Atmospheric Black Metal – Page 52

Interview with In Cauda Venenum

The self-titled debut album by In Cauda Venenum is now over a year old and about to get a vinyl re-release. If you haven’t yet heard it then I highly suggest you do. Containing only two tracks, yet running for 42 minutes, the music is epic, top-of-the-line atmospheric black metal, full of texture and darkness.

Ictus, (guitars, bass and vocals), brought me up to speed with all you need to know about this talented band…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

We are two guys playing Black Metal songs. We like making it epic, progressive and atmospheric. If you enjoy long tracks, you should give a chance to IN CAUDA VENENUM.

Give us a bit of background to In Cauda Venenum

I wrote 4 first ICV songs during 2009 and 2010. When N.K.L.S. joined me as a drummer in 2011, we decided to bring them to another level and started a rewriting process. After several years working on these 4 tracks, we finally decided to focus on 2 tracks to prepare our first release. We made this choice because our tracks were quite long (more than 20 min each), and the job was to huge. Continue reading “Interview with In Cauda Venenum”

Nox Formulae – The Hidden Paths to Black Ecstasy (Review)

Nox Formulae are a Greek black metal band and this is their debut album.

This is ritualistic/occult black metal that combines a raw delivery with elements of the avant-garde and atmospheric.

The band take the second-wave black metal template and mutate it into something a bit more atypical. Synths and dark Continue reading “Nox Formulae – The Hidden Paths to Black Ecstasy (Review)”

Falaise – As Time Goes By (Review)

This is the debut album from Falaise, an atmospheric/post-black metal band from Italy.

Melancholic and full of depressive moods and feelings, Falaise’s debut album is filled to the brim with sadness, loss and abandoned hope.

The band channel this misery into 61 minutes of atmospheric/post-black metal that uses fragility as a weapon and despondency as an end unto itself.

In many ways this is a product of the blackgaze scene, with all that entails. Continue reading “Falaise – As Time Goes By (Review)”

Void Omnia – Dying Light (Review)

Void Omnia are a black metal band from the US, and this is their debut album.

Dying Light is largely fast and furious, taking elements of melodic and atmospheric black metal into its dark, cold embrace and suffocating them with the essence of the deep void of outer space.

Full of blast beats and fast riffs, the songs on Dying Light Continue reading “Void Omnia – Dying Light (Review)”

Somnium Nox – Apocrypha (Review)

This is the debut release from Somnium Nox, a black metal band from Australia.

Somnium Nox are harbingers of esoteric progressive/atmospheric black metal that plays out over one 16 minute track, revealing an expansive tapestry of music that explores the underground world of black metal with aplomb. Continue reading “Somnium Nox – Apocrypha (Review)”

Vukari – Divination (Review)

This is the second album from Vukari, a post-black metal band from the US.

With such striking album art, my fervent wish was for the album to match the quality of the cover.

My wish was granted.

Vukari play a very modern take on black metal that covers both its atmospheric and post-black metal bases well.

Atmosphere is something that Vukari foster easily, amidst Continue reading “Vukari – Divination (Review)”

Cairiss – Fall (Review)

Cairiss are an atmospheric/post-black metal band from the UK. This is their debut EP.

Now, here we have something very impressive.

Cairiss’ music is atmospheric metal that takes a good amount of black metal influence but builds on it with post-metal knowledge and application.

The singer has a voice that does the music justice. Her harsh screams are savagery Continue reading “Cairiss – Fall (Review)”

Wederganger/Laster – Split (Review)

Wederganger and Laster both play black metal and are both from the Netherlands. They have teamed up for this very tasty split.

Wederganger contribute one song, Klaroenen Van de Dood, lasting almost 15 minutes. They’ve been featured on this site before with their début album Halfvergaan Ontwaakt, which was an enjoyable listen that fused orthodox black metal with epic, folk influences.

On this split the band show their predilection for Darkthrone/Satyricon-styled grooves Continue reading “Wederganger/Laster – Split (Review)”

Echoes of the Moon – Elusion (Review)

This is the third album from this one-man US atmospheric post-black metal band.

Last year’s Entropy was a jaw-dropping release that was chock-full of atmospheric blackened goodness. It was a highly accomplished album and Elusion continues the theme.

Like Entropy, this is very atmospheric and richly textured music. It has elements of psychedelic, progressive and depressive Black Metal, as well as aspects of doom and post-metal. This all manifests in well-realised songs that follow Continue reading “Echoes of the Moon – Elusion (Review)”

Wayfarer – Old Souls (Review)

This is the second album from this US atmospheric post-black metal band.

Children of the Iron Age introduced us to Wayfarer’s quality, interesting black metal and was a pretty damn stunning début album in many ways.

Old Souls is not as long as their first album, (18 minutes shorter), but we still get some epic, sprawling tracks.

Wayfarer have a Continue reading “Wayfarer – Old Souls (Review)”