Osmose Productions

Cainan Dawn – Lagu Review

By Itchymenace on October 12, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 27 comments

“I’m happy to report that I was able to field-test this record under optimal conditions. I pried it out of the sticky muck in the bottom of the promo bin just before embarking on a four-day solo canoe trip in Northern Minnesota. My first full playthrough of Lagu was while sheltering beneath a small cluster of jack pines on the shore of Sucker Lake. I had spent the first part of the morning canoeing in cold rain and decided it was time to stop for lunch. While the rain continued to drizzle down around me and the early stages of hypothermia crept into my feet, I popped in my ear buds. I was hoping Cainan Dawn would deliver a brutally majestic soundtrack to my harsh but beautiful surroundings and distract me from the damp 50 degree chill.” Nature-tested.

Mournful Congregation – The Exuviae of Gods – Part I Review

By Grymm on May 25, 2022 in Reviews, Funeral Doom, 37 comments

“Every now and then, while minding my little ol’ business as I knock shit off my dresser like a good cat, the random thought of “Hey, whatever happened to such-and-such band” will pop into my furry cranium and, like clockwork, that band will release something new almost immediately afterward. In this case, said band is Australian funeral powerhouse Mournful Congregation, a band that doesn’t always drop new things at a constant rate, but when they do drop those new things, they’re always heavy, reflective, and… well, mournful.” Short mourning.

CMPT – Krv i Pepeo Review

By Maddog on January 15, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 22 comments

“CMPT (“Death”) is an anonymous black metal project from an unspecified Balkan nation. (The band smartly chose their name based on visual similarity to the Cyrillic “смрт,” instead of transliterating the giggle-inducing pronunciation “smrt.”) Krv i Pepeo (“Blood and Ash”) is their debut full-length, impressively being released on Osmose Productions.” Death and bread lines.

Krolok – Funeral Winds & Crimson Sky Review

By Ferox on December 19, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 19 comments

““Delve deep in and listen… listen to the atmospheres of an arcane night and return within your thoughts into bygone times.” So goes Krolok’s description of their second offering of ESL-inflected black metal. The band, hailing from a literal Carpathian forest, bills itself as “atmospheric.” Their actual sound, however, riffs on the age-old question: “What if trve and kvlt, but also having of dungeon synth keys?”” What would Krolok do?

Nattverd – Vandring Review

By Doom_et_Al on April 30, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 39 comments

“It’s hard to think of an example of the third part of a trilogy being the best. Return of the Jedi? No way. Return of the King? Nope. Spider-Man 3? The Matrix Revolutions? Godfather Part III? It seems like the concluding chapter of these epic sagas never quite lives up to what preceded it. Just over a year ago, I reviewed Norwegian black metal band Nattverd’s sophomore album, Styggdom. Man, it had an awesome cover. The music, however, while maintaining a wonderfully oppressive atmosphere, simply dragged at times. It was too long, with too few actual riffs to sink your teeth into. Nattverd are now back, and have declared that their latest album, Vandring, is the concluding chapter in a trilogy that began with the EP Skuggen, with Styggdom forming the middle section. Considering my somewhat underwhelming response to Styggdom, expectations for Vandring to buck the trilogy trend were low.” Third time’s the harm.

Bâ’a – Deus Qui Non Mentitur Review

By Dear Hollow on April 20, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Black Metal, French Metal, Hardcore, Osmose Productions, Post-metal, Reviews, Ambient, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-Metal, 45 comments

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Nattverd – Styggdom Review

By Doom_et_Al on February 9, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 18 comments

“Nostalgia. In times of uncertainty, people seek its warm and motherly embrace: the familiar smells, the sense of safety, the notion that things were ‘better and less complicated’ back then. Artists have been trading off nostalgia for years now, whether it’s dropping the Millennium Falcon in The Force Awakens or the Pixies reuniting to perform Doolittle, there’s an undeniable comfort in the familiar. Perhaps this is the reason ‘traditional’ sounding black metal appears to be making a comeback of sorts.” Familiar demons.

Bütcher – 666 Goats Carry My Chariot Review

By Steel Druhm on January 29, 2020 in 2020, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Speed Metal, 58 comments

“Did you ever stop and wonder what a collaboration between Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Agent Steel and Darkthrone circa Transilvanian Hunger would sound like? You probably didn’t, but Belgium blackened speed metal deviants Bütcher certainly did, and then they created 666 Goats Carry My Chariot to see if such a crazy musical time heist was even possible. It is, and I for one welcome our new time warping speed overlords, even as I flee from the super weapon of mass destruction they’ve wrought.” Goat show.

Avslut – Tyranni Review

By Mark Z. on November 25, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 17 comments

“I don’t like black metal. Not in its traditional form, anyway. Give some blakkened fukkin thrash or blakkened fukkin death and I’ll bang my head till my skull cracks open, but usually traditional black metal just leaves me shrugging. Often the riffs feel secondary to the atmosphere and it’s telling that a band like Mgla could get as big as they did with a shtick that was essentially “we play black metal, but with riffs you actually care about.” Of course, there are always exceptions. Swedish quintet Avslut earned some acclaim on forums I frequent with their 2018 debut Deceptis, which I enjoyed for its ability to work clever riffing into a traditional black metal template.” Riff tiff.

Denial of God – The Hallow Mass Review

By Dear Hollow on November 4, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Danish Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 32 comments

“He dribbles down the court, the clock winding down to an excruciating ten seconds. He fakes left and tears right, leaving his opponent stumbling. This is why the Orlando Magic drafted the Most High with their No. 1 pick, because with God, all things are possible⁠—like a deep playoff run.” I doubt even God can conjure that up this year.