Sacred Noose – Vanishing Spires (Review)

Sacred Noose - Vanishing SpiresThis is the debut album by Sacred Noose, a black/death metal band from Northern Ireland.

Vanishing Spires offers up a 31-minute concoction of poisonous black, death, and doom metal, all poured into a think tar-like substance of misery, pestilence, and woe. Sacred Noose are like a shroud of horror and violence hiding a deeper malevolence that just wants everything to decay and wither away.

Continue reading “Sacred Noose – Vanishing Spires (Review)”

Hexekration Rites – Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance (Review)

Hexekration Rites - Misanthropic Path of Carnal DeliveranceThis is the debut album from French blackened death metal band Hexekration Rites.

Brought to us by an ex-member of Azziard, Hexekration Rites play a darkly brutal mix of black and death metal. Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance is a 44-minute record that will destroy everything around you quite convincingly. Continue reading “Hexekration Rites – Misanthropic Path of Carnal Deliverance (Review)”

Drouth – The Teeth of Time (Review)

Drouth - The Teeth of TimeThis is the second album from US black/death metal band Drouth.

It’s been five long years since 2020’s Excerpts from a Dread Liturgy, but now Drouth are back, with a new bassist in tow, (current/ex-Cormorant/Ursa). So, let’s turn our attention to the five new songs we have here in the form of the 41-minute The Teeth of Time. Continue reading “Drouth – The Teeth of Time (Review)”

Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison (Review)

Black Curse - Burning in Celestial PoisonBlack Curse are a US black/death metal band and this is their second album.

Following on from 2020’s hideously good Endless Wound, comes the 45-minute monstrosity that is Burning in Celestial Poison. Featuring five tracks that are mostly far longer than their predecessors, Black Curse have unleashed a severe statement of malevolent intent with their new record. Continue reading “Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison (Review)”

Spectral Voice – Sparagmos (Review)

Spectral Voice - SparagmosThis is the second album from US death/doom band Spectral Voice.

Featuring members of Black Curse and Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice play the sort of humungous death doom that crushes mountains and destroys villages. Sparagmos boasts 46 minutes of material that’s as distressing as it is rewarding. Continue reading “Spectral Voice – Sparagmos (Review)”

Go Ahead and Die – Go Ahead and Die (Review)

Go Ahead and Die - Go Ahead and DieThis is the debut album from Go Ahead and Die, a death/thrash metal band.

Go Ahead and Die treats us to 44 minutes of old-school thrash metal, with some death metal, punk, and grindcore thrown in for good measure. Continue reading “Go Ahead and Die – Go Ahead and Die (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2020

Almost every year I think about how challenging it is to compile a definitive best of list, and how subjective it is, etc. Although that’s still true for this collecting of albums, this year, however, has been easier than most. 2020 has been heavy on the black metal for me. It’s been my most reviewed genre, in all its myriad permutations, and this is reflected in the below list.

For the longest of times the bands in positions 5 and 6 vied for top position, but then October and November happened. All of a sudden, unexpectedly, these two months unleashed a wealth of quality, and stole the top four positions in a rampant display of blackened supremacy.

I hope you enjoy the below recommendations of mine and find something new to obsess over. Let me know how you get on.

Let’s dig in… Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2020”

Monthly Overview – the Best of April 2020

As it is every month, April’s releases were a hard bunch to whittle down to just a worthy few. I’ve settled on just the five below to highlight, but be aware that I’ve left out many other damn good records. Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of April 2020”

Black Curse – Endless Wound (Review)

Black Curse - Endless WoundBlack Curse are a US blackened death metal band and this is their debut album.

Black Curse contain members of bands such as Blood Incantation, Khemmis, Spectral Voice, and Primitive Man, (as well as many others), and Black Curse provides 38 minutes of poisonous extreme metal. Continue reading “Black Curse – Endless Wound (Review)”