Another year, another list. 2025 followed 2024 as it was meant to, and brought with it a plethora of new metal albums to get excited about. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2025”
Tag: Modern Black Metal
Jours Pâles – Résonances (Review)
This is the debut album from French post-black metallers Jours Pâles.
Jours Pâles have been a band to not miss out on ever since 2021’s delectable Éclosion. Followed swiftly in 2022 by Tensions and then again in 2024 with Dissolution. With 58 minutes of new material to captivate and entrance the listener with, Résonances is another winner from Jours Pâles. Continue reading “Jours Pâles – Résonances (Review)”
Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons (Review)
This is the sixteenth album from Blut Aus Nord, a French black metal band.
Following on from 2023’s Disharmonium – Nahab comes Ethereal Horizons, a 52-minute work of expansive, exquisite black metal artistry. Yep, this one’s pretty damn good. Continue reading “Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons (Review)”
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate (Review)
This is the seventh album from Yellow Eyes, a black metal band from the US.
I last caught up with Yellow Eyes on their 2019 record Rare Field Ceiling, so the unexpected unveiling of Confusion Gate is a welcome surprise. With a 61-minute duration it’s the band’s longest album by a decent margin, so let’s embark on this journey and see what awaits us. Continue reading “Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate (Review)”
Hæresis – Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (Review)
This is the debut album by German post-black metallers Hæresis.
Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum contains four tracks, with a duration of 41 minutes in total. Hæresis offer up a feast of foreboding hostility, and will ably reward anyone into acts such as Akhlys, Black Birch, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Terzij de Horde, This Gift Is a Curse, Ultha, and Wiegedood. Continue reading “Hæresis – Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (Review)”
Starer – Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness (Review)
This is the fourth album from Starer, a one-man black metal band from the US.
Since appearing out of nowhere with the wonderful 18° Below the Horizon in 2021, the artist behind Starer has been busy. We’ve had two subsequent full lengths, (2022’s The What It Is to Be and 2023’s Wind, Breeze, or Breath), and a plethora of other smaller releases. he’s now back with the 49-minute Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness, and it’s a cracking record. Continue reading “Starer – Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness (Review)”
Terzij de Horde – Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone (Review)
Terzij de Horde are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their third album.
Whether it’s 2015’s Self or 2022’s In One of These, I Am Your Enemy, Terzij de Horde being the intensity. Now they’re back, sooner than expected, with the 43-minute Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone, and it absolutely rages. Continue reading “Terzij de Horde – Our Breath Is Not Ours Alone (Review)”
Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound (Review)
Agriculture are a post-black metal band from the US and this is their second album.
The Spiritual Sound is the 44-minute follow up to 2023’s well-received Agriculture. Combing a range of diverse ingredients into an engaging post-black metal sound, Agriculture’s new record is a step up for the band. Continue reading “Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound (Review)”
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern (Review)
This is the sixth album from German black metal band Der Weg Einer Freiheit.
Innern is the greatly anticipated follow up to 2017’s Finisterre and 2021’s Noktvrn, the latter placing prominently on my 2021 end of year list, (which in retrospect Finisterre should also have done in 2017). It’s safe to say that I’ve been excitedly looking forward to this new record, especially after seeing the band at last year’s Fortress Festival. Continue reading “Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern (Review)”
Execrari – Desolation Manifest (Review)
This is the debut album from US black metal band Execrari.
Containing a member of Relentless, Execrari’s style is rooted in black metal’s second wave, while also showing some contemporary influences and progressive, melodic, and avant-garde tendencies. Desolation Manifest has come out of nowhere to really impress. There are six songs, spanning 47 minutes, and each track is a powerful reminder of just how potent black metal can be in the right hands. Exciting even, despite its ancient roots. Continue reading “Execrari – Desolation Manifest (Review)”
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