Tag Archives: avantgarde music

Album Review – Beholder / Dualisme (2024)

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One of the new names of the Métal Noir Québécois scene returns with their sophomore opus, a 35-minute assault of aggressive, up-tempo Black Metal infused with melodic, doomy passages.

Forged in the fires of the stunning Quebec City back in 2016, the devilish five-piece horde Beholder, another amazing exponent of the current Métal Noir Québécois scene, is set to release their sophomore album, entitled Dualisme, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Arcane Subreptice and a huge improvement on their already solid foundations. Mastered by Patrick McDowall and displaying a sinister artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, Dualisme is a 35-minute assault of aggressive, up-tempo Black Metal with melodic, doomy passages which deeply contribute to its overall atmosphere, all masterfully crafted by Dan Mécréant on vocals, Pier-Luc Lavoie and Alex Bouchard on the guitars, Kéven Tremblay on bass, and Michel Murray on drums. “Both music and lyrics are influenced by orthodox black metal from the 90’s, with topics mainly dealing with luciferianism, history and occult philosophy. It has been a contemplative process from the writing to the recording. We feel like we reached a mature piece of art and feel extremely confident about it,” commented the band about their newborn beast.

The caustic guitars by Pier-Luc and Alex darken the skies before their bandmates come ripping in Le vassal de la profanation, a visceral Black Metal attack where the vocals by Dan will haunt your putrid soul for all eternity, followed by the title-track Dualisme, living up to the legacy of Métal Noir Québécois, sounding caustic from start to finish while Michel’s beats alternate between sheer savagery and more cadenced, somber moments; and Michel hammers his drums in a nice Motörhead-style in Vers le pandæmonium while the music evolves into a sinister form of Black Metal led by the once again sick riffage by Pier-Luc and Alex. After such disturbing sonority, it’s then time for Kéven to smash his bass and kick off the even darker Géomancie, where their blast beats walk hand in hand with their wicked, malignant riffs, resulting in a full-bodied aria of extreme music

The second half of the album begins with two and a half minutes of modern-day Black Metal titled Hexenaat, again showcasing the demonic gnarls by Dan while his bandmates keep delivering endless evil through their sonic weapons, and get ready for a hurricane of blackened sounds titled Despotisme ecclésiastique, where all band members are on absolute fire, blasting their trademark Black Metal magic for our total delight. The band then offers our putrid ears the venomous Résurgence de l’obscurantisme, the second to last explosion of infernal Black Metal made in Quebec from the album, with once again their guitar duo sounding evil armed with their axes, always supported by the classic, rumbling bass by Kéven, flowing into Credo fractal, a phantasmagorical outro by Montreal-based artist Thisquietarmy that sounds and feels truly haunting, even cinematic at times, but that goes on for way too long reducing the level of energy and evil crafted by all previous songs.

Beholder are definitely a force to reckon hailing from the Quebec scene, and if you want to join their horde of the occult you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Dualisme from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or from Sound Cave as a digipak CD or as a crystal clear vinyl. Raw and visceral, Dualisme showcases an excellent fusion of Métal Noir Québécois with 90’s Black Metal, and I bet you’re also going to have a great time listening to this sulfurous album.

Best moments of the album: Le vassal de la profanation, Géomancie and Despotisme ecclésiastique.

Worst moments of the album: Credo fractal.

Released in 2024 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Le vassal de la profanation 4:22
2. Dualisme 5:51
3. Vers le pandæmonium 4:45
4. Géomancie 3:34
5. Hexenaat 2:34
6. Despotisme ecclésiastique 5:26
7. Résurgence de l’obscurantisme 3:49
8. Credo fractal 5:00

Band members
Dan Mécréant – vocals
Pier-Luc Lavoie – guitars
Alex Bouchard – guitars
Kéven Tremblay – bass
Michel Murray – drums

Guest musician
Thisquietarmy – everything on “Credo fractal”

Album Review – Akouphenom / Death·Chaos·Void (2023)

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A rising force of the Spanish Black and Death Metal scene will destroy your soul with their first full-length album, a hymn to the three ruling powers of existence – death, chaos and the void.

Embodying different influences from Doom Metal to Noise with the ambition to reflect absolute evil in their creations, A Coruña, Spain-based Blackened Death Metal horde Akouphenom (a name that comes from a twist on the word tinnitus, a real consequence of the band’s prolific live activities) is unleashing upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Death·Chaos·Void. Mixed and mastered by Simón Da Silva at The Empty Hall Studio, Death·Chaos·Void is a hymn to the three ruling powers of existence – death, chaos and the void, leaders, kings and conquerors for all eternity, all carefully brought into being by DraGon on vocals and guitars, Pandemia also on the guitars, Korgüll on bass, and Prgich on drums. Furthemore, Death·Chaos·Void is a concept album divided into six chapters, which Akouphenom explain as a journey to unveil the truths of the Arkhé, the natural law, which is no more than an extension of the chaotic reality of the human condition.

The obscure, atmospheric intro Tritone Descent will drag your soul to the pits of the underworld before the band comes crushing our souls in Devour, offering our damned ears over eight minutes of a first-class fusion of Black and Death Metal where Prgich sounds demolishing with his blast beats accompanied by the demonic riffage by DraGon and Pandemia, flowing into the 12-minute beast titled Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails, a lecture in Blackened Death Metal where DraGon and Pandemia once again extract pure insanity and darkness form their guitars, while DraGon roars and vociferates nonstop for our total delight. And the song will haunt our souls until its very last second, being immediately followed by Flesh Sublimation, where the quartet keeps blasting their devilish sounds mercilessly, with Korgüll and Prgich making the ambience feel truly heavy, dense and grim armed with their heavy-as-hell kitchen, alternating between pounding, infernal moments and sheer Black Metal attack. The title-track Death·Chaos·Void begins in full force with another thrilling display of savagery by the band’s guitar duo, resulting in a hurricane of blackened, demonic sounds not recommended for the lighthearted, not to mention DraGon’s vocals sound insanely heavy and grim; whereas lastly, get ready for one final blast of the band’s infernal sounds in Incorporeal, trapping our minds in pitch black darkness to the sound of the demented drums by Prgich, therefore resulting in a twisted, vile conclusion to the album.

Death·Chaos·Void, which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, certainly places Akouphenom as one of the new driving forces of the Spanish underground scene, and you can help the band go even higher (or lower, depending if you consider hell the ultimate place to be for a Black and Death Metal band) by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course by purchasing a copy of their amazing new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page or webstore (as a CD or an LP), or simply by clicking HERE and choosing your favorite version of the album. Akouphenom are among us to bring death, chaos and void to our lives armed with their debut album, and once you listen to their music you better be prepared because there’s no coming back from the dark side.

Best moments of the album: Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails and Death·Chaos·Void.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Tritone Descent 1:35
2. Devour 8:17
3. Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails 11:57
4. Flesh Sublimation 9:52
5. Death·Chaos·Void 8:07
6. Incorporeal 5:12

Band members
DraGon – vocals, guitars
Pandemia – guitars, backing vocals
Korgüll – bass, backing vocals
Prgich – drums

Album Review – Snorlax / The Necrotrophic Abyss (2023)

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An Australian one-man Blackened Death Metal entity strikes with his sophomore album, an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

Born in unexpected circumstances during an experimental recording session in mid-2017 at Black Blood Audio in Brisbane, Australia, when recording engineer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendan Auld was trialing new recording techniques, Blackened Death Metal outfit Snorlax (and before you ask, that’s indeed the name of a famous Pokémon) is unleashing upon humanity its sophomore opus, entitled The Necrotrophic Abyss, the follow-up to the project’s 2020 debut album II. Recorded and mixed by Brendan himself at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Arthur Rizk, and displaying a wicked artwork by Blasphemator Art, The Necrotrophic Abyss clocks in at just under 30 minutes, delivering a concise, ruthless display of sonic violence and despair. In addition, the album is presented as a concept, with an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

It’s always impressive how just one person is capable of crafting a demented wall of sounds the likes of Reawaken, a furious hybrid of Blackened and Experimental Death Metal where Brendan’s riffs sound scorching, followed by The Repudiation ov Disharmony, even more demented and thunderous, with Brendan delivering both deep guttural roars and obscure clean whispers, uniting the most venomous elements from contemporary Black and Death Metal. Fortification is another dense and Stygian aria by Brendan and his Snorlax, firing his trademark riffs and intricate beats and, therefore, keeping the album as caustic as it can be; whereas investing in an even darker, more demonic sonority it’s time for the pulverizing Book ov Serpents, where Brendan growls and gnarls like a creature form the underworld.

Brendan shows no sign of slowing down nor sounding mellow at all; quite the contrary, it’s absolute chaos and madness in the form of Eternal Decrepitude, where he hammers his drums and extract razor-edged riffs from his guitar nonstop, and the title-track The Necrotrophic Abyss sounds blacker than its predecessor thanks to the hellish screams by Brendan, who also crushes his drums in the name of evil, resulting in the perfect depiction of how insane the music by Snorlax can be. After that we have Regenesis Arrival, the most experimental of all tracks, working more like an instrumental, noisy interlude and sounding a bit weird (albeit it makes sense to be placed where it is in the album), flowing into the grim The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation, starting in a sluggish, doomed way before exploding into one final Black Metal attack by Brendan where his beats and riffs once again sound infernal.

The multi-talented Brendan Auld and his Snorlax are waiting for you on Facebook with news and other details about such interesting project, and don’t forget to also stream all of Snorlax’s heavy and visceral creations on Spotify. Above all that, you can purchase a copy of The Necrotrophic Abyss in different formats and from several locations, including Snorlax’s own BandCamp page, the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, Sound Cave as a digipak CD or an LP, the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or Big Cartel (as a CD, an LP, or a very special LP + long-sleeve shirt bundle), Sound Pollution also as a CD or an LP, Barnes & Noble, and Head Records, among others. The planet painted by Brendan in the album is laid to waste for eons, resulting in a desolate baron abyss only creatures of the undead have a chance of surviving, showing a slight glimpse of hope at the end as the story eludes to an unlikely rebirth of evolution and a potentially inhabitable future after all. If that means such awesome album will have a sequel, no one really knows for sure, but we can all rest assured whenever Brendan strikes again with his Snorlax, if it’s just half as good as The Necrotrophic Abyss, we’ll all have a very good reason to keep raising our horns high in the darkened sky.

Best moments of the album: The Repudiation ov Disharmony, Book ov Serpents and The Necrotrophic Abyss.

Worst moments of the album: Regenesis Arrival.

Released in 2023 Brilliant Emperor Records/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Reawaken 3:09
2. The Repudiation ov Disharmony 2:50
3. Fortification 3:13
4. Book ov Serpents 2:45
5. Eternal Decrepitude 5:03
6. The Necrotrophic Abyss 3:38
7. Regenesis Arrival 2:09
8. The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation 5:41

Band members
Brendan Auld – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Argenthorns / The Ravening (2023)

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Prepare yourself for a breathtaking Symphonic Black Metal journey to the war-torn, magical and baroque world of Argenthorns.

A new and mysterious Symphonic Black Metal project from the land of a thousand lakes, more precisely from the Finnish city of Lahti, Argenthorns will take you on an epic cloak and dagger adventure in the project’s debut opus The Ravening, all taken from the mind of its sole member, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Juuso Peltola, the man behind Warmoon Lord and Old Sorcery who goes by the name of Mason Rofocale in this epic and baroque metal saga. Mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis, and many more), and displaying a stylish, classic artwork by Swedish master Pär Olofsson, The Ravening marks the first chapter of Mason Rofocale’s occult chronicle through lands unknown, a Black Metal tale told the way it used to be in the 90’s with piercing screams, fascinating keyboards and icy cold riffs, recommended for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Bal-Sagoth, Odium and Limbonic Art.

The cinematic and phantasmagorical intro Hanen Salissaan Kastoimme Unenhoureet Vereen (“In Hane’s hall, we drenched the sleeping whores in blood” from Finnish) will captivate your senses before Juuso smashes our cranial skulls in The Manor of the Demon Duke, a pulverizing Symphonic Black Metal aria showcasing fast and electrifying riffs, menacing drums and Juuso’s infernal gnarls, resulting in a grandiose start to such compelling tale. Juuso wastes no time and continues to tell the album’s story in the most metallic way possible in In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens, where all background keys, orchestrations and sounds provide him with the perfect atmosphere for his wicked Black Metal vociferations; whereas his old school Black Metal vein gets stronger in I: Incursion II: a Procession of Spectres, bringing forward his passion for the 80’s and 90’s sound while also adding his own twist to the music, ending in a doom-ish, sluggish manner.

Investing in a more orchestral, imposing sonority, Juuso will embellish the airwaves with his piercing guitar lines in Malefic Chronicle, enhancing the song’s punch and heaviness with his classy drums and whimsical keys; and in Wings of Psychomachia he adds elements from Atmospheric Black Metal and also from Doom Metal to his core sound, resulting in a song that exhales melancholy and introspection while also evolving into a Symphonic Black Metal voyage that will smash your mind mercilessly. Then epic keys ignite the second to last song of the album, titled The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant, with Juuso declaiming the song’s words in a poetic way before gnarling and roaring like a demonic beast, feeling modern yet deeply rooted in classic Black Metal (not to mention his amazing riff work), flowing into the also cinematic outro Elpyminen (“recovery” from Finnish), putting a mesmerizing and climatic finale to Juuso’s blackened musical journey.

The multi-talented metal warrior Juuso, or maybe I should say Mason Rofocale, is eager to know what you think of his music on Facebook, and you can show him all your support by purchasing a copy of the intense and multi-layered The Ravening from his own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave (as a CD, a vinyl, or a special galaxy vinyl), as well as from other sources such as mvdshop.com. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking journey to the war-torn, magical and baroque world of Argenthorns, but I must warn you that once you enter such metallic realm you might never come back.

Best moments of the album: The Manor of the Demon Duke, In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens and The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Hanen Salissaan Kastoimme Unenhoureet Vereen 1:36
2. The Manor of the Demon Duke 3:55
3. In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens 5:29
4. I: Incursion II: a Procession of Spectres 7:21
5. Malefic Chronicle 5:28
6. Wings of Psychomachia 7:02
7. The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant 5:19
8. Elpyminen 2:17

Band members
Juuso Peltola – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Ciemra / The Tread of Darkness (2023)

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Behold the magnificent debut opus by this Belarusian Black Metal horde, based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss.

Forged in the scorching fires of Minsk, Belarus in 2019, when five essences emerged from the abyss to the veils of night on the eve of the end times in order to reap the living, to satisfy the hunger of darkness and to nourish the wombs of the dark gods, the venomous Melodic Black Metal horde Ciemra (or Цемра, which means “darkness” in Belarusian) delivers fast-paced, cold and pure Black Metal which is looking at both the classic European sound and its more contemporary interpretations, which is exactly what you’ll find in their newborn opus titled The Tread of Darkness. Recorded at Alma Studio, mixed and mastered by Yaroslav Tseluyko at Jaro Sound, and displaying a demonic artwork by Nestor Povarnin, The Tread Of Darkness is based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss, masterfully brought into being by the witch Malvain on vocals, Misery and Zima on the guitars, Kurz on bass, and Sønn on drums.

The acoustic guitars by Misery and Zima will mesmerize your soul accompanied by the slow and steady beast by Sønn in Ciemra, before the Belarusian sorceress Malvain begins gnarling in a dark and beautiful manner, with the music growing in intensity until becoming a sulfurous and grandiose feast of undisputed Black Metal. After such impactful start, the band continues to distill their blend of Melodic Black Metal with old school, raw Black Metal in Four Riders, with the band’s guitar duo cutting our skin deep with their evil riffage, followed by Vomiting Void, very melodious and bestial from the very first second while showcasing devilish lyrics growled by Malvain (“Burning the world / Building the temple / In the end of the night / There’s a Vomiting Void / So far material awake the gun”). And investing in a more cadenced, obscure sonority led by the classic drums by Sønn supported by the low-tuned bass by Kurz, Call of the Ancestors is an evil composition perfect for summoning evil spirits.

Then continuing to pave their path to pitch black darkness it’s time for War, again presenting the trademark roars by Malvain while Misery and Zima add elements from Death and Doom Metal to their riffs; and their piercing, strident guitars keep darkening the skies in A Night for the Death, where their Blackened Doom vein arises like a creature from the netherworld, with Kurz and Sønn once again hammering our heads with their demonic kitchen in a lecture in extreme music. The eerie vociferations by Malvain are the main ingredient in the Black Metal extravaganza Winter, where the caustic sound of their guitars will blacken your mind for all eternity, whereas in Serpent’s we face more of their infernal words (“The shaking Serpent / In the Abyss / The Raw materials / I’m on my knees…”) while the music is just as Stygian and heavy as the rest of the album, exploding into a gargantuan onrush of pure Black Metal at the end. Lastly, closing such somber album we have Where the Eyes Close, offering more of the band’s darkly melodic and grim Black Metal for our total delight, with its ethereal passages creating a stunning paradox with the band’s more visceral and violent side.

The bestial debut album by such promising Belarusian horde can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness you can purchase your favorite version of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a digipak CD, a black vinyl or a color vinyl, from Season of Mist also as a digipak CD or a color vinyl, from Record Shop X, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, don’t forget to start following Ciemra on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos. Nature, in its primordial beauty and originality, also finds a place in The Tread Of Darkness, as there is where Ciemra find themselves at peace, but the exact opposite of that peace is what the quintet will offer you throughout the entire album, relentlessly dragging you toward endless darkness.

Best moments of the album: Ciemra, Vomiting Void, A Night for the Death and Where the Eyes Close.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Ciemra 7:09
2. Four Riders 4:41
3. Vomiting Void 3:52
4. Call of the Ancestors 4:59
5. War 5:49
6. A Night for the Death 5:43
7. Winter 4:48
8. Serpent’s 4:28
9. Where the Eyes Close 5:00

Band members
Malvain – vocals
Misery – guitar
Zima – guitar
Kurz – bass
Sønn – drums

Album Review – Høstsol / Länge Leve Döden (2023)

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A monumental celebration of the great Lord of Death in the form of dark and sinister 90’s Black Metal made in Scandinavia.

The Stygian project of Swedish vocalist Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Norwegian guitarist Cernunnus (Manes), Finnish bassist Kalmos (Barathrum), and Finnish drummer Rainer Tuominkanto (Ajattara), Scandinavian Black Metal entity Høstsol, which by the way means “autumn sun” from Swedish, has just unleashed upon humanity their debut opus, entitled Länge Leve Döden, or “long live death”, an album conceived and recorded by people who have been molding the sounds of all things dark since the 90’s, and you can hear that experience and unconditional dedication in every note. Mastered by the legendary Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) at Sonic Train Studios, Länge Leve Döden is, according to the band itself, “our monumental celebration of the great Lord of Death. A perfect alignment of five songs that were written during an awful, unhealthy process over the course of two years. Expect Black Metal the way it used to feel and sound back in the early nineties, and rejoice!”

An eerie intro slowly evolves into the grim and dark As Seen Through The Eyes Of The Prophet, showcasing pensive lyrics (“A human life is worth less than nothing / So therefore I dream, night after night, / Dreams of putting an end to all materialistic desires, / And annihilate the despicable cosmic failures of the false prophet Jahve, / And through faith and fanatic devotion, crown the one true king”) and a beautiful Atmospheric Black Metal sound. Rainer sounds inhumane on drums, bringing endless heaviness to Det Som En Gång Var (Det Kommer Aldrig Igen), or “what once was (it will never be again)”, while Niklas vociferates beastly for our total delight during the song’s eight minutes of pure obscurity; followed by Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren, or “long live the faceless killer”, absolutely sinister from the very first second spearheaded by the vicious growls by Niklas and the always hammering beats by Rainer, not to mention the sulfurous riffs by Cernunnus. Then Gregorian chants ignite ten minutes of sheer Black Metal magic entitled Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen, or “your harvest time has now come”, where Cernunnus is unstoppable with his classic riffage supported by the rumbling bass by Kalmos, sounding infernal and majestic from start to finish. And closing the album the quartet offers us all their hellish Black Metal with hints of Atmospheric Black and Doom Metal in Parallellt Dubbelliv, or “parallel double life”, displaying a menacing ambience perfect for the demonic gnarls by Niklas.

There are several places where you can put your evil hands on Länge Leve Döden (which is by the way available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), including the band’s own Big Cartel, the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, Sound Cave (as a CD, an LP or a deluxe LP), The Sinister Initiative’s Big Cartel, Season of Mist (also as a CD or an LP), Shining Legions (yet again as a CD or an LP), or Apple Music. In addition, don’t forget to also start following such incendiary Scandinavian horde on Instagram, keeping up to date with all things Høstsol. Länge Leve Döden is indeed an amazing tribute to the Lord of Death, as the band stated, showcasing the reach and fire of Scandinavian Black Metal and, therefore, becoming the perfect soundtrack for the darkest days of our miserable lives.

Best moments of the album: Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren and Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. As Seen Through The Eyes Of The Prophet 9:31
2. Det Som En Gång Var (Det Kommer Aldrig Igen) 8:14
3. Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren 10:29
4. Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen 8:44
5. Parallellt Dubbelliv 7:32

Band members
Niklas Kvarforth – vocals
Cernunnus – guitars
Kalmos – bass
Rainer Tuomikanto – drums

Album Review – Grá / Lycaon (2023)

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Succumb to the dark side of music ruled by this Swedish Black Metal horde armed with their sinister and visceral fourth studio album.

Since their inception in Stockholm, Sweden in 2010, the fantastic Black Metal entity Grá (a mixture of the Icelandic “grár” and the Swedish “grå”, simply meaning “gray”) has relentlessly worked to shape their music to be both a perfect example of Swedish Black Metal and a very personal interpretation of its classic sound. Now in 2023 the horde comprised of Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral, Cursed 13) on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Vediger (Diabolic Lust, Cursed 13) on bass, and Dimman (Veiled, Cursed 13) on drums returns from the underworld with their fourth opus, entitled Lycaon, a lecture in classic and modern Black Metal. Mixed by Terry Nikas at Zero Gravity Studios, mastered by George Nerantzis, displaying an explosive cover art by Chilean artist Felipe Ignacio, and featuring guest guitarist and keyboardist Maugrim (Vargagrav, Cursed 13) and guest vocalist Terry Nikas (Scar of the Sun), Lycaon heads in the opposite direction of their 2018 intricate and bombastic album Väsen, displaying fewer layers meticulously measured and well thought out to carry the right atmosphere forward.

White City Devil is very melodic and grim from the very first second, with Dimman sounding like a beast behind his drums offering Heljarmadr exactly what he needs to darkly roar nonstop in a flammable fusion of old school Black Metal with contemporary Melodic Black Metal. After such intense tune we have Flame of Hephaestus, even more sulfurous and with Heljarmadr growling the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Through cinders and snow, chasing the storms / Cleansed and so cold, concealed and obscure / Astray from all life, so violently dark / Shrouded in ice, forged in the fire”) while the guitars sound utterly caustic; and Maugrim and Heljarmadr keep slashing our ears with their visceral riffs in Torn Asunder, an ode to Black Metal that will please all fans of the genre. Then we’re treated to the title-track Lycaon, a lesson in modern-day Black Metal spearheaded by the venomous vocals by Heljarmadr while Vediger and Dimman make the earth tremble with their demonic kitchen. In other words, simply raise your horns in the name of evil to the sound of this amazing song.

It’s then time for their infernal rendition of Bathory’s Chariots of Fire (from their 1987 album Under The Sign Of The Black Mark), with Heljarmadr stealing the spotlight with his demented vocal lines; whereas the sinister bass by Vediger kick off the groovy and melodic Ett Avskedsbrev (or “a farewell letter” from Swedish), accompanied by the rhythmic beats by Dimman. Brännmärkt, which means “tarnished”, “tainted” or “branded”, carries on the torch exploring the cold war from a Swedish perspective, where the intro depicting a Swedish emergency siren called “Hesa Fredrik” (Hoarse Fredrik) and an old radio transmission was recorded right when the Russia-Ukraine war started. Musically speaking, it’s absolutely heavy and obscure, with Dimman pounding his drums mercilessly while the guitars by Maugrim and Heljarmadr bring an extra touch of malignancy to the overall result, flowing into the tribalistic outro titled Jaws of the Underworld, concluding the album on a cinematic note to the sound of the hammering drums by Dimman.

As aforementioned, Väsen might have been dropped like a bomb onto our heads back in 2018, but it’s with Lycaon that Grá have reached a whole new level of obscurity in their music, already placing it as one of the best albums of 2023 even if we’re just starting the month of January. Hence, don’t forget to show your support and admiration to the guys from Grá by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their official YouTube channel, by streaming all of their wicked creations on Spotify, and obviously by purchasing their massive new album from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a Digipak CD, a black vinyl or as a limited color vinyl, or from Amazon. Lycaon is Swedish Black Metal at its finest, and I’m sure you’ll succumb to the dark side ruled by Grá right after your first listen to such Stygian album.

Best moments of the album: Flame of Hephaestus, Torn Asunder, Lycaon and Brännmärkt.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. White City Devil 4:40
2. Flame of Hephaestus 4:20
3. Torn Asunder 4:17
4. Lycaon 5:10
5. Chariots of Fire (Bathory cover) 2:50
6. Ett Avskedsbrev 4:27
7. Brännmärkt 6:17
8. Jaws of the Underworld 3:38

Band members
Heljarmadr – vocals, guitars, keyboards
Vediger – bass, backing vocals
Dimman – drums, percussion

Guest musicians
Maugrim – additional guitars and keyboards
Terry Nikas – additional vocals

Album Review – Kamra / Cerebral Alchemy (2022)

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A veiled and secretive Slovenian horde is ready to attack armed with their debut opus, offering us all seven tracks of sheer Black Metal madness.

As a room’s confining embrace, the mysterious Slovenia-based Atmospheric/Experimental Black Metal entity Kamra grabs and plunges you in a world of allegories, ruminations and imagery with their upcoming debut full-length opus, entitled Cerebral Alchemy, following up on their 2021 EP Conversing With Ghosts (which was by the way recorded as a two-piece comprised of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist N.K. and multi-instrumentalist M.D., who are most probably still part of the band). Drawing influences equally from Norwegian Black Metal classics, modern death dealers, as well as experimental oddities, this Slovenian veiled and secretive horde, now expanded to five unknown creatures of the abyss, offers in their new album mixed by Anže Čanžek and mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia seven tracks clocking around 42 minutes of Black Metal madness, enriched with a beautiful artwork by by Jeff Christensen, being therefore highly recommended for admirers of the most obscure and dissonant side of music.

Stygian guitars and sluggish Doom Metal beats will consume your soul in the opening tune It Burns Without a Fire…, a sulfurous intro that will crush you mercilessly before such uncanny entity comes ripping in Death Eternal, a raw Black Metal onrush that’s utterly and beautifully primeval, with the wicked vocalizations by N.K. adding a touch of dementia to the overall result while its guitars and bass generate a massive wall of sounds, not to mention its old school Black Metal blast beats. Then after such demonic extravaganza get ready for almost eight minutes of impious sounds, atmospheric passages and endless darkness in the form of Lantern of Ghostly Unlight, where its bass sounds and feels as primitive as possible, and with N.K. gnarling like a demonic creature in a great display of classic Black Metal with the band’s own experimental and sulfurous twist.

Resurgence of Temporal Malignity is even more demented and multi-layered, showcasing a great job done on the guitars which sound absolutely sharp while also melodic and enfolding, taking us all on a one way journey to the pits of the underworld; and those Slovenian metallers dive deep into the mouth of hell in the spine-chilling aria entitled Oozing the Thirteenth Hour, starting in a serene, grim manner before exploding into more of the band’s Experimental Black Metal, with all of its vile vociferations, somber and tribalistic drums, and piercing riffage turning it into a must-listen for diehard fans of contemporary Black Metal. The simple but effective interlude Last Lamentations sets the tone for the closing track, titled Colossal Blight, where their Atmospheric Black Metal vein walks hand in hand with their more hellish sonority, once again presenting a band that not only sounds extremely focused and in sync, but it also displays their undisputed devotion to sheer darkness, resulting in an climatic and eccentric ending to the album.

The voices of Kamra are inviting you to their grim lair in Cerebral Alchemy, an album that will surely please Black Metal enthusiasts from all over the world. Hence, don’t forget to give those Slovenians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their music on Spotify, and to connect with the band in all possible ways by clicking HERE. Soon you’ll be able to put your damned hands on Cerebral Alchemy by purchasing it from their own BandCamp page, as well as from Avantgarde Music, Sound Cave, Edged Circle Productions or Rock Inc. Mediastore, darkening your minds and souls even more while enjoying the first-class Black Metal by an enigmatic band that definitely knows how to craft great music in the name of pure evil.

Best moments of the album: Death Eternal, Resurgence of Temporal Malignity and Oozing the Thirteenth Hour.

Worst moments of the album: Last Lamentations.

Released in 2022 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations/Edged Circle Productions

Track listing
1. It Burns Without a Fire… 2:20
2. Death Eternal 5:58
3. Lantern of Ghostly Unlight 7:47
4. Resurgence of Temporal Malignity 6:42
5. Oozing the Thirteenth Hour 9:46
6. Last Lamentations 1:59
7. Colossal Blight 7:54

Band members*
N.K. – vocals, drum programming
M.D. – guitar, keyboards, drum programming

*The other three members of the band are still unknown.

Album Review – Ferum / Asunder / Erode (2022)

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A ruthless entity arises from the underworld with an obsessive and monolithic record, showcasing the boldness and rot of American death doom and the introspection and emotion of English death doom.

Formed in 2017 in Bologna, Italy, but currently scattered between Bologna and Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the ruthless Death/Doom Metal entity known as Ferum (which means “wild”, “untamed” or “fierce” in Latin) is unleashing upon us all their debut full-length opus, entitled Asunder / Erode, following up on their 2018 EP Vergence. Recorded and mixed by the band’s drummer Are Kangus at Walter Productions, mastered by Dan Swanö, and displaying a fantastic cover art by Paolo Girardi (read more about the concept and process HERE), Asunder / Erode is a clear step forward in the career of vocalist and guitarist Samantha Alessi, bassist Matteo Anzelini and the aforementioned Are Kangus compared to their previous release, offering fans of heavy music an obsessive and monolithic record showcasing at the same time the boldness and rot of American death doom and the introspection and emotion of English death doom, with its slow, funereal riffs and cavernous atmosphere positioning it as one of the best albums of the genre of the past few years.

The massive, sluggish beats by Are kick off the thunderous opening tune Halfhead, with Samantha roaring deeply like a she-demon while also extracting sheer malignancy from her axe. In other words, it’s dark, sinister and somber just the way we like it in Doom Metal, which is also the case with The Undead Truth, featuring the iconic Mike Perun of Cianide on vocals, sounding even more demonic and grim with Samantha firing obscure riffs nonstop supported by the low-tuned bass by Matteo, not to mention how intricate and vibrant the drumming by Are is. Then continuing their path of old school, sulfurous Death and Doom Metal the trio brings forth the headbanging Desolate Vantaa, a song perfect for breaking your neck in half to the pounding drums by Are while Samantha darkly vociferates the song’s lyrics; and dark clouds are above us in the damned tune Belong, where Samantha and Matteo are in total sync with their stringed weapons, generating a menacing, reverberating sound tailored for admirers of the most obscure form of Doom Metal.

Get ready for almost seven minutes of infernal epicness in Monolithic Acquiescence, presenting elements from Blackened Doom in its core while remaining loyal to the foundations of Death Metal thanks to another awesome performance by Samantha on vocals; whereas investing in a more ferocious vibe, the trio delivers endless violence and heaviness in Entrails Of Linnahall, with Are dictating the song’s brutal pace while also alternating between pure Death Metal and slow, sinister passages. A deep roar by Samantha kicks off the Stygian extravaganza titled Resurgence In Bereavement, another dense, multi-layered composition showcasing Are’s classic Doom Metal beats, growing in intensity and fear until all fades into the void for our total delectation, while eerie vocalizations and minimalist sounds will darken our minds in Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato, which is not a bad idea for an outro but it could have been slightly shorter to keep the energy level in the album even higher. Nothing to worry about, though, as in the end the album kicks some serious ass from start to finish.

As already mentioned, the wild and fierce hybrid of Death and Doom Metal blasted by Ferum in Asunder / Erode is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys a good dosage of obscurity and hatred in metal music, proving how focused the trio was while recording the album and, consequently, pointing to an exciting future ahead of them. Having said that, don’t forget to start following Samantha and the boys on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other important information about the band, to purchase your copy of Asunder / Erode from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page or from Sound Cave as a CD, a color vinyl or a black vinyl, and to stream all of their devilish arias on Spotify. Ferum are definitely on the right path to conquer the world of extreme music based on what they have to offer us all in their new album, leaving us eager (or I might even say desperate) for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

Best moments of the album: Halfhead, Desolate Vantaa, Entrails Of Linnahall and Resurgence In Bereavement.

Worst moments of the album: Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato.

Released in 2022 Unorthodox Emanations/Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Halfhead 5:24
2. The Undead Truth 6:28
3. Desolate Vantaa 5:15
4. Belong 5:23
5. Monolithic Acquiescence 6:53
6. Entrails Of Linnahall 5:24
7. Resurgence In Bereavement 6:39
8. Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato 3:02

Band members
Samantha Alessi – vocals, guitars
Matteo Anzelini – bass
Are Kangus – drums

Guest musician
Mike Perun – vocals on “The Undead Truth”

Album Review – Tome Of The Unreplenished / Earthbound (2022)

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This Atmospheric Black Metal horde offers in their new opus a transcendental journey of a cold, earthy aesthetic twisted with punishing riffing brilliance.

A representation of conceptual philosophy, progression, and elevation through sound, the uncompromising Cypriot Atmospheric Black Metal project Tome Of The Unreplenished is finally releasing their most anticipated album to date, their sophomore full-length opus entitled Earthbound, a transcendental journey of a cold, earthy aesthetic twisted with punishing riffing brilliance. Formed as a solitary act in the city of Nicosia in 2012 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hermes, the project has solidified its lineup with vocalist, guitarist and flutist Alexandros (Macabre Omen), bassist Aort (Code), and drummer Tom Vallely (Omega Centauri, Macabre Omen), who together with Hermes worked to craft the sounds of Earth and Space found in Earthbound, pushing the boundaries of musical progression while experimenting with radical, brutal and unforgiving sounds.

The opening track Tellurian is atmospheric and visceral from the very first second, with Tom sounding merciless behind his drums offering Hermes exactly what he needs to not only vociferate the song’s Stygian words (“I hear a whisper / A form beholding the universe / And I am bound on Earth (or am I?) / Ablaze a prayer beyond the known / My gift to you / Reclaim thy wings”) but also to fire razor-edged riffs from his guitar, flowing into the even more menacing and somber Unbound, where Hermes showcases all his talent and passion for extreme music, growling rabidly accompanied by the low-tuned, sinister kitchen by Aort and Tom. Put differently, it’s infernal Atmospheric Black Metal at its finest for our total delight. Then the beautifully titled Tryst at the Gales of Cyprus will bring to your avid ears the band’s trademark sonority infused with Doom Metal nuances, transporting you to their obscure realm while Hermes gnarls with tons of anguish and hatred supported by the clean vocals by Alexandros.

The band continues to darken the skies with their classy and undisputed Atmospheric Black Metal in Toward the Self, led by the melodic blast beats by Tom while Hermes extracts primeval sounds form his guitar, all enhanced by the song’s background vocalizations; and get ready for over 11 minutes of atmospheric passages, blackened riffs and drums, eerie vocal lines and endless obscurity in the form of Astraios Ayr, a full-bodied, imposing aria by Tome Of The Unreplenished where all band members are on absolute fire from start to finish. Furthermore, the combination of Hermes’ riffs and the rumbling bass by Aort is a thing of beauty, ending in a beyond epic and imposing manner while morphing into the instrumental piece Portcullis to Dodekatheon, a pure ambient voyage that puts a climatic conclusion to the album, exhaling melancholy and darkness to the sound of the reverberating, metallic bass by Aort while Tom masterfully pounds his drums in a pure tribal way.

In order to join the quartet on their journey through the realms of atmospheric and uncanny Black Metal, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and, even more important than that, to purchase a copy of their new album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from the Xenoglossy Productions’ webstore, or from Sound Cave in CD or LP format. In summary, Hermes and his henchmen from Tome Of The Unreplenished simply nailed it with Earthbound, bringing forth everything the band stands for and, consequently, providing us fans of extreme music with the perfect soundtrack for a true otherworldly voyage.

Best moments of the album: Unbound and Astraios Ayr.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Avantgarde Music/Xenoglossy Productions

Track listing
1. Tellurian 6:09
2. Unbound 8:35
3. Tryst at the Gales of Cyprus 5:29
4. Toward the Self 5:55
5. Astraios Ayr 11:14
6. Portcullis to Dodekatheon 9:12

Band members
Hermes – vocals, guitars, keyboards, tambourine
Alexandros – clean and backing vocals, classical guitars, flute
Aort – bass
Tom Vallely – drums, percussion