Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Thaumaturgy / Pestilential Hymns (2025)

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This cryptic American beast returns from the underworld with its sophomore opus, offering more of its vicious blend of dark, doom-laden, chasmic, and cavernous Death Metal.

Spawned in the American Midwest by an enigmatic musician that goes under the alias KT, driven by the urge to play a vicious blend of dark, doom-laden, chasmic, and cavernous Death Metal, taking influence from a wide range of outsider music, Kansas, United States-based Blackened Death/Doom Metal outfit Thaumaturgy continues to push the boundaries beyond the genre’s forerunners in order to invoke contemplation upon the super-mundane realms that their name implies in their new offering titled Pestilential Hymns, following up on his 2023 vile debut  Tenebrous Oblations. Now a power-trio after the addition of TG and DS to their ranks, the band has morphed into an entity whose new musical offering is crammed with furious, ripping riffs, contrasted by crushing, echoing doom passages, as well as a surprising element of dark melody, all embraced by the suitably ancient cover artwork by Daniel Hermosilla of Nox Fragor Art.

Devilish, visceral riffs ignite the band’s black mass in Neuroticism Triumphant, with KT’s harsh vociferations adding sheer insanity to their already demented sound, blasting our minds and faces mercilessly. The Oncologist’s Hymn carries a weird name for a song, but as the music is what really matters we face an avalanche of primeval Death Metal by the trio, followed by The Shadow Approaches, bringing forward elements from the most hellish form of Doom Metal while still being deeply rooted in Death Metal. Needless to say, KT yet again sounds inhumane on vocals. And Plague Ritual sounds absolutely dissonant, evil and unrelenting from start to finish, with its cryptic, vile vocals, riffs and drums penetrating deep inside our minds while also showcasing haunting background keys and melodies.

Then the guttural by KT gets even deeper and more bestial in Awaken Ares, supported by an overdose of harsh riffage, rumbling bass lines and nonstop beats and fills, or in other words, it’s an ode to the vilest form of Death Metal. It’s pedal to the metal in the sonic attack entitled Entropic Hegemony, with its riffs reeking of Black Metal, therefore adding even more obscurity to the band’s core sound; whereas a melodic yet evil guitar kicks off the Doom Metal-infused interlude An Ignominious End, a bit too long for my taste, warming us up for Forced March, ending the album majestically, a destructive force of Death Metal spearheaded by KT’s grim vocal lines while the music remain as heavy and obscure as possible before all fades into oblivion.

To qualify Thaumaturgy as “blackened” would not be unfair, but Pestilential Hymns as a (w)hole wholly feels like a Death Metal record, just one on the fringes of unorthodoxy and angularity, unbound but never belabored. Still, despite this forward-thinking approach, the band retains a sense of the ancient, of elder days in the underground when diabolism truly began to bloom in Death Metal, and you can join such an uncanny creature form the abyss in its quest for extreme music on Instagram, stream the band’s scorching, visceral creations on Spotify, and of course put your putrid hands on Pestilential Hymns from the band’s own BandCamp, as well as from Memento Mori. Pestilential Hymns brings to our avid ears first-class music to mangle our minds, and you better be warned that once you begin your descent into the underworld together with those evil creatures, there’s no turning back.

Best moments of the album: Neuroticism Triumphant, Plague Ritual and Forced March.

Worst moments of the album: An Ignominious End.

Released in 2025 Memento Mori

Track listing
1. Neuroticism Triumphant 5:20
2. The Oncologist’s Hymn 5:52
3. The Shadow Approaches 5:32
4. Plague Ritual 6:34
5. Awaken Ares 6:26
6. Entropic Hegemony 6:05
7. An Ignominious End 2:28
8. Forced March 7:23

Band members
KT – vocals, guitars, bass
TG – guitars
DS – drums

Album Review – Impermanence / Anicca (2025)

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This five-headed Technical Death and Black Metal beast from Poland will attack armed with their debut offering, portraying the fragility and transience of human life.

Forged in the fires of Kraków, Poland by the end of 2023, the Technical Death and Black Metal beast known as Impermanence is unleashing hell with the release of their debut offering, entitled Anicca. Recorded at Studio Poziom -1, mixed and mastered at Dahaka Productions, and displaying a beyond Stygian yet captivating artwork by Alicja Michalec, the debut opus by Mateusz Bednarz on vocals, Wojciech Wróbel and Paweł Hernik on the guitars, Bartłomiej Fitas on bass, and Konrad Pieczara on drums portrays the fragility and transience of human life, all embraced by the band’s unrelenting blend of extreme music, being therefore highly recommended for fans of renowned acts from the Extreme Metal scene the likes of Behemoth, Belphegor, Nile, and God Dethroned, just to name a few.

The album’s phantasmagorical, eerie Intro will embrace us in pitch black darkness before the band rips our hearts out with Sorrodise, with both Wojciech and Paweł delivering a wild fusion of Black and Death Metal through their flammable riffs accompanied by the rumbling bass by Bartłomiej. In other words, the album couldn’t have started in a more compelling way. From Mirage to Lust brings elements from the current Scandinavian Melodic Death and Black Metal scene, with Mateusz taking the lead with his devilish screams, and the band then goes absolutely mental in the Melodic Black Metal beast entitled Apocalypse, with Konrad bringing forward sheer heaviness with his classic beats and fills, inviting us all to slam into the pits of the netherworld.

There’s no sign of the band slowing down at all; quite the contrary, this five-headed creature of extreme music will pulverize us all with Spiritual War, where the guitars by Wojciech and Paweł exhale madness and sulfur; whereas their metallic sounds continue to darken the skies in Fugitive, with tons of intricacy flowing from their riffs, bass and drums, all enfolded by Mateusz’s venomous roars. As expected, there’s no such thing as “sounding mellow” or “happy music” to those guys, and they invest in their most Behemoth-inspired sonority in Ascension Through Defiance, with their riffage cutting our skin deep while Konrad pounds his drums nonstop in the name of Polish Blackened Death Metal for our absolute delight. And lastly, we face the hard-hitting Crumbling, deviating a bit form their core Black and Death Metal, but still sounding tight and heavy as usual.

“Anicca is a hymn to the fragility that marks our existence. The album’s name is derived from Buddhist terminology and signifies impermanence. The lyrical layer explores themes of transience and the search for purpose in the world around us. Songs begins and ends with the ticking of a clock, clearly marking both the start and the conclusion of the story being told. Each track presents a different narrative, offering a unique perspective on the somber aspects of human nature. This concept extends beyond the lyrics, shaping the band’s overall artistic identity,” commented the band about their amazing newborn baby, and you can get in touch with them and know more about their music, tour dates and plans for the future on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic music on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of the excellent Anicca from their own BandCamp, from the Satanath Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or simply by clicking HERE. In the end, we are all fragile beings, we are not permanent, and the music found in Anicca perfectly reminds us of how hard it is to face such a harsh truth.

Best moments of the album: Sorrodise, Apocalypse and Ascension Through Defiance.

Worst moments of the album: Crumbling.

Released in 2025 Satanath Records

Track listing
1. Intro 1:24
2. Sorrodise 4:20
3. From Mirage to Lust 5:16
4. Apocalypse 3:23
5. Spiritual War 4:12
6. Fugitive 6:06
7. Ascension Through Defiance 5:03
8. Crumbling 5:56

Band members
Mateusz Bednarz – vocals
Wojciech Wróbel – guitars
Paweł Hernik – guitars
Bartłomiej Fitas – bass
Konrad Pieczara – drums

Album Review – An Abstract Illusion / The Sleeping City (2025)

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This incredible Swedish Progressive Death and Black Metal entity returns with their heaviest and most atmospheric work to date, exploring the depths of the human psyche and suffering.

Once again utilizing the band’s unique blend of Progressive Death and Black Metal with arpeggiating synths, wistful drones and vast soundscapes, harkening back to the era of 80’s sci-fi soundtracks, the magnificent The Sleeping City is the third full-length opus by Swedish Progressive/Atmospheric Death/Black Metal beast An Abstract Illusion, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2022 sophomore album Woe. Produced by Karl Westerlund alongside An Abstract Illusion themselves, recorded at Blackharbour Studios, with drums produced and recorded by Jakob Herrmann at Top Floor Studios and pre-production and additional recording by Emil P. Lundh at Urberg Studios, mixed and mastered by Robin Leijon, and displaying a classy artwork by Alex Eckman-Lawn, the new album by Christian Berglönn on lead vocals, Karl Westerlund on the guitars and bass, Robert Stenvall on keyboards and vocals, and Isak Nilsson on drums and backing vocals, not to mention an array of very special guest musicians, is undoubtedly their most atmospheric and heavy work to date, exploring the depths of the human psyche and suffering.

Featuring vocals by Lukas Backeström, Blackmurmur is absolutely atmospheric, enfolding, futuristic and luxurious from the very first second, uniting the complexity of Progressive Death Metal with the mystery of Melodic Black Metal, and with the guitars by Karl and the keys by Robert sounding absolutely fantastic. They keep delivering sheer awesomeness in No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons, with the complex yet visceral drumming by Isak adding an extra touch of heaviness to their music, followed by Like a Geyser Ever Erupting, featuring the cello by Jonathan Miranda-Figueroa and the violin by Dawn Ye, carrying a stunning song title for a lecture in modern-day extreme music where once again Isak sounds inhumane behind his drums.

Frost Flower once again features vocals by Lukas Backeström, cello by Jonathan Miranda-Figueroa, and violin by Flavia Fontana, all clashing with the visceral riffs by Karl and the whimsical keys by Robert; whereas Emmett is another long, complex and extremely detailed song, starting in a serene, enfolding manner, almost melancholic, before we face an avalanche of Progressive Death Metal led by Christian’s enraged roars, also showcasing ethereal passages intertwined with absolute violence. Then we face Silverfields, with narration by Elsa Svensson, working almost like an atmospheric interlude, therefore soothing our souls for the monumental title-track The Sleeping City, bringing forward endless breaks and variations without forgetting their core heaviness, as if Dream Theater went Death Metal, with Karl once again doing a superb job with both his guitar and bass boosted by the cello by Jonathan Miranda-Figueroa and the violin by Dawn Ye, before all fades into a climatic, Stygian finale.

“When we compose an album we don’t want it to just be a collection of random songs, we want a holistic theme coursing through the album’s veins. When writing The Sleeping City we wanted to explore what the soundtrack to a dystopian sci-fi film, such as Blade Runner or Terminator, would sound like if it were written by a death metal band. For The Sleeping City, we took inspiration from acts such as Depeche Mode, My Bloody Valentine, Kite, Ólafur Arnalds and Boards of Canada, pushing us to expand and refine our sound palette. Going from the long-song format of Woe, it was a fun challenge to once again write self-contained songs with a clear beginning and end,” commented the band about their newborn masterpiece. You can find those extremely talented guys on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their breathtaking creations on Spotify, and of course purchase their new album from BandCamp or from the Willowtip Records webstore (as a CD or an LP), or simply click HERE for all things An Abstract Illusion. A decrepit yet monumental landmark, the sleeping city awaits ahead. Will you enter?

Best moments of the album: Blackmurmur, Like a Geyser Ever Erupting, Emmett and The Sleeping City.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. Blackmurmur 11:00
2. No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons 6:56
3. Like a Geyser Ever Erupting 7:58
4. Frost Flower 8:14
5. Emmett 11:19
6. Silverfields 3:46
7. The Sleeping City 10:07

Band members
Christian Berglönn – lead vocals
Karl Westerlund – guitars, bass
Robert Stenvall – keyboards, vocals
Isak Nilsson – drums, backing vocals

Guest musicians
Lukas Backeström – lead vocals on “Blackmurmur” and “Frost Flower”, choir vocals on “No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons” and “Like a Geyser Ever Erupting”
Jonathan Miranda-Figueroa – cello on “Like a Geyser Ever Erupting”, “Frost Flower” and “The Sleeping City”
Dawn Ye – violin on “Like a Geyser Ever Erupting” and “The Sleeping City”
Flavia Fontana – violin on “Frost Flower”
Elsa Svensson – narration on “Silverfields”

Album Review – Penthos / Erevos (2025)

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This Hellenic horde will darken the skies once again with their sophomore album, conceptually dealing with dark aspects of Greek mythology while sonically delivering Black Metal in the Scandinavian vein.

Having chosen the daimon of grief, despair, and sadness for their band’s name, Athens, Greece-based Black Metal horde Penthos will unleash hell once again armed with their sophomore offering, entitled Erevos (or έρεβος in Greek, which translated into English as “Erebus” literally means “darkness”), following up on their excellent 2022 self-titled debut. Consisting of nine bleak reveries drenched in murky atmosphere, the new opus by Apaisios on vocals and guitars, Vauban and JA also on the guitars, Zizka  on bass, and Algos on drums is an album which has traditional Black Metal written all over it. Regardless of the facts that they hail from Greece and the album conceptually deals with dark aspects of Greek mythology, Erevos doesn’t sound much Greek at all; rather than sonically following in the footsteps of Necromantia or Rotting Christ, the quintet chose to create Black Metal in the Scandinavian vein.

In ancient Greek, Nekyia (νέκυια) refered to a ritual or ceremony involving the evocation of the dead, often to gain knowledge or insight about the future, while in the album it’s an atmospheric and grim tune that works as an extended intro, haunting our souls before the band comes ripping with Dancing Dead, a lecture in old school Black Metal showcasing all elements we love in the genre, from the devilish gnarls by Apaisios to the visceral riffs by the band’s guitar trio, not to mention Algos’ obscure blast beats. Bloodstained Path is another blast of pure evil and darkness by such a talented horde, with the guitars by Apaisios, Vauban and JA sounding even heavier and more piercing, dragging us to the underworld together with them; followed by Όλεθρος (Olethros), which means “destruction”, “ruin”, or “perdition”, and can refer to both physical destruction and to spiritual ruin or death, carrying a connotation of the destruction necessary for renewal, but also implying a final, devastating end. Musically speaking, it’s just as infernal and visceral as its predecessors.

In Greek mythology, Thanatos is a figure who represents death, the son of Nyx (Night) and Erebos (Darkness), and the music couldn’t have sounded more demonic, with the Stygian, evil vocalizations by Apaisios exhaling Black Metal magic. Charon then offers six minutes of absolute darkness and chaos, with the classic blast beats and fills by Algos walking hand in hand with Zizka’s menacing bass while also presenting striking guitar lines and wicked solos for our total delight; followed by Lady in Black (Witch II), the most obscure song of the entire album hands down, with all band members transpiring pure Black Metal, in special Apaisios with his evil screams from the underworld. Echoes from the Sanatorium is another detailed, multi-layered fusion of classic Scandinavian Black Metal with their Greek twist, before the album ends with another demonic Black Metal attack entitled Forlorn Voyage, where their scathing riffs and rumbling bass and drums will pulverize your senses.

Listeners won’t find any anxious attempts at innovation on Erevos; instead, the album presents a professional studio production of over 40 minutes of well-composed Black Metal in the traditional way. Hence, go check what those ruthless Greek black metallers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their venomous music on Spotify, and of course put your damned hands on Erevos by purchasing it from the Darkness Shall Rise Productions’ BandCamp or webstore (in CD, LP, or cassette formats). Penthos are ready to spread their dark wings over the entire world of heavy music with their second black mass, opening the gates of hell to the sound of their Stygian arias and, consequently, bringing sheer doom and despair to our putrid hearts and souls in the name of classic Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Dancing Dead, Thanatos and Lady in Black (Witch II).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Darkness Shall Rise Productions

Track listing
1. Nekyia 4:01
2. Dancing Dead 4:55
3. Bloodstained Path 3:58
4. Όλεθρος (Olethros) 3:48
5. Thanatos 3:59
6. Charon 6:01
7. Lady in Black (Witch II) 4:42
8. Echoes from the Sanatorium 5:32
9. Forlorn Voyage 3:20

Band members
Apaisios – vocals, guitars
Vauban – guitars
JA – guitars
Zizka – bass
Algos – drums

Album Review – Sothoris / Domus Omnium Mortuorum (2025)

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Enter the house of all the dead to the sound of the scorching newborn spawn by this ruthless Blackened Death Metal horde from Poland.

Forged in the fires of Miłosław, Poland in 2016, the ruthless Blakened Death Metal horde Sothoris arises from their Stygian lair once again to darken the skies to the sound of their newborn spawn, entitled Domus Omnium Mortuorum, or “house of all the dead” in English, following up on their 2022 sophomore album Wpiekłowstąpienie. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Krzysztof Kostencki at Tetra Wave Studio, with artwork by Bartosz Szczepaniak and Maksymilian Krasoń, and band photo session by Maciej “Wuja” Chomik, the new album by vocalist Raven, guitarists Hex and Setrial, bassist Lord Ghash, and drummer Hrist sees the band offer their trademark mixture of Black Metal ferocity and Death Metal power while its lyrical layer showcases a study of human wickedness, being therefore a must-listen for fans of extreme music with a deep and dark meaning.

A wicked intro gradually morphs into a scathing beast named Wieczornica (“evening party”), spearheaded by the hellish riffs by Hex and Setrial, whereas Szkarłat (“scarlet”) offers a more visceral display of Blackened Death Metal, with Raven gnarling rabidly like a demonic entity while the rumbling bass and blast beats by Lord Ghash and Hrist sound utterly demolishing. Then with an incandescent name like Lawa (“lava”) the music had to be absolutely scorching, which is exactly what we get, with the venomous roars by Raven crushing our putrid souls mercilessly, whereas Hrist then hammers his drums in the Behemoth-fueled Byłem Faustem (“I was Faust”), which will surely make their world renowned countrymen proud.

Dzieci Diabła (“the devil’s children”) is another thunderous display of extreme music by Sothoris, with the band’s guitar duo firing pure malignancy through their unstoppable, vile axes, and the band takes no prisoners in their quest for Black and Death Metal in Pro Memoria, or “for the sake of memory” from Latin, led by the inhumane drumming by Hrist. Needless to say, it should sound brilliant if played live. Then presenting elements of progressive music added to their core essence we have Dym (“smoke”), where Hex and Setrial once again steal the show with their heavy-as-hell riffage, and last but not least, we’re treated to one final metallic cult by Sothoris titled Piętno (“stigma”), where the bass lines by Lord Ghash will hammer your cranial skull mercilessly.

“This album uses a certain artistic game. We go back in time to the 19th century. The starting point for this idea, the inspiration is the monument of Karl Robert Lachmann, the only son of a German, aristocratic family, who died in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), vandalized by cemetery robbers, located in the mausoleum in Jałowiec,” commented frontman Raven, and if you have what it takes to enter the band’s house of the all dead, you can find those Stygian beings on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their sulfurous music on Spotify, and purchase Domus Omnium Mortuorum from BandCamp or from the Fetzner Death Records webstore as a CD or a cassette. But you better be warned, once you enter such a vile and cryptic house, your life (and death) will never be the same.

Best moments of the album: Szkarłat, Byłem Faustem and Pro Memoria.

Worst moments of the album: Dym.

Released in 2025 Fetzner Death Records/ADG Records

Track listing
1. Wieczornica 5:31
2. Szkarłat 5:43
3. Lawa 6:39
4. Byłem Faustem 6:03
5. Dzieci Diabła 4:53
6. Pro Memoria 4:52
7. Dym 4:57
8. Piętno 5:25

Band members
Raven – vocals
Hex – lead guitars
Setrial – rhythm guitars
Lord Ghash – bass
Hrist – drums

Album Review – Ofermod / Drakosophia (2025)

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This uncanny Swedish Blackened Death Metal creature returns with its fifth studio offering, a vessel for Theistic Satanism and left-hand-path esotericism in sonic form.

Lepaca Nox Draconis! Ho Drakon Ho Megas!

Steered by guitarist Belfagor (aka Mika Hakola) since 1996, having sewn influence and infamy in equal measure, the uncanny Swedish Blackened Death Metal creature Ofermod, whose name was taken from a 1953 Tolkien essay, used to describe a state of mind characterized by excessive pride, is unleashing upon humanity its highly anticipated new opus, titled Drakosophia. Recorded and produced by Swedish bassist Devo Andersson (Overflash, Marduk) at Endarker Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by John Albin Hampus Ekberg of Mark of Cain Tattoo, the follow-up to their 2021 album Mysterium Iniquitatis offers an overdose of “Qliphotic Black Metal Magick”, a genuine Orthodox Black Metal album representing a vessel for Theistic Satanism and left-hand-path esotericism in sonic form, all carefully brought into being by Belfagor on the guitars alongside North American vocalist Adeptus, Austrian session drummer Florian Musil (Agrypnie, The Negative Bias, Theotoxin), and the aforementioned Devo Andersson on bass.

It’s a pulverizing feast of scathing Black Metal in the opening tune Aicha Kandisha, with the gnarling vocals by Adeptus transpiring evil accompanied by the ruthless drumming by Florian, whereas Devo and Florian deliver a beyond demonic kitchen in Vineyards of Gomorrah while the Stygian riffage by Belfagor summons all creatures of darkness. Then the title-track Drakosophia brings to our devilish ears a cryptic atmosphere boosted by the song’s background choirs while Adeptus continues to gnarl like a true demon, and Florian hammers his drums mercilessly while Belfagor delivers pure Black Metal from his axe in Malat Atat. After that we face the unique Zazas Zazas Nasatanada Zazas, where the music is as insane and complex as its name, and that’s simply majestic, resulting in one of their best creations to date led by the venomous gnarls by Adeptus.

Belialistic Gra’al Codex is another song with a very distinct name, where once again we see Belfagor and his horde crushing our damned souls with their infernal wall of sounds, with Florian kicking some serious ass behind his drums, followed by Nox Draconis, the most straightforward, in-your-face Black Metal song of all, with Belfagor extracting sheer malignancy from his guitar and, therefore, living up to the legacy of the style while also sounding fresh. Sinister Acolyte is just an average Black Metal tune by Ofermod, still very enjoyable but not as much as the other songs, while the last song of the album, titled The Painful Movers, is a demolishing beast blasted by the band, with the riffs and bass by Belfagor and Devo complementing each other in great fashion.

Invoked right from the beginning, Drakosophia is both classic Ofermod and a continual unfolding of their unique characteristic sound, dynamically sinister and vigorously menacing. You can find more information about Ofermod and their new opus on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their sulfurous creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the album from the Regain Records’ BandCamp or from the Shadow Records’ webstore. Open your third eye and let Lucifer crush all cosmic illusions of time and space, and become born anew in the LVX of Phosphorus to the sound of Drakosophia; embrace this sonic Left Hand Path sorcery and mysticism, or stay far away from the sinister audial art of Ofermod.

Best moments of the album: Vineyards of Gomorrah, Zazas Zazas Nasatanada Zazas and Nox Draconis.

Worst moments of the album: Sinister Acolyte.

Released in 2025 Shadow Records/Regain Records

Track listing
1. Aicha Kandisha 4:03
2. Vineyards of Gomorrah 6:53
3. Drakosophia 3:56
4. Malat Atat 5:54
5. Zazas Zazas Nasatanada Zazas 4:30
6. Belialistic Gra’al Codex 5:14
7. Nox Draconis 5:04
8. Sinister Acolyte 4:51
9. The Painful Movers 4:26

Band members
Adeptus – lead vocals
Belfagor – guitars

Guest musicians
Devo Andersson – bass (session)
Florian Musil – drums (session)
Thomas Eriksson & Lars Broddesson – choir vocals

Album Review – Unsouling / Outward Streams of Devotional Woe (2025)

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This Minneapolis, Minnesota-based one-man project returns with his excellent sophomore opus based on loss, grief, and a longing to bring back connection via spiritual or even metaphysical reach.

After the dissolution of Feral Light, Minneapolis, Minnesota-based frontman and songwriter A.S. (aka Andy Schoengrund) wasted no time in channeling his artistic flair into a new project, the Experimental Black/Death Metal creature known as Unsouling. The project’s 2024 debut, Vampiric Spiritual Drain, laid the foundation for a new stylistic approach that is now fully realized on Outward Streams of Devotional Woe, its sophomore release. Conceived and recorded by A.S. at The Crypt, mixed by Sanford Parker at Hypercube Studios, mastered by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording, and displaying an eerie artwork by Luciana Nedelea (with layout by Francesco Gemelli, known as Unexpected Specter), Outward Streams Of Devotional Woe is based on loss, grief, and a longing to bring back connection via spiritual or even metaphysical reach, and how this can bring great comfort.

The album starts with the cryptic, obscure Immaterial Entrance, where A.S. delivers minimalist riffs, bass lines and beats before morphing into an Atmospheric Black Metal beast, with its second half turning into sheer chaos and violence. Then investing in a more Doom Metal-inspired sonority it’s time for Your Momentary Passing, showcasing his harsh, anguished roars and sluggish drums, as well as a wall of experimentations. And presenting nuances of the Melodic Death Metal played by bands like Insomnium we have To Come Unbound, sounding utterly chilling and obscure until the end; whereas Grief Reconfigured is a lecture in Black Metal where A.S. puts the pedal to the metal and delivers his heaviest and most demonic side while also bringing forward pensive and visceral Blackened Doom moments. His metallic bass sets the tone in Towering Black Wave, another hybrid of Doom Metal with atmospheric and melodic passages, and it’s then time for the two-minute introspective interlude Passages, where his stylish sounds permeate the air until all comes to an end with Dissolved in Spiritus, crushing our minds and souls to A.S.’s vile gnarls and Post-Black Metal riffs, with its countless layers and tempo changes giving the whole song a hypnotizing vibe.

“The album differs from its predecessor in that the meandering exploration of Vampiric Spiritual Drain has been replaced with a more sure-footed and focused journey,” explained A.S. “The anchor of black metal with its bleed into gothic, dark wave, and death metal influences is still very much present, but it is more reigned in and pointed.” In terms of the themes covered, Unsouling remain faithful to the poetics of its debut, but, if possible, accentuate its existentialist vein, being therefore highly recommended for admirers of Sacramentum, Grave, Morgion, and Feral Light, just to name a few. You can also connect with A.S. and his Unsouling via Instagram, stream his unique music on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Outward Streams of Devotional Woe from the project’s own BandCamp, from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp, or from Metal Odissey (in the US or in the EU/UK), or simply click HERE for all thing Unsouling. In the end, loss and grief are always extremely difficult to process inside our minds and hearts, and the music blasted by Unsouling in Outward Streams of Devotional Woe perfectly depicts that excruciating challenge, always supported by the dark beauty of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Immaterial Entrance and Dissolved in Spiritus.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Immaterial Entrance 6:02
2. Your Momentary Passing 4:58
3. To Come Unbound 5:22
4. Grief Reconfigured 5:18
5. Towering Black Wave 6:23
6. Passages 2:04
7. Dissolved in Spiritus 5:35

Band members
A.S. – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Hangatyr / Sumpf der Fäule (2025)

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Enter the swamp of rot found in the fourth studio opus by this devilish Heathen and Nordic Black Metal horde hailing from Germany.

In Norse mythology, Hangatyr was one of many names for Odin, translated as the “Hanged God”, a reference to his ordeal upon the World Tree. In extreme music, Hangatyr are a Heathen/Nordic Black Metal horde hailing from Bad Sulza, a town in the Weimarer Land district, in Thuringia, Germany, inspired by German icons of the genre with nuances from 90’s Norwegian Black Metal. Now in 2025 the band currently formed of Silvio on vocals, Ali and Basti on the guitars, and Falk on bass is ready to unleash upon humanity their fourth opus, entitled Sumpf der Fäule, or “swamp of rot” from German, the follow-up to their 2020 album Kalt. Produced by Alexander Dietz (Heaven Shall Burn) at Chemical Burn Studios, and showcasing a grim artwork by Ute Ruhmann, Sumpf der Fäule sees the quartet conjure up an unmistakably unique atmosphere throughout the entire album, positioning it as a must-listen for admirers of the black arts.

After a Stygian intro the music explodes into grandiose Black Metal in Sumpf der Fäule, where you can sense their Pagan and Nordic Black Metal influences in the riffage by Ali and Basti; whereas Eine Wahrheit (“one truth”) already starts in full force to its crisp, scorching riffs and blast beats, while Silvio roars and gnarls nonstop in the name of extreme music, exhaling 90’s Black Metal for our vulgar delectation. Leichenmahl (“funeral feast”) is a bit slower yet still venomous and harsh, darkening the skies to the devilish screams by Silvio while all instruments sound as heavy and grim as possible, followed by Es webe Nacht (“let the night weave”), another song that transpires Heathen Black Metal, inspiring us to raise our horns to the band spearheaded by the striking guitars by Ali and Basti. Then leaning towards classic Norwegian Black Metal we have Fatales Gedeih (“fatal prosperity”), showcasing how versatile the band can be inside the broader genre, with Falk making the earth tremble with his bass; and ending the album the quartet offers another bold and dense Black Metal aria titled Dämmerung (“twilight”), spreading absolute darkness until all fades into a melancholic grand finale.

Overflowing heaviness and sheer intensity in all of its six biting songs with abysmal atmospheres, Sumpf der Fäule is highly recommended for fans of early Enslaved, Helheim, and Helrunar, among several other Heathen and Nordic Black Metal hordes out there, and if you want to get in touch with those talented and hardworking Teutonic black metallers you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify (only the album Kalt at the moment, by the way) or on BandCamp (all of their already released albums), and soon grab your copy of their newborn spawn from the same BandCamp. In other words, it’s time to enter the swamp of rot offered by Hangatyr in their new album, letting their festering, devilish sounds penetrate deep inside your putrid skin in the name of our beloved Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Sumpf der Fäule and Es webe Nacht.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Sumpf der Fäule 7:46
2. Eine Wahrheit 5:35
3. Leichenmahl 6:51
4. Es webe Nacht 6:29
5. Fatales Gedeih 6:38
6. Dämmerung 10:00

Band members
Silvio – vocals
Ali – guitar
Basti – guitar
Falk – bass

Album Review – Achathras / A Darkness of the Ancient Past (2025)

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The debut opus by this uncanny horde offers us all a resurrection of the values from the early to late 90’s European Black Metal scene.

Bringing into being mystical Melodic Black Metal dedicated to the magic and mystique of the 90’s, Achathras are a new project formed by uncanny musicians from long-running and acclaimed Black Metal bands, unleashing upon humanity their debut offering entitled A Darkness of the Ancient Past. As epic and at times melodic, recalling acts such as Gehenna, Odium, Emperor, Hecate Enthroned, Taake, Old Man’s Child, Ancient, Dimmu Borgir, and Abigor, among others, A Darkness of the Ancient Past offers a resurrection of the values from the early to late 90’s European Black Metal scene, with the band’s mysterious members Eidolon Drakh, Malefic Orator, and Vorthol blasting their magnificent share of Black Metal incantations for our total and depraved delight.

The Weaving Of The Worlds is absolutely dark and sinister from the very first second, an atmospheric intro that will penetrate deep inside your damned soul before the band comes ripping with Anointed With Moonfire, and it doesn’t matter who plays each instrument (although the band itself has already hinted at who plays what in the album), we must admit they do it to perfection, offering an overdose of classic Black Metal riffs and demented screams supported by an embracing wall of sounds in the background. More of their melodious and sulfurous sounds permeate the air in A Cerement Of Flame, evolving into a beast of old school Black Metal that’s out of any type of human control; and it’s time to head into the battlefield alongside those uncanny musicians to the sound of Emanation Of Chaos, a frantic, no shenanigans Black Metal extravaganza overflowing fire and madness through its classic riffs and blast beats.

After such a demented metal attack we face the ethereal interlude Melancholy Wanderer, warming us up for The Curse Of Supremacy, an imposing, epic explosion of Black Metal by the band, with all background keys and orchestrations adding even more obscurity to the music. Let’s then bang our heads in pitch black darkness to the sound of The Despiser Triumphant, where their rumbling drums live up to the legacy of classic Black Metal; whereas such an infernal horde delivers seven minutes of scorching Black Metal entitled A Lamenting Presence, with the sound of their riffs being a thing of beauty. And lastly, it’s time to explore the chilly and despondent winter lands ruled by Achathras in The Uttermost Cold, an icy cold outro that could have been slightly shorter to sound more effective.

Although there isn’t much information about Achathras anywhere, it’s their music that truly counts, and A Darkness of the Ancient Past indeed brings to our putrid souls an overdose of the grandiose Black Metal sound from decades ago. If you dare to get in touch with those Black Metal sorcerers, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, blow your speakers with their devilish sounds on Spotify, and of course purchase their newborn beast from the Cult Never Dies webstore or from their EU webstore,  fueling their Black Metal machine for decades to come. And if they decide to remain as mysterious and anonymous as possible through the years, as long as their music keeps burning our souls like what they have to offer in A Darkness of the Ancient Past, we have absolutely nothing to complain about.

Best moments of the album: Anointed With Moonfire, Emanation Of Chaos and The Despiser Triumphant.

Worst moments of the album: The Uttermost Cold.

Released in 2025 Cult Never Dies

Track listing
1. The Weaving Of The Worlds 2:43
2. Anointed With Moonfire 5:51
3. A Cerement Of Flame 5:14
4. Emanation Of Chaos 5:05
5. Melancholy Wanderer 1:58
6. The Curse Of Supremacy 5:24
7. The Despiser Triumphant 5:25
8. A Lamenting Presence 7:06
9. The Uttermost Cold 4:23

Band members
Malefic Orator – vocals
Eidolon Drakh – guitars, bass, keyboards
Vorthol – drums

Album Review – Syllogomania / Syllogomania (2025)

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An uncanny Post-Black Metal entity from Poland will attack your senses with its debut opus, a record of the past while also representing the chaos we constantly stumble over in our present and future.

The term “syllogomania” refers to the compulsive hoarding of items, leading to a cluttered living space and significant disruption to social and professional life, often stemming from loneliness, social isolation, and a lack of motivation to maintain order. In the underground of heavy music, Syllogomania is the brand new Post-Black Metal project by the uncanny vocalist and multi-instrumentalist A.I.G., formed in Kraków, Poland between 2021 and 2022 from the ashes of his previous band. Recorded at A.I.G.’s own home studio, mixed and mastered by Przemysław Nowak at Impressive-Art Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by A.I.G. himself, his debut self-titled album is a record of the past, while also representing the chaos we constantly stumble over in our present and future, the moments we see the lives of our oldest relatives come to an end, and finally our own life that we have already lost from the start, which we lived in vain.

The title-track Syllogomania is very experimental, cryptic and demented, with A.I.G. delivering some circus-inspired sounds that will captivate your senses and drag you to total darkness before he starts distilling his devilish gnarls, followed by Drink The Fire, Fan The Flames, a more straightforward Blackened Death Metal beast by our lone wolf, with all beats and guitar lines reeking of absolute madness. A.I.G. then speeds things up and crushes our damned souls with his harsh and caustic Post-Black Metal in Of Emptiness, alternating between sheer savagery and epic neck-breaking moments; and continuing his path of total devastation and hatred he offers us all Slumber, where his anguished roars will penetrate deep inside your putrid mind like a vile parasite. Lastly, we face Modlitwa, or “prayer” from Polish, featuring guest vocals by Stawrogin (Gruzja, Odraza, Totenmesse), the most apocalyptic ending possible to the album, sounding very dynamic, diverse and full of nuances and layers.

A solitary, heavy, aggressive and rotten Black Metal creature from the dust-choked streets of Krákow, Syllogomania‘s debut record is an unforgiving assault on the senses, an intense dive into the chaos of a mind consumed by its own existence, highly recommended for fans of Shining, MGLA, Forgotten Tomb, Gaerea, Odraza, Aenaon, and Psychonau. You can find more information (but not too much) about the mysterious, grim Syllogomania on Facebook and on Instagram, and purchase the album from the project’s own BandCamp or from the Loudriver Records’ BandCamp or webstore. In a nutshell, Syllogomania is a brutal snapshot of a childhood choked by mould, insects, and an unrelenting pile of dust covered boxes, untouchable, suffocating and the still-coming madness we keep falling into. Dust. Emptiness. Anger. Nothing more, nothing less.

Best moments of the album: Of Emptiness and Slumber.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Loudriver Records

Track listing
1. Syllogomania 6:04
2. Drink The Fire, Fan The Flames 4:14
3. Of Emptiness 6:27
4. Slumber 7:28
5. Modlitwa 8:22

Band members
A.I.G. – vocals, guitars, bass, drum programming

Guest musician
Stawrogin – vocals on “Modlitwa”