Nordjevel – Fenriir (Review)

Nordjevel - FenriirNordjevel are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their latest EP.

This EP contains two new songs exclusive to this release, one new song that will be on the band’s upcoming album, a live track, and a cover of a Possessed song. All told, it’s 23 minutes of material. Continue reading “Nordjevel – Fenriir (Review)”

Monthly Overview – the Best of April 2021

Another month, another truckload of top tier metal releases. 2021 just keeps on giving when it comes to music. I struggled hard to limit the below list to the ones that I did, and could easily have included more albums from what was a very packed April. Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of April 2021”

Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)

Akhenaten - The Emerald Tablets of ThothAkhenaten are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.

Akhenaten play a hybrid style of black and death metal that’s been spiced up with Middle Eastern folk influences. The music brings to mind a cross between aspects of bands such as Nile, Melechesh, Arallu, Orphaned Land, Rudra, Septic Flesh, and the like. In other words, bands that use their extreme metal for more than simple brutality. Continue reading “Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)”

Order of the Wolf/Pessimista – Split (Review)

Order of the Wolf Pessimista - SplitThis is a split between two solo bands rooted in black metal – Order of the Wolf from the UK and Pessimista from Brazil.

This actually came out last year originally, but is now getting a tape release. This is my first encounter with both bands, and this split acts as a very good introduction to them. Continue reading “Order of the Wolf/Pessimista – Split (Review)”

Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)

Coldcell - The Greater EvilThis is the fourth album from Swiss black metallers Coldcell.

Featuring the drummer of Schammasch and guest vocals on two songs by the singer of Zatokrev, Coldcell spend 49 minutes delivering atmospheric modern black metal that’s sinister and layered with existential dread. Continue reading “Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)”

Hideous Divinity – LV-426 (Review)

Hideous Divinity - LV-426Hideous Divinity are an Italian death metal band and this is their latest EP.

This new 16-minute EP contains two new sci-fi concept-themed tracks, and a cover of a Coheed and Cambria song. Continue reading “Hideous Divinity – LV-426 (Review)”

Cicada the Burrower – Corpseflower (Review)

Cicada the Burrower - CorpseflowerThis is the fourth album from one-woman black metal band Cicada the Burrower.

Corpseflower is an intriguing and engaging collection of tracks that mix jazz, post-hardcore, psychedelic rock, and post-rock into a 31-minute progressive/post-black metal framework that also incorporates elements of blackgaze and depressive black metal. Continue reading “Cicada the Burrower – Corpseflower (Review)”

Spectral Lore – Ετερόφωτος (Review)

Spectral Lore - ΕτερόφωτοςSpectral Lore is a one-man Greek atmospheric black metal band, and this is his fifth album.

I was quite excited to see a new Spectral Lore release so soon after the masterful Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine – a colossal split with Mare Cognitum. This new album is pretty colossal too, containing a whopping 79 minutes of music, and it’s every bit as good as you think it is for the most part. Continue reading “Spectral Lore – Ετερόφωτος (Review)”

Altarage – Succumb (Review)

Altarage - SuccumbAltarage are a Spanish blackened death metal band and this is their fourth album.

I’ve been enjoying Altarage’s output over the years – 2017’s Endinghent and 2019’s The Approaching Roar are both really solid albums – and Succumb continues the upward trend that the band are clearly on. Succumb contains 63 minutes of foul blackened death metal, and it’s their Continue reading “Altarage – Succumb (Review)”

Body Void – Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth (Review)

Body Void - Bury Me Beneath This Rotting EarthThis is the third album from Body Void, a doom band from the US.

If you haven’t heard Body Void before, then you absolutely need to check out 2018’s I Live Inside a Burning House, 2019’s You Will Know the Fear You Forced upon Us, and their 2020 split with Keeper. It’s now 2021, and time for the colossal Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth to be unleashed. Continue reading “Body Void – Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth (Review)”