September was a particularly difficult month to have to limit my choice of key metal albums to just five. As such, I’m going to skip over both An Abstract Illusion’s Woe and Gaerea’s Mirage; both are great records and are getting abundant, richly-deserved praise elsewhere, allowing me to focus on lesser-known releases. Even with this though, I still struggled with having to omit so many other worthy albums… Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of September 2022”
Tag: Metal
Ritual Dictates – No Great Loss (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)”
Vessel of Iniquity – The Path Unseen (Review)
This is the third album from Vessel of Iniquity, a black metal solo act from the UK.
Lasting a brief, yet scarring, 30 minutes, The Path Unseen is a horrific nightmarescape of industrial black metal, replete with harsh noise and terrifying atmosphere. Having enjoyed/weathered the artist’s 2021 split with Thecodontion, I was looking forward to hearing more and The Path Unseen has not disappointed. Continue reading “Vessel of Iniquity – The Path Unseen (Review)”
Eternal Helcaraxe – Drown in Ash (Review)
This is the third album from Irish black metal act Eternal Helcaraxe.
On Drown in Ash Eternal Helcaraxe provide 47 minutes of music that’s dark and personal, dealing with intimate themes of depression and loss. As such, the music is a forlorn and melancholic form of black metal that drips with feeling and emotion. Continue reading “Eternal Helcaraxe – Drown in Ash (Review)”
Everest Queen – Murmurations (Review)
This is the second album from Everest Queen, a sludge metal band from the UK.
I’ve enjoyed following Everest Queen, from their initial self-titled EP in 2016 to their debut album Dead Eden in 2019, so to have a new album appear in the wild is a fine thing. Murmurations boasts 44 minutes of new music, so let’s get stuck in. Continue reading “Everest Queen – Murmurations (Review)”
Terra – Für Dich Existiert Das Alles Nicht (Review)
This is the third album from UK black metal band Terra.
Für Dich Existiert Das Alles Nicht contains 65 minutes of atmospheric black metal, and is recommended for fans of bands such as Wolves in the Throne Room, Yellow Eyes, Winterfylleth, Fell Voices, and Weakling. Continue reading “Terra – Für Dich Existiert Das Alles Nicht (Review)”
Behind Your Fear – Anthropocene (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)”
Strangle Wire – Shaped by Human Frailty (Review)
Strangle Wire are a death metal band from Northern Ireland and this is their debut album.
It seems like a very long time since Strangle Wire treated us to their enjoyable debut EP The Dark Triad. Has this early promise been realised on Shaped by Human Frailty‘s 34 minutes? Continue reading “Strangle Wire – Shaped by Human Frailty (Review)”
Firtan – Marter (Review)
Firtan are a German black metal band and this is their third album.
Marter offers a 58-minute feast of expressive atmospheric black metal. Richly anointed with post-rock detail and progressive depth, this is an album of impeccable taste and commanding presence. Continue reading “Firtan – Marter (Review)”
Acephalix – Theothanatology (Review)
Acephalix are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.
Theothanatology, (which features a member of Draghkar/Vastum), is an album of blunt brutality, repeatedly slamming broken bits of gravestone into your head across 32 minutes of death metal barbarity. Continue reading “Acephalix – Theothanatology (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 