Black Metal

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Høstsol - L​ä​nge leve dö​den (2023)

    cover

    Unleashing nearly 45 minutes of hellish Black Metal, today we have international supergroup Høstsol and their debut full-length “L​ä​nge leve dö​den”. Featuring Niklas Kvarforth on vocals, Cernunnus (Manes) on guitars, Rainer Tuomikanto (Ajattara) on drums, and Vesa Wahlroos (Ajattara) on bass guitar, this stacked lineup delivers five tracks of intense music that is both moody and demoralizing.

    After an atmospheric mood setting opening, “As seen through the eyes of the prophet” nicely warms up to melodic riffs and Niklas Kvarforth’s signature snarls. While the opener does not show all the cards the band has, “Det som en gång var (det kommer aldrig igen)” quickly escalates into crushing heaviness with intense drumming and blistering guitar-work alongside a throbbing bass guitar line. This track is as sinister as they get, perfectly shifting the release to higher gears.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Oerheks - Landschapsanachronismen (2023)

    cover

    Storming the listener with waves of melancholy and aggression, today we have one-man project Oerheks and their 2023 demo “Landschapsanachronismen”. Delivering nearly 25 minutes of music in two crushing tracks, this release showcases a very promising band with excellent ideas and a knack for oppressive atmospherics paired with lush interludes.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    …and Oceans - As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023)

    cover

    We are extremely glad that the band that got us into Symphonic Black Metal in the 90’s is back in full form and has stayed away from their weird Techno/Industrial phase. …and Oceans delivered two brilliant releases in the late 90’s, then dropped two super weird and ahead of their time releases only to mostly disappear for almost a decade. With “As in Gardens, So in Tombs” the band showcases a lush and evolved sound filled with epic melodies and crafty atmospherics.

    Opening with the album title track, the band’s retro approach to the genre perfectly balances furious guitar work over playful keyboards. While most bands these days make the keyboards overbearing, this Finnish outfit uses them to complement their core sound as they never feel over the top. Tracks like “The Collector and His Construct”, “Within Fire and Crystal”, and “Carried on Lead Wings” have that old Tartaros and Limbonic Art vibe adorned with ‘new’ vocalist Mathias Lillmåns of Finntroll harsh scream onslaughts.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Inherits the Void - The Impending Fall of the Stars (2023)

    cover

    Unleashing waves of old-school Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal, today we have one-man battalion Inherits the Void and and ‘their’ sophomore full-length release “The Impending Fall of the Stars”. Mixing elements from the early days of bands like Old Man’s Child and Dimmu Borgir, with the raw melody of Immortal, this release delivers 43 minutes of intense music.

    Opening with the album title track, we instantly get waves of crushing riffs, a la Galder style, perfectly adorned with subtle but lush keyboards and hellish screams. The immediate vibe is quite retro, but with crisp production values. As “Palingenesis”, “Where the Oceans Lost their Might” and “Sullen Laments of the Wanderers” roll by, the listener will find itself headbanging to the expertly crafted melodic core of the band’s sound.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Imperium Dekadenz - Into Sorrow Evermore (2023)

    cover

    With all the killer reviews coming out in January, we almost missed “Into Sorrow Evermore”, the epic seventh full-length release of Germany’s Imperium Dekadenz. Featuring around 50 minutes of melodic and highly atmospheric Black Metal, this release feels like a mixture of Vreid with Der Weg einer Freiheit. If you like atmospheric stuff, this is probably one of the best in quite a while.

    Opening with the engaging “Into Sorrow Evermore”, the band nicely sets a moody vibe as the wave of blistering guitar riffs and furious drumming sets in. We like this tempered approach as the band’s sound slowly expands and envelops the room very effectively. The headbanging continues with the crushing “Truth under Stars” and it nicely mellows out with the solemn opening of “Aurora”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    A Diadem of Dead Stars - Emerald Sunsets (2023)

    cover

    Unleashing a very interesting compilation of some of their earlier digital material, today we have A Diadem of Dead Stars with “Emerald Sunsets”. Hailing from Greece, this band has a very unique and at times gritty sound that perfectly blends influences from bands like early Ulver, Empyrium, and more modern Atmospheric Black Metal elements from outfits like Heretoir and Saor.

    Opening with the blistering “The Furrow of Woes”, we quickly get aggressive BM guitar riffs and a moody tempo. This track nicely evolves into some eerily magical (early) Ulver-esque passages of clean vocals and powerful guitars. There is a certain Doom-ish magic to the band’s sound that nicely keeps things interesting and different, as we can hear in songs like “And Swallows Flew Away From This”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Moonlight Sorcery - Nightwind: The Conqueror From the Stars (2023)

    cover

    Some releases are just too awesome to have a digital only release, and thanks to Avantgarde Music, today we have Moonlight Sorcery’s latest EP “Nightwind: The Conqueror From the Stars” available in different physical formats. Featuring a very interesting mix of old-school Black Metal with a heavy Melodic edge, this band perfectly captures that 2000’s vibe when the genre was pumping out excellent releases.

    Hailing from Finland, this outfit quickly sets a hectic tempo with the magical “Ancient Sword Of Hate” and its uncompromising melodic riffing. Filled with furious lead guitars and blistering drumming, this track is quite punishing and yet highly engaging. With a thrashier edge, “Yötuulten Kutsu” has a certain early Children of Bodom-meets-Alghazanth vibe and we totally love it. Definitely one of the best tracks in this release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Hate Forest - Innermost (2022)

    cover

    After being broken up for 15 years or so, Hate Forest returned with a punishing release in 2020, and before we even knew it, they dropped “Innermost” this past December. Featuring six tracks and around 35 minutes of punishing Black Metal, this release keeps the band’s mythos alive and well by unleashing their signature demoralizing style. If you are a fan of the band, and/or bleak and ravaging BM, you can’t miss out on this release.

    The release quickly goes for the throat with “Those Who Howl Inside the Snowstorm”, a blistering piece of traditional Black Metal in the vein of Immortal, with piercing tremolo picking and crushing drumming. The album’s savagery level is quickly showcased as pieces like “By Full Moon's Light Alone the Steppe Throne Can Be Seen” and “Ice-Cold Bloodless Veins” provide no respite except for the occasional atmospheric interludes. Hate Forest has always been characterized for their relentless brutality and this is front and center on this release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Serotonin Syndrome - Seed of Mankind (2023)

    cover

    Unleashing aural waves of misery, today we have Finland’s, Serotonin Syndrome, and their third full-length release “Seed of Mankind”. Perfectly blending Post-Metal/Post-Black Metal elements with sobering melancholy, this release unleashings five tracks and nearly 40 minutes of brilliant music. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Karg, Harakiri for the Sky, and Heretoir, this release will certainly turn days cloudy and gloomy.

    Opening with “Among Others”, the release starts heavy hitting with piercing riffs and crushing vocals. This slowly transforms into slower passages that set a very bleak mood early on. As “The Pitiful One” rolls in, the band keeps unleashing blistering aggressive sections in between dreamy guitars and crafty tempo changes. With “Seed Of Mankind” the release takes an interesting tour into Karg/Harakiri for the Sky-esque territories with lush guitars and some shoegazey passages.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Kanonenfieber - Der Füsilier (2023)

    cover

    Delivering two tracks of switch brutality and incisiveness, today we have Kanonenfieber and their short but punishing EP “Der Füsilier”. Featuring two relentless tracks, this EP showcases the band’s raw power alongside their melodic undertones and craftiness. For fans of Black Metal that is just weird enough to be different, this is a band to keep in your sights.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries