Enhailer – Dumb Enough to Care (Review)

EnhailerThis is the latest EP from US doom band Enhailer.

Containing just one 18-minute track this EP straddles genres and styles, but ultimately falls under the doom heading most of all. Continue reading “Enhailer – Dumb Enough to Care (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2017

2017 was an amazing year for music, with so many top-notch albums seeing the light of day. I pretty much say this every year, of course, but that doesn’t seem to stop it being true. With this in mind, the 2017 list was especially hard to put together, and I agonised over this one more than I did for any of the lists in previous years.

As is traditional, I also want to mention some releases by bands that could easily have made it onto the list, and should have by many rights, if only I could have somehow managed to fit them all in –

Abhorrent DecimationAmenra, Apes, Artificial BrainAu-Dessus,

CelesteDesecrate the FaithEarth RotEarth WitchFalls of Rauros,

Full of HellGnawGutslitHelplessHenry Kane,

Hundred SunsIngurgitating OblivionInto OrbitJohn FrumKarne,

KvalLividMorbid AngelPrimitive ManCraven Idol,

SlowSoulskinnerThe Kennedy VeilUlsectWildspeaker.

I urge you to check out all of the above releases, in addition to the ones in the actual list below. I could probably keep adding more bands you should give a listen to, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, I suppose.

So, without further ado, let’s get right down to it… Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2017”

Drawn into Descent – Drawn into Descent (Review)

Drawn into DescentDrawn into Descent are an atmospheric black metal band from Belgium and this is their debut album.

Full of sombre sounds and dark moods, this is 46 minutes of obscure, atmospheric music. Continue reading “Drawn into Descent – Drawn into Descent (Review)”

Antzaat – The Black Hand of the Father (Review)

AntzaatThis is the debut EP from Belgian black metallers Antzaat.

It’s so hard to dislike something like this.

Here we have 22 minutes of cold, Continue reading “Antzaat – The Black Hand of the Father (Review)”

Siberian Hell Sounds/Convulsing – Split (Review)

Siberian Hell Sounds ConvulsingSiberian Hell Sounds and Convulsing are both non-standard black metal groups from Australia and they have teamed up on this split release.

I enjoyed Siberian Hell Sounds’ last EP Svengali, so it’s great to hear some new material from them. Svengali contained five tracks and lasted under 18 minutes in total, so when I saw that their side of this split contained just one 20-minute song, I knew I had to make listening to it a priority. Continue reading “Siberian Hell Sounds/Convulsing – Split (Review)”

The Stone – Teatar Apsurda (Review)

The StoneThe Stone are a Serbian black metal band and this is their eighth album.

After an enjoyable 2014 release in Nekroza, The Stone are now back with a further 49 minutes of aggressive black metal. The Stone prefer their black metal dark and sinister, with an atmospheric component that works really well; this album is a great addition to their discography. Continue reading “The Stone – Teatar Apsurda (Review)”

Vhorthax – Nether Darkness (Review)

VhorthaxVhorthax are a Russian death/black metal band and this is their debut EP.

What foul incantations and rituals resulted in the birthing of this release, I wonder? This is old-school, atavistic black metal, shot through with equally moribund death metal influences. Continue reading “Vhorthax – Nether Darkness (Review)”

Grafvitnir – Keys to the Mysteries Beyond (Review)

GrafvitnirThis is the fifth album from Swedish black metallers Grafvitnir.

It seems like only yesterday that Grafvitnir were slicing us up with the sharp, cold black metal of Obeisance to a Witch Moon, and in truth it’s been almost a full year to the day between release dates. Clearly Grafvitnir are not interested in resting on their laurels. Continue reading “Grafvitnir – Keys to the Mysteries Beyond (Review)”

Perdition Winds – Transcendent Emptiness (Review)

Perdition WindsPerdition Winds are a black metal band from Finland and this is their second album.

Featuring members of Desolate Shrine, Lie in Ruins, Sargeist, and Corpsessed, this is the follow up to 2014’s enjoyable Aura of Suffering. Continue reading “Perdition Winds – Transcendent Emptiness (Review)”

Revenge Prevails – False Hope Cruelty (Review)

Revenge PrevailsThis is the second album from Swedish black/death metal band Revenge Prevails.

This is a band that takes a sturdy, Satyricon-esque second wave foundation and builds on it with some solid death metal bricks. Continue reading “Revenge Prevails – False Hope Cruelty (Review)”