What an unreasonably strong month for metal releases November was! Be assured, this list could have been much, much bigger. Let’s see what made the cut… Continue reading
Tag Archives: Atmospheric Black Metal
Earth and Pillars – Earth II (Review)
This is the third album from Italian black metal band Earth and Pillars.
2016’s Pillars I consisted of four monolithic tracks that made a very good impression. A release full of dark delights, it was a memorable album that still holds itself very well three years later. Continue reading
Endless Voyage X – Opaque (Review)
This is the debut album from Endless Voyage X, a black metal band from the US.
Here we have 34 minutes of music that takes a second wave black metal base and builds on it with additional melody and atmosphere. Continue reading
Midnight Odyssey – Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains (Review)
Midnight Odyssey is an Australian one-man black metal band and this is his third album.
As ridiculous as it sounds, I almost didn’t want to review or even listen to this album. Why? Because the band’s last album – 2015’s immense Shards of Silver Fade – was so hideously good that I couldn’t imagine being anything but disappointed with Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains. After all, Shards of Silver Fade claimed the coveted top spot in my end of year list for 2015, so this new one had a lot to live up to.
Anyway, enough preamble. Time to judge Biolume Part 1 – In Tartarean Chains on its own merits, of which there are many. Apparently this is the first in a trilogy of albums. I can’t wait to hear the next one already. Continue reading
Frostmoon Eclipse – Worse Weather to Come (Review)
Frostmoon Eclipse are an Italian black metal band and this is their seventh album.
Frostmoon Eclipse play black metal that blends together elements of old and new(ish), coming across like a combination of where the classic second wave sound was circa 2000, while also having more than enough of the band’s own contemporary personalities mixed in. Continue reading
The Great Old Ones – Cosmicism (Review)
The Great Old Ones are a black metal band from France and this is their fourth album.
Any fan of atmospheric/post-black metal would be advised to check out Tekeli-li, and EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy. Both are great examples of quality blackened journeys crafted by a band that know their art well. On Cosmicism the band have spread their wings further, while also staying true to what makes them such an engaging act. Continue reading
Blut Aus Nord – Hallucinogen (Review)
This is the thirteenth album from Blut Aus Nord, a French black metal band.
You never quite know what you’re going to be getting with a Blut Aus Nord release, and on Hallucinogen the band have mutated once again. Their latest incarnation is an avant-garde progressive black metal monster, emphasising atmosphere and feeling via engaging blackened soundscapes. Continue reading
White Ward – Love Exchange Failure (Review)
This is the second album from White Ward, a Ukrainian post-black metal band.
2017’s Futility Report was striking and enjoyable, mixing cold black metal with an avant-garde modern edge. Compared to Love Exchange Failure, however, it’s almost as if Futility Report was the prototype of this new album. Expanded Continue reading
Winterfylleth – The Siege of Mercia: Live at Bloodstock Festival 2017 (Review)
This is a live album from Winterfylleth, a black metal band from the UK.
Winterfylleth are one of those bands that I always think I should have gotten around to listening to by now, but never have. As such, this live album seemed like as good a place as any to sample their wares. Containing five live tracks taken from the band’s first four albums, and a synth version of a track off their second album The Mercian Sphere, we are overall presented with 49 minutes of material in its entirety. Continue reading
Monthly Overview – the Best of August 2019
August has provided many a metallic treat, and as you’ll see from the below selection, there’s been a decent amount of quality variety on offer this month too. So let’s get stuck in, as metal won’t listen to itself. Continue reading
