This 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)”
This is the eighth album from Australian one-man black metal act Midnight Odyssey.
Here it is, the one we’ve all been waiting for – the third and final part of the Biolume trilogy. Emerging from the long, deep shadows of 2015’s Shards of Silver Fade, 2019’s Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains, and 2021’s Biolume Part 2 – The Golden Orb, how can Biolume Part 3: A Fullmoon Madness possibly compare? After all, all three of the aforementioned releases either made it into my end of year list in the top five, (here), or the coveted top spot, (here and here). How does this one one fare? Continue reading “Midnight Odyssey – Biolume Part 3 – A Fullmoon Madness (Review)”
Laster are a, (sort of), black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their fourth album.
It’s been a while since I’ve caught up with Laster. 2017’s Ons Vrije Fatum, to be precise, (with 2014’s De Verste Verte Is Hier and their 2016 split with Wederganger before that). Since then they’ve had another album, (and an EP), that I haven’t heard, but that apparently saw an increase in the avant-garde and experimental aspects of their sound. So what does Andermans Mijne present us with? Continue reading “Laster – Andermans Mijne (Review)”
Nattehimmel are an international, (Norway/UK), black metal band and this is their debut album.
Featuring current and ex-members of Emancer, Ewigkeit, Green Carnation, In the Woods…, Old Forest, and The Meads of Asphodel, Mourningstar is a 45-minute journey into 90s black metal that’s nostalgic, yet still relevant, and has a few detours too. Continue reading “Nattehimmel – Mourningstar (Review)”
Pestilent Hex are a black metal band from Finland and this is their debut album.
Brought to us by members of Corpsessed and Desolate Shrine, The Ashen Abhorrence contains 42 minutes of authentic second wave black metal. Worshipping at the altar of the 90s classics, Pestilent Hex combine elements of bands such as Emperor, Gehenna, Satyricon, Dimmu Borgir, and Arcturus, while injecting their own grim character, to produce an enjoyable slice of symphonic blackened art. Continue reading “Pestilent Hex – The Ashen Abhorrence (Review)”
This is the fifth album from French progressive black/death metallers.
Helioss play a hybrid style of black and death metal that has progressive influences and symphonic aspects. Across 62 minutes Contre ma Lumière delivers a multifaceted album of atmosphere, aggression, and majestic grandeur. Continue reading “Helioss – Contre ma Lumière (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This new column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
I, Voidhanger Records consistently puts out high quality, frequently non-standard music. One of their releases is always an interesting proposition to explore. Below you’ll find four of the label’s more recent ones; make sure you give each of them the time it deserves… Continue reading “Label Roundup: I, Voidhanger Records – Creature, Mystras, Ars Magna Umbrae, & Vertebra Atlantis (Reviews)”
Teitan is a one-man black metal band from the Netherlands and this is his latest EP.
Vákuum contains 22 minutes of avant-garde black metal that’s played with skill and charisma.
This is atypical black metal that reminds me of the more experimental edges of the late 90s and early 00s black metal scenes. When bands like Dødheimsgard, Continue reading “Teitan – Vákuum (Review)”
This is the second album from Wills Dissolve, a progressive metal band from the US.
Wills Dissolve play a multigenre form of progressive metal that takes in a range of other styles and subgenres. Progressive black/death metal, post-metal, ambient, doom metal, and progressive rock are all included in Echoes, and all get Continue reading “Wills Dissolve – Echoes (Review)”
This is the debut album from Khôra, a black metal band.
Featuring a member of Dødheimsgard, and so many guests it’s quite remarkable, (mainly on vocals or keyboards, and from bands such as …And Oceans, Amiensus, Dødheimsgard, Finntroll, Nòtt, and Moonsorrow), a lot of talent and experience has gone into Timaeus. Continue reading “Khôra – Timaeus (Review)”
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