Schammasch – Wonderbox Metal

Anomalie – Tranceformation (Review)

Anomalie are an Austrian post-black metal band and this is their fourth album.

Following on from 2017’s well-received Visions, (via an EP I haven’t heard), Tranceformation contains 44 minutes of new material, and comes with a newly-focused direction to boot. A rough reference point for what Tranceformation sounds like would be a mix of bands such as Schammasch, Enslaved, and old Anomalie, although to be honest this is only a very approximate guide at best, especially as some songs have a modern doom metal flavour too, (most notably opening track). Continue reading “Anomalie – Tranceformation (Review)”

Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)

This is the fourth album from Swiss black metallers Coldcell.

Featuring the drummer of Schammasch and guest vocals on two songs by the singer of Zatokrev, Coldcell spend 49 minutes delivering atmospheric modern black metal that’s sinister and layered with existential dread. Continue reading “Coldcell – The Greater Evil (Review)”

Aversio Humanitatis – Behold the Silent Dwellers (Review)

This is the second album from Spanish black metallers Aversio Humanitatis.

Aversio Humanitatis play a modern brand of black metal, replete with apocalyptic atmosphere and dark death metal elements. I suppose you could loosely describe this band as a cross between Behemoth, Schammasch, Blut Aus Nord, Continue reading “Aversio Humanitatis – Behold the Silent Dwellers (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2019

Another year gone by, where does all the time go? Listening to metal I suppose, that’s where. Every year brings more metal delights, so I invite you to partake of 30 of my favourites from the rather metallically fertile 2019. Let me know which ones are your favourites to! Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2019”

Monthly Overview – the Best of November 2019

What an unreasonably strong month for metal releases November was! Be assured, this list could have been much, much bigger. Let’s see what made the cut… Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of November 2019”

Schammasch – Hearts of No Light (Review)

Schammasch are a Black Metal band from Switzerland. This is their fourth album.

Was it really 2016 that the epic Triangle was released to an unsuspecting world? Apparently so. An incredibly strong release, it narrowly missed out on the top spot for my best albums of 2016 list. It was followed up in 2017 by the even more avant-garde EP The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite, which provided a compelling dose of atmospheric material. Continue reading “Schammasch – Hearts of No Light (Review)”

Aornos – The Great Scorn (Review)

Aornos is a one man black metal project from Hungary and this is his fourth album.

Rooted in traditional black metal, The Great Scorn is an atmospheric and raw rendition of cosmic black metal that also incorporates some elements of more modern styles in its blistering delivery. Continue reading “Aornos – The Great Scorn (Review)”

Schammasch – The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite (Review)

This is the latest EP from Swiss post-black metal band Schammasch.

Oh, Schammasch. You never quite know what they’re going to do next. Their last album, the colossal and immense Triangle, was so good it made it to the second position in my best of 2016 list.

Continue reading “Schammasch – The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite (Review)”

Lvx Haeresis – Descensŭs Spīrĭtŭs (Review)

This is the debut album from Lvx Haeresis, a Swiss black metal band.

This is ritualistic, occult black metal that takes influence from such bands as Ondskapt, Schammasch, and Funeral Mist to craft music that takes the listener on a blackened journey to sights foul and unclean. Continue reading “Lvx Haeresis – Descensŭs Spīrĭtŭs (Review)”

Au-Dessus – End of Chapter (Review)

Au-Dessus are a black metal band from Lithuania.

This is tension-building black metal that incorporates aspects of post-black metal to create involving atmospheres and dark soundscapes. Think a cross between Mayhem, Deathspell Omega and Schammasch, maybe. Continue reading “Au-Dessus – End of Chapter (Review)”