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)”
Acceptance are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.
Previously known as Fatalist, (with an album under that name, so whether this is their first or second I suppose is up for debate), Acceptance exist at an interesting intersection between atmospheric black metal, sludge, blackgaze, and post-rock. Continue reading “Acceptance – Crucifixion of Orchids (Review)”
Silver Knife are an international post-black metal band and this is their second album.
Silver Knife is the 47-minute successor to 2020’s well-received Unyielding/Unseeing. Containing the extremely busy and talented Déhà, as well as current/ex-members of Burial Remains, Laster, Monads, Paramnesia, and Vuur & Zijde, Silver Knife is an album with a lot of experience poured into it, and it shows. Continue reading “Silver Knife – Silver Knife (Review)”
Svnth are an Italian blackgaze band and this is their fourth album.
I’ve enjoyed watching Svnth develop over the years, back when they were called Seventh Genocide on 2017’s Toward Akina and 2018’s Svnth, and then when they changed their name for 2020’s Spring in Blue, which was their strongest outing yet, even making it onto my year end list. Which brings us, five years and a lineup change later, to the 37-minute Pink Noise Youth. Continue reading “Svnth – Pink Noise Youth (Review)”
This is the sixth album from US post-black metal/blackgaze band Deafheaven.
Lonely People with Power contains 62 minutes of music, and finds Deafhaven in masterful form. If you’re familiar with Deafheaven at all, as you hopefully are, this new record is essentially a culmination of everything they have done so far, resulting in an album that’s well-rounded, affecting, and quite brilliant. Continue reading “Deafheaven – Lonely People with Power (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 