Reviews – Page 66 – Wonderbox Metal

Ende – L’aube des Anathèmes (Review)

Ende are a French black metal band and this is their sixth album.

I always like being able to catch up with Ende’s work. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, make sure you check out 2015’s The Rebirth of I, 2017’s Emën Etan, or 2018’s Goétie Funeste, (or indeed any of their other work), and you’ll be assured of encountering an album of traditional black metal that’s worth your time. Which brings us to the 41 minutes of new material on L’aube des Anathèmes; has Ende’s quality streak continued? Continue reading “Ende – L’aube des Anathèmes (Review)”

Crystal Viper – The Silver Key (Review)

Crystal Viper are a Polish heavy metal band and this is their ninth album.

Despite being nine albums into their career, this is my first encounter with Crystal Viper. Containing 11 tracks of classic heavy metal, The Silver Key is 47 minutes, (with the Bathory cover song), of solid, old-fashioned metal. Continue reading “Crystal Viper – The Silver Key (Review)”

200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures (Review)

This is the second album from US death metallers 200 Stab Wounds.

With a name like 200 Stab Wounds, you know this is going to be brutal, and if you weren’t sure, then the album cover would surely confirm it. Manual Manic Procedures contains 29 minutes of bloodthirsty cruelty, and if you’re a death metal fan then it’s an easy album to enjoy getting punched around by. Continue reading “200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures (Review)”

Pijn – From Low Beams of Hope (Review)

This is the second album from Pijn, a post-rock/metal band from the UK.

From Low Beams of Hope is a four-track, 45-minute affair that merges elements of post-rock, post-metal, ambient, drone, and doom into an expressive whole. It’s an instrumental release, and should find great appeal with fans of acts such as Mogwai, Briqueville, Explosions in the Sky, Years of Rice & Salt, A Burial at Sea, Russian Circles, Red Sparowes, Pelican, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, etc. Continue reading “Pijn – From Low Beams of Hope (Review)”

Aklash – Reincarnation (Review)

This is the fourth album from UK black metal band Aklash.

According to the promo blurb, Aklash “…cite Drudkh, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Judas Priest as key influences”, which sounds like an interesting enough mix to me to merit further investigation. That description doesn’t quite do Reincarnation justice though, as Aklash’s music is diverse and rich. Continue reading “Aklash – Reincarnation (Review)”

Scene Queen – Hot Singles in Your Area (Review)

This is the debut album from US solo metalcore band Scene Queen.

Now for something a little different. The artist behind Scene Queen offers up a clash of metalcore and chart music that’s shockingly good. It almost doesn’t need stating that this is not the sort of thing I gravitate to normally, but this is simply too good to pass up; as soon as I gave it a chance, I knew it had me. Continue reading “Scene Queen – Hot Singles in Your Area (Review)”

Spawned from Hate – Elective Amputation (Review)

Spawned from Hate are a UK death metal band and this is the debut album.

So here we are then, the long overdue first album from Spawned from Hate. I enjoyed 2015’s EP Accelerated Butchery, as well as their 2018 promo, but then…the slaughterhouse went silent.

No longer. Continue reading “Spawned from Hate – Elective Amputation (Review)”

Julie Christmas – Ridiculous and Full of Blood (Review)

This is the second solo album from the iconic Julie Christmas, who plays a vert individual brand of rock/metal.

A new solo album from one of the best artists in the business, a mere 14 years after her last one? Someone who has one of the most individual and simply fantastic singing voices ever, and has given us some classic albums from bands like Battle of Mice and Made out of Babies? An artist who even managed to elevate the pretty much untouchable Cult of Luna to unexpectedly higher levels of excellence on Mariner? New songs from her? Sign me up without hesitation. Continue reading “Julie Christmas – Ridiculous and Full of Blood (Review)”

Construct of Lethe – A Kindness Dealt in Venom (Review)

This is the third album from US death metal band Construct of Lethe.

Construct of Lethe’s last album Exiler came out in 2018, and was a brutal affair of merciless death metal. The band have moved on since then, and A Kindness Dealt in Venom offers up a mix of death and black metal, with touches of doom, and further enriched by electronics, synths, and industrial elements. Its foundation is a death metal one, but it’s not limited to purely this genre. Continue reading “Construct of Lethe – A Kindness Dealt in Venom (Review)”

Inherits the Void – Scars of Yesteryears (Review)

This is the third album from French one-man black metal band Inherits the Void.

Hot on the heels of last year’s The Impending Fall of the Stars, the artist behind Inherits the Void has returned with 44 minutes of new material with Scars of Yesteryears. Are you concerned about the lack of time between releases? Don’t be, as Scars of Yesteryears is a cracking album. Continue reading “Inherits the Void – Scars of Yesteryears (Review)”