This is the debut album from Polish black metal band Death Like Mass.
Featuring current and ex-members of Enthroned, Lvcifyre, and Nightbringer, Death Like Mass play old-school black metal that boasts a keen edge of individuality that’s unusual in the style. Across 44 minutes of material The Lord of Flies impresses. Continue reading “Death Like Mass – The Lord of Flies (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swiss black metal solo act Ashtar.
I enjoyed both 2015’s Ilmasaari and 2020’s Kaikuja, so wanted to check out Ashtar’s latest. Since those albums the band have become a solo endeavour, and I missed the artist’s 2023 album Wandering Through Time somehow. A little over a year since that record though and we have The Return of the Frozen Souls, which features 45 minutes of black/doom metal, (including a Samhain cover). Continue reading “Ashtar – The Return of the Frozen Souls (Review)”
This is the eighth album from Norwegian black metallers 1349.
1349 boast current/ex-members of Gorgoroth, Keep of Kalessin, Mortem, and Satyricon in their ranks, and they provide us with 39 minutes of Norwegian black metal in the form of The Wolf and the King. Continue reading “1349 – The Wolf and the King (Review)”
This is the third album from German black metal band Servant.
Following on fast from last year’s Aetus Ascensus comes Death Devil Magick, bringing us 41 minutes of new material. Servant’s style is intact and well, delivering a richly melodic form of black metal that’s based on the 90s second wave, but shows a post-black metal influence in places. Continue reading “Servant – Death Devil Magick (Review)”
This is the debut album from Deathless Void, a black metal band from the Netherlands.
The Voluptuous Fire of Sin contains 39 minutes of aggressive black metal. Deathless Void play a style that manages to incorporate a few mutually complementary elements into itself, enriching its hostility with greater depth and range. Continue reading “Deathless Void – The Voluptuous Fire of Sin (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Canadian black metallers Wormwitch.
New Wormwitch! I’m a bit behind on this one, but I couldn’t let it pass me by. Whether it’s 2019’s Heaven That Dwells Within, 2021’s Wolf Hex, or this year’s split with Sadistic Ritual, Wormwitch always deliver the goods. Continue reading “Wormwitch – Wormwitch (Review)”
This is the debut album from Norwegian black metallers Avmakt.
Satanic Inversion Of… contains 46 minutes of old-school second wave 90s black metal worship. Avmakt’s music uses the Darkthrone template extensively, yet somehow manages to avoid coming off as a cheap knockoff. How? Basically, it’s just a damn good album. Continue reading “Avmakt – Satanic Inversion Of… (Review)”
Firtan are a German black metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2022’s very enjoyable Marter, Ethos brings us 51 minutes of new material from Firtan. On this new album the band aren’t holding back. Continue reading “Firtan – Ethos (Review)”
This is the debut album from Marrow of Man, a one-man black metal band from the Netherlands.
Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse contains 46 minutes of black metal, with some thrash metal elements added in for extra brutality. The promo blurb says that the primary influences of this act are Dissection, Bathory, Evilfeast, Darkthrone, Odium, and Lunar Spells, so that will give you a starting point for the Marrow of Man sound. Continue reading “Marrow of Man – Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse (Review)”
This is the debut album from Wrach, a Welsh solo black metal band.
Quad Infra Volo Videre contains 48 minutes of sinister underground black metal. It’s inspired by the 90s second wave style, but other influences from across the last few decades have been drawn into its malevolent embrace, giving it more of a 00s feel overall. Continue reading “Wrach – Quae Infra Volo Videre (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 