Lvcifyre – The Broken Seal (Review)

Lvcifyre - The Broken SealLvcifyre are a blackened death metal band from the UK and this is their third album.

Now here’s an album that’s been much anticipated by your truly. I really enjoyed 2014’s Svn Eater, so have been eager for a follow up. Now, seven years, (and one EP), later, Lvcifyre are back with the 44-minute The Broken Seal. Continue reading “Lvcifyre – The Broken Seal (Review)”

Chrome Waves – The Rain Will Cleanse (Review)

Chrome Waves - The Rain Will CleanseChrome Waves are a shoegaze/post-black metal band from the US and this is their third album.

The Rain Will Cleanse gives us a 41-minute journey into shoegaze-style post-black metal. The band’s style is essentially that of a heavier, post-blackened, shoegaze act. If you’re a fan of bands like Alcest, as well as acts like Varaha and Agalloch, and a touch of Anathema, then this is one you’re sure to want to check out. Continue reading “Chrome Waves – The Rain Will Cleanse (Review)”

Runespell – Verses in Regicide (Review)

Runespell - Verses in RegicideRunespell is a solo black metal band from Australia, and this is his fourth album.

I like a bit of Runespell. I’ve enjoyed watching the band develop from 2017’s Unhallowed Blood Oath, through 2018’s Order of Vengeance, to 2019’s Voice of Opprobrium. It’s now time for a new offering, and Verses in Regicide contains 38 minutes of the good stuff. Continue reading “Runespell – Verses in Regicide (Review)”

Thecodontion/Vessel of Iniquity – The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event – Split (Review)

Thecodontion Vessel of Iniquity - The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event - SplitThecodontion are an italian blackened death metal band, and Vessel of Iniquity is a solo UK black metal act.

Thecodontion present us with two songs lasting 12 minutes in total. Continue reading “Thecodontion/Vessel of Iniquity – The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event – Split (Review)”

Defacement – Defacement (Review)

Defacement - DefacementDefacement are a blackened death metal band from the Netherlands and this is their second album.

Featuring members of Earth and Pillars and Cryptic Shift, Defacement contains 41 minutes of material, but only four of the eight tracks are actual songs. The remaining four are intro/interludes that I was expecting to dismiss as pointless as most of their ilk are, but I was Continue reading “Defacement – Defacement (Review)”

Monthly Overview – the Best of August 2021

While August was a slower month than some others have been this year for first class metal albums, it was still home to more than enough top releases to warrant this list. Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of August 2021”

Sermon of Flames – I Have Seen the Light, and It Was Repulsive (Review)

Sermon of Flames - I Have Seen the Light, and It Was RepulsiveThis is the debut album from Sermon of Flames, an Irish blackened death metal band.

This is an album that offers the listener twelve portraits of extremity and harsh soundscapes. It contains 39 minutes of horror, so if you can stomach the band’s violent darkness for that long, then this is for you. Continue reading “Sermon of Flames – I Have Seen the Light, and It Was Repulsive (Review)”

Sol Kia – Zos Ethos (Review)

Sol Kia - Zos EthosThis is the debut album from Sol Kia, a Belgian experimental black metal band.

Zos Ethos features a member of Neptunian Maximalism, and contains 45 minutes of experimental psychedelic black metal. Continue reading “Sol Kia – Zos Ethos (Review)”

Wormwood – Arkivet (Review)

Wormwood - ArkivetThis is the third album from Swedish black metallers Wormwood.

This is Swedish melodic black metal that exists within a post-black metal framework, with the latter allowing the former a broader range than it usually benefits from. Wormwood’s music has an epic streak, an atmospheric proclivity, and a good grasp of emotion and depth. Arkivet is a mix of the classic and the contemporary, and the band have balanced these influences very well to produce an evocative and compelling album. Continue reading “Wormwood – Arkivet (Review)”