Bearstorm 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)”
Hyrye play atmospheric black metal and come from the UK. This is their debut album.
Featuring harsh black metal that’s born out of the early atmospheric style, it also has some progressive and folk influences that it welcomes into its wind-swept embrace.
Over 66 minutes the band paint dark pictures through extremity Continue reading “Hryre – From Mortality to Infinity (Review)”
This is the fourth album from this one-man US black metal band.
Over the years Mare Cognitum’s output has proven to be of exceptionally high quality, with 2014’s Phobos Monolith being a particular highlight.
Luminiferous Aether provides us with more of the progressively-edged atmospheric black metal that we’ve come to know and love from the outfit, all lavishly arranged, produced and delivered across over 50 minutes of Continue reading “Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether (Review)”
This is the debut release from Somnium Nox, a black metal band from Australia.
Somnium Nox are harbingers of esoteric progressive/atmospheric black metal that plays out over one 16 minute track, revealing an expansive tapestry of music that explores the underground world of black metal with aplomb. Continue reading “Somnium Nox – Apocrypha (Review)”
Vow of Thorns are a post-black metal band from Canada, and this is their début album.
This is post-black metal with liberal lashings of the depressive and doom styles, and a taste for the progressive too.
The songs have a depressive black metal feel to them, coming from their general demeanour and the melodies used. Continue reading “Vow of Thorns – Farewell to the Sun (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Todtgelichter, who play progressive/avant-garde black metal.
Rooms comes across as a combination of Enslaved and Madder Mortem, with a side-order of some of Arcturus‘ work. The resultant mix reminds of a post-black metal version of Obscure Sphinx. Which, considering who good Obscure Sphinx are, is an exciting proposition.
The music generally fuses elements of Continue reading “Todtgelichter – Rooms (Review)”
This is the third album from this one-man US atmospheric post-black metal band.
Last year’s Entropy was a jaw-dropping release that was chock-full of atmospheric blackened goodness. It was a highly accomplished album and Elusion continues the theme.
Like Entropy, this is very atmospheric and richly textured music. It has elements of psychedelic, progressive and depressive Black Metal, as well as aspects of doom and post-metal. This all manifests in well-realised songs that follow Continue reading “Echoes of the Moon – Elusion (Review)”
This is the third album from Norwegian black metallers Sulphur.
Here we have an interesting release that combines a few different things into one. Omens of Doom is black metal that adds progressive, sometimes quirky, layers onto the razor-sharp modern style that it employs. Some elements of death metal and the avant-garde get a look in too, all incorporated into the comprehensive song structures.
Sov are a Black Metal band and this is their début album.
Sov play underground and honest Black Metal that might superficially seem like the standard fare at first glance, but a deeper scrutiny reveals a band with impressive creative power and a lot of raw talent.
This is an interesting release in that it manages to cultivate an air of both natural forest-dwelling and sophisticated blackened art. The music is suspended between the more naturalistic elements and the modern, progressive influences so that these six tracks are a pleasing blend of the early second-wave style and a more up-to-date interpretation of the genre, à la Watain and Deathspell Omega. Continue reading “Sov – Aklamerad Kalamitet (Review)”
Sacrilegium are a Polish Black Metal band and this is their second album.
This is sophisticated Black Metal that shrouds itself in occult auras and mystical vibes.
Sacrilegium have produced an album that has a very modern feel, but nonetheless knows where it came from and pays its dues accordingly. With elements of the atmospheric and progressive styles entwined in its dark embrace, Anima Lucifera blasts and pummels its way through its playing time with style and panache. Continue reading “Sacrilegium – Anima Lucifera”
Wonderbox Metal 