This is the second album from Dutch black metal solo act Verwoed.
Drawn in by the evocative cover art, I approached The Mother with expectations of dark splendour and vicious aggression. I soon found more than I had bargained for, as the artist behind Verwoed took me on a multifaceted 44-minute journey into the sort of black metal waters that are normally best avoided due to how vibrant, otherworldly, and treacherous they are. Continue reading “Verwoed – The Mother (Review)”
This is the second album from Vorga, a German black metal band.
With 2022’s Striving Toward Oblivion Vorga made a notable impact in the world of melodic black metal. Now they’re back with Beyond the Palest Star, which delivers another sci-fi trip through 43 minutes of sharp melodic aggression. Continue reading “Vorga – Beyond the Palest Star (Review)”
This is the third album from Venues, a modern metal band from Germany.
2018’s Aspire was good, but 2021’s Solace was where Venues really came into their own. The more I listened to it, the better it got, and it’s still a record that’s great when you want anthemic and catchy modern metal.
Now we have Transience, so let’s dive in. Continue reading “Venues – Transience (Review)”
This is the forth album from UK metal band Sons of Alpha Centauri.
I’ve very much enjoyed seeing the development and progression of Sons of Alpha Centauri over the years, and you never quite know what you’re going to get from them. From stoner rock to collaborative experiments, to 90s-influenced alternative metal, what do we get this time? Continue reading “Sons of Alpha Centauri – Pull (Review)”
Sacrificial Vein are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
Containing the singer of Nothingness in their ranks, Sacrificial Vein play avant-garde/dissonant black metal. Black Terror Genesis is a 47-minute journey into darkness. Continue reading “Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)”
Apparition are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Featuring an ex-member of Nails, Apparition play progressive death/doom metal. On Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil State they deliver 38-minutes of music that hits the spot. Continue reading “Apparition – Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil State (Review)”
This is the debut album from Norwegian solo black metal act Udåd.
Brought to us by the artist behind Mork, Udåd contains 47 minutes of raw, old-school black metal. Udåd contains primal blackened energies that are channelled directly from the early 90s, but given a creative twist of the knife by the artist’s keen vision. Continue reading “Udåd – Udåd (Review)”
Wormwitch are a black metal band from Canada and Sadistic Ritual are a thrash metal band from the US.
Barring a couple of singles in 2022, this is the first we’ve heard from Wormwitch since 2021’s Wolf Hex, (also make sure you check out 2019’s Heaven That Dwells Within if you haven’t already), so these three songs – 16 minutes of new material – are a welcome sight. Continue reading “Wormwitch/Sadistic Ritual – Split (Review)”
This is the debut album from US death metal band Aberration.
Hot on the heels of January’s split with Diabolic Oath comes the hideous 42-minute Refracture. After that release, I was looking forward to hearing more from both bands, but I wasn’t expecting something so soon. Continue reading “Aberration – Refracture (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swedish black metal band Dödsrit.
Whereas each of Dödsrit’s well-regarded previous albums, (including 2018’s top notch Spirit Crusher), contained four songs, Nocturnal Will breaks with tradition and delivers six tracks in total, (although to be fair one is a sub-minute interlude). Continue reading “Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 