This is the second album from US solo post-black metal band Flowers of Rust.
Crude Exhibitions of the Soul contains 33 minutes of post-black metal that’s of an uncommon variety. Flowers of Rust is an act with a different voice, and it uses it to command and demoralise. Continue reading “Flowers of Rust – Crude Exhibitions of the Soul (Review)”
Another year, another Damnation Festival. Has it really been 20 years? I went to the very first one waaaaay back in 2005, and a love affair was born. It has been great to watch it become one of the world’s best festivals. Kudos to the organisers for their continued passion and ability.
This edition is therefore the festival’s twentieth year and sees Damnation bigger and arguably better than ever before. It’s across two days now, and the lineup is strong in both depth and breadth. From veteran classics to newborn sensations, the festival has it all. Continue reading “Damnation Festival 2025 – BEC Arena, Manchester – 08/11/25-09/11/25 (Live Review)”
This is the second album from UK mathcore band Pupil Slicer.
Following on from 2023’s well-received Blossom, Pupil Slicer have returned with the 36-minute Fleshwork. In this review I’ll make the case that this is peak Pupil Slicer so far. Fleshwork is a monster. If a mix of bands such as Converge, Deafheaven, Heriot, Rolo Tomassi, and Svalbard, sounds good, then this is one for you. Continue reading “Pupil Slicer – Fleshwork (Review)”
Agriculture are a post-black metal band from the US and this is their second album.
The Spiritual Sound is the 44-minute follow up to 2023’s well-received Agriculture. Combing a range of diverse ingredients into an engaging post-black metal sound, Agriculture’s new record is a step up for the band. Continue reading “Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK blackgaze band Æl-Fierlen.
Æl-Fierlen play an evocative form of blackened Gothic metal, (for lack of a better term), that incorporates atmospheric black metal, doom, blackgaze, and folk into a compelling musical framework. Containing 34 minutes of music, All Is Far Away is an underground gem of an album. Continue reading “Æl-Fierlen – All Is Far Away (Review)”
Heretoir are a post-black metal band from Germany and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2023’s Nightsphere comes Solastalgia, which brings us 63 minutes of new music from Heretoir, (which includes an In Flames cover). I confess, I wasn’t expecting this to be as good or as impactful as it is. Continue reading “Heretoir – Solastalgia (Review)”
This is the second album from Brazilian solo black metal act Autrest.
On Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves, the artist behind Autrest provides us with 42 minutes of nature-inspired atmospheric black metal. It’s well crafted, and the artist clearly knows what he’s doing. Continue reading “Autrest – Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves (Review)”
This is the debut album from US black metal band Vakker.
I only encountered What Will Become of Our Pain due to a random social media recommendation, and I’m very glad I did. Vakker play atmospheric black metal, only with the sort of horrific, monstrous vocals that you wouldn’t normally associate with the style. Continue reading “Vakker – What Will Become of Our Pain (Review)”
This is the third album from US black metal band Oskoreien.
After enjoying both previous Oskoreien albums, it’s come as a surprise to discover that I never actually reviewed either of them. Hollow Fangs is a great opportunity to remedy this, and it’s Oskoreien’s first outing as a full band too. Hollow Fangs contains 39 minutes of new material, so let’s dive in. Continue reading “Oskoreien – Hollow Fangs (Review)”
This is the second album by Ba’al, a blackened post-metal band from the UK.
I’ve been looking forward to this. 2017’s In Gallows by Mass introduced me to Ba’al’s brand of post-metal, but it was on 2020’s Elipsism where the band truly came into their own, developing a post-black metal framework for their post-metal that was hugely impressive. Last year’s EP Soft Eyes, a quality collection of songs, merely whetted my appetite for more, which we are now gifted with in the form of the 62-minute The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here. Continue reading “Ba’al – The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 