This is the third album from French black metal act Jours Pâles.
Jours Pâles’ debut album Éclosion was a surprise hit of 2021 for me, and while 2022 follow up Tensions was a worthy successor, it was released too late in the year to impact upon list season. So, now we have 46 minutes of new material to work through on Dissolution, how have Jours Pâles fared this time around? Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Dissolution (Review)”
This is the latest EP from UK blackened post-metal band Ba’al.
I was introduced to Ba’al on 2017’s In Gallows by Mass, but it wasn’t until 2020’s colossal debut Ellipsism that they truly came into their own. Four years on from that record, Ba’al return with the three-track EP Soft Eyes, which brings us 27 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Ba’al – Soft Eyes (Review)”
This is the seventh album from German Gothic metal band The Vision Bleak.
Weird Tales consists of a single 41-minute song, which is made up of twelve separate movements. It looks like on Bandcamp this will be divided into actual tracks, but thankfully the review version consists of just one track, as this is definitely a release to experience in its entirety, without interruption. Continue reading “The Vision Bleak – Weird Tales (Review)”
This is the debut album from Angmodnes, a funeral doom band from the Netherlands.
Rot of the Soul is a 55-minute journey into funeral doom misery and woe. The music of Angmodnes is engrossing and immersive, covering the listener in layers of rich darkness and compelling atmosphere. Continue reading “Angmodnes – Rot of the Soul (Review)”
This is the second album from Greek symphonic modern metallers Project Renegade.
Ultra Terra is a 57-minute expression of contemporary metallic heaviness that takes in a range of old and new influences to produce an album of catchy, accessible songs. In other words, they play stadium-friendly heavy music with big choruses and symphonic enrichments. Continue reading “Project Renegade – Ultra Terra (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Italian doom metal band Shores of Null.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2020’s single track album Beyond the Shores (on Death and Dying), so knew that I wanted to catch up with The Loss of Beauty when it appeared. Unlike its predecessor, this new album is divided into individual tracks, and delivers 55 minutes of material, (or 49 minutes without the bonus tracks). Continue reading “Shores of Null – The Loss of Beauty (Review)”
This is the second album from French post-black metal band Jours Pâles.
Last year’s Éclosion came out of nowhere and hugely impressed me. I ended up enjoying it so much it appeared on my end of year list too. I wasn’t expecting another album so soon, but here we are with Tensions, which contains 61 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Tensions (Review)”
Kuolemanlaakso are a Gothic metal band from Finland and this is their latest EP.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kuusumu from earlier in the year, so it’s pleasing – yet surprising – to have a new EP so soon. Apparently these songs were recorded at the same time as Kuusumu though, and in the words of the band, “We knew already when entering the studio that we’re going to record more than an album, as we had plenty of material to work on. Continue reading “Kuolemanlaakso – Kuolleiden Laulu (Review)”
This is the second album from Canadian metallers Ritual Dictates.
Featuring current and ex-members of 3 Inches of Blood and Revocation, this is an atypical album that probably doesn’t sound like you’re expecting it to. It certainly took me by surprise, in a very pleasant way. Continue reading “Ritual Dictates – No Great Loss (Review)”
This is the debut album from Behind Your Fear, a Gothic/melodic metal band from Germany.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Crimson Moon and Flowing Tears, Anthropocene provides us with 47 minutes of quality tunes. It succeeds in taking cues from the past to deliver a satisfying interpretation of an older style. Continue reading “Behind Your Fear – Anthropocene (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 