Somniate are a black metal band from Czechia and this is their debut album.
Containing members of bands such as Brutally Deceased, Self-Hatred, Mallephyr, and Heaving Earth, The Meyrinkian Slumber is a different proposition than most of Somniate’s component bands, and gifts us with 32 minutes of modern black metal instead. Continue reading “Somniate – The Meyrinkian Slumber (Review)”
Ovnev is a one-man US black metal band, and this is his third album.
I enjoyed both 2016’s Cycle of Survival and 2017’s Incalescence, so knew that Transpiration was a release I wanted to check out. I’m definitely glad I did. Continue reading “Ovnev – Transpiration (Review)”
This is the second album from one-man black metal band Selbst, originally from Venezuela, and now Chile. He’s backed up by guests, including clean vocals from a member of Ty.
Here we have 42 minutes of textured black metal that embraces a range of styles and influences to produce a very enjoyable and captivating slice of modern darkness. Continue reading “Selbst – Relatos de Angustia (Review)”
July was packed with strong releases. With some quality highly anticipated albums seeing the light of day in July, (Defeated Sanity, Gaerea, Imperial Triumphant), I decided to focus on some of my favourites from last month that were less likely to get loads of media coverage, (and it was a struggle to limit the selection to five). So, with that in mind, my highlights are below. What are yours? Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of July 2020”
This is the debut album from Sepulchral Curse, a Finnish death metal band.
It seems an age since 2016’s At the Onset of Extinction, but we are now treated to some new material from Sepulchral Curse. Well, I’m pleased to report that the wait has been worth it. Featuring members of Solothus, (including their impressive singer), Only Ashes Remain contains 45 minutes of blackened death metal that will surely be one of the year’s death metal highlights. Continue reading “Sepulchral Curse – Only Ashes Remain (Review)”
This is the second album from Drouth, a black/death metal band from the US.
This is sinister black metal that has had its delivery deepened by death metal’s gnarled bite. It’s a sinister and menacing 40 minutes, but a richly textured one also, ripe with atmosphere and expressive feeling. Continue reading “Drouth – Excerpts from a Dread Liturgy (Review)”
This is the fourth album from US avant-garde black/death metal band Imperial Triumphant.
Referring to Imperial Triumphant as a black/death metal band, (as I’ve just done here for sake of brevity), is highly misleading really, as this is one of the more individual and unique bands in existence. They play an avant-garde, experimental mix of styles that includes, (but is not limited to), black metal, death metal, progressive metal, doom, jazz, and post-everything. Continue reading “Imperial Triumphant – Alphaville (Review)”
Hexivoid is a one-man UK black metal band and this is his second album.
Hexivoid’s music is a mix of modern darkness and Burzum-esque atmosphere. It manages to balance an atmospheric delivery with one that also seethes with dissonance and feral aggression. Continue reading “Hexivoid – The Beckoning of Celestial Tendrils (Review)”
Gaerea are a Portuguese black metal band and this is their second album.
The follow up to 2018’s hugely accomplished Unsettling Whispers, Limbo is much-anticipated, and contains 52 minutes of new material. The band’s sophisticated modern black metal has developed further on Limbo, crawling into longer compositions that drip with darkness and misanthropy. Prepare yourself for Limbo. Continue reading “Gaerea – Limbo (Review)”
Molog are an Australian black metal band and this is their debut album.
Tri offers a relatively brief hit of grim, underground blackness. The raw old-school approach of Molog is endearing and authentic, and has been captured effectively across these 33 minutes. Continue reading “Molog – Tri (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 