Experimental Black Metal – Wonderbox Metal

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ψευδομένη (Review)

This is the debut album from Ὁπλίτης (otherwise known as Hoplites), a one-man post-black metal band from China.

Ψευδομένη contains 38 minutes of experimental avant-garde black metal. The artist behind Ὁπλίτης has combined a lot of different styles and influences into this record. Imagine Blut Aus Nord, Jute Gyte, and Deathspell Omega crossed with Frontierer, Converge, and Sectioned, along with a touch of Ephel Duath and Oranssi Pazuzu, and you’ll have a rough idea of what you’ll encounter here. Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ψευδομένη (Review)”

Lykotonon – Promethean Pathology (Review)

This is the debut album from US black metallers Lykotonon.

An experimental black metal band featuring members of Blood Incantation and Wayfarer? Sign me up! Promethean Pathology contains 39 minutes of darkness, and offers a journey not to be missed for connoisseurs of the underground. Continue reading “Lykotonon – Promethean Pathology (Review)”

Skythala – Boreal Despair (Review)

This is the debut album from US black metal band Skythala.

Boreal Dispair offers discerning listeners 57 minutes of avant-garde black metal, which is a really simplistic way of describing a work that’s the complete opposite of simple. Continue reading “Skythala – Boreal Despair (Review)”

Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)

Ashenspire are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.

Holy crap. This is not your standard album, not at all. It’s striking, individual, shockingly emotive, and relentlessly harsh in atmosphere and tone. To set the scene somewhat – Ashenspire play a form of post-black metal with strong avant-garde, experimental, and progressive tendencies. Featuring current and ex-members of Barshasketh and Falloch, Hostile Architecture is a 44-minute journey into the contemporary urban heart of darkness. Continue reading “Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)”

Scarcity – Aveilut (Review)

Scarcity are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Consisting of one 47-minute song, (which is divided into five tracks), Aveilut is an experimental black metal journey into the expansive and creative vision of Scarcity, (who contain a member of Pyrrhon/Seputus handling vocals). Continue reading “Scarcity – Aveilut (Review)”

Déhà – Decadanse (Review)

Déhà is a Belgian solo artist who plays in a vast multitude of bands, across a variety of styles. In his solo work alone he spans a wide range of genres. This album is his 26th, (I think).

Decadanse was unleashed into the world back in March, so I’m a bit late to this particular party, but what an insanely madcap and enjoyable party it is! Continue reading “Déhà – Decadanse (Review)”

Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road (Review)

Wiegedood are a Belgian black metal band and this is their fourth album.

Featuring current and ex-members of Living Gate, Amenra, and Oathbreaker, There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road features 44 minutes of new material. I really, really liked 2017’s De Doden Hebben Het Goed II, so I was looking forward to this new one, (apparently there was also an album after this from 2018, which I somehow managed to miss out on). As we’ll see below though, the Wiegedood of 2022 is a different beast to the one I knew. Since I last heard them Wiegedood’s sound has changed, and they have now become more extreme and more idiosyncratic. Continue reading “Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road (Review)”

Teitan – Vákuum (Review)

Teitan is a one-man black metal band from the Netherlands and this is his latest EP.

Vákuum contains 22 minutes of avant-garde black metal that’s played with skill and charisma.

This is atypical black metal that reminds me of the more experimental edges of the late 90s and early 00s black metal scenes. When bands like Dødheimsgard, Continue reading “Teitan – Vákuum (Review)”

Sol Kia – Zos Ethos (Review)

This 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)”

Francis Root/Sconsacrata – Split (Review)

Francis Root, (based in Norway), and Sconsacrata, (based in the UK), are both solo black metal acts who have teamed up for this split release, (both artists are also in sludge metal band Beggar).

Francis Root start us off, with 19 minutes of material. The style of the four songs we’re presented with is one that’s modern and progressive, with elements of electronica and industrial sewn into the music. Continue reading “Francis Root/Sconsacrata – Split (Review)”