Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review – Spectral Lore / 11 Days EP (2023)

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Embark on a musical voyage together with this Greek Atmospheric Black Metal/Ambient entity, offering us all a powerful concept album about the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean sea.

A concept album about the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean sea, 11 Days is a very different album for Athens, Greece-based Atmospheric Black Metal/Ambient entity Spectral Lore, being its first album to feature a specifically political theme. Originally released as a digital album in March of 2023 with the aim to gather funds for refugee and migrant aiding collectives, it functions not just as a musical album with a fictional narrative based on real events, but also as a statement of protest against the policies of the European Union regarding refugees and migrants. Recorded, mixed and mastered by the band’s own mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ayloss (of Auriferous Flame, Clarent Blade, Divine Element, Fortress of the Pearl, Mystras, and several other amazing projects) at Stellar Auditorium, displaying a captivating artwork by Christina Chrysanthopoulou, and featuring an array of special guests, the album describes a fictional journey of survival through the Mediterranean sea using supernatural and mythic elements, in an attempt to tell such a story in a way consistent with Black Metal and Ambient aesthetics, being therefore recommended for fans of Mare Cognitum, Chaos Moon, Midnight Odyssey and Blut Aus Nord, among others.

Featuring guest vocals by an unknown member of Greek Black Metal horde Yovel, Moloch is a multi-layered, harsh and unique creation by Ayloss that alternates between classic Atmospheric Black Metal and Experimental Black Metal moments, with its visceral, cryptic vociferations being beautifully complemented by hammering drums and piercing Black Metal riffs, moving like an arrow on fire in pitch black darkness until the very last second. Then we have Fortitude/Sunrise, with synths, electronics and vocals by guest Nate Collins, another phantasmagorical and ethereal aria that will mercilessly enfold your damned soul for ten minutes. In other words, it’s the utmost definition of ambient music, with all elements connecting to each other to craft an ominous atmosphere; followed by Adro Onzi, featuring guest vocals by V. and a guest guitar solo by K. (both of Greek Black Metal act Voak), guest vocals by Sadistik, and synths by Odile Aurora Strik, an explosion of old school Black Metal with modern nuances that’s simply pulverizing from start to finish. Once again leaning towards Experimental Black Metal, the song showcases an amazing job done by all musicians involved, embellishing the airwaves for impressive 13 minutes and flowing into the also dense and mesmerizing Tremor/Kalunga Line, featuring synths, electronics and vocals by guests Nate Collins and Odile Aurora Strik, again venturing through the realms of atmospheric and ambient music, sounding very delicate yet also dark and grim, therefore closing the album on a whimsical note.

“These kinds of policies with the goal of violently curtailing immigration cause enormous death and suffering, as migrants are forced to take even more difficult and dangerous routes to avoid repression. The primary intention with this album is therefore to call out the xenophobic, nationalist and anti-immigrant ideologies that are still dominant today in Europe, under the veil of fake progressivism and pseudo-humanist rhetoric,” commented Ayloss about all issues going on in Europe, and you can get to know more details and find additional links about everything happening in the region on the project’s BandCamp page, where you can obviously purchase a copy of 11 Days (also available for a full listen on YouTube), as well as from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page or from Throne Records as a CD or an LP, keeping in mind all sales from the digital version and proceeds from the physical editions will be donated to pro-refugee organizations and causes. You can also follow Ayloss and his Spectral Lore on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and stream more of the project’s music on Spotify, joining Ayloss on a musical journey where fantasy and reality collide in a truly compelling way, again proving how the power of music can have a very positive impact on our rotten and decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Moloch and Adro Onzi.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 I, Voidhanger Records/Throne Records

Track listing
1. Moloch 11:05
2. Fortitude/Sunrise 10:08
3. Adro Onzi 13:45
4. Tremor/Kalunga Line 9:02

Band members
Ayloss – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Nate Collins – synths, electronics and vocals on “Fortitude/Sunrise” and “Tremor/Kalunga Line”
Odile Aurora Strik – synths on “Adro Onzi”, synths and field recording on “Tremor/Kalunga Line”
V. – vocals on “Adro Onzi”
K. – lead guitars on “Adro Onzi”
Sadistik – vocals on “Adro Onzi”
Unknown – vocals on “Moloch”

Album Review – Revulsed / Cerebral Contamination (2023)

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Eight years after their critically acclaimed debut album, this venomous Australian Technical/Brutal Death Metal outfit is finally back to unleash worldwide their most brutal effort to date.

Eight years after their critically acclaimed debut Infernal Atrocity, the venomous Melbourne, Australia-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal outfit Revulsed is finally back to unleash worldwide their most brutal effort, titled Cerebral Contamination. Produced and recorded by the band itself, pre-mixed by Sheldon D’Costa at Ears To Hear Studio, mixed and mastered by Jason De Ron and Jayson Sherlock at Studio Vertigo, and displaying a sick artwork by Aditia Wardhana, the album offers our putrid ears a savage collection of Death Metal hymns tailored for fans of Suffocation, Inveracity, Cannibal Corpse and Defeated Sanity, among others, all carefully brought into being by Damien Graves on vocals, Sheldon D’Costa (who has recently departed from the band) on the guitars and bass, and Jayson Sherlock on drums, plus session musician Adam Wilkie on lead guitars.

Eerie, phantasmagorical sounds emerge from the pits of the underworld in the intro Dawn Of Inhuman Savagery, setting the stage for Equitable Sufferance, a demented attack of Brutal Death Metal led by the pulverizing beats by Jayson while Damien wastes no time and begins barking rabidly in our faces; whereas Asomatous Existence leans towards the more technical side of Death Metal, but of course still showcasing the band’s infuriated vein, with Sheldon sounding awesome with his riffs and bass lines, not to mention the sick guitar solo by Adam. There’s no time to breathe as the band hammers our cranial skulls mercilessly in Delusional Servitude, a Brutal Death Metal beast where Jayson sounds inhumane on drums as usual; and a sinister intro evolves into a hurricane of brutality in Beyond The Depths Of The Subconscious, showcasing devilish lyrics roared by Damien (“Boil infested a tongue befouled – churning / necrotic flesh saturates the lips / A voice grotesque and sinister – beckons / from the blighted void”). Then pig-like screeches, visceral riffs and demented drums are the main ingredients in Perditional Enslavement, keeping the album at an insane level of animosity.

Nefarious Devourment is one of the most technical and devastating of all songs, spearheaded by the nonstop drums by Jayson while Damien keeps haunting our damned souls with his venomous growling, whereas Monotheistic Postulation is a more straightforward Death Metal tune perfect for some sick headbanging, with Sheldon shredding his guitar like a maniac form start to finish, also presenting thunderous sounds recommended for some brutal slamming. The band still has a lot of fuel to burn, starting with the crushing Inconceivable Hallucinations, a bit uninspired compared to the rest of the album but still good enough for some circle pit action, also presenting Jayson’s trademark drum insanity; while their second to last blast of dementia in the form of Death Metal, titled Deistic Repudiation, is brutal, diabolical, savage and ruthless all at once, with Damien once again stealing the spotlight with another infernal performance on vocals, all boosted by another wicked solo by Adam. Lastly, the band will smash you like an insect in less than two minutes with the title-track Cerebral Contamination, another gore infested Brutal Death Metal creation that lives up to the legacy of the genre.

In case you want to put your dirty, blood-soaked hands on Cerebral Contamination, you can purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE (mailorder) or HERE (BandCamp), and also show all your support to Revulsed by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming all of their wicked creations on Spotify. It might have taken eight years for us metalheads to enjoy a new sonic attack by Revulsed, plus the fact they’re only a duo now with the departures of guitarist Sheldon D’Costa and bassist Mark Smith, but that’s not stopping Damien and Jayson from delivering sick and brutal heavy music; quite the contrary, the duo sounds more inspired than ever in Cerebral Contamination, proving once again that if you’re looking for high quality extreme music, you must travel Down Under to get to know countless insane bands like Revulsed.

Best moments of the album: Asomatous Existence, Beyond The Depths Of The Subconscious and Deistic Repudiation.

Worst moments of the album: Inconceivable Hallucinations.

Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Dawn Of Inhuman Savagery 1:04
2. Equitable Sufferance 3:56
3. Asomatous Existence 4:11
4. Delusional Servitude 3:01
5. Beyond The Depths Of The Subconscious 3:35
6. Perditional Enslavement 4:48
7. Nefarious Devourment 4:14
8. Monotheistic Postulation 3:20
9. Inconceivable Hallucinations 2:54
10. Deistic Repudiation 3:12
11. Cerebral Contamination 1:44

Band members
Damien Graves – vocals
Sheldon D’Costa – guitars, bass
Jayson Sherlock – drums

Guest musician
Adam Wilkie – lead guitars

Album Review – Danko Jones / Electric Sounds (2023)

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Toronto, Canada-based undisputed kings of balls-out Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll are back to provide maximum satisfaction with their electrifying eleventh studio album.

Are you ready to rock? Do you want a good time? Do you want to get high? If the answer to any of those questions is yes (and it really should be), then Toronto, Canada-based undisputed kings of balls-out Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll, collectively known as Danko Jones, are back to provide maximum satisfaction with their new album titled Electric Sounds, the eleventh studio effort in their career. Produced and mixed by Eric Ratz, mastered by Harry Hess at HBomb Mastering, and displaying a classy artwork by Martin Ander, Electric Sounds will slap you in the face with its endless electricity and power, all carefully brought into being by vocalist and guitarist Danko Jones (aka Rishi James Ganjoo), bassist John “JC” Calabrese, and drummer Rich Knox.

As already asked, are you ready for a Rock N’ Roll party together with Danko and his crew? That’s what you’ll get in the groovy Guess Who’s Back, with Danko declaiming the song’s acid lyrics while Rich dictate the song’s pace with his classic beats, followed by Good Time, another exciting, rockin’ extravaganza by the trio, with the bass by JC sounding thunderous while Danko keeps roaring the song’s fun chorus with tons of energy (“I came here to fuck shit up and have a good time”). Then the title-track Electric Sounds, featuring guest guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter), will take you on a wild musical ride together with the band, with Danko kicking some ass on vocals supported by the pounding drums by Rich. Then we have Get High?, featuring guest vocals by Damian Abraham (from Fucked Up), a song about the the legalization of marijuana in Canada that ends up being some sort of Rock N’ Roll anthem for potheads, showcasing solid riffs and strong bass lines; and let’s keep banging our heads with Danko Jones in Stiff Competition, bringing more of the band’s pounding but very melodic sounds, albeit not as thrilling as the rest of the album.

The band speeds things up and invite us all to slam into the pit to the sound of She’s My Baby, featuring guest vocals by Tyler Stewart (from Barenaked Ladies), a lesson in modern-day Rock N’ Roll and Hard Rock; whereas Eye For An Eye reminds me of some of the most recent songs by Danish rock titans Volbeat, which is obviously a good thing, with the guitars by Danko sounding amazing from start to finish. And adding an extra dosage of groove to their music it’s time for I Like It, a strip tease-fueled rock song where the beats by Rich will inspire you to bang your head like a maniac. The party has no time to stop, as the vibrant Let’s Make Out keeps the adrenaline level as high as it can be, with Danko once again kicking ass on vocals and with his classy riffs, while What Goes Around offers us all pure Rock N’ Roll flowing from all instruments, with the vocals by Danko matching perfectly with the rumbling kitchen by JC and Rich. Lastly, the trio will shake your city with their rockin’ sounds in Shake Your City, bringing forward one final round of their classic riffs, bass lines and beats and fills.

Electric Sounds is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you want to show your utmost support to Danko Jones you can grab a copy of the album from their own website or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also follow this amazing Hard Rock crew from Toronto on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates, and so on. Danko Jones and his henchmen are ready to rock your world armed with the electric sounds found in their new album, and if I were you I wouldn’t waste a single second and join them because, as you might know, their Rock N’ Roll party has no time to end.

Best moments of the album: Electric Sounds, She’s My Baby and Eye For An Eye.

Worst moments of the album: Stiff Competition.

Released in 2023 AFM Records

Track listing
1. Guess Who’s Back 2:41
2. Good Time 3:57
3. Electric Sounds 3:13
4. Get High? 3:37
5. Stiff Competition 3:27
6. She’s My Baby 3:17
7. Eye For An Eye 2:58
8. I Like It 3:09
9. Let’s Make Out 3:26
10. What Goes Around 3:32
11. Shake Your City 3:30

Band members
Danko Jones – lead vocals, guitars
John “JC” Calabrese – bass
Rich Knox – drums

Guest musicians
Tyler Stewart – vocals on “She’s My Baby”, backing vocals
Damian Abraham – vocals on “Get High?”, backing vocals
Daniel Dekay – guitars on “Electric Sounds”, backing vocals
Eric Ratz, Harry Hess, Zach Pepe – backing vocals

Album Review – Fellahin Fall / Urbana EP (2023)

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A rising Alternative/Gothic Metal band from New York is back with a striking new EP, pushing their “urban doom” sound further while also telling the tale of an atomized man’s yearned escape from the metropolis.

A rising Alternative/Gothic Metal band with Industrial Metal elements formed in 2019 in Brooklyn, New York City, in the United States, Fellahin Fall have just unleashed a four-track EP titled Urbana, following up on their critically praised 2020 debut album Tar a-Kan. Mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios, Urbana sees the band formed of Nodar on vocals and keyboards, Pat Reilly and Raphael Pinsker on the guitars, Mark Morrill on bass, and Eugene Bell on drums pushing their “urban doom” sound further while also telling the tale of an atomized man’s yearned escape from the metropolis, being recommended for fans of Type O Negative, Woods of Ypres, Paradise Lost, and Fires in the Distance, among others.

The opening track Bury Me sounds very melodic, atmospheric and introspective, with the bass by Mark reverberating in the background while Nodar darkly declaims the song’s lyrics in the name of Gothic Metal, flowing into the also alternative and groovy The Parting, where the keys by Nodar and the minimalist, piercing guitars by Pat and Raphael will take you on a mesmerizing musical journey, sounding and feeling ready to be played on any rock radio station worldwide. Grey Morning brings to our ears another blast of their gentle but obscure fusion of Alternative Rock and Metal with Gothic and Doom Metal nuances, where once again Nodar steals the spotlight with his deep vocals and whimsical keys while Eugene dictates the song’s pace with his sluggish, classy beats. And last but not least, the band continues their walk through the darkest paths of alternative music in their cover version for Everything I Touch Touch Turns to Gold (Then to Coal), by Woods of Ypres (see the original one HERE, from their 2009 album IV: The Green Album), presenting their trademark somber vocals, pensive and enfolding atmosphere, and delicate riffs and beats, ending the EP on an ethereal vibe.

The stylish and atmospheric Urbana, which is available for a full listen on Spotify, definitely showcases a band that is taking their music to a whole new level, and you can let the guys from Fellahin Fall how much you enjoy their music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and by purchasing a copy of Urbana from their BandCamp page (or click HERE for all things Fellahin Fall). Will our anti-hero escape from the metropolis, or will he be forever trapped in that urban nightmare? Well, simply listen to the entertaining Urbana, and Fellahin Fall will promptly answer that question to you.

Best moments of the album: Bury Me and Grey Morning.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Bury Me 4:39
2. The Parting 5:30
3. Grey Morning 4:39
4. Everything I Touch Touch Turns to Gold (Then to Coal) (Woods of Ypres cover) 4:12

Band members
Nodar – vocals, keyboards
Pat Reilly – lead guitars
Raphael Pinsker – rhythm guitars
Mark Morrill – bass
Eugene Bell – drums

Album Review – Délétère / Songes d’une Nuit Souillée (2023)

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Quebec City-based disciples of pestilence are back with their darkest and most tortured offering yet, a striking tour-de-force of first-class Métal Noir Québécois.

One of the leaders of the Métal Noir Québécois scene, Quebec City, Quebec-based disciples of pestilence Délétère (which is French for “deleterious” or “harmful”), is back with what is without a doubt their darkest and most tortured offering yet, the demonic Songes d’une Nuit Souillée, or “dreams of a defiled night” in English. Sporting a crushing sound from Tehom Productions and absolutely striking visuals by Vhan Artworks, the album sees such ruthless Black Metal horde plunge into a never-ending pit of pestilence, blasphemy and perversion, or in other words, it’s a striking tour-de-force masterfully brought into being by vocalist and keyboardist Thorleif, guitarists Atheos, Glauque and Matrak, bassist Anhidar, and drummer Kaedes, resulting in the perfect follow-up for their 2018 album De Horae Leprae.

Chasse obscene (“obscene hunt”, from French) is cryptic and atmospheric from the very first second, with the band’s guitar triumvirate piercing our souls mercilessly with their devilish riffs while Thorleif begins his demonic vocal attack for our total delight, followed by Sacre de la perversion (“coronation of perversion”), offering us all seven minutes of absolute darkness, carnage and blasphemy by those black metallers, the epitome of what we like to call Métal Noir Québécois, spearheaded by the sick yet very technical drumming by Kaedes. The band keeps the atmosphere as dense, grim and infernal as possible in Foutredieu, showcasing another solid job done by Kaedes on drums supported by the menacing bass by Anhidar, whereas Messe scandaleuse (“scandalous mass”) is another blast of insanity made in Quebec, with the guitars by Atheos, Glauque and Matrak dragging us all into pitch black darkness, and with the song’s backing vocals sounding absolutely haunting.

The second half of the album begins with an extensive interlude on the piano titled Sonata Impudicitiae (“the sonata of impudence”, from Latin), which is not bad but goes on for too long, setting the tone for the pulverizing aria Lex Syphilii (“the law of syphilis”, from Latin), an explosion of classic Black Metal led by the venomous vociferations by Thorleif while his bandmates make sure the ambience remains nefarious and despicable until the very last second, with the blast beats by Kaedes once again bringing thunder to their sound. Then continuing their path to the underworld we’re treated to the visceral, epic and multi-layered Le labour des chairs (“the plowing of flesh”), where once again the stringed axes by Atheos, Glauque and Matrak generate a Stygian vibe in the name of Black Metal; whereas closing such intense album we have La nuit souillée (“the defiled night”), a mid-tempo, dense creation by Délétère where Thorleif couldn’t have sounded more hellish accompanied by all phantasmagorical backing vocals, therefore putting a beyond somber ending to the band’s black mass.

If you want to experience Songes d’une Nuit Souillée in all of its blackened glory, you can stream the full album on YouTube, and of course grab a copy of it from the Sepulchral Productions’ BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also join such talented horde from Quebec City in their quest for darkness and evil on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all news, tour dates and other details about the band. Simply close your eyes, hit play, and let the visceral Black Metal by Délétère invade your darkest dreams during a profane, impure night, keeping the flames of Métal Noir Québécois burning bright and, therefore, keeping you closer and closer to the absolute darkness that reigns in the underworld.

Best moments of the album: Sacre de la perversion, Lex Syphilii and Le labour des chairs.

Worst moments of the album: Sonata Impudicitiae.

Released in 2023 Sepulchral Productions

Track listing
1. Chasse obscene 5:24
2. Sacre de la perversion 7:26
3. Foutredieu 4:33
4. Messe scandaleuse 5:28
5. Sonata Impudicitiae 4:23
6. Lex Syphilii 4:35
7. Le labour des chairs 4:18
8. La nuit souillée 6:40

Band members
Thorleif – vocals, keyboards
Atheos – guitars
Glauque – guitars
Matrak – guitars
Anhidar – bass, vocals
Kaedes – drums

Album Review – Cryptosis / The Silent Call EP (2023)

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A fearless trio form the Netherlands will attack our senses armed with an exciting new EP, a first warning shot in anticipation of the band’s 2024 new studio album.

Formed back in 2020 in Enschede, a municipality and city in the eastern Netherlands, from the ashes of a band named Distillator, Progressive Thrash Metal outfit Cryptosis is back in action after their critically acclaimed 2021 debut album Bionic Swarm with a fun and vibrant EP titled The Silent Call. Recorded by Olaf Skoreng at The Moon, and mixed and mastered by Fredrik Folkare, The Silent Call serves not only as a new sign of life by Laurens Houvast on vocals and guitars, Frank te Riet on bass and mellotron, and Marco Prij on drums, but also as a first warning shot in anticipation of the band’s new studio effort which is in the works for next year.

The strident guitars by Laurens ignite the awesome title-track The Silent Call, showcasing futuristic, cosmic lyrics (“Grand structures, scrape the cosmos / and shadows, dance with deceit / my presence is known, yet obscured / amidst the babel of voices”) amidst a fusion of Thrash, Death and Black Metal with a strong melodic vein. Put differently, if this is an indication of what to expect from their next album, I can’t wait for it. Marco then dictates the pace with his thunderous beats in Master of Life, a previously unreleased song from their 2021 album Bionic Swarm sessions, while Frank makes sure the earth trembles armed with his bass in another Progressive Thrash Metal feast, not to mention the awesomely desperate, raspy vocals by Laurens. And recorded in Athens, Greece in November 2022 during the band’s latest European tour, we’re treated to an excellent version of Prospect of Immortality, where the trio showcases their refined technique and passion for heavy music, bringing sheer adrenaline to the crowd, while the second live song, Transcendence, sounds absolutely bestial, perfect for some action inside the mosh pit, with Laurens once again kicking some as on vocals supported by the rumbling kitchen by Frank and Marco.

Two original songs, two live songs, and an endless amount of adrenaline and heaviness. This is in a nutshell what you’ll get in The Silent Call, available for a full listen on Spotify, and on sale from the band’s own webshop or by clicking HERE or HERE, making us eager for the band’s 2024 full-length album as already mentioned. Hence, don’t forget to follow those talented Dutch metallers on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates (and after listening to the live songs from The Silent Call I bet you’ll be more than excited to see Cryptosis on stage), and so on, adding an extra touch of thrash to your already frantic metalhead life.

Best moments of the album: The Silent Call and Transcendence (live in Athens).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. The Silent Call 5:00
2. Master of Life 4:12
3. Prospect of Immortality (live in Athens) 6:15
4. Transcendence (live in Athens) 4:05

Band members
Laurens Houvast – vocals, guitars
Frank te Riet – bass, mellotron, backing vocals
Marco Prij – drums

Album Review – Serpents Oath / Revelation (2023)

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Belgium’s devilish division of Black Metal commandos returns with the third chapter in their tome of satanic secrets, a pulverizing and evil album that reaches further into darkness.

“Live by the rule of Fang and Claw, Survival is the highest Law”

Following in the burnt and blistered wake of their searing sophomore album Ascension, released in 2022, Belgium’s devilish division of Black Metal commandos, collectively known as Serpents Oath, have returned with the third chapter in their tome of satanic secrets, the fulminating Revelation, an album that reaches further into darkness, peers deeper into the abyss and dares to defy the very highest of holy powers. Recorded by Yarne Heylen at Project Zero Studio, and displaying a hellish artwork by renowned Mexican illustrator Néstor Ávalos, the album is highly recommended for fans of Dark Funeral,  Gorgoroth and Marduk, among other Black Metal giants, showcasing the unswerving dedication and the absolute commitment to the cause by vocalist Tes Re Oth, guitarists Baelus and Daenum, bassist Mørkald and drummer Draghul.

The obscure, sulfurous intro Invocatio Genesis will open the gates of hell for the band to crush our souls in Blood Covenant, an infernal old school Black Metal feast spearheaded by the demolishing blast beats by Draghul. What an insane way to start the album, and their ode to pitch black darkness goes on in the infuriated Gateways to Tiamat, where the guitars by Baelus and Daenum will pierce your mind mercilessly in the name of Black Metal. Then the first single of the album, Purification through Fire, will smash you like an insect to the venomous roars by Tes Re Oth and the always thunderous kitchen by Mørkald and Draghul, flowing into the cryptic interlude Invociatio Apocalypsis, once again setting the tone for the demonic Black Metal aria Beyond the Void, living up to the legacy of the genre with its nonstop blast beats, blazing riffage and the always hellish growls by Tes Re Oth.

The second half of the album begins in full force with another bestial creation by Serpents Oath titled Drakonian Gnosis, bringing to our avid ears more of their venomous sounds, and prepare your damned souls for six minutes of devilish, impure sounds in the form of Path of the Serpent, one of the most detailed, multi-layered songs of the album where Tes Re Oth continues to lead his evil horde to the netherworld, and with the riffs by Baelus and Daenum sounding truly venomous. After another atmospheric interlude titled Invocatio Resurrectio, it’s time for those Belgian metallers to kick some ass in Cult of Death, with the bass jabs by Mørkald together with the massive drums by Draghul making the earth tremble until the ground opens to the creatures of the abyss. Sinister guitar lines permeate the air in the also destructive Unto Typhon, another classic Black Metal extravaganza made in Belgium where Draghul shows no mercy for his drums, albeit a bit tiring as it gets close to the end; whereas closing the album we have the epic, somber and caustic Pandaemonium, where the entire band is on absolute fire, blasting our ears with their Black Metal magic, in special Tes Re Oth with his enraged, desperate roars in a beyond majestic conclusion to such infernal voyage to the pits of hell.

Serpents Oath Revelation Wooden Box

There are countless places where you can purchase a copy of the excellent Revelation and show your support to such demonic horde from Belgium, including the Odium Records’ BandCamp page and the band’s own webstore as a digipak CD, a black LP, a red marble LP, or a beyond special wooden collector’s box (limited to 50 copies worldwide and including an LP, a CD, an exclusive T-shirt, an exclusive pendant and an exclusive patch), or click HERE for all things Serpents Oath. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream more of their music on Spotify. As aforementioned, the band is reaching further into pitch black darkness with their sulfurous new opus, and they’re waiting for you to join them in that suffocating, devilish void for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Blood Covenant, Path of the Serpent and Pandaemonium.

Worst moments of the album: Unto Typhon.

Released in 2023 Odium Records

Track listing
1. Invocatio Genesis 0:33
2. Blood Covenant 4:43
3. Gateways to Tiamat 4:46
4. Purification through Fire 4:54
5. Invociatio Apocalypsis 0:43
6. Beyond the Void 4:39
7. Drakonian Gnosis 4:07
8. Path of the Serpent 6:15
9. Invocatio Resurrectio 0:50
10. Cult of Death 4:34
11. Unto Typhon 4:54
12. Pandaemonium 6:08

Band members
Tes Re Oth – vocals
Baelus – guitar
Daenum – guitar
Mørkald – bass
Draghul – drums

Album Review – Adventum Diaboli / Mørke (2023)

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A lone wolf from the Hellenic Black Metal scene returns with his tenth studio album, bringing sheer darkness to our damned hearts through the album’s impressive 52 minutes of music.

Many try to find solace in religion, but they offer no real answers. There is no ultimate meaning to existence, no grand design, no benevolent god watching over us. In the end, all we can do is accept our fate. We can find solace in the fact that we will eventually be swallowed by the great void and become one with the universe. Until then, we must live our lives with the knowledge that everything we do is ultimately meaningless. That’s the essence of what you’ll find in M​ø​rke (Norwegian for “darkness”), the impressive tenth studio album in ten years of existence by Volos, Greece-based Black Metal one-man army Adventum Diaboli, which means “The Arrival of Satan” in Latin. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Cosmic Lucifer Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork By Dimitris Kostopoulos, M​ø​rke is a classic and solid depiction of old school Black Metal by vocalist and instrumentalist Leviathan (aka Giorgos K.), once again proving why the extreme scene in Greece has been among the most fruitful and exciting ones for the past few decades.

A Doom Metal-infused intro titled The Death Of Light will darken your thoughts before Leviathan unleashes hell on earth in Demons Of My Youth, roaring and screaming in the name of evil while his guitars exhale an obscure lament that lives up to the legacy of classic Black Metal. In Eerie Existential Angst we’re treated to darkly poetic lyrics declaimed by Leviathan (“Mundane people passing by / Painted in blood / I see the sky / From horizon’s gloom / The impending doom”) while he delivers sinister yet mesmerizing riffs from his axe; and keeping the album at a high level of sulfur and darkness, Leviathan continues to crush his drums while also slashing his guitar strings in Reborn From Hellfire, generating a menacing ambience that continues in Air Of Despair, where a delicate yet grim intro evolves into another mid-tempo Black Metal feast offering our avid ears raw, melodic and caustic sounds until the very end. And Γαία Απόκοσμη offers more of Leviathan’s darkened, atmospheric sounds, with his anguished gnarls being fully inspired by contemporary Atmospheric Black Metal.

Featuring synths by guest musician Pan, which bring a touch of finesse to the overall result, De Nihil Philosophia is another melodic and enfolding Black Metal aria by Leviathan and his Adventum Diaboli, and get ready for more of Leviathan’s cryptic words in The Unholy Mysteries Of The Night (“Deep into the night’s dark / Of wisdom there’s not a spark / Secrets of life and death combined / A path not for the weak of mind”), while he generates at the same time a beyond Stygian ambience with his riffs and drums. Leviathan continues to masterfully show his love for all things darkness and evil in Soulless By Dawn, where his riffs sound haunting and austere, piercing our damned minds mercilessly; whereas the second to last blast of Black Metal by our lone wolf comes in the form of the melodic and melancholic The Grand Scheme Of Things, flowing into the ethereal outro The Absence of Meaning, putting a whimsical ending to the album.

The sinister and atmospheric M​ø​rke, which is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, definitely represents all the passion for the darkest side of music by Leviathan, and if you also want to show him how much you enjoy his music you can purchase the album from the project’s own BandCamp page or from Apple Music, and don’t forget to also start following Adventum Diaboli on Facebook and to subscribe to its YouTube channel for more Greek Black Metal madness by one of the most hardworking, devilish lone wolves of the extreme scene in his homeland. Let Leviathan and his Adventum Diaboli bring sheer darkness to your hearts to the sound of his newborn opus, helping him proudly carry the flag of Hellenic Black Metal all across our decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Eerie Existential Angst, De Nihil Philosophia and The Unholy Mysteries Of The Night.

Worst moments of the album: Reborn From Hellfire.

Released in 2023 Hellenic Metal World

Track listing
1. The Death Of Light (Intro) 2:09
2. Demons Of My Youth 5:10
3. Eerie Existential Angst 5:33
4. Reborn From Hellfire 4:25
5. Air Of Despair 5:31
6. Γαία Απόκοσμη 7:11
7. De Nihil Philosophia 4:23
8. The Unholy Mysteries Of The Night 4:41
9. Soulless By Dawn 4:36
10. The Grand Scheme Of Things 5:21
11. The Absence of Meaning 3:29

Band members
Leviathan – vocals, all instruments

Guest musician
Pan – drum programming on ”Reborn From Hellfire”, lead synth melody on ”De Nihil Philosophia”

Album Review – Aeonian Sorrow / Katara (2023)

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A stunning album of sorrow, grief and melancholy made in Finland and Greece, dedicated to the loving memory of the grandparents of the band’s own vocalist and keyboardist Gogo Melone.

A project of Melodic Gothic and Doom Metal yet funeral and spiritual music that describes the eternal sorrow and misery above the earth, human nature and instincts under the ownership of grief and pain, Finland/Greece-based outfit Aeonian Sorrow has just unleashed upon us their sophomore full-length opus, entitled Katara. Produced, mixed and mastered by Saku Moilanen at Deep Noise Studios, and displaying a stylish and epic artwork by the band’s own vocalist, keyboardist and renowned illustrator Gogo Melone, the album was inspired by the Katara pass, a mountain pass in the Pindus mountains in northern Greece. According to the legend, Katara got its name from a despot who around 1800 set out from Ioannina to go to Trikala, but the bad weather in the area made it so difficult for him that he died on the way, and he cursed the mountain. There are more stories written about this pass; however, Katara is also dedicated to the loving memory of Gogo’s grandparents Georgia and Michail, with the album music being beautifully crafted by Gogo alongside Joel Notkonen on vocals, Taneli Jämsä and Jukka Jauhiainen on the guitars, Achilleas Papagrigoriou on drums, and guest Oskar Englund on bass.

Anemos sounds doomed, grim and pensive from the very first second, with the delicate keys by Gogo bringing a touch of finesse to the music while Achilleas dictates the song’s pace with his sluggish beats, resulting in a powerful Melodic Doom Metal aria that will darken your mind in a stunning way. The band continues their obscure, melancholic path in Elumia, where the bass by Oskar sounds menacing while Gogo embellishes the airwaves with her charming vocals, in paradox with the harsh roars by Joel; and featuring guest vocalist Alejandro Lotero of Exgenesis (and former vocalist for Aeonian Sorrow), Ashes and Death showcases another solid job done by Taneli and Jukka with their Doom Metal-infused riffs and solos. Her Torment is a massive, bold creation by the band where Achilleas crushes our souls with his heavy-as-hell drums, perfect for some slow, intense headbanging in total darkness, followed by the title-track Katara, where once again we’re treated to a gloomy, ethereal feast of Melodic Gothic and Doom Metal spearheaded by the stunning vocals by Gogo, keeping the album as melancholic and emotional as it can be. They managed to get even more doomed and somber in Forbidden Cry, with the guitars by Taneli and Jukka reverberating in great fashion accompanied by Gogo’s passionate vocal performance; whereas lastly, serene, lugubrious piano notes set the tone in Ikuinen Suru (or “eternal sorrow” from Finnish), presenting their trademark slow and steady beats, deep, touching vocal lines, and crying guitars.

“On a personal level, I’ve been through enough difficult changes in my life that it almost made it impossible to keep myself motivated to complete this album. I said several times that I don’t want to do this and I almost didn’t. What kept me going was the reason I started this band and the promise I gave to the grandmother I lost back in 2020 and said that ‘Katara’ album will be recorded in her memory and her husband’s memory too. It will be done for all the years I spent driving to those scary ‘Katara’ roads to go see them. It will be done for each song I wrote inside their empty house when they were gone, and I left to watch the walls and nothing more. On a music level, I think the band has also been through enough and faced the financial critical moments to where we had to take choices, a bit unusual for us, and find ways to make things happen without losing ourselves and our quality. The path to success is full of heavy stones and very lonely so we do what we can and continue writing music from our hearts,” commented Gogo about the album. Hence, you can feel in detail all the sorrow, grief and melancholy from Katara by streaming the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and obviously by purchasing Katara from their own BandCamp page or webstore, from Apple Music or from Amazon, joining Gogo and the boys on their doomed path through the Pindus mountains.

Best moments of the album: Anemos and Katara.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Anemos 8:35
2. Elumia 7:07
3. Ashes and Death 6:55
4. Her Torment 7:39
5. Katara 9:22
6. Forbidden Cry 6:21
7. Ikuinen Suru 7:13

Band members
Joel Notkonen – vocals
Gogo Melone – vocals, keyboards
Taneli Jämsä – guitars
Jukka Jauhiainen – guitars
Achilleas Papagrigoriou – drums

Guest musicians
Oskar Englund – bass (session)
Alejandro Lotero – harsh vocals on “Ashes and Death”

Album Review – Dark The Suns / Raven And The Nightsky (2023)

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A three-piece act from Finland will embrace you with their fifth full-length album, taking you on a 50-minute journey through the realms of Death, Gothic and Doom Metal with a strong melodic vein.

Originally founded as a one-man project by Finnish vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mikko Ojala back in 2005, and after some lineup changes through the years plus a seven-year hiatus from 2013 until 2020, the now three-piece Melodic Death/Gothic Metal entity Dark The Suns has just unleashed upon us their fifth studio album, entitled Raven And The Nightsky, the follow-up to their 2020 effort Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä. Overflowing beautiful piano melodies and dark vocals, all carefully crafted by the aforementioned Mikko Ojala on vocals, guitars and drums, Jani Moilanen on the guitars and clean vocals, and Inka Ojala on bass and keyboards, Raven And The Nightsky will take you on a 50-minute journey through the realms of Death, Gothic and Doom Metal with a strong melodic vein highly recommended for admirers of the music by Insomnium, Draconian and Before the Dawn, just to name a few.

The heaviness of the drums by Mikko make a beautiful paradox with the whimsical keys by Inka in the opening tune Adamantine, sounding very detailed, multi-layered, and alternating between more metallic moments and ethereal passages, whereas in Phoenix they blend the more Gothic, obscure music by bands like HIM and Paradise Lost with their Melodic Death Metal sound, displaying a great job done by Mikko and Jani on the guitars. In Kun Aallot Kallioihin Murtuu, or “when the waves break on the rocks” from Finnish, a pounding, sinister intro gradually evolves into another atmospheric feast by the trio led by the delicate keys by Inka, who also delivers sheer heaviness through her low-tuned bass in an amazing fusion of Melodic Death Metal with contemporary Doom Metal; and they keep embellishing the airwaves in Aurora, with Mikko’s deep, darkened growls adding an extra touch of malignancy to the overall result. Then featuring Paavo Laapotti (Before the Dawn) as a guest vocalist, Raven is another solid creation where the guitars by Mikko and Jani walk hand in hand with Inka’s massive bass lines.

The second half of the album begins in a melancholic, pensive mode with the doomed Shadows Upon the Broken Hearts, showcasing sluggish beats, stylish keys and deep, obscure vocals, albeit a bit too generic if compared to the rest of the album. Swans of the Frozen Waters carries a beautiful name for a song, with Mikko and Jani slashing their guitars with tons of feeling and passion while Mikko hammers his drums nonstop in a fantastic display of Melodic Death and Doom Metal; followed by The Sea of Sorrow, perfect for headbanging alone in the dark, with Inka once again adding her share of finesse to the music through her keys while her bass sounds as heavy as it can be. We then face Under the Northern Lights, in the vein of the latest works by Finnish titans Insomnium, blending Death and Doom Metal with an ethereal atmosphere while Mikko steals the spotlight with his Stygian vocals and classic beats. And closing the album the trio offers us all the most obscure, grim of all songs, titled In Mist of the Night, where Blackened Doom elements invade all empty spaces in the air, not to mention the beauty in the guitars by Mikko and Jani is truly outstanding.

Such powerful, pensive and deep album from the always beautiful Finnish scene is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but in order to show your true support and admiration for Dark The Suns you can purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates, and other nice-to-know details about the band. Mikko, Jani and Inka did a beyond stunning job in Raven And The Nightsky, from the album title to its cover, from the opening song to the last second of the closing one, and I’m sure as soon as they realize how much fans of Gothic and Doom Metal love all songs found in the album they’ll keep creating great music for our ears, which means we’ll fortunately never see them on a hiatus again.

Best moments of the album: Adamantine, Kun Aallot Kallioihin Murtuu and Swans of the Frozen Waters.

Worst moments of the album: Shadows Upon the Broken Hearts.

Released in 2023 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Adamantine 4:37
2. Phoenix 5:07
3. Kun Aallot Kallioihin Murtuu 4:37
4. Aurora 5:54
5. Raven 4:42
6. Shadows Upon the Broken Hearts 4:36
7. Swans of the Frozen Waters 4:05
8. The Sea of Sorrow 5:48
9. Under the Northern Lights 5:24
10. In Mist of the Night 5:16

Band members
Mikko Ojala – vocals, guitars, drums
Jani Moilanen – guitar, clean vocals
Inka Ojala – bass, keyboards

Guest musician
Paavo Laapotti – vocals on “Raven”