Black Metal

Isenordal – Requiem for Eirênê Review

By El Cuervo on March 7, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 15 comments

“There’s one music quality I treasure above all else: dynamism. Without conscious thought I find myself drifting towards music in the promo pool promising varied or creative music. In the case of Washington’s Isenordal, the one sheet for their third full-length release, entitled Requiem for Eirênê, described music fusing funeral doom, black metal and neofolk. Few albums pledge such dynamism so I was eager to hear their take on this blend, and discover whether it would be as exciting as the description.” Dynamism or death.

Suldusk – Anthesis Review

By sentynel on February 29, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk, Neofolk, 41 comments

“Way back in early 2020, Suldusk played the last show I attended before fun was canceled. I was introduced by the non-suspiciously departed Emya‘s excellent TYMHM piece on one-woman debut Lunar Falls. This sort of black metal-inflected atmospheric folk is incredibly My Thing, as you can tell from where Helga landed on my list last year. So Suldusk were a pretty important fixture for me, particularly in the tough early pandemic months. The whole thing has that slight air of unreality you get with memories from around then. Now they’re back—finally—with a full band and signed to Napalm, so the stakes are high for Anthesis.” Dusk throne.

They Came from Visions – The Twilight Robes Review

By Doom_et_Al on February 29, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 28 comments

“I’ve always found the notion of “folk horror” to be altogether more ominous and scarier than psychopaths stalking teenagers. Rural settings, pagan beliefs, blood sacrifices, normal people committing terrible acts in the name of terrifying superstition … this is all deeply compelling stuff. They Came from Visions, an anonymous Ukrainian black metal outfit, clearly agrees.” Fear wears a Snuggie.

Útgarðar – Fire Smoked Upon the Wolf’s Back Review

By Dear Hollow on February 28, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 28 comments

“You may recognize Útgarðar’s two members, as American instrumentalist Niðafjöll (Nathan Verschoor) is known for his work with recent Uada, Veiled, and Altars of the Moon, while Swedish vocalist/guitarist Seiðr (Andreas Westholm) features a storied discography with acts like Blackest, Seid, and Serpent Omega.” Wotan smiles upon you all.

Ponte del Diavolo – Fire Blades from the Tomb Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on February 26, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Punk, 37 comments

“Having spread the spectrum of their influences across a few EPs, Ponte del Diavolo reigns in the fettering ambience and shriekier black metal extremes of their formative work for this debut full-length. In this regard, these witchcraft-worshipping Italians come across like a punk-edged, tremolo riff-informed Sabbath Assembly, with mic-echantress Erba del Diavolo capturing the same essence of cult-fearing warble that a fervent Jamie Meyers possesses.” Tomb knives.

Keres – Homo Homini Lupus Review

By Thus Spoke on February 23, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 43 comments

“Homo Homini Lupus (est) — “Man is wolf to man.” The greatest danger to every one of us is from each other. People are selfish and cruel. This proverb, dating back thousands of years, was chosen by Keres to epitomise their view, that, in the words of vocalist Ares, “humanity is the biggest plague on earth.” Misanthropy is nothing new in the world of metal, and as it happens, neither are the members of Keres, despite this being their debut LP. The band formed after the break-up of black metal group The Crying of Angels, honing a death-influenced, brutal black metal sound” Man unkind.

Borknagar – Fall Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 22, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Metal, Viking Metal, 117 comments

“No matter who fills in on vocals, guitars, and drums, the Borknagar continues releasing one fantastic album after another. After 2019’s fun and accessible True North, this year’s Fall reaches farther into the past to reset the needle, delivering some blackish attacks and headbangable energy. Worry not, they forever will retain that classic epicness, melody, and beauty.” Trust Fall.

Sun of Nothing – Maze Review

By Dear Hollow on February 16, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Noise Rock, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 23 comments

“Few albums reveled in existential despair like Sun of Nothing’s The Guilt of Feeling Alive. While punishing in ways that recall Neurosis or Blindead, it settled heavily into tension and despondence beneath the devastation. It always hinted at something without fully grasping it, fluid and powerful heft contrasting with an overwhelming bleakness. Despite its black metal influence, Sun of Nothing did not offer a bleakness like DSBM’s passing glance at a winter landscape, but represented the grey of its troubling cover art: the day-in and day-out of a cold, tired, and worn city, shrouded in smog. For its first album in fourteen years, the Greek quartet has offered something that stands shoulder to shoulder.” Maze of tormets.

Praise the Plague – Suffocating in the Current of Time Review

By Thus Spoke on February 15, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“Evolution can be a tricky thing for a band to get right. Change too much and risk alienating an existing fan base. Or don’t change enough and risk pigeon-holing oneself, or even boring the audience who want to see some growth. Ever since Praise the Plague stepped onto the scene in 2018, they’ve been subtly shaping their intriguing admixture of doom and black metal. Particularly after sophomore The Obsidian Gate saw them commit to wielding in equal measure the grandiosity of the former with the sinister savagery of the latter, the question of where their approach would go next, as they established themselves, was foremost.” Down with the…Plague.

Ihsahn – Ihsahn (Studio version) Review

By Carcharodon on February 14, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Classical, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, 117 comments

“Introductions to Emperor’s creative mastermind Ihsahn, as he drops his eighth (and ninth) solo LPs, seem unnecessary. However, a small note is needed for this review because there are two, entirely separate but inextricably related, versions of Ihsahn and I am reviewing only one of them. Ihsahn’s solo work has always involved a significant symphonic component, as did his writing for Emperor albeit to a lesser degree, but he has gone all-out orchestral for his selt-titled offering.” Symphonies of the night.