Black Metal

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    Izrod - Ulica, trnje i kamenje (2025)

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    Delivering a swift kick to the nuts, today we have Izrod and their crushing EP “Ulica, trnje i kamenje”. Featuring 18 minutes of punishing Black Metal, this Bosnian outfit is ready for war with an incisive and pummeling release. Crafting a dense atmosphere, this EP showcases a very vicious band with a knack for Nihilism and a sound to back it up. If you like bands like Königreichssaal and The Ruins of Beverast and their dense and harrowing take on the genre, this release will be for you.

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    Harakiri for the Sky - Scorched Earth (2025)

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    This Austrian outfit has been constantly growing into their melancholic sound with each release, and so has the fan base and reach. With “Scorched Earth”, Harakiri for the Sky reaches a new plateau as their sound is polished, their delivery is impeccable and they still manage to throw in a few curve balls to longtime fans. If you are looking for polished Post Black Metal, this is certainly one of the best releases of 2025.

    Opening with “Heal Me”, we get a very playful melodic mixture of synths, crunchy riffs, and a solid duet between Tim Yatras and J.J. The band’s melancholic capabilities quickly take center stage with the lush “Keep Me Longing” and its nearly 11-minute duration. We particularly enjoyed the powerful riffing that creates very crafty melodies alongside that sense of restlessness that the band always creates with their music. Another perfect example of this is the epic “Without You I’m Just A Sad Song”, another long piece that is full of tempo changes and very cathartic moments, particularly the clean passages.

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    Unreqvited - Pathway to the Moon (2025)

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    As one of the most anticipated releases of 2025, Unreqvited finally returns with the highly melancholic and head turning “Pathway to the Moon”. Perfectly expanding on their Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze style with some more dreamy and ethereal elements, this release delivers over 40 minutes of some of the most engaging and goosebump-inducing music we have heard in quite a while. If you are a fan of the ban or the genre, you will certainly not be disappointed.

    Opening with the ethereal “Overture I: Disintegrate”, we get a very moody start with dreamy clean vocals and lush piano arrangements. This nicely transitions into the fierce “The Antimatter”, which showcases the band’s duality as it quickly escalates into a brutal onslaught of harsh Black Metal frostiness, flanked by lush atmospherics and a very melodic vibe. This song masterfully transitions into more restrained territories, fully unleashing clean vocals alongside dramatic arrangements. Surprisingly enough, this track gave us some later Dimmu Borgir vibes at times.

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    Skaldr - Saṃsṛ (2025)

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    The USA Black Metal scene has seen a resurgence as of late, with bands that have both technical and songwriting skills to create their own signature style with some hints of what has worked from their European counterparts. Skaldr is ready for primetime with their guitar driven, BM with similarities to Dissection, Uada, and the likes. With “Saṃsṛ”, the band delivers over 40 minutes of high-octane music filled with memorable moments, balancing aggression and melody, definitely a great place to be for a sophomore release.

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    Selvans - Saturnalia (2025)

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    Unleashing a very unique and theatrical release, today we have Selvans and their third full-length release “Saturnalia”. This one-man battalion has been delivering very different and unique releases in the past, and with this one he breaks further musical barriers by creating a highly engaging and theatrical Black/Heavy Metal with progressive elements. Think of a mixture of bands like Pensées Nocturnes with Notre Dame and some Snowy Shaw/King Diamond eccentricities. Definitely a unique blend.

    Setting a very grand symphonic stage with the opener, “Il Mio Maleficio V'incalzerà!” quickly changes gears delivering a mix of crafty Black Metal-ish elements with some playful theatrics and a solid mixture of classical Heavy Metal elements. This is certainly quite different from the band’s previous releases, but that core darkness and horror/folklore elements are nicely blended with the more dramatic style. “Madre dei Tormenti” and “Pantàfica” keep the dramatic antics to the max, while unleashing some crafty lead guitars and even some progressive melodic interludes.

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    Void of Hope - Proof of Existence (2025)

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    Featuring members from Moonlight Sorcery and Ondfødt, today we have newcomers Void of Hope and their harrowing debut release “Proof of Existence”. Recorded during the several harsh and cold days of winter, this release transmits misery and rawness in a visceral way, similar to outfits like Lifelover, Austere, and Thy Light. With over 42 minutes of music, this release is the perfect soundtrack to a bleak existence.

    Opening with dramatic atmospherics, “Gift of Life” sets a very chilling and desolate soundscape thanks to its buzzing guitars and masterful tempo changes. There are still plenty of traditional Black Metal elements as the opener and “Proof of Existence” showcase punishing harsh vocals and crafty riffing. The slower tempo of “The Hollow Hymn” perfectly introduces melancholic passages of bleakness as it transitions from blistering onslaughts to more dramatic arrangements.

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    Barshasketh - Antinomian Asceticism (2025)

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    Delivering a swift and brutal start of 2025, today we have Barshasketh and their incisive Black Metal, unleashing all hell with the brutal “Antinomian Asceticism”, the band’s fifth full-length release. With a very punishing and yet highly refined sound, this outfit masterfully creates a ravaging experience through 43 minutes of music. Highly recommended for fans of outfits like The Ruins of Beverast or Blut aus Nord, this release is full of both musicianship and raw savagery.

    Opening with the immersive “Radiant Aperture”, the outfit sets a very hectic and punishing mood with walls of distorted guitars and a solid mixture of harsh and clean vocals, creating a very eerie mood. As “Nitimur in Vetitum”, “Lebenswelt Below”, and “Charnel Quietism” roll around, the band showcases a great balance between atmosphere and speed, with some interesting mood building passages nicely blended with savage guitar riffing and even some doomy tempos. This makes the band’s sound more incisive and pummeling, and separates them from your average outfit.

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    Патриархь - Пророк Илия (2025)

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    Finally putting all their legal messes behind,Bartłomiej Krysiuk’s Batushka is now Патриархь or Patriarch, and they are back with an impressive release titled “Пророк Илия”. Keeping some of their ‘old’ stylistic themes and sound, but also adding some extra layers and new dimensions, this release unleashes over 40 minutes of highly ritualistic and hypnotic music, that while not close to “Литоургиiа”, it does show the band in a new light and with a unique identity.

    The release kicks off with an atmospheric piece that slowly transitions into the chilling “Вершалин II”. This track perfectly exploits the band’s eerie choir arrangements alongside a good dose of Black Metal harshness and some new string instruments. The full effect is quite cinematic, unveiling new layers to the band’s sound while keeping their own uniqueness. This bleeds into “Вершалин III”, another engaging ritualistic track that masterfully incorporates some haunting female vocals.

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    Aara - Eiger (2024)

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    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.

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    KIR - L’appel du vide (2024)

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    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.

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