Prophecy Productions

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    Nachtmystium - Blight Privilege (2024)

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    One thing not on our bing card for 2024 was Nachtmystium and talented fraudster Blake Judd making a comeback with a new full length release. “Blight Privilege” is the band’s first release since the 2018 EP “Resilient”, and marks an interesting return to the scene with seven crafty tracks that are both catchy and powerful, making them quite engaging. With a certain Uada flair to itself, this release is a good addition to the USBM ever evolving movement.

    The release kicks off with the crafty atmospherics of “Survivor’s Remorse”, perfectly paired with engaging riffs and a very melodic vibe. This masterfully continues on “Predator Phoenix”, a very catchy and fun track that gives us serious Uada vibes, and on the more melancholic and twangy “A Slow Decay”, a more experimental piece with very sultry atmospherics. Nachtmystium has always been an interesting band with a solid take on the genre and not afraid to experiment, it is refreshing to hear that is still the case.

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    Whispering Void - At the Sound of the Heart (2024)

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    Creating a very unique and intoxicating vibe, today we have Norwegian supergroup Whispering Void and their debut release “At the Sound of the Heart”. Featuring members Lindy-Fay Hella and Kristian "Gaahl" Eivind Espedal on vocals,Ronny "Valgard" Stavestrand on guitars and multi-instrumentalist Iver Sandøy handling the rest, this collective delivers eight magical tracks filled with dark/folk rock influences paired with lush vocal arrangements and enriched instrumentation. Think of Tenhi meets Hexvessel, this release is a gratifying aural experience.

    Opening with the sultry “Vinden Vier”, Lindy-Fay Hella instantly shines as this enigmatic track delivers waves of crafty string instruments alongside dreamy atmospherics and a very hypnotic pace. On “Vi Finnes” the band steps it up a notch with a solemn Gaahl being added to the vocal mix, amongst crafty percussion and a very hypnotic atmosphere. One of the best tracks in this release has to be the eponymous third song, which features some eerie vocal arrangements with a nice Post-Rock-ish vibe, creating a very unique and enveloping vibe.

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    Soror Dolorosa - Mond (2024)

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    Unleashing the most intoxicating and catchy release of 2024, today we have France’s Soror Dolorosa and their latest opus “Mond”. Featuring nine tracks and nearly 50 minutes of sultry Post-Punk/Cold Wave/Gothic/Dark Rock music, this band will hypnotize listeners with their uniquely enthralling sound. For fans of outfits like Sisters of Mercy, Depeche Mode and Joy Division, this is one release you don’t want to miss.

    Led by Andy Julia, this release immediately sets a very engaging tone with the magical “Tear it Up” and its crafty beats that surround the deep and mysterious vocals. There is just a certain magic on how the band creates a very dark and enveloping world that as songs like “You’re Giving Me”, “Red Love”, and “Souls Collide” unleash their sultriness and atmospheric brilliance. However, it is the vocals that tie everything together alongside dramatic tempo changes.

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    Trelldom - .​.​.​by the Shadows​.​.​. (2024)

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    Unleashing one of the most unexpectedly interesting releases, today we have Trelldom and their long awaited fourth full-length release, titled: “.​.​.​by the Shadows​.​.​.”. While many will be waiting for a traditional Black Metal release, the singles have steered people in a completely different direction as the album is more of an avant-garde/experimental release. Featuring a sound reminding us of the later stages of The 3rd and the Mortal, Lethe, and similar outfits, this release features seven tracks of unconventional and highly engaging music.

    Setting a very chaotic and contrived tone with “The Voice of What Whispers”, this release starts its aural explorations with a jazzy and a bit proggy piece that clearly signals this is going to be a very different release than expected. As “Exit Existence”rolls in, we get a sultry sax playing alongside Kristian Eivind Espedal’s (Gaahl) haunting vocals, creating a very eerie and yet intoxicating effect. We particularly love how this track transitions into sinister Black Metal riffs and a heavier nature as it progresses.

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    Vuur & Zijde - Boezem (2024)

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    Dramatically moving away from their original Atmospheric Black/Post-Black Metal sound, today we have enigmatic Dutch outfit Vuur & Zijde and their debut full-length “Boezem”. Featuring members from bands like Laster, Terzij de Horde, and Grey Aura, there is no surprise that the music presented in this release is captivating and truly unique, with seven tracks and nearly 46 minutes of hypnotic music. This release is for fans of bands like Beastmilk/Grave Pleasures with some Wave influences and featuring sultry female vocals.

    Opening with the mysterious “Onbemind”, the band sets a very unique Post-Punk vibe that quickly escalates into fierce guitar riffing and pummeling drumming. One would think that the harsh vocals would follow, but they never really do, instead we get the dreamy clean voice of Famke. This gives the band’s sound a very unique proposition, with heavier passages with more restrained drumming and a very organic and catchy vibe, perfect examples of this are songs like “Zusterzon”, “Omheind”, and “Us”.

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    Perchta - D'muata (2024)

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    Unleashing a very unique amalgamation of Black Metal with Folk influences, today we have Austria’s Perchta and their sophomore release “D'muata”. After a very powerful debut release, the band has been making live appearances on respected events like House of the Holy and Eros at Arms thanks to their unique sound and instrumentation. With this release, Perchta demonstrates their debut was not a fluke and that their sound can go even further in the intense 47 minutes of music presented here.

    Opening with the moody “Vom Verlnga”, we quickly hear the band’s use of traditional instruments on top of a vicious onslaught of Black Metal riffs and the charismatic vocals of Perchta. The music features the perfect balance of aggression, melody and melancholy, creating very engaging songs like “Ois ws man san” and “Hebamm”. While infusing lore and atmosphere with others like “Heiliges Bluat”.

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    Botanist - Paleobotany (2024)

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    We always had a love and hate relationship with Botanist and their music since their earlier more ‘experimental’ release. While totally flamed them on their first albums, we have grown to actually like them as their later stuff has been more structured and genre-bending. In “Paleobotany”, the band unleashes ten tracks and nearly forty five minutes of quite interesting and complex music, ranging from Post-Metal/Rock elements to Progressive Metal/Rock passages, to darker and more experimental efforts.

    The release opens with the dreamy “Aristolochia”, a piece that has a certain Katatonia-esque sound, with proggy and Post Rock-ish elements, something we didn’t quite expect from the band, but we totally dig it. The dramatic clean vocal arrangements make tracks like “When Forest Turned to Coal” and its Black Metal riffs, “Magnolia” and its moody madness, have a very lively and engaging nature, as well as an interesting interplay with the growls and the melodic nature of the dulcimer.

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    Arð - Untouched by Fire (2024)

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    After blowing us away with their debut release in 2022, Mark Deeks and Arð return with another monumental release titled “Untouched by Fire”. Perfectly mixing eerie choir arrangements with traditional Doom Metal, or monastic doom as the band has been pegged, this release is more epic, more solemn, and more dreamy than the last one. So be prepared for a truly immersive and mournful listening experience.

    Opening with the crushing riffs of “Cursed To Nothing But Patience”, this outfit sets a very ethereal and regal atmosphere that only a handful of bands can create, like Hamferð and Skepticism. The lush instrumentation adds an extra layer to the music, with tons of intricate elements perfectly introduced in precise moments to capture the cinematic experience of Arð’s music, as show in the opener and other excellent tracks like “Name Bestowed”, “Hefenfelth” and our favorite, the even more melancholic “He Saw Nine Winters” and its weeping lead guitars.

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    DOOL - The Shape of Fluidity (2024)

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    After taking the scene by storm with “Summerland”, DOOL had set an impossibly high bar for their follow-up release. Fast-forward four years and the band is ready to unleash “The Shape of Fluidity” to the world, featuring nine tracks and nearly 50 minutes of their signature Dark Rock. Further improving their energy level and songwriting abilities, this release more than delivers on the potential and promise of this excellent outfit.

    From the opening single, “Venus in Flames”, Raven Van Dorst’s presence is immediately felt thanks to her signature vocals and guitar playing chops. The album starts with a bang, thanks to a very well crafted and energetic song with some epic passages and dreamy interludes. The band’s music is very melodic and guitar driven, with pieces like “Self-Dissect”, the album title track, and “Evil in You” delivering highly intoxicating riffs and perfectly crafted tempo changes. While other songs like “Currents” serve to create atmospheric pauses and brace the listener for what follows.

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    The Vision Bleak - Weird Tales (2024)

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    Schwadorf and Kontanz are finally back with another set of bizarre and playful tales of horror. In “Weird Tales”, the duo unleashes a single 41-minute long piece that is divided into 12 chapters, each with their own uniqueness and magic. For those that are not familiar with the band’s music, they play something they call Horror Metal, which is a horror-themed Gothic Metal, filled with eerie and playful atmospherics as well as excellent storytelling and even some theatrics.

    After opening with some spooky atmospherics that set a very cinematic vibe, Schwadorf and his melodic guitar riffs continue to build momentum as the dual vocal onslaught of a mixture of harsh and clean vocals unleash the band’s dramatic theatrical style. Chapters “In Rue d'Auseil”, “In Gardens Red, Satanical”, and “Once I Was a Flower” instantly transport the listener into the band’s sinister and fantasy-filled world, creating a very mystical and enjoyable vibe.

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