This is the fourth album from UK black/doom/heavy metal band Wode.
This is the follow up to 2021’s Burn in Many Mirrors, and a record I’m pleased to see appear. Uncrossing the Keys is not more of the same from Wode though. This should be expected, as each Wode album so far has found the band adding to their musical framework. Continue reading “Wode – Uncrossing the Keys (Review)”
This is the debut album from black metal band Achathras.
A mysterious entity, formed by veterans of the scene apparently, Achathras certainly know their stuff. A Darkness of the Ancient Past contains 43 minutes of classic 90s black metal, and it’s pretty damn good. Continue reading “Achathras – A Darkness of the Ancient Past (Review)”
Frostmoon Eclipse are an Italian black metal band and this is their eighth album.
As Time Retreats is the 41-minute follow up to 2019’s Worse Weather to Come. Since their previous album Frostmoon Eclipse have refined their sound into something quite tasty. If you’re looking for black metal that embraces the core of the 90s second wave, while also simultaneously branching out from it, this is the one for you. Continue reading “Frostmoon Eclipse – As Time Retreats (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Bezwering, a black metal band from the Netherlands.
Containing an ex-member of Wederganger, Dwalingen is a 12-minute release that showcases Bezwering’s uncommon take on black metal across two tracks. Although you can hear second wave elements for sure, there’s a stronger dose of first wave influence than you typically find in contemporary bands. Continue reading “Bezwering – Dwalingen (Review)”
This is the second album from Icelandic black metal band Nexion.
Sundrung contains 49 minutes of material for the refined listener to explore. Nexion play arcane black metal, with elements of death metal skilfully incorporated to add extra force and brutality. There’s more than just that here though. Get ready for something special. Continue reading “Nexion – Sundrung (Review)”
Kamra are a black metal band from Slovenia and this is their second album.
Kamra have a member of Assumption in their ranks, and Unending Confluence contains 41 minutes of music. This is black metal influenced by the old-school, but dragged by lethal dissonance into the modern era. Continue reading “Kamra – Unending Confluence (Review)”
Vígljós are a Swiss black metal band and this is their second album.
Tome II: Ignis Sacer contains 43 minutes of material from this enigmatic act. Vígljós’ style is rooted in the second wave, but brought to life with expressive synths, mellotron, and an occasional hard rock feel to some of the riffs. Continue reading “Vígljós – Tome II: Ignis Sacer (Review)”
This is the debut EP from Swedish solo black metal act Shatterer.
The Shatterer style is atavistic, violent, and moody. It’s firmly rooted in the 90s second wave, with suitably raw and unpolished production values. Mainstream black metal this is not. It’s a journey back in time, to the dawn of the genre, and burns with passionate zeal because of this. Continue reading “Shatterer – Fire (Review)”
Doom Cult Commando are a German black metal band and this is their debut release.
Originally seeing the light back in January, Das Erwachen der Schlange is a 19-minute assault of raw black metal. Across four tracks, Doom Cult Commando reveal their iron grip on what it takes to make old-school Satanic black metal. The production is grim and raw, but not overly so, and the band weaponise this in their war against the light. Continue reading “Doom Cult Commando – Das Erwachen der Schlange (Review)”
This is the eighth album from Australian black metal band Pestilential Shadows.
For such a long-running band this is my first encounter with Pestilential Shadows. Wretch caught my eye though, with its 48 minutes of material that satisfies my taste for all things old-school black metal. Continue reading “Pestilential Shadows – Wretch (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 