This is the debut album from one-man Norwegian blackened extreme metal project ILLT.
This solo act is rounded out by session musicians from such notable bands as Megadeth, Soilwork, Nile, and Chrome Division. There’s 36 minutes of material on Urhat containing a modern blackened mix of death metal, thrash, hardcore, and splashes of doom and hard rock. Continue reading “ILLT – Urhat (Review)”
This is the third album from Canadian black metallers Wormwitch.
Wolf Hex is the 34-minute follow up to 2019’s very well-received Heaven That Dwells Within, but it’s somewhat of a different record to its predecessor. Although obviously the same band, (but with a different lineup), Wolf Hex is rawer and less-polished, and owes more to the underground scenes; it sounds loose, organic, and unforced, and the songs benefit from this approach throughout the album. Continue reading “Wormwitch – Wolf Hex (Review)”
This is the debut album from Modern Rites, a Swiss/US black metal band.
Featuring members of Aara and Kuyashii, Monuments contains 37 minutes of modern blackened aggression that mainly exists in the melodic black metal sphere, but not exclusively. The music also borrows from the wellspring of 90s industrial music, (which can be especially felt in some of the melodies, structuring, and atmospheres), as well as some of the more brutal strains of modern black metal. Continue reading “Modern Rites – Monuments (Review)”
Remah are an international black metal band and this is their debut album.
Une Main adopts a modern approach to its black metal, one which adapts elements of the depressive, second wave, and atmospheric styles for its own nefarious use. Alongside this sit darkwave and psychedelic influences, both of which add extra depth to the band’s blackened repertoire. Continue reading “Remah – Une Main (Review)”
Francis Root, (based in Norway), and Sconsacrata, (based in the UK), are both solo black metal acts who have teamed up for this split release, (both artists are also in sludge metal band Beggar).
Francis Root start us off, with 19 minutes of material. The style of the four songs we’re presented with is one that’s modern and progressive, with elements of electronica and industrial sewn into the music. Continue reading “Francis Root/Sconsacrata – Split (Review)”
Sordide are a black metal band from France and this is their fourth album.
Sordide deliver us 39 minutes of sharp, modern black metal. Continue reading “Sordide – Les Idées Blanches (Review)”
This is the third album from German deathcore band Mental Cruelty.
This is the follow up to 2019’s Inferis, although A Hill to Die Upon is a different beast to its predecessor. Although the foundations are the same, they’ve been built upon and reshaped into a far darker, more blackened Continue reading “Mental Cruelty – A Hill to Die Upon (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Jarun, a Polish progressive black metal band.
Both 2015’s Pod Niebem Utkanym z Popiołu and 2017’s Sporysz were very enjoyable blackened progressive/folk hybrids, and their newest album continues Jarun’s unbroken run of high quality releases. Continue reading “Jarun – Rok Spokojnego Słońca (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swiss black metallers Coldcell.
Featuring the drummer of Schammasch and guest vocals on two songs by the singer of Zatokrev, Coldcell spend 49 minutes delivering atmospheric modern black metal that’s sinister and layered with existential dread. Continue reading “Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)”
This is the debut album from Udånde, a solo black metal band based in Slovakia, augmented by as session vocalist and drummer.
Now here’s an album to thoroughly scratch that modern black metal itch. Life of a Purist is atmospheric and melodic, without being entirely beholden to either Continue reading “Udånde – Life of a Purist (Review)”
