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)”

Sacrilegion – From Which Nightmares Crawl (Review)

Sacrilegion - From Which Nightmares CrawlSacrilegion are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

From Which Nightmares Crawl contains 44 minutes of potent death metal that’s sure to make some underground waves. Combining brutal heaviness with an expressive melodic prowess, Sacrilegion’s death metal is both satisfying and rewarding. Continue reading “Sacrilegion – From Which Nightmares Crawl (Review)”

Altars Ablaze – Life Desecration (Review)

Altars Ablaze - Life DesecrationAltars Ablaze are a blackened death metal band from Czechia and this is their debut album.

Holy crap, now this is the stuff! 31 minutes of blistering blackened death metal that takes no prisoners and is utterly merciless. Life Desecration is pure evil and sounds absolutely great. Featuring current and ex-members of Brutally Deceased and Heaving Earth, Altars Ablaze know what they’re doing with their extreme metal. Continue reading “Altars Ablaze – Life Desecration (Review)”

Mare Infinitum – Cryosleep (Review)

Mare Infinitum - CryosleepThis is the third album from Russian doom metal band Mare Infinitum.

Cryosleep contains 47 minutes of epic symphonic doom metal, although these simple words don’t really do the music here sufficient justice. Mare Infinitum’s style takes a base of death/doom and then builds on this with lavish orchestration and operatic depth. Continue reading “Mare Infinitum – Cryosleep (Review)”

Kuolemanlaakso – Kuolleiden Laulu (Review)

Kuolemanlaakso - Kuolleiden LauluKuolemanlaakso are a Gothic metal band from Finland and this is their latest EP.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kuusumu from earlier in the year, so it’s pleasing – yet surprising – to have a new EP so soon. Apparently these songs were recorded at the same time as Kuusumu though, and in the words of the band, “We knew already when entering the studio that we’re going to record more than an album, as we had plenty of material to work on. Continue reading “Kuolemanlaakso – Kuolleiden Laulu (Review)”