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    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Horna - Kuoleman Kirjo (2020)

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    Unleashing hellish fury upon the world, today we have Horna’s latest opus “Kuoleman Kirjo”. With nearly 70 minutes of crushing music, this is THE Black Metal release to buy in 2020. For those uninitiated, this Finnish battalion has been delivering sweeping blows of BM brutality over the years and this release is no exception. Filled with perfectly layered rudimentary atmospherics and vicious guitar work, Shatraug and company once more seize the BM throne.

    The sheer violence of “Saatanan Viha” is the first indicator of what is to come in this release. Delivering sweeping aural violence, the guitars/drums/vocals combo signal for complete destruction. Completely riding on their signature in-your-face approach, tracks like “Elegia”, “Uneton”, and “Sydänkuoro” lay waste to listeners as crafty tempo changes and crushing drum patterns create a whirlwind dissonant experience.

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    Engulfed - Vengeance of the Fallen (2020)

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    Hailing from Turkey, today we have hard-hitting Death Metal battalion Engulfed and their latest effort: “Vengeance of the Fallen”. For a 25+ minute EP this release packs a mean punch with crushing riffs and crafty tempo changes, making the album quite engaging and unlike most of the very linear and dull Death Metal that kids release these days. If you are a fan of bands like Centinex, Origin and similar, you will find this album very enjoyable.

    Opening with the vicious “Rite Abandoned Heretics”, the band delivers a swift kick to the nuts with their relentless guitar work and brutal growls. Clocking in at around 8 minutes, this is definitely one of the longest Death Metal tracks we have heard in awhile, and luckily the band has the chops to keep it interesting and punishing. The guitar leads and tempo changes of “Summoning The Black Death”, make for a very interesting follow-up to a very pummeling opening piece.

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    Dark Buddha Rising - Mathreyata (2020)

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    Always delivering a truly hypnotic and ritualistic aural experience, today we have Dark Buddha Rising and their latest opus “Mathreyata”. Hailing from Finland, this outfit continues to captivate audiences with their piercing and ritualistic compositions, unleashing nearly 43 minutes of music in four tracks. For those that like heavy distorted guitars, trippy percussions and tempo changes, alongside a good dose of Drone, Sludge, and Pysch, this release is face melting.

    Opening with the trippy “Sunyaga”, the listener is faced with a barrage of pummeling riffs alongside a psychedelic undertone. Vocalist Marko Neuman is one of those weird forces that seems to unleash multiple personalities while singing, creating a very mysterious and yet brutal aural. Feeling already numb and subdued, the second track “Nagathma” takes the eerie atmospherics to a whole new level thanks to some superbly creepy elements paired alongside crafty drum patterns and spacious guitars.

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    Countless Skies - Glow (2020)

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    Unleashing one of the most impressive releases of 2020, today we have Countless Skies and their sophomore full-length release “Glow”. In a time that there is so much uncertainty and shittiness in the world, one of the things that brings smiles to people is music, and this is one of those releases that will captivate and change the mood of the listener from the first minute. If you thought that Dark Tranquillity was going to take the best Melodic Death Metal release of 2020, you better wait until you check this one out.

    Opening with an instrumental intro, “Tempest” sets a very magical and wondrous vibe thanks to its crafty use of atmospheric keyboards and the soaring guitars. The mixture of harsh vocals and soaring clean vocals alongside epic guitar leads gives the song a certain proggy edge that makes it even more impressive. The magic continues with the lush “Summit”, a slowly building piece that shines a very bright light by combining elements of bands like Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, with the roughness of Bela’kor. This track takes epic vocal arrangements to a whole new level for the band, creating an epic complement to their already superb core.

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    The Kryptik - Behold Fortress Inferno (2020)

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    Striking while the iron is hot, Brazilian Black Metal duo The Kryptik follow up their crushing 2019 release with a superbly impressive EP titled “Behold Fortress Inferno”. With nearly 40 minutes of music, this release creates a very sinister symphonic atmosphere paired with hellish shrieks and blistering guitars to deliver one hell of a ride. If you like adorned, raw, and powerful BM, this is one release you can’t miss.

    Setting a very cinematic and gothic mood with the album title track’s opening atmospherics, The Kryptik brings back the days of Charmand Grimloch and his Tartaros project. The chilling atmosphere is nicely complemented by the pummeling blast-beats and hellish screams, creating a very intense experience. The brutality continues as “The Plagues of the Abyss” and “Black Legions March” continue to perfectly balance eerie atmospherics, melodic passages, and creepy interludes with pummeling riffing and a pretty aggressive overall pace.

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    Odiosior - Syvyyksistä (2020)

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    Unleashing one of the most diverse and engaging ‘traditional’ Black Metal releases in 2020, today we have Odiosior and their multifaceted “Syvyyksistä”. Taking elements from tons of different variants of the genre and wrapping them around a pummelling and frosty superbly raw core, this release changes colors like a chameleon. If you like diverse BM this is one of those releases that feels like a buffet of different flavors.

    The release opens with the hyper violent “Viha Minussa” and its bestial onslaughts of shrieks of pain and intense guitars. Some more interesting elements start to appear, like haunting keyboards and funky atmospherics that will play a larger role as the album progresses. With a certain Darkthrone-esque rawness, “Takaisin Kaaokseen” has that playful Punkish sound with crafty drums and catchy passages. On “Laulu Pimeydessä” the band makes keyboards the focal atmospheric point, creating a very engaging and at times chilling song, with a certain horror-movie-like flair.

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    Epitimia - Allusion (2020)

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    Crafting a very unique and cinematic Post-Black Metal experience, today we have Russia’s Epitimia and their latest opus: “Allusion”. Featuring seven tracks and nearly one hour of extremely crafty and well engineered music, this release has a little bit of everything. Not going down the same path of most Post-Black Metal bands, this outfit focuses on creating a brutal experience that manages slower and melancholic passages quite efficiently.

    After a lush opening, “Clue I: Animist” delivers blistering harsh vocals alongside intense guitars creating a hash but intriguing atmosphere. Weaving back and forth between melodic interludes and aggressive passages, this track sets a very engaging mood. After a punishing opening, “Clue II: Melancholia I” hones in on more melancholic and intricate territories with some more experimental and seemingly free-form sections near its end.

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    Boreal - The Battle of VOSAD (2020)

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    Atmospheric Black Metal is one of those genres where bands can either deliver excellent and chilling releases or just completely shit the bed. Luckily for us, Boreal’s debut full-length release “The Battle of VOSAD” is quite good, providing a solid experience to the listener. For fans of bands like Limbonic Art or Mysticum, this release creates a haunting and yet magical vibe.

    Opening with the lush intro of “The Battle”, the band sets a very regal and fantasy-like ambiance before hitting the listener with a Mysticum-esque Industrial-ish sounding Black Metal with powerful vocals and solid riffs. The drums, which sound more like programmed drums, but you never know these days as software has gotten quite good, set a very martial and hypnotic pace, keeping the atmospheric elements flowing effectively and elegantly.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Sad - Misty Breath of Ancient Forests (2020)

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    Unleashing a thunderously frosty release, today we have Greek battalion Sad and their latest full-length release “Misty Breath of Ancient Forests”. Delivering over 54 minutes of raw and crushing Black Metal, this band carries the flame of old-school BM with intensity and gusto. For fans of bands like Horna, Sargeist and similar, this album will pummel your senses from start to end.

    The duo kicks off this release with the blistering “Self Hatred”, a track that brings that Satyricon “Mother North”-era vibe but with a sharper edge and pummeling guitars. With a very melodic approach, the band’s frosty style delivers a great contrast between non-stop aggression and well paced melodic passages. Tracks like the desolate “Enjoy Your Pettiness” and the two parts of the album title track create a very hectic and effective atmosphere.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Shaidar Logoth - Chapter III: The Void God (2020)

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    Unleashing a very unique and auraly abusive release, today we have experimental/atmospheric Black Metal duo Shaidar Logoth and their gargantuan “Chapter III: The Void God” release. Featuring a mix of traditional USBM with more esoteric atmospheric/ambient elements and a splash of Post-BM elements, this release delivers over 47 minutes of creepily captivating music.

    The release opens with the multi-layered “Nest of Pigs”, a track that slowly builds up with a very ethereal feeling thanks to the Post-BM-ish guitars in the first few minutes. The band’s aggressive side is not to be trifled with as this opener reaches a high point with blistering BM aggression through intense riffing and drumming. The band’s more atmospheric/ambient influences help transition this track into the cavernous “Anguish Cradle”. This song creates a very unique and effective oppression sound with a slow drawn melody and a chaotic ending.

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