Sågverk – Like Royalty (Review)

Sågverk - Like RoyaltySågverk are a Finnish blackened crust band and this is their second album.

This is the follow up to the belligerent Sahataan ne Kaikki from 2015. Like Royalty finds Sågverk in fine form. They have managed to take what made their debut album so enjoyable and refine and develop it further into the very satisfying 38 minutes of music that they have given us here. Continue reading “Sågverk – Like Royalty (Review)”

Dim Lords – Last World, Dead Universe (Review)

Dim Lords - Last World, Dead UniverseThis is the debut release by Dim Lords, an anonymous black metal band.

With very little information about this band, (that I could find), other than what’s available from the below Bandcamp page, we’re left to simply absorb the 19 minutes of material we are confronted by on Last World, Dead Universe. Continue reading “Dim Lords – Last World, Dead Universe (Review)”

Mass Infection – Shadows Became Flesh (Review)

Mass Infection - Shadows Became FleshMass Infection are a Greek death metal band and this is their fourth album.

2014’s For I Am Genocide was a prime slab of raging death metal. Now featuring the drummer of the savage Hideous Divinity, Mass Infection are back with their latest release that contains 37 minutes of utter darkness. Continue reading “Mass Infection – Shadows Became Flesh (Review)”

Echtra – BardO (Review)

Echtra - BardOEchtra is a one man black metal/drone band, and this is his fourth album.

All Echtra songs clock in at 23 minutes, and BardO contains two of them. Across these sprawling tracks depth and texture is achieved through a variety of instruments that are used in conjunction with each other to create a tapestry of atmospheric darkness and light. Continue reading “Echtra – BardO (Review)”

Ævangelist – Matricide in the Temple of Omega (Review)

Ævangelist - Matricide in the Temple of OmegaThis is the latest abomination from Ævangelist, a blackened atmospheric death metal monstrosity from the US/Finland.

Something is moving in the night. Something is writhing in the murk. It’s ugly, foul, and destined to cloud everything in a miasma of disgusting horror. Continue reading “Ævangelist – Matricide in the Temple of Omega (Review)”

Funeral Chic – Superstition (Review)

Funeral Chic - SuperstitionThis is the second album from US blackened hardcore band Funeral Chic.

Fourteen tracks of violent, foul, ugly blackened hardcore? Yes please! How could I resist? Continue reading “Funeral Chic – Superstition (Review)”

Sigh – Heir to Despair (Review)

Sigh - Heir to DespairSigh are a Japanese black/avant-garde metal band and this is their eleventh album.

A new Sigh album is always somewhat of an event, and you never really quite know what you’re going to be getting yourself into with it. This latest album follows on after the symphonic blackened offering of 2015’s Graveward, but distances itself from its predecessor quite significantly by giving us 53 minutes of material that’s been influenced by folk and old/obscure progressive rock more than ever before. Continue reading “Sigh – Heir to Despair (Review)”