Aran Angmar are an international, (Greece/Italy/Netherlands), black metal band and this is their third album.
Featuring the vocalist of the mighty Saille, Ordo Diabolicum contains 43 minutes of second wave black metal, enriched by folk and atmospheric elements. A mix of the Scandinavian and Greek scenes in style, if you’ve encountered Aran Angmar previously, this is a newly evolved and accomplished version of the band. Continue reading “Aran Angmar – Ordo Diabolicum (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swedish black metallers Istapp.
Brought to us by current/ex-members of bands such as Entrails, Necrophagous, Soijl, and Visceral Bleeding, Sól Tér Sortna contains 45 minutes of sharp and fast melodic black metal. Continue reading “Istapp – Sól Tér Sortna (Review)”
This is the second album from UK black metal band Ofnus.
Ofnus, (who feature an ex-member of Agrona), present us with 58 minutes of atmospheric black metal on Valediction. I’d heard good things about the band’s debut album, (I need to go check that out), but this is my first time hearing Ofnus and they have exceeded expectations. Continue reading “Ofnus – Valediction (Review)”
Havukruunu are a Finnish black metal band and this is their fourth album.
Tavastland is the 54-minute follow up to 2020’s well-regarded Uinuos Syömein Sota, and is an album I’ve been looking forward to hearing. Havukruunu play black metal with heavy, folk, and pagan metal influences, and their latest record continues their ascent. Continue reading “Havukruunu – Tavastland (Review)”
This is the sixth album from UK one-man black metal band Saor.
After my 2022 introduction to Saor via the enjoyable Origins, I’ve since explored their back catalogue some more, and also seen them live and bought the t-shirt. This means I’ve been looking forward to Amidst the Ruins a great deal. Continue reading “Saor – Amidst the Ruins (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
Surprisingly, I haven’t done one of these columns since 2022! I was genuinely shocked when I realised this recently. So, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit it, and to get caught up on some of Avantgarde Music‘s releases. This is a label I rate highly, and never seem to get enough time to adequately cover, so here’s three new albums all seeing the light of day on January 31st 2025. Continue reading “Label Roundup: Avantgarde Music – Selvans, Skaldr, and Void of Hope (Reviews)”
This is the second album from Swedish solo black metal act Häxkapell.
Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp is a 40-minute black metal album brought to us by a member of Sons of Crom. This is a detailed, multifaceted form of black metal, consisting of many component parts that work together to create something engaging and enjoyable. Continue reading “Häxkapell – Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp (Review)”
This is the fourth album from US black metallers Canis Dirus.
By the Grace of Death contains 38 minutes of atmospheric black metal. Through a captivating mix of hostility, beauty, and dark splendour, Canis Dirus have produced a record that’s undeniably potent. Continue reading “Canis Dirus – By the Grace of Death (Review)”
Yes, it’s list season once more, so gather round and witness some of the best metal that 2024 had to offer!
2024 was a fantastic year for metal, and that’s an understatement. I thought 2023 was one of the weaker years for metal releases, overall. As such, putting last year’s list together, although challenging as it always is, was relatively effortless compared to this one. I don’t think I’ve agonised over placings more any other year. In the end, similar to last year, I just decided that enough was enough and I needed to just stop needlessly obsessing. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2024”
This is the fifth album from US black metallers Amiensus.
We’re being treated. This is the second Amiensus album of the year; the second part of Reclamation: Part 1 that we saw back in April. The first instalment was a progressive black metal feast that focused on atmospheric depth. What do the 38 minutes of Reclamation Pt. II have to offer us then? Continue reading “Amiensus – Reclamation Pt. II (Review)”
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