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Album Review – Sun of the Dying / A Throne of Ashes (2025)

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These Spanish doomsters continue to walk the path of authentic Death and Doom Metal in their dark and heavy newborn opus.

Inspired by genre classics like My Dying Bride, Anathema, and Paradise Lost, as well as more modern bands such as Ahab, Swallow the Sun, and Shape of Despair, Madrid, Spain-based outfit Sun of the Dying walk the path of authentic Death and Doom Metal, unafraid to incorporate touches from many other styles, like what they have to offer us all in their third full-length opus, entitled A Throne of Ashes. Recorded by Simón Da Silva at The Empty Hall Studio, mixed and mastered by Javi Félez at Moontower Studios, and with a classy artwork and layout by Manuel Cantero of Signonegro, the new album by vocalist Eduardo Guilló, guitarists Casuso and Roberto Rayo, bassist José Yuste, keyboardist David Muñoz, and drummer Diego Weser sees the band take a step even further into the realms of doom, resulting in a worthy follow-up to their 2019 sophomore The Earth Is Silent.

Minimalist sounds gradually grow into an aria of sheer obscurity entitled Martyrs, with Diego’s slow, grim beats matching perfectly with Eduardo’s introspective vocals, who also delivers those deep, enraged guttural we all love so much in Death and Doom Metal. Then enhancing their heaviness to a whole new level, the band offers the massive Black Birds Beneath Your Sky, where Casuso and Roberto hammer their axes in the name of doom supported by the crushing drums by Diego; and David’s keys and orchestrations add an extra touch of finesse and melancholy to With Wings Aflame, flirting with Melodic and Blackened Doom Metal, all boosted by the charming vocals by guest Teresa Marraco of the excellent one-woman project Antinoë. David kicks off the heavy-as-hell, Black Sabbath-infused The Greatest of Winters, while Eduardo vociferates in the name of primeval Death Metal; followed by House of Asterion, even more sluggish, somber and hypnotic, with Casuso, Roberto and José doing an amazing job armed with their stringed weapons. And lastly, closing A Throne of Ashes we face another overdose of Doom Metal titled Of Absence, putting a climatic ending to the darkened path paved by the band in the entire album.

Gloomy and somber from start to finish, A Throne of Ashes is undoubtedly Sun of the Dying’s strongest effort to date, positioning them as one of the most promising names of the Death and Doom Metal scene worldwide. Those Spanish doomsters are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more of their music, news, and their undisputed live performances, and don’t forget to also stream their heavy and pensive music on Spotify, and to grab a copy of the excellent A Throne of Ashes from their own BandCamp, from AOP Records, or by clicking HERE. Spanish doom has always been a thing of beauty, and it’s bands like Sun of the Dying who make it even more inspiring and captivating as they sit triumphant in their throne of ashes.

Best moments of the album: Martyrs and Black Birds Beneath Your Sky.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Martyrs 9:08
2. Black Birds Beneath Your Sky 5:01
3. With Wings Aflame 5:09
4. The Greatest of Winters 7:03
5. House of Asterion 7:22
6. Of Absence 7:43

Band members
Eduardo Guilló – vocals
Casuso – guitar
Roberto Rayo – guitar
José Yuste – bass
David Muñoz – keyboards, orchestration
Diego Weser – drums

Guest musician
Teresa Marraco – vocals on “With Wings Aflame”

Album Review – Harakiri For The Sky / Scorched Earth (2025)

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Austria’s own Post-Black Metal duo returns with another brilliant album, a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.

Despair, loss, love, and existential struggles have always been the foundation of the distinctive sound by Austrian Post-Black Metal duo Harakiri For The Sky since their inception back in 2011, with multi-instrumentalist M.S. and vocalist J.J. having gained recognition for pushing musical boundaries with their emotionally charged blend of Atmospheric Extreme Metal and Melodic Post-Rock, Grunge and modern Hardcore, carving out a genre of their own. Now in 2025 the duo attacks again with their new tour-de-force titled Scorched Earth, following up on their critically acclaimed 2021 opus Maere. Mixed and Mastered by Kristian Kohle at Kohlekeller Studio, with cover artwork and illustrations by Brvno Gonzalez, and featuring session drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner, the new album by J.J. and M.S. is their way of showing how rotten and decaying our world has become. “Our society is divided to its core and peace seems further away than ever in the last decades. This is what inspired the title of the new album: ‘Scorched Earth’ is a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.”

Heal Me, featuring Tim Yatras of Austere on guest vocals, offers a classic Harakiri For The Sky sound right from the start, with its atmospheric, gentle background clashing with the harshness flowing from M.S.’s riffs and Kerim’s beats. Keep Me Longing is an eleven-minute masterpiece by the duo where once again their heavy and soothing sounds collide in a brilliant manner, with M.S.’s riffs and bass being perfectly supported by the massive beats by Kerim; and the duo keeps delivering sheer brilliance in Without You I’m Just A Sad Song, another lengthy song that doesn’t feel long at all so dynamic, vibrant and thrilling it is, with J.J. roaring in great fashion until the end. Then letting their Post-Black Metal vein pulse stronger than ever we face No Graves But The Sea, where the electrifying riffs by M.S. will inspire you to bang your head like a maniac while Kerim dictates the song’s frantic yet dark pace.

Classy, charming piano notes will penetrate deep inside your mind in With Autumn I’ll Surrender, growing into a diverse, classic Post-Metal wall of sounds with J.J. once again bursting his lungs screaming, followed by I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep, a lovely title for a passionate display of Post-Black Metal by the duo, also bringing hints of 80’s Gothic Rock in its core essence. Then featuring guest vocalist Serena Cherry of Svalbarduk we have Too Late For Goodbyes, alternating between sheer violence and pure ethereal moments, and if you go for any of the special editions of the album you’ll be treated to two bonus tracks, their rendition for Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out), featuring guest vocalist P.G. of Groza (check out the original version from the 1995 album The Bends); and Elysian Fields (featuring guest vocals by Daniel Lang of Backwards Charm), both excellent songs leaning towards a more introspective side of the band that are definitely worth the extra investment.

“Scorched Earth is like the conclusion of all the albums we’ve done in the past, all that Harakiri For The Sky stands and stood for, musically and lyrically. This is what we stand for, this is what made us, this is our story,” commented such an extraordinary duo of heavy music about their new work of art, and you can get to know more about them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of the majestic Scorched Earth from the AOP Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or simply click HERE for all things Harakiri For The Sky. There’s endless darkness and beauty in Scorched Earth just like in real life, not only making the album truly special and already positioning it as a strong contender for album of the year, but also working as the perfect soundtrack for the toughest moments of our lives.

Best moments of the album: Keep Me Longing, No Graves But The Sea and With Autumn I’ll Surrender.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Heal Me 7:37
2. Keep Me Longing 10:40
3. Without You I’m Just A Sad Song 10:03
4. No Graves But The Sea 8:01
5. With Autumn I’ll Surrender 8:39
6. I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep 9:01
7. Too Late For Goodbyes 7:53

Bonus tracks
8. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead Cover) 5:35
9. Elysian Fields 5:10

Band members
J.J. – vocals
M.S. – guitar, bass

Guest musicians
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums (session)
Tim Yatras – vocals on “Heal Me”
Serena Cherry – vocals on “Too Late For Goodbyes”
P.G. – vocals on “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
Daniel Lang – vocals on “Elysian Fields”
Jorge Cisternas & Sunvher – backing vocals

Album Review – The Spirit / Songs Against Humanity (2024)

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This ruthless German duo brings forth a compilation of songs against humanity in their newborn Blackened Death Metal beast.

Formed in Saarbrücken in 2015, The Spirit have emerged from the depths of the German Extreme Metal void to breathe new life into the Black and Death Metal genre. Now in 2024 the duo formed of Matthias Trautes on vocals and stringed weapons, and Manuel Steitz on drums attacks again with their fourth full-length installment, titled Songs Against Humanity. Mixed by V. Santura (Triptykon) at Woodshed Studio, and displaying a grim artwork by Eliran Kantor, Songs Against Humanity is a Blackened Death Metal beast highly recommended for fans of Harakiri For The Sky, Dissection, Satyricon, UADA, Hypocrisy and Kataklysm, among others, circling around an astronomic leitmotif in its lyrics and concepts while mixing a misanthropic view on the world with cosmic metaphors and the call to see our often narrow-minded and egocentric existence in the larger context of our whole universe.

It’s absolute chaos and hatred from the very first notes in Against Humanity, with Manuel taking the lead with his Thrash Metal-inspired drumming while Matthias roars like a beast in the name of extreme music, followed by Room 101, presenting psychological lyrics barked by Matthias (“Suppressing the words of sanity / As we lost our way towards utopia / Instead evolved into a dystopian nightmare / When technological progress / Gave rise to the indoctrination of the human mind”) amidst a melodic yet visceral sound. And the duo continues to venture through the realms of Melodic Death, Thrash and Black Metal in Cosmic Rain and Human Dust, sounding ruthless until the very end, with Matthias’ riffs feeling absolutely caustic.

Spectres of Terror is another explosion of austere, infernal words barked by Matthias (“A grotesque embrace / Of an impending misery / When the past and sense / Are displaced by ideology / Madness and insanity / A grim bane you invoked”), whereas Death is my Salvation offers a more introspective, progressive side of the band, with Matthias slashing his axe manically accompanied by the always venomous beats and fills by Manuel. Then we’re treated to Nothingness Forever, which begins in a serene, grim manner before evolving into a straightforward Black Metal aria led by the crushing drums by Manuel. Finally, we have the extended outro Orbiting Sol IV, which despite being a solid tune, it ends up taking away some of the electricity from the album due to its length.

You can take a very nice and detailed listen at the scorching Songs Against Humanity in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course show your support to one of the heaviest duos of the current German scene by purchasing a copy of their new album by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also start following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates, as they do play live (with the support of guitarist Stanley Robertson and bassist Linus Klausenitzer), having an absolute blast to the sound of their sharp and vile fusion of Black and Death Metal. Matthias and Manuel are bringing forth a compilation of songs against humanity in their newborn beast, and there’s nothing better than their first-class Blackened Death Metal to show how putrid, corrupt and evil the entire humanity can be.

Best moments of the album: Against Humanity, Cosmic Rain and Human Dust and Nothingness Forever.

Worst moments of the album: Orbiting Sol IV.

Released in 2024 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Against Humanity 8:06
2. Room 101 4:15
3. Cosmic Rain and Human Dust 4:55
4. Spectres of Terror 5:39
5. Death is my Salvation 8:33
6. Nothingness Forever 5:46
7. Orbiting Sol IV 3:34

Band members
Matthias Trautes – vocals, guitars, bass
Manuel Steitz – drums

Guest musicians
Stanley Robertson – guitars (live)
Linus Klausenitzer – bass (live)

Album Review – Groza / Nadir (2024)

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Driven by emotion, anger and sadness, this German Black Metal horde will strike you like a lightning storm to the sound of their thrilling new album.

Groza, or “Гроза” in Cyrillic, which means “lightning storm”, “horror” or “disgust” in a few Slavic languages, are an up-and-coming Black Metal band formed in 2016 in Mühldorf am Inn, Bavaria, Germany, crafting a sound driven by emotion, anger and sadness, combining searing melodies, raging blast beats and melancholy induced clean guitar passages into a melodic, dynamic blend, which is exactly what you’ll get in their new album Nadir. Recorded, edited, mixed and produced by the band’s own founder P.G., mastered by David Pilz, and with the guitars re-amped by Georg Traschwandtner, the new album by the aforementioned P.G. on lead vocals, bass, guitars, orchestration and samples, U.A. on lead guitars and backing vocals, and T.H.Z. on drums is perfect for fans of Harakiri For The Sky, Mgla, Uada, and Alcest, delivering dark and melodic music for our avid ears.

The atmospheric, haunting intro Soul : Inert sets the stage for the trio to darken our minds and souls with Asbest, a powerful Melodic Black Metal tune with progressive and experimental nuances where P.G. roars with tons of anger in his blackened heart supported by the thunderous beats by T.H.Z., not to mention how metallic their riffs sound and feel. Then we have Dysthymian Dreams, the first single of the album, offering our avid ears eight minutes of Black Metal magic led by the sharp, piercing guitars by P.G. and U.A., or in other words, it’s a brutal yet melodic and enfolding aria of darkness by Groza. Equal. Silent. Cold. keeps the atmosphere burning to the sound of P.G.’s infernal vociferations while the drums by T.H.Z. exhale old school Black Metal, resulting in one of the most ferocious and detailed songs of the album; and it’s time for a nine-minute musical journey through the most obscure corners of the mind in Deluge, reminding me of some of the most recent creations by Gaerea, with their riffs and blast beats mercilessly devouring our rotten souls. Lastly, featuring J.J. & M.S. of bands like Kard and Harakiri for the Sky, we have Daffodils, a beyond dense, multi-layered and pensive Black Metal aria with lots of elements from Post-Black Metal and Atmospheric Black Metal, where the drums by T.H.Z. sound sensational throughout the entire song and with all agony and despair flowing from the last part of the song being absolutely climatic and piercing.

The music by Groza is haunting, mesmerizing, evil and ethereal all at once, and Nadir is the perfect depiction of the band’s musical power, talent and focus. Hence, don’t forget to give such a distinct horde a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their music on Spotify, and of course to purchase a copy of the flammable Nadir from their own BandCamp page, from AOP Records, from Napalm Records, from Indiemerchstore, from MVD Entertainment, or click HERE for all digital platforms. Because Groza do not just play Black Metal – they take Black Metal to new and exciting heights.

Best moments of the album: Dysthymian Dreams and Equal. Silent. Cold.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Soul : Inert 1:21
2. Asbest 6:54
3. Dysthymian Dreams 8:10
4. Equal. Silent. Cold. 6:59
5. Deluge 9:18
6. Daffodils 9:53

Band members
P.G. – lead vocals, bass, guitars, orchestration, samples
U.A. – backing vocals, lead guitars
T.H.Z. – drums

Guest musicians
J.J. and M.S. – vocals on “Daffodils”
“Bandhouse” crew – choir on “Daffodils”

Album Review – Agrypnie / Erg (2024)

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This German Progressive and Post-Black Metal force is back with its seventh studio album, their most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle.

Founded in 2004 by songwriter Torsten, who is also active in the bands Nocte Obducta, Theotoxin, and Suel, as well as other musical projects, Groß-Gerau, Hesse, Germany-based Progressive/Post-Black Metal act Agrypnie has developed into a significant force in the Black Metal scene over the years. Now in 2024 the duo formed of the aforementioned Torsten on vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and programming, and Flo (Benighted, Schammasch) on drums returns with their seventh studio album, titled Erg, Agrypnie’s most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle, almost overwhelmingly so if not for the clear and cutting recording and the band’s enviously sharp execution. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Phil Hillen and Torsten at SU-2 Studio, and with artwork and photography by Marco Klein of syn2, Erg displays considerable daring and depth, as while “Black Metal” in foundation, the album’s songwriting crests and crashes with kaleidoscopic wonder and cathartic urgency alike.

Featuring guest vocals by Phil Jonas (of Secrets of the Moon and CRONE), Aus rauchlosem Feuer (“from smokeless fire”) is atmospheric and enfolding from the very first second, evolving into a Black Metal beast led by the scorching roars and riffs by Torsten while Flo hammers his drums nonstop, followed by Meer ohne Wasser, or “sea without water”, offering sluggish Doom Metal-infused beats and riffs while also exploding into sheer obscurity and madness, with Flo once again dictating the pace with his Black Metal beats. Then we have Sturm, or “storm”, with guest vocals by Edmond Karban aka Hupogrammos (of Dordeduh), venturing through the realms of pure Atmospheric Black Metal and with Torsten sounding like a metal machine armed with all his instruments; whereas the Stygian, grim interlude Blut – Teil I, or “blood – part I”, sets the tone for Blut – Teil II (“blood – part II”), featuring guest vocalist P.G. (of Groza), bringing forward another round of their trademark Post-Black Metal boosted by the intricate and visceral drumming by Flo.

The second half of the album begins with a song just as multi-layered and vile as its predecessors, titled Entität, or “entity”, with Torsten embellishing the airwaves with his classy riffs and bass lines, or in other words, it’s a very detailed song that will inspire us all to bang our heads nonstop together with the duo, exploding into the Black Metal attack titled Stunde des Wolfes (“hour of the wolf”), where the duo extracts the harshest, most piercing sounds form their instruments, and with Torsten delivering some devilish vociferations until the very end. Geister, or “ghosts”, is very experimental and atmospheric for the most part of it, with only its last part being Agrypnie’s core sound, but of course it’s still a very good song; whereas lastly the duo will rip our souls apart with the amazing Unter Sand, or “under sand”, offering our avid ears an avalanche of strident riffs, classic blast beats and anguished vocal lines, ending the album on a climatic and introspective note.

Rich sonically and in emotion, majestic even when plumbing the depths of melancholy, Erg is a tour de force of wide-screen Black Metal regardless of “progressive” or “post-” appellations. Hence, don’t forget to give Torsten and Flo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their news and tour dates, to subscribe to their YouTube channel and to check them out on Spotify for more of their music, and to grab your copy of Erg from AOP Records in Europe and in the US, from Napalm Records, from MVD Entertainment (US only), or from several digital platforms by clicking HERE. It’s a known fact that Agrypnie’s eighth studio album is already in the works, and it will be interesting to see their musical evolution form Erg to their upcoming release. Until then, simply give Erg countless spins, and let the fulminating music by Agrypnie embrace you in pitch black darkness.

Best moments of the album: Aus rauchlosem Feuer, Entität and Stunde des Wolfes.

Worst moments of the album: Geister.

Released in 2024 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Aus rauchlosem Feuer 7:28
2. Meer ohne Wasser 7:02
3. Sturm 6:00
4. Blut – Teil I 2:06
5. Blut – Teil II 5:16
6. Entität 7:24
7. Stunde des Wolfes 6:04
8. Geister 5:32
9. Unter Sand 6:46

Band members
Torsten – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming
Flo – drums

Guest musicians
Phil Jonas – vocals on “Aus rauchlosem Feuer”
P.G. – vocals on “Blut – Teil I” and “Blut – Teil II”
Edmond Karban – vocals on “Sturm”

Album Review – Harakiri For The Sky / Mӕre (2021)

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This Atmospheric Black Metal duo from Austria returns with a breathtaking collection of tales from feverish dreams in the form of their fifth full-length opus.

Mӕre, a malicious folkloristic entity creeping on sleeping people’s chest during the night and causing breathlessness and anxiety, is the exact state of diffuse terror and paralysis that has been enshrined in Vienna, Austria-based Atmospheric Black Metal duo Harakiri For The Sky’s music ever since their debut album. Now in 2021, a breathtaking collection of tales from feverish dreams is being released in the form of the band’s fifth full-length opus Mӕre, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2018 album Arson. Founded in 2011 by vocalist J.J. and multi-instrumentalist M.S., the aim of Harakiri For The Sky has always been to create a unique mixture of melancholy and aggression, madness and meaning, wrapped in alternately manic and mellow songs that bridged Black Metal and Atmospheric Post-Rock. Featuring session drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner (Septicflesh, Act of Denial) and an atmospheric artwork by Meike Hakkaart (Art of Maquenda), Mӕre will haunt your soul and darken your heart in a majestic way, being therefore highly recommended for fans of the somber music crafted by bands like Alcest, Wolves In The Throne Room and Agalloch.

The atmospheric guitars by M.S. kick off the venomous opening track I, Pallbearer, with Kerim hammering his drums in great Black Metal fashion, providing J.J. al he needs to vociferate rabidly. In other words, what a sensational start to the album, ending with gorgeous, serene piano notes and setting the tone for Sing for the Damage We’ve Done, a lesson in Atmospheric Post-Black Metal that’s as visceral and aggressive as it’s melodic and epic, with guest vocalist Neige (from bands like Alcest and Zero) helping J.J. declaim the song’s poetic and introspective words (“It’s been so long, it’s difficult to tell / If I truly miss what I once called home / It’s been so long, it’s difficult to tell / If this truly was my longest way home”). Another round of their imposing and captivating sounds fills our ears in the pulverizing Us Against December Skies, where J.J. sounds bestial with his sick screams while M.S. slashes his stringed weapons mercilessly supported by the always infernal blast beats by Kerim, and you better prepare your senses for 11 minutes of modern-day, vibrant Atmospheric Black Metal in the form of I’m All About the Dusk, where M.S. will hit you in the head with his low-tuned bass while piercing your mind with his riffage, being full of breaks and variations and an endless sense of despair. And the duo continues to spread darkness and rage through their devilish roars and riffs in Three Empty Words, another good tune blending the heaviness of Melodic Black Metal with Post-Black Metal where Kerim proves why he was invited by J.J. and M.S. to be responsible for the drumming duties.

Atmospheric Black Metal usually means lengthy songs, and in the case of Harakiri For The Sky that’s translated into a thrilling musical voyage through obscure lands titled Once upon a Winter, a multi-layered and very detailed composition where J.J. takes his rage and despair to the next level, whereas in And Oceans Between Us we face more of their cryptic, somber lyrics (“You were the ailment / And leaving was the cure / I fell away and I still suffer / And year by year I’m fading away”) enfolded by a beyond mesmerizing sonority led by the strident guitars by M.S., exhaling epicness and bringing to our ears grandiose passages intertwined with classic Black Metal beats. The anonymous vocalist of Portuguese Black Metal band Gaerea lends his sharp vocals to the Stygian tune Silver Needle // Golden Dawn, with the song’s guitars overflowing pure Atmospheric Black Metal while drums and vocals lean towards contemporary Post-Metal, and acoustic guitars kick off the melancholic and embracing Time Is a Ghost, growing in intensity as the music progresses with Kerim stealing the spotlight with his infernal drumming, while J.J. continues to growl and bark just the way we like it in extreme music. And as the icing on the cake, Harakiri For The Sky offer our ears a fantastic version for Song to Say Goodbye, from the 2006 album Meds by Placebo (you can check the original version HERE), and let me tell you the band did a tremendous job adding a gargantuan amount of obscurity and heaviness to their version, with J.J. taking the lead with his trademark hellish roars.

As you might already know, the word “harakiri” means a ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword, formerly practiced in Japan by samurai as an honorable alternative to disgrace or execution, and after listening to the deep, scorching music found in Mӕre it’s easy to understand why the name of the band was chosen to be Harakiri For The Sky, piercing your soul like a samurai sword and eliminating all traces of life from your body, therefore leaving you in pitch black darkness for all eternity. Hence, don’t forget to give the duo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream more of their enfolding music on Spotify, and to purchase their excellent new opus by clicking HERE. Needless to say, you should definitely go for the very special CD Wooden Boxset edition of the album, available from AOP Records, EMP, Nuclear Blast and Amazon. Melancholic and aggressive, Mӕre represents another solid stone in the career of Harakiri For The Sky, showing us all that in Atmospheric Black Metal there’s nothing better than a never-ending, eerie onrush of fear and terror.

Best moments of the album: Sing for the Damage We’ve Done, I’m All About the Dusk and And Oceans Between Us.

Worst moments of the album: Three Empty Words.

Released in 2021 AOP Records

Track listing
1. I, Pallbearer 7:06
2. Sing for the Damage We’ve Done 8:05
3. Us Against December Skies 8:21
4. I’m All About the Dusk 11:09
5. Three Empty Words 9:29
6. Once upon a Winter 10:27
7. And Oceans Between Us 8:57
8. Silver Needle // Golden Dawn 7:09
9. Time Is a Ghost 8:33
10. Song to Say Goodbye (Placebo cover) 5:25

Band members
J.J. – vocals
M.S. – all instruments

Guest musicians
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums (session)
Neige – additional vocals on “Sing for the Damage We’ve Done”
Anonymous – additional vocals on “Silver Needle // Golden Dawn”

Album Review – The Spirit / Cosmic Terror (2020)

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The soundtrack to the fear of vast nothingness in the form of melodic and progressive Black and Death Metal made in Germany, beautifully dragging the listener into a musical catharsis.

As far-reaching as the literary, philosophical and psychological meanings behind the term Cosmic Terror might be, for German Black/Death Metal trio The Spirit naming their sophomore full-length album with this title opens up a world of its own. They do not want to explain anything nor to analyze their lyrics, characterized by misanthropy and social criticism, having only one simple goal in mind, which is to let their music speak for itself. The result is a bold and breathtaking album containing seven raging tracks that blend and bend Black and Death Metal, extensive instrumental passages and some of the most face-ripping riffs you’ll hear, which apparently even attracted nearby snakes to the studio’s terrace during the recording according to the band members themselves.

Formed in 2015 in Saarbrücken, the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland in the always beautiful and vibrant Germany, The Spirit are currently comprised of MT on vocals and guitars, AT on bass and MS on drums, a talented and unrelenting trio of fairly anonymous musicians who have been making a name for themselves in the underground scene since the release of their debut opus entitled Sounds from the Vortex, in 2017, being highly recommended for fans of bands like Dissection, Satyricon and Naglfar, among others. Finalized with a unique cover artwork by French artist Valnoir (Metastazis), Cosmic Terror tears the listener into a musical catharsis, with the band once again crafting their own soundtrack to the fear of vast nothingness.

The trio wastes no time and begin blasting their crisp and incendiary Black Metal in Serpent As Time Reveals, offering over six minutes of classy and vicious extreme music for our avid ears where MS is a true beast on drums, while MT growls the song’s beautiful lyrics in great fashion (“The ability to spread agony / A sick craft you truly master / The enduring thirst for power and dominion / Poison, obsessional voracity / Dangerous strength to the perverted insane / Unleash hell to enhance pathetic egotism”); and they continue their obscure and melodic attack in Strive For Salvation, with MT’s heavier-than-hell riffs and AT’s fulminating bass lines generating the perfect ambience for the enraged gnarls by MT while MS keeps pounding and smashing his drums manically. Then drinking form the same infernal fountain as renowned acts like Marduk, Immortal and Mayhem, the trio explodes our senses with the fantastic Repugnant Human Scum, a lesson in Black Metal infused with Death Metal and Melodic Black Metal nuances.

A melancholic and somber intro morphs into a mid-tempo headbanging feast titled The Path Of Solitude, where all band members are in absolute sync and with MT sounding diabolical with both his roars and riffs, resulting in an ode to darkness and solitude in the form of ass-kicking Black Metal. After such dense tune, it’s time for more disruptive and Stygian sounds by The Spirit in Pillars Of Doom, where MT sounds possessed with his demonic riffage while AT and MS make the earth tremble with their respective weapons of mass destruction. In The Wide Emptiness the band doesn’t stop hammering their instruments and consequently our heads, showcasing classic Black Metal with more contemporary nuances, not to mention how impressive it is that only three guys can generate such bold and hellish sound, with MT’s soulful solo serving as the icing on the cake. Lastly, the title-track Cosmic Terror comes as an arrow piercing our ears and minds, concluding the obscure Black Metal journey by the trio that started “long time ago” with the opening track. However, despite being an amazing display of extreme music, the fact that it’s only an instrumental song takes away a little of its rawness and energy, but that’s just my opinion as I truly enjoy MT’s harsh vocals.

In a nutshell, the excellent Cosmic Terror, which is available from the AOP Records’ BandCamp page, from the EMP webstore, from IndieMerchstore.com in CD or 12” vinyl format, as well as from several other locations which you can check by clicking HERE, not only points to a bright future for The Spirit, positioning the band as one of the most promising names of the German extreme music scene, but it’s also a mandatory listen for fans of the more contemporary wave of Black and Death Metal bands with a huge focus on progressiveness, melodies and atmospheric passages. Hence, don’t forget to give The Spirit a shout via their official Facebook page, and let the cosmic terror flowing form their wicked creations penetrate deep inside your damned soul.

Best moments of the album: Repugnant Human Scum, The Path Of Solitude and The Wide Emptiness.

Worst moments of the album: Cosmic Terror.

Released in 2020 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Serpent As Time Reveals 6:38
2. Strive For Salvation 4:34
3. Repugnant Human Scum 5:18
4. The Path Of Solitude 8:07
5. Pillars Of Doom 5:51
6. The Wide Emptiness 6:13
7. Cosmic Terror 6:32

Band members
MT – vocals, guitars
AT – bass
MS – drums

Album Review – Sun Of The Dying / The Earth Is Silent (2019)

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A driving force of Doom Metal from Spain is ready to show us all how solitude, grief and serene landscapes can be translated into first-class extreme music.

There’s nothing like a good dosage of Death and Doom Metal to make any Friday the 13th even darker and more enjoyable, don’t you agree? And that’s exactly what Madrid, Spain-based six-piece horde Sun Of The Dying is offering us all with their sophomore full-length opus The Earth Is Silent, the follow-up to their 2017 debut album The Roar of the Furious Sea. Formed in the year of 2013 as a side project between former vocalist Lavin Uruksoth (from CrystalMoors) and guitarist Daniel Fernández Casuso (from Apocynthion), Sun Of The Dying is highly recommended for fans of My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Katatonia and Anathema, among others, blending their 90’s-rooted doom music with a more modern sound taken from bands like Shape of Despair, Ahab and Swallow the Sun, with the 45 minutes of extreme music found in The Earth Is Silent being a must-listen for admirers of such distinct style.

And the band now comprised of the aforementioned Daniel together with lead singer Eduardo Guilló, guitarist Roberto Rayo, bassist José Yuste, keyboardist David Muñoz and drummer Diego Weser really stepped up their game in their new album, featuring a minimalist and straightforward cover picture by Spanish photographer Miguel Urbaneja (Dissociated), and recorded, mixed and mastered at The Empty Hall Studio in Madrid. From grim, atmospheric passages to heavier-than-hell moments, The Earth Is Silent is a powerful statement that Sun Of The Dying are not just an average band, but a driving force of Doom Metal from the Spanish underground scene that’s ready to penetrate deep inside your soul and show you how solitude, grief and serene landscapes can be translated into first-class extreme music.

The sound of the waves give a raw touch to the somber intro The Earth Is Silent, darkening the skies for the Stygian anthem A Dying Light, which begins in a lugubrious way to the keys by David while Eduardo delivers a huge dosage of melancholy through his deep, clean vocals. In addition, Diego smashes his drums slowly and steadily in great Doom Metal fashion, with Eduardo’s cavernous roars bringing darkness to their crushing musicality. Speeding things up a bit and enhancing their background epicness and obscurity, the band offers us all A Cold Unnamed Fear, where the stringed trio Daniel, Roberto and José sound almost full Black Metal with their incendiary riffs in another brutal display of extreme music, with a delicate touch coming from David’s keys; and they continue their voyage through desolate and cold lands in Orion, where the sound of the guitars by Daniel and Roberto will mesmerize your mind throughout the song’s over eight minutes of solitude and ethereal passages, while Diego keeps the rhythm as sluggish and nocturnal as possible.

Showcasing lyrics that exhale hopelessness darkly vociferated by Eduardo (“When the morning came / There was no hope / There was no joy / When the morning came / The sun was white / Behind the clouds”), When the Morning Came brings forward an interesting paradox between the rumbling bass punches and whimsical keys generated by José and Davi, respectively, with the song’s last part being a brilliant ode to silence and nature; followed by Monolith, offering our ears an imposing an ominous background while at the same time leaning towards Blackened Doom, or in other words, a spine-chilling creation by the band filling every single space in the air with its phantasmagorical keys, flammable guitars and endless heaviness, not to mention its bitterly cold words declaimed by Eduardo (“Another day of calm and cold in this ship / waiting for a sign of mercy of our god / Meanwhile the ice bright like a silver knife / Behind the mist I suppose I see something dark / A cyclopean stone with many lights like stars”). And finally, the piano notes by David kick off the closing tune, entitled White Skies And Grey Lands, before Eduardo’s smooth vocals bring serenity to the music, with all instruments uniting in a climatic and thrilling sound exhibiting the strength of Doom Metal spiced up by the beauty of classical music.

If you’re a longtime fan of the grim and somber fusion of Doom and Death Metal played by bands like Sun Of The Dying, go show your support to those talented Spanish metallers by following them on Facebook, by listening to The Earth Is Silent in full on YouTube and on Spotify and, above all that, by purchasing your copy of the album from their BandCamp page, from Indiemerchstore.com (in CD or vinyl format), or simply click HERE for each and every location where you can find this excellent opus of extreme music. In a nutshell, Sun Of The Dying are not among us to bring happiness nor hope. Quite the contrary, the music found in The Earth Is Silent is the perfect representation of the harsh future that awaits us all in our decaying world, and of course that could only be done through the Stygian and cryptic sounds of our beloved Doom Metal.

Best moments of the album: A Cold Unnamed Fear, When the Morning Came and Monolith.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2019 AOP Records

Track listing
1. The Earth Is Silent (Intro) 1:39
2. A Dying Light 8:23
3. A Cold Unnamed Fear 5:41
4. Orion 8:09
5. When the Morning Came 5:21
6. Monolith 8:47
7. White Skies And Grey Lands 7:22

Band members
Eduardo Guilló – vocals
Daniel Fernández Casuso – guitars
Roberto Rayo – guitars
José Yuste – bass
David Muñoz – keyboards, backing vocals
Diego Weser – drums

Album Review – Spiral Skies / Blues For A Dying Planet (2018)

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Get ready to be put in a trance and to be taken on a unique musical journey by a psychedelic Swedish band and their “rock from another planet”.

With influences ranging over decades, Swedish Occult Rock band Spiral Skies has created a sound that can most easily be described as “rock from another planet”, a unique blend of folk, doom and 70’s-inspired rock music the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Curved Air and The Devil’s Blood, all embraced by a unique visual performance at their intense and enchanting live shows. After their debut EP A Queendom to Come, released in 2015, it’s time for Spiral Skies to further spread their sorcery with their brand new album beautifully titled Blues For A Dying Planet, an ode to the past that’s at the same time always looking into the future.

Formed in 2014 in the Swedish capital Stockholm, Spiral Skies are the talented Frida on vocals, Jonas and Dan on the guitars, Eric on bass and Daniel on drums, each one with a different musical background and distinct influences, but all sharing the same passion for 70´s genuine rock and metal music. In Blues For A Dying Planet, which features a classy cover illustration by Vadim Karasyov, cover and booklet design by Atmanoid, and cover photo by Björn Pettersson, the band brings forth an amalgamation of styles with a strong Psychedelic Doom Metal and Rock core essence, putting you in a trance and taking you to the golden years of rock, always spearheaded by the mesmerizing vocals by Frida.

An organ and the sound of the wind in the intro Black Hole Waltz ignite the feast of Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal named Awakening, with Jonas and Dan dictating the rhythm with their Iron Madein-ish riffs while Frida gives a lesson in passion and energy with her flamboyant vocals. Put differently, this rockin’ hymn has an old school Heavy Metal vibe that, when blended with its core Doom Metal essence, makes things even more captivating. Following such powerful start we have Dark Side of the Cross, a very good song to dance under the stars that leans towards the classic Doom Metal by Black Sabbath with a more whimsical Rock N’ Roll aura, also showcasing a great job done by Daniel with his intricate beats; and The Wizard’s Ball, where Frida keeps delivering sheer awesomeness through her charming and potent vocals, with the rest of the band keeping the music at a very pleasant and gripping pace, flowing smoothly until its climatic ending. Then it’s time to dance with Frida and the boys in Danse Macabre, a classic Hard Rock song with tons of psychedelic elements from Doom Metal added to its beautiful sonority, with Jonas and Dan blasting straightforward, old school guitar riffs that effectively help embellish the ambience.

Labyrinth of the Mind is perhaps the most Black Sabbath of all tracks, with a great balance between the heaviness of the guitar riffs and the gentle voice by Frida, resulting in a hypnotizing musicality perfect for closing your eyes and letting the band take you on a one-of-a-kind musical journey. In Shattered Hopes we’re treated to a hybrid between pure Psychedelic Rock and more contemporary Doom Metal and Hard Rock, uniting past and present through the riffs by the band’s guitar duo and the always fiery vocals by Frida; whereas the poetically-titled tune Left Is Right and Right Is Left Behind has its name translated into classic Rock N’ Roll with tons of psychedelia added to its mesmerizing waves. Furthermore, Eric with his solid bass lines and Daniel with his fierce beats create the perfect background for Frida to shine once again on vocals. And lastly, their feast of classy and gripping sounds is majestically concluded with the lesson in Psychedelic Rock and Metal named The Prisoner, a full-bodied voyage led by the heavy and very melodic guitars by both Jonas and Dan.

The enchanting voice by Frida and her Spiral Skies can be better appreciated through the band’s Facebook page and Spotify, and if you want to buy a copy of Blues For A Dying Planet and consequently have all that’s needed to prance around the fire pit under a moonlit sky, you can find the album on sale at the AOP Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, at the Nuclear Blast webstore, on iTunes or on Amazon. Although the 70’s might be long gone and everything is now just a distant memory, the music by bands like Spiral Skies is what keeps the spirit and passion of that golden decade burning bright inside our souls.

Best moments of the album: Awakening, Danse Macabre and The Prisoner.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2018 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Black Hole Waltz 1:25
2. Awakening 3:31
3. Dark Side of the Cross 4:04
4. The Wizard’s Ball 5:36
5. Danse Macabre 4:18
6. Labyrinth of the Mind 5:42
7. Shattered Hopes 3:18
8. Left Is Right and Right Is Left Behind 4:38
9. The Prisoner 6:02

Band members
Frida – vocals
Jonas – guitars
Dan – guitars
Eric – bass
Daniel – drums