Second to Sun – The Black (Review)

Second to SunThis is the fourth album from Russian blackened melodic death metal band Second to Sun.

Apparently this is a rerecording of the band’s 2016 release Blackbound, with added vocals, and other differences. I was totally unfamiliar with Second to Sun’s work prior to listening to The Black, so I can’t comment on how this relates to Blackbound, other than to say that it does. Continue reading “Second to Sun – The Black (Review)”

Arallu – Desert Battles – Descending to the Sands (2018)(Review)

AralluArallu are a black metal band from Israel and this is a re-release of their fourth album.

Not familiar with Arallu? Make sure you definitely check out Geniewar and Six. You won’t be disappointed. Continue reading “Arallu – Desert Battles – Descending to the Sands (2018)(Review)”

Urze de Lume – As Árvores Estão Secas e Não Têm Folhas (Review)

Urze de LumeUrze de Lume are a dark folk band from Portugal and this is their third album.

Although I enjoyed Urze de Lume’s 2017 EP Vozes na Neblina, there were some aspects of it that spoiled the overall atmosphere of the music for me. Continue reading “Urze de Lume – As Árvores Estão Secas e Não Têm Folhas (Review)”

Louise Lemón – Purge (Review)

Louise LemonLouise Lemón is a Swedish death gospel artist and this is her debut album.

Mixing folk, soul, Gothic, electronic, pop, and ambient into slow, meaningful songs, Purge contains 31 minutes of exquisite material. Pretty much every second of it is tinged with darkness and melancholy, which has all contributed towards the creation of a superlative collection of tracks. Continue reading “Louise Lemón – Purge (Review)”

Afsky – Sorg (Review)

AfskyAfsky is a one man black metal band from Denmark and this is his debut album.

Although principally a solo act, the artist behind Afsky did bring in many session musicians for the creation of this album, (including Myrkur who brings not only her musical skills to the band, but also her always impressive vocals at the end of the last song). These help to flesh out the album fully, and add additional touches to the songs here and there. For example; Continue reading “Afsky – Sorg (Review)”

Neverending Winter – Сеногной (Review)

Neverending WinterNeverending Winter are a Russian black metal band and this is their latest EP.

After very much enjoying last year’s Хиус, it’s with great pleasure that I listened to Сеногной. Continue reading “Neverending Winter – Сеногной (Review)”

LÜÜP – Canticles of the Holy Scythe (Review)

LÜÜPLÜÜP is a, (deep breath), Greek one man experimental avant-garde blackened classical band, (phew), and this is his third album.

Canticles of the Holy Scythe features 37 minutes of music that consists of a black metal undercoat, which has then been fully fleshed out and painted with colours from folk, progressive, avant-garde, ambient, and classical music. Continue reading “LÜÜP – Canticles of the Holy Scythe (Review)”

Jarun – Sporysz (Review)

JarunJarun 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 “Jarun – Sporysz (Review)”