Keeping up with the tradition of epic live releases recorded at Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, today we have Helloween and their intense show of September 16, 2023. Featuring over 2 hours of music, the live album part of this release, is a must have for any fan of the band as the pumpkins show up in full-force with Andi Deris and Michael Kiske on vocals, alongside Kai Hansen and company, belting out the band’s classics.

Perfectly capturing the band’s high-octane live shows, this release wastes no time to warm-up and kicks off with the 12-minute epic “Skyfall”. The (mostly) reunited band has been making waves in the last few years, both with their eponymous 2021 release and a series of tours. This magical energy is very well captured as the rip through pieces like “Eagle Fly Free”, “Future World”, and “Save Us”, some of our favorite tracks.

Swiss Atmospheric Black Metal outfit Aara continues their desolate path, after completing their “Triade” trilogy, they now take on “Eiger”. In this release the band’s masterminds got inspiration in the book “The White Spider”, which tells early stories of attempts to climb this famed mountain. The music, as expected, is both chilling and highly emotional, crafting eight dramatic tracks filled with raw intensity and harrowing melody. As one of the best Atmospheric BM releases, this is one hell of a frosty journey to close out the year.

Opening with blowing wind atmospherics, the release quickly sets a very frosty and desolate vibe as it slowly builds up with crafty percussions and intense riffs. The band’s signature style of perfectly pacing their songs, be it unleashing furious onslaughts or bleak slow passages, makes songs like “Die das wilde Wetter fängt”, “Senkrechte Welten”, and “Felsensang” very cinematic. The way the album develops, with ebbs and flows, allows the listener to really feel the story.

Unleashing a fierce brand of Black Metal that combines the ferocity of Behemoth and the grittiness of Mgła, the enigmatic KIR sets a very high bar with their debut release “L’appel du vide”. With such a vicious sound that is both polished and commanding, this outfit is definitely one of the most unexpected surprises of 2024. Just scratching the surface of this release with a couple of spins, detailed attention and repeated listenings are needed to fully digest the album.

After a mood setting instrumental intro, the band comes at the listener in full force with the piercing “Monument”. Mixing hellish deep screams with a barrage of BM riffs, the album quickly sets a relentless tone. The drumming in this release is quite polished, keeping a blistering pace as tracks like “Znów” and “Eter” blast away. The Mgła style riffing creates very dynamic and melodic passages, while still not sounding like a copy-cat and greatly enhancing the band’s explosiveness.

As a continuation of Vostok, Hamish MacKintosh returns with “Embers”, the debut release of Kildonan. With a very emotionally charged Black/Doom Metal style, this release features six tracks and nearly 40 minutes reminiscent of a mixture of Bethlehem on their “Dictius Te Necare” era, and Death/Doom Metal musings. Creating a very deep and powerful atmosphere, this is one of those sleeper releases that we found ourselves enjoying a lot more than we expected.

Opening with the dreamy atmospherics of the title track, we are treated to dramatic clean vocals, harrowing harsh screams and a very Doomy vibe with Black Metal infused riffs. Kind of similar to Déhà and his exploits on his solo project as well as some Acathexis thrown into the mixture. We particularly love the piercing atmosphere created by the heavy Doom riffs of songs like “Ioliar-Bhuidhe” and “A Desperate Leap for Salvation” and their contrast with heavier and more brutal tempos.

Unleashing one of the fiercest Black Metal releases of the last few years, today we have Poland’s Arkona and their masterpiece “Stella Pandora”. Not to be confused with the other Arkona’s, this band delivers no bullshit pummeling Black Metal with a knack for melody and atmosphere. Clocking at nearly 50 minutes, this six track release will feel like a direct punch to the face, so be prepared to be blown away.

Opening with “Pandora”, the band sets a very enigmatic and mysterious atmosphere, as it suddenly goes berserk with piercing riffs, brutal drumming, and crafty atmospherics. Drac’s vocals and bass guitar line give the music that extra brutal edge, and we love it. Things turn to more melodic territories with the dreamy opening of “Altaria”, which suddenly escalates with a double kick lead and more hellish vocal onslaughts. The band’s ability to fuse melody and melancholy with brutality is unrivaled, and when paired with an impressive production it sounds amazing.

Mostly first released over the last year as singles, “Liminal Animals” marks Ulver’s latest opus, filled with their usual catchiness with a flair of darkness. Dedicated to the late Tore Ylvisaker, this release sees the band continue their dreamy/catchy endeavors of the last two releases, and also push forward with more somber and experimental elements thrown into the mix. Masterfully structured, this album makes all previously released singles come to life and showcase a different side to themselves, so be prepared for some aural exploration.

Opening with the superbly dreamy “Ghost Entry”, the band sets a very glamorous and ethereal vibe, similar to their last few albums: catchy AF. The transition into “A City in the Skies” and “Forgive Us” are masterful as the percussion and electronics set a very futuristic mood. We have always been huge fans of Kristoffer Rygg’s vocals and the way they blend with the atmospherics of the music and the choir arrangements is just magical. Providing some nice change of pace, “Nocturne #1” has a great cinematic feeling, while the second part further explores more dynamic atmospherics.

Unleashing a crafty old-school Swedish Death Metal debut, today we have Cryptorium and “Descent Into Luncay”. With a sound similar to bands like Grave, Centinex, old Entombed, and Dismember, these young guys definitely bring back the nostalgia and vibe of the good old late 90’s in the scene. If you are looking for a good meaty Death Metal release to headbang yourself to a chiropractor visit, this is definitely one to check out.

Opening with “Incarcerated”, we instantly get that grimey old-school production that is characteristic of the genre, and gives the band a very raw and visceral sound. As “Horrid Exultation”, “Inner Decay”, and “A Distant Dream”, unleash their fuzzy guitars and crafty tempo changes, we get that old Entombed vibe alongside some sinister atmospherics.