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    Altar Ov Asteria - Éna (2024)

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    Hailing from Dresden, Germany, today we have the enigmatic duo Altar Ov Asteria and their debut full-length release “Éna”. With a sound as furious as outfits like Behemoth, Hate, etc., this release also delves in the more melodic and atmospheric, unleashing five tracks and over 33 minutes of demoralizing and highly refined Black Metal. For fans of the finer and better produced offerings of the genre, this release showcases a highly promising band and top notch execution.

    Opening with the incisive “Arroganz”, we had to do a double take to make sure we didn’t have Behemoth playing. The crushing vocals perfectly blend with the savage riffing and blistering drumming, however, not everything is as it first seems as the band can instantly pull back and unleash more precise melodic onslaught. With a more atmospheric edge, “Fegefeuer” nicely warms up before unleashing its venomous riffs and crafty tempo changes.

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    Persecutory - The Glorious Persecution (2024)

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    Packing a lot of heat, today we have Turkey’s Persecutory and their crushing EP “The Glorious Persecution”. Featuring three tracks of total destruction, this release clocks in at 22 minutes of pure brutality. With a very incisive and yet refined sound, this outfit can be compared to the likes of Necrophobic and Necrowretch, creating some truly foul and punishing music.

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    Paysage d'Hiver - Die Berge (2024)

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    Unleashing seven cavernous Ambient Black Metal tracks, today we have Paysage d'Hiver with “Die Berge”. For the uninitiated, this one-man outfit from Tobias Möckl, one of the masterminds of Darkspace has been lurking in the underground since the late 90’s with countless demos and EP’s until their debut full-length “Im Wald” in 2020. Featuring a relentless Burzum-esque vibe, this release is dense and slow burning, delivering maximum punishment for a whopping 100 minutes.

    Most songs in this release are over 11 minutes long, opening with the piercing “Urgrund”, where a thick and pummeling atmosphere is masterfully crafted alongside raw harsh vocals and very crafty tempo changes. The opener hooks the listener with its atmospheric undertones and its rawness, paving the way for “Verinnerlichung” and “Transzendenz” part 1, which keep an hypnotic pace, while laying everything on their path to waste.

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    Chaos Invocation - Wherever We Roam… (2024)

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    Unleashing one of the most fierce Black Metal releases of 2024, today we have Chaos Invocation and their latest opus “Wherever We Roam…”. Featuring members from outfits like Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Darvaza, Porta Nigra, Ahnenkult, to name a few, this outfit takes on the genre with rabid ferocity and delivers eight tracks and nearly 45 minutes of pure destruction in this release.

    Quickly delivering the first strike, the album title track blasts away with pummeling drumming and incisive guitar work. The band’s sound is punishing and yet masterfully crafted, creating haunting dual guitar melodies alongside an intense bass guitar line. The ferocity continues as “Ideal Sodom”, “Golden Gates and Terrene Light” and “Bridges Aflame” unleash aural devastation with their sinister atmospheres and blistering intensity.

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    Anomalie - Riverchild (2024)

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    Delivering waves of crafty Post-Black Metal, today we have Austria’s Anomalie and their latest effort “Riverchild”. Keeping things simple, catchy, and polished, this release unleashes nine tracks and over 50 minutes of intense music filled with melody. Far from your traditional Post-Black/Progressive Black Metal outfit, this one-man band is hard to describe as it explores different aural palettes with a hefty foundation of Black Metal elements.

    Opening with “Mothers of Stars”, an hypnotic offering filled with crafty vocal arrangements and incisive guitars, there are certain familiar elements from the band’s previous offerings with additional polish and refinements. Slowly building up in pace, “An Unforgiving Tale”, “Perpetual Twilight”, and the funky “Heart to Beat” give a more progressive feeling, similar to Enslaved’s current period, where clean vocals deliver engaging atmospheres while the harsh ones provide contrast as the music sets different moods and tempos.

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    Einst - Einst (2024)

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    Oozing waves of melancholy and misery, this self-titled debut release from Austria’s Einst is definitely one of the best Atmospheric Black Metal/Post-Black Metal releases of 2024. Featuring six tracks and over 42 minutes of music, the band delivers very well crafted and masterful music that has vibes of outfits like Heretoir, Harakiri For the Sky, NONE, and yet has its own DNA to keep them apart. With tons of releases in these genres, it is hard to find a good one that is not just a copy of others, luckily, Naturmacht Productions has unearthed a diamond in the rough.

    Opening with the bleakness of “Mere Reflections of Your Former Self” gets the listener warmed up as this track slowly progresses from atmospheric to raw savagery thanks to a crafty build-up and hellish screams. The band mastermind is Patrick Stoiber, who handles everything but the drums, and he is masterful in creating lush progression filled with darkness alongside some more crushing cathartic moments. Perfect examples of this have to be “Zu Oft Verlebt, Zu Wenig Wirklich Gelebt” and the disarming “Couldn't You Have Done Better” and its depressing piano opening.

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    Horna - Nyx (Hymnejä yölle) (2024)

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    Never fucking around, Horna returns for their 30th anniversary with the crushing “Nyx”. Featuring six tracks and over 45 minutes of neck breaking Black Metal, the band clearly shows why they are the kings of the genre thanks to their punishing sound and firm grasp of the genre. With their usual no holds barred attitude, this release punishes the listener with a barrage of piercing guitar work and furious drumming.

    Opening with the blistering first hymn, Shatraug and company unleashed all hell with sinister guitar riffs and Spellgoth’s signature harsh vocals. The band’s ability to inflict the listener with raw aggression, is more punishing thanks to how refined and masterfully executed their music is, as hymns “II” and “III” showcase. The sinister aural created by tracks like “IV” is still one of the band’s best features, as it delivers their message with much more finesse and style than any other band of the genre.

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    The Mist From The Mountains - Portal - The Gathering of Storms (2024)

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    Delivering waves of highly melancholic and melodic Black Metal, today we have Finland’s The Mist From The Mountains and their sophomore full-length release “Portal - The Gathering of Storms”. Perfectly balancing aggression with melody and some folkiness, this album features six tracks and over 56 minutes of lush and crafty music. For fans of 90’s melodic/symphonic Black Metal, this release has tons of familiar elements, perfectly upgraded with the band’s unique spin.

    Opening with the (old) Empyrium-esque “And So Flew the Death Crow”, this track sets a very melancholic mood with weeping guitars and a doomy pace. There is a certain Folkish edge to the band’s sound that enriches the experience, while still delivering some heavier onslaughts. The catchiness continues to the brilliant “The Seer of Ages” and its lush vocal arrangements and engaging riffing. There is a certain Borknagar-epicness to this track, but with the band’s own signature style that we loved.

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    Agrypnie - Erg (2024)

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    As one of the most underrated Post-Black Metal bands, Agrypnie has been one of our favorite bands for quite a while thanks to their ‘heavier’ take on the genre. With “Erg”, Torsten and company continue to polish the band’s sound, making it tighter and equally explosive and melodic as before. Having had a wide variety of musicians participate through the history of the band and in the live setting, this outfit features familiar elements from like Heretoir, Harakiri for the Sky, Anomalie, and Theotoxin, but always creating its own unique brand of madness and atmosphere.

    Opening with the piercing “Aus rauchlosem Feuer”, we quickly get that duality of melodic and slower interludes with fierce guitars and Torsten’s signature snarl. There are always surprises around the corner, like the dramatic choir arrangements of “Meer ohne Wasser”, or the more solemn and moody nature of “Sturm”. Then, quickly transitioning to instrumental songs, like “Blut” part I, and then back to oozing melancholy with part II. This is certainly one of the specialties of this band.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Groza - Nadir (2024)

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    Unleashing waves of highly melancholic Black Metal, today we have Germany’s Groza and their latest opus “Nadir”. With a vibe similar to Ellende, Heretoir, and Harakiri for the Sky, this outfit explores the depths of darkness with fierce aggression and technical proficiency in six tracks that span over 42 minutes of excellent music. This emotionally charged release is a rollercoaster of unadulterated raw power that is rare to find these days.

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