Melodic Black Metal

Burning Darkness – Dödens Makt Review

By Carcharodon on July 6, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 26 comments

“Swedish five-piece Burning Darkness has been kicking around since 1999, going through various periods of inactivity and releasing a number of demos. It was not until 2017, however, that a debut full-length record finally appeared, the self-released The Angel of Light. That raw chunk of melodic black metal sported heavy dollops of both death (“Demonic Bloodlines”) and heavy metal (“Crystallised Curse”), and was enough, it seems, to secure Burning Darkness a deal with Non Serviam Records. Now, the band returns with its sophomore effort, Dödens Makt.” Burning leather and rubber.

Felled – The Intimate Earth Review

By Kenstrosity on June 28, 2021 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 20 comments

“Felled approach black metal differently than many. There’s a lot of mournful folk imbued within these sonic landscapes, thanks to a lead violin which takes center stage as often as, if not more often than, the lead guitars. Dour atmosphere grips with a cold, unforgiving hand and drags you across snowy tundra, no thought given to your ability to weather the journey. All that matters is that the melodies and moods cut through your thin flesh-wrapper and find a home deep inside your marrow.” Intimate despair.

Winter Eternal – Land of Darkness

By El Cuervo on June 9, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, 25 comments

“Greek black metal is a well-established scene in one of metal’s most extreme subgenres, and for me personally, none more so than Winter Eternal. Although they may have relocated from Attica to Scotland, I’m still happy to bundle 2019’s Realm of the Bleeding Shadows with that enclave given its excellence. It was a low-key release which now sits in my top 5 melodic black metal records of the 2010s. Its key qualities include its crisp tone, strong melodies and brevity which it wrapped into a compelling package which almost seems over before it’s begun. Clearly the band was unhappy with just realms, so they’re now branching out into a Land of Darkness. Is this a land you should visit?” Dark tourism.

Mental Cruelty – A Hill to Die Upon Review

By Kenstrosity on May 24, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Deathcore, Melodic Black Metal, Slam, 72 comments

“Everyone loves a good comeback story. For German brutal deathcore quintet Mental Cruelty, their comeback story begins in 2018, wherein they rolled up on your beach brandishing a weapon of divine destruction named Pergatorium. Then, Inferis dropped less than a year later. To my dismay, that record abandoned much of what made Pergatorium fun and compelling, instead resorting to cheap genre tricks, lifeless breakdowns and unsatisfying symphonics. Looking back, I probably overrated Inferis by a half-point, such was my disappointment with the album after such a strong debut. Enter third installment A Hill to Die Upon.” Obsessed by (Mental) Cruelty.

Vreid – Wild North West Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 30, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, 50 comments

“Like I Krig and Milorg, this new release is a concept album. Instead of learning some history, the concept here is the ups and downs of life as we wait for death. But, more specifically, bassist Hváll says the inspiration for Wild North West comes from his struggles, knowledge, and experience. One of the coolest parts about the album (not to bring Windir up again) is that some of what you’ll hear Valfar wrote back in 2002. Crazy enough, you’ll also hear him play it. He hasn’t risen from the grave, but it sure as shit feels like it.” Wild and dead.

Sarkrista – Sworn to Profound Heresy Review

By Doom_et_Al on March 22, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 19 comments

“No one likes to be misled. Money is tight, we have bills to pay, so we all wanna know what we’re spending our precious cash on. When you see an album entitled “Sworn to Profound Heresy,” with a cover featuring malevolent-looking priests surrounding a burning church, you probably think you know what’s in store. When those clouds of billowing smoke feature an image of the dark lord, and the band is named after a church sexton, you might think that this was some satanic, second wave-worshipping black metal, probably from a bunch of European veterans. Well… you’d be absolutely right!” Maximum Satan.

Mare Cognitum – Solar Paroxysm Review

By Kenstrosity on March 15, 2021 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 71 comments

“There’s atmospheric black metal, and then there’s Mare Cognitum. Two sides of the same planet. On the former, the sphere is completely devoid of life, eroded by endless recycling of ideas to the point of being uninhabitable. Then you have Mare Cognitum, a one-man force of nature who consistently releases quality material. Mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Buczarski’s side of the atmoblack world thrives against the eroding tides of time.” Renewable energies.

Miasmata – Unlight: Songs of Earth and Atrophy Review

By Carcharodon on March 11, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 42 comments

“The epic and atmospheric, fantasy-inspired black metal stylings of Sojourner continue to go from strength to strength, with 2018’s very good outing, The Shadowed Road, matched by last year’s Premonitions, which – if not actually better – was, as Eldritch Elitist said in his List, “a far more consistent effort” than its predecessor. But, wherever Sojourner’s travels take them next, they will be going there without New Zealand bassist, Mike Wilson, who has set off into the back metal wilderness for a sojourn of his own, with his new solo project Miasmata.” Participation atrophy.

Harakiri for the Sky – Mære Review

By Dear Hollow on February 4, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Post-Metal, 44 comments

“If there’s ever been a band that reeks of potential, it’s Harakiri for the Sky. Standing separate from twinkly genre-mates with muscular songwriting and a refusal to stagnate, these Austrians have released album after album of incredibly strong post-black that always hinted at true greatness but never quite achieved it.” Mære, Mære, quite contrary.

Yoth Iria – As The Flame Withers Review

By GardensTale on January 29, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, 53 comments

“The debut of a band formed by seasoned veterans is, in a way, the best of both worlds. You get the fresh perspective of a new artist, eager to try something different, without the inexperience that may lead to errors in performances or songwriting. You also get all the good of a collection of artists who know what they’re doing, without the expectations that come with extensive back catalogs, hard-earned fan bases and established styles. Yoth Iria is one such acts, and As The Flame Withers is such a debut.” New black is the new black.