This is the fourth album by Danish metallic hardcore band LIfesick.
I enjoyed Lifesick when I saw them earlier this year supporting Cabal, so knew I wanted to check out the 34 minutes of Loved by None, Hated by All when it appeared. Continue reading “Lifesick – Loved by None, Hated by All (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Polish experimental metal band Thaw.
It’s been more than a while since 2017’s Grains, so I was intrigued to see what Thaw have to offer in 2024. An experimental act, who have operated in black metal, sludge, doom, drone, ambient, and noise waters across their career, what does Fading Backwards and its 36 minutes of new material bring us? Continue reading “Thaw – Fading Backwards (Review)”
This is the sixth album from Finland’s black metallers Oranssi Pazuzu.
Since discovering Oranssi Pazuzu on 2016’s Värähtelijä they have been a band that easily stood out for me. Mestarin Kynsi followed in 2020, another album that took an expansive, creative vision for blackened music and explored it with engaging results. Which brings us to Muuntautuja, the band’s shortest album at 42 minutes in duration. What scintillatingly expressive sights and sounds does it has to offer? Continue reading “Oranssi Pazuzu – Muuntautuja (Review)”
This is the fourth album from UK black metallers Gråt Strigoi.
Despite being four albums deep into their career, I’ve never heard of Gråt Strigoi before the wonderful Fiadh Productions put them on my radar. It’s seriously been my loss, as this stuff is so far up my alley it hurts. The Prophetic Silence contains 56 minutes of black metal that’s so good you should just stop reading this now and go and listen to it. Continue reading “Gråt Strigoi – The Prophetic Silence (Review)”
Apes are a grindcore band from Canada and this is their debut album.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2017’s Lightless, with its hybrid blackened sludge/grind assault. It wasn’t until 2022 that we saw new material though, with the EP Lullabies for Eternal Sleep. Thankfully we haven’t had to wait quite as long for Apes’ second album, Penitence. Continue reading “Apes – Penitence (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Insect Ark, an experimental doom band from Germany.
An album consisting of members of Swans and Khanate? Yep, colour me interested. Taking in doom, avant-garde, psychedelic, noise, drone, and Gothic influences, Raw Blood Singing is an expansive work of darkness and beauty. Continue reading “Insect Ark – Raw Blood Singing (Review)”
This is the third album from US grindcore band Knoll.
Following on from 2022’s blistering Metempiric comes As Spoken, its 41-minute follow up. On their new record Knoll have continued to push their punishing sound forward, embracing the nihilistic darkness more than ever. Continue reading “Knoll – As Spoken (Review)”
Furia 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)”
This 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)”
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving are an Australian post-rock/metal band, and this is their fourth album.
Despite there being many great instrumental bands out there, I’m always put off listening to a band when there’s no vocalist. I’m well aware that this is my loss, but I can’t usually help it. However, there have certainly been many exceptions over the years to this, and Tangled Thoughts of Leaving are definitely one of them. Continue reading “Tangled Thoughts of Leaving – Oscillating Forest (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 