This is the debut album from French post-black metallers Jours Pâles.
Jours Pâles have been a band to not miss out on ever since 2021’s delectable Éclosion. Followed swiftly in 2022 by Tensions and then again in 2024 with Dissolution. With 58 minutes of new material to captivate and entrance the listener with, Résonances is another winner from Jours Pâles. Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Résonances (Review)”
This is the debut album from French black metallers Houle.
After thoroughly enjoying Houle’s 2022 debut self titled EP, I was pleased to see Ciel Cendre et Misère Noire appear. Houle deliver 45 minutes minutes of melodic black metal across this album, and the record is a scorcher. Continue reading “Houle – Ciel Cendre et Misère Noire (Review)”
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 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)”
This is the fifth album from French progressive black/death metallers.
Helioss play a hybrid style of black and death metal that has progressive influences and symphonic aspects. Across 62 minutes Contre ma Lumière delivers a multifaceted album of atmosphere, aggression, and majestic grandeur. Continue reading “Helioss – Contre ma Lumière (Review)”
Yes, it’s that time of year again! 2021 gave us some very, very good metal, and I feel honoured to have been able to have listened to as much of it as I have done. There are some notable absences, (for me at least), from the below list, but there’s just not enough time or space for everything, dammit!
2020 was a very blackened year for me; I listened to a lot of black metal, and the list for that year reflected that. At the start of 2021 I decided I’d consciously try to ensure I cast my net a bit wider again, reconnecting more deeply with some of many other styles of metal that I enjoy. 2021’s list reflects this. However, I’ve still ended up with much more of a black metal presence in the list than I was initially expecting. What can I say? I’m a sucker for all of the myriad blackened flavours of the style. However, there’s also a lot of other stuff here that I hope you’ll dig into and enjoy too. I felt that there was a notable absence of grindcore in 2021, as well as some of the more extreme styles of doom. What do you think?
I hope you enjoy perusing some of my favourite records from this year, and I hope you find something new to tickle your fancy. What’s your number one this year? Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2021”
As far as Februarys go, I found February 2021 to be quite exceptionally high in quality when it came to metal albums. Let’s dive in to some of the best from last month… Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of February 2021”
This is the debut album from French post-black metallers Jours Pâles.
Jours Pâles have an interesting and in some ways non-standard sound. Not because they’re especially avant-garde or experimental, but because of the way that they combine a few different ingredients from different musical brews into something of their own making. Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Éclosion (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 