Sühnopfer – Nous Sommes d’Hier (Review)

Sühnopfer - Nous Sommes d'HierThis is the fourth album from one-man French black metal band Sühnopfer.

This is the third release I’ve covered from Sühnopfer, (the other two being 2014’s Offertoire and 2019’s Hic Regnant Borbonii Manes), so it’s welcome to hear more from this artist. Across 55 minutes of new material, (which includes a black metal interpretation of a song from 1968 by Michel Polnareff), Nous Sommes d’Hier impresses with its compelling take on the melodic blackened style. Continue reading “Sühnopfer – Nous Sommes d’Hier (Review)”

Capra – Errors (Review)

Capra - ErrorsThis is the second album from US metallic hardcore band Capra.

I enjoyed 2021’s In Transmission, and now it’s time to check out what Errors has to offer. Is its title a warning against its content? Continue reading “Capra – Errors (Review)”

Morag Tong – Grieve (Review)

Morag Tong - GrieveMorag Tong are a UK doom band, and this is their second album.

This 42-minute release is the follow up to 2018’s Last Knell of Om. Containing four tracks, including one that takes up almost half of the running time, Morag Tong have been busy in the years since their first album, and boy does it show. Continue reading “Morag Tong – Grieve (Review)”

Furia – Huta Luna (Review)

Furia - Huta LunaFuria are a black metal band from Poland and this is their sixth album.

I haven’t reviewed a Furia release before, so this offers a well-overdue chance to rectify this unfortunate situation, and cast a critical eye over what this idiosyncratic band are up to in 2023. Over time Furia have only gotten more individual and experimental, so what does Huta Luna have to offer discerning black metal fans? Continue reading “Furia – Huta Luna (Review)”

The Negative Bias – The Seven Seals of Saligia (Review)

The Negative Bias - The Seven Seals of SaligiaThis is the third album from Austrian black metallers The Negative Bias.

I’ve never encountered a full album by The Negative Bias before, but I really enjoyed their 2018 split with Golden Dawn and 2021 EP Tapeworm Pyramids,  so I jumped on the chance to explore The Seven Seals of Saligia. Continue reading “The Negative Bias – The Seven Seals of Saligia (Review)”

Svalbard – The Weight of the Mask (Review)

Svalbard - The Weight of the MaskSvalbard are a crust/hardcore band from the UK and this is their fourth album.

This is one I’ve been quite eagerly awaiting. 2018’s It’s Hard to Have Hope was a very enjoyable record, but 2020’s When I Die, Will I Get Better? was the record that really put Svalbard on most people’s radars. Now the band have returned, with the 44-minute wonder that is The Weight of the Mask. Continue reading “Svalbard – The Weight of the Mask (Review)”

Restless Spirit – Afterimage (Review)

Restless Spirit - AfterimageRestless Spirit are a metal band from the US and this is their third album.

Afterimage contains 38 minutes of heavy, moreish music that’s infectiously delivered by a band that clearly know what they’re doing. Restless Spirit are not to be ignored. Fans of acts such as Somnuri, Witch Ripper, Khemmis, and Spirit Adrift please take note. Continue reading “Restless Spirit – Afterimage (Review)”

Carnifex – Necromanteum (Review)

Carnifex - NecromanteumThis is the ninth album from Carnifex, a blackened death metal/deathcore band from the US.

Following on from 2016’s Slow Death, 2019’s World War X, and 2021’s Graveside Confessions, comes Necromanteum; 42 minutes of well-crafted heaviness. So what do Carnifex have in store for us this time? Continue reading “Carnifex – Necromanteum (Review)”

Ashbringer – We Came Here to Grieve (Review)

Ashbringer - We Came Here to GrieveThis is the fourth album from US post-black metal band Ashbringer.

This is the follow up to 2019’s well-received Absolution, We Came Here to Grieve brings us 44 minutes of new music. On this new record Ashbringer continue to evolve their sound, pushing the envelope further, with a multifaceted mix of experimental black metal sounds. Although having said that, there’s less direct black metal on this album, for sure. Continue reading “Ashbringer – We Came Here to Grieve (Review)”

Lunar Tombfields – An Arrow to the Sun (Review)

Lunar Tombfields - An Arrow to the SunLunar Tombfields are a black metal band from France and this is their second album.

Following hot on the heels of last year’s The Eternal Harvest, Lunar Tombfields have now returned with 46 minutes of new material. Despite being so temporally close to its predecessor, An Arrow to the Sun has a different character to The Eternal Harvest. Continue reading “Lunar Tombfields – An Arrow to the Sun (Review)”