Infernal Diatribe – Videha Mukti (Review)

Infernal DiatribeThis is the début release from Infernal Diatribe, an Indian black metal band.

This is occult black metal, played with grim atmospheres and morbid delight.

Videha Mukti has a very satisfying production, with the drums in particular coming across well. Whether the drummer is throwing out blast beats, providing a firm double bass bedrock or merely playing a solid beat, it all gives the blackened Continue reading “Infernal Diatribe – Videha Mukti (Review)”

Strafk – Entomophobia (Review)

StrafkStrafk are a Russian black metal band and this is their second EP.

Their début EP, Phaseshifting, was experimental black metal, all dark, menacing guitars and free-form malevolence.

There are two tracks on this new release, with the entire EP lasting under 10 minutes in total, and it has a different feel to it than Phaseshifting.

Up first is a track named Φόβος, and starts off with a sinister Continue reading “Strafk – Entomophobia (Review)”

VIII – Decathexis (Review)

VIIIThis is the second album from VIII, an Italian black metal band.

VIII have produced an ambitious release that spans 50 minutes across three sprawling, ugly tracks. This is not an album for people who like polished, shiny music. Oh no. This is the sound of dying, decay and forgotten dreams.

Decathexis sees the band playing raw, underground black metal with a mean, dispirited edge. Alongside the Continue reading “VIII – Decathexis (Review)”

Harrower – Remembrance (Review)

HarrowerHarrower are from the US and play black metal.

Harrower play a raw form of black metal that occasionally branches out into post-metal waters.

Remembrance sounds cold and sharp, and has a lot more of a raw, underground feeling than a lot of black metal bands that also dabble in post-black metal. I think it works really well, and the sound they Continue reading “Harrower – Remembrance (Review)”

Wayfarer – Old Souls (Review)

WayfarerThis is the second album from this US atmospheric post-black metal band.

Children of the Iron Age introduced us to Wayfarer’s quality, interesting black metal and was a pretty damn stunning début album in many ways.

Old Souls is not as long as their first album, (18 minutes shorter), but we still get some epic, sprawling tracks.

Wayfarer have a Continue reading “Wayfarer – Old Souls (Review)”

Morthus – Over the Dying Stars (Review)

MorthusMorthus are an old-school blackened death metal band from Poland. This is their début album.

Now this is quite exciting. I’ve been looking forward to hearing something more from this band ever since their début EP The Abyss arrived in 2014 and floored me with its combination of death, black and classic metal. Continue reading “Morthus – Over the Dying Stars (Review)”

Stheno – Liberty Crawls in Waste (Review)

SthenoStheno are a blackened grindcore band from Greece. This is their début album.

I like Stheno. Their split with Grassroll introduced me to their blackened grinding ultra-violence, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

So, joy of joys, we now have a full 20 minutes of their nasty savagery to enjoy, and enjoy it we do. Continue reading “Stheno – Liberty Crawls in Waste (Review)”

Sheidim – Shrines of the Void (Review)

SheidimSheidim are a Spanish black metal band and this is their début album.

This is orthodox black metal with a modern coating and a matching cover. It’s extreme, passionate, vicious and venomous.

Sheidim’s music is heavy and full of darkness, injecting streaks of colour through the blackened melodies that burn with intensity and passion, as does the band’s music as a whole.

Shrines of the Void is powerfully Continue reading “Sheidim – Shrines of the Void (Review)”

Black Fucking Cancer – Black Fucking Cancer (Review)

Black Fucking CancerThis is the début album from Black Fucking Cancer, a US black metal band.

Due to the name of this band I was expecting short, punky, excrement-filled black metal lasting probably no longer than about 20 minutes. What we actually get is a full 60 minutes of hate-powered misanthropy and perversion, courtesy of these blackened maniacs.

This is ugly music that the band manage to stretch out Continue reading “Black Fucking Cancer – Black Fucking Cancer (Review)”