Armed only with the album cover and the briefest promo blurb I’ve probably ever seen simply identifying this as black metal, I decided to take a chance on it. In fact, I’ll reproduce the promo text in its entirety here – Continue reading “Pakkt – To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance (Review)”
Tag: Old-School Black Metal
Inherits the Void – Monolith of Light (Review)
This is the debut album from Inherits the Void, a French one-man black metal act.
Monolith of Light is 37 minutes long and contains a form of melodically-rich atmospheric black metal that hits the spot quite nicely. The promo blurb tells us that the artist behind the band wanted to aim for “a meeting between influences from the ‘90s Swedish black metal scene and a more current orientation of the genre”, and I’d suggest that this has been achieved. The album has an old-school core that’s enhanced by more modern post-blackened influences. Continue reading “Inherits the Void – Monolith of Light (Review)”
Fornhem – Stämman från Berget (Review)
Fornhem are a Swedish black metal band and this is their second album.
On Stämman från Berget Fornhem offer a traditional black metal approach with tastefully integrated folk elements and the occasional more modern influence. Continue reading “Fornhem – Stämman från Berget (Review)”
Adoperta Tenebris – Oblivion: the Forthcoming Ends (Review)
This is the second album from French black metal solo act Adoperta Tenebris.
Oblivion: the Forthcoming Ends contains 48 minutes of black metal that has a strong second wave Scandinavian influence and a smattering of death metal ones. Continue reading “Adoperta Tenebris – Oblivion: the Forthcoming Ends (Review)”
Necrofier – Prophecies of Eternal Darkness (Review)
This is the debut album from US black metal band Necrofier.
Necrofier feature members of Oceans of Slumber and Church of Disgust in their lineup, (and other bands), and Prophecies of Eternal Darkness provides a compelling slice of melodic black metal across 36 minutes that manages to merge professional delivery with underground fire. Continue reading “Necrofier – Prophecies of Eternal Darkness (Review)”
Runespell – Verses in Regicide (Review)
Runespell is a solo black metal band from Australia, and this is his fourth album.
I like a bit of Runespell. I’ve enjoyed watching the band develop from 2017’s Unhallowed Blood Oath, through 2018’s Order of Vengeance, to 2019’s Voice of Opprobrium. It’s now time for a new offering, and Verses in Regicide contains 38 minutes of the good stuff. Continue reading “Runespell – Verses in Regicide (Review)”
Wormwitch – Wolf Hex (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)”
Wolves in the Throne Room – Primordial Arcana (Review)
This is the seventh album from US black metallers Wolves in the Throne Room.
A new Wolves in the Throne Room album is a huge event, especially for me, as they’re essentially one of my favourite bands.
With a rawer, sharper sound than Continue reading “Wolves in the Throne Room – Primordial Arcana (Review)”
Ondfødt – Norden (Review)
This is the third album from Finnish black metallers Ondfødt, a duo whose members are also in Dispyt.
I always like catching up with what Ondfødt are offering. I enjoyed 2014’s Hexkonst and 2019’s Dödsrikets Kallelse, so now it’s time to turn to Norden with positive expectations. Continue reading “Ondfødt – Norden (Review)”
Mannveira – Vítahringur (Review)
This is the debut album from Icelandic black metallers Mannveira.
Featuring members of Andavald and Naðra, Vítahringur contains 35 minutes of unsettling atmospheric black metal chaos.
Wonderbox Metal 