Brilliantly blending elements of some of our favorite bands like Ellende, Advent Sorrow and Woods of Desolation, Nachtig unleashes an excellent self-titled debut release. As a one-man entity, helmed by V. V., this band delivers some of the most demoralizing and misery inducing 55 minutes we have heard in quite a long time.

After the traditional atmospheric opening, “Der Tag bricht an…” blasts away with harrowing vocals and that crispy metallic sounding guitar distortion we love from bands like Ellende. The song structure is perfectly designed for some furious headbanging passages through killer tempo changes. The moody “Der Kreis Des Sterbens” is our favorite track in this release, particularly the second half, where we get some truly depressive atmospherics that set Nachtig apart.

Continuing the band’s brilliant rise as one of the best Melodic/Atmospheric Doom/Gothic Metal outfits, Hanging Garden delivers their latest opus titled “Into That Good Night”. Featuring eight tracks and nearly 46 minutes of highly addictive music, the band perfectly blends elements from their heavier earlier days and their more dynamic and Gothic Metal influences of later days. Full of melancholy and expert songwriting abilities, this release is yet another highlight on their already storied career.

Opening with the playful riffs of “Of Love and Curses”, we got a certain Lacrima Profundere vibe as the more enigmatic atmospheric interludes nicely contrast the heavier parts of the song. The more traditional Melodic Doom Metal roots of the band can be found on the dreamy “Fear, Longing, Hope and the Night” which has a certain Insomnium vibe. We particularly enjoy the crafty guitar melodies and the combination of growls and clean vocal arrangements, making it a superbly catchy song.

Proving that their killer debut release was no fluke, today we have Sweden’s Avsult with “Tyranni”. Unleashing a demoralizing opus of 47 minutes of crushing Black Metal, this band combines old-school BM antics with a superb production and a thirst for blood. With a relentless attitude and the skills to deliver punishing aggression, this band is certainly one to keep following as their evolve their craft.

Opening in full force with the album title track, the listener is instantly immersed in the band’s aggressive sound. Pairing twing guitar assaults with relentless drumming, this outfit crafts a violent atmosphere with just a few moments to breathe. With a melodic core as their foundation, tracks like “Stigens ände” and “Likvidering” gives us flashbacks to Dark Funeral earlier years.

Making a huge comeback in the underground Metal scene, Osmose Productions has unleashed some of the foulest and most crushing Black Metal releases in the last few years. As one of their golden findings, Tragediens Trone unleashes a punishing self-titled debut release. Featuring members and ex-members of enigmatic Slagmaur, this two-man batallation delivers nearly 40 minutes of excruciating BM filled with power and hate.

With Skard handling all the instruments (minus the drums) and vocals, we hear a very punishing and despondent style as soon as “Entrance” warms up. The combination of dramatic vocal arrangements and styles with hellish riffs and massive drumming, make up for a killer opening piece. The band settles into a pummeling grove as tracks like “The Bornless One” and “Stygian Fluke” deliver waves of crushing guitars alongside thick and sexy bass guitar lines. Other tracks have more atmospheric components like the cavernous passage of “Cold Depths of Solitude”, creating a very tense and eerie atmosphere.

The highly productive Déhà is back with his Atmospheric/Funeral Doom Metal project SLOW and their latest masterpiece of sorrow with “VI - Dantalion”. Crafting monolithic atmospheres around soul crushing riffs, this release unleashes nearly 80 minutes of powerful music. Just when you think the boundaries of the genre cannot be pushed further, an album like this comes along and shatters them completely.

Warming up the listener with the bleak soundscapes of “Descente”, the album slowly gets fired up as you come across the 17-minute behemoth of “Lueur”. The slow growls lead to monumental riffs and tense atmospherics, creating a very unsettling mood. The dramatic arrangements created by the synths perfectly complement the ravaging guitar structures. However, what really captures the listener is the dramatic tempo changes and mood swings within songs like the later and “Futilité”. Alternating a ‘shorter’ song between 10+ minute pieces, Slow explores darker territories with the harsher vocals and more sinister atmosphere of “Géhenne”.

Because playing traditional Melodic Death Metal is just too easy, Finnish outfit Dimman throws some unique elements into the mix and creates a superbly catchy sound in “152”. Comparable to offerings by bands like Silent Descent, this EP present a refreshing take on the genre and showcases the quality of this promising band. If you like Melodic Death Metal and don’t mind a few extra added elements, this EP will surely surprise you.

Starting with the Turmion Kätilöt-esque “Capsized Reverie”, some people might be instantly put off, but it is just part of the band’s unique combination of elements to create a completely distinctive sound. After the initial show, this track is quite a Melodic DM staple with killer guitar leads and catchy passages. The mood suddenly turns dark and doomier with the album title track, filled with melancholic passages and dramatic piano sections.

This 2019 has been an excellent year for Black Metal releases and Djevel put throw their hat in the ring for best genre release of the year with “Ormer til armer, maane til hode”. Unleashing over 50 minutes of massively destructive music, the band brings forth an unrivaled brutality and rawness, perfectly produced to sound as crisp as possible. If you like bands like Whoredom Rife and One Head, One Tail, make sure to not miss out on the fun.

Without wasting any time, the album track opens these devastating proceedings with sheer brutality and intensity. Trond Ciekals, the band’s vocalist and guitarist unleashes waves of pummeling riffs and very effective shrieks throughout this release, making tracks like “Et menniskes hele korpus og legeme” and “Den gang jeg banket paa helvedes tunge doer” feel quite oppressive and massive. We particularly enjoy the melodic tempo changes within the songs that nicely break up the linearity of the track and keep the listener fully engaged and eager for what is to come next.

Unleashing incomparable misery, today we have Belgium’s Imber Luminis and their latest full-length release “Same old Silences”. This one-man band from Déhà, of Clouds and SLOW fame, definitely creates one of the most oppressive and bleakest Atmospheric Black Metal atmospheres every recorded. While not technically complex or over the top, the masterful use of bleak keyboards paired with chaotic screams of desperation creates a very unique vibe that will crush your hopes and dreams.

Opening with the behemoth album title track, divided into three movements, the band unleashes 24 minutes of pure misery. Weaving back and forth between excruciatingly bleak passages of clean vocals and simple piano to inhuman growls and shrieks of desperation adorned by punishing riffs, this track completely transports the listener into the bowels of hell. The Doomy elements perfectly blend with the aggressive BM influences crafting a very powerful amalgamation of styles.

As one of the most expected Black Metal releases of 2019, today we have The Deathtrip and their sophomore release “Demon Solar Totem”. Featuring the return of Kvohst on vocals, this is one album we have been waiting for, and it delivers and even surpases all expectations. Unleashing over 55 minutes of punishing eerie music, this release has a bit of everything for BM fans.

The album slowly builds up with the title track as the opener, featuring a throbbing bass guitar line from Thomas Eriksen (Mork) and the insanely hellish screams of Kvohst bringing back memories of his DHG times. Musically, there is a certain catchiness to the band’s pummeling sound, as you can hear in the opener and the more dynamic “Angel Fossils”. Staying away from Black’n’Roll and Melodic BM territories, the band’s melodic aspect shines with intricate compositions and furious riffing.