Marduk are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fifteenth album.
Memento Mori contains 42 minutes of passionately crafted blackened intensity. It’s like bottled chaos and frenzied mayhem, with moments of dark storms and nightmare worldbuilding. Yep, Marduk are back. Continue reading “Marduk – Memento Mori (Review)”
Baxaxaxa are a German black metal band and this is their second album.
Featuring members of Runespell and Ungod, Baxaxaxa play black metal with sinister atmosphere and wicked groove. De Vermis Mysteriis contains 41 minutes of atavistic blackened character. Continue reading “Baxaxaxa – De Vermis Mysteriis (Review)”
Lepra are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
In a fit of pure laziness on my part, I’m going to just reproduce a line from the promo blurb to set the scene for this release – “It is not your usual cup of black metal, this one has a unique blend of black punk/and roll, folk, goth rock, doom… All played with drums, bass, flute, endless keyboards, and duelling vocals.” Continue reading “Lepra – Devil’s Blood in Her Tongue (Review)”
Ancient Torment and Haxen are both US black metal bands, and they have teamed up for this split release.
Ancient Torment, (who feature an ex-member of Abnormality), open the split, with two songs lasting 13 minutes in total. Continue reading “Ancient Torment/Haxen – The Howling Gale – Split (Review)”
Urbain are a black metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
With a description of urban black metal, and a recommendation for fans of Emperor, White Ward, early Dimmu Borgir, and Cradle of Filth, I was intrigued to hear what Urbain had to offer. The fact that the band contain members of Ovnev and Wills Dissolve was further reason, if any were needed. Continue reading “Urbain – A Soul Purged (Review)”
This is the debut album from French black metallers Beyond the Permafrost.
Fallen from the Throne contains 33 minutes of black metal that’s influenced by the traditional style and second wave era. Beyond the Permafrost have created an album that should easily find favour with any adherent of the old-school blackened arts. Continue reading “Beyond the Permafrost – Fallen from the Throne (Review)”
This is the second album from US one-man black metal band Alghol.
Night Eternal contains 40 minutes of second wave black metal, delivered with an authentic skill and passion that’s raw and honest. It’s also catchy and moreish as all Hell. Continue reading “Alghol – Night Eternal (Review)”
Sworn are a Norwegian black metal band and this is their fourth album.
If you’re a fan of black metal with both melody and atmosphere, then A Journey Told Through Fire is a 50-minute feast of the stuff. Honestly, Sworn have something well above average going on here that combines the best of old and new. Continue reading “Sworn – A Journey Told Through Fire (Review)”
This is the second album from German black metal band Servant.
Aetas Ascensus contains 48 minutes of black metal played in the old-school Scandinavian way. Competent in both the melodic and symphonic styles, Servant’s music is effortless to enjoy if you’re a fan of the cold blackened arts. Continue reading “Servant – Aetas Ascensus (Review)”
Miasmes are a French black metal band and this is their debut album.
After how much I enjoyed last year’s debut EP Vermines, Répugnance is an album I have been looking forward to. The band have delivered the goods, as I was hoping they would, and Répugnance gives us 42 minutes of new material, (or mostly new – Pestilence makes a reappearance from the EP). Continue reading “Miasmes – Répugnance (Review)”
