Now this is a lineup. All three bands I’d go and see in their own right, let alone all touring together. Tonight I feel like I’m in for a real treat. Morale is high as I enter the Academy 3, and it’s about to get a whole lot of busy. Continue reading “Better Lovers/Frontierer/Greyhaven – Academy 3, Manchester – 19/01/25 (Live Review)”
This is the debut album from Scottish post-metal/rock band Beneath a Steel Sky.
The promo blurb recommends the 40-minute Cleave for fans of bands such as Isis, Cult of Luna, Russian Circles, Cave In, and Mogwai, which should give you a good starting point for Beneath a Steel Sky’s material. This is good stuff, and worth your attention. Continue reading “Beneath a Steel Sky – Cleave (Review)”
This is the sixth album from Austrian post-black metallers Harakiri for the Sky.
Harakiri for the Sky always seem to deliver albums that are lengthy, but rewarding. 2016’s III: Trauma, 2018’s Arson, and 2021’s Mӕre were all notable records in this regard. Now, with the arrival of Scorched Earth, have Harakiri for the Sky continued this trend of quality album releases? Continue reading “Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth (Review)”
The Great Old Ones are a French black metal band and this is their fifth album.
It’s been six long years since 2019’s Cosmicism, but we finally have some new material from The Great Old Ones. I thoroughly enjoy their work, (also check out 2014’s Tekeli-li and 2017’s EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy), so greedily consuming Kadath as soon as I could was always going to happen. Continue reading “The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Review)”
Avatarium are a doom rock band from Sweden and this is their sixth album.
From 2017’s Hurricanes and Halos, to 2019’s The Fire I Long For, to 2022’s Death, Where Is Your Sting, I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Avatarium get better and better at their chosen craft. Now we have a new opus – Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead – which gives us a 43-minute opportunity to once again explore Avatarium’s absorbing and entertaining worldbuilding. Continue reading “Avatarium – Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead (Review)”
Vyre are a German progressive black metal band and this is their fourth album.
I’ve enjoyed watching Vyre develop their sound, from the post-black metal of 2014’s The Initial Frontier Pt. 2, to the increasingly avant-garde stylings of 2018’s Weltformel. Which brings us to Voidserpent, a new album that offers us 42 minutes of new material from this expressive and interesting act. What have they done this time around? Continue reading “Vyre – Voidserpent (Review)”
Bloodbark are a black metal band and this is their second album. The country of origin and number of members is apparently unknown.
Sacred Sound of Solitude provides us with 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal. The atmospheric core is augmented by elements of post-black metal, blackgaze, and post-rock, contributing to the richness of the album’s blackened heart. This approach allows Bloodbark to produce music that’s immersive and textured. Continue reading “Bloodbark – Sacred Sound of Solitude (Review)”
Obscure Sphinx are a post-metal band from Poland. This is their latest release.
Oh my, new Obscure Sphinx! We last heard from this exemplary band on 2016’s Epitaphs, which narrowly missed out from breaching the top three in that year’s end of year list. So rejoice, as we now have Emovere to salivate over hungrily. Continue reading “Obscure Sphinx – Emovere (Review)”
Sarcator are a Swedish thrash metal band and this is their third album.
Sarcator play a black/death-influenced style of thrash metal, and Swarming Angels & Flies contains 44 minutes of material. Think of a blend of early-period old-school metal in the form of bands such as Kreator, Sarcófago, Sodom, and Morbid Angel, and then blend this with more contemporary acts like Hellripper, Devastator, and Midnight, and you’ll be on the right lines. You can throw in some other refences too at various points, but ultimately, despite the ancient style that underpins this album, it’s remarkably fun and fresh sounding. Continue reading “Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies (Review)”
This is the second album from Swedish solo black metal act Häxkapell.
Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp is a 40-minute black metal album brought to us by a member of Sons of Crom. This is a detailed, multifaceted form of black metal, consisting of many component parts that work together to create something engaging and enjoyable. Continue reading “Häxkapell – Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 