Craft are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fifth album.
Although the album title might suggest a combination of blistering black metal and heartless noise assaults, it’s actually 42 minutes of the former rather than the latter. Of course, this is no bad thing. Continue reading “Craft – White Noise and Black Metal (Review)”
Altar of Perversion are an Italian black metal band and this is their second album.
Sometimes I enjoy the challenge of getting to grips with something that’s absolutely immense in length and content. Intra Naos is exactly one such release. At 114 minutes in duration, it’s an ambitious release, and a potentially daunting proposition for even the hardened black metal fan. However, because the band producing this material have completely pulled it off, it can yield vast rewards for those willing and able to explore its many allures. Continue reading “Altar of Perversion – Intra Naos (Review)”
This is the debut album from French black metallers Hyrgal.
Hyrgal play aggressively melodic black metal with a modern coating of hard ice. Continue reading “Hyrgal – Serpentine (Review)”
Perdition Winds are a black metal band from Finland and this is their second album.
Featuring members of Desolate Shrine, Lie in Ruins, Sargeist, and Corpsessed, this is the follow up to 2014’s enjoyable Aura of Suffering. Continue reading “Perdition Winds – Transcendent Emptiness (Review)”
Batushka are a Polish black metal band and this is their debut album.
Batushka are a black metal band with few peers. A bold claim, perhaps, but the material on Litourgiya is unlike that of most black metal bands, despite being recognisably of the genre. Continue reading “Batushka – Litourgiya (Review)”
Mork is a one-man Norwegian black metal band and this is his third album.
Here we have 48 minutes of old-school, Darkthrone-influenced black metal. It’s cold, full of icy groove, and immediately hits the spot. Continue reading “Mork – Eremittens Dal (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Sheidim, a black metal band from Spain.
As far as EPs go this is a lengthy one – at 28 minutes in duration it’s actually longer than some albums. This is absolutely not a complaint, of course, nor does it really impact on anything as such; merely an observation. Continue reading “Sheidim – Infamata (Review)”
This is the second album from this New Zealand black metal band.
Winter Deluge play malevolent black metal that takes its cues from the second wave.
With enough blackened distortion, blasting Continue reading “Winter Deluge – Devolution-Decay (Review)”
Sheidim are a Spanish black metal band and this is their début album.
This is orthodox black metal with a modern coating and a matching cover. It’s extreme, passionate, vicious and venomous.
Sheidim’s music is heavy and full of darkness, injecting streaks of colour through the blackened melodies that burn with intensity and passion, as does the band’s music as a whole.
Shrines of the Void is powerfully Continue reading “Sheidim – Shrines of the Void (Review)”
Exterminas are from Italy. They play Black Metal and this is their second album.
Dichotomy is 40 minutes of Orthodox Black Metal that’s fast, aggressive and venomous.
Exterminas have managed to inject a decent amount of atmosphere and melody into this release without watering down their inherent aggression or hatred. It’s a great combination to hear, as the razor-sharp guitars do what they need to for the songs; strike out in deadly haste, pull back in contemplative readiness or soar up high with colourful grace.
The singer’s dark growls are full of malice and the music backs his sentiments up to the hilt. He’s probably channelling pure evil through his throaty delivery, but whatever he’s doing it works as a brutal counterpoint to the sleek, sharp songs.
Featuring a great combination of speed and malignant groove, Exterminas certainly know their stuff and Dichotomy is a well-wrounded and complete Black Metal effort.
A strong sound cements the package, giving the band the base of power needed to propel the songs higher without compromising the integrity or feel of the underground aesthetic.
Very highly recommended. Cult Black Metal with a bit of personality and plenty of style. Seek this out.
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