Cryostasium – The Possessor (Review)

CryostasiumThis is the latest EP from US one man black metal band Cryostasium.

I discovered Cryostasium on the 2017 release Starbound, which blew me away, it has to be said.  This latest EP is a slightly different beast, but no less impressive. Continue reading “Cryostasium – The Possessor (Review)”

Craft – White Noise and Black Metal (Review)

CraftCraft are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fifth album.

Although the album title might suggest a combination of blistering black metal and heartless noise assaults, it’s actually 42 minutes of the former rather than the latter. Of course, this is no bad thing. Continue reading “Craft – White Noise and Black Metal (Review)”

Demonic Obedience – Fatalistic Uprisal of Abhorrent Creation (Review)

Demonic ObedienceThis is the third album from Greek/UK blackened death metal band Demonic Obedience.

On Fatalistic Uprisal of Abhorrent Creation Demonic Obedience offer up 33 minutes of malignant blackened death metal. Merging brutality with no small amount of mood and atmosphere, this is a very gratifying album. Continue reading “Demonic Obedience – Fatalistic Uprisal of Abhorrent Creation (Review)”

Blood Worship – Death’s Omnipotence (Review)

Blood WorshipThis is the debut EP from Swedish black metal band Blood Worship.

Here we have 21 minutes of cold, venomous black metal. The promo blurb says that it’s for fans of Dissection, Naglfar, Marduk, and Satyricon, and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment. I’d also throw in a bit of A Grand Declaration of War-era Mayhem regarding some of the band’s riffs too, although this is largely a more minor aspect of their sound. Continue reading “Blood Worship – Death’s Omnipotence (Review)”

Moonreich – Fugue (Review)

MoonreichThis is the fourth album from Moonreich, a French black metal band.

Fugue is a broad-ranging and multifaceted journey into black metal waters, with the band revealing themselves to be quite expressive and creative across the album’s 54 minutes. Continue reading “Moonreich – Fugue (Review)”

Self-Hatred – Hlubiny (Review)

Self-HatredSelf-Hatred are from the Czech Republic and this is their second album. They play death/doom metal.

Hlubiny is the follow up to 2016’s very enjoyable Theia, which I really liked for its contemporary take on the death/doom style. On Hlubiny the band have continued to develop and refine their sound, resulting in 42 minutes of material that sees them at their towering, monolithic best. Continue reading “Self-Hatred – Hlubiny (Review)”

The Shiva Hypothesis – Ouroboros Stirs (Review)

The Shiva HypothesisThe Shiva Hypothesis are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their debut album.

The Shiva Hypothesis play music that mixes elements of black and death metal together into an atmospheric and obscure form of extreme metal. Continue reading “The Shiva Hypothesis – Ouroboros Stirs (Review)”

Utburd – The Horrors Untold (Review)

UtburdUtburd is a one man Russian black metal band and this is his second album.

Combining elements of both atmospheric and depressive black metal alongside a second wave base, this release explores the dark horrors that lurk in the night. Continue reading “Utburd – The Horrors Untold (Review)”

Barren Altar – Entrenched in the Faults of the Earth (Review)

Barren AltarBarren Altar are a US blackened doom band and this is their debut album.

Well, this album just exudes apocalyptic vibes from every corrupted, malignant pore on its infected body. Sheesh. Better not get too close to this one. Continue reading “Barren Altar – Entrenched in the Faults of the Earth (Review)”

Hoth – Astral Necromancy (Review)

HothHoth are a melodic black metal band from the US and this is their third album.

Astral Necromancy takes the listener on a 50-minute trip through a cosmic abyss of sorts. An ambitious and vast release, the songs are sparkling and multifaceted as they tear through their playing time. Continue reading “Hoth – Astral Necromancy (Review)”