Gjoad are an Austrian post-rock band and this is their debut album.
This is nature-inspired music that’s highly evocative and atmospheric. Shades of post-rock, ambient, doom, and folk inform the bulk of the material here. There’s a clear black metal influence too, although this is mostly apparent Continue reading “Gjoad – Samanōn (Review)”
This is the debut album from Varde, a Norwegian black metal band.
Fedraminne contains 59 minutes of black metal that mixes folk influences into an atmospheric journey. Continue reading “Varde – Fedraminne (Review)”
This is the second album from French black metallers Griffon.
Griffon give us a very agreeable and enjoyable take on medieval-influenced black metal. Across 40 minutes, ὸ θεός ὸ βασιλεύς, (or o Theos, o Basileus), proves to be aggressively melodic and energetic, but not without atmosphere or depth. Continue reading “Griffon – ὸ θεός ὸ βασιλεύς (Review)”
This is the second EP from Italian atmospheric black metal band Ashlands.
Here we have an 18-minute EP featuring two intro/interlude-style tracks and two more standard songs. Continue reading “Ashlands – Ashlands II (Review)”
Allelic is a one-man black metal band from Canada. This is his second album.
À Contre Vent is much-anticipated by yours truly, as 2018’s The Smoke of Atavistic Fires was one of my favourites from that year, despite not actually being reviewed on this site. Continue reading “Allelic – À Contre Vent (Review)”
Árstíðir Lífsins are an international, (Germany/Iceland), black metal band, and this is their fifth album.
Here we have 74 minutes of pagan black metal, incorporating elements of the atmospheric, folk, and ambient styles. Continue reading “Árstíðir Lífsins – Saga á tveim tungum II: Eigi fjǫll né firðir (Review)”
Afsky is a one-man Danish black metal band and this is his second album.
Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død is the follow up to the very enjoyable Sorg from 2018, and contains 46 minutes of new material. Mixing small parts of folk and doom into a traditional black metal approach, this is a melancholic and emotive take on the blackened style. Continue reading “Afsky – Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død (Review)”
Winterfylleth are a UK black metal band and this is their seventh album.
My first introduction to Winterfylleth was with last year’s The Siege of Mercia, which I really enjoyed. As such, I knew I had to check out The Reckoning Dawn when it appeared. Continue reading “Winterfylleth – The Reckoning Dawn (Review)”
Huntsmen are a US progressive metal band and this is their second album.
I really enjoyed 2018’s American Scrap, and it grew in my estimation over time too. At almost 80 minutes in duration this new album is almost double the length of the band’s first full length; Huntsmen are clearly not lacking in ambition. Driven by storytelling, Mandala of Fear takes the listener on a dystopian journey, one that has the musical ability to back up its concept. Continue reading “Huntsmen – Mandala of Fear (Review)”
Crown of Asteria is a one-woman black metal band from the US, and Nodus Tollens in a one-man black metal band, also from the US.
The split opens with the single 19-minute track Claw of the Firemaker by Crown of Asteria. The style is nature-influenced atmospheric black metal with elements of doom, folk, and ambient mixed in. It’s raw and unpolished, but this simply adds to the music’s charms. Continue reading “Crown of Asteria/Nodus Tollens – Split (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 