Svneatr – Never Return (Review)

Svneatr - Never ReturnSvneatr are a Canadian black metal band and this is their third album.

Across six tracks Never Return delivers 40 minutes of progressive black metal. Taking a second wave base and building on it with contemporary influences and an array of additional musical layers, Svneatr’s music is impressive and moreish. Continue reading “Svneatr – Never Return (Review)”

Lust Hag – Lust Hag (Review)

Lust Hag - Lust HagThis is the debut album from US one-woman black metal band Lust Hag.

It’s here! It’s finally happening! A full Lust Hag album! Rejoice! This artist was one of my favourite new finds of 2023, so I have been massively looking forward to the day a full album would appear. And now it has – 37 minutes of elite black metal to get to grips with. Let’s be clear from the start – Lust Hag is so damn good it hurts. Continue reading “Lust Hag – Lust Hag (Review)”

Lunar Spells – Sacraments of Necromantical Empires (Review)

Lunar Spells - Sacraments of Necromantical EmpiresThis is the third album from Greek black metal band Lunar Spells.

Ever since first encountering Lunar Spells last year on their split with Order of Nosferat I’ve been interested to see what they could do with a full length, and that time has now arrived. With 36 minutes of piercing black metal, Sacraments of Necromantical Empires has not disappointed. Continue reading “Lunar Spells – Sacraments of Necromantical Empires (Review)”

Feminizer – Beneath the Harm (Review)

Feminizer - Beneath the HarmThis is the second album from US one-woman black metal band Feminizer.

Beneath the Harm is a 43-minute journey into nightmare and pain, one that’s frequently gorgeous, despite its venomous bite. It’s a multifaceted exploration of raw blackened expression. It’s one that embraces the artist’s vision wholly, resulting in material that drips emotion and passion through every devastating pore. Continue reading “Feminizer – Beneath the Harm (Review)”

Ushangvagush – Pestmo’qon (Review)

Ushangvagush - Pestmo'qonThis is the second album from US solo black metal band Ushangvagush.

Ushangvagush is an indigenous black metal project that channels a range of influences into a single 46-minute song, (chopped into two tracks for physical media). It’s an album of depth and substance, one that’s richly rewarding for those initiated in the ways of underground black metal. Continue reading “Ushangvagush – Pestmo’qon (Review)”

Floodhag/Lust Hag – Hagridden Black Metal – Split (Review)

Floodhag Lust Hag - Hagridden Black Metal - SplitThis is a split between two US solo black metal bands, Floodhag and Lust Hag.

Opening the split is Floodhag, offering up three songs, with a total duration of 12 minutes. Continue reading “Floodhag/Lust Hag – Hagridden Black Metal – Split (Review)”

Ancient Torment/Haxen – The Howling Gale – Split (Review)

Ancient Torment Haxen - The Howling Gale - SplitAncient Torment and Haxen are both US black metal bands, and they have teamed up for this split release.

Ancient Torment, (who feature an ex-member of Abnormality), open the split, with two songs lasting 13 minutes in total. Continue reading “Ancient Torment/Haxen – The Howling Gale – Split (Review)”

Lust Hag – Demo II / Promo 2023 (Review)

Lust Hag - Demo II Promo 2023Lust Hag is a one-woman black metal band from the US, and this is her latest release.

I really liked Mistress in the Mirror, so was pleased to have some more raw nastiness from this artist to digest. Apparently she is becoming quite prolific, as there’s also a Lust Hag split that I somehow missed out on that was released after Mistress in the Mirror. But fear not, as those tracks seem to have made it onto this release. Continue reading “Lust Hag – Demo II / Promo 2023 (Review)”

Geist of Ouachita – Imprisoned in the Graven Wood (Review)

Geist of Ouachita - Imprisoned in the Graven WoodThis is the debut album from one-man US black metal band Geist of Ouachita.

Imprisoned in the Graven Wood contains 32 minutes of raw, unfriendly black metal. Rooted in the 90s, but not limited to just that era, this is black metal with melodic sensibilities and a bladed emotive sheen. Continue reading “Geist of Ouachita – Imprisoned in the Graven Wood (Review)”

Mnajdra – Mnajdra (Review)

Mnajdra - MnajdraThis is the debut album from US black metal band Mnajdra.

From out of nowhere comes Mnajdra, a 44-minute slice of underworld darkness. This is thick, unfriendly black metal that has subsumed elements of doom and sludge into itself to better portray the utter bleakness and horror of existence. Continue reading “Mnajdra – Mnajdra (Review)”