Fen – Winter (Review)

FenFen are a UK progressive black metal band and this is their fifth album.

Fen combine atmospheric, progressive and post-black metal into their beguiling music. Taking the appropriate elements of each and using them to suit their own purposes, the music on Winter is expansive and full of dark vision. Continue reading “Fen – Winter (Review)”

The Great Old Ones – EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy (Review)

The Great Old OnesThe Great Old Ones are a black metal band from France and this is their third album.

Boasting a larger and more comprehensive production than ever before on their latest release, The Great Old Ones sound as great as their name implies. Bold, grand and aggressively majestic, EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy is an album to explore and be afraid of, for the dark delights it contains are not for unwary travellers. Continue reading “The Great Old Ones – EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy (Review)”

Emptiness – Not for Music (Review)

EmptinessEmptiness are from Belgium and this is their fifth album. They play experimental black metal.

Featuring members of Enthroned, this is dark, experimental, ambient post-black metal, with plenty of malevolent, melancholic atmosphere.

If you’re after the Continue reading “Emptiness – Not for Music (Review)”

Au Champ des Morts – Dans la Joie (Review)

Au Champ des MortsAu Champ des Morts are a French black metal band and this is their debut album.

This is contemporary black metal that has a firm foundation in the traditional style, but updated for the modern day with post-black metal, atmospheric and blackgaze influences.

Dans la Joie is full of emotive and Continue reading “Au Champ des Morts – Dans la Joie (Review)”

Ennoven – Redemption (Review)

EnnovenEnnoven is a one-man atmospheric black metal project from Poland. This is his debut album.

Redemption is just under 35 minutes of atmospheric black metal with post-metal and progressive influences included in its misty embrace.  Continue reading “Ennoven – Redemption (Review)”

Ultha – Converging Sins (Review)

UlthaThis is Ultha’s second album. They are a black metal band from Germany.

Now this is quite the find. Mixing elements of Burzum, Emperor, Wolves in the Throne Room and Lycus, Ultha mix old and new black metal with some crushing doom influences to produce 63 minutes of bleak melancholy and dark allure. Continue reading “Ultha – Converging Sins (Review)”

Dreariness – Fragments (Review)

DrearinessDreariness are an Italian black metal band. This is their second album.

Dreariness combine depressive black metal with elements of post-black metal and shoegaze. The result is an impressive album that boasts a lot more depth and atmosphere than the majority of their depressive peers. Continue reading “Dreariness – Fragments (Review)”

Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)

Downfall of GaiaThis is the fourth album from German band Downfall of Gaia. They play post-black metal.

This is a release that creates and fosters atmosphere like a second skin. It’s dark and mystical, and keeps its secrets close to its chest despite also being quite warm and welcoming in some respects. Ice-cold black metal full of hatred and blasphemy this is not. That’s not to say that Continue reading “Downfall of Gaia – Atrophy (Review)”