Raw Black Metal

Black Cilice – Esoteric Atavism Review

By Doom_et_Al on July 5, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 46 comments

“In a niche genre known for being insular and impenetrable, Portugal’s Black Cilice is quite a big deal. Somehow, this ultra lo-fi, raw black metal project has found a degree of cross-over success, featuring in popular non-metal sites (not that you should be reading anything other than AMG) and appearing on the playlists of ironic hipsters. For music this primal and uncompromising, that’s no mean feat. It shows that despite doing everything possible to alienate listeners, there is something compelling and interesting here that forces people to pay attention. Now Black Cilice is back with another platter of murky goodness..”Cilice in the mist.

Faceless Entity – The Great Anguish of Rapture Review

By Thus Spoke on April 15, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 21 comments

“The Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus maintained that fear of death is irrational, for while we exist, our death is not, and when death comes, we do not exist. This hasn’t convinced Faceless Entity, whose brand of black metal they describe as “audial thanatophobia” (fear of death). The Great Anguish of Rapture represents an extension of their dour meditations to their most broadly philosophical release so far, following the more straightforwardly depressive early demos and 2017 debut In Via Ad Nusquam (On the Road to Nowhere).” Fear and loathing in The Netherlands.

Pa Vesh En – Maniac Manifest Review

By Dear Hollow on September 10, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 14 comments

“Another day, another raw black metal act. I was gonna go into the obligatory rant about how it’s the aural form of licorice, but suffice it to say: you either hate it or you love tolerate it. If you’re a masochist who likes to have your ears bleeding on the reg, dive in. If you prefer your music tasteful and somewhat reasonable, stay away. Unless it’s Pa Vesh En, who, along with acts like Black Cilice or Lamp of Murmuur, regularly provide tasteful interpretations of barbed wire tones.” Angry cargo.

Sermon of Flames – I Have Seen the Light, and It Was Repulsive Review

By Dear Hollow on August 31, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Electronic Metal, Industrial Metal, Noise, 27 comments

“I was more than ready to write off Sermon of Flames as just another dissodeath album. It meets all the criteria: lurching riffs, wormy dissonance, bellowing insanity, and above all, violent disregard for its listeners. Its black/death breed recalls the mighty Mitochondrion or Abyssal with its hellish intensity and atmosphere – like many albums of its ilk. Just like every person, Sermon of Flames’ debut I Have Seen the Light, and It Was Repulsive is full of flaws and inconsistencies, highlights and strengths.” Things that cannot be unseen.

Hinsides – Under Betlehems brinnande stjärna Review

By Cherd on July 17, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 18 comments

“Under Betlehems brinnande stjärna is the debut album by Swedish one man raw black metal act Hinsides and it’s full of the influences one might expect. There are heavy doses of first (“Genom döden återfödt,” “Under Betlehems brinnande stjärna”) and second wave black metal (“Skymningsfärd,” “På jordelifwets sorgetåg”), but the compositions feel a touch more contemporary and lone member M. A. plays everything within an inch of its life.” In Hinsides.

Irae – Dangerovs Magick Zpells from the Mesziah of Death Review

By Dear Hollow on June 24, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

“Getting dibs on albums is pretty rad when there’s a cool band with a new release I forgot about: a mini-Christmas in the otherwise lifeless dregs of the promo bin. That was my initial thought when I saw Portugal’s Irae new release. Last year’s Lurking in the Depths, while not terribly original, was a jolly fun batch o’ blackened tunes. It blended raw-ish tendencies with a healthy dose of groove for a subtle and consistent listen that perhaps held more promise than delivered but was good enough for my heart to leap at the newest installment. Does Dangerovs Magick Zpells from the Mesziah of Death deliver?” Dangerovs toyvs.

Paysage d’Hiver – Geister Review

By Dear Hollow on April 20, 2021 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 46 comments

“Paysage d’Hiver is an act with no need for introduction, but I have a word count to meet, so here it is: Paysage d’Hiver is a black metal act from Schwarzenburg, Bern, Switzerland, consisting of sole member Wintherr (also of Darkspace). Technically, Geister is the act’s second full-length, but he’s been cranking out music for twenty-four years.” Right in the Geister!

Revenant Marquis – Below the Landsker Line Review

By Dear Hollow on March 23, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 20 comments

“Revenant Marquis is a raw one-man black metal act from Wales, where the title of his latest album Below the Landsker Line originates. Sole member S offers a unique aesthetic: while older 2018-19 releases feature your typical kvlt “corpsepaint in the dark with fire or some shit” look, 2020’s Youth in Ribbons offered a black-and-white picture of a smiling young girl, a trend continuing into the fifth offering.” Innocence and wrath.

Old Nick – The Night of the Ambush and the Pillage by the Queen Ann Styl’d Furniture, Animated by One of the Dozen or So Spells That Thee Eastern Vampyre Has Studied [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Cherd on January 13, 2021 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Black Metal, Dungeon Synth, 76 comments

“I’m not sure why I spent so much of 2020 deep diving into the raw black metal recesses of Bandcamp. Might be because ice cold nihilism was especially in fashion this season, or maybe all the social isolating helped me connect more with the weirdo basement dweller one man band crowd. Whatever the reason, I wound up having a great time listening to some truly terrible music. A lot of it is borderline unlistenable, and a lot of that’s on purpose, because badly recording and producing one’s bad playing is pretty kvlt. Of course, this doesn’t preclude truly talented musicians drawn to the genre’s gritty mystique from making some rock solid metal albums.”Hey, Doctor Old Nick!

The Projectionist – Under the Cruel Glow of Terror Review

By Dear Hollow on August 24, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Noise, Thrash Metal, 24 comments

“Every year is the same. I write reviews all summer long, getting into a rhythm in the hopes that I’ll be able to continue these habits into the school year, but every year – nope. I need to take a week, sometimes two, to adjust to kids, staff, and district breathing down my neck before I can hit the ground running with a new batch of fall promos. So with all this going on, a new learning management system, and COVID looming at our doors, I pray to the Metal Gods above that they bless me with something good as I shuffle through perpetual exhaustion for two weeks. Will The Projectionist shed some light into my gloom?” Be cruel to your school (teacher).