Tag: Windir

Label Roundup: Avantgarde Music – Selvans, Skaldr, and Void of Hope (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

Surprisingly, I haven’t done one of these columns since 2022! I was genuinely shocked when I realised this recently. So, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit it, and to get caught up on some of Avantgarde Music‘s releases. This is a label I rate highly, and never seem to get enough time to adequately cover, so here’s three new albums all seeing the light of day on January 31st 2025. Continue reading “Label Roundup: Avantgarde Music – Selvans, Skaldr, and Void of Hope (Reviews)”

Alburnum – The Withered Roots of Reality (Review)

Alburnum - The Withered Roots of RealityAlburnum are a black metal band from the Netherlands and this is their second album.

The Withered Roots of Reality is a 35-minute black metal album that combines elements of the atmospheric, folk, pagan, and melodic styles. Alburnum tie their influences together well, making for an easily enjoyable album with much to recommend it. Continue reading “Alburnum – The Withered Roots of Reality (Review)”

Wormwood – The Star (Review)

Wormwood - The StarWormwood are a Swedish black metal band and this is their fourth album.

It’s great to have some new Wormwood material out in the wild. 2021’s Arkivet was a notable album, so The Star is one I have been anticipating. Across 47 minutes Wormwood prove that Arkivet was no fluke. Continue reading “Wormwood – The Star (Review)”

Alghol – Night Eternal (Review)

Alghol - Night EternalThis is the second album from US one-man black metal band Alghol.

Night Eternal contains 40 minutes of second wave black metal, delivered with an authentic skill and passion that’s raw and honest. It’s also catchy and moreish as all Hell. Continue reading “Alghol – Night Eternal (Review)”

Withered Land – The Endless Journey (Review)

Withered Land - The Endless JourneyWithered Land are a black metal band from Belarus, and this is their debut album.

Withered Land play atmospheric black metal with influences from the folk and dungeon synth styles. Across 38 minutes The Endless Journey delivers epic atmospheric music that’s quite absorbing. Fans of acts such as Falkenbach, Summoning, and Windir should take note. Continue reading “Withered Land – The Endless Journey (Review)”

Noctule – Wretched Abyss (Review)

Noctule - Wretched AbyssNoctule is a one-woman black metal band from the UK, and this is her debut album.

Brought to us by the singer/guitarist of Svalbard, Wretched Abyss is a 42-minute Skyrim-themed album that takes some of the darker and melodic elements you can hear in Svalbard’s sound, and wraps them around a blackened core. Continue reading “Noctule – Wretched Abyss (Review)”

Fuath – II (Review)

Fuath - IIThis is the second album from Fuath, a one-man UK black metal band.

Here we have 42 minutes of atmospheric black metal in the vein of the 90s second wave. The promo blurb mentions bands such as Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, Drudkh, and Windir, and these influences are well-represented Continue reading “Fuath – II (Review)”

Dratna – Druid Winds & the Fall of the Celtic Gods (Review)

Dratna - Druid Winds & The Fall of the Celtic GodsThis is the latest EP from UK one-man black metal band Dratna.

This EP contains 24 minutes of atmospheric black metal. The style reminds me of the late 90s/early 00s quite strongly, but has enough of its own personality to justify its own existence. If you imagine a mix of bands such as Windir and Vinterriket, then you’ll be on the right lines. Continue reading “Dratna – Druid Winds & the Fall of the Celtic Gods (Review)”

Dimmu Borgir – Eonian (Review)

Dimmu BorgirDimmu Borgir are a symphonic black metal band from Norway and this is their ninth album, (unless you count the rerecorded version of Stormblåst).

So, Dimmu Borgir have returned, a band that will likely need little introduction. Is this a case of more of the same, or do they offer something a bit different on their latest album? The truth lies somewhere in between.

Although the classic building Continue reading “Dimmu Borgir – Eonian (Review)”