Mountain Shadow – Mountain Shadow (Review)

Mountain ShadowThis is the debut album from US black metal band Mountain Shadow.

Mountain Shadow play atmospheric black metal and their self titled record contains 53 minutes of material. It might not be what you’re expecting though, as Mountain Shadow have created something a little different in some ways on these eight tracks. Continue reading “Mountain Shadow – Mountain Shadow (Review)”

Verwoed – The Mother (Review)

Verwoed - The MotherThis is the second album from Dutch black metal solo act Verwoed.

Drawn in by the evocative cover art, I approached The Mother with expectations of dark splendour and vicious aggression. I soon found more than I had bargained for, as the artist behind Verwoed took me on a multifaceted 44-minute journey into the sort of black metal waters that are normally best avoided due to how vibrant, otherworldly, and treacherous they are. Continue reading “Verwoed – The Mother (Review)”

Vorga – Beyond the Palest Star (Review)

Vorga - Beyond the Palest StarThis is the second album from Vorga, a German black metal band.

With 2022’s Striving Toward Oblivion Vorga made a notable impact in the world of melodic black metal. Now they’re back with Beyond the Palest Star, which delivers another sci-fi trip through 43 minutes of sharp melodic aggression. Continue reading “Vorga – Beyond the Palest Star (Review)”

Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)

Sacrificial Vein - Black Terror GenesisSacrificial Vein are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Containing the singer of Nothingness in their ranks, Sacrificial Vein play avant-garde/dissonant black metal. Black Terror Genesis is a 47-minute journey into darkness. Continue reading “Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)”

Wormwitch/Sadistic Ritual – Split (Review)

Wormwitch Sadistic Ritual - SplitWormwitch are a black metal band from Canada and Sadistic Ritual are a thrash metal band from the US.

Barring a couple of singles in 2022, this is the first we’ve heard from Wormwitch since 2021’s Wolf Hex, (also make sure you check out 2019’s Heaven That Dwells Within if you haven’t already), so these three songs – 16 minutes of new material – are a welcome sight. Continue reading “Wormwitch/Sadistic Ritual – Split (Review)”

Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will (Review)

Dödsrit - Nocturnal WillThis is the fourth album from Swedish black metal band Dödsrit.

Whereas each of Dödsrit’s well-regarded previous albums, (including 2018’s top notch Spirit Crusher), contained four songs, Nocturnal Will breaks with tradition and delivers six tracks in total, (although to be fair one is a sub-minute interlude). Continue reading “Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will (Review)”

Civerous – Maze Envy (Review)

Civerous - Maze EnvyThis is the second album from US death metallers Civerous.

We last met Civerous on their 2020 split with Stygian Obsession, so it’s great to be able to hear a full album from them. Brought to us by members of Aylwin and Tzompantli, Maze Envy contains 42 minutes of cavernous death that’s wrapped around doom and black metal elements. Continue reading “Civerous – Maze Envy (Review)”

Acathexis – Immerse (Review)

Acathexis - ImmerseThis is the second album from Acathexis, an international black metal band.

Acathexis is given dark life by Jacob Buczarski(, the artist behind the amazing Mare Cognitum), the insanely prolific Déhà, (COAG, Cult of Erinyes, Silver Knife, Slow, We All Die (Laughing), and many others), and a singer from some bands I don’t know, (Dany Tee, from Los Males del Mundo and Seelenmord). Immerse may only have four songs, but with a total duration of 50 minutes, there’s a lot here to delve deeply into. The album is Well-named, and the songs are sprawling and immersive. Continue reading “Acathexis – Immerse (Review)”

Order of Nosferat – The Absence of Grace (Review)

Order of Nosferat - The Absence of GraceThis is the fifth album from international black metal band Order of Nosferat.

I was introduced only last year to Order of Nosferat on their split with Lunar Spells, and I fell for them hard. Given the chance to explore a full album of their vampiric black metal supremacy, how could I resist? Continue reading “Order of Nosferat – The Absence of Grace (Review)”

Khold – Du Dømmes til Død (Review)

Khold - Du Dømmes til DødKhold are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their eighth album.

Du Dømmes til Død contains 33 minutes of black metal that’s primitive and deadly. Khold’s latest release hits the spot nicely. Continue reading “Khold – Du Dømmes til Død (Review)”