Fen are a UK black metal band and this is their eighth album.
Following on from 2023’s Monuments to Absence, Fen have now returned with 47 minutes of new material in the form of Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth. As the name might suggest, this is the first part of two. Continue reading “Fen – Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK black metal band Cairiss.
A decade after 2016’s EP Fall comes its long-awaited follow up Wilderness. Fall was a notably strong first release, one that excelled in its own right, but that also dripped in potential for the future. Sadly, nothing ever came of it. Until now. With 42 minutes of new material from Cairiss, and a refreshed lineup, can Wilderness satisfy the probably unfairly high expectations put upon it? Continue reading “Cairiss – Wilderness (Review)”
Wormwood are a Swedish black metal band and this is their latest release.
This short, two-track EP follows on from 2024’s The Star, bringing us a another dose of Wormwood’s intelligently crafted progressive black metal. With a duration of 16 minutes, Å showcases Wormwood’s notable talents in an easy-to-digest format that nonetheless has plenty to explore at length. Continue reading “Wormwood – Å (Review)”
Hagoroth are a black metal band from an unknown location, and this is their second album.
No information is available as to whether Hagoroth is a full band or a solo venture. Either way, Hagoroth play black metal with progressive and avant-garde tendencies, and it’s really rather special. Across 38 expressive minutes, Hagoroth reveals itself to be a carefully curated blend of aggression, atmosphere, emotion, and exploration. Continue reading “Hagoroth – Hagoroth (Review)”
This is the fifth album from US progressive black metal act Ashen Horde.
2023’s Antimony was Ashen Horde’s best album up to this point. This means that The Harvest is an eagerly anticipated new record from this notable band. Will it have what it takes to knock Antimony from the top spot? Continue reading “Ashen Horde – The Harvest (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Indonesian one-man black metal band Pure Wrath.
Bleak Days Ahead is the 41-minute folow up to 2022’s well-received Hymn to the Woeful Hearts. The artist behind Pure Wrath has returned, accompanied by a cast of associates that bring drums, additional vocals, and saxophone to the table. Continue reading “Pure Wrath – Bleak Days Ahead (Review)”
This is the fifth album from German black metallers Ultha.
So, Ultha, (who are likely the best contemporary black metal band in the world), have only gone and unexpectedly released a monster of a new album in the 74-minute A Light so Dim. This is a record you need to hear if Continue reading “Ultha – A Light so Dim (Review)”
Domhain are a post-black metal band from Northern Ireland and this is their debut album.
I’ve been looking forward to hearing an album from Domhain ever since first catching them at 2024’s Fortress Festival, (and then narrowly missing them with Saor a couple of months later). In Perfect Stillness contains 35 minutes of material, and is a strikingly strong record. Continue reading “Domhain – In Perfect Stillness (Review)”
This is the second album from Mexican progressive metal solo act Phendrana.
Here we have a 38-minute album that takes a lot of different influences into itself. Blackgaze, post-metal, progressive rock, avant-garde metal, folk, and post-black metal all come together with nuance and grace inside a progressive extreme metal framework that’s highly compelling. The artist behind Phendrana has made a convincing case for Cathexis being Continue reading “Phendrana – Cathexis (Review)”
Argus Megere are a Romanian black metal band and this is their fifth album.
Cerburea Apusului is the long awaited follow up to 2017’s VEII. It may have been a while since their last record, but Argus Megere have certainly not aged poorly. There’s a lot to absorb across Cerburea Apulsului. This is an album that’s easy to enjoy upon first experience, but it really settles into its own natural rhythms after repeated spins. Continue reading “Argus Megere – Cerburea Apusului (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 