Crippled Black Phoenix - Sceaduhelm (2026)

Always delivering some truly impressive and challenging releases, today we have Crippled Black Phoenix with their latest opus after 4 years. With “Sceaduhelm”, Justin Greaves and company unleash twelve tracks and over 66 minutes of masterful music. Ranging from Post-Rock, Alternative Rock, to some Shoegazey territories, this release has a bit for everybody, from fans of the band to the occasional listener of dark and macabre rock music.

Opening with some weird samples on “One Man Wall of Death”, the mood is instantly set in a very chaotic and strange way. The bombastic “Ravenettes” quickly shakes things up with catchiness and enveloping atmospherics, only to go back to more weirdness with the opening of the shoegazey “Things Start Falling Apart”. This is what makes the band’s music very unique and engaging, while challenging the listener. CBP’s creativity is unrivaled as these tracks explore different aural soundscapes while staying true to the band’s dynamic and exploratory nature.

Shifting gears into dark folk territory, “No Epitaph - The Precipice” opens in a very subtle and magical way, as it slowly evolves with lush instrumentation and very cathartic passages. While each song has its own unique magic and explores different corners of CBP’s expansive sound, highlights like “Vampire Grave”, the bleak “Under The Eye”, and chaotic closer “Beautiful Destroyer” leave the listener with plenty of work to do in order to fully digest and process the lavish intricacies of this release.

As a whole, “Sceaduhelm” is one complex Crippled Black Phoenix release. There are tons of elements and things going on to fully digest in a couple of casual spins. Just like for bands like Swans and Godspeed You! Black Emperor!, the listener needs to fully put in the work to dissect and enjoy these releases. For over an hour Justin Greaves and company unleash an aural feast that is waiting to be processed and truly enjoyed by its audience.

Rating: 95/100