Ctulu – Cultus in Tenebris (Review)

CtuluCtulu are a German black metal band and this is their latest EP.

Between 2011’s Sarkomand and last year’s self-titled album, Ctulu showed great progression. On this latest EP the band have continued to develop and refine their sound, unleashing 19 minutes of sophisticated, well-written black metal Continue reading “Ctulu – Cultus in Tenebris (Review)”

Nattverd – Vi Vet Gud Er En Løgner (Review)

NattverdNattverd are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their debut album.

This is traditional, orthodox black metal, influenced by the second wave and featuring the darkest and foulest strains of the blackened plague. Continue reading “Nattverd – Vi Vet Gud Er En Løgner (Review)”

Vassafor – Malediction (Review)

VassaforVassafor are a black metal band from New Zealand and this is their second album.

Now this is a nasty, otherworldly offering. With immense songs and monstrous presence, this is individualistic black metal that liberally pilfers from the darkest recesses of death metal to produce a harrowing, ugly album of darkness and bleak, blackened soundscapes. Continue reading “Vassafor – Malediction (Review)”

Coma Cluster Void – Thoughts from a Stone (Review)

Coma Cluster VoidThis is the second album from Coma Cluster Void, an experimental avant-garde metal band with an international background.

Coma Cluster Void’s debut album Mind Cemeteries was 45 minutes of dissonant, cryptic, esoteric death metal that took a few spins to fully appreciate, but when you did conquer its challenging extreme metal worldview, it yielded many rewards and treasures.

Continue reading “Coma Cluster Void – Thoughts from a Stone (Review)”

Ophis – The Dismal Circle (Review)

OphisOphis are a German doom band and this is their fourth album.

I fell strongly for the sheer heaviness and prolonged darkness of Abhorrence in Opulence. This was an hour’s worth of supremely heavy and miserable music, and The Dismal Circle is little different in this regard.

Continue reading “Ophis – The Dismal Circle (Review)”

Primitive Man – Caustic (Review)

Primitive ManPrimitive Man are a US doom band and this is their second album.

Ahhh Primitive Man. As you can see from my reviews of their previous work, (here, here, here, and here), this is a band I absolutely love. Their pitch-black, nihilistic, world-hating doom is so perfectly delivered that it never ceases to satisfy and crush in equal measure. Continue reading “Primitive Man – Caustic (Review)”

Perihelion Ship – To Paint a Bird of Fire (Review)

Perihelion ShipPerihelion Ship are a Finnish progressive metal band and this is their second album.

Hot on the heels of last year’s debut album A Rare Thunderstorm in Spring, Perihelion Ship have already returned with a new full-length album.

Continue reading “Perihelion Ship – To Paint a Bird of Fire (Review)”

Haemorrhage – We Are the Gore (Review)

HaemorrhageThis is the seventh album from legendary Spanish goregrinders Haemorrhage.

This is 35 minutes of unhinged medical mayhem. However, the band also know the virtue of restraint when necessary, as sometimes the applied force of a surgical strike is more effective than a chainsaw to the guts. Continue reading “Haemorrhage – We Are the Gore (Review)”