Aldheorte – The Wild Divine (Review)

Aldheorte - The Wild DivineAldheorte are a black metal band from the US and this is their second album.

The Wild Divine is a 37-minute dose of classic black metal darkness. Aldheorte play their material with icy aggression and despondent atmospheres. If you’re a fan of bands from the 90s era, then Continue reading “Aldheorte – The Wild Divine (Review)”

Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! – Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! (Review)

Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne - Diabolus, Mecum SemperterneDiabolus, Mecum Semperterne! are a black metal band from Norway and this is their debut album.

Brought to us be current/ex-members of bands such as Enevelde, Kråbøl, Lethe, Manes, Misotheist, Parfaxitas, Vemod, and Whoredom Rife, there’s a lot of experience that sits behind this project. Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! is a 44-minute black metal incursion that will Continue reading “Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! – Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! (Review)”

Fuath – III (Review)

Fuath - IIIThis is the third album from Fuath, a one-man UK black metal band.

I enjoyed 2020’s II, so the appearance of III is a most welcome sight. Brought to us by the artist behind Saor, this is old-school black metal with an atmospheric focus. III contains four songs and clocks in at 43 minutes in total duration. Continue reading “Fuath – III (Review)”

Thron – Vurias (Review)

Thron - VuriasThron are a black metal band from Germany and this is their fifth album.

Vurias is the 47-minute, (including bonus track), follow up to 2023’s Dust. That previous record, along with 2018’s Abysmal, firmly cemented Thron as ones to pay attention to, which is why when Vurias appeared I was eager to not let if fall through the cracks. Continue reading “Thron – Vurias (Review)”

Vespéral – La Mort de l’Âme (Review)

Vespéral - La Mort de l'ÂmeThis is the second album by Canadian black metal band Vespéral.

La Mort de l’Âme contains 41 minutes of black metal, brought to us in part by members of Conifère. I wasn’t consciously aware of Vespéral before they were announced to play the mighty Fortress Festival next year, although I’ve definitely seen their logo and album art before, somewhere, somehow. Continue reading “Vespéral – La Mort de l’Âme (Review)”

Achathras – A Darkness of the Ancient Past (Review)

Achathras - A Darkness of the Ancient PastThis is the debut album from black metal band Achathras.

A mysterious entity, formed by veterans of the scene apparently, Achathras certainly know their stuff. A Darkness of the Ancient Past contains 43 minutes of classic 90s black metal, and it’s pretty damn good. Continue reading “Achathras – A Darkness of the Ancient Past (Review)”

Shatterer – Fire (Review)

Shatterer - FireThis is the debut EP from Swedish solo black metal act Shatterer.

The Shatterer style is atavistic, violent, and moody. It’s firmly rooted in the 90s second wave, with suitably raw and unpolished production values. Mainstream black metal this is not. It’s a journey back in time, to the dawn of the genre, and burns with passionate zeal because of this. Continue reading “Shatterer – Fire (Review)”

Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)

Pestilential Shadows - WretchThis is the eighth album from Australian black metal band Pestilential Shadows.

For such a long-running band this is my first encounter with Pestilential Shadows. Wretch caught my eye though, with its 48 minutes of material that satisfies my taste for all things old-school black metal. Continue reading “Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)”

Blutsauger – Nocturnal Blood Tyrants (Review)

Blutsauger - Nocturnal Blood TyrantsThis is the debut album from Italian black metal band Blutsauger.

Nocturnal Blood Tyrants contains 34 minutes of primal, atavistic black metal. Blutsauger play it hard, nasty, and grim. It may be 2025, but around these parts it’s 1993. I liked this one a lot. Continue reading “Blutsauger – Nocturnal Blood Tyrants (Review)”

Praesider – Enter the Praesidium (Review)

Praesider - Enter the PraesidiumThis is the debut album from UK black metallers Praesider.

Enter the Praesidium contains 48 minutes of old-school symphonic black metal. Praesider’s music evokes such a strong sense of nostalgia in me for the 90s that it’s almost overwhelming. Make no mistake though, Praesider are a skilled bunch and know their subject matter inside out. Continue reading “Praesider – Enter the Praesidium (Review)”