Tag Archives: black metal

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023

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“Whatever your age may be, when you go to a heavy metal gig, you’re a teenager again.” – Rob Halford

I believe that quote from the Metal God himself perfectly represents the year of 2023 for most of us metalheads, including of course myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi as we’ve been to countless metal gigs this year (and you can see detailed reviews with amazing professional photos for each one of them HERE), keeping our inner fires burning during such difficult times for the entire world. A never-ending economic crisis that’s dragging tons and tons of people to poverty everywhere, the Russo-Ukrainian War that persists for almost two years now, the extremely sad and inhumane Gaza–Israel conflict, all environmental disasters that in the end are all mankind’s fault, and so on. On the heavy music side, we witnessed the final concert ever by KISS, the end of great bands like The Agonist and Betraying the Martyrs, and the deaths of Sebastian Marino (former guitarist of Overkill and Anvil), Michael “Majk Moti” Kupper (former guitarist of Running Wild), Jon Kennedy (former bassist of Cradle of Filth and former vocalist of Hecate Enthroned), Hiroshi “Heath” Morie (bassist of X Japan), Charlie Dominici (former vocalist of Dream Theater), and several other talented musicians.

Despite all those losses, it was a very good year for heavy music, as bands kept fighting for rock and metal no matter what, putting on fantastic albums and memorable tours for us fans, with some already voicing their dissatisfaction against Live Nation and Ticketmaster for their sky-rocketing ticket prices, shady fees, and an obscure ticket reselling “mafia” running in the background that inflates those prices even more. In 2024 we’ll surely (and hopefully) see more of this insurgence against their ticket monopoly, and while we wait for that let’s enjoy The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, offering our avid ears the perfect soundtrack to every single moment in our lives, even if that moment is the apocalypse.

1. UADA – Crepuscule Natura (REVIEW)
One of the rising stars of the current Melodic Black Metal scene returns with their majestic fourth album, unleashing upon us five sonic vessels.
Best song of the album: Retraversing the Void

2. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite (REVIEW)
Fear the devourer of earth in the form of the brand new and absolutely majestic album by California’s own Deathgrind masters.
Best song of the album: We Eat Our Young

3. Overkill – Scorched (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of old school Thrash Metal will scorch the earth to the sound of their breathtaking new album.
Best song of the album: The Surgeon

4. Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (REVIEW)
Behold this infernal storm of Blackened Thrash Metal by a one-man army deeply rooted in his Scottish origins.
Best song of the album: Goat Vomit Nightmare

5. Viscera – Carcinogenesis (REVIEW)
UK’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster returns with their striking sophomore album.
Best song of the album: Sungazer

6. Cannibal Corpse – Chaos Horrific (REVIEW)
The mighty Corpse is back with another pulverizing album of old school, undisputed Death Metal, blasting gore, blood and violence.
Best song of the album: Chaos Horrific

7. Primal Fear – Code Red (REVIEW)
German Power Metal masters are back with their thirteenth opus, a hard-hitting metal lesson and living proof of the healing power of music.
Best song of the album: Play a Song

8. Werewolves – My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (REVIEW)
The most savage Blackened Death Metal band from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.
Best song of the album: I Hate Therefore I Am

9. Vomitory – All Heads Are Gonna Roll (REVIEW)
All heads are gonna roll to the sound of the infuriated new album by one of the most important bands in the history of Death Metal.
Best song of the album: Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead

10. Marduk – Memento Mori (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal is back with a devilish new album, reminding us that we all must die.
Best song of the album: Blood of the Funeral

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Angelus Apatrida – Aftermath (REVIEW)
12. Immortal – War Against All (REVIEW)
13. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II (REVIEW)
14. 4ARM – Pathway to Oblivion (REVIEW)
15. When Plagues Collide – An Unbiblical Paradigm (REVIEW)
16. Hrothgar – Rise of Ragnarök (REVIEW)
17. Mystic Prophecy – Hellriot  (REVIEW)
18. Tsjuder – Helvegr (REVIEW)
19. Hyperia – The Serpent’s Cycle (REVIEW)
20. Sarcoptes – Prayers to Oblivion (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2023 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Imperial Demonic – Beneath the Crimson Eclipse (REVIEW)
2. Spectral Lore – 11 Days (REVIEW)
3. Admire the Grim – Rogue Five (REVIEW)
4. Saint Vermin – Together as None (REVIEW)
5. Lost Brethren – Dimensional Rift (REVIEW)
6. Cryptosis – The Silent Call (REVIEW)
7. Nemesism – Nemesism (REVIEW)
8. Decompose To Ashes – In The Eternal Silence (REVIEW)
9. Dysease – Era of Decay (REVIEW)
10. Throat Locust – Dragged Through Glass (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2023? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some of our latest special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2023 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2024!

And before I go, I need to talk once again about Savage Lands, a nonprofit featuring members of Megadeth, Sepultura, Obituary and other legends of metal to support forests in Costa Rica, who released an amazing single titled The Last Howl back in November. The Last Howl is a howling tribute to the howler monkey, which are endangered in Costa Rica. The song features Savage Lands co-founders Sylvain Demercastel and Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), as well as support from John Tardy (Obituary), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Poun (Black Bomb A) and Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A). 100% of the song royalties will help fund nature sanctuaries, establish green zones and other land preservation projects in Costa Rica. Having said that, why don’t you go and make a nice donation to the cause, and learn more about Savage Lands on their official website? I’m sure Sylvain and Dirk, plus everyone else involved in this magnificent project, will love to receive that Christmas gift from you!

Album Review – Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze / The Fractal Ouroboros (2023)

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A rising force in the American Black Metal scene returns with their stunning, antifascist sophomore album, a brief on occult liberation in seven parts.

Playing what they like to label as “Antifascist Black Metal Liberation Rituals”, the cryptic Colorado, United States-based Black Metal entity Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze stands as a knife pointed to the throat of any who seek to maintain the oppressive systems of white supremacy and fascism that continue to fester in our societies. Formed of Achaierai (aka Cooper Stapleton) on vocals and synths, Athshean (aka Dylan Rupe) on the guitars, bass, harmonium and synths, and Yaeth (aka Jon Lervold) on drums, the band is unleashing upon our rotten society their sophomore opus, titled The Fractal Ouroboros, the follow-up to their 2019 effort Offerings of Flesh and Gold. Mixed and mastered by Jon Lervold at Big Name Recording Studio, and displaying a stunning artwork by Alex CF, The Fractal Ouroboros is as grim and dark as it’s delicate and touching, being a must-listen for admirers of classic Black Metal with a strong atmospheric and epic vein.

As if a ritual was about to begin, tribalistic drums and eerie sounds permeate the air in the opening aria Trophy, growing in intensity until exploding in a dissonant, visceral Black Metal extravaganza led by the harsh roars by Achaierai and the piercing riffs by Athshean, while also morphing into an atmospheric creature during its last part before all erupts once again as majestic Black Metal. Their mysterious, uncanny Black Metal feast goes on in A History of Cages and Broken Bones, with the sinister riffs by Athshean making a beautiful paradox with the Blackened Doom drums by Yaeth; and the guitars by Athshean will darken your thoughts in Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash, also showcasing flammable words majestically growled by Achaierai (“A fire to burn our beginning away / A fire to erase the roots / A fire to destroy indigene / A fire to keep us gasping”), whereas the Atmospheric Black Metal tune Annihilation starts in an ethereal, enigmatic vibe and moves on in a smooth and compelling manner, with Achaierai delivering his deepest, most delicate clean vocals while declaiming the song’s poetic lyrics (“The sunset fires catch / The dust, hanged throughout the air / Screaming glints against a bruising sky”).

More of the trio’s tribal sounds are offered to the listener in Liberation Ritual, an extended interlude that will drag your soul to their Stygian realm, sounding absolutely hypnotizing and working perfectly as the predecessor to Our Overt Apocalypse, bringing forward 13 minutes of dark passages, somber nuances and pensive tones,  with Yaeth sounding bestial behind his drums and, therefore, adding an extra touch of heaviness and insanity to the music while Achaierai continues to bark and roar nonstop. Not only that, the song also offers several different layers, breaks, variations and everything else we love in Atmospheric Black Metal, not to mention how devilish the riffage by Athshean feels. Lastly, Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze will attack our senses one final time with 15 minutes of first-class Black Metal titled Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros, with Achaierai leading his bandmates with his desperate screams while Athshean and Yaeth sound absolutely demolishing and ruthless with their riffs, bass lines and pounding drums, resulting in a fantastic and climatic conclusion to the album that leaves us eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

“Over three years in the making, The Fractal Ouroboros is the embodiment of grief, catharsis, and empowerment”, commented the band about their imposing new album, and if you want to know more about this multi-talented American trio you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab your copy of the demolishing The Fractal Ouroboros from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Vita Detestabilis Records’ BandCamp page, from the Fiadh Productions’ BandCamp page, or from Apple Music. Dismantle the police, dismantle all prisons, protect trans kids, black lives matter, indigineous voices matter. This is Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze, and they’re among us to open our eyes against all that’s wrong in our world with The Fractal Ouroboros, a brief on occult liberation in seven parts that will help them easily cement their names in the Black Metal scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Trophy, Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash and Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Vita Detestabilis Records/Fiadh Productions

Track listing
1. Trophy 11:52
2. A History of Cages and Broken Bones 6:49
3. Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash 10:51
4. Annihilation 9:41
5. Liberation Ritual 5:49
6. Our Overt Apocalypse 13:31
7. Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros 15:57

Band members
Achaierai – vocals, synths
Athshean – guitars, bass, harmonium, synths
Yaeth – drums

Album Review – Insepultus / Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire (2023)

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One of the most important names of the Romanian Black Metal scene returns after almost 20 years with a thrilling journey into the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a young soldier in the frontline.

A thrilling journey into the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a young soldier in the frontline, the demonic and pulverizing Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire marks the glorious return of Romanian Black Metal band Insepultus, initially active between 1998 and 2004. Mixed and mastered by Mihai Dinca at Taine Multimedia Studio, and produced by Mihai “Coro” Caraveteanu at Axa Valaha Productions, the new album by Robert “Sepultus” Pieptan on vocals and guitars, Schtephan on bass, and Esmegor on drums shows no glory or grandeur, just death, destruction, pain, wounds and guts, trepidation and distress, or in other words, a Black Metal symphony of death in seven acts for fans of Dark Funeral, Dissection, Emperor, Varathron and Rotting Christ that will bring sheer horror to your mind and soul.

The massive beats by Esmegor will pound your cranial skull mercilessly in the opening tune The Last Battle I, generating a menacing and somber ambience perfect for the band’s Black Metal assault titled The Last Battle II, where Sepultus roars and vociferates in the name of war and Satan accompanied by his own demonic guitar riffs, while Schtephan and Esmegor will make the earth tremble with their kitchen from hell in a lecture in extreme music. Then we have the also multi-layered and Stygian aria The Wreckage of The Earth, showcasing lyrics taken and adapted from Richard Aldington’s poem originally called Bombardment (“Four days the earth was rent and torn / By bursting steel, The houses fell about us; / Three nights we dared not sleep, / Sweating, and listening for the imminent crash, / Which meant our death.”), while the music exhales pure darkness and evil.

The World’s Heart is another hammering creation by those three Black Metal marauders, with Sepultus dictating the pace with his devilish riffs while a siren will pierce your soul in the background, sounding like a march to the abyss until the very last second. Then we’re treated to Hell Upon Earth, a sinister and melancholic interlude where a soldier is writing a letter to his beloved ones to inform about his dark and pitiful fate, flowing into the also destructive The Old Lie, offering our putrid ears another blast of Black Metal venom by the trio, with Sepultus once again sounding infernal on vocals supported by the sluggish, visceral Doom Metal-infused drums by Esmegor. Last but not least, their Black Metal war ends with the also obscure The Trumpet Sound, with Sepultus haunting our damned souls with his screams and razor-edged riffage while Schtephan and Esmegor continue to crush our skeletons with their respective heavier-than-hell bass and thunderous drums.

One of the most obscure hordes to ever arise from Romania is finally back in action after almost 20 years in absolute darkness, and if you want to show Insepultus your support and succumb to their devilish music you can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things surrounding such important entity of the Romanian metal scene. And above all that, go grab your copy of the excellent Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire from the Loud Rage Music’s BandCamp page or webstore, getting ready for a dark war alongside Insepultus. It’s absolute horror in the form of fierce, technical, expressive and imperative Black Metal from the land of Wallachia, and I bet you’ll get addicted to their war-inspired haunting sounds for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: The Last Battle II, The Wreckage of The Earth and The Trumpet Sound.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Loud Rage Music

Track listing
1. The Last Battle I 3:03
2. The Last Battle II 4:02
3. The Wreckage of The Earth 4:31
4. The World’s Heart 4:30
5. Hell Upon Earth 2:57
6. The Old Lie 4:41
7. The Trumpet Sound 4:24

Band members
Robert “Sepultus” Pieptan – vocals, guitars
Schtephan – bass, backing vocals
Esmegor – drums

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

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

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

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

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

Best moments of the album: Moloch and Adro Onzi.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 I, Voidhanger Records/Throne Records

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

Band members
Ayloss – vocals, all instruments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Sonata Impudicitiae.

Released in 2023 Sepulchral Productions

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

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

Album Review – Serpents Oath / Revelation (2023)

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

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

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

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

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

Serpents Oath Revelation Wooden Box

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Unto Typhon.

Released in 2023 Odium Records

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

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

Album Review – Adventum Diaboli / Mørke (2023)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Reborn From Hellfire.

Released in 2023 Hellenic Metal World

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

Band members
Leviathan – vocals, all instruments

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

Album Review – 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 – Hyperia / The Serpent’s Cycle (2023)

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One of the driving forces of the current underground Canadian scene returns with another demented album of caustic, unrelenting Thrash Metal.

Known for their wailing vocals, shredding guitars, and fast, heavy drums, Vancouver, British Columbia-based Melodic Death/Thrash Metal outfit Hyperia is back in action with a newborn beast titled The Serpent’s Cycle, following up on their highly acclaimed albums Insanitorium (2020) and Silhouettes of Horror (2022). Mixed by the band’s own guitarist Colin Ryley at Singularity Sound Studios, mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by Caitlin Delaplace, The Serpent’s Cycle has a wide variety of riffs throughout its 11 demented songs, ones that will remind listeners of the 80’s and also ones that usher in the new era of modern thrash, showcasing all the talent, hard work and passion for heavy music by Marlee Ryley on vocals, the aforementioned Colin Ryley on the guitars, Jon Power on bass, and Ryan Idris on drums.

A sinister intro sets the tone in Ego Trip, exploding into sheer madness led by the sick vocals by Marlee, declaiming the song’s acid words rabidly (“Chest is tight / Hard to breath / Tick like a bomb, don’t wanna explode / You got me in a choke hold”), followed by Automatic Thrash Machine, a wild, metallic ride by Hyperia where the frantic riffage by Colin and the classic beats by Ryan will drag you to a fun, unstoppable circle pit in the name of our good old Thrash Metal. More of the band’s insane thrashing sounds is offered to us all in Prophet of Deceit, where Marlee sounds absolutely demented on vocals while her bandmates keep the music as melodic and heavy as it can be, whereas Psychosomatic is another excellent tune crafted by Hyperia where the riffs and solos by Colin together with the rumbling bass by Jon will punch you hard in the head mercilessly. And even more frantic, caustic and demented than its predecessors, the title-track The Serpent’s Cycle is a lecture in modern-day Melodic Thrash Metal where Marlee continues to roar like a she-beast while Ryan steals the show with his ruthless and very technical drumming.

There’s no time to breathe as the quartet continues their thrashing extravaganza in Trapped in Time, again showcasing their trademark wicked screams, sharp riffs and thunderous bass and drums, whereas Marlee takes her insanity to a whole new level in Spirit Bandit, an explosion of old school Thrash Metal that will please all fans of the genre. Eye for an Eye brings forward another round of their acid lyrics (“A flicker of a person / A victim of arson / Sudden movement of a chair / But nothing’s there”) amidst a neck-breaking sound led by the pounding drums by Ryan, followed by Binge & Surge, offering us all a solid display of Thrash Metal with a strong melodic vein (albeit not as exciting as the rest of the album). Deathbringer, the last original song of the album, will darken the skies in the name of pure evil and hatred, and it’s impressive how the band added elements from Black Metal to their sound, in special the demonic riffs by Colin, resulting in a beyond heavy and thunderous tune. Lastly, we’re treated to Hyperia’s rendition of Heart’s classic Crazy On You (check the original version HERE, from their 1975 album Dreamboat Annie), and their version keeps the core essence of the original intact while adding their own thrashing twist to it.

It’s a real pleasure witnessing the evolution of Hyperia through the years, carving their names in the Canadian scene and becoming one of the driving forces of the current Thrash Metal environment, with The Serpent’s Cycle definitely taking the band to new heights. Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel and to stream all of their amazing albums on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase their sick new album directly from their BandCamp page. Having said all that, it’s time to join the thrashing feast by Hyperia in The Serpent’s Cycle, and you better get ready because their circle pit has no date or time to end.

Best moments of the album: Automatic Thrash Machine, The Serpent’s Cycle, Spirit Bandit and Deathbringer.

Worst moments of the album: Binge & Surge.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Ego Trip 4:41
2. Automatic Thrash Machine 4:02
3. Prophet of Deceit 4:16
4. Psychosomatic 4:29
5. The Serpent’s Cycle 5:04
6. Trapped in Time 3:58
7. Spirit Bandit 4:04
8. Eye for an Eye  4:47
9. Binge & Surge 3:44
10. Deathbringer 5:31
11. Crazy On You (Heart cover) 5:03

Band members
Marlee Ryley – vocals
Colin Ryley – guitars
Jon Power – bass
Ryan Idris – drums

Album Review – Arborescence of Wrath / Inferno (2023)

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This multi-national Technical Black and Death Metal entity will crush you with their vicious debut album, one of the most extreme displays of aggression in the style in recent times.

After simmering behind the scenes for quite some time, the multinational Technical Black/Death Metal  horde Arborescence of Wrath has finally unleashed their vicious debut album, simply titled Inferno, which promises to be one of the most extreme displays of aggression in the style in recent times. Comprised of a beyond formidable lineup with members from France, Germany and the United States, those being vocalist Jason Keyser (Origin), guitarists Michel Beneventi and JP Battesti, bassist Charles Collette (Benighted), and world renowned drummer Simon Schilling (Marduk), the band offers some superbly composed music with thought out structures and variations in their newborn spawn, only delivered out of pure anger with blistering speed and oppressive intensity. Add to that the incendiary artwork by Santiago Francisco Jaramillo of Triple Seis Design and there you have one of the strongest candidates for Death Metal album of 2023, a must-listen for fans of Hate Eternal, Krisiun, Hour of Penance, Origin, Depravity and Deathfuckingcunt, among other names who definitely know how to blend the most visceral side of metal music with first-class musicianship.

Wrath is a freakin’ massacre from the very first second, with Simon proving why he’s the drummer for Marduk and now also for Arborescence of Wrath while Jason also provides us all with his bestial roars in a lecture in Black and Death Metal. Then we have Carnage, and the name of the song says it all as Michel and JP sound inhumane with their ravenous riffage, supported by the thunderous bass by Charles. Needless to say, this is not recommended for the lighthearted. Their infernal onrush of extreme music goes on in full force in Hangman, again showcasing Jason’s demonic screams while Simon continues to hammer his drums in the name of Black Metal; followed by Relentless Infights, another bestial devastation by Arborescence of Wrath spearheaded by the fulminating blast beats by Simon, whereas after a sinister, operatic start the music explodes into sheer savagery in Holier Than You, again presenting a demented guitar work by Michel and JP for our total delight.

There’s no sign of slowing down for this multi-national blackened beast, as they keep destroying our souls with Cleansing Termination, bringing to our avid ears more of their sick riffs, fulminating drums, and the venomous guttural by Jason, and it’s then time to slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow to the sound of Temple of Ashes, keeping the album at a high level of aggressiveness and insanity while Simon blasts his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Repentance, the last original song of the album, will send shivers down your spine, with its initial eerie intro merging flawlessly with the song’s deep, demonic sonority, resulting in six minutes of top-of-the-line Technical Black and Death Metal. And lastly, we’re treated to their cover version for Immolation’s classic Into Everlasting Fire (check the original version from their 1991 album Dawn Of Possession by clicking HERE), with the band’s own rendition of such demonic aria sounding just as hellish and thunderous as the original one.

This demonic album of first-class Technical Black and Death Metal can be appreciated in all of its (devilish) glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but you should definitely purchase your favorite version of it from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a digipak CD in the US or in Europe, or as special CD + shirt combo also in the US or in Europe. Don’t forget to also start following this demented creature from the underworld on Facebook for news and more of their music, and hopefully we’ll be able to see this multinational entity live somewhere in the near future. Inferno is not only about pure hatred and aggression, but it also showcases a band that’s beyond focused and sharp, consequently placing the album as one of the best of 2023 and the band as one of the driving forces of the newest generation of Extreme Metal.

Best moments of the album: Wrath, Carnage, Relentless Infights and Temple of Ashes.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Wrath 3:55
2. Carnage 3:58
3. Hangman 4:42
4. Relentless Infights 5:01
5. Holier Than You 6:10
6. Cleansing Termination 3:06
7. Temple of Ashes 4:06
8. Repentance 6:03
9. Into Everlasting Fire (Immolation cover) 5:33

Band members
Jason Keyser – vocals
Michel Beneventi – guitars
JP Battesti – guitars
Charles Collette – bass
Simon Schilling – drums