Ritual Mass – Cascading Misery (Review)

Ritual Mass - Cascading MiseryThis is the debut album from US death metallers Ritual Mass.

Cascading Misery brings us a filth-ridden 41 minutes of hideous death metal darkness, replete with a crushing dose of doom. Ritual Mass dominate through a terrifying blend of ferocity and dread-inducing atmosphere. Continue reading “Ritual Mass – Cascading Misery (Review)”

Still in Love – Recovery Language (Review)

Still in Love - Recovery LanguageThis is the debut album from UK hardcore band Still in Love.

Containing 23 minutes of metallic hardcore heaviness, Recovery Language is a wrecking ball of a record, although it hits a little different than you may be expecting. Continue reading “Still in Love – Recovery Language (Review)”

Esoctrilihum – Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm (Review)

Esoctrilihum - Ghostigmatah - Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp AbxulömThis is the twelfth album from French one-man black metal band Esoctrilihum.

It’s always a pleasure to get a new Esoctrilihum release. If you’re familiar with the artist’s past work, (such as 2018’s Pandaemorthium (Forbidden Formulas to Awaken the Blind Sovereigns of Nothingness), 2021’s Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath, 2022’s Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh, 2023’s Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac, or 2024’s Döth-Dernyàlh), you’ll know that you never quite know quite what to expect from this prolific and idiosyncratic artist. What does the 87-minute Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm have in store for us? Continue reading “Esoctrilihum – Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm (Review)”

Tine – A Winter Horrorscape (Review)

Tine - A Winter HorrorscapeThis is the third album from US solo symphonic black/death metal act Tine.

Tine made a very positive impression on me with 2015’s The Forest Dreams of Black, and followed this up well with 2022’s Mergae Maris Profundi. As such, it’s with expectation that we turn to the 42 minutes of new material that A Winter Horrorscape provides us with. Continue reading “Tine – A Winter Horrorscape (Review)”

Cult Burial – Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of Dust (Review)

Cult Burial - Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of DustThis is the third album from Cult Burial, a blackened death metal band from the UK.

Following on from 2020’s Cult Burial and 2023’s Reverie of the Malignant comes Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of Dust, which brings us a new 42 minutes of Cult Burial’s blackened malevolence. Continue reading “Cult Burial – Collapse of Pattern, Reverence of Dust (Review)”

Vörnir – Av Hädanfärd Krönt (Review)

Vörnir - Av Hädanfärd KröntThis is the debut album by international black metal band Vörnir.

Brought to us by current/ex-members of Chaos Moon, Dagger Lust, Häxanu, Krieg, Triumvir Foul, Osgraef, Ringarë, Skáphe, Wormlust, and many, many, many more, Vörnir is a new band with a wealth of experience. All of which made me very interested to check out the 38 minutes of material on Av Hädanfärd Krönt. Continue reading “Vörnir – Av Hädanfärd Krönt (Review)”

Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)

Pestilential Shadows - WretchThis is the eighth album from Australian black metal band Pestilential Shadows.

For such a long-running band this is my first encounter with Pestilential Shadows. Wretch caught my eye though, with its 48 minutes of material that satisfies my taste for all things old-school black metal. Continue reading “Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)”

Autrest – Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves (Review)

Autrest - Burning Embers, Forgotten WolvesThis is the second album from Brazilian solo black metal act Autrest.

On Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves, the artist behind Autrest provides us with 42 minutes of nature-inspired atmospheric black metal. It’s well crafted, and the artist clearly knows what he’s doing. Continue reading “Autrest – Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves (Review)”

Hasard – Abgnose (Review)

Hasard - AbgnoseThis is the second album from one-man black metal band Hasard.

This is the 46-minute follow up to 2023’s Malivore, which showcased the artist behind Hasard’s vision for dark, nightmarish black metal. Abgnose contains an idiosyncratic form of dissonant avant-garde black metal, one that’s enriched with dark orchestral symphonics as part of its journey into the abyss. Continue reading “Hasard – Abgnose (Review)”

Sarastus – Agony Eternal (Review)

Sarastus - Agony EternalThis is the third album from Finnish black metallers Sarastus.

Agony Eternal contains 42 minutes of material, and is brought to us by current/ex-members of Iron Harvest and Order of Nosferat. Sarastus unleash their classic black metal might in no uncertain terms across these nine songs. It’s Finnish melodic black metal, played with cold fury and a fiery heart. Continue reading “Sarastus – Agony Eternal (Review)”