Cryfemal – Puro Carbon (Review)

Cryfemal - Puro CarbonCryfemal are a Spanish black metal band and this is their latest release.

Despite it being their ninth album, I only got into Cryfemal last year, on 2023’s La Gran Victoria del Mal, and I’ve still got much catching up to do. Apparently there’s no rest for the wicked though, as the band are already back and raring to go, with their 23-minute new release Puro Carbon. Continue reading “Cryfemal – Puro Carbon (Review)”

Primrose Path – Ruminations (Review)

Primrose Path - RuminationsThis is the debut album from Australian progressive metal band Primrose Path.

The promo blurb says this is for fans of Opeth, Tesseract, Mastodon, and Gojira, which should give you a starting point for approaching the 43-minute Ruminations. Now here’s an underground gem that likely won’t stay underground for long. Continue reading “Primrose Path – Ruminations (Review)”

Vacuous – In His Blood (Review)

Vacuous - In His BloodThis is the second album from UK death metallers Vacuous.

2022’s Dreams of Dysphoria was a record that stood out from the crowd with its own take on a darker version of old-school death metal. As a result, I’ve been really looking forward to In His Blood. Can lightning strike twice? Continue reading “Vacuous – In His Blood (Review)”

Grima – Nightside (Review)

Grima - NightsideThis is the sixth album from Russian black metal band Grima.

2022’s Frostbitten was an enjoyable record of atmospheric black metal, so I was looking forward to hearing Nightside. It’s a collection of mood-rich tracks that offers an enthralling journey into the cold blackened night. Continue reading “Grima – Nightside (Review)”

Ofnus – Valediction (Review)

Ofnus - ValedictionThis is the second album from UK black metal band Ofnus.

Ofnus, (who feature an ex-member of Agrona), present us with 58 minutes of atmospheric black metal on Valediction. I’d heard good things about the band’s debut album, (I need to go check that out), but this is my first time hearing Ofnus and they have exceeded expectations. Continue reading “Ofnus – Valediction (Review)”

Insanity Cult – Κάθοδος (Review)

Insanity Cult - ΚάθοδοςInsanity Cult are a black metal band from Greece and this is their fourth album.

New Insanity Cult is always worth taking time out of your busy day to explore. Κάθοδος, (or Kathodos), contains 37 minutes of material for us to experience, and is their shortest and most caustic record yet. Continue reading “Insanity Cult – Κάθοδος (Review)”

Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations (Review)

Sepulchral Curse - Crimson Moon EvocationsThis is the third album from Sepulchral Curse, a Finnish death metal band.

Sepulchral Curse have never let me down yet. Ever since discovering their dark brand of extremity on their 2016 EP At the Onset of Extinction, they have loomed large in my mind as quality purveyors of blackened death metal. Their first two albums – 2020’s Only Ashes Remain and 2023’s Abhorrent Dimensions – were both extremely enjoyable, so we turn to their third one with great expectations. Continue reading “Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations (Review)”

Havukruunu – Tavastland (Review)

Havukruunu - TavastlandHavukruunu are a Finnish black metal band and this is their fourth album.

Tavastland is the 54-minute follow up to 2020’s well-regarded Uinuos Syömein Sota, and is an album I’ve been looking forward to hearing. Havukruunu play black metal with heavy, folk, and pagan metal influences, and their latest record continues their ascent. Continue reading “Havukruunu – Tavastland (Review)”

Celestial Scourge – Observers of the Inevitable (Review)

Celestial Scourge - Observers of the InevitableCelestial Scourge are a Norwegian death metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring members of Blood Red Throne and Deception, Celestial Scourge are here to destroy. Observers of the Inevitable contains 30 minutes of brutal technical death metal, and it’s a raging mass of controlled savagery. Continue reading “Celestial Scourge – Observers of the Inevitable (Review)”