Sur Austru – Meteahna Timpurilor (Review)

Sur Austru - Meteahna TimpurilorSur Austru are an atmospheric black/folk metal band from Romania and this is their debut album.

Featuring ex-members of Negura Bunget, Sur Austru play a black/folk metal hybrid that has surprised me by how much I’ve enjoyed it. Continue reading “Sur Austru – Meteahna Timpurilor (Review)”

White Ward – Love Exchange Failure (Review)

White Ward - Love Exchange FailureThis is the second album from White Ward, a Ukrainian post-black metal band.

2017’s Futility Report was striking and enjoyable, mixing cold black metal with an avant-garde modern edge. Compared to Love Exchange Failure, however, it’s almost as if Futility Report was the prototype of this new album. Expanded Continue reading “White Ward – Love Exchange Failure (Review)”

Ossomancer – Artes Magickae (Review)

Ossomancer - Artes MagickaeOssomancer is a black metal entity from the US and this is their debut album.

Ossomancer combine old and new, taking a base of second wave black metal and transporting it to the present day. Continue reading “Ossomancer – Artes Magickae (Review)”

Haunter – Sacramental Death Qualia (Review)

Haunter - Sacramental Death QualiaThis is the second album from US black/death metallers Haunter.

Sacramental Death Qualia is a mutant, constantly-shifting hybrid of progressive black/death metal. Mixing impenetrable dissonance with grim blackened melody and classic progressive beauty, the music combines darkness and light in such way that it can be almost jarring on Continue reading “Haunter – Sacramental Death Qualia (Review)”

Winterfylleth – The Siege of Mercia: Live at Bloodstock Festival 2017 (Review)

Winterfylleth - The Siege of Mercia Live at Bloodstock Festival 2017This is a live album from Winterfylleth, a black metal band from the UK.

Winterfylleth are one of those bands that I always think I should have gotten around to listening to by now, but never have. As such, this live album seemed like as good a place as any to sample their wares. Containing five live tracks taken from the band’s first four albums, and a synth version of a track off their second album The Mercian Sphere, we are overall presented with 49 minutes of material in its entirety. Continue reading “Winterfylleth – The Siege of Mercia: Live at Bloodstock Festival 2017 (Review)”

Asagraum – Dawn of Infinite Fire (Review)

Asagraum - Dawn of Infinite FireAsagraum are an international black metal band and this is their second album.

After 2017’s enjoyable Potestas Magicum Diaboli, Asagraum are now back with another 46 minutes of second wave black metal worship. Continue reading “Asagraum – Dawn of Infinite Fire (Review)”

Runespell – Voice of Opprobrium (Review)

Runespell - Voice of OpprobriumRunespell is a solo black metal band from Australia, and this is his third album.

I’ve enjoyed both Unhallowed Blood Oath and Order of Vengeance, and now this new album, hot on the heels of the previous one, has arrived to sate my never-ending thirst for black metal. Continue reading “Runespell – Voice of Opprobrium (Review)”

Eclipser – Pathos (Review)

Eclipser - PathosThis is the debut album from Canadian black metallers Eclipser.

This is black metal played with dark brutality and dissonant intensity. It’s a blackened hybrid that focuses more on black metal than anything else, but still finds time to incorporate death metal elements into itself with a voracious hunger. It’s Continue reading “Eclipser – Pathos (Review)”

Aludra – Mass Stellar Graves (Review)

Aludra - Mass Stellar GravesThis is the second album from Aludra, a black metal band from the US.

This is cosmic-themed black metal, raw and hostile. The album features the vocalist of Ancient Hostility, and her piercing shrieks ring out from the music in streaks of colourless power. Her performance is enjoyable and forceful, providing the songs Continue reading “Aludra – Mass Stellar Graves (Review)”