Experimental Black Metal

Sacrificial Vein – Black Terror Genesis Review

By Thus Spoke on March 16, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 55 comments

“There’s that strain of black metal, straddling if not disregarding boundaries between atmospheric, post, melodic, dissonant, and second-wave, where the music, true to its occupying the less-mainstream corners of the genre, sits like a shadowy presence in peripheral vision—preoccupying itself not with Lovecraftian horrors, or overt, antagonistic portrayals of Satanism, but with terrors less far-fetched and obscure. An occultism of an introspective, existential bent, premised on the human mind. Sacrificial Vein, comprised of fragmented members of Nothingness, Aegaeon, and a mysterious JU, follow this dark trajectory.” Tapping some veins.

Dear Hollow’s Prava Kollektiv Collection [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Dear Hollow on January 8, 2024 in Black Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 43 comments

Is releasing 5 records at the same time a good idea? Well, when you’re not a band, but rather a “kollektiv”, no one tells you what to do! Dear Hollow is here to fill you in on what you probably missed.

Tenebrae In Perpetuum – Anorexia Obscura Review

By Cherd on September 6, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Experimental Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

“Black metal bands love to talk about how their take on the genre is the coldest, the harshest, the scariest, the blackest black metal that ever blacked. More often than not, all that talk of evil scariness is just braggadocio. Little variation separates one icy tremolo from another, and if you’ve seen one skinny corpse painted croaker, you’ve pretty much seen them all. That guy contorting his body into tortured positions, pulling at his face and rolling his eyes back while rasping about the annihilation of the psyche probably winds down backstage with a cucumber water and Candy Crush. Italian band Tenebrae In Perpetuum on the other hand might just be on to something sinister.” Fear the mind.

The Negative Bias – Narcissus Rising Review

By Master of Muppets on July 25, 2019 in 2019, ATMF, Austrian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 51 comments

“When last this great Hall ov ours was graced by The Negative Bias, I was pretty pissed off; how dare these Austrians arrive outta left field with such a straight-up banger like Lamentations of the Chaos Omega so close to list season? Their follow-up might be more considerately scheduled this time around, but I found myself just as angry when news of Narcissus Rising reached my ears. Hierarchically speaking, I would have to cover it — all two tracks and forty-two fvcking minutes ov it.” Go big.

Snøgg – Chhinnamasta Review

By Master of Muppets on June 18, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Slovenian Metal, 80 comments

“Individuality is everything to me. I neither desire nor strive to be anything other than whatever I feel like being in any given moment, and it creeps the everloving fuck right outta me to witness people forcing themselves to fit into a predetermined role simply because it worked for someone else. Hive-minded fashion trends, movie references in lieu of actual jokes, and viral video memery in general; these are a few of my least favorite things that people often use to fill the voids where their personalities should be. And, as a reviewer, the sonic equivalent — blatantly aping any given artist and avoiding originality altogether — makes me fucking sick.” Felt integrity.

Dunnock – Little Stories Told by Ghosts Review

By Eldritch Elitist on May 31, 2018 in 2018, Acephale Winter Productions, American Metal, Black Metal, Experimental Metal, Reviews, 96 comments

“I am a particularly busy man. I’m married with a toddler who requires extra attention due to special needs. I hold down two jobs that currently occupy all seven days of my week. And yet I do my best to hold to my commitment of contributing at least one review to this blog each week; not just for the benefit of you, dear reader, but also for the artists who pour their hearts and souls into their music. I’ve never reviewed a record whose artistic vision and intent has eluded me; good or bad, I’ve always been able to sense the passion and the love for the craft. But Dunnock… oh, Dunnock.” Little music.

Throane – Plus une main à mordre Review

By Roquentin on October 25, 2017 in 2017, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Drone, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 16 comments

“In retrospect, Throane’s tantalizing début Derrière-Nous, La Lumière is one of those records whose piercing splinters, given time to gestate, have a tendency to deeply ingrain themselves into thoughts. Almost imperceptible at first, its monochromatic strokes paint uncomfortable rooms of the mind. Rooms filled with anguish and darkness, shaped equally by fears of the void and an existential dread of the mundane. Spaces hidden behind walls upon walls, repressed but always present. The idea of revisiting this world is one that is simultaneously exhilarating and frightening.” Splinters in the mind’s eye.

MRTVI – Negative Atonal Dissonance Review

By Dr. Wvrm on July 2, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, British Metal, Experimental Metal, Reviews, Serbian Metal, Transcending Obscurity, 27 comments

Thanks to divine intervention and a quark-sized attention span, I find myself faced with my second super-dense slab of black metal in two weeks. I could take responsibility for this and actually look at my upcoming review calendar from time to time, but I’m American and my right to complain about things I have total control over is in the Constitution. A disclaimer on MRTVI’s bandcamp warns that “Negative Atonal Dissonance is not an album. It is a statement.” Under this guise, it’s quite easy to recommend this eclectic work of art. For many, myself included, it will be one of the most memorable experiences of the year.” Hold onto something firm.

Violet Cold – Magic Night Review

By Treble Yell on December 4, 2016 in 2016, Azerbaijan Metal, Black Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Tridroid Records, Post-Metal, 40 comments

“If you had said to me that an experimental, one-man shoegaze black metal album would end up as one of the best releases of the year, I would’ve replied with ‘Who are you and what are you doing in my home?’ Incredulity would twist the contours of my face as I struggled to reconcile that such a combination could come together so beautifully, stripping away my defenses and pouring itself into every exposed cavity.” Dental metal?

Aenaon – Hypnosophy Review

By Grymm on December 1, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Code666 Records, Greek Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 38 comments

“It’s not often that AMG Himself and I get into an online kerfluffle about a review. See, I do my best to grab promos from bands I’ve never heard of, hoping that my curiosity turns me on to some great music. For the most part, it succeeds. But there comes a time when Señor AMG gets a taste of a band you’re reviewing and goes completely ga-ga over it.” When AMG attacks.