Soulburn – Earthless Pagan Spirit (Review)

SoulburnThis is the third album from Soulburn, a predominantly black metal band from the Netherlands.

Featuring ex-members of Asphyx, this is a solid slab of prime-time metal that effectively mixes black and death metal, (with some doom), into a tasty 47 minutes. Continue reading “Soulburn – Earthless Pagan Spirit (Review)”

Interview with Waldgeflüster

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Waldgeflüster’s fourth full-length release Ruinen is an atmospheric post-black metal album that just keeps on delivering the goods. As with a lot of the best albums, the more you listen to it the more you get drawn into it. It’s a lengthy release, but one that earns its playing time by having so much engaging content. Ruinen invites the listener into its dark depths and only fully reveals its many treasures with repeated spins.

Band founder Winterherz walked me through how the band started and where they’re at today…

Introduce us to Waldgeflüster!

Continue reading “Interview with Waldgeflüster”

Ovnev – Cycle of Survival (Review)

OvnevThis is the debut album of Ovnev, a one-man atmospheric black metal band from the US.

Featuring atmospheric black metal with a nature theme and plenty of use of acoustic guitars, Ovnev’s debut album is confident and assured from the start.

Cycle of Survival is filled with Continue reading “Ovnev – Cycle of Survival (Review)”

Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)

Downfall of GaiaThis is the fourth album from German band Downfall of Gaia. They play post-black metal.

This is a release that creates and fosters atmosphere like a second skin. It’s dark and mystical, and keeps its secrets close to its chest despite also being quite warm and welcoming in some respects. Ice-cold black metal full of hatred and blasphemy this is not. That’s not to say that Continue reading “Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)”

Tarnkappe – Winterwaker (Review)

TarnkappeTarnkappe are from the Netherlands and this is their second album.

The band’s first release Tussen Hun En De Zon introduced us to the band’s take on classic black metal, with lashings of Burzum and Darkthrone influences lacing the old-school venom of the music. Continue reading “Tarnkappe – Winterwaker (Review)”

Fornicus – Hymns of Dominion (Review)

FornicusFornicus are a black metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Since 2014’s Storming Heaven it seems that Fornicus have only become harsher and more extreme with their black metal. Hymns of Dominion is 43 minutes of fast and scathing icy hatred. Continue reading “Fornicus – Hymns of Dominion (Review)”

Crimson Moon – Oneironaut (Review)

Crimson MoonThis is the third album from this German-based black metal band.

This release is a solo affair, masterminded by just one talented individual and backed up by some guests.

Oneironaut is black metal with an epic, mystical, even cosmic, feel to it. The songs are on the lengthy end of the spectrum on average, (which for this kind of music is always something I like), culminating in Continue reading “Crimson Moon – Oneironaut (Review)”

Vermin Womb – Decline (Review)

Vermin WombVermin Womb are a blackened sludge/grind band form the US. This is their debut album.

Due to my love of their first EP Permanence, as well as all things Primitive Man and Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, (who they share members with), this release has been highly anticipated by yours truly.

On Permanence Vermin Womb channelled the destructive essence Continue reading “Vermin Womb – Decline (Review)”

Ctulu – Ctulu (Review)

CtuluThis is the fourth album from German black metallers Ctulu.

I’m familiar with Ctulu from their second album Sarkomand, which was a savage album full of fast-paced blackened hatred.

Their latest release is similar in style, but more sophisticated and diverse in its scorn. This is still dark, aggressive music, of course, but there’s more nuance to the delivery in places alongside the more frenzied assaults. Continue reading “Ctulu – Ctulu (Review)”

Damnation Festival – Leeds University, 05/11/16 (Live Review)

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This is the twelfth edition of the UK’s Damnation Festival, and although it may be cold outside, inside there’s more than enough incendiary metal to heat things up. Hopefully the recent preview whetted your appetite, and now it’s time to see how the real thing turned out…

Damnation Festival Bands

Attan 13:00-13:30 Terrorizer Stage

Attan

It’s with great excitement and expectation that I await Attan’s arrival. From Nothing is such a colossal opening statement for a band that I can’t wait to see how it translates into the live environment. Continue reading “Damnation Festival – Leeds University, 05/11/16 (Live Review)”