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    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Flagg - Nothing But Death (2020)

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    Delivering a swift and brutal onslaught of raw-ish Black Metal, today we have Finland’s Flagg and their killer release “Nothing But Death”. Perfectly mixing old-school savagery with funky atmospherics, create a very Tartaros, (early) Emperor-esque mixture that is quite punishing and totally enjoyable. For over 32 minutes we were taken to the early days of the genre, when bands wanted to be super brutal but also started experimenting with atmosphere and melody.

    The release quickly delivers a powerful blow with the piercing “Destroy, Desecrate” and its crushing bass guitar line, mixed in with funky synths and hellish vocals. The band’s blistering pace perfectly enacts violence while more melodic passages allow for some respite amongst the chaos, as heard on “Nothing but Death”. Opting for a more tempered and darker vibe, “Dark Clouds Gathering” fully unleashes the band’s hate thanks to its incisive guitars and sinister tempo.

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    Sombre Héritage - Alpha Ursae Minoris (2020)

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    Unleashing a barrage of punishing Black Metal anthems, today we have Quebec’s Sombre Héritage with “Alpha Ursae Minoris”. For those not paying attention, the Canadian Black Metal scene has been flourishing in the last few years and this outfit is yet another crushing band hailing from our neighbors in the North. Spanning 6 tracks and nearly 40 minutes of music, this release delivers relentless brutality and incisive precision.

    Opening with the riveting “Polaris”, we get that 90’s BM vibe thanks to the punishing riffs and well-tempered drumming onslaughts. The song sets a very firm and crushing pace that is never relinquished throughout the rest of the album. “Sombre Héritage” rolls in with more of that magical intensity thanks to an early Emperor/Satyricon vibe paired with crafty tempo changes and eerie atmospheric arrangements to contrast the brutal and melodic sections.

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    A Light in the Dark - Insomnia (2020)

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    Unleashing one of the most melancholic releases of 2020, today we have Russia’s one-man project A Light in the Dark and his latest full-length release “Insomnia”. Featuring over 45 minutes of completely enchanting music, this release is perfectly crafted for fans of Alcest, Lantlôs, Heretoir and Amesoeurs. Oozing melody and dreaminess since the first minute, this is one hell of an ethereal release.

    The album opens with the very lively and dynamic “Aimless”, a song that has a certain Harakiri For the Sky edge as it delivers very poignant guitars and harsh vocals. Shifting the pace more into the Post-Metal/Blackgaze lands, “Let it Guide You” delivers sweeping atmospheric passages and interesting electronic elements thrown into the mix. Both “Vortex” and “四” take thing into more depressive rock territories with a similar approach to Violet Cold and their use of samples for extra ambiance.

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    Blight - Temple of Wounds (2020)

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    Canada’s Metal scene has been on fire in the recent years, with plenty of bands unleashing masterful creations. Today we have Blight, a band that is just releasing their ‘debut’ release after more than a decade of combined existence, but “Temple of Wounds” clearly shows why it was worth the wait. Featuring a monstrous and sinister sound, the band unleashes nearly one hour of crushing Black/Death Metal filled with ravaging riffs and hellish vocals.

    Setting a relentless mood with the pummeling guitars of “Dar-Akh-Qayin”, the band creates a very ritualistic and mysterious aura. Similar to Behemoth, but with its own brand of evilness. The band’s melodic edge creates very sinister atmospheres, and intoxicating passages as we are presented in the opener, “Elsewhere & Elsewhen” and the magical “Before the Monolith”. Perfectly blending in and out of chaotic brutality and incisive melody, the band has a very refined and effective style.

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    Omination - The Pale Horseman (2020)

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    Always keeping us on our toes, Canadian label Hypnotic Dirge Records always delivers something truly unique and engaging. Today we have Omination’s one-track EP “The Pale Horseman”. Clocking in at around 26 minutes, this one-song gargantuan contribution delivers tons of influences perfectly blended together to create one hell of a memorable and captivating experience.

    As the brainchild of Fedor Kovalevsky, this outfit delivers a very emotional piece that slowly progresses from church-like spoken sections to Neurosis-like harsh screams and then some. While the central features are slow Doomy riffs and lush atmospherics, the way that other influences are weaved between is quite unique and engaging. Dramatic synths and crafty vocal arrangements perfectly complement weeping guitars lead way to weird experimentation around the half-way mark and close off with some old, old Septic Flesh/On Thorns I Lay Doom dreaminess.

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    October Falls - A Fall of an Epoch (2020)

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    Unleashing one of the most cathartic albums of 2020, today we have October Falls and their latest opus “A Fall of an Epoch”. Seven years since their last release, the band returns with their blend of Atmospheric/Folky Black Metal that perfectly combines elements from bands like Ensiferum with the more vicious onslaughts of outfits like Behexen and Horna. With a hefty dosage of brutality and crafty introspective passages, this release will command your full attention for nearly 55 minutes.

    The album kicks off with the bleak acoustic guitars of the title track, this solemn peace suddenly transforms in all-out- brutality with crushing riffs, blistering drums, and punishing screams. Within the all-out pummeling onslaught, there is a very nice melodic delineation that has that Folk/Pagan Metal vibe as it contrasts with melodic passages. On a slower tone, “The Endtimes Rising” delivers a nice blend of incisive guitar riffs and harsh screams, perfectly framed on a more melodic drum track.

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    Cosmic Burial - Impakt (2020)

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    Unleashing a very dreamy and ethereal debut release, today we have Cosmic Burial and “Impakt”. Featuring over 75 minutes of instrumental music, this album goes from the bowels of hell, thanks to some furious BM onslaughts, to the depths of space, thanks to hypnotic atmospherics. Led by V. V. of Nachtig and Valosta Varjoon, this one-man battalion creates a very unique and enigmatic sound that will enshroud the listener from start to end.

    Setting a very bleak mood with “EO40”, the track dabbles between solemn keyboards and harsh melodic riffs. Similar to bands like Lustre, but with a simpler tone and a more direct approach. Tracks like “VK184” nicely experiment with different tempos and create very unique melodic passages that can be considered brilliant headbanging moments. There is a certain magical aura behind the music, and this is thanks to the crafty use of synths.

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    Kari Rueslåtten - Sørgekåpe (2020)

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    It is crazy to realize that we have been enchanted by Kari’s voice since the 3rd And the Mortal’s debut EP “Sorrow”, all the way back to 1993. While those days are long gone, it has been quite a journey to hear Kari jump to a solo-artist career and shake things up with a wide range of styles. “Sørgekåpe” marks her first all-Norwegian release since her solo debut in 1997. We all know that her music currently is far from Metal, but it is still a very lively Folk/Alternative Rock powered by her mesmerizing voice.

    The album starts with the title track and sets a nice Folky mood with lush acoustic guitars and a somber pace. Shifting the mood, “Svever” nicely delivers a very catchy and lively Alternative Rock tune with excellent vocal melodies and overall playful music. We particularly enjoy more the mellow tracks like “Månen lyser ned”, which have a very powerful mixture of Kari’s vocals and a deep bass guitar line. This is probably because they bring us memories from her earlier work, but nonetheless, they resonate better with us.

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    Voices of Ruin - Path to Immortality (2020)

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    Melodic Death Metal is one of those genres that you either pull off brilliantly or end up sounding like a complete rip-off of somebody else. Luckily for us, Voices of Ruin manages to blend tons of familiar influences into a very cohesive and engaging sound that the band can call their own. Unleashing “Path to Immortality”, the band delivers nearly 50 minutes of superbly crafted music, perfectly balancing aggression, melody and skill.

    Opening with the very Insomnium-esque “Other Side”, the band quickly delivers the goods with the high-octane “Carved Out”. Featuring a blend of Amon Amarth and Omnium Gatherum, the band delivers crushing riffs and very melodic passages. The band’s lead guitarist proficiency is clearly showcased on the ridiculously crafty title track, with an insane solo by Tom Barrett. Both guitars lead the band’s musical efforts in brilliant tracks like “Suffering Silence” and “Reach Toward the Sky”, which have killer headbanging passages and hectic drums.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    An Autumn for Crippled Children - All Fell Silent, Everything Went Quiet (2020)

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    Being one of the best Post-Black Metal/Blackgaze bands in the world, we were quite impressed and glad at the same time that An Autumn fo Crippled Children is now on a ‘bigger’ label like Prosthetic Records. With the potential to reach a broader set of audiences, “All Fell Silent, Everything Went Quiet” is one the band's most exciting releases to date. Featuring ten songs and nearly 40 minutes of captivating music filled with dreamy atmospherics and contrasting harsh vocals.

    The release starts with the lush “I Became You”, which sets a very melancholic backdrop to this release. The distinctive metallic textured guitars nicely weave back and forth Post-Rocky interludes and tempo changes as we can hear in “Water’s Edge” and “Everlasting”. While you can recognize some Alcest-like and Deafheaven-esque elements in the band’s sound, they have been refining their signature style through their eight full-length releases.

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