Drevorod – I Swear to Return Here (Review)

DrevorodDrevorod are an atmospheric black metal band from Russia and this is their debut album.

This is atmospheric black metal with folk influences. It’s well-played and manages to balance the atmospheric/folk sides of the music well, so that the band have an obvious character to their music without it coming across as twee. Continue reading “Drevorod – I Swear to Return Here (Review)”

Ovnev – Cycle of Survival (Review)

OvnevThis is the debut album of Ovnev, a one-man atmospheric black metal band from the US.

Featuring atmospheric black metal with a nature theme and plenty of use of acoustic guitars, Ovnev’s debut album is confident and assured from the start.

Cycle of Survival is filled with Continue reading “Ovnev – Cycle of Survival (Review)”

Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)

Downfall of GaiaThis is the fourth album from German band Downfall of Gaia. They play post-black metal.

This is a release that creates and fosters atmosphere like a second skin. It’s dark and mystical, and keeps its secrets close to its chest despite also being quite warm and welcoming in some respects. Ice-cold black metal full of hatred and blasphemy this is not. That’s not to say that Continue reading “Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)”

Mesarthim – .- -… … . -. -.-. . (Review)

MesarthimThis is the second album by Mesarthim, an Australian atmospheric black metal band.

Mesarthim create cosmic-themed black metal that’s spacious and rich in atmospheric attack.

This is a very striking release. The album layers cosmic Continue reading “Mesarthim – .- -… … . -. -.-. . (Review)”

Spirit of the Forest – A Void into the Fields of Silence/La Nature Oubliée (Review)

Spirit of the ForestThis is Spirit of the Forest’s third album. They play atmospheric melodic black metal and hail from Canada.

Are you a fan of Emperor, Dissection, Windir and Borknagar? If you are then I’ll happily point you in the direction of Spirit of the Forest and let you listen to their very satisfying new release.

For others that might require a bit more convincing, let me Continue reading “Spirit of the Forest – A Void into the Fields of Silence/La Nature Oubliée (Review)”

Waldgeflüster – Ruinen (Review)

WaldgeflusterThis is the fourth album by German black metal band Waldgeflüster.

Waldgeflüster play atmospheric post-black metal with lashings of the second wave thrown in for good blackened measure and some healthy old-school doom aspects to parts of their sound. It’s a beguiling mix and Ruinen is a highly emotive and comprehensive release.

Post-metal melodies flare up in their resplendence, warring with Continue reading “Waldgeflüster – Ruinen (Review)”

Hryre – From Mortality to Infinity (Review)

HryreHyrye play atmospheric black metal and come from the UK. This is their debut album.

Featuring harsh black metal that’s born out of the early atmospheric style, it also has some progressive and folk influences that it welcomes into its wind-swept embrace.

Over 66 minutes the band paint dark pictures through extremity Continue reading “Hryre – From Mortality to Infinity (Review)”

Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether (Review)

Mare CognitumThis is the fourth album from this one-man US black metal band.

Over the years Mare Cognitum’s output has proven to be of exceptionally high quality, with 2014’s Phobos Monolith being a particular highlight.

Luminiferous Aether provides us with more of the progressively-edged atmospheric black metal that we’ve come to know and love from the outfit, all lavishly arranged, produced and delivered across over 50 minutes of Continue reading “Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether (Review)”