Kaleikr are an Icelandic black/death metal band and this is their debut album.
This is black metal that’s progressive and emotive. Heart of Lead is an album that you can almost visibly see change as it develops and unfolds. As it runs through its playing time, Kaleikr’s music becomes increasingly darker and more unhinged. Continue reading
This is the debut album from Barbarian Hermit, a stoner/sludge metal band from the UK.
With a thick, heavy sound, Barbarian Hermit explode out of the speakers with big riffs and a forceful presence. No messing around, no stupid intros, just straight into the good stuff. Just as I like it. Continue reading
This is the debut album from Khôrada, a progressive/doom/post-metal band from the US.
Featuring most of the members of the much-missed Agalloch coupled with the singer of Giant Squid, this album contains 55 minutes of contemplative, intelligently-composed music.
Now here’s an album with real emotive power. The music can be loosely termed as progressive post-metal, but there’s a multitude of different styles skilfully incorporated into this release. Continue reading
This is the sixth album from Skeletonwitch, a blackened metal band from the US.
Well, this is not what I was expecting to hear from Skeletonwitch. I confess that I’ve only ever really heard a small amount of the band’s prior material, and what I did hear was kind of a thrash/melodic metal affair, from what I recall. I approached this Continue reading
Skogen are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fifth album.
Skogen play a mix of black metal and folk, producing an atmospheric and charismatic take on the style. Continue reading
An Argency are a deathcore/metalcore band from Belarus and this is their second album.
So here’s a band that are travelling a path slightly less-worn – self-described as symphonic blackened deathcore, or occult deathcore, Eternal Legacy is the sound of deathcore/metalcore structuring that’s been warped and corrupted by black metal’s sickening touch. Continue reading
Horizon Ablaze are a Norwegian progressive black/extreme metal band and this is their third album.
Horizon Ablaze play a brand of extreme metal that largely consists of atmospheric/progressive/avant-garde black metal, (among other things). It’s an impressive and well-delivered proposition, that’s for sure. Continue reading
Jarun are a Polish progressive black metal band and this is their third album.
This is the follow up to 2015’s very enjoyable Pod Niebem Utkanym z Popiołu, which demonstrated the band’s progressive/folk-influenced black metal very well. Continue reading
Ne Obliviscaris are an Australian progressive extreme metal band and this is their third album.
Urn is epic, progressive, aggressive, and textured. It’s a release that has a lot to absorb and experience, requiring multiple sittings to really even start to get the most from it. This is a complex and emotive listen, one that’s highly rewarding and enjoyable. Continue reading
Enslaved are a Norwegian progressive black metal band and this is their fourteenth album.
Enslaved have put out so much quality music over the years it’s no wonder that they’re one of many people’s favourite bands, (including mine); they have more than earned that privileged. Continue reading
