Mayhem – Wonderbox Metal

Sidious – Malefic Necropolis (Review)

This is the fourth album from UK black metal band Sidious.

From 2014’s symphonic blackened death metal Revealed in Profane Splendour, to 2019’s reinvention as the raw black metal darkness of Temporal, and then 2022’s slice of contemporary blackened might Blackest Insurrection, Sidious always put out something I want to listen to. Each album so far has been better than the last too. Can Malefic Necropolis continue to follow this upward trend? Continue reading “Sidious – Malefic Necropolis (Review)”

Enthroned – Ashspawn (Review)

Enthroned are a black metal band from Belgium and this is their twelfth album.

Following on from 2014’s Sovereigns and 2019’s Cold Black Suns, a new Enthroned album has now appeared on the horizon. Ashspawn boasts 50 minutes of new music from Enthroned, and it has not disappointed. Continue reading “Enthroned – Ashspawn (Review)”

Kamra – Unending Confluence (Review)

Kamra are a black metal band from Slovenia and this is their second album.

Kamra have a member of Assumption in their ranks, and Unending Confluence contains 41 minutes of music. This is black metal influenced by the old-school, but dragged by lethal dissonance into the modern era. Continue reading “Kamra – Unending Confluence (Review)”

Doom Cult Commando – Das Erwachen der Schlange (Review)

Doom Cult Commando are a German black metal band and this is their debut release.

Originally seeing the light back in January, Das Erwachen der Schlange is a 19-minute assault of raw black metal. Across four tracks, Doom Cult Commando reveal their iron grip on what it takes to make old-school Satanic black metal. The production is grim and raw, but not overly so, and the band weaponise this in their war against the light. Continue reading “Doom Cult Commando – Das Erwachen der Schlange (Review)”

Death Like Mass – The Lord of Flies (Review)

This is the debut album from Polish black metal band Death Like Mass.

Featuring current and ex-members of Enthroned, Lvcifyre, and Nightbringer, Death Like Mass play old-school black metal that boasts a keen edge of individuality that’s unusual in the style. Across 44 minutes of material The Lord of Flies impresses. Continue reading “Death Like Mass – The Lord of Flies (Review)”

Wrach – Quae Infra Volo Videre (Review)

This is the debut album from Wrach, a Welsh solo black metal band.

Quad Infra Volo Videre contains 48 minutes of sinister underground black metal. It’s inspired by the 90s second wave style, but other influences from across the last few decades have been drawn into its malevolent embrace, giving it more of a 00s feel overall. Continue reading “Wrach – Quae Infra Volo Videre (Review)”

Whoredom Rife – Den Vrede Makt (Review)

Whoredom Rife are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their fourth album.

Containing an ex-member of Keep of Kalessin, Whoredom Rife bring us a scathing slice of classic Norwegian black metal. Den Vrede Makt delivers 50 minutes of material played with authentic passion and lethal skill. Continue reading “Whoredom Rife – Den Vrede Makt (Review)”

Vltimas – Epic (Review)

This is the second album from international extreme metal band Vltimas.

If ever a band was going to have the supergroup tag applied to it, it’s Vltimas. Brought to us by current and ex-members of bands such as Aura Noir, Cryptopsy, Mayhem, Morbid Angel, and Nader Sadek, you know that a lot of experience has gone into Epic. Continue reading “Vltimas – Epic (Review)”

Lvme – Of Sinful Nature (Review)

This is the second album from international black metal band Lvme.

Of Sinful Nature contains 45 minutes of esoteric and mysterious black metal. Taking influence from traditional black metal and then incorporating modern elements into it, Lvme’s music will be of interest to fans of bands such as Funeral Mist, Deathspell Omega, Mayhem, Dødsengel, Nightbringer, Verberis, and Blaze of Perdition. Continue reading “Lvme – Of Sinful Nature (Review)”

Hulder – Verses in Oath (Review)

This is the second album from US one-woman black metal band Hulder.

2022’s The Eternal Fanfare grew on me over time the more I listened to it, so I’ve been looking forward to Verses in Oath. I’m pleased to say that it has met my expectations. Continue reading “Hulder – Verses in Oath (Review)”