “Cicada the Burrower – Corpseflower (Review)”

Spectral Lore – Ετερόφωτος (Review)

Spectral Lore - ΕτερόφωτοςSpectral Lore is a one-man Greek atmospheric black metal band, and this is his fifth album.

I was quite excited to see a new Spectral Lore release so soon after the masterful Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine – a colossal split with Mare Cognitum. This new album is pretty colossal too, containing a whopping 79 minutes of music, and it’s every bit as good as you think it is for the most part. Continue reading “Spectral Lore – Ετερόφωτος (Review)”

Mānbryne – Heilsweg: O Udręce Ciała I Tułaczce Duszy (Review)

Mānbryne - O Udręce Ciała I Tułaczce DuszyThis is the debut album from Polish black metallers Mānbryne.

Featuring members of Blaze of Perdition, Odraza, and Voidhanger, Mānbryne grabbed my attention right out of the gate. On Heilsweg: O Udręce Ciała I Tułaczce Duszy the band offer up 41-minutes of malevolent black metal, and it is very gratefully received. Continue reading “Mānbryne – Heilsweg: O Udręce Ciała I Tułaczce Duszy (Review)”

Corr Mhóna – Abhainn (Review)

Corr Mhóna - AbhainnThis is the second album from Irish black metal band Corr Mhóna.

Abhainn is a 56-minute progressive black metal album that also contains a healthy amount of doom and folk influences. It’s ambitious and bold, but also very striking and well-realised. The band have clearly put a lot into this work, and it shows; Abhainn is Continue reading “Corr Mhóna – Abhainn (Review)”

Utburd – Story of Frozen Souls (Review)

Utburd - Story of Frozen SoulsThis is the third album from Russian one-man black metal band Utburd.

Story of Frozen Souls is the 58-minute follow up to 2018’s The Horrors Untold.

Utburd’s music is a mix of the atmospheric Continue reading “Utburd – Story of Frozen Souls (Review)”

Saille – V (Review)

Saille - VThis is the fifth album from Belgian black metallers Saille.

Following on from 2014’s Eldritch and 2017’s Gnosis, Saille now return with V, which contains 46 minutes of new material. Saille are not the same band we have met in the past, however. The 2021 incarnation of Saille is Continue reading “Saille – V (Review)”