Sidus Atrum – Spiral of Life (Review)

Sidus Atrum - Spiral of LifeThis is the second album from Ukrainian one-woman blackened doom band Sidus Atrum.

Spiral of Life contains 40 minutes of modern black metal mixed with death/doom elements. It’s an album that uses its influences well, taking strengths from both styles to produce something very enjoyable and engaging. Continue reading “Sidus Atrum – Spiral of Life (Review)”

Cailleach Calling – Dreams of Fragmentation (Review)

Cailleach Calling - Dreams of FragmentationThis is the debut album from Cailleach Calling, a black metal band from the US.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Dawn of Ouroboros, Botanist, and White Ward, Dreams of Fragmentation contains 40 minutes of music spread out over four tracks. Continue reading “Cailleach Calling – Dreams of Fragmentation (Review)”

Izthmi – Leaving This World, Leaving It All Behind (Review)

Izthmi - Leaving This World, Leaving It All BehindThis is the second album from Izthmi, a black metal band from the US.

Izthmi play an atmospheric form of modern progressive black metal. Continue reading “Izthmi – Leaving This World, Leaving It All Behind (Review)”

Pure Wrath – Hymn to the Woeful Hearts (Review)

Pure Wrath - Hymn to the Woeful HeartsThis is the third album from Indonesian one-man black metal band Pure Wrath.

While the name Pure Wrath might conjure images of ultraviolent brutality of some sort, what we actually get on this album is 44 minutes of atmospheric black metal with an emphasis on melancholic emotion. Joined by a handful of other musicians, Continue reading “Pure Wrath – Hymn to the Woeful Hearts (Review)”

Lunar Tombfields – The Eternal Harvest (Review)

Lunar Tombfields - The Eternal HarvestLunar Tombfields are an atmospheric black metal band from France and this is their debut album.

Featuring four lengthy tracks with a duration of 47 minutes, The Eternal Harvest offers the discerning listener a feast of atmospheric black metal. With a sound taking influence from both old and new, Lunar Tombfields Continue reading “Lunar Tombfields – The Eternal Harvest (Review)”

Vorga – Striving Toward Oblivion (Review)

Vorga - Striving Toward OblivionThis is the debut album from Vorga, a German black metal band.

Here we have 45 minutes of sci-fi-themed black metal. It’s sharp and lethal, honed to a killing edge, and has a more technical delivery than that of your average black metal act. Continue reading “Vorga – Striving Toward Oblivion (Review)”

Skinliv/Vermisst – Split (Review)

Skinliv Vermisst - SplitSkinliv are from Denmark and Vermisst are from Poland, both play black metal and they have teamed up for this 38-minute split.

Skinliv open up the split, with four tracks across 19 minutes.

Skinliv’s blackened assault is Continue reading “Skinliv/Vermisst – Split (Review)”

Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road (Review)

Wiegedood - There's Always Blood at the End of the RoadWiegedood are a Belgian black metal band and this is their fourth album.

Featuring current and ex-members of Living Gate, Amenra, and Oathbreaker, There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road features 44 minutes of new material. I really, really liked 2017’s De Doden Hebben Het Goed II, so I was looking forward to this new one, (apparently there was also an album after this from 2018, which I somehow managed to miss out on). As we’ll see below though, the Wiegedood of 2022 is a different beast to the one I knew. Since I last heard them Wiegedood’s sound has changed, and they have now become more extreme and more idiosyncratic. Continue reading “Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road (Review)”