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    Clouds - Despărțire (2021)

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    Consistently pushing the boundaries of creating misery-inducing music, Clouds is one of those bands that with each release only keeps getting better and more refined. With “Despărțire” the band sets a new bar for Atmospheric Death/Doom Metal releases with nearly 60 minutes of emotive music that will rip your heart out of its cavity in minutes. Featuring some excellent guest appearances and some additional elements to the band’s already all-encompassing sound, this release is as brilliant as any of the band’s previous efforts.

    Opening with the imposing “Deepen This Wound”, we get a very solemn vibe thanks to weeping violins and piercing riffs, perfectly paired with Daneil’s rumbling growls. The use of clean vocals provides a nice contrast and allows the music to flow into more emotional dimensions. In the piercing “This Heart, A Coffin”, the band enlisted none other than Mick Moss to provide additional vocals in this total banger of a song. We particularly enjoy the juxtaposition of the violins, tempo, and clean vocals in this very dynamic piece.

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    Sky Crypt - Incipit Anarchia: Eternity (2020)

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    We are always suckers for good Melodic Death Metal releases and luckily for us, Sky Crypt unleashes nearly 40 minutes of catchy and old-school sounding music. In “Incipit Anarchia: Eternity”, this Russian duo manages to carve a personal sound from mixing elements from old Dark Tranquillity, In Flames and At the Gates. If you are a fan of older sounding Melo-Death, this release will keep you busy.

    Opening with your traditional atmospheric intro, the release really warms up with “The Dawn of Tyranny” and its catchy riffs paired with crafty tempo changes. The band’s style is quite linear and traditional, and while not bad, it feels a bit uninspired at times with songs like “The Higher Walls”, “The Awe”, and “The Solemn Rite”, all blending together.

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    Arcane Existence - Colossus (2021)

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    Hailing from the USA, today we have newcomers Arcane Existence and their lush and haunting Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal release “Colossus”. With a very lively and engaging style, the band borrows from some of the genre greats (Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, etc.) but manages to carve a different and unique style for themselves. For nearly 56 minutes this release will certainly transport you to a different world, exactly what albums like this one should do.

    Opening with the lavish “Mystic”, the band sets a very cinematic and mysterious mood, thanks to lush symphonic arrangements and crafty Metal elements. As the album progresses, tracks like “Sovereign Blood” and “Transmutation” show the heavier side of the band with pummeling drums, varied riffs, and a good balance of harsh and clean vocals. With small transition pieces like “Formation” before more elaborate and moody tracks like Dimmu Borgir-esque “Conclave”, the band keeps the album interesting and fresh.

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    Æpoch - Hiraeth (2021)

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    Hailing from Canada, today we have Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit Æpoch with their latest EP “Hiraeth”. Delivering nearly 20 minutes of high-octane music, this band shows great maturity and originality in their very polished sound. From start to finish, this release will have you furiously headbanging and moshing with your friends.

    Opening with “Atonement”, we get that immediate Death worship within the first few minutes as the band transitions into intense melodic riffs and proggy tempo changes. The opener perfectly bleeds into “Amnesia” another piece with ravaging guitars and tight drumming. The growls are deep and firm, allowing the music to sound quite brutal with the addition of extra vocals by Alustrium’s Jerry Martin.

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    Solitude - Exogenesis (2021)

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    Unleashing over 37 minutes of stylish Melodic Death Metal, today we have Solitude and their latest release “Exogenesis”. Hailing from Mexico, this outfit perfectly blends elements from bands like Soilwork, Dark Tranquillity, old In Flames, etc. to create a very dynamic and engaging style. Filled with epic headbanging moments, this release is highly recommended for any fan of the genre.

    Exploding with the album title track, the band quickly delivers waves of catchy riffs, intense harsh vocals, and crafty drumming. The album’s mood is quite lively and engaging since the start, allowing tracks like “Arbitrium Incorporea”, “Descending into Flesh”, and “Of Though and Blood” to build on that momentum and unleash maximum melodic catchiness. The inclusion of clean vocals nicely balances the impact of the harsh screams alongside the sweeping melodic passages.

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    Fárbauti - Hulderdans (2021)

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    Hailing from Norway, today we have an interesting mixture of Ambient Black Metal with some Death Metal influences, creating a very disturbing and different release. Featuring four tracks and nearly 20 minutes of run time, this EP is the brainchild of Gjøran Sæther. For those that like cavernous atmospheres and sprinkles of old-school BM influences, this release makes for an interesting listen.

    The release starts with the atmospheric “Nakne Føt På Råtten Lyng”, a track that starts quite conventionally and then it just gets weird. Odd tempo changes make this track trippy, but not in the best of ways. Experimentation is definitely one the central ideas of this one-man project, and as the slow and eerie atmosphere leads us to “Berget Må Åpna Seg”, a more somber and straightforward piece that could be benefitted by actual drums or better drum production at least.

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    Lesotho - Summer Wars (2021)

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    Hailing from Boston, USA, today we have Lesotho, an intense trio playing some lush and expansive mixture of Post-Rock with Post-Metal flair. For fans of bands like Caspian, This Will Destroy You, pg.lost, and Tides from Nebula, this release is filled with cinematic aural experiences that are both dreamy and yet intricate and complex. If you are in the market for mellow and introspective music, this is a great place to start.

    This EP starts with the momentum builder “Plusone/Timestwo”, a track that slowly evolves into heavy but dreamy territories thanks to engaging distorted guitars and crafty tempo changes. We particularly enjoy the shoegazey cathartic feeling of this track as it peaks. Our favorite track in this release has to be the engaging “Altar Fire”, and its crafty manipulation of expectations with heavy distorted riffs nicely lined up against sweeping guitar leads and very dramatic crescendos.

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    Les Chants du Hasard - Livre Troisième (2021)

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    It has been a while that we have received an interesting neoclassical release like “Livre Troisième” from Les Chants du Hasard. Channeling a mixture of the turmoil of Elend’s music and the sinister side of the orchestrations and vocal arrangements of Devil Doll, this release unleashes nearly 45 minutes of a very cinematic and harrowing aural experience. Filled with dramatic and moody arrangements, this album is quite interesting and lush.

    Opening with the dramatic and quite regal “Le Moine”, a very epic and somber backdrop is set. Followed by “Les Prismes”, a piece that establishes a cinematic experience with its tempo changes and very dramatic vocal arrangements. “Le Reflet” has to be one of our favorite tracks thanks to its over-the-top operatic vocals dueling with creepy harsh screams and a very tense orchestral backdrop, raising our heart rate as the track reaches its climax.

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    The Beast of Nod - Multiversal (2021)

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    Mixing up Technical Death Metal with Progressive and ‘Video Game’ Metal elements, today we have a very intense and exciting band from the USA called The Beast of Nod. With comparisons to bands like Dethklok, Powerglove, and similar outfits, “Multiversal” delivers over 50 minutes of playful high-octane music that is extremely technically proficient, fun, and greatly engaging.

    Opening with the magical “Flight of the Quetzalcoatlus”, we instantly get that Proggy/Techy vibe with intricate guitars, crafty drumming and playful tempo changes. The vocal styles vary between growls and shrieks, allowing for the music to change moods and intensity quite nicely, as the jazzy “Contemporary Calamity” showcases.

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    Gorr - Kvit Som Snøen, Kald I Blikket (2021)

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    Hailing from the frosty lands of Norway and South Carolina, today we have International duo Gorr and their latest full-length release “Kvit Som Snøen, Kald I Blikket”. Delivering over 25 minutes of raw Black Metal, this outfit unleashes an interesting mixture of rawness and mid-tempo atmospherics, creating a very unique and engaging sound. If you like Black Metal that while sounding like it was recorded in the woods, it also has a more thoughtful and melancholic edge, then you should definitely check this out.

    Opening with the mellow “Innleiing”, we get a nice contrast between simple guitars and raspy harsh vocals. Skuggimaðr is the band’s vocalist and Norwegian member, whose singing style perfectly fits the duality of the band’s sound. Tracks like “Bitande Kaldt”, “Kvit Som Snøen, Kald I Blikket”, and “Ditt Uendelege Raseri”, are your run of the mill BM songs, with some Death Metal and even Doomy influences that makes them interesting and nice complement to the more atmospheric pieces like “Mørkt Føre, Mørke Bak” and “Kom Ut I Mitt Mørke”.

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