Räum are a Belgian black metal band and this is their second album.
Following on from 2023’s Cursed by the Crown comes the 44-minute Emperor of the Sun. This new record builds on Räum’s past achievements, making for a very enjoyable slice of modern black metal. Continue reading “Räum – Emperor of the Sun (Review)”
Decline of the I are a French post-black metal band and this is their fifth album.
Ahh, I do so enjoy a new Decline of the I album. Every album I seem to like more and more too. 2015’s Rebellion, 2018’s Escape, and especially 2021’s Johannes, were all very good records, and I’d recommend them all. Which brings us to Wilhelm, and the 48 minutes of new material it has to offer us. Continue reading “Decline of the I – Wilhelm (Review)”
Bleeding Through are a metalcore band from the US and this is their ninth album.
It has been some time since the last Bleeding Through album, (2018’s Love Will Kill All), but fresh off the back of seeing the band last year at 2024’s Damnation Festival, I have been looking forward to getting stuck into Nine. Continue reading “Bleeding Through – Nine (Review)”
This is the fifth album from German blackened metal act Mantar.
A new Mantar album is always an enjoyable event. 2018’s The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze and 2022’s Pain Is Forever and This Is the End were both compelling hybrids of black metal, punk, and grunge, so it’s with expectation that we turn to the 36-minute Post Apocalyptic Depression. Continue reading “Mantar – Post Apocalyptic Depression (Review)”
This is the second album from Belgian post-metal/sludge band Pothamus.
Following on from 2020’s enjoyable Raya, Pothamus have returned with 47 minutes of new material in the shape of Abur. The band have taken their past work and made it even more atmospheric and nuanced, treating us to an evocative blend of post-metal, post-rock, and drone. Continue reading “Pothamus – Abur (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Finnish melodic metal band Dawn of Solace.
I enjoyed 2022’s Flames of Perdition a great deal, so it’s great to now have Affliction Vortex appear amidst the darkness. Dawn of Solace’s return brings us 39 minutes of new material, and they have not disappointed. Continue reading “Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex (Review)”
This is the second album from Indian avant-garde metal band Serpents of Pakhangba.
Air and Fire is an ambitious album, in more ways than one. Across 54 minutes you’ll find a wealth of creativity and ideas, all delivered with skilled performances and detailed songwriting. Serpents of Pakhangba are resolutely not your average band. Continue reading “Serpents of Pakhangba – Air and Fire (Review)”
Obscura are a death metal band from Germany and this is their seventh album.
2018’s Diluvium was a feast of modern technicality, while 2021’s A Valediction offered a melodic refresh of the Obscura sound that so many had come to love. So what does A Sonication bring us in 2025? Continue reading “Obscura – A Sonication (Review)”
This is the seventh album from Canadian solo post-black metal band Unreqvited.
Pathway to the Moon contains 43 minutes of post-black metal, taking in elements of blackgaze, symphonic black metal, progressive metal, and post-rock along the way. If you are familiar with Unreqvited’s past work, Pathway to the Moon finds the artist taking their art to the next level. Everything here is an evolutionary step up, delivering music that is extremely well-rendered into its final form. Continue reading “Unreqvited – Pathway to the Moon (Review)”
This is the sixth album from UK one-man black metal band Saor.
After my 2022 introduction to Saor via the enjoyable Origins, I’ve since explored their back catalogue some more, and also seen them live and bought the t-shirt. This means I’ve been looking forward to Amidst the Ruins a great deal. Continue reading “Saor – Amidst the Ruins (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 