Vircolac – Veneration (Review)

Vircolac - VenerationVircolac are an Irish death metal band and this is their second album.

Following on from 2016’s EP The Cursed Travails of the Demeter and 2019’s MasqueVeneration provides us with seven new tracks of the band’s idiosyncratic death metal. Over 37 minutes Vircolac once more demonstrate that they stand out from the death metal hordes. Continue reading “Vircolac – Veneration (Review)”

A Burial at Sea – Close to Home (Review)

A Burial at Sea - Close to HomeA Burial at Sea are a post-rock band from Ireland and this is their second album.

Close to Home contains 43 minutes of exquisitely rendered post-rock. Boasting contributions from shoegaze, jazz, and progressive rock, this is a non-standard album for lovers of broad soundscapes and brass-enriched musical vistas. It’s mostly instrumental, and paints wonderfully textured pictures with sound.

Continue reading “A Burial at Sea – Close to Home (Review)”

Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer (Review)

Job for a Cowboy - Moon HealerThis is the fifth album from US death metallers Job for a Cowboy.

Ten years on from 2014’s Sun Eater and Job for a Cowboy have finally returned. It’s been worth the wait, let me tell you.

On Moon Healer Job for a Cowboy travel further along Continue reading “Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer (Review)”

Lvme – Of Sinful Nature (Review)

Lvme - Of Sinful NatureThis is the second album from international black metal band Lvme.

Of Sinful Nature contains 45 minutes of esoteric and mysterious black metal. Taking influence from traditional black metal and then incorporating modern elements into it, Lvme’s music will be of interest to fans of bands such as Funeral Mist, Deathspell Omega, Mayhem, Dødsengel, Nightbringer, Verberis, and Blaze of Perdition. Continue reading “Lvme – Of Sinful Nature (Review)”

Ninkharsag/The Infernal Sea/Devastator/Abduction/The Sun’s Journey Through the Night/Andracca/Imperial Demonic – Rebellion, Manchester – 17/02/24 (Live Review)

Ninkharsag The Infernal Sea Devastator Abduction The Sun's Journey Through the Sky Andracca Imperial Demonic - Rebellion, Manchester - 170224 (Live Review)

This show is a special one, designed to not only highlight some of the best black metal that the UK has to offer, but also to act as a new release showcase, with special sets from many of the bands. It’s sold out too, which is great to see. Continue reading “Ninkharsag/The Infernal Sea/Devastator/Abduction/The Sun’s Journey Through the Night/Andracca/Imperial Demonic – Rebellion, Manchester – 17/02/24 (Live Review)”

Borknagar – Fall (Review)

Borknagar - FallThis is the twelfth album from Norwegian blackened progressive/folk metallers Borknagar.

Borknagar are a very well-regarded band, so it’s a real pleasure to be able to catch up with their latest release. On their new album the band have created 54 minutes of new material for lovers of the band to Fall hard for, (ahem). Continue reading “Borknagar – Fall (Review)”

Dissimulator – Lower Form Resistance (Review)

Dissimulator - Lower Form ResistanceThis is the debut album from Dissimulator, a Canadian death/thrash metal band.

Brought to us by current and ex-members of bands such as Atramentus, Beyond Creation, and First Fragment, Lower Form Resistance delivers 42 minutes of material from Dissimulator. Continue reading “Dissimulator – Lower Form Resistance (Review)”

Christopher Sawyer – Together Nowhere, Alone Elsewhere (Review)

Christopher Sawyer - Together Nowhere, Alone ElsewhereThis is the second album from Christopher Sawyer, a dark rock solo artist from Poland.

Together Nowhere, Alone Elsewhere contains 44 minutes of music of a style that I don’t typically listen to a great deal, but that’s devastatingly effective nonetheless. Continue reading “Christopher Sawyer – Together Nowhere, Alone Elsewhere (Review)”

Devastator – Conjurers of Cruelty (Review)

Devastator - Conjurers of CrueltyThis is the second album from UK black/thrash metallers Devastator.

Conjurers of Cruelty boasts 51 minutes of material, (44 without the two bonus tracks), delivering a feast of filthy riffs, corroded teeth, and overgrown claws. Continue reading “Devastator – Conjurers of Cruelty (Review)”

Griffon – De Republica (Review)

Griffon - De RepublicaThis is the third album from French black metallers Griffon.

I enjoyed 2020’s ὸ θ​ε​ό​ς ὸ β​α​σ​ι​λ​ε​ύ​ς, so knew I wanted to check out De Republica when it appeared. Across 37 minutes Griffon once again demonstrate their mastery of historically themed black metal. Continue reading “Griffon – De Republica (Review)”