Black Metal

Zwielicht – The Aphotic Embrace Review

By Doom_et_Al on February 13, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 13 comments

“Occasionally, we all gotta go back to our roots. Expanding one’s sonic palette is all fine and good, but when you’ve had a beast of a day, sometimes you just want to close your eyes and lose yourself in the familiar. 2024 has been incredibly hard work so far, which is why the AMG overlords suggested I go back to what Doomy does best: reviewing underground black metal. Zwielicht in the promo sump immediately jumped out. Experienced musicians (the band is nearly 20 years old)? Check. Evil and fast black metal? Check. Unencumbered by petty labels and their weird expectations? Check.” Hello darkness my olde friend.

Litosth – Cesariana Review

By Kenstrosity on February 10, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 25 comments

“Despite their frosty, dour tunes, the first comparison I draw when listening to Cesariana is Oubliette’s warm and rich The Passage. The second is Ethereal Shroud’s magnum opus Trisagion. Aesthetically falling somewhere between these two disparate references, Litosth’s style sounds epic without resorting to double-digit song lengths, feels relaxed in pacing without lacking passion, and manages to be memorable without possessing especially unique songwriting tenets.” Black haze.

Hulder – Verses in Oath Review

By Carcharodon on February 8, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk, Symphonic Metal, 103 comments

“Originally from Belgium but now firmly ensconced in the Pacific Northwest of the US, one-woman black metal project Hulder caused some ripples with debut LP, Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry, in 2021. Steeped in dark medieval themes and even darker folklore, it channeled both an almost second wave black metal harshness and a folk edge to create a unique sound. Although a little rough around the edges, it promised much for the future.” The future is NOW!

Throat – Blood Exaltation Review

By Dear Hollow on February 7, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 28 comments

“I’m gonna sound like an absolute madman when I say this, but Blood Exaltation is what I wanted Ad Nauseam’s Imperative Imperceptible Impulse to be. Poland’s Throat is neither dissonant nor death metal, and their aesthetic resides in tired and trve approaches of blackened occultism and evil in the shadow of religious alienation. However, there is a distinct and tantalizing array of clattering and creaking, a dusty and organic quality that settles like hard night on an old church, the tension of ancient voices crackling through haunted halls.” Breath control.

The Infernal Sea – Hellfenlic Review

By Dear Hollow on February 6, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

“Black metal is a finnicky beast. While it’s cohesively devoted to the barbed-wire sonic abuse of the darkest variety, and themes range from the occult, misanthropy, and our old pal Satan, The Infernal Sea dwells in history’s halls. While prior full-lengths Negotium Crucis and The Great Mortality respectively deal with themes such as the medieval church’s exploitation and the Black Death, 2024 finds the Brits exploring a distinct figure: the “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins.” Witch hammering on the coast.

Spectral Voice – Sparagmos Review

By Thus Spoke on February 5, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 60 comments

“In the frenzied ritualistic worship of the god Dionysus, acolytes would often perform the violent act known as Sparagamos—tearing limb-from-limb a sacrificial animal, or human. What ecstatic human hands would enact, Spectral Voice conjures in their sophomore bearing its moniker, their attempt to reach “the moment in which – through sacrifice – atavistic wildness is unleashed, and the ultimate exaltation of life through death is realized.”” Giving voice to the void.

Tanin’iver – Dark Evils Desecrate Review

By Saunders on February 4, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Immersing myself in the twisted, feral cauldron of Dark Evils Desecrate and its relentless assault, Tanin’iver appear hellbent on writing the most ugly, evil, and uncompromising anthems as possible to soundtrack a fiery apocalypse. Bells, whistles, and gimmicks are jettisoned for an old school underground sound converging in the dankest underground corners where raw black metal brawls with death and thrash influences.” Dark for darkness sake.

Stuck in the Filter – November/December’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on February 2, 2024 in Stuck in the Filter, Black Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 52 comments

2023’s cleaning protocols are finally complete, and here comes the Filter scrappings from November and December. Taste them all, then consult a funeral director.

Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal Review

By Carcharodon on February 1, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 82 comments

“It’s almost four years since I reviewed French blackened death outfit Necrowretch’s fourth record, The Ones from Hell, a record I enjoyed quite a bit. Harsh, claustrophobic death metal with a nasty blackened edge, it was almost sludgy in its sound at times. I had a few minor quibbles about the songwriting and pacing of the record, and a bigger gripe with the production, but it remained a very good record. The band regrouped and began working on the follow-up, Swords of Dajjal, which was three years in the making. Having swept up a new drummer and bassist along the way, was it time well spent?” Burning swords of religion and rage.

Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Häxan Sabaoth Review

By Thus Spoke on January 31, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 85 comments

“Unaussprechlichen Kulten, the ‘Black Book’ within the Cthulhu mythos that describes the titular “unspeakable cults” that worship arcane deities. Here we find an(other) extreme metal band preoccupied with the nightmarish world of Lovecraftian mythology, but Unaussprechlichen Kulten can hardly be called copycats, they’re one of the OG.” Return of the Tenctacle Mack.