Moribund Records

Empire Auriga – Ascending the Solarthrone Review

Empire Auriga – Ascending the Solarthrone Review

“A curious thing occurred while listening to Ascending the Solarthrone for the first time. I was commuting into the city, a monotonous, cramped experience at the best of times, when we were informed by the disturbingly enthusiastic guard that someone had committed suicide on the tracks. I was already noting the record for its depressive and desolate atmosphere, and in that moment, the feeling it produced was quite extraordinary.” Another double secret probationary writer joins the fray as El Cuervo reviews some bleak black metal. It’s getting like a goddamn frat house around the AMG offices!

Vardan – Enjoy of Deep Sadness Review

Vardan – Enjoy of Deep Sadness Review

“”Do you realize that if you fall into a black hole, you will see the entire future of the Universe unfold in front of you in a matter of moments and you will emerge into another space-time created by the singularity of the black hole you just fell into?” Neil deGrasse Tyson probably didn’t picture those words describing the unfolding, infinity of one-man black metal artist Vardan’s latest journey into heartbreak and isolation, but they certainly do.” Black holes, ESL failures and a one man black metal act with awful corpse paint. It’s all here, folks.

Dodsferd – The Parasitic Survival of the Human Race Review

Dodsferd – The Parasitic Survival of the Human Race Review

“”No rules and no respect for none!” These wrath-filled words of wisdom give me the impression this Greek band of misfits like their metal the same way that they take coffee, straight up, black and nasty as hell. I’m new to Dodsferd, but from what I can gleam on the interwebs, it’s the principle project of Wrath, frontman for the likes of Nadiwrath, Kampf, Grab and ex-Drunk Earth (now adopting the moniker NunOnBong!).” Greek black metal is so very…Greek. Madam X can tell you more.

Profezia – Oracolo Suicida Review

Profezia – Oracolo Suicida Review

“It’s 2014, and bog standard black metal is alive and well! The Italian group Profezia (“masters of high drama”, if the promo hype is to be believed) play a kind of Burzum-esque minimalist black metal. Oracolo Suicida is their third full-length originally released late last year, but is now seeing release in the states through the grimmest of long-running black metal labels, Moribund Records. I probably don’t need to tell you that Profezia lives up to its promise of offering cold, grim black metal done in the old way, and for many, that will be good enough. But for those looking for a little more than “Old English font” black metal, a litany of concerns arise for Oracolo Suicida.” Please observe silence as JF williams begins the reading of the litany.

Thrall – Aokigahara Jukai Review

Thrall – Aokigahara Jukai Review

“Aussie black metal is unchartered territory for me, but if not, why not, right! From my early judgments, it doesn’t appear that black metal dominates or has the Aussie metal scene on its knees cowering in fear of the Dark Lord’s return, but certainly a few names lit a fire and I suppose you could say, spiked my interest. Ruin’s Place Of No Pity kicked off my grim journey of discovery, delivering mighty appealing song structures and evolvingly doomy interludes. Gospel Of The Horns followed suit with ex members of Bestial Warlust making up their dank mix and finally, Deströyer 666’s Phoenix Rising hit all kinds of home. Their brand of blackened death-thrash can only be described as packed to to the hilt with truly bestial riffing and it set the bar and my expectations sky high for Thrall.” Join Madam X as she throws another blackened band on the barbie in her analysis of Australia’s own Thrall.

Chasma – Declarations of the Grand Artificer Review

Chasma – Declarations of the Grand Artificer Review

Debut albums are very important. One day when your band has built up a fan-base, people usually come back to your first album when your newer ones suck. So needless to say, it is pivotal to construct something respectable that might be hailed in the future. American trio Chasma are fairly new to the scene, having only released a demo in 2009, but they’re now releasing their first full-length Declarations of the Grand Artificer. Clocking in at a modest 32:33 with three songs, this wasn’t going to be the most accessible black metal record.

Nadiwrath – Nihilistic Stench Review

Nadiwrath – Nihilistic Stench Review

Nihilism and black metal are two philosophies that tend to go hand-in-hand. Nietzche’s writings serve as inspiration and often the basis of a number of black metal bands and songs, mostly split into two broad camps. On the one hand you have the quiet nihilist, who views the destruction of all around him with a placated acceptance, channeling the sense of despair into vast, empty soundscapes, much like Agalloch, Nortt and their ilk. The polar opposite is the nihilist who seeks to aid the destruction, the Nattefrosts and Impaled Nazarenes of the world; causing violence and mayhem with a distinctly anarcho-punk attitude wherever they are.