Modern Black Metal – Page 11

Label Roundup: Vendetta Records – Afsky, Vukari, and Ultha (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.

I like the output of Vendetta Records a great deal, so I wanted to revisit them once more. However, unlike last time when I looked at a few of their upcoming releases, this time I wanted to focus on a few gems from earlier in the year that you, (and I), may have missed. Continue reading “Label Roundup: Vendetta Records – Afsky, Vukari, and Ultha (Reviews)”

Fell Ruin – Cast in Oil the Dressed Wrought (Review)

This is the second album from Fell Ruin, a blackened doom band from the US.

It has been a while since we last heard from Fell Ruin, but I liked 2015’s Devices and 2017’s To the Concrete Drifts enough that when I discovered a new album was coming out, I knew I wanted to absorb its dark charms. Continue reading “Fell Ruin – Cast in Oil the Dressed Wrought (Review)”

Procession of Spectres – A Vast Tomb (Review)

This is the latest EP from Irish black metallers Procession of Spectres.

Containing just two tracks, this 20-minute EP showcases Procession of Spectres’ blackened talents to great effect. Continue reading “Procession of Spectres – A Vast Tomb (Review)”

Iffernet – Silences (Review)

This is the second album from French black metal band Iffernet.

Silences assaults the listener with 38 minutes of underground black metal. It’s harsh and unforgiving, but isn’t lacking in finesse or nuance. The promo blurb mentions Weakling, Urfaust, and Fluisteraars, which should give a rough idea of what we’re dealing with here. Continue reading “Iffernet – Silences (Review)”

Black Anvil – Regenesis (Review)

This is the fifth album from US black metal band Black Anvil.

2014’s Hail Death and 2017’s As Was were both enjoyable records that made an impact. The latter took the band in increasingly atmospheric and progressive directions, so what does the 50-minute Regenesis offer? Continue reading “Black Anvil – Regenesis (Review)”

Wesenwille – III: The Great Light Above (Review)

Wesenwille are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their third album.

Having enjoyed last year’s II: A Material God, I was pleased to see the appearance of III: The Great Light Above, (and also surprised to have more Wesenwille material so soon after the last album). Continue reading “Wesenwille – III: The Great Light Above (Review)”

Acédia – Fracture (Review)

This is the third album from Canadian black metal band Acédia.

Acédia play a modern brand of black metal that’s taut with melodic colour and ripe with dissonant underpinnings. Across the 40 minutes of Fracture the band deliver an enjoyable journey into contemporary blackened waters. Continue reading “Acédia – Fracture (Review)”

Gaerea – Mirage (Review)

This is the third album from Portuguese black metallers Gaerea.

With 2018’s Unsettling Whispers and then 2020’s Limbo, Gaerea have made a formidable name for themselves in the modern black metal killing arenas. Does third album Mirage continue this spree, or find them falling by the wayside? Continue reading “Gaerea – Mirage (Review)”

Nordjevel – Gnavhòl (Review)

Nordjevel are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their third album.

Following on from 2021’s fiery Fenrir EP, (of which Gnawing the Bones reappears here), Gnavhòl is a 55-minute expression of black metal darkness. Continue reading “Nordjevel – Gnavhòl (Review)”

Mourir – Disgrâce (Review)

This is the second album from Mourir, a black metal band from France.

This is the follow up to 2020’s Animal Bouffe Animal, and delivers 38 minutes of utter blackened darkness. Mourir, (who contain members of Drawers and Plebeian Grandstand), specialise in modern black metal, with unhinged daemonic vocals and more oppressive, malignant atmosphere than a lot of people will be able to handle. Continue reading “Mourir – Disgrâce (Review)”