Other

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Noumena - Anima (2020)

    cover

    Crafting a very unique and yet recognizable sound, Finland’s Noumena delivers “Anima”, their latest full-length effort. Mixing a folkier edge to traditional Melodic Death Metal similar to bands like Wolfheart and early Amorphis, the band unleashes nearly one hour of expertly crafted music that will appeal genre nostalgics while introducing a few different elements into the mix.

    After the folky opening with “Kaiku”, the band’s sound oozes emotions and melody in the superbly crafted “Saatto”. Alongside the weeping lead guitars and growls, we have lively clean female vocals and very solemn slower passages. In full-on Amorphis worship, “Murtuneet” and “Seula” made us instantly think that we had our playlist on shuffle, however, the band continues to infuse their uniqueness to the music with a jazzy bass guitar line and some killer guitar leads.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Suicide Circle - Demo MMXX (2020)

    cover

    Hailing from France, today we have a very disturbing duo playing Depressive Black Metal under the name Suicide Circle. Delivering around 26 minutes of music, this demo release is split in four punishing songs that draw more on the raw and dissonant side of the genre. If you are looking for oppressive atmospheres to drown your sorrows, this release certainly will help you.

    Opening with “From the Void of their Mind”, the band sets a very raw and stripped down atmosphere with their riffs and harsh screams. There is absolutely no flair or gimmicks in the band’s sound, as the tracks in this release are quite direct, basic, and to the point. We appreciate how the band’s sound needs very minimal external elements aside from the furious guitars and hellish drumming, as “Prophet of Doomsday” lays waste to the listeners.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Myridian- Light in the Abyss (2020)

    cover

    Keeping the flame alive of Melodic Death/Doom Metal releases, today we have Australia’s Myridian and their killer third full-length release “Light in the Abyss”. Reminiscing of bands like October Tide, In Mourning, etc., this release delivers nearly 70 minutes of highly melancholic music filled with crafty guitars, lush atmospherics, and firm growls. We have no idea how this release made it to our inbox, but we are quite intoxicated by it.

    Creating a fully immersive aural experience, “Light is Lost” starts with waves of melodic riffs, harsh vocals and a very mellow tempo that creates a highly melancholic vibe. The playful guitar leads and crafty instrumental passages nicely lead the way to the faster pace of “Nidellavir”, a track that includes some proggy experimental elements paired with solemn clean vocals. Keeping the melancholic vibe going, “Babylon” delivers a classical Death/Doom approach with contrasting vocal styles and firm riffing.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Tomorrow’s Rain - Hollow (2020) Review

    cover

    All the way from Israel, today we have a very unique and star-studded Death/Doom Metal release titled “Hollow”. With nearly 52 minutes of music, Tomorrow’s Rain's ambitious release pays off as they complement their very traditional sound with the talents of their guest musicians, creating one of the most powerful and refined releases of the genre. If you like melancholic Death/Doom Metal, it surely can’t get any better than this in 2020.

    The release kicks off with the mood setting and mysterious “Trees”, a song that slowly builds up to the typical commanding Doom riffs and excellent growls. Featuring Aaron Stainthrope of My Dying Bride, “Fear” sets a darker tone with lush atmospherics, dramatic clean vocal arrangements, and crafty drumming. The only track that does not feature guests is “A Year I Would Like To Forget”, which allows you to actually get a feel for the band’s excellent melancholic sound and solid instrumentation.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Tsatthoggua - Hallelujah Messiah (2020)

    cover

    Unleashing the most depraved release of 2020, today we have the return of Germany’s Tsatthoggua with their compilation mCD “Hallelujah Messiah”. As one of those bands that marked your youth thanks to their album covers and bizarre lyrics, we never would have expected the band to come back after more than 20 years of silence. If you are ready for a nostalgic dose of old-school Black/Thrash Metal with a knack for BDSM, check out this release.

    Starting with material from the band’s 1995 demo “Siegeswille”, the remastered versions presented in this release capture the band’s raw and punishing style while allowing the songs to sound updated and crystal clear. The gaudy keyboards of “The Belief - The Lie” (and the rest of the first 5 songs) is one of the elements that shows the band’s uniqueness as not just an appearance gimmick, but rather an experimental outfit. Tracks like “Heirs of Fire” capture that old-school timeless Immortal-style of BM which is furious and yet melodic enough for some headbanging sessions.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Ages - Uncrown (2020)

    cover

    Featuring a truly captivating and engaging Melodic/Symphonic Black Metal sound, today we have Sweden’s Ages and their sophomore release “Uncrown”. In the intense 42 minutes of music of this release, the band gives us a bit of a nod to the past of the genre, while crafting nine extremely catchy and effective songs. If you like bands of the caliber of Dissection, Naglfar, Keep of Kalessin, etc., you will love this band.

    Opening with the hectic “Burn Them”, the band instantly creates a very high-paced tempo that gives us a bit of a certain Vreid/Windir vibe as the crafty guitars and harsh vocals are introduced. The band continues their high-octane approach with the devilish “Illicit State” and its dramatic atmospherics. We are particularly loving the head banging fest incited by the superbly melodic passages of “Herolds of Enslavement”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Atramentus - Stygian (2020)

    cover

    Unleashing three gargantuan slabs of soul crushing Funeral Doom Metal, today we have Canada’s Atramentus and their epic “Stygian”. Perfect for the coming months of winter, this release delivers killer atmospheric misery paired with demoralizing growls and some crafty experimentation. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Shape of Despair, Mournful Congregation, etc., this release will turn even the brightest day, completely bleak.

    Opening with the 16-minute beast “Stygian I: From Tumultuous Heavens… (Descended Forth The Ceaseless Darkness)”, the band does not fuck arround and quickly establishes riff dominance with punishing slow guitars. The mixture of clean and harsh vocals creates a very eerie contrast that works magically with such a lush and depressive backdrop. The interlude is provided by the noise-ish/atmospheric piece “Stygian II - In Ageless Slumber (As I Dream In The Doleful Embrace of The Howling Black Winds)”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Svnth - Spring in Blue (2020)

    cover

    Unleashing a highly emotional and expertly crafted release, today we have Italy’s Svnth and their third full-length release “Spring in Blue”. Mixing the raw aggression of traditional Black Metal with the subtle intricacies and melody of Post-Rock, this release delivers one hour of hypnotic music. Recommended for fans of bands like Alcest, Deafheaven, Heretoir, etc.

    The release opens with the doomy “Who is the Dreamer?”, a song that creates a very depressive and powerful atmosphere with its distorted guitars. After a dreamy intro on “Erasing God's Towers” the band transitions into heavier territories with weeping guitar leads and harsh screams, reminding us a bit of the American band 40 Days Longing from back in the day. The band expertly weaves back and forth aggressive onslaughts and crafty instrumental passages, creating a very chaotic and enjoyable mood.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Déhà - A fleur de peau - III - A Fire That Does Not Burn (2020)

    cover

    Unleashing yet another outstanding release this 2020, today we have multi-instrumentalist Déhà with “A fleur de peau - III - A Fire That Does Not Burn”. Featuring over 35 minutes of excruciatingly effective atmospheric/depressive Black Metal, this release creates a very chaotic and yet hypnotic atmosphere that features some cool guest appearances and a very unique feeling of urgency/desperation.

    The release starts with the pummeling “The Tree and the Death”, featuring a very melancholic pace combining aggressive harsh screams and dreamy clean vocals. This track also adds the angelic female vocals of Natalie Koskinen to add additional layers of atmosphere and contrast. The saxophone in “Hope for Twilight” makes it a very unique aural experience, as it is nicely added to create a very dynamic contrast to the guest vocals of Tim Yatras (ex-Austere, Germ).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Panzerfaust - The Suns of Perdition II: Render Unto Eden (2020)

    cover

    The evolution of Canadian Black Metal has kept us quite intrigued in the last few years, with bands like Monarque, Forteresse, etc. delivering some of the most killer releases in the genre. Today we have Panzerfaust and their mysterious and highly atmospheric music, similar to the defunct Weapon but with their own brand of viciousness. Unraveling over 40 minutes of chaotic music, “The Suns of Perdition II: Render Unto Eden”, picks off where the band left off last year and continues their devastating path.

    Leading of with the crushing “Promethean Fire”, the band creates a very oppressive wall of distortion that is further complemented by a harsh vocal duet with Masha Arkhipova from Arkona (Russia). The vicious guitars create the perfect contrast to the chaotic pace of the song. Continuing the onslaught with the ravaging “The Faustian Pact”, the band unleashes a very unique and harsh combination of intricate drum patterns and demoralizing screams. This track has a very hypnotic and ritualistic vibe that is quite hard to shake off, making it truly captivating.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries