This is the fifth album from Norwegian black metal band Dødsengel.
I haven’t caught up with Dødsengel in a while, but enjoyed both their 2013 split with Nightbringer – Circumambulations of the Solar Inferno – and their 2017 album Interequinox, so when Bab Al On appeared with its very striking album art, I knew I wanted to explore that it had to offer. Continue reading “Dødsengel – Bab Al On (Review)”
Helvellyn are a black metal band from the UK and this is their debut album.
Containing 38 minutes of material, The Lore of the Cloaked Assembly delivers black metal steeped in the old ways; Helvellyn worship at the altar of 90s second wave black metal. The band have clearly been blessed by their dark gods, as their music recalls the classics, while also offering something worth listening to in 2022. Continue reading “Helvellyn – The Lore of the Cloaked Assembly (Review)”
This is the second album from French black metal band Iffernet.
Silences assaults the listener with 38 minutes of underground black metal. It’s harsh and unforgiving, but isn’t lacking in finesse or nuance. The promo blurb mentions Weakling, Urfaust, and Fluisteraars, which should give a rough idea of what we’re dealing with here. Continue reading “Iffernet – Silences (Review)”
This is the second album from Swedish black metallers Jordfäst.
Av Stoft contains just two tracks, the first of which lasts 16 minutes, and the next 17 minutes. During these two lengthy songs we are taken on an epic, windswept journey into Jordfäst’s world.
If you think of bands such as Skagos, Ulver, Primordial, Wolves in the Throne Room, Bathory, and Skogen, (the singer of which guests here), you’ll have a rough idea of what Av Stoft contains. Continue reading “Jordfäst – Av Stoft (Review)”
This is the second album from German black metal band Unru.
Die Wiederkehr des Verdrängten actually saw the light of day back in March, but I’ve been listening to it a lot and I just had to give it the attention it deserves with a review. I’ve enjoyed Unru’s work for a while, (check out the band’s 2014 split with Paramnesia and their 2016 debut album Als Tier ist der Mensch Nichts), but this new one is a different beast. The Unru of 2022 have crafted their most expansive, ambitious, and affecting work yet. Continue reading “Unru – Die Wiederkehr des Verdrängten (Review)”
This is the debut album from one-man Greek black metal act Auriferous Flame.
Brought to us by the artist behind Spectral Lore and Mystras, The Great Mist Within contains 39 minutes of black metal influenced by the classic second wave era. It’s modelled on the traditional style, but can’t escape the contemporary feel that the artist brings to it. Continue reading “Auriferous Flame – The Great Mist Within (Review)”
This is the debut album from Hilning, a solo black metal act from Sweden.
Brought to us by a member of Afgrund and Besvärjelsen, Råtijinn contains 48 minutes of frosted black metal ferocity. Hilning’s music merges the old-school cold and dark approach with epic folk-tinged melodies. Continue reading “Hilning – Råtijinn (Review)”
Vong is a one-man black metal band from Vietnam and this is his debut album.
Apparently a demo version of this was released in 2019, but this definitive version is a complete rerecording of the songs, with some rearranging going on too.
Vong’s music is an atavistic example of the core blackened Continue reading “Vong – A Wander in Liminality (Review)”
Umbra Conscientia are a black metal band from Costa Rica/Germany, and this is their second album.
Featuring current and ex-members of Corpse Garden, Nigredine Mundi contains 32 minutes of black metal that will flay your skin while it summons daemonic horrors to swallow your soul. Continue reading “Umbra Conscientia – Nigredine Mundi (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Swiss black metallers Aara, (who feature members of Modern Rites and Porta Nigra).
Following hot on the heels of last year’s Triade I: Eos comes Triade II: Hemera, which gives us 42 minutes of new material. Aara play a hybrid form of black metal that combines the atmospheric and the melodic styles into their own brand of scathing darkness. Continue reading “Aara – Triade II: Hemera (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 