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Album Review – Hellripper / Coronach (2026)

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Let the carnage commence to the incendiary new offering by the chief standard bearer for Blackened Thrash and Speed Metal worldwide.

From the moment that Aberdeen, Scotland-based Hellripper burst into the metal world’s simmering consciousness back in 2014, the Blackened Speed and Thrash Metal throne was destined to be conquered. Recorded and mixed by the band’s own mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist James McBain at Coronach Studios, mastered by Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios, and showcasing a stunning artwork by the always phenomenal Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the breathtaking Coronach, the fourth studio album by James and his Hellripper, named after the improvised communal singing that is a tradition at funerals and wakes in Scotland and Ireland, is the band’s visceral but vital sound rendered in eye-frying, widescreen thrash-o-vision, a dazzling display of nefarious militancy with huge, skull-slicing, unforgettable tunes (digging deep into the hazy past while also drawing ghostly parallels between ancient rites and the challenges and conflicts of the present day), and a worthy follow-up to the project’s 2023 masterpiece Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags.

The opening tune Hunderprest, featuring the James’ partners in crime Joseph Quinlan on lead and additional guitars and Marianne on additional vocals, continues the feast of blackened sounds from their 2023 album, with James delivering his trademark harsh roars nonstop. Marianne is also featured in Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite), with its poetic lyrics being nicely vociferated by James (“Salt water fills the wounds of time / Grey Palisades fade into endless fucking, pure soul-sucking night / Born of thunder, wind and rain / Vultures on jagged wings usurp the kings, and call upon my name”) while the music is as rebellious and vibrant as it can be; and the serene sounds of a piano kick off The Art of Resurrection before morphing into a frantic feast of Thrash and Speed Metal, with James’ riffs and pounding drums walking hand in hand with his visceral growls. Then we face Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned), featuring guest Jess Townsend on the violin, and the music is just as demolishing and captivating as the rest of the album, again showcasing a phenomenal guitar work by James, flawlessly clashing with Jess’ crying violin.

Joseph and Marianne are back in Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm, portraying the perfect name for a Hellripper song, and of course it’s highly recommended for some action inside a wild circle pit, offering the high-octane vibe of Speed Metal and James’ devilish Black Metal gnarls. James keeps delivering sheer violence and speed mixed with the culture and folklore of his beautiful homeland in Sculptor’s Cave, firing some of his fastest riffs and blast beats; followed by Mortercheyn, featuring Max Southall on additional percussion, one of those songs that will put you to dance, or in other words, a chaotic hurricane of Blackened Thrash Metal led by James’ trademark caustic vocals and riffage. Last but certainly not least, we have the title-track Coronach, with guest Antonio Rodriguez bringing even more epicness to the music with his bagpipes. With the title and some of the lyrics coming from Coronach, a poem by Sir Walter Scott (“He is gone on the mountain, / He is lost to the forest, / Like a summer-dried fountain, / When our need was the sorest. / The font reappearing / From the raindrops shall borrow, / But to us comes no cheering, / To Duncan no morrow!”), while the music is simply majestic, the album ends on a beyond climatic and epic mode.

“I think this album sounds ‘colder’ than the previous one,” notes James. “With each album I create, I feel the overall sound is more diverse than before, but also more cohesive in tone and atmosphere. You’ll find influence from anything and everything from Venom and Mercyful Fate, to Watain, Opeth and Manic Street Preachers, all wrapped up in a nice speed metal package! I wanted each track to include something that I had never done previously, whether that be the inclusion of a different instrument, or the way a song starts, for example. I think each track will offer some sort of surprise.” Hellripper is already considered a chief standard bearer for Blackened Thrash and Speed Metal worldwide, and Coronach will undoubtedly inspire James to keep howling into the future with more of his sensational music. You can start following Scotland’s best metal band ever on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream all of their scathing creations on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the incendiary Coronach from BandCamp or by clicking HERE or HERE. In other words, simply hit play, feel the music found in Coronach embrace your rebellious soul, and let the carnage commence.

Best moments of the album: Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite), Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned), Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm and Mortercheyn.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Hunderprest 5:49
2. Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite) 4:33
3. The Art of Resurrection 5:44
4. Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned) 6:24
5. Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm 3:53
6. Sculptor’s Cave 4:35
7. Mortercheyn 4:18
8. Coronach 8:48

Band members
James McBain – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Joseph Quinlan – lead & additional guitars on “Hunderprest” and “Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm”
Marianne – additional vocals on “Hunderprest”, “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)” and “Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm”
Jess Townsend – violin on “Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)”
Max Southall – additional percussion on “Mortercheyn”
Antonio Rodriguez – bagpipes on “Coronach”

Album Review – Withering Soul / Passage of the Arcane (2025)

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A Blackened and Melodic Death Metal entity from Chicago strikes back with their devilish fifth album, a manifestation in the form of chilling soundscapes, foreboding atmospheres, contagious melodies and tortured chants.

Conjured into existence in 1999 in Chicago, Illinois, the uncanny Blackened/Melodic Death Metal entity Withering Soul is unleashing upon us their fifth studio album, entitled Passage of the Arcane, following up on their 2021 beast Last Contact. Mixed and mastered by Dennis Israel at Clintworks Audio, with drums recorded and engineered by Vince Ippolito at Swift Road Studios, and displaying another hypnotizing artwork by the indomitable Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Christopher Grimes on vocals, guitars and synths, Joel Miller on bass, and Rick Hernandez on drums is a convergence of blackened atmospheres and sweeping song structures, a mystifying journey that exceeds boundaries while remaining fun and exciting, with the overall theme of the album involving human experiences traversing into cursed oblivion where each song explores its own story, ranging from unexplained disappearances to the supernatural.

In the album’s Intro, howling winds warn us all of the storm of heavy music that’s about to come in Attrition Horizon, where Rick sounds absolutely demonic armed with his vicious beats and fills, providing Christopher with exactly what he needs to shine on vocals. The band keeps demolishing our senses in Grievance Eludes the Light, a no shenanigans, in your face Melodic Death Metal beast spearheaded by the striking riffs by Christopher, and let’s then slam into the pit once again together with Withering Soul in The Monolith Embodied, with Rick kicking some serious ass on drums, sounding almost like a pure Death Metal chant. It’s time to face six minutes of dark passages and brutality in Gallery of the End, even presenting elements from Atmospheric Metal without of course forgetting their Black and Death Metal essence; followed by Trajectory, with guest Nick “Exhul” Morgan of Ossilegium providing the song with a sick guitar solo while the music is as infuriated and melodic as possible, albeit not as dynamic. More of their headbanging, visceral sounds penetrates deep inside our minds in Among Covetous Eyes, with Christopher’s roars sounding deep and evil, and last but not least we have Burden of the Valiant, the most progressive of all songs, with all riffs, bass lines and beats complementing each other flawlessly, not to mention its climatic finale.

Fans of Dark Fortress, Windir, Hypocrisy, Dissection, and God Dethroned, among others, will certainly enjoy the new opus by Withering Soul, a manifestation in the form of chilling soundscapes, foreboding atmospheres, contagious melodies and tortured chants echoing above an onslaught of calculated percussion. You can get to know more about such a talented and creative band on Facebook and on Instagram, enjoy their unique creations on Spotify, and purchase their excellent newborn baby from BandCamp. In the end, Withering Soul created a musical elegy that is both majestic and haunting, with Passage of the Arcane representing another phenomenal step in their solid path to darkness.

Best moments of the album: Attrition Horizon, The Monolith Embodied and Burden of the Valiant.

Worst moments of the album: Trajectory.

Released in 2025 Liminal Dread Productions

Track listing
1. Intro 0:51
2. Attrition Horizon 4:50
3. Grievance Eludes the Light 5:00
4. The Monolith Embodied 3:14
5. Gallery of the End 6:37
6. Trajectory 7:10
7. Among Covetous Eyes 5:33
8. Burden of the Valiant 7:50

Band members
Christopher Grimes – vocals, guitars, synths
Joel Miller – bass
Rick Hernandez – drums

Guest musician
Nick “Exhul” Morgan – guitar solo on “Trajectory”

Album Review – Krigsgrav / Stormcaller (2025)

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A storm is brewing in the form of the eight studio album by this phenomenal Blackened Doom band hailing from the United States.

A storm is brewing. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, the unrelenting Black/Death/Doom Metal cult known as Krigsgrav returns two years after their critically acclaimed album Fires in the Fall with a brand new offering of absolute doom titled Stormcaller, the eight studio album in their solid career. Mixed and mastered by Owe Inborr at Wolfthrone Studios, with drums recorded by Sam Paquette at S.A.M. Studios, additional engineering by Cody Daniels, a Stygian cover art by the beyond talented Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, and album layout and design by Randi Matejowsky, the new opus by vocalist and guitarist Justin Coleman, guitarist Cody Daniels, bassist Wes Radvansky, and drummer and vocalist David Sikora is another lecture in Blackened Doom by one of the most prominent names of the scene worldwide, bringing sheer darkness and heaviness to our obscure hearts and souls.

Huntress of the Fire Moon, featuring guest vocals by Jens Rydén (of Swedish Viking/Black Metal band Thyrfing), is a very detailed and complex composition from the very first second, with the guitars by Justin and Cody exhaling epicness, whereas the harsh vociferations by Justin sound even darker in Stormcaller, while David keeps blasting his drums in great fashion. The quartet lets their Viking and Folk Metal vein pulse harder than ever in Twilight Fell, spearheaded by the pounding drums by David, and the final result is as epic as it is inspiring. And get ready for over seven minutes of harsh and obscure sounds in None Shall Remember Your Name, led by the always grim roars by Justin while their guitars exhale absolute darkness.

The second half of the album begins with more of their trademark fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal with epic elements in the form of Bay of the Barghest, where their guitars sound striking and vibrant until the very end; and Cody fires a thrilling solo to kick off the excellent The Tonic of Wilderness, once again morphing into a bestial tune of Blackened Death and Doom Metal supported by the classic beats and fills by David. Ghosts is another six-minute beast of absolute doom, with their riffs and beats walking hand in hand, overflowing epicness and heaviness, and flowing into the grand finale entitled Womb-Death-Dawn, an explosion of Death and Doom Metal where Justin barks and roars like a creature from the abyss, resulting in a sinister, harsh conclusion to such a powerful and compelling album.

“When we started writing the songs that would make up Stormcaller, our intention was to create the most complete Krigsgrav album that took something from every era of the band, while still pushing our sound forward. A culmination of the blackest hues, doomiest of dirges, and most soaring of lead guitars. We think we achieved that, but we also wrote the best album of our career thus far. We trust that when you hear it, you’ll agree,” commented the band, and you can start following those amazing musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, enjoy their fantastic discography in full on Spotify, and of course purchase Stormcaller from BandCamp or from the Willowtip Records webstore, or simply click HERE for all things Krigsgrav. The band’s storm of absolute doom found in their new album is upon us, and once you’re embraced by their heavy sounds, there’s no way out.

Best moments of the album: Huntress of the Fire Moon, Twilight Fell and The Tonic of Wilderness.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. Huntress of the Fire Moon 5:44
2. Stormcaller 5:37
3. Twilight Fell 5:38
4. None Shall Remember Your Name 7:33
5. Bay of the Barghest 6:21
6. The Tonic of Wilderness 6:19
7. Ghosts 6:10
8. Womb-Death-Dawn 8:33

Band members
Justin Coleman – harsh vocals, guitar
Cody Daniels – lead guitar
Wes Radvansky – bass
David Sikora – clean vocals, drums

Guest musician
Jens Rydén – additional vocals on “Huntress of the Fire Moon”

Album Review – Unaligned / A Form Beyond (2025)

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Boasting of a celebrated lineup, this Florida, United States-based beast is ready to kill armed with their first full-length album, an exemplary display of Progressive and Technical Death and Black Metal.

Boasting of a celebrated lineup featuring members of Withered Throne, Demon King, Fleshbore and others, Florida, United States-based beast Unaligned offers a blackened and comparatively more atmospheric take on the Technical Death Metal style. Mixed and mastered by Mike Low, edited and mixed by Erik Johnson at Dark Prophet Audio, and displaying another sick artwork by the amazing Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the band’s first full-length opus, titled A Form Beyond, is an exemplary Progressive and Technical Death and Black Metal album that only gets better with more listens, showcasing all the talent and dexterity by Andrew Guia (Withered Throne) on vocals, Taylor Tidwell (Withered Throne) and Shane Dreher (Nightspake) on the guitars, Cole Daniels (Demon King, Fleshbore) on bass, and Jack Blackburn (Killitorous, Inferi) on drums.

Eerie, atmospheric sounds permeate the air in the opening track Entities of Ash, until all hell breaks loose to the venomous gnarling by Andrew, supported by the demented beats and fills by Jack; and the visceral riffage by Taylor and Shane exhale Technical Death Metal in Unbecoming of I, accompanied by the intricate and heavy-as-hell bass by Cole. Then the harsh vociferations by Andrew reek of venomous and infuriated Deathcore in Ruins of Lunacy, while the music is as bestial, savage and technical as possible, followed by the title-track A Form Beyond, a lesson in Technical Death Metal with a blackened approach, with Jack stealing the spotlight with his demonic beats and fills.

Then after a streak of hard hitting songs, the band offers the more cadenced and not so dynamic Essence Erased, which is still very technical, though, showcasing their trademark heavy sounds. Again presenting a more obscure, pensive atmosphere we have Spirit Dysmorphia; however, in this case the band gets back on track with a slab of dexterity and aggression led by the pulverizing drums by Jack. Death Entwines Us All presents a phantasmagorical, melancholic start to the minimalist guitars by Taylor and Shane, warming us up for another metallic attack of Death and Black Metal by the band, resulting in a must-listen for fans of the genre. Finally, the album ends with the also infernal Dreaming in Decay, where the ruthless bass lines by Cole add tons of thunder to the extremely intricate riffage by Taylor and Shane.

Meticulously written and impeccably executed, A Form Beyond undoubtedly positions Unaligned as a force to be reckoned with in the extreme music scene worldwide, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Demon King, Withered Throne, Inferi, Enfold Darkness, Warforged, and Vale of Pnath, among others. As usual, you can find more details about the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their demented creations on Spotify, and of course purchase A Form Beyond from their BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ main store, Bandcamp, Europe store or US store. A Form Beyond is not only technical, but visceral and dark, and once you get a taste of what Unaligned are capable of by listening to the album, you’ll certainly get addicted to their infuriated sounds.

Best moments of the album: Entities of Ash, A Form Beyond and Death Entwines Us All.

Worst moments of the album: Essence Erased.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Entities of Ash 5:11
2. Unbecoming of I 4:35
3. Ruins of Lunacy 4:33
4. A Form Beyond 4:30
5. Essence Erased 4:32
6. Spirit Dysmorphia 4:47
7. Death Entwines Us All 5:01
8. Dreaming in Decay 5:04

Band members
Andrew Guia – vocals
Taylor Tidwell – guitars
Shane Dreher – guitars
Cole Daniels – bass
Jack Blackburn – drums

Album Review – Blackbraid / Blackbraid III (2025)

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Behold the stunning next chapter in the musical and spiritual journey of the witch hawk of Black Metal hailing from the Adirondack Mountains.

A solo indigenous Black Metal project from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness, creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came, New York’s own Atmospheric Black Metal entity Blackbraid, the brainchild of the beyond talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Sgah’gahsowáh, is finally back with the highly anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2023 album Blackbraid II. Fully composed and performed by Sgah’gahsowáh, with drums, recording, mixing and mastering done by Neil Schneider (of the excellent bands Calling of Phasmic Presence, Diplegia, Telepathic Ceremony and Vintertodt), and displaying a stunning artwork with painting by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration and ilustration by Adrian Baxter, with visual development and graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions, the breathtaking Blackbraid III is another beast of an album by our witch hawk Jon Krieger, showcasing a huge step forward in his already beautiful career and, therefore, resulting in a must-listen for fans of contemporary Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal.

The acoustic, atmospheric intro Dusk (Eulogy) warms up our souls for the blackened feast titled Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death, with Sgah’gahsowáh powerfully declaiming the song’s dark and poetic words (“Awakened by a western wind / The blood of chaos seeps into dawn / A call to war in honor and death / The warrior’s fate to ride the storm / Ride”), always supported by Neil’s insane beats and fills. The Dying Death Of A Sacred Stag is another massive chant with pensive, introspective lyrics (“Upon a great throne of black mountains / Born in the heart of the storm / A keeper of shadow and twilight / A sentinel of lands long forlorn / Born within the eyes of the storm”) while our dauntless witch hawk keeps slashing his axe nonstop; and we’re then treated to the ethereal interlude The Earth Is Weeping before all hell breaks loose in God Of Black Blood, featuring a guest guitar solo by Randy Moore, a tribal, ruthless aria by Sgah’gahsowáh perfect for dancing and prancing around the fire like a true Native American.

It’s impressive how Sgah’gahsowáh can craft delicate yet obscure instrumental pieces like Traversing The Forest Of Eternal Dusk, setting the tone for the absolute demolishing Tears Of The Dawn, a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal with the pounding drums by Neil walking hand in hand with the visceral roars and scorching riffage by Sgah’gahsowáh. Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water, the last interlude of the album, once again sounds enfolding, melancholic and whimsical, soothing our heats and souls before we face the flawless And He Became The Burning Stars…, one of the best Blackbraid songs of all time, with all harsh vociferations, scathing riffs and blast beats flowing perfectly until the very last second, taking us on a way one journey into the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. And finally, we have Fleshbound, an amazing cover version for a classic by Lord Belial, from their 2005 album Nocturnal Beast (check out the original HERE), and Sgah’gahsowáh’s rendition is just as visceral, aggressive and detailed.

Ready to embark on a North American headlining tour this year with support from Lamp of Murmuur, Dödsrit, and Gudsforlad, Sgah’gahsowáh and his Blackbraid are poised to conquer the entire world of heavy music with the third chapter in his musical and spiritual journey, and not only you can find the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you should definitely purchase it from BandCamp or from the project’s official merch store in the United States or in the European Union. Don’t forget to also give Sgah’gahsowáh a shout on Instagram, and to stream all of his songs and albums on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming service. Because the witch hawk of Black Metal is back, sounding heavier and more epic than ever, with the first-class music found in his new album majestically echoing through the misty mountains.

Best moments of the album: Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death, God Of Black Blood, Tears Of The Dawn and And He Became The Burning Stars…

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dusk (Eulogy) 1:02
2. Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death 4:54
3. The Dying Death Of A Sacred Stag 7:44
4. The Earth Is Weeping 3:39
5. God Of Black Blood 5:52
6. Traversing The Forest Of Eternal Dusk 3:39
7. Tears Of The Dawn 9:18
8. Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water 2:49
9. And He Became The Burning Stars… 9:50
10. Fleshbound (Lord Belial cover) 4:03

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals, guitars, bass

Guest musicians
Neil Schneider – drums (session)
Randy Moore – lead guitars on “God of Black Blood”

Album Review – Felgrave / Otherlike Darknesses (2025)

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This one-man project from Norway breaks the mould and offers three lengthy tracks that flow in an intuitive, undulating, almost whimsical manner, touching upon several styles and effortlessly shape shifting through them all.

After dropping its well-received debut album A Waning Light back in 2020, Viken, Norway-based entity Felgrave has crafted an ingenious album melding influences of Avantgarde Black, Death and Doom Metal in a way rarely done before, entitled Otherlike Darknesses, breaking the mould and offering three lengthy tracks that flow in an intuitive, undulating, almost whimsical manner, touching upon several styles and effortlessly shape shifting through them all. Mixed by the project’s mastermind, vocalist, guitarist, bassist and keyboardist M. L. Jupe, mastered by Brendan Sloan, featuring session drummer Robin Stone (Evilyn, Norse), and displaying another beautiful artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, Otherlike Darknesses is a multi-faceted opus and yet has a fairly cohesive sound with exceptional song writing, always engaging while also being unpredictable.

M. L. Jupe ignites his blackened machine armed with his scorching riffs and a menacing atmosphere in Winds Batter My Keep, sounding disturbing, avantgarde and addictive all at once, with the puissant drums by Robin adding an extra dosage of heaviness to the music, resulting in a sonic creature arising from the underworld ready to consume us all. After such a bludgeoning beast we face Pale Flowers Under an Empty Sky, the “shortest” song of the album (which still surpasses the 12-minute mark), beginning in a sinister manner until all morphs into an experimental, dissonant display of Black and Death Metal led by M. L. Jupe’s visceral growls and infernal riffage, also showcasing ethereal, soothing passages; building an instant bridge with the colossal title-track Otherlike Darknesses, offering us all mere mortals 18 minutes of grandiose Avantgarde Black and Death Metal. Futhermore, M. L. Jupe and Robin are on fire during the entire song, demolishing our senses and piercing our minds with their wicked vociferations, incendiary riffs and pulverizing drums, while also bringing forward so many breaks, variations and cryptic moments it feels like countless songs in one in the end.

“I’m super glad to have found a label so excited to release Otherlike Darknesses, an album of experimental, avantgarde extreme metal with many diverse influences, namely 20th century classical music, 70s symphonic prog rock, and the weirder side of 90s black and death metal. The music herein is a meticulously crafted dark yet colourful tapestry that goes far beyond anything I’ve done before, and will reward diligent and attentive enjoyers of unique extreme metal for countless repeats,” commented M. L. Jupe about his newborn spawn and his partnership with the always amazing Transcending Obscurity Records, and you can put your damned hands on such a unique album of extreme music by purchasing it from the label’s Bandcamp, main store, Europe store, or US store, keeping in mind it comes as a hand-numbered eight-panel digipak with full color printing and a metallic effect throughout, in addition to gloss raised UV lamination done on parts of the artwork, a download code and transparent logo stickers. Don’t forget to also see what M. L. Jupe and his Felgrave are up to on Facebook while listening to his new album, embarking on a multi-layered, classy and embracing journey across an array of music styles, all masterfully brought into being by a Norwegian lone wolf that definitely knowns how to turn music into a work of art.

Best moments of the album: Otherlike Darknesses.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Winds Batter My Keep 18:09
2. Pale Flowers Under an Empty Sky 12:29
3. Otherlike Darknesses 18:00

Band members
M. L. Jupe – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, programming

Guest musicians
Robin Stone – drums (session)

Album Review – Lady Beast / The Inner Alchemist (2025)

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Let’s ride into the battlefield to the sound of this true locomotive of old school Heavy Metal masterfully crafted by one of the most electrifying names of the current scene.

Flying the flag for refined Heavy Metal since their inception back in 2009, always influenced by metal titans the likes of Motörhead, Dio, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own unstoppable force Lady Beast returns to action five years after their latest full-length opus The Vulture’s Amulet, and four years after their striking EP Omens, with a brand new album entitled The Inner Alchemist, continuing to melt our faces with their sturdy aesthetic, authentically 80’s-entrenched Heavy Metal that struts and gallops with equal aplomb. Recorded by Jason Jouver, mastered by Yavé “Rust” Rodriguez, and displaying an ass-kicking, evocative artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, The Inner Alchemist is a true locomotive of old school metal music masterfully crafted by frontwoman Deborah Levine, guitarists Andy Ramage and Chris Tritschler, bassist Amy Bianco, and Adam Ramage, offering more of their high-octane music infused with swords and sorcery.

The scorching riffs by Andy and Chris rev up the band’s metallic engine in Oracle’s Omen, a true banger where Deborah already distills her soaring vocals for our total delight; whereas their Power Metal vein pulses stronger than ever in Through the Eyes of War, with Adam dictating the song’s electrifying pace supported by the classic bass lines by Amy, being therefore recommended for some fun inside the mosh pit. The band then delivers an overdose of Heavy Metal magic in the title-track Inner Alchemist, a headbanging hymn where the rumbling kitchen by Amy and Adam is perfect for Deborah’s piercing vocal lines, morphing into Starborn, which offers our avid ears a serene, melancholic start in the best Iron Maiden way possible, then evolving into a more Judas Priest-inspired sound until the end.

Their feast of old school, no shenanigans sounds goes on in full force in Crone’s Crossroads, a frantic, in-your-face display of Heavy Metal where Adam hammers his drums nonstop while the riffage by Andy and Chris exhale fire and power; and their NWOBHM side explodes majestically in Feed Your Fire, where their caustic riffage and solos, as well as their fast-paced beats, match flawlessly with Deborah’s epic roars. Witch Light is an instrumental tune that sounds fairly decent, although I still prefer any song with Deborah’s vocals like what happens in The Wild Hunt, where she declaims the song’s lyrics beautifully supported by the galloping sounds blasted by her bandmates. Last but definitely not least, it’s pedal to the metal in the thrilling Off with Their Heads, sounding thrashy at times thanks to the infuriated riffs by Andy and Chris, therefore putting a wild conclusion to such a breathtaking album.

After all is said and done, you’ll notice that not only The Inner Alchemist is a pure Lady Beast album, but also that the production on the album beautifully highlights their heaviness, turning it into a special milestone in their already solid career. Having said that, Deborah and her henchmen are waiting for you to join them in the battlefield by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by streaming their epic creations on Spotify, and of course by grabbing a copy of the breathtaking The Inner Alchemist from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It’s time to ride through the vast realm of heavy music alongside Lady Beast to the sound of their newborn opus, keeping the flames of classic Heavy Metal burning for all eternity and, therefore, fueling the band to keep blasting our ears with more albums like The Inner Alchemist in the foreseeable future.

Best moments of the album: Through the Eyes of War, Crone’s Crossroads, Feed Your Fire and Off with Their Heads.

Worst moments of the album: Witch Light.

Released in 2025 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing
1. Oracle’s Omen 4:08
2. Through the Eyes of War 3:47
3. Inner Alchemist 3:48
4. Starborn 6:56
5. Crone’s Crossroads 3:27
6. Feed Your Fire 4:37
7. Witch Light 2:19
8. The Wild Hunt 3:28
9. Off with Their Heads 3:09

Band members
Deborah Levine – vocals
Andy Ramage – lead guitar
Chris Tritschler – rhythm guitar
Amy Bianco – bass
Adam Ramage – drums

Album Review – Light Dweller / The Subjugate (2025)

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Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch strikes again with his fifth album, delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time.

Founded in December 2017 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, Dissonant Death/Black Metal entity Light Dweller is set to release its fifth offering, entitled The Subjugate. Inspired by a broad spectrum of dissonant and melodic influences, including Cosmic Putrefaction, Defacement, Mesarthim, Convulsing, Violet Cold, Mare Cognitum, and more, Light Dweller has forged a unique path through the darker, more obscure realms of metal, with The Subjugate spanning six tracks delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time, presenting a cohesive journey through these concepts, all embraced by another ass-kicking artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration.

Cameron begins his riff and growl attack in full force in Echoes from the Spectral Void, offering our avid ears four minutes of top-of-the-line Progressive Death Metal; whereas Cessation of Time sounds as demolishing and experimental as the opener, with Cameron’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with his intricate yet heavy-as-hell drumming. Then a sinister intro evolves into another darkened amalgamation of sounds in Fracturing Light, where Cameron lets his Progressive Metal vein pulse harder than ever, and with his demonic gnarling matching perfectly with the music; followed by the eight-minute title-track The Subjugate, where Cameron invests in a very diverse and progressive sound by bringing into being several breaks, variations, and experimental and sharp sounds, all combined in a harmonic yet visceral way. In the second to last song of the album, titled Phasing Through the Veil, our one-man band shows no mercy for our souls with his demented riff, bass and drum attack, with its phantasmagorical ending flowing into Adrift the Expanding Nothingness, another bestial tune overflowing insanity and heaviness where he fires his most experimental riffs of the entire album, smashing our minds and souls mercilessly during its hellish seven minutes.

With each release, Light Dweller has evolved, skillfully weaving dissonance with melody, and balancing intense aggression with haunting, introspective passages, culminating now in 2025 with the excellent The Subjugate, and of course pointing to an even more interesting path ahead for Cameron. You can get to know more about him, his music and other details by following Light Dweller on Facebook and on Instagram, and show him your utmost support by streaming his music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing The Subjugate from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or from Sound Cave. This is undoubtedly Cameron’s strongest opus to date, but I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the near future, and we’ll say the same about his upcoming albums, as Light Dweller is always evolving, always looking forward, and always ready to surprise us all with its unique sounds.

Best moments of the album: Echoes from the Spectral Void and The Subjugate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Echoes from the Spectral Void 4:29
2. Cessation of Time 5:20
3. Fracturing Light 4:45
4. The Subjugate 8:10
5. Phasing Through the Veil 4:38
6. Adrift the Expanding Nothingness 7:39

Band members
Cameron Boesch – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Norilsk / Antipole (2025)

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Canada’s own Atmospheric Doom/Death/Post-Metal entity returns with another imposing album, exploring the concept of duality, flowing between slow and faster songs while highlighting the contrasts in death and doom.

Named after Siberia’s northernmost city, Норильск in Russian, home to the world’s largest heavy metals smelting complex, Gatineau/Hull, Quebec-based Atmospheric Doom/Death/Post-Metal band Norilsk blends slow and crushing riffs, death growls, icy melodies and atmospheric arrangements in their music, drawing inspiration from the 1990’s doom-death scene, while incorporating a heavy dose of eclectic and contemporary influences. Now in 2025 the band formed of Nic Miquelon on vocals and bass, Tom Hansen and Matt MacIvor on the guitars, and Nick Richer on drums and backing vocals is back with their third full-length opus, titled Antipole, the first album to be recorded by all four members of the band. Mixed and mastered by James Plotkins at Plotkinsworks, with drums recorded and mixed at Wolf Lake Studios by Mike Bond with assistance from JP Sadek and edited and mixed in The Bond Cave, guitars and bass recorded by Tom Hansen, vocals recorded by Topon Das at Apartment 2 Studios, and displaying a classy artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustrations, Antipole is also the first record that Norilsk have been extensively rehearsing, and working on the arrangements together before entering the studio, resulting in a much bolder, tighter and heavier opus than their previous releases.

The metallic sounds blasted by Nic, Tom and Matt match perfectly with the hammering drums by Nick in the title-track Antipole, exploding into a darkened feast of Doom Metal with deep, devilish vociferations, followed by D’ombre et de glace (l’asphyxie), which is French for “of shadow and ice (asphyxiation)”, another rumbling creation by the quartet overflowing doom and fear led by the striking riffs by Tom and Matt. And Locus Sanctus, or “holy place” from Latin, starts in a sinister, serene manner before the band smashes their sonic weapons once again, resulting in one of the most sluggish songs of the album, with Nick stealing the show with his thunderous beats.

Nunataks, from Inuit nunataq, is the summit or ridge of a mountain that protrudes from an ice field or glacier that otherwise covers most of the mountain or ridge, and the band puts the pedal to the metal musically speaking, offering a thrilling fusion of Doom and Death Metal with captivating Post-Metal elements. Then get ready for an intense ten-minute musical voyage entitled La chute du géant, or “the fall of the giant” from French, kicking off in the most lugubrious, pensive way and flowing smoothly while at the same time piercing our minds mercilessly until its ethereal finale. In La fonte, or “the source”, Norilsk go full Post-Metal, with the heavy bass by Nic walking hand in hand with the classic drums by Nick, albeit not too exciting in the end. And lastly we have Un chant pour les morts, or “a song for the dead”, a pure Doom Metal onrush sounding absolutely heavy and grim thanks to the raspy roars by Nic.

The quartet has assembled a brand new chapter in their discography with Antipole, building on the characteristics that made Norilsk what it is today while offering something undeniably contemporary, with its slow doomy riffs, cold melodies, recognizable death growls, and a hint of Post-Metal atmosphere brought by a dual guitar interplay. Exploring the concept of duality, the album flows between slow and faster songs, and highlights the contrasts in death and doom, with its beauty and tragedy, harshness and fragility, light and darkness, reality and fiction, and its gravity and ethereality. Hence, don’t forget to get in touch with Norilsk on Facebook and on Instagram for more of their music, news and tour dates, to stream their music on Spotify, and to purchase Antipole from Norilsk’s own BandCamp, or from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp, EU store (and if I were you, I would go for the more than special CD + merch bundle), or Canada/US store, letting their doomed, heavy and pensive creations penetrate dep inside your blackened soul.

Best moments of the album: Antipole, Nunataks and La chute du géant.

Worst moments of the album: La fonte.

Released in 2025 Hypnotic Dirge Records

Track listing
1. Antipole 8:05
2. D’ombre et de glace (l’asphyxie) 4:47
3. Locus Sanctus 6:07
4. Nunataks 5:27
5. La chute du géant 10:42
6. La fonte 5:08
7. Un chant pour les morts 7:18

Band members
Nic Miquelon – vocals, bass
Tom Hansen – guitars
Matt MacIvor – guitars
Nick Richer – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Hell Is Other People / Moirae (2024)

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This Canadian entity will show you that hell is other people with their excellent newborn spawn of Black Metal, imbibing influences from several of its related subgenres.

Hailing from Windsor, a city in Ontario, Canada, across the Detroit River from the US city of Detroit, Post-Black Metal outfit Hell is Other People (by the way, “Hell Is Other People” is a quote from Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit) has elegantly and passionately crafted a brilliant Black Metal album, titled Moirae (which means “goddesses of fate or destiny” in Greek), that imbibes influences from several of its related subgenres such as Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal and even DSBM in parts, forming a cohesive, expressive and all-encompassing sound that the band is comfortable in carrying throughout. Displaying a stunning cover art by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Nathan Ferreira on vocals and bass, Nathan Boots and Nicholas Luck on the guitars, and James Ditty on drums is a beautifully tempered opus with a remarkable range of expression that comes across as genuine and heartfelt, being recommended for fans of Agalloch, Altar of Plagues, Winterfylleth, White Ward, and Drudkh.

The dark, caustic riffs by Nathan Boots and Nicholas walk hand in hand with the sluggish Doom Metal beats by James in the title-track Moirae, while the vocals by Nathan Ferreira exhale pure Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding anguished and grim. Moreover, it’s impressive how they sound devilish while at the same time so elegant and delicate throughout the entire song. Fates keeps the ambience as somber and pensive as possible, with the hammering drums by James dictating the pace while Nathan Ferreira continues to roar and gnarl in a great fusion of Black Metal with Post-Metal, followed by Degrade, offering us all almost eight minutes of breathtaking, deep and meaningful music that will tear your soul apart to the minimalist yet sharp and austere riffage by the band’s guitar duo, starting in a serene manner before the band attacks once again with their visceral Post-Black Metal, building an instant bridge with the also venomous Loss, where Nathan’s enraged growls are nicely boosted by the intricate yet demented drumming by James while their guitars continue to exhale the harshest and most piercing sounds found in contemporary extreme music. And all comes to a climatic and epic conclusion in Atropos, offering our damned ears an overdose of heaviness and atmospheric elements, with James kicking our asses on drums, while Nathan Boots and Nicholas continue to cut our skin deep with their razor-edged axes, with all layers, breaks, passages and variations turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

If you want to put your damned, dirty hands on the excellent Moirae, you can find the album available from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page, main store, US store, or EU store in different formats and as part of some very special bundles, and don’t forget to also give those talented Canadian musicians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on the announcements of their live concerts, to stream their music on Spotify, and to stay updated with all things Hell Is Other People by clicking HERE. In the end, after listening to Moirae, you’ll finally realize that hell is indeed other people, and that the Post-Black Metal by this amazing Canadian band is perfect for representing all that darkness and melancholy found inside each one of us.

Best moments of the album: Moirae and Atropos.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Moirae 6:58
2. Fates 6:43
3. Degrade 7:48
4. Loss 8:45
5. Atropos 13:28

Band members
Nathan Ferreira – vocals, bass
Nathan Boots – guitars
Nicholas Luck – guitars
James Ditty – drums