Tag: Post-Metal

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2016

Yes, it’s that time of year again. 2016 has been a phenomenal year in terms of metal releases, and here I’d like to pay tribute to my top 25.

As always, it was very tough to compile this list into any form of decent order, and I’m sure, (again, as always), that if I were to do this again, the list would look quite different.

I’ve limited the list to a mere 25 releases, so there are necessarily sooooo many good ones that have been missed out. Below are a selection of some of my other favourite releases of 2016, all of which made it into some previous version of my top 25 before I settled on the final one – Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2016”

Nebulae Come Sweet – It Is Not the Night That Covers You (Review)

Nebulae Come SweetThis is the debut album by post-metal band Nebulae Come Sweet from Belarus.

Although the band itself consists of three core members, on their debut album they’re joined by a wealth of additional musicians and vocalists, (programming, cello, saxophone, pipe, percussion, synthesizer, violin, choir), as well as guests from Minsk and Moloken. As you might imagine, this allows for a lot of scope and on It Is Not the Night That Covers You they take advantage of this to the fullest. Continue reading “Nebulae Come Sweet – It Is Not the Night That Covers You (Review)”

Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn (Review)

Worm OuroborusWorm Ouroborus are a doom band from the US. This is their third album.

Combining doom, dark ambient, Gothic rock, post-metal and neo-folk, Worm Ouroborus are the kind of band that easily stand out from the rest of the herd. This is not typically something you hear every day. Well, unless you listen to them every day from now on, of course. Continue reading “Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn (Review)”

Arcade Messiah – III (Review)

Arcade MessiahArcade Messiah is a one-man progressive metal project from Ireland. This is his third album.

Although there are some vocals on this release, it’s mainly instrumental, with the man behind the band making sure that the music has the starring role.

The songs are the kind of modern, progressive Continue reading “Arcade Messiah – III (Review)”

Abduction – Une Ombre Régit les Ombres (Review)

AbductionThis is the debut album from Abduction, a black metal band from France.

Une Ombre Régit les Ombres consists of songs that are epic in length and vision, blasting out of the darkness with confidence, style and much aplomb. The music is a mix of progressive black/death metal, more skewed to the blackened side of things, if only due to the atmospheres evoked and the rasping screams of the main vocals. Continue reading “Abduction – Une Ombre Régit les Ombres (Review)”

Interview with Obscure Sphinx

Obscure Sphinx Header

Obscure Sphinx are one of those special bands that openly wear their individuality like a badge of honour while still fashioning songs that really, really hit the spot. Post-metal can sometimes be one of the most emotional, atmospheric and intense sub-genres there is, and Obscure Sphinx embody this realised potential perfectly. Their third album Epitaphs is 57 minutes of pure class. Here is a band that know what they’re doing and know that they’re doing it very well indeed, thank you.

Guitarist Aleksander Olo Łukomsk told me all about their latest release, with tantalising hints of secrets and ambitions to come… Continue reading “Interview with Obscure Sphinx”

Ashes of Nowhere – Emptiness (Review)

Ashes of NowhereAshes of Nowhere are a post-black metal band from Italy and this is their debut album.

This is a release that combines a fair few different blackened styles into its 54 minute running time. Across the seven tracks one can hear raw, traditional black metal, atmospheric post-metal, melodic black metal, depressive shoegaze and a touch of the avant-garde.

Phew. Continue reading “Ashes of Nowhere – Emptiness (Review)”

Bearstorm – Biophobia (Review)

BearstormBearstorm are a progressive black metal band from the US and this is their latest EP.

Bearstorm play progressive black metal, but if you haven’t heard them before I can all but guarantee that they don’t sound as you’d expect them to.

Their previous album Americanus was an unusual record. A very good one, but a very individual one that was probably too much of an acquired taste for most. A shame, but their loss, (whoever they are), is our gain. Continue reading “Bearstorm – Biophobia (Review)”

Obscure Sphinx – Epitaphs (Review)

Obscure SphinxObscure Sphinx are a post-metal/progressive doom band from Poland. This is their third album.

2013’s Void Mother was one of my favourite albums of that year. Fast forward 3 years and my anticipation for Epitaphs is at fever pitch.

Obscure Sphinx are one of those oh-so-rare bands that are very definitely leaders and not followers. How they haven’t been Continue reading “Obscure Sphinx – Epitaphs (Review)”