Leukotomy – Eternal Path to Eden (Review)

Leukotomy - Eternal Path to EdenLeukotomy are a Vietnamese black metal band and this is their debut album.

Eternal Path to Eden delivers 51 minutes of black metal that has a second wave base which has been adorned with avant-garde enrichments. Continue reading “Leukotomy – Eternal Path to Eden (Review)”

Vahrzaw – In the Shallows of a Starlit Lake (Review)

Vahrzaw - In the Shallows of a Starlit LakeVahrzaw are an Australian black metal band and this is their fifth album.

Having enjoyed 2014’s Twin Suns & Wolves’ Tongues, 2018’s Husk, and 2021’s The Trembling Voices of Conquered Men, I was always going to have to check out the new Vahrzaw album. Continue reading “Vahrzaw – In the Shallows of a Starlit Lake (Review)”

Jade – The Pacification of Death (Review)

Jade - The Pacification of DeathThis is the debut album from international death metal band Jade.

I’ve loosely called this death metal in the introductory sentence above, but  The Pacification of Death provides more than this. I suppose blackened atmospheric death metal is more accurate; Jade excel in crafting music that combines 80s/90s death/doom and mood-heavy black metal, resulting in a 40-minute album that is more notable than most. Continue reading “Jade – The Pacification of Death (Review)”

Omegavortex/Pious Levus – Split (Review)

Omegavortex Pious Levus - SplitOmegavortex and Pious Levus are both black/death metal bands. The former are from Germany and the latter are from the US, (and also contain members of Hod).

Omegavortex start the split off with 6 tracks spread across 24 minutes. Continue reading “Omegavortex/Pious Levus – Split (Review)”

Toadeater – Bexadde (Review)

Toadeater - BexaddeToadeater are a post-black metal; band from Germany and this is their third album.

Bexadde delivers 44 minutes of black metal across four lengthy nightmarescapes. Blending atmospheric components into a post-blackened framework, Toadeater’s music is compelling and satisfying. Continue reading “Toadeater – Bexadde (Review)”

Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)

Ashenspire - Hostile ArchitectureAshenspire are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.

Holy crap. This is not your standard album, not at all. It’s striking, individual, shockingly emotive, and relentlessly harsh in atmosphere and tone. To set the scene somewhat – Ashenspire play a form of post-black metal with strong avant-garde, experimental, and progressive tendencies. Featuring current and ex-members of Barshasketh and Falloch, Hostile Architecture is a 44-minute journey into the contemporary urban heart of darkness. Continue reading “Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)”

Merihem – Incendiary Darkness (Review)

Merihem - Incendiary DarknessThis is the debut album from international black metal band Merihem.

Featuring members of bands such as Frostmoon Eclipse, Israthoum, Manetheren, and Suffering Hour, Incendiary Darkness contains 39 minutes of occult black metal.

These songs weep nightmare Continue reading “Merihem – Incendiary Darkness (Review)”

Haunter – Discarnate Ails (Review)

Haunter - Discarnate AilsThis is the third album from US black/death metallers Haunter.

Following on from 2019’s very well-received Sacramental Death Qualia, Haunter have now returned with 32 minutes of new material. The band’s style can be termed progressive black/death metal, and Continue reading “Haunter – Discarnate Ails (Review)”

Pakkt – To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance (Review)

Pakkt - To Brocken Heights Where Witches DanceArmed only with the album cover and the briefest promo blurb I’ve probably ever seen simply identifying this as black metal, I decided to take a chance on it. In fact, I’ll reproduce the promo text in its entirety here – Continue reading “Pakkt – To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance (Review)”

Sol Kia – Zos Ethos (Review)

Sol Kia - Zos EthosThis is the debut album from Sol Kia, a Belgian experimental black metal band.

Zos Ethos features a member of Neptunian Maximalism, and contains 45 minutes of experimental psychedelic black metal. Continue reading “Sol Kia – Zos Ethos (Review)”