This is the third album from Portuguese black metal band Monte Penumbra.
It’s been eleven years (!) since I last caught up with Monte Penumbra on Heirloom of Sullen Fall, so a reunion is long overdue. Containing 41 minutes of new material, Austere Dawning offers us a journey into dissonant black metal darkness. Continue reading “Monte Penumbra – Austere Dawning (Review)”
Still are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.
Still boast a fierce, ugly sound that’s equal parts black metal, sludge, and hardcore, resulting in a post-blackened 35-minute burst of punishment that’s damaging, yet moreish. The more Still scar and brutalise you, the more you want more. Continue reading “Still – A Theft (Review)”
Veilburner are a black/death metal band from the US and this is their seventh album.
A new Veilburner album is always an exciting prospect. I’ve been a fan since 2016’s The Obscene Rite, but it was 2022’s VLBRNR that really saw them reach their true potential in my eyes. Now we have The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom‘s 49 minutes upon us, and I’m ready to fall into Veilburner’s well-realised world once more. And, this time, it’s stranger than ever. Continue reading “Veilburner – The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom (Review)”
This is the fourth album from US solo black metal band Serpent Column.
Tassel of Ares is a 39-minute avant-garde black metal album brought to us by the artist behind Theophonos. The style is dissonant, esoteric, and obscure, yet remarkably accessible for that. Serpent Column’s music is an impressive beast. Continue reading “Serpent Column – Tassel of Ares (Review)”
Vafurlogi are a black metal band from Iceland and this is their debut album.
Í Vökulli Áþján contains 43 minutes of music and is brought to us by a current/ex-member of Sinmara and Svartidauði. Joined by a very capable drummer, (Beneath, Helfró, Ophidian I), Vafurlogi are a dark revelation that has long been threatening to spill over into reality, but now has. Continue reading “Vafurlogi – Í Vökulli Áþján (Review)”
This is the fourth album from UK black metallers Gråt Strigoi.
Despite being four albums deep into their career, I’ve never heard of Gråt Strigoi before the wonderful Fiadh Productions put them on my radar. It’s seriously been my loss, as this stuff is so far up my alley it hurts. The Prophetic Silence contains 56 minutes of black metal that’s so good you should just stop reading this now and go and listen to it. Continue reading “Gråt Strigoi – The Prophetic Silence (Review)”
This is the second album from US black metal band Mnajdra.
Following hot on the heels of last year’s self titled debut comes In the Name of the Goddess; 50 minutes of apocalyptic modern black metal. Mnajdra’s malefic music has ascended to a higher level of spectral might with this new album. Continue reading “Mnajdra – In the Name of the Goddess (Review)”
This is the second album from Slovakian black/death metal band Ceremony of Silence.
Five years after 2019’s malignant Oútis, Ceremony of Silence have returned with the 36-minute Hálios. An album of atmospheric brutality, Hálios expands on and further develops the strengths of Ceremony of Silence’s debut album. Continue reading “Ceremony of Silence – Hálios (Review)”
Scarcity are a black metal band from the US and this is their second album.
The successor of 2022’s well-received Aveilut, The Promise of Rain contains 40 minutes of new material from Scarcity. Brought to us from a band that features members of Anicon, Glorious Depravity, Krallice, Pyrrhon, Seputus, Weeping Sores, and Woe, Scarcity have a wealth of experience in the realms of extreme metal that they bring to bear here to good effect. Continue reading “Scarcity – The Promise of Rain (Review)”
This is the debut album from Parfaxitas, an international black metal band.
Weaver of the Black Moon is brought to us by members of Manetheren, Sinmara, Suffering Hour, Whoredom Rife, Wormlust, which means that you can immediately be assured that Parfaxitas know what they’re doing. Continue reading “Parfaxitas – Weaver of the Black Moon (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 