Blackened Death Metal

Wells Valley – Achamoth [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

Wells Valley – Achamoth [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

“When was the last time something supposedly dissonant and avant-garde really gripped you? Maybe it was one of this year’s releases from Blut Aus Nord, Thantifaxath, or Rorcal. Or perhaps you’ve been bored since Obscura. Whichever the case, Achamoth, from Portugal’s Wells Valley has got to rank highly as one of the more arresting examples of extreme metal in recent times.” In the valley of the dark things.

Grau – Abseits des Lichts Review

Grau – Abseits des Lichts Review

“I appreciate modern black metal. The original stuff is not for me at all, but there’s something about a well-polished flame of rage that just works for me. Stepping away from pure, often theatrical, hatred and into such things as emptiness, suffering, frustration—that stuff speaks to me. So when I read that Abseits des Lichts (“Outside of the Light”), the sophomore full-length from the German black metal Grau, lyrically focuses on “pain, emptiness, and the animalistic aspect of the human mind,” well, I was, to put it lightly, intrigued.” Suffering through the holidays.

Ancestral Curse – In Dreams of Endless Darkness Review

Ancestral Curse – In Dreams of Endless Darkness Review

“Since the first chords of “Black Sabbath” rang out from Tony Iommi’s tipless fingers, horror and metal have been intertwined. Horror can be injected into a record any number of ways, be it through gratuitous slasher samples, thematic lyrical content, or a general focus on terrifying atmosphere. New York new bloods Ancestral Curse claim to brandish a “horror-themed concoction of melodic blackened death metal.” In Dreams of Endless Darkness is the self-released debut from this quintet, which always tempers expectations, but the band managed to pull in a couple of notable guest spots that caught my eye.” Scared by death.

Left Cross – Upon Desecrated Altars Review

Left Cross – Upon Desecrated Altars Review

“War metal is always appealing to me. War flows from, and results in, the worst of humanity and therefore provides a fertile breeding ground for the darkness and heaviness inherent to metal music. The two feed off each other. What surprised me about Left Cross, and the reason for this review, was their provenance. Richmond is one of the wealthiest and most pleasant parts of the UK. Hardly a fitting backdrop for a metal subgenre characterized by brutal heaviness. However, after beginning this process I was distressed to learn that Left Cross hail from Richmond, Virginia.” The war next door.

Night Crowned – Tales Review

Night Crowned – Tales Review

“Ever since they smashed onto the scene with their 2020 debut Impious Viam, following up on the more quietly well-received EP Humanity Will Echo Out, Night Crowned have presented an almost ideal example of symphonic/melodic blackened death. Take a template of symphonic, subtle synth-accented black metal, and add a bunch of catchy melodies, well-pitched dramatic compositions, and that uniquely Swedish death metal flair, and you’ve got Night Crowned. But the group are more than that; they have a distinctive sound that has only strengthened over the years, and Tales continues this trend.” Evening royalty.

Sulphur Aeon – Seven Crowns and Seven Seals Review

Sulphur Aeon – Seven Crowns and Seven Seals Review

Sulphur Aeon is, as of this writing, my favorite extreme metal band. Their first three releases—the brutal Swallowed by the Ocean’s Tide, the incredible Gateway to the Antisphere, and the unforgettable The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos—represent a truly unfuckwithable hot streak of ridiculously high caliber records. So deep is my love for these German worshippers of eldritch deities that, quite frankly, it’s almost a conflict of interest for me to cover them. Yet here I am, determined to provide the public with what they deserve: a proper and thorough review of Sulphur Aeon’s upcoming fourth opus,Seven Crowns and Seven Seals.” Tendril loving care.

Third Storm – The Locust Mantra Review

Third Storm – The Locust Mantra Review

“Well, well, well. How time flies. On 7 November 2018, my first ever review, under the unassuming alias of Nameless_N00b_17, was posted for The Grand Manifestation by Sweden’s Third Storm. Almost five years on, despite various spates of chronic overrating and hopefully showing some improvement in my writing, I am still here to see Third Storm return with their sophomore album, The Locust Mantra.” Bugnado.

Omnivortex – Circulate Review

Omnivortex – Circulate Review

“Since snatching my AotY crown in 2020 with their awesome Diagrams of Consciousness, Finland tech-death juggernauts Omnivortex have been hard at work on follow up Circulate. Needless to say, I’ve been at the edge of my seat. Remembering the indelible hooks and brutal heft of their explosive debut, I have no idea what Omnivortex need to do in order to top it.” Spinning on, spinning up.