Metal – Page 157 – Wonderbox Metal

Label Roundup: Black Mass Prayers – Lykten, Urluk, & Valadier (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This new column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

For this edition we turn to Black Mass Prayers, an Italian label that states it is “supporting the Italian Black Metal underground and aiming to spread its glory worldwide”. Neither other the label nor the bands on it were familiar to me prior to this, so it felt like a good time to dig in and explore what they had to offer… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Black Mass Prayers – Lykten, Urluk, & Valadier (Reviews)”

Ice Howl – Darkness from Beyond (Review)

This is the third album from Ice Howl, a heavy metal band from the US.

I enjoyed 2020’s Cadence of the Cursed, so Darkness from Beyond is well-received. Now rounded out to a duo and featuring a couple of guests, this new album seems like more collaborative affair. It’s also a bit meatier, with ten tracks and 43 minutes of material to sink your teeth into. Continue reading “Ice Howl – Darkness from Beyond (Review)”

Northless – A Path Beyond Grief (Review)

Northless are a sludge/doom band from the US and this is their fourth album.

I last caught up with Northless on their 2016 split with Primitive Man, so A Path Beyond Grief seemed an opportune time to check out the band once more. Continue reading “Northless – A Path Beyond Grief (Review)”

Grave Lines – Communion (Review)

This is the third album from UK doom/sludge metallers Grave Lines.

Featuring the guitarist from Dead Witches/Sea Bastard, Grave Lines play an interesting and immersive form of doom. Weaving together doom metal and sludge into a tapestry that also includes Gothic, ambient drone, post-punk, and experimental elements, Communion contains 44 minutes of music that’s highly compelling. Continue reading “Grave Lines – Communion (Review)”

Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)

Inhuman Condition are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Death, Deicide, Massacre, Obituary, Six Feet Under, Venom Inc., and Wombbath, you know a lot of experience and skill has gone into Fearsick. Across 36 minutes Inhuman Condition subject us to a competent collection of songs that are just plain fun. Continue reading “Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)”

Battering Ram – Second to None (Review)

This is the second album from Battering Ram, a Swedish hard rock/metal band.

Battering Ram play a combination of old-school hard rock and classic heavy metal that is then wrapped up in a modern delivery. Second to None is 36-minutes of raw fun and polished talent. Continue reading “Battering Ram – Second to None (Review)”

Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (Review)

Ashenspire 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)”

Antigama – Whiteout (Review)

This is the eighth album from Polish grindcore band Antigama.

I always enjoy hearing Antigama, as no matter what they’re doing you know you’re going to at least get a good base level of quality (see Meteor, The Insolent, and Depressant as good examples). Continue reading “Antigama – Whiteout (Review)”

Maul – Seraphic Punishment (Review)

This is the debut album from US death metal band Maul.

Across 38 minutes Seraphic Punishment torments us with nasty death metal that will not only leave a bad taste in your mouth, but a rusty meat cleaver too. Savage and brutal, the band’s music offers a crushing display of murderous death metal carnage. The style mixes the classic Swedish style with equally classic USDM, to create a hybrid of the two that lacks the strengths of neither. Continue reading “Maul – Seraphic Punishment (Review)”

Mantar – Pain Is Forever and This Is the End (Review)

This is the fourth album from German blackened metal act Mantar.

This is the follow up to 2018’s The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze, (if you ignore the band’s cover album from 2020), and contains 41 minutes of new material. Pain Is Forever and This Is the End is the next logical evolution of Mantar’s sound, bringing a more direct song-focused approach to the music, while Continue reading “Mantar – Pain Is Forever and This Is the End (Review)”