Belore – Eastern Tales (Review)

Belore - Eastern TalesBelore are a French black metal band and this is their third album.

Belore play atmospheric/folk black metal, and on Eastern Tales they offer up 43 minutes of music. The material seems to swell out of nothingness to build massive soundscapes that lift the listener up and out of the real world, into the realms of fantasy and history. Continue reading “Belore – Eastern Tales (Review)”

Conifère – L’Imp​ô​t du Sang (Review)

Conifère - L'Imp​ô​t du SangThis is the debut album from Canadian black metallers Conifère.

L’Imp​ô​t du Sang offers up 31 minutes of old-school black metal. Conifère’s music takes the tried-and-tested classic formula and runs with it, producing a corker of an album that sounds far more vibrant and engaging than many that play the style. Continue reading “Conifère – L’Imp​ô​t du Sang (Review)”

Alburnum – The Withered Roots of Reality (Review)

Alburnum - The Withered Roots of RealityAlburnum are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their second album.

The Withered Roots of Reality is a 35-minute black metal album that combines elements of the atmospheric, folk, pagan, and melodic styles. Alburnum tie their influences together well, making for an easily enjoyable album with much to recommend it. Continue reading “Alburnum – The Withered Roots of Reality (Review)”

Ceremony of Silence – Hálios (Review)

Ceremony of Silence - HáliosThis is the second album from Slovakian black/death metal band Ceremony of Silence.

Five years after 2019’s malignant Oútis, Ceremony of Silence have returned with the 36-minute Hálios. An album of atmospheric brutality, Hálios expands on and further develops the strengths of Ceremony of Silence’s debut album. Continue reading “Ceremony of Silence – Hálios (Review)”

Uprising – III (Review)

Uprising - IIIThis is the third album from German solo black metal band Uprising.

III is brought to us by a founder of Waldgeflüster, with drums provided by the artist behind Panopticon. Uprising’s music is rooted in the classic black metal style, but not limited to it, and carries with it a contemporary message. Continue reading “Uprising – III (Review)”

Pestilent Death – Pathways to Infinite Malignity (Review)

Pestilent Death - Pathways to Infinite MalignityPestilent Death are a death metal band from the US and this is their latest EP.

It’s been a while since the putrid death metal assault of 2019’s Chapters of Depravity, but now Pestilent Death have waded into the fray once more. This is primal underground death metal, in all of its disgusting glory. Continue reading “Pestilent Death – Pathways to Infinite Malignity (Review)”

Werewolves – Die for Us (Review)

Werewolves - Die for UsThis is the fifth album from Australian death metallers Werewolves.

To say I’ve been looking forward to this is an understatement. Four albums in four years, and every one a winner; Werewolves are on fire. Can Die for Us – the fifth album in five years – be just as potent as the likes of 2022’s From the Cave to the Grave and 2023’s My Enemies Look and Sound Like Me? Continue reading “Werewolves – Die for Us (Review)”

Seth – La France des Maudits (Review)

Seth - La France des MauditsThis is the seventh album from French black metallers Seth.

La France des Maudits offers up 46 minutes of expressive black metal. Seth are one of those bands that have been around for some time now and despite being aware of them since their very early days I’ve never actually heard them before. This new album seemed like the perfect time to rectify this. Continue reading “Seth – La France des Maudits (Review)”

Perchta – D​’​Muata (Review)

Perchta - D​’​MuataThis is the second album from Perchta, a black metal band from Austria.

D​’​Muata offers a 48-minute atmospheric blackened folk experience that’s compelling and immersive. Perchta have crafted a strong personality of their own on this record, and it’s one that serves them well for almost all of the album. Continue reading “Perchta – D​’​Muata (Review)”