Metal – Page 45 – Wonderbox Metal

Label Roundup: Avantgarde Music – Selvans, Skaldr, and Void of Hope (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 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.

Surprisingly, I haven’t done one of these columns since 2022! I was genuinely shocked when I realised this recently. So, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit it, and to get caught up on some of Avantgarde Music‘s releases. This is a label I rate highly, and never seem to get enough time to adequately cover, so here’s three new albums all seeing the light of day on January 31st 2025. Continue reading “Label Roundup: Avantgarde Music – Selvans, Skaldr, and Void of Hope (Reviews)”

Better Lovers/Frontierer/Greyhaven – Academy 3, Manchester – 19/01/25 (Live Review)

Now this is a lineup. All three bands I’d go and see in their own right, let alone all touring together. Tonight I feel like I’m in for a real treat. Morale is high as I enter the Academy 3, and it’s about to get a whole lot of busy. Continue reading “Better Lovers/Frontierer/Greyhaven – Academy 3, Manchester – 19/01/25 (Live Review)”

Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth (Review)

This is the sixth album from Austrian post-black metallers Harakiri for the Sky.

Harakiri for the Sky always seem to deliver albums that are lengthy, but rewarding. 2016’s III: Trauma, 2018’s Arson, and 2021’s Mӕre were all notable records in this regard. Now, with the arrival of Scorched Earth, have Harakiri for the Sky continued this trend of quality album releases? Continue reading “Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth (Review)”

The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Review)

The Great Old Ones are a French black metal band and this is their fifth album.

It’s been six long years since 2019’s Cosmicism, but we finally have some new material from The Great Old Ones. I thoroughly enjoy their work, (also check out 2014’s Tekeli-li and 2017’s EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy), so greedily consuming Kadath as soon as I could was always going to happen. Continue reading “The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Review)”

Vyre – Voidserpent (Review)

Vyre are a German progressive black metal band and this is their fourth album.

I’ve enjoyed watching Vyre develop their sound, from the post-black metal of 2014’s The Initial Frontier Pt. 2, to the increasingly avant-garde stylings of 2018’s Weltformel. Which brings us to Voidserpent, a new album that offers us 42 minutes of new material from this expressive and interesting act. What have they done this time around? Continue reading “Vyre – Voidserpent (Review)”

Bloodbark – Sacred Sound of Solitude (Review)

Bloodbark are a black metal band and this is their second album. The country of origin and number of members is apparently unknown.

Sacred Sound of Solitude provides us with 41 minutes of atmospheric black metal. The atmospheric core is augmented by elements of post-black metal, blackgaze, and post-rock, contributing to the richness of the album’s blackened heart. This approach allows Bloodbark to produce music that’s immersive and textured. Continue reading “Bloodbark – Sacred Sound of Solitude (Review)”

Obscure Sphinx – Emovere (Review)

Obscure Sphinx are a post-metal band from Poland. This is their latest release.

Oh my, new Obscure Sphinx! We last heard from this exemplary band on 2016’s Epitaphs, which narrowly missed out from breaching the top three in that year’s end of year list. So rejoice, as we now have Emovere to salivate over hungrily. Continue reading “Obscure Sphinx – Emovere (Review)”

Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies (Review)

Sarcator are a Swedish thrash metal band and this is their third album.

Sarcator play a black/death-influenced style of thrash metal, and Swarming Angels & Flies contains 44 minutes of material. Think of a blend of early-period old-school metal in the form of bands such as Kreator, Sarcófago, Sodom, and Morbid Angel, and then blend this with more contemporary acts like Hellripper, Devastator, and Midnight, and you’ll be on the right lines. You can throw in some other refences too at various points, but ultimately, despite the ancient style that underpins this album, it’s remarkably fun and fresh sounding. Continue reading “Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies (Review)”

Häxkapell – Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp (Review)

This is the second album from Swedish solo black metal act Häxkapell.

Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp is a 40-minute black metal album brought to us by a member of Sons of Crom. This is a detailed, multifaceted form of black metal, consisting of many component parts that work together to create something engaging and enjoyable. Continue reading “Häxkapell – Om Jordens Blod och Urgravens Grepp (Review)”

Onirophagus – Revelations from the Void (Review)

Onirophagus are a Spanish death/doom metal band and this is their third album.

It’s been some time since Onirophagus graced us with the crushing slab of death/doom that was 2019’s Endarkenment (Illumination Through Putrefaction), but now the band have returned. The 48-minute Revelations from the Void is a leaner beast than its predecessor, with shorter songs, (significantly so in many cases), and an increase in atmospheric malevolence that’s remarkable. Continue reading “Onirophagus – Revelations from the Void (Review)”