Infera Bruo

Infera Bruo – Rites of the Nameless Review

By Eldritch Elitist on October 21, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, 20 comments

“In 2018 I opened my review of Infera Bruo’s Cerement by hailing its cover art as a perfect encapsulation of the record’s sound. Examining the artwork for its follow-up, Rites of the Nameless, I feel compelled to establish this practice as a tradition when reviewing Infera Bruo’s albums. The depiction of roots coiled around a skull is striking; not so much because of the image itself, but rather that Rites of the Nameless feels like a conscious effort to connect more deeply with black metal’s roots.” Roots, nameless roots.

Sunken – Livslede Review

By Twelve on September 15, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, 25 comments

“I love albums that make me feel cold. Hamferð’s Tamsins likam has that effect; regardless of environment or actual temperature, listening makes me feel as though I’m wrapped in darkness, walking through the dead of winter. October Falls’s The Plague of a Coming Age has a similar effect. These albums are prized in my library. In a non-menacing way, they conjure darkness in the most comforting way possible. Always I’m on the lookout for more, and today, I have found some. Hailing from Denmark, Sunken release their second album, Livslede, which roughly translates into “a profound and lasting discomfort with existence.” To summarize: it is dark, it is emotional, and it is fantastic.” Sunken woe-nuts.

Eclipser – Pathos Review

By Eldritch Elitist on September 27, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Noise Salvation, Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“For those who are also aspiring black metal musicians, pigeonholing a specific sound must require diligent compromise so as not to spread oneself too thin. Unless, of course, you come from Canada and go by the moniker of Eclipser, whose only compromise is in the amount of disc space they’ve saved with their debut LP, Pathos.” Grow stronger, not longer.

Ezkaton – Sheen and Misery Review

By Twelve on September 2, 2019 in 2019, Ashen Dominion, Black Metal, Reviews, Ukrainian Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, 61 comments

“From the opening seconds of “Altars of the Flame,” I knew Ezkaton’s Sheen and Misery was going to be a special record. The mournful, melancholy guitar melody rises and threatens to overwhelm before a voice breaks through the tension. The cold narrator quotes from the 1984 film Children of the Corn, where Issac commands the children to kill Joseph at the behest of He Who Walks Behind The Rows, and I got lost in the story.” From husk til dawn.

Botis – Grand Abominations Album Premiere and Review

By Eldritch Elitist on July 24, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 25 comments

“Usually when we review albums, our readers have only our flimsy prose to rely on in order to make an informed purchase. Sure, we’ll embed a Bandcamp single or music video into the review in almost all cases, but those pre-release tracks are typically selected in order to quickly hook the listener, rather than to give a broad overview of the record in question. So then, what we’re doing with Grand Abominations, the debut LP of Philadelphia black/prog/thrash metal act Botis, is a bit of a treat: you not only get to endure my flimsy prose, but you also have the opportunity to explore the entire record ahead of its release.” Grand expectations.

Infera Bruo – Cerement Review

By Eldritch Elitist on September 10, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 66 comments

“I had barely glanced at the cover art for Cerement, the third LP from American progressive black metal act Infera Bruo, before writing this review. This is only due to my media player failing to automatically import the art from the album’s file folder, but as I began my drafting process and truly examined the art for the first time, I’m honestly stunned at how well it encapsulates the music I’ve been scrutinizing over the past week. The image is at odds with itself; it is at once a perfect representation of the scale and abstract nature of Lovecraft’s cosmic gods, and a restriction of those same ideas within a literal box.” Cosmos in a box.