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)”
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 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 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)”
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)”
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)”
Seedna are an atmospheric black metal band from Sweden. This is their third album.
I like music like this; some of my favourite albums are those where it sounds as if the band are taking the listener on a journey, and Forlorn is very much a release like this.
Seedna play atmospheric black metal that’s big on emotional content and Continue reading “Seedna – Forlorn (Review)”
Astral Path are an atmospheric Black Metal band from Canada. This is their début album.
This is the kind of modern, expansive Black Metal that so many bands seem to do so well these days. If you’re a fan of bands like Wolves in the Throne Room, Chaos Moon, Midnight Odyssey, Krallice, Mare Cognitum, Deafheaven and their ilk, then you should also like this.
Astral Path’s music combines this type of stargazing, cosmic Black Metal with ambient soundscapes to create atmospheric Black Metal that seems to roll out of the speakers in a pool of spectral fog. Continue reading “Astral Path – An Oath to the Void (Review)”
Sacrilegium are a Polish Black Metal band and this is their second album.
This is sophisticated Black Metal that shrouds itself in occult auras and mystical vibes.
Sacrilegium have produced an album that has a very modern feel, but nonetheless knows where it came from and pays its dues accordingly. With elements of the atmospheric and progressive styles entwined in its dark embrace, Anima Lucifera blasts and pummels its way through its playing time with style and panache. Continue reading “Sacrilegium – Anima Lucifera”
This is the second album from this one-man US atmospheric Post-Black Metal band.
This has a rich, warm sound, making it clear very early on that Entropy is all about the emotive content and taking the listener on a journey.
High-pitched near-static screams are employed to provide a focal point for the colourful music. I favour this brand of ultra-shrieked screams for this kind of extremely atmospheric Black Metal, so was not disappointed to hear them when they first appeared. Deep growls also appear here and there; these are unexpected but work well alongside the mellifluous music.
These songs have a good grasp of mood and feeling, effortlessly played out across long tracks and glorious soundscapes. This can be essentially seen as one 72 minute piece of music broken up into smaller slices, but however you look at it it’s an extremely effective work.
Featuring elements of psychedelic, progressive and depressive Black Metal, this is very atmospheric and richly textured. Resplendent melodies, extended guitar solos and understated synths all enhance the flavour of the emotive riffs and Entropy is an album to be savoured and enjoyed in its entirety.
I’m very impressed by this, and it’s criminal that this will effectively get no real exposure other than a few lucky people that stumble upon it; it really is that good.
