Black metal – Page 188 – Wonderbox Metal

Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows (Review)

Inter Arma are a US post-metal band and this is their third album.

Well, here we have something that has a massive amount of expectation attached to it, at least from me. Their 2014 release The Cavern was a single 45 minute track that came close to attaining perfection. It was, quite simply, the best thing I heard that year, which is why it was my album of the year for 2014.

So, it’s with no pressure, (hehe), that I pressed play on their latest release, and let the band’s involved soundscapes take me away. Continue reading “Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows (Review)”

Abominant – Napalm Reign (Review)

This is the eleventh album from these US death metal veterans.

Abominant’s last album, Onward to Annihilation, was one of the better albums of 2013, so I had high hopes for Napalm Reign. I have not been disappointed.

The band play an underground death metal style that has both thrash and black metal elements, as well as even some power metal ones. This last aspect of their sound was evident on one track on Onward to Annihilation, and although it’s still only a very small part of their sound, it’s developed a little further Continue reading “Abominant – Napalm Reign (Review)”

King – Reclaim the Darkness (Review)

This is Australian band King’s debut album. They play black metal.

King is a straightforward, powerfully simple name that is quite refreshing after the increasing complexity of so many new black metal band’s names. Even the logo on the album cover is simple and strong, with no overly complex logo with semi-artistic aspirations. Continue reading “King – Reclaim the Darkness (Review)”

Azziard – Nirnaeth – Dramatis Personae – Split (Review)

This is a split between two French black metal bands.

Azziard are the first band to show what they can do, and they contribute a near-six minute long war-themed track named Unus Mundus.

Azziard play their black metal dark and evil, full of sharp riffs and even sharper melodies.

The singer rasps and screams his way alongside the relentless blast beats and heartless riffing, showing off his daemonic lungs with fiery abandon. Continue reading “Azziard – Nirnaeth – Dramatis Personae – Split (Review)”

Dimlight – The Lost Chapters (Review)

Dimlight are a symphonic metal band from Greece and this is their third album.

Now this is quite interesting. Here we have a Gothic/symphonic metal band that have some death/black metal elements entwined into the tracks.

This is a modern, updated version of the old, so-called, beauty-and-the-beast vocal approach that twins angelic female cleans with guttural male growls. I always quite liked this approach when it was probably at the height of its popularity Continue reading “Dimlight – The Lost Chapters (Review)”

Countess – Fires of Destiny (Review)

This is the fifteenth album from Countess, a black metal band from the Netherlands.

I enjoy Countess a lot. Both Sermons of the Infidel and Ancient Lies and Battle Cries have been featured on this site previously, and it’s with great pleasure that we now turn to this latest album.

With a slightly rougher sound this time around, these tracks Continue reading “Countess – Fires of Destiny (Review)”

Black Mass Pervertor – Phanerosis (Review)

Black Mass Pervertor are a Finnish black metal band and this is their debut album.

This is filthy, fast and furious black metal with crust and punk influences. It’s the kind of thing you might expect to come from the black metal underground, appealing to fans of the likes of Impaled Nazarene, Watchmaker and Black Witchery. Phanerosis sees the band carrying on the tradition of short, ugly songs that want to rape and kill you just for fun.

Rooted firmly in the oldest of old schools, Black Mass Pervertor Continue reading “Black Mass Pervertor – Phanerosis (Review)”

Somnium Nox – Apocrypha (Review)

This is the debut release from Somnium Nox, a black metal band from Australia.

Somnium Nox are harbingers of esoteric progressive/atmospheric black metal that plays out over one 16 minute track, revealing an expansive tapestry of music that explores the underground world of black metal with aplomb. Continue reading “Somnium Nox – Apocrypha (Review)”

The Sound That Ends Creation – We Are the Burden (Review)

This is the debut album from The Sound That Ends Creation, a one-man grindcore project from the US.

This is grindcore with a strong technical aspect that takes inspiration from many sub-genres in addition to its own, including elements of hardcore, sludge, mathcore, death metal and black metal. This, though, doesn’t really prepare you for what happens when you listen to We Are the Burden.

With 10 songs in 21 minutes, this is Continue reading “The Sound That Ends Creation – We Are the Burden (Review)”

Crowhurst – II (Review)

Crowhurst are from the US, and are an extremely prolific band with lots of noise/experimental/etc. releases. Their self titled album from 2015 was especially of interest, as it was essentially a pure black metal album, and a very good one at that.

Fast forward a year, and they have now released II. This continues the black metal theme started by their previously mentioned album, only this time with a wider scope and with industrial/sludge aspects, as well as contributions from members Continue reading “Crowhurst – II (Review)”