This is the debut album from Norwegian black metallers Avmakt.
Satanic Inversion Of… contains 46 minutes of old-school second wave 90s black metal worship. Avmakt’s music uses the Darkthrone template extensively, yet somehow manages to avoid coming off as a cheap knockoff. How? Basically, it’s just a damn good album. Continue reading “Avmakt – Satanic Inversion Of… (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Finnish black metallers Aethyrick.
I always have time for Aethyrick’s brand of black metal, so it’s great to have some new material from them in the form of the 43-minute Death Is Absent. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, then as well as this new album it’s also worth checking out 2018’s Praxis, 2020’s Gnosis, 2021’s Apotheosis, and 2022’s Pilgrimage. Aethyrick may have only been around since 2016, but they’re quite prolific. Continue reading “Aethyrick – Death Is Absent (Review)”
This is the debut album from Marrow of Man, a one-man black metal band from the Netherlands.
Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse contains 46 minutes of black metal, with some thrash metal elements added in for extra brutality. The promo blurb says that the primary influences of this act are Dissection, Bathory, Evilfeast, Darkthrone, Odium, and Lunar Spells, so that will give you a starting point for the Marrow of Man sound. Continue reading “Marrow of Man – Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse (Review)”
This is the debut EP from Ignobleth, an Italian black/death metal band.
Here’s we have a passionate slab of old-school darkness. Ignobleth play war metal brutality that’s grim and sinister. Voidspawn Sacrifice combines black and death metal – with a slight leaning towards the latter – into 15 enjoyable minutes. Continue reading “Ignobleth – Voidspawn Sacrifice (Review)”
Svartelder are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their third album.
Svartelder contain current/ex-members of bands such as 1349, Den Saakaldte, Doedsvangr, Enepsigos, From the Vastland, Gaahls Wyrd, Horizon Ablaze, Nattverd, Nordjevel, and others, which is a lot of talent all in one place. Does the 38* minutes of material we find on Trenches live up to the promise that this collective experience brings with it? Continue reading “Svartelder – Trenches (Review)”
This is the debut album from Canadian black metallers Conifère.
L’Impôt du Sang offers up 31 minutes of old-school black metal. Conifère’s music takes the tried-and-tested classic formula and runs with it, producing a corker of an album that sounds far more vibrant and engaging than many that play the style. Continue reading “Conifère – L’Impôt du Sang (Review)”
This is the seventh album from French black metallers Seth.
La France des Maudits offers up 46 minutes of expressive black metal. Seth are one of those bands that have been around for some time now and despite being aware of them since their very early days I’ve never actually heard them before. This new album seemed like the perfect time to rectify this. Continue reading “Seth – La France des Maudits (Review)”
This is the second album from Perchta, a black metal band from Austria.
D’Muata offers a 48-minute atmospheric blackened folk experience that’s compelling and immersive. Perchta have crafted a strong personality of their own on this record, and it’s one that serves them well for almost all of the album. Continue reading “Perchta – D’Muata (Review)”
Ende are a French black metal band and this is their sixth album.
I always like being able to catch up with Ende’s work. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, make sure you check out 2015’s The Rebirth of I, 2017’s Emën Etan, or 2018’s Goétie Funeste, (or indeed any of their other work), and you’ll be assured of encountering an album of traditional black metal that’s worth your time. Which brings us to the 41 minutes of new material on L’aube des Anathèmes; has Ende’s quality streak continued? Continue reading “Ende – L’aube des Anathèmes (Review)”
This is the third album from Swedish black metal solo act Kvaen.
The name Kvaen hit the black metal underground hard with 2020’s The Funeral Pyre, and then followed this up in 2022 with The Great Below, which showed that the quality of the debut was no fluke. Another two years have passed, and now we have The Formless Fires. Do the 39 minutes of new music here still demonstrate a continuation of these quality levels? Continue reading “Kvaen – The Formless Fires (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 