Arkheron Thodol are an atmospheric black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
Atmospheric black metal is one of my favourite sub-genres. When it’s done well and you’re in the mood for it, there’s nothing quite like it. Continue reading
This is a collaborative release by two US one-man experimental artists; Gridfailure and Megalophobe.
As I always say when I encounter anything involving Gridfailure – this isn’t usually my cup of tea, but Gridfailure always deliver the goods, (here, here, here, and here). Continue reading
This is the latest release by Gridfailure, a one-man experimental/noise project.
Gridfailure returns, and is proving to still be quite the prolific project.
I’ve gushed heavily Continue reading
Into Orbit are a post-metal band from New Zealand. This is their second album.
Unearthing is just over 40 minutes long and combines post-metal/rock, progressive metal/rock, doom, drone and ambient. Continue reading
Todesstoss are a German black metal band and this is their eighth album.
After releasing 2015’s challenging and unusual Hirngemeer, Todesstoss are now back with their latest release, which features one 48 minute track.
Just like its predecessor, Ebne Graun is a sprawling, mind-shattering release full of discordant black metal, rampant experimentation and peculiar personality. Continue reading
Never Presence Forever and Gridfailure are both experimental noise bands from the US. They have teamed up for this split release.
We start with Never Presence Forever, who offer us up two tracks lasting 15 minutes in total. Continue reading
This is the début album from atmospheric progressive/sludge/post-metal, (phew), solo-project-with-guests Summit.
This is an album that works its wonders in moods and feelings, spread over the playing time with lovingly crafted care and attention to detail.
I like that this album has quite a lot going on. Continue reading
This is the second album from VIII, an Italian black metal band.
VIII have produced an ambitious release that spans 50 minutes across three sprawling, ugly tracks. This is not an album for people who like polished, shiny music. Oh no. This is the sound of dying, decay and forgotten dreams.
Decathexis sees the band playing raw, underground black metal with a mean, dispirited edge. Alongside the Continue reading
This is the début album from this Swiss post-hardcore/sludge band.
There are only two tracks on this release, but lasting 39 minutes in total there’s more than enough content to keep people happy. Although, as we’ll see, happiness might not be the best term used in conjunction with the music on here.
So what do we have here, then? Rue des Cascades play music that combines ambient/post-rock quietness with louder post-hardcore/sludge sections. This is quite atypically done, though, and isn’t a case of simply juxtaposing clean/distorted or Continue reading
This is the début album from Messa, a doom/drone metal band from Italy.
Messa provide the listener with almost an hour of occult retro doom and dark ambience.
This is akin to a strange-yet-effective mix of Sunn O))) and Pentagram, with deliciously seductive female vocals included. Some tracks are dark ambient/drone, full of mysterious atmospheres and distorted malice, while others take Continue reading
