Gaerea – Wonderbox Metal

Damnation Festival 2025 – BEC Arena, Manchester – 08/11/25-09/11/25 (Live Review)

Another year, another Damnation Festival. Has it really been 20 years? I went to the very first one waaaaay back in 2005, and a love affair was born. It has been great to watch it become one of the world’s best festivals. Kudos to the organisers for their continued passion and ability.

This edition is therefore the festival’s twentieth year and sees Damnation bigger and arguably better than ever before. It’s across two days now, and the lineup is strong in both depth and breadth. From veteran classics to newborn sensations, the festival has it all. Continue reading “Damnation Festival 2025 – BEC Arena, Manchester – 08/11/25-09/11/25 (Live Review)”

Wrath of Logarius – Crown of Mortis (Review)

This is the debut album from US black metallers Wrath of Logarius.

Crown of Mortis contains 37 minutes of modern black metal, incorporating elements of death metal to make a highly compelling whole. Continue reading “Wrath of Logarius – Crown of Mortis (Review)”

Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)

This is the second album from German post-metallers Druma.

Sores of Our Time contains 36 minutes of music spread out over four songs. Druma’s style is a mix of sludge and post-metal, with dark atmosphere and a rich blackened touch. With a promo blurb that says it should be for fans of bands such as The Ocean, Cult of Luna, Amenra, and Gaerea, Sores of Our Time is an album that demanded I pay attention to it. Continue reading “Druma – Sores of Our Time (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2024

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”

Gaerea – Coma (Review)

This is the fourth album from Portuguese black metallers Gaerea.

Ever since I first heard 2018’s Unsettling Whispers Gaerea have stood out to me as something pretty special. In 2020 Limbo solidified this opinion, and then in 2022 Mirage cemented this further. In fact, my appreciation of Mirage has only increased since catching the band’s transcendental live experience at this year’s fantastic Fortress Festival. I have high hopes for Coma. Continue reading “Gaerea – Coma (Review)”

Groza – Nadir (Review)

Groza are a black metal band from Germany and this is their third album.

I’ve been hearing good things about Groza for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve had a chance to check them out. Nadir brings us 43 minutes of modern black metal, and it’s all very good, let me tell you. Continue reading “Groza – Nadir (Review)”

Coldcell – Age of Unreason (Review)

This is the fifth album from Swiss black metallers Coldcell.

Following on from 2021’s The Greater Evil, Age of Unreason contains 47 minutes of new material from Coldcell. Age of Unreason offers up a compelling modern black metal vision. It’s a heavily atmospheric and ritualistic one, combining elements of the atmospheric and post-black metal styles into an orthodox framework. Continue reading “Coldcell – Age of Unreason (Review)”

Fortress Festival 2024 – Scarborough Spa, Scarborough, 01-02/06/24 (Live Review)

What an incredible lineup this is. I mean, just look at it. It’s ridiculous. I’ve never been to Fortress Festival before, (this is its second year), or Scarborough, but this was an event not to be missed. My words below won’t really do justice to what a great festival this was, but hopefully you’ll get a flavour of it at the very least.

Before we get into it – if you’ve ever read one of my live reviews previously you’ll notice that the quality of the photos used here far, far, far outstrips my usual meagre efforts. This is because I didn’t take them. I’m enormously pleased to say that they very talented Aleksandra Hogg captured and supplied all of these photos, and I urge you to check out her work at Acidolka here, here, or here. Continue reading “Fortress Festival 2024 – Scarborough Spa, Scarborough, 01-02/06/24 (Live Review)”

Selbst – Despondency Chord Progressions (Review)

This is the third album from solo black metal act Selbst, originally from Venezuela, and now Chile.

Following on from 2020’s Relatos de Angustia, Despondency Chord Progressions contains 44 minutes of new material. The artist behind Selbst, (also in Animus Mortis), is aided on this release by the drummer of Aversio Humanitatis/Eternal Storm, and has created something quite special. Continue reading “Selbst – Despondency Chord Progressions (Review)”

Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)

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

Containing the singer of Nothingness in their ranks, Sacrificial Vein play avant-garde/dissonant black metal. Black Terror Genesis is a 47-minute journey into darkness. Continue reading “Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis (Review)”