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.
Sons of Odin, can you hear the call of our metal lady of this month of September? If your answer is yes, then I’m sure you’ll have a very good time here on The Headbanging Moose with our humble tribute to Corinne Cardinal, also known as Korrinn or Crook, a multi-talented singer, voice actor and vocal coach who’s making a name for herself in the Canadian scene as the frontwoman for Montreal, Quebec-based Melodic Black/Folk Metal horde Valfreya, proudly waving the flag of Québécois metal high in the sky wherever she goes and hypnotizing us all with both her clean and guttural vocals. She takes no prisoners in her quest for heavy music, leading Valfreya into glory ride, and of course you’re more than invited to stand side by side with Corinne and her henchmen in the battlefield after knowing a little bit more about her life and career.
Born on August 20, 1986 in the charming city of Montreal, Quebec, in Canada, Corinne is not just the founder, main composer and vocalist of Valfreya, but she’s also a voice actor for La Fabrique de Monstres (or The Monster Factory), and a singer for the Growlers Choir, just like one of our most recent metal ladies Maude Théberge, showing how united the Québécois scene is. Not only that, she has also studied classical singing and instrumental composition, does graphic design, and of course she applies all those elements to her work with Valfreya. Her talent seems to be infinite, which translates into first-class heavy music when a new Valfreya album is unleashed upon humanity for our total delight.
After exploring choir singing during her formative years, Corinne, who’s a mezzo-soprano, undertook her studies by enrolling at Cégep Saint-Laurent and obtained her college degree in classical singing in 2007, perfecting her instrument with many teachers between 2007 to 2015 like Cécile Gendron, Mark Pedrotti, Christine Lemelin and Colette Boky, and pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UQAM in music (artistic performance concentration) in 2015. During her studies there, she developed a varied lyric repertoire and sings in more than eight different languages (Russian, Czech, German, Italian, Latin, Catalan, French and English), obtaining her diploma in December 2018. Finally, in 2020 she obtained her Estill Voice Training certificates one and two, and if you have no idea what that means, this course pertains to parts of the anatomy singers can exercise conscious control on to modify their sound.
After founding Valfreya back in 2009, merging the metal genre with classical and folk, Corinne started to develop different vocal techniques, matching guttural singing with opera and pop, which culminated with her joining the aforementioned Growlers Choir back in 2019, plus collaborations with many artists as a performer or composer the likes of Léa Dupuis, Augury, and Jeff Marcoux. That expertise also opened several doors to vocal acting out of specialized fields into voices for creatures and monsters in video games and film, including Resident Evil 7 (Capcom), Helix Season 1 (Syfy), Soul Blade (Namco, Project Soul), Rainbow Six Siege: Operation Chimera (Ubisoft), Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb (Eidos Montréal), and Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos), and also led to her founding in 2019 La Fabrique de Monstres alongside Sébastien Croteau and Jeffrey MacDermott, working in the sound design of hundreds of monsters and creatures over twenty or so video games, films and television series.
Corinne started studying for her musicologist’s master’s degree at Université de Montréal in 2020, wishing to analyze vocal techniques in metal music, precisely to identify the process of vocal production permitting control on specific structures of the vocal apparatus linked to guttural metal singing, with her ultimate goal being to produce the first pedagogical treaty on metal singing in English and French. In addition, Corinne is also a member of diverse research groups such as OICRM and ACTOR Project, and one of the rare vocal coaches who’s able to teach metal singing (both growl and fry) in Quebec.
As already mentioned, Corinne founded Melodic Black/Folk Metal horde Valfreya back in February 2009 in Montreal, with the band’s name being influenced by one of the names of Óðinn, Valföður (Old Icelandic for “Father of the Slain”) and Freyja, the Vanic deity, sister of Freyr. Valfreya deals with themes such as Norse mythology, Pagan gods, life, death, and legends, having released their debut EP First Chronicles in 2010, followed by their first full-length album Path to Eternity in 2012, the EP Acoustic Chronicles in 2013, and the full-length albums Promised Land, in 2017, and more recently Dawn of Reckoning, earlier this year, not to mention the band was also feature in the 2011 Galy Records compilation Trois-Rivières Metalfest 11 with the song Deity’s Grace. The band currently formed of our metallic diva Corinne on vocals together with Graz’zt and Erik on the guitars, Abhor on bass, Dommar on drums, and Eva Doucet De Leon on the violin has already played hundreds of concerts across Canada and the United States, and if you want to enjoy their amazing music you can find all of their releases on BandCamp, on Spotify, or by clicking HERE.
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Corinne is much more than just the band’s frontwoman, having also been responsible for the music, lyrics, arrangements, artwork and layout in their 2012 album Path to Eternity, the artwork, layout, cover art and lyrics in their 2017 album Promised Land, and the layout in their most recent album Dawn of Reckoning. Hence, if you want to have an absolute blast with Corinne and her Valfreya, apart from the aforementioned sources like BandCamp and Spotify, you can enjoy their official videos on YouTube for the songs Le Périple, The Rise, Odin’s Fury, Confront Immensity, Ocean’s Assault, and My Everlasting Star, as well as several unofficial footage of the band kicking some ass live.
Besides her career with Valfreya, Corinne also played keyboards and did backing vocals between 2008 and 2010 for a Montreal, Quebec-based Melodic Black Metal band named Vehemal, albeit she didn’t record anything official with the band; and did the live vocals with Canadian Progressive/Experimental Death Metal band Bookakee a few years ago. She can also be seen as a guest musician for a few interesting bands in the past few years, as for example doing additional vocals in the song Impending Apocalypse, from the 2020 EP Repaying Evil with Evil, by Canadian Death/Thrash Metal/Deathcore musician Jeff Marcoux; vocals in the 2017 single La pluie noire, by Canadian Black/Doom Metal band Lacrimae Mortalium; and more recently additional vocals in the songs Welcome, Immuration and Resilience, from the 2023 album Maladaptive Daydreaming, by Canadian Melodic Death/Gothic Metal band Sanguine Glacialis. Moreover, she was also responsible for the layout in the 2012 EP Deviated Inner Spectrum, by Canadian Technical/Melodic Death Metal act Pronostic, under the curious moniker of “Crapule”.
Lastly, as pretty much any metal lady hailing from Canada, Corinne is crazy for animals, having several pets from different species. For instance, in one of her interviews during the pandemic, she said she had at that time three fishes named Super Nova, Galaxy and Comet, five rats named Wicca, Gandalf the White, Zelda, Bouda and Titite (which means Tiny-tiny), and also a cat named Saroumine. As you might have already notice, the inspirations she takes for the music by Valfreya also have an impact on the names of her pets, which in my opinion is simply awesome. She mentioned she enjoys taking her rats to places like stores, parties, family reunions, chilling with friends, and so on, also saying that especially during the pandemic all of her pets brought a lot of joy and comfort as she couldn’t live in an empty house. She also said that all of her pets don’t seem to care about the fact she practices her music at home, and that whenever she’s on tour with Valfreya, it’s either her boyfriend or her sister who usually takes care of them for her. If you want to know more about such an amazing musician and animal lover, you can visit her own website (including a look at her impressive resume), and stay tuned for all news about Valfreya, because if by any chance they take your city by storm, don’t waste a single second and go check the powerful vocals by one of the most talented women of the current Canadian metal scene.
Get ready for a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999.
Deep from the vaults, Boris Records and Deanwell Global Music are unleashing the vinyl and digital versions of Surrender to Death: A History of the Atlanta Metal Underground Vol. 1, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999. Spanning two decades of local bands, studio projects, and touring heavyweights, Surrender to Death showcases over 20 bands, ranging from the early days of traditional Heavy Metal to gory basement Death Metal to second-wave Black Metal, far from the better-known scenes in the Bay Area and New York and Florida. Over half a decade in the making, featuring original recordings sourced directly from the bands (with all tracks remastered from various sources by Jessica Thompson Audio), and displaying a sick artwork by Brian Warner (aka Esayde or Total Weirdoh), this ass-kicking compilation will give you a glimpse of the Atlanta metal scene’s depth and its awesome and sometimes truly bizarre takes on the genre and all of its sub-genres.
Side A of the first vinyl starts way back in 1982 with Strangers, the opening track of the self-titled album by Messendger, presenting a great fusion of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where the trio delivers fierce riffs and beats, and with their vocal lines also sounding electrifying; followed by Lucifers Eyes, by Fortnox, another beast from 1982 offering us all a powerful blast of old school Hard Rock. Fast forward a few years to 1990 and we face the Power/Thrash Metal by Atlanta’s own Ghost Story, with the song What Few Even Dare, from their 1990 demo The Image and the Reality, also presenting hints of Death and Speed Metal in its riffs and drums, whereas in 1988 a Thrash Metal band form Georgia called Necropolis released the album Contemplating Slaughter, and from that album we have the song Waters of Lathe, showcasing the amazing raspy vocals by Keith Charron.
It’s time to kick off side B of vinyl number one with Rock You, by MX, another old Heavy Metal/Hard Rock outfit from Georgia from the early 80’s, delivering sheer adrenaline and electricity through their fiery riffs and unrelenting attitude, and let’s continue our journey though the 80’s with Sinister Angel and the song Street Light Glamour, from their 1984 self-titled EP, where you can sense elements from early Judas Priest in their sound as well as harsher thrash and death nuances. Then in 1991 the Augusta, Georgia-based Heavy/Power Metal band Legion released the album Darkness, and from that album comes Evil Mind, with a sensational vocal performance by Loy Mitcham, followed by Reflected Fear, by Kinetic Dissent, more inclined to classic Thrash Metal, a song from their 1987 demo The Fall of Individualism, bringing forward an amazing guitar work by Stephen Danyo. In the song Til Death Do Us Part, from the 1989 demo Overloaded, by Dark Overlord, the music exhales the same rebelliousness from the early days of Exodus, or in other words, it’s a fantastic option to slam into the pit like a true metalhead, while Metal Merchants, from the 1985 cult album Tales of Terror, by Hallows Eve, is an explosion of Thrash and Speed Metal led by frontman Stacy Andersen, also perfect for some sick mosh pits.
Unblessed, one of the first Death Metal bands from Georgia, kicks off side A of the second vinyl with When it Bleeds it Pours, from their 1998 demo, already blasting that harsh, vicious sound that became a staple in today’s Death Metal scene, whereas Sixteenth Chamber, released in the 1995 demo Oh Come All Ye Faithful… Tonight We Feast, by Lestregus Nosferatus, presents those truly evil vocals we love in extreme music, not to mention the heaviness of their riffs. We’re then treated to Pray to Death, by ROT, from the 1990 demo Diabolus (The Unholy Rot), offering our putrid ears more of Atlanta’s own blend of classic Death Metal to inspire us all for some vigorous headbanging, followed by Avulsion with the song Inexorable Suffering, from their 1994 demo of the same name, enhancing the city’s ferocity in the scene, sounding slow, evil and, therefore, definitely not recommended for the lighthearted. Gates Of Emptiness, from the 1997 demo Twilight Eternal, by Dawn of Orion, is an overdose of classic Death Metal, with the harsh vociferations by Myke Jamison sounding insane, and things get even darker in Metaphorical Ithaca, by Haborym (a Hebrew synonym for Satan), mixing Black and Death Metal in an utterly demonic chant from their only demo released in 1995.
Finally, side B of the second vinyl brings to us all The Righteous Shall Fall, by Tragic Demise, displaying one of the most primeval sounds of the entire compilation, sounding like creatures arising form the pits of the underworld while again showcasing classic Death Metal beats for our total delight. Then the band Demoncy blasts a more Black Metal-inspired sound in Winter Bliss, from their 1999 album Joined in Darkness, with their Stygian, cryptic harsh vocals and a beyond raw sound quality giving it a more-than-infernal vibe. Necroflesh then offers a brutal slab of old school Death Metal in Scream, from their 1997 demo, where their guitars sound as caustic and sharp as possible; followed by the song Synthesis of Rebirth, taken from the 1996 demo of the same name by Procostimus, another band blending Death and Black Metal in their music where Greg King shows no mercy for our souls with his grim vocals and drums. Darkened Skies, the second band deeply rooted in old school Black Metal, delivers their share of obscurity and evil to the masses like a creature lurking in the dark in Reign of Radulescu, before Vastion, one of the first Technical Death Metal bands from Atlanta, crushes us all like insects in Ensuring Your Death, from their 2000 album Closed Eyes to Nothing, sounding absolutely wild and bestial until the very last second.
Part of “Georgia Historical Metal Archive Series” by Deanwell Global Music and volume 2 of “Atlanta Metal Underground Archive Series” by Boris Records, Surrender to Death can be described as a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, and you can experience all those decades of first-class music made in Atlanta by purchasing a copy of the album from the Boris Records’ BandCamp page, from Deanwell Global Music’s BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE, and let me tell you the package that those guys put together is brilliant, including the double-vinyl (available in four different color options) with a gatefold jacket, an 11×17 double-sided insert containing bios and photos of each band, a sticker, random repro band flyers, and an 18×24 full color poster. This is heavy music, this is Atlanta, and I honestly can’t wait for the next volume in this beautiful tribute to one of the most prolific scenes of the North American underground.
Best moments of the album:Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear, Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part, Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness, Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth and Vastion – Ensuring Your Death.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Boris Records/Deanwell Global Music
Track listing 1. Messendger – Strangers 5:44
2. Fortnox – Lucifers Eyes 3:44
3. Ghost Story – What Few Even Dare 4:28
4. Necropolis – Waters of Lathe 5:23
5. MX – Rock You 3:48
6. Sinister Angel – Street Light Glamour 4:16
7. Legion – Evil Mind 3:25
8. Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear 3:26
9. Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part 2:56
10. Hallows Eve – Metal Merchants 3:21
11. Unblessed – When it Bleeds it Pours 4:34
12. Lestregus Nosferatus – Sixteenth Chamber 3:47
13. ROT – Pray to Death 3:40
14. Avulsion – Inexorable Suffering 3:41
15. Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness 2:58
16. Haborym – Metaphorical Ithaca 3:39
17. Tragic Demise – The Righteous Shall Fall 3:33
18. Demoncy – Winter Bliss 3:47
19. Necroflesh – Scream 3:56
20. Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth 4:44
21. Darkened Skies – Reign of Radulescu 3:15
22. Vastion – Ensuring Your Death 2:19
One of the torchbearers of present-day Black Metal arises yet again from the underworld, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world with their superb new album.
Behind black shrouds of obscurity and desolation, the performers of Porto, Portugal-based Black Metal entity Gaerea deliver their odes in cascading maelstroms of aggression and beauty, having rapidly distinguished themselves from the thousands of bands toiling away in the underground. Now in 2024, just two years since Mirage was released, Gaerea are back in action, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world yet again with their new album, titled Coma. Recorded by Miguel Tereso at Redbox Studios, mixed and mastered by Miguel Tereso at Demigod Studios, and displaying a cryptic artwork by Nathan Lorenzana, the stunning new album by those faceless and nameless ghouls beautifully helps the band emerge from the underground scene, ascending towards a permanently lasting position at the head of the table.
The opening track The Poet’s Ballet already presents Gaerea’s undisputed ability to blend the smoothest, most serene sounds with the harsh and devilish essence of Black Metal, with the song’s Atmospheric Black Metal start suddenly exploding into sheer madness and agony; then investing in a more contemporary Melodic Black Metal sonority we’re treated to Hope Shatters, sending shivers down our spines to its darkly vociferations of the song’s poetic lyrics (“In the heart of the jungle / Where shadows dance and bleed / A beautiful chaotic melody / Where depravity finds its seed”), and they continue to slash their axes in Suspended, supported by classic drums in another feast of Portuguese Black Metal magic. World Ablaze brings to the table more of their cryptic, eerie lyrics (“To be set free, at the end of his days / Into a world ablaze / With wonder in his eyes, he takes a deep breath / For a fleeting moment, a dance with life’s depth”) while the music exhales pure Gaerea, followed by the title-track Coma, a song that will pierce your rotten soul to the sound of infernal roars, bass and drums in a lecture in Black Metal.
In Wilted Flower the band once again delivers a multi-layered, gripping overdose of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal, with those mysterious entities extracting piercing riffs from their guitars for our total delight, keeping the album enfolding and mesmerizing, whereas those Portuguese creatures bring forward another burst of melancholy and darkness entitled Reborn, with the band’s strident riffs matching perfectly with their rhythmic beats, also offering moments of violence and insanity in paradox with its more ethereal passages. And one of the torchbearers of present-day Black Metal keeps delivering their unique blend of classic extreme music with tons of experimentations in the six-minute aria Shapeshifter, with its Doom Metal elements enhancing its obscure vibe; while the second to last blast of Stygian sounds by Gaerea comes in the form of Unknown, starting in a serene yet heavy manner to classic bass lines, resulting in one of the songs that should sound amazing if played live. Finally, closing such captivating album of Black Metal we’re treated to Kingdom of Thorns, with their intricate drums and stylish riffage turning it into a must-listen aria for admirers of the genre.
Within Coma’s ten tracks lies an individual narrative, each with its own tale to unveil. Collectively, they blend nuances of aggression, tranquility, solitude, and fervor, and you can experience all that by following Gaerea on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by streaming their unparalleled discography on Spotify, and obviously by clicking HERE and purchasing your favorite version of their amazing new album. Because Coma is indeed an emotional gateway to a dark Black Metal scene, a guide to salvation, pain, despair and letting go, moving up, into the blackness that is above, as Gaerea are the answer, the only answer.
Best moments of the album:Hope Shatters, Coma, Reborn and Kingdom of Thorns.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Season of Mist
Track listing 1. The Poet’s Ballet 7:39
2. Hope Shatters 4:05
3. Suspended 5:02
4. World Ablaze 3:29
5. Coma 5:19
6. Wilted Flower 5:50
7. Reborn 3:51
8. Shapeshifter 6:24
9. Unknown 4:24
10. Kingdom of Thorns 4:45
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”
This young and restless Italian Black Metal trio is ready to wage war upon us armed with their violent debut offering.
Born from the need to bring to mortals the truest war spirit, Northern Italy-based Black/Death Metal horde Ignobleth, whose young members are only 16 and 17 years old, merges fast and frenetic riffs and blast beats to slow and macabre sections in order to create a sinister and obscure atmosphere. Now in 2024 it’s time for vocalist and bassist Bloodlord Ixiataaga, guitarist Nex VII, and drummer Kommander Baal to crush our damned souls with their debut EP Voidspawn Sacrifice, offering us all 15 minutes of what they like to label as “War Metal” in a fun and vibrant album nicely recorded at Atomic Arts Studios and co-produced with Sulphur Music.
The ominous intro Golgotha VII will take you to the Stygian world ruled by Ignobleth, darkening your putrid souls before they attack you with Bestial Witchery, a venomous Black Metal extravaganza that sounds taken from the glory of the 80’s and 90’s, although the band members were all born in the 2000’s, and where Bloodlord Ixiataaga’s gruesome vocals sound demonic while always accompanied by the ruthless riffs by Nex VII. Then adding elements of Doom Metal to their already infernal sonority it’s time for the cryptic, sulfurous Omen Of A Nuclear Spell, with Kommander Baal taking the lead with his sluggish and heavy-as-hell beats. Lastly, back to a more visceral, demented sound, the band brings forth the Black Metal onrush Wrathful Eradication, inviting us all to worship Satan while slamming into the circle pit to their solid fusion of Black and Death Metal, spearheaded by the guttural roars by Bloodlord Ixiataaga.
The infernal trio formed of Bloodlord Ixiataaga, Nex VII and Kommander Baal is waiting for you in their Stygian lair on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can get more details about their underground black masses (also known as live performances), and you can definitely put your dirty hands on Voidspawn Sacrifice by purchasing it from the Masked Dead Records’ BandCamp or webstore. It’s really cool to see fresh young blood crafting high quality Black Metal, paving a great future ahead of the band and the genre, and may those talented Italian musicians keep waging war with more of their caustic music in the form of several thrilling albums like their debut EP in the coming years.
Best moments of the album:Bestial Witchery.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music
Track listing 1. Golgotha VII (Intro) 1:25
2. Bestial Witchery 4:30
3. Omen Of A Nuclear Spell 5:44
4. Wrathful Eradication 3:43
Band members Bloodlord Ixiataaga – vocals, bass
Nex VII – guitars
Kommander Baal – drums
Oslo, Norway’s own horde 1349 is back with their eight studio offering, the latest sortie in their infinite crusade for the legacy of Black Metal.
A band formed with a unified vision and specific purpose, to maintain the legacy of Black Metal, Oslo, Norway’s own horde 1349 is unleashing upon humanity this year their eighth studio opus, titled The Wolf and The King, the latest sortie in that crusade. Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Jarrett Prichard at Amper Tone Studio and New Constellation R.M.P., and displaying a striking cover Art by Jordan Barlow (reflecting the album’s chronological position in 1349’s discography, as the artwork and lyrics are filled with references to number eight, the number of infinity), the new demonic offering by frontman Ravn, guitarist Archaon, bassist Seidemann and drummer Frost sees the band harnessing the primordial energy of Black Metal’s decade-defining second wave and channeling it through ancient mysteries and the relentless global chaos of the 2020’s, with the album title coming from a classic alchemical allegory, where a wolf devours a king, then the wolf is devoured by flames, and a new king rises from the ashes.
Classic evil Norwegian sounds permeate the air in the opener The God Devourer, with Frost already hammering his drums manically while Ravn roars and growls nonstop, resulting in the perfect soundtrack for some vigorous headbanging in pitch black darkness; whereas continuing their demonic path to the underworld it’s time for Ash of Ages, with the caustic riffs by Archaon being nicely complemented by the thunderous bass by Seidemann. On a side note, they’re already playing it on their live shows (like the one in Toronto in May this year), and it sounds incredible. Then Frost’s devilish machinery keeps adding endless heaviness to 1349’s music in Shadow Point, a solid, in-your-face Black Metal extravaganza by the quartet, followed by Inferior Pathways, one of the most infuriated of all songs, with the entire band sounding ruthless, in special Archaon with his scorching riffs and Ravn with his inhumane, otherworldly gnarls.
The menacing bass by Seidemann kicks off Inner Portal, a demonic feast by 1349 overflowing madness, obscurity and rage, with Frost once again blasting his drums with great Black Metal fury; and investing in an even more demented, furious sonority we’re treated to The Vessel and The Storm, a lecture in Black Metal by those Norwegian blasphemers where Ravn’s harsh, caustic vociferations will penetrate deep inside your damned soul. Obscura is kind of a confusing song where all instruments seem to be “too much”, albeit Ravn still showcases all his vocal potency, keeping the song as grim as possible, and closing another successful black mass by 1349 we have almost six minutes of infernal music in the form of Fatalist, with Frost’s tribal beats and Ravn’s deep roaring sending shivers down our spines, growing in intensity and obscurity to the crushing sounds blasted by all band members until its Stygian finale.
“When I first heard about alchemy when I was young, it was people turning metal into gold,” commented Ravn. “Further down the road, through various literatures and magical practices, I realized that what you’re turning into gold is metaphorical. It’s about personal development, basically. You want to be the best you can be, and that’s what we try to do as well. We try to top ourselves, to kill our egos in order to grow as persons. If you don’t do that, you will die. You will not rise from the ashes.” These words by Ravn beautifully depict what you’ll find in The Wolf and The King, available from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from Season of Mist in the US or worldwide (or simply click HERE), and you can also stay updated with all things 1349 on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream more of their undisputed Black Metal on Spotify. As number eight represents infinity, we can say that The Wolf and The King will undoubtedly echo the band’s Black Metal for all eternity, leaving us all eager for more 1349 in the near future, always ready to succumb to their black magic.
Best moments of the album:Ash of Ages, Inferior Pathways and The Vessel and The Storm.
Worst moments of the album:Obscura.
Released in 2024 Season of Mist
Track listing 1. The God Devourer 5:10
2. Ash of Ages 5:27
3. Shadow Point 3:40
4. Inferior Pathways 4:28
5. Inner Portal 5:08
6. The Vessel and The Storm 5:15
7. Obscura 3:44
8. Fatalist 5:51
Band members Ravn – lead vocals
Archaon – guitars, backing vocals
Seidemann – bass, backing vocals
Frost – drums
These Dutch Blackened Death Metal legends are back to offer up their latest sacrifice, delving deep into the catacombs of religion.
Delivering the goods since their inception in the distant year of 1990, Dutch Blackened Death Metal legends God Dethroned have returned to offer up their latest sacrifice, their new album The Judas Paradox. Recorded and mixed by Henri Sattler at Woodland Park, and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, the new album by vocalist and guitarist Henri Sattler, guitarist Dave Meester, bassist Jeroen Pomper, and drummer Frank Schilperoort delves deep into the catacombs of religion, drawing inspiration from mythology from all over the world, taking the listener on a thrilling, thought-provoking journey from Christian history to Greek mythology, complete with layers of dark, heavy riffs and nuanced classical touches.
The title-track The Judas Paradox kicks off the album on a melodic and grim note, with Henri already vociferating rabidly supported by the enfolding instrumental pieces by his bandmates while Frank dictates the pace with his classy Black Metal beats and fills, whereas the first single of the album, titled Rat Kingdom, brings to our ears a harsh and acid dosage of their trademark Black Metal, with the piercing riffage by Henri and Dave sounding wicked from start to finish. The Hanged Man presents four minutes of sulfurous extreme music for our total delight, with the vile beats by Frank walking hand in hand with the rumbling bass by Jeroen, flowing into the cinematic interlude Black Heart, setting the stage for the pulverizing Asmodeus, offering everything we learned to love in their caustic Black Metal, from the harsh roars by Henri to the blast beats by Frank, not to mention their riffs and bass lines exhale pure Black Metal magic, embracing us all in pitch black darkness.
Kashmir Princess is one more doomed, devilish aria by this iconic Dutch horde where their guitars sound melodic yet demonic, providing Henri with all he needs to roar in a vile manner, and investing in a more direct and traditional Black Metal sound led by the infernal growls by Henri we have Hubris Anorexia, a song perfect for darkening the skies in the name of evil. The next song, titled The Eye of Providence, is not a very strong tune, lacking the same energy of the rest of the album albeit still sounding grim and evil; whereas back to a more frantic, demented Black Metal sonority, it’s time for Henri to burst his lungs screaming supported by his bandmates’ hellish sounds in Hailing Death. They still have a lot of (demonic) fuel to burn in Broken Bloodlines, a headbanging, impactful Black Metal onrush where the sound of their guitars will embrace your damned soul before dragging you to the underworld for all eternity; and their black mass reaches its conclusion with the also disturbing War Machine, bringing forward one last blast of their trademark Black Metal where Henri darkly declaims the song’s eerie words in great fashion.
As already mentioned, the new album by the almighty God Dethroned is indeed a musical voyage to the darkest corners of religion, and you can let their music consume your rotten soul by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, including of course their sulfurous tour dates, by streaming all of their vast catalogue on any streaming service like Spotify, and above all that, by purchasing your favorite copy of The Judas Paradox by clicking HERE. God Dethroned once again take no prisoners in their quest for extreme music with The Judas Paradox, and while the church continues to destroy our already corrupt and decaying world, those Dutch metallers will keep drawing inspiration from everything that’s evil about religion to open our eyes and our minds to all that to the sound of their venomous music before it’s too late.
Best moments of the album:Rat Kingdom, Asmodeus and Hubris Anorexia.
Worst moments of the album:The Eye of Providence.
Released in 2024 Reigning Phoenix Music
Track listing 1. The Judas Paradox 6:02
2. Rat Kingdom 3:39
3. The Hanged Man 4:02
4. Black Heart 0:50
5. Asmodeus 3:33
6. Kashmir Princess 4:48
7. Hubris Anorexia 3:37
8. The Eye of Providence 3:34
9. Hailing Death 5:28
10. Broken Bloodlines 3:23
11. War Machine 3:58
Band members Henri Sattler – vocals, guitars
Dave Meester – lead guitars
Jeroen Pomper – bass
Frank Schilperoort – drums
This auditory Texan Black and Death Metal onslaught returns with their new and brutal album, exploring Lovecraftian ideas of horrifying extra-dimensional entities forcing their way into the causal universe by infecting the minds of humans.
The auditory Black and Death Metal onslaught hailing from Texas and known as Pneuma Hagion, which is Greek for “Holy Spirit”, is about to unleash upon humanity their third full-length album, titled From Beyond, a relentless barrage of down tuned brutality that will resonate deep with the darkest chords of your soul. Mixed and mastered by Mike G, with the vinyl master being taken care of by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studios, and displaying a stylish cover art by English poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake (1757-1827), the new album by the monstrous duo R. on vocals, guitars and bass, and S. on drums explores Lovecraftian ideas of horrifying extra-dimensional entities forcing their way into the causal universe by infecting the minds of humans. Each song is from the perspective of some malevolent entity of unfathomable nature trying to influence the world of mortals and trying to infiltrate our universe in order to cause its ultimate destruction.
The opener Harbinger Of Dissolution sounds groovy and infernal from the very first notes, with R. delivering an overdose of aggression through his riffs and vocals supported by the classic blast beats by S., while Resurrected Abominations is a lesson in old school, primeval Death Metal by the duo, with their Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffs and beats turning it into the perfect soundtrack for some sick mosh pit action. Lurking Beyond Time And Space offers another two and a half minutes of sheer animosity and heaviness led by the cadaverous roars by R., who also hammers his guitar and bass mercilessly nonstop; and the duo keeps haunting our damned souls in Those Who Obey, a Death Metal onrush tailored for fans of the genre showcasing a brutal and evil performance by S. on drums. It’s then time to break our necks headbanging to the caustic riffs by R. in The Temple Fires, bringing forward a beyond heavy sound boosted by the deep guttural by R., exploding into sheer madness halfway through it.
Then investing in a much more demented and visceral sonority the duo will pierce our cranial skulls with Aeon, a thunderous tune overflowing groove with the infernal drums by S. providing R. with exactly what he needs to bark and growl like a beast, and there’s no time to breathe in The Light of Long-Dead Stars, another pulverizing aria of classic Death Metal spearheaded by the hellish roars and caustic riffs by R. There are two more demonic chants to go, starting with All Worlds Enslaved, where the duo once again destroys our frail bodies with their dense and fierce sounds, with S. sounding inhumane on drums as usual, therefore adding even more violence to their music. Finally, get ready to be smashed like a putrid insect in the closing tune Archon, offering their characteristic aggression led by the demented drums by S. while R. continues to vociferate in the name of extreme music.
In a nutshell, From Beyond is thick, raw, crushing and unfiltered aggression made in Texas, and Pneuma Hagion are definitely waiting for you on Facebook to join them in their malevolent realm of Death Metal. Also, don’t forget to stream their music on Spotify, and obviously to show them all your support by purchasing their wicked new album by clicking HERE (physical) or HERE (digital). In other words, the otherworldly entities depicted in From Beyond are ready to take over our rotten world, and the Death Metal by Pneuma Hagion is exactly what they need as the soundtrack to their upcoming apocalyptic strike.
Best moments of the album:Resurrected Abominations, Aeon and Archon.
Worst moments of the album:Lurking Beyond Time And Space.
Released in 2024 Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Harbinger Of Dissolution 2:43
2. Resurrected Abominations 2:51
3. Lurking Beyond Time And Space 2:25
4. Those Who Obey 2:57
5. The Temple Fires 2:54
6. Aeon 2:49
7. The Light of Long-Dead Stars 2:48
8. All Worlds Enslaved 2:51
9. Archon 2:03
Band members
R. – vocals, guitars, bass
S. – drums
The city of Toronto was expecting total hell this Sunday night, and that’s exactly what we got with Exciter and Midnight, crowning a beyond successful tour in the name of our beloved underground extreme music.
It was definitely one of the hottest nights of the entire summer this past Sunday in Toronto, and things got even hotter with an endless dosage of depravity, heaviness, rebelliousness, circle pits, crowd surfing, Rock N’ Roll, Heavy, Thrash and Speed Metal at the always fun Lee’s Palace, when DEADWOLFF, WRAITH, MIDNIGHT and EXCITER brought to the city the very last stop of their undisputed Feel The Evil Like a Knife North American Tour 2024, courtesy of Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, crowning a beyond successful tour with a wild and vibrant show for all lovers of heavy music. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were of course invited to join the party, and let me tell you that all bands were absolutely incredible from start to finish, and the fact that the show was in the middle of a long weekend (due to Civic Holiday in Ontario) inspired all concert goers to go mental during the whole night, as they had a full Monday to recover after such a hurricane of insanity blasted by those amazing bands.
Precisely at 8pm, the very first band of the night, Toronto’s own Heavy Metal/Hard Rock trio DEADWOLFF, kicked off their high-octane, no shenanigans concert, with Tommy Wolffe, Bobby Deuce and Patrick Woodall paying a tribute to all things Rock N’ Roll by delivering a hard-hitting performance that put everyone already at Lee’s Palace to dance, bang their heads and raise their horns together with those talented boys. Songs like Locked and Loaded, Homeward Bound, Pedal to the Metal, Six to Midnight and Heavy Rock n’ Roll, all from their 2023 debut Heavy Rock n’ Roll (available on BandCamp and on Spotify) sounded fantastic live, offering an insane amount of electricity and power to everyone at the venue and, consequently, leaving us all eager for the next time Deadwolff kicks some ass on the stages of Toronto. If you want to know more about Deadwolff, simply click HERE, and I’m sure we’ll soon have another great album by those guys and another amazing tour to celebrate all the beauty of Rock N’ Roll with them.
Setlist Double Up
Locked and Loaded
Homeward Bound
Walking on Nails
Down to the Wire
Pedal to the Metal
Gang Wracks
Six to Midnight
Wanted Man
Heavy Rock n’ Roll
Band members Tommy Wolffe – vocals, bass
Bobby Deuce – guitars
Patrick Woodall – drums
If Deadwolff were pure Rock N’ Roll, Indiana’s own Blackened Speed/Thrash Metal act WRAITH were absolute evil, destroying everything and everyone that dared to cross their path in Toronto this Sunday night. The band formed of Matt Sokol on vocals and guitars, Jason Schultz also on the guitars, Chris Petkus on bass and Mike Szymendera on drums was ruthless, demonic and heavy-as-hell during their impressive performance, igniting some of the sickest circle pits of the entire night (and of the entire year, to be honest), also inspiring tons of fans to do some wild, nonstop crowd surfing and stage diving. Their brand new album Fueled by Fear is simply demented, and the songs Asylum and Fueled by Fear, plus their old material including Cloaked in Black, Absolute Power, and my favorite of the night, Devil’s Hour, sounded pulverizing live. If you want to know more about the band and their music, go to BandCamp, Spotify, or click HERE, and if they ever take your city by storm do not miss the chance to witness live one of the most infuriated bands out there.
Setlist Asylum
Fueled by Fear
Heathen’s Touch
Dominator
Gatemaster
Cloaked in Black
Eyes of the Sacred Ram
Absolute Power
Devil’s Hour
Band members
Matt Sokol – vocals, guitars
Jason Schultz – guitars
Chris Petkus – bass
Mike Szymendera – drums
Finally after so many years I was able to witness Cleveland, Ohio-based Black/Speed Metal cult machine MIDNIGHT live for the first time ever, and let me tell you that I got exactly what I was expecting, and that was total hell. Promoting their insane new album Hellish Expectations, the band spearheaded by the iconic beast Athenar kicked some serious ass on stage this Sunday, sounding as blasphemous, depraved acid and heavy as humanly possible, therefore putting a huge smile on the faces of all fans who were having an amazing time inside the circle pits and doing some crowd surfing and stage diving as well. One of the stage divers was Adermo von Pitlord, vocalist for the underground Toronto band Profligator, and if you know the guy you’ll understand when I saw there were at least seven deaths (and counting) after he jumped from the stage into the crowd. All songs sounded brilliant, including Lust Filth and Sleaze, Black Rock’n’Roll, Szex Witchery, and new tunes like Expect Total Hell and Nuclear Savior (all available on BandCamp and on Spotify), and close to the end of Unholy and Rotten all hell broke loose with multiple musicians from the other bands taking over the stage and instruments, showing how much fun everybody was having during one of the craziest shows ever. Now I want to see Midnight live again, and again, and again.
Setlist Vomit Queens
Lust Filth and Sleaze
Black Rock’n’Roll
Expect Total Hell
Masked and Deadly
Dungeon Lust
Fucking Speed and Darkness
Szex Witchery
Evil Like a Knife
Nuclear Savior
Mercyless Slaughtor
F.O.A.L.
Satanic Royalty
You Can’t Stop Steel
Unholy and Rotten
Band members Athenar – vocals, bass
Commandor Vanik – guitars
Iron Possessor – drums
Last but certainly not least, it was time for Ottawa’s own Speed Metal institution EXCITER to put on the fourth flawless performance of the night, proving why those veterans have become and will always be a reference in Canadian extreme music. Spearheaded by the unparalleled Dan Beehler on vocals and drums, alongside Daniel Dekay on the guitars and Allan Johnson on bass, the trio crushed our damned souls with their electrifying fusion of speed and heaviness, with songs like Stand Up and Fight, Heavy Metal Maniac and Violence & Force taking us all back in time to the glorious days of Thrash and Speed Metal. Also, I gotta say that playing Judas Priest’s classic “Exciter” on speakers before their show was not only an amazing warmup, but also a beautiful tribute to the Metal Gods, making me and several other fans even more excited to the show (pun intended), which resulted in more circle pit action, of course. You can listen to all songs by one of the staples of Canadian thrash on Spotify, or click HERE for all things Exciter, and hopefully it won’t take too long for them to return to Toronto for another thrilling night of undisputed heavy music.
Setlist Exciter (Judas Priest song)
The Holocaust
Stand Up and Fight
Heavy Metal Maniac
Die in the Night
Iron Dogs
Beyond the Gates of Doom
Evil Sinner
Pounding Metal
Violence & Force
Long Live the Loud
Encore:
Iron Fist (Motörhead cover)
Band members Dan Beehler – vocals, drums
Daniel Dekay – guitars
Allan Johnson – bass
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.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 