Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Onirik / The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

A unique Black Metal album that is the consequence of the descent and return from below carrying the flames and lava on its scales, giving it back to the world in posthumous vengeance.

Following up on his highly-acclaimed 2015 album Casket Dream Veneration, Lisbon, Portugal-based Black Metal one-man horde Onirik, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gonius Rex, returns with yet another distinct and heavy-as-hell album entitled The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity, the fifth studio album in his solid career. Active since 2002, Onirik has been exploring Black Metal in several approaches, always faithful to its original purpose, the emission of unordinary, dissonant and raw outputs with trance-inducing atmospheres, typically very cold and bathed in magic. With the special guest participation of none other than Dirge Rep on drums (Gehenna, Enslaved, Orcustus, The Konsortium), and mixed and mastered by Semjaza of Thy Darkened Shade at Sitra Ahra Studio, who also took care of the album’s ambient elements, The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity is the consequence of the descent and return from below carrying the flames and lava on its scales, giving it back to the world in posthumous vengeance.

Prepare your senses for six minutes of a classic Norwegian Black Metal inferno in the opening tune Cult Beyond Eternity, where Gonius Rex extracts sheer malignancy from his guitar while gnarling demonically at the same time, and it’s impressive how he is capable of adding so much groove and progressiveness to his Stygian creations such as Trapped in Flesh, Blood and Dirt, piling up additional layers of awesomeness to his already scorching sound while guest Dirge Rep takes care of the violence and brutality with his blast beats. Then our avid ears are penetrated furiously by over nine minutes of a downward spiral into the pits of the underworld together with Gonius Rex entitled Assigned to the Inexorable Flames, with his bass lines sounding utterly demented, groovy and wicked, proving how talented and focused he is at what he does, with the entire song feeling as grandiose and somber as it can be from start to finish.

In Melodies of Reflections and Praise this unearthly entity offers us all a modern yet old school version of Melodic Black Metal infused with Progressive Black Metal elements where Dirge Rep continues to deliver insanity and intricacy through his beats, providing Gonius Rex all he needs to distill his Jazz-inspired bass jabs.  And venturing through the sluggish realms of Doom Metal, Onirik blast the heavy and thunderous Granted the Vision, Molded into Stone, with the bass punches by Gonius Rex allied with the slow and steady beats by Dirge Rep punching us all in the head mercilessly. After such dense extravaganza, and again blending traditional Black Metal with modern-day sounds and a demented atmosphere, we’re treated to an avalanche of darkened sounds for our vulgar delectation in Murmurs of the Aging Vessel, with both Gonius Rex and Dirge Rep being on fire with their respective sonic weapons, whereas back to a more berserk mode Onirik haunt our souls one last time with their infuriated Black Metal in Apathy of Might, and they keep hammering their instruments nonstop until the song’s grand finale.

You can show your support and admiration for Gonius Rex’s alter ego Onirik by following the project on Facebook, and of course by purchasing a copy of such incendiary album from the underground Portuguese scene from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page or from the Metal Odissey webstore in CD or in LP format.  “I have travelled beyond the casket and returned only to illustrate the certain retribution. This time the old ways flow deep like liquefied lava, ready to break the wounds of this earth and resurface in arsonists’ bliss,” cryptically said Gonius Rex about his newborn album, and even if you have no clue what exactly he wanted to say, let me tell you that the best way to understand his eerie words is by playing The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity at top volume and enjoying one of the best releases of the Portuguese underground scene in this obscure year of 2020.

Best moments of the album: Trapped in Flesh, Blood and Dirt and Assigned to the Inexorable Flames.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Cult Beyond Eternity 6:15
2. Trapped in Flesh, Blood and Dirt 4:35
3. Assigned to the Inexorable Flames 9:00
4. Melodies of Reflections and Praise 7:32
5. Granted the Vision, Molded into Stone 6:18
6. Murmurs of the Aging Vessel 6:47
7. Apathy of Might 5:32

Band members
Gonius Rex – vocals, guitars, bass

Guest musicians
Dirge Rep – drums
Semjaza – ambient

Album Review – Seventh / Vacarme (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

Let your soul be consumed by the atmospheric music crafted by this amazing Canadian act, exploring psychological distress, mental disorder and how some individuals will benefit from committing immoral acts to escape reality.

Hailing from the always amazing Québécois independent metal scene, the Atmospheric/Post-Black Metal act that goes by the straightforward name of Seventh might have started their path not a long time ago, being formed in 2016 in the charming Quebec City, Canada, but they’ve managed to put out already two full-length album, those being their 2017 debut effort Limbes, and their newborn spawn Vacarme now in 2020. Recorded at La Boîte Noire Studio in Quebec City with François C. Fortin, and featuring a Stygian artwork by Canadian illustrator Philippe D’Amours linking all the songs together to represent escapism and abandonment for a better realm, Vacarme explores psychological distress, mental disorder and how some individuals will benefit from committing immoral acts to escape reality, all embraced by the massive wall of atmospheric sounds crafted by Jean-Fred Gauvin on vocals, Olivier Falardeau on the guitars, Martin Lessard on bass and Alex “Blaireau” Bernatchez on drums.

The guitar lines by Olivier arise to the sound of a ticking clock in the intro Synthèse, building a strong atmosphere for the band to crush our senses with Echoes and its psychological lyrics growled by Jean-Fred (“Here come all the signs stranding from the mind / To keep death in motion redefined / Held inside I hear it loud and clear / Like a raging storm of noise that bleeds out all my dopamine”) in a fulminating display of Atmospheric Black Metal with a stunning acoustic ending. Then without wasting any time the quartet pierces our souls with Hundred Winters, where the blast beats by Alex walk hand in hand with the Black Metal riffage by Olivier, and the music keeps growing in intensity, darkness and fury until the very end led by the always anguished gnarls by Jean-Fred; and get ready to bang your heads in the name of darkness together with Seventh in The Gift of Death, where Olivier and Martin slash their strings in great fashion, bringing elements of Doom Metal to their already heavy-as-hell sonority.

Serene and melodious lines permeate the air in the bridge titled Bloom, before they come back in full force with Lust, with its over six minutes of grim and mesmerizing passages showcasing another amazing job done by Olivier on the guitars while Alex keeps pounding his drums like a beast in an exciting depiction of what the music by Seventh is all about, whereas those four metallers are ready to smash us like insects In the nine-minute aria Disheartened, a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal made in Canada presenting elements from what we like to call “Métal Noir Québécois”. Moreover, Jean-Fred is absolutely demonic on vocals, accompanied by the strident riffs by Olivier and the thunderous bass by Martin. And another stylish and charming interlude titled Collapse works as the calm before the storm for Through the Flesh, bringing forward more of their austere lyrics (“As the pleasure consumes all of these laws of morality / We consume all of these laws of indecency / As we consume all of these laws of misanthropy / We consume all of these laws of pure savagery”) and their pulverizing fusion of blackened sounds, ending the album on a truly incendiary and climatic note.

If you want to savor the atmospheric and somber “Métal Noir Québécois” brought forth by Seventh in Vacarme in its entirety, you can stream the full album on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course I highly recommend you grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, or simply click HERE for all locations where you can buy or stream such distinct release. In addition, let’s show our support to Seventh by also following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel, getting absolutely mesmerized and embraced by their dark creations. It’s always a pleasure to witness the rise of Extreme Metal bands here in Canada like Seventh, keeping the scene alive and, consequently, offering us fans of heavy music more and more options for our daily playlists, with Vacarme being specially recommended for the ones who admire the darkest and most introspective side of our beloved metal.

Best moments of the album: Echoes, The Gift of Death and Disheartened.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Independent

Track listing
1. Synthèse 1:26
2. Echoes 8:10
3. Hundred Winters 5:47
4. The Gift of Death 5:34
5. Bloom 1:08
6. Lust 6:21
7. Disheartened 9:01
8. Collapse 1:07
9. Through the Flesh 7:58

Band members
Jean-Fred Gauvin – vocals
Olivier Falardeau – guitars
Martin Lessard – bass
Alex “Blaireau” Bernatchez – drums

Album Review – Abatuar / Mortandad (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

Beware this unstoppable Panamanian beast and his brand new destructive installment, continuing on the legacy of the ultra-conservative declaration of Death Metal and Grindcore.

Active since 2013 and following the previous album Perversiones de Muerte Putrefacta, the side project of the sick mind from vocalist and drummer Cadaver, the Panamanian Black/Death Metal entity known as Abatuar,  has just unleashed upon us all feeble-minded bastards a new destructive installment entitled Mortandad, continuing on the legacy of the ultra-conservative declaration of Death Metal and Grindcore with clear influences of old school bands such as Napalm Death, Repulsion, Blood and mixing these with the regimental militancy of Proclamation and Black Witchery. Recorded at the rehearsal room Plug & Play (while the vocals were recorded in 2018 at Sendero el Pianista, a trail located in the city of Boquete, Panama), mastered by M. Dahmen at Liquid Aether Audio in Germany in 2018, featuring a demonic artwork by Indonesian artist Bayu Putrasangfajar, and also featuring guest guitarist Yigo Manzo (Merciless Death, Atrofia) and bassist and guitarist Anibal Sucre (Enslaver, Hatross), Mortandad is filled not only with the purity of the genres perhaps due to the isolation of the Panamanian scene where they are from, but also soaked with the Central American brutality which they draw their lyrical influences from.

The razor-edge guitars by Yigo ignite the sulfurous Death and Black Metal feast titled Ritual Nigromante Por Medio De Profanación De Cámaras Funerarias, while Cadaver basically regurgitates the song’s dark lyrics and smashes his drums manically, followed by La Muerte Ha Llegado, Todos Lo Pueden Ver, Atare Tus Manos Hasta Que No Puedas Defenderte, another bestial, old school display of Death Metal infused with Grindcore elements where Cadaver sounds utterly demented and enraged on vocals, and Sanguinaria Ejecución De Individuos Despreciables, a venomous headbanging tune where Cadaver’s insane blast beats are nicely complemented by the scorching riffs by Yigo. Then the rumbling bass by Anibal together with the vile drums by Cadaver will make your head tremble in the ode to primeval Black and Death Metal beautifully entitled Perversa Psicopatía De Infantes Homicidas Que Juegan Con Sangre Y Vísceras, with its second half inspiring you to break your neck headbanging like a maniac; whereas in Solo Los Que Han Matado Entenderán Esta Sensación, No Puedo Esperar A Estrangular De Nuevo the trio needs less than two minutes to decimate everything and everyone that crosses their path, showcasing demented drums accompanied by a crisp guitar solo by Anibal.

Rameras Desfiguradas Y Enterradas Vivas En Antro De Tortura Y Depravación Demoniaca is one more short and vile explosion of extreme music made in Panama, with Cadaver’s deep guttural gnarls adding an extra dosage of malignancy to the music, being therefore highly recommended for fans of the early days of Mayhem and Marduk. After such infernal tune it’s time for Trastorno Esquizoide De Trisomía Sexual XYY Con Impulsos Asesinos Y Necrofílicos, drawing inspiration from the sexual bestiality usually found in Goregrind while the guitars by Yigo couldn’t have sounded dirtier nor rawer, followed by Estrangulamiento De Prostitutas Callejeras Como Medio De Liberación De La Ira Y Lujuria, where a demolishing start to the sound of the sick beats by Cadaver and the thunderous bass by Anibal morphs into a gory and evil Death Metal extravaganza that will smash your skull mercilessly. And there’s not a single second to breathe as Cadaver and his henchmen explode our ears once again with Exterminio Humano Por Hambruna E Inanición Sistemática En Regiones Sublevadas, overflowing depravity, obscurity and blasphemy in the form of ass-kicking Death Metal. Lastly, an ominous, cinematic and cannibalistic intro suddenly explodes into a putrid onrush of Death Metal titled Rituales Necrófagos En La Selva Maldita, led by Cadaver’s gruesome vociferations. All I have to say is that this is what I call a spine-chilling ending to a metal album.

The distinguished, demonic and violent fusion of Black and Death Metal with Grindcore crafted by Cadaver in Mortandad can be experienced in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can also follow the multi-talented Cadaver and his Abatuar on Facebook, but of course in order to properly show your support to evil music made in Panama you should purchase a copy of the album from the Dunkelheit Produktionen’s BandCamp page or webstore, from Ván Records, from Apple Music, from Amazon or from Discogs. In addition, why don’t you try translating the names of the songs (and their respective lyrics) and see what Cadaver has to say in Mortandad, which by the way is the Spanish word for “mortality”? I bet not only you’ll feel even more intimidated by his scorching metal music, but you’ll also see the decaying world we live in is nothing but a big, infernal and gruesome slaughterhouse.

Best moments of the album: La Muerte Ha Llegado, Todos Lo Pueden Ver, Atare Tus Manos Hasta Que No Puedas Defenderte, Perversa Psicopatía De Infantes Homicidas Que Juegan Con Sangre Y Vísceras and Estrangulamiento De Prostitutas Callejeras Como Medio De Liberación De La Ira Y Lujuria.

Worst moments of the album: Sanguinaria Ejecución De Individuos Despreciables.

Released in 2020 Dunkelheit Produktionen

Track listing
1. Ritual Nigromante Por Medio De Profanación De Cámaras Funerarias 2:58
2. La Muerte Ha Llegado, Todos Lo Pueden Ver, Atare Tus Manos Hasta Que No Puedas Defenderte 2:06
3. Sanguinaria Ejecución De Individuos Despreciables 2:07
4. Perversa Psicopatía De Infantes Homicidas Que Juegan Con Sangre Y Vísceras 4:15
5. Solo Los Que Han Matado Entenderán Esta Sensación, No Puedo Esperar A Estrangular De Nuevo 1:49
6. Rameras Desfiguradas Y Enterradas Vivas En Antro De Tortura Y Depravación Demoniaca 1:32
7. Trastorno Esquizoide De Trisomía Sexual XYY Con Impulsos Asesinos Y Necrofílicos 2:54
8. Estrangulamiento De Prostitutas Callejeras Como Medio De Liberación De La Ira Y Lujuria 2:40
9. Exterminio Humano Por Hambruna E Inanición Sistemática En Regiones Sublevadas 3:52
10. Rituales Necrófagos En La Selva Maldita 4:25

Band members
Cadaver – vocals, drums

Guest musicians
Yigo Manzo – guitars (session)
Anibal Sucre – bass, lead guitars (session)

Album Review – Raventale / Planetarium II (2020)

Posted on by
1

A deep and profound journey through the black wastelands of extraneous cosmos offered by a Ukrainian one-man army in the form of first-class atmospheric and extreme music.

Playing what he likes to call “Atmospheric Blackened Metal” since the project’s inception in 2005 in Kyiv, Ukraine, the talented vocalist and mutli-instrumentalist Astaroth Merc, from bands like Balfor, Chapter V:F10 and P’hevda Phenomenon, returns in 2020 with his Atmospheric Black Metal alter ego Raventale armed with his eleventh (and grandiose) full-length album titled Planetarium II, the conceptual follow-up to his 2017 album Planetarium. Recorded at Miasma Studio between 2017 and 2020, featuring a celestial artwork by Belarusian artist Olga Kann and guest female vocals by Ukrainian singer Alina Belova (Helengard, Kauan), as well as a linguistic adaptation by Nataliia GrimMe, Planetarium II extends the analysis of extrapolation of cosmic mysteries, clandestine dimensions and extramundane weirdness, or in other words, it’s a deep and profound journey through the black wastelands of extraneous cosmos offered by Astaroth in the form of first-class atmospheric and extreme music.

Sheen Of Urania works as some sort of  wicked intro led by the crushing, razor-edged guitar lines by Astaroth, dragging us all to the doomed and atmospheric world of Raventale in Extra Terrestrial Arcana, where the imposing sounds blasted by Astaroth generate a menacing and epic ambience perfect for his demonic roars, resulting in a beautiful Atmospheric Black Metal creation bringing to our ears crisp solos, whimsical keys and endless epicness while also overflowing rage and insanity. Not only Drinking Sulfur, Devouring The Sun carries a beautiful name for a song just like what Cradle of Filth would offer us, but musically speaking it’s beyond sensational, with Astaroth and his Raventale continuing to blend classic Black Metal with the Symphonic Black Metal played by Dimmu Borgir and nuances of Doom Metal and Blackened Doom for our total delight; whereas a damned rhythm intertwined with stylish background keys and a futuristic vibe are the main ingredients in the breathtaking Route To Andromeda, with our lone wolf growling in the darkest way possible in perfect sync with his scorching, venomous riffs.

The Moon In The Seventh House, perhaps the most Stygian of all songs, is a lecture in atmospheric and grim music, with guest Alina Belova adding a touch of finesse to the overall result while Astaroth’s vicious riffage walks hand in hand with his blast beats and phantasmagorical keys; and as atmospheric as it can be from the very first second, Let The Fire Burn! is another imposing composition that paves Raventale’s cosmic path to the bold and multi-layered Earth (Alpha & Omega), sounding at the same time very fresh and modern while living up to the legacy of classic Symphonic Black Metal. Furthermore, Astaroth’s infernal growling makes a fantastic paradox with his classy keyboards, while the drums keep the song’s pace vibrant and heavy-as-hell. And finally, the Doom Metal-infused aria A Temple Of My Choice puts a melancholic and climatic ending to the album, showcasing Astaroth’s anguished gnarls, sluggish beats and a feeling that all hope is lost, with the music marching on stunningly while our one-man army simply kicks ass with all instruments from start to finish.

You can show your support to such skillful and hardworking black metaller by following Raventale on Facebook and on VKontakte, and by purchasing your copy of Planetarium II in just a few days from his own BandCamp page, as well as from Ashen Dominion’s BandCamp page or webstore. In the end, we must all admit Astaroth has definitely outdone himself with his newborn spawn, elevating his music to the same level as some of the biggest names of the genre including Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor and Septicflesh, to name a few, showing all his hard work through the years is truly paying off, positioning Raventale as one of the most prominent names of the Ukrainian scene and, above all that, offering us fans of atmospheric music the perfect soundtrack for exploring the vastness and obscurity of the cosmos.

Best moments of the album: Drinking Sulfur, Devouring The Sun, The Moon In The Seventh House and Earth (Alpha & Omega).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Ashen Dominion

Track listing
1. Sheen Of Urania 1:53
2. Extra Terrestrial Arcana 6:38
3. Drinking Sulfur, Devouring The Sun 6:24
4. Route To Andromeda 5:48
5. The Moon In The Seventh House 7:06
6. Let The Fire Burn! 3:27
7. Earth (Alpha & Omega) 6:03
8. A Temple Of My Choice 5:30

Band members
Astaroth Merc – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Alina Belova – female vocals

Album Review – Dynfari / Myrkurs er Þörf (2020)

Posted on by
1

The brand new album by an amazing Icelandic Atmospheric Black Metal unity sounds as beautiful and inspiring as it is quietly somber and menacing, and as illuminating as it is sorrowful.

Since the band’s formation as a duo in 2010 in the city of Reykjavík, Iceland, the Atmospheric Black Metal unity known as Dynfari has been making a name for themselves not only in Icelandic lands, but anywhere else in the world where Black Metal influenced, heavily atmospheric music is appreciated. Currently comprised of Jóhann Örn on vocals, bass, accordion, synths and guitars, Jón Emil on percussion and guitars, and Martin Tsenov and Bragi Knutsson also on the guitars, Dynfari deal with the philosophy of life, death, the universe, loss, hope and sorrow, having explored more progressive soundscapes in their blend of Post-Rock and Black Metal in the most recent works, while returning to a more atmospheric and direct attitude now in 2020 with their fifth full-length opus, titled Myrkurs er Þörf, or something like “darkness in needed” in English. Featuring a cryptic artwork by Metaztasis (Watain, Behemoth), the album is a chameleonic, labyrinthine mix of subgenres of rock and metal, sounding thickly atmospheric, as beautiful and inspiring as it is quietly somber and menacing, and as illuminating as it is sorrowful, flowing towards a darker, heavier side of the musical spectrum, expressing a violent refusal of merely becoming a means to an end.

The opening track Dauðans Dimmu Dagar (“the dark days of death”) starts in an ominous and ethereal way to minimalist guitar notes, being gradually accompanied by the percussion and beast by Jón until a dense wall of instrumental Atmospheric Black Metal fills out every single space in the air, morphing into the enfolding Langar Nætur (Í Botnlausum Spíralstiga), or “long nights (in bottomless spiral staircase)”, a flawless depiction of modern-day Icelandic Black Metal with Jóhann delivering anguished vocal lines while Martin and Bragi slash their seven-stringed weapons majestically. And the title-track Myrkurs Er Þörf keeps embracing our souls and taking us to chilling and despondent Icelandic lands showcasing another amazing guitar job done by the quartet, while Jóhann’s vocals sound like they’re coming from a place far, far away, whereas Ég Fálma Gegnum Tómið, or “I fade through the void”, exhales melancholy and hopelessness, with the Doom Metal-inspired beats by Jón walking hand in hand with the strident riffs by Martin and Bragi, keeping the album as dark and grim as possible.

The serene instrumental interlude titled Svefnlag (“sleeping layer”) brings some peace to our blackened hearts, setting the tone for the ode to despair and obscurity named Ég Tortímdi Sjálfum Mér (“I destroyed myself”), where Jóhann blasts his most introspective roars of the entire album while the song’s imposing background keys support the piercing riffage delivered by the quartet. Then what at first seems to be another calm and bitterly cold creation by Dynfari turns into a 10-minute majestic feast of heavy-as-hell, hypnotizing sounds titled Peripheral Dreams, a lecture in contemporary Black Metal led by the crushing beats by Jón intertwined with grandiose keyboards and doomed passages, also presenting elements from Folk Metal and Blackened Doom, running wild and free until its climatic grand finale. Lastly, the wicked bass lines by Jóhann ignite the closing tune Of Suicide and Redemption, an Atmospheric Black Metal aria that lives up to the legacy of the genre, bringing forward their trademark blast beats and symphonic keys and, therefore, ending the album on a truly inspiring note.

After all is said and done, I’m more than certain you’ll be mesmerized by the atmospheric and absolutely stunning music by Dynfari, and in order to show the band your support and appreciation don’t forget to follow them on Facebook, and of course to purchase a copy of Myrkurs er Þörf from their own BandCamp page, from the Aural Music webstore in CD, silver LP, or splatter LP format, and from other locations such as Amazon and mvdshop.com. An introspection on thoughts of suicide and self-destruction, Myrkurs er Þörf is another beautiful product form the always prolific and dynamic Icelandic metal scene, showing us all that not only Icelandic Black Metal continues to be on a healthy and inspiring rise, but also that we can count on the talented guys from Dynfari to keep embellishing the airwaves with their creations until darkness finally consumes us all.

Best moments of the album: Langar Nætur (Í Botnlausum Spíralstiga), Myrkurs Er Þörf and Peripheral Dreams.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Code666

Track listing
1. Dauðans Dimmu Dagar 5:23
2. Langar Nætur (Í Botnlausum Spíralstiga) 6:37
3. Myrkurs Er Þörf 4:52
4. Ég Fálma Gegnum Tómið 4:39
5. Svefnlag 2:57
6. Ég Tortímdi Sjálfum Mér 5:10
7. Peripheral Dreams 10:35
8. Of Suicide and Redemption 6:37

Band members
Jóhann Örn – vocals, bass, accordion, synths, guitars
Jón Emil – percussion, guitars
Martin Tsenov – guitars
Bragi Knutsson – guitars

Album Review – Ov Shadows / I Djävulens Avbild (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

Arising from the darkest pits of Gothenburg, this Swedish horde is ready to stun us all once again with the Atmospheric Black Metal guided by chaos and darkness from their sophomore opus.

“Come forth from eternity
Beyond the paradise and tempt me with the forbidden fruit
Tempt me with knowledge and power and let me become god
I’m willing to leave the paradise
Mother of blasphemy and fornication
Dark goddess Lilith”

Gothenburg, Sweden’s own Black Metal entity Ov Shadows is rising once again form the pits of the underworld to stun us all with their sophomore full-length opus, titled I Djävulens Avbild, which translates to English as “In the Devil’s Image”, the follow-up to their 2018 debut album The Darkness Between Stars. Featuring a beautiful artwork by artist Vandraren, also known as Mister Snowpulse, the new record presents the band comprised of RA on vocals and bass, AA and AF on the guitars, and JW on drums at an unprecedented ferocity and forward-momentum, and apparently very intent on proving that to their listeners immediately, as pummeling drums and a heavy galloping riff fill the speakers within seconds of the album. “Ov Shadows is about exploring and embracing the dark aspects that dwell within us all – your ‘shadows-self’ as Carl Jung expressed it. Our vision is to create an atmospheric Black Metal guided by chaos and darkness,” commented the band, inviting us all to join them in their obscure and austere realm.

As aforementioned, the opening tune Den Eld Som Tär Och Förvrider (“The Fire That Consumes And Distorts”) offers us all an infernal sonic devastation from the very first second, with RA showcasing his welcome card in the form of his otherworldly screeches while JW shakes the foundations of the earth with his thunderous blast beats, whereas in Blasfemiskt Crescendo (“Blasphemous Crescendo”) we’re treated to more of their demonic Black Metal where AA and AF sound like two chainsaws with their cutting riffs, providing RA all he needs to thrive with both his wicked roars and rumbling bass. And an imposing and grim vibe will penetrate deep inside your soul in the Atmospheric Black Metal tune titled Under Dödens Vingar (“Under the Wings of Death”), where the band’s guitar duo continues to fire lancinating riffs through their axes nosntop while JW keeps the pace as heavy and thunderous as possible behind his drum set.

This Swedish quartet keeps slamming our skulls with their strident and sulfurous Black Metal in Anakoretens Gap (“The Maw of the Anchorite”), sounding very rhythmic, somber and doomed, spearheaded by JW’s bestial drumming and the always venomous growling by RA, while the title-track I Djävulens Avbild (“In the Devil’s Image”) keeps bringing to our avid ears Ov Shadows’ dense fusion of old school and contemporary Black Metal with Melodic Black Metal and even Doom Metal nuances, with the spine-chilling guitars by AA and AF giving you nightmares during your sleep. Then blazing guitars and a feeling of hopelessness will invade your senses in Spotsk (“Defiant”), another Stygian creation by Ov Shadows presenting some interesting breaks and variations amidst all the havoc crafted by JW and RA with their devilish kitchen, followed by the closing aria Av Kunskap Krönt Till Gud (“By Knowledge Crowned God”), even more demonic and dark than its predecessors, or in other words, a lesson in Melodic Black Metal led by RA’s hellish screams while AA and AF keep bringing fire and wrath to the musicality with their sick riffage.

The Stygian and austere creations by Ov Shadows are waiting for you on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you want to show your true support to this skillful Swedish horde and your admiration for the darkest side of heavy music, you can buy your copy of I Djävulens Avbild, all sung in their mother tongue Swedish by the way (as opposed to their previous album entirely sung in English), from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp or webstore in regular CD format or as an amazing CD + shirt + patch + sticker bundle, and you can always follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for new, tour dates and more of their hellish music. Chaos and darkness reign supreme in the musical world brought forth by Ov Shadows in their newborn spawn, pointing to a bright future for the band in their already solid career, and inviting us all to renounce light and succumb to darkness for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Blasfemiskt Crescendo, Anakoretens Gap and Av Kunskap Krönt Till Gud.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Hypnotic Dirge Records

Track listing
1. Den Eld Som Tär Och Förvrider 6:26
2. Blasfemiskt Crescendo 6:24
3. Under Dödens Vingar 5:44
4. Anakoretens Gap 5:07
5. I Djävulens Avbild 6:09
6. Spotsk 6:34
7. Av Kunskap Krönt Till Gud 6:34

Band members
RA – vocals, bass
AA – guitars
AF – guitars
JW – drums

Album Review – Super Satan / Menetekel (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

An incendiary album of German Black Metal overflowing blast beats, pushing sounds and aggressive riffs that will let us all slide down the abyss piece by piece.

With a variety of beautiful, dreamy tracks and silence shattering sounds split into ten hypnotic tracks with a total playing time of over 57 minutes, Menetekel, the debut full-length opus by an infernal Kaufbeuren, Germany-based Black Metal duo comprised of vocalist Stefan Bauer (Disgusting Perversion) and guitarist Julian Gruber (Disgusting Perversion, Pestilent Reign, Running Death, Taste of Desolation) that goes by the curious name of Super Satan, brings to our ears a fast, hard-riffing and overall unconventional style of Black Metal, being highly recommended for fans of bands like Der Weg einer Freiheit and Der Rote Milan. Supported by the heavy kitchen of Nikita Kamprad (Der Weg einer Freiheit, Illusion of Strength) on bass, who also produced the album, and Sebastian Unić (Crimson Death, Pestilent Reign, Kâhld, Hysterie) on drums, Super Satan take no prisoners in Menetekel, with their driving blast beats, pushing sounds and aggressive riffs letting the audience slide down the abyss piece by piece and leading them through the end of all days, all of course sung in their mother tongue German.

Get ready to be dragged down to the scorching pits of the underworld in the phantasmagorical intro Menetekel, or “warning sign” in English, setting the stage for Super Satan to crush our souls in Zwiespalt (“conflict”), with Julian extracting sheer obscurity from his wicked guitar while guest Sebastian delivers traditional blast beats, resulting in a feast of classic and modern Black Metal spearheaded by the demonic roars by Stefan. Then we have another brutal round of Black Metal the likes of Marduk and Immortal in Einklang (“unison”), sounding absolutely demonic and pulverizing from start to finish, with Sebastian going berserk once again on drums while Nikita hammers his bass furiously, whereas the strident, piercing riffs by Julian are the main ingredient in the infernal Mondglanz (“moonlight”), bringing some Hardcore and Grindcore nuances to their already vicious sonority and, therefore, being perfect for slamming into the pit while also presenting groovier and heavier moments.

Dämmerung (“dusk”) is an Atmospheric Black Metal extravaganza led by the electrifying guitar lines by Julian while Stefan gnarls in a dark and anguished manner, remaining sluggish, bleak and melancholic throughout its five minutes of sheer obscurity, and following such venomous tune we’re treated to Wolkenbruch (“downpour”) and its almost 10 minutes of a fantastic hybrid between old school Black Metal with contemporary Melodic Black Metal. Furthermore, Sebastian sounds even more boisterous on drums while very rhythmic at the same time, with Stefan’s deep roars bringing endless hatred and fear to the overall result. Then cryptic sounds and tones permeate the air in Auferstehung (“resurrection”), morphing into a furious explosion of Black Metal infused with Symphonic Black Metal nuances with Sebastian once again adding his share of dementia to the music, while Stefan keeps barking and screaming manically.

Hammering their flammable instruments nonstop, the band pierces our ears and minds with the scorching Weltenbrand (“world fire”), also sounding and feeling atmospheric and epic. In addition to that, you can sense some resemblance to the most vicious creations from Neue Deutsche Härte, while Julian sounds truly infernal with his dark riffing. After such high level of obscurity, it’s time for a hurricane of modern-day Black Metal blasted by Super Satan in Ritual, showcasing razor-edged guitars, fulminating drums and the always visceral gnarls by Stefan, while Nikita and Sebastian bring thunder to the sonority with their sonic weapons. Lastly, blending the imposing sounds by bands like Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir and Emperor, the band fills our ears with hatred and evil in the closing tune Ur, where those German metallers display all their dexterity and passion for the underworld for over eight minutes.

The creativity and darkness flowing from German Black Metal always amazes me, and with Super Satan it couldn’t have been any different than that. Those two talented musicians and their henchmen simply nailed it already with their debut release, which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, bringing forth a very cohesive, austere and incendiary fusion of the most diverse styles of Black Metal. Hence, don’t forget to give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to purchase your copy of such excellent album from their own BandCamp page or from the Thanatoskult’s BandCamp page, as well as from Apple Music or from Amazon. As already mentioned, Menetekel is the perfect soundtrack to the end of everything, proving once again why Black Metal made in Germany is and will always be one of the most interesting and breathtaking subgenres of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Einklang, Wolkenbruch and Ritual.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Thanatoskult

Track listing
1. Menetekel 1:15
2. Zwiespalt 6:02
3. Einklang 3:49
4. Mondglanz 3:00
5. Dämmerung 5:00
6. Wolkenbruch 9:38
7. Auferstehung 5:45
8. Weltenbrand 7:17
9. Ritual 6:57
10. Ur 8:32

Band members
Stefan Bauer – vocals
Julian Gruber – guitars

Guest musicians
Nikita Kamprad – bass (session)
Sebastian Unić – drums (session)

Album Review – The Glorious Dead / Into Lifeless Shrines (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

Ranging from blasting intensity to a more down-trodden doom crawl, enjoy over 50 minutes of “Filthy Northern Death Metal” by this talented Michigan, US-based act.

Founded by T.J. Humlinski (Feast Eternal) and Marty Rytkonen (Prosthesis, Slaunchwise, Charnel Valley, Bindrune Recordings) in Traverse City, a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, Death Metal four-piece act The Glorious Dead is a band that finds its roots planted somewhere back in 2008 and 2009 with the three-song demo The Burdensome Ceremony of Internment. Upon suffering a few line-up changes the band went dormant until 2017, when drummer Chris Fulton (Reasonable Deception, Neither) relocated to the area and agreed to join the band. With Chris Boris from the Northern Michigan band and forest metal stalwarts Pan permanently joining the ranks on bass, the band finalized a two-year quest and all necessary material for their debut full-length album Into Lifeless Shrines, offering the listener songs that range from blasting intensity to a more down-trodden doom crawl. Highly influenced by ancient Death Metal and the 80’s darkened thrash movement, The Glorious Dead focuses on memorable and diseased sounding riffs lurking at its core in Into Lifeless Shrines, resulting in the rise of what they like to call “Filthy Northern Death Metal”.

The eerie, cinematic intro Solium Mortis opens the gates of hell to the putrid and violent Vitreous Hemmorhage, a solid and straightforward Death Metal song with no shenanigans where T.J. roars and growls like a creature of the underworld while his bandmates generate a venomous ambience with their instruments, whereas Chris Fulton pounds his drums nonstop in the heavy-as-hell The Noise of Gravediggers, another bestial Death Metal feast with T.J. and Marty extracting sheer savagery from their stringed axes, living up to the legacy of renowned acts like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and Morbid Angel. And they keep smashing our skulls with their brutality in Cranial Festering, where Chris Boris and Chris Fulton generate a dense and menacing base perfect for T.J. to thrive with his gruesome gnarls, maintaining the album at a high level of aggressiveness and obscurity.

The band then ventures through the realms of Doom Metal and Blackened Doom, and the final result is a sluggish and grim creation entitled Tenebris Arca, with the slashing sound of the guitars bringing an extra touch of malignancy to the overall result, while the crushing beats by Chris Fulton dictate the rhythm in the venomous Putrefactive Adoration, a brutal display of classic Death Metal shredding by the band’s guitar duo, all spiced up by the always vile guttural by T.J. After such high level of dementia, it’s time for the quartet to arise from the pits of the netherworld and fire one more round of bestiality in the form of Reunite in Grotesque, a lecture in old school Death Metal with no artificial elements, just plain, unfiltered violence, tons of shredding and the unstoppable beats by Chris Fulton. And even darker than its predecessors, Celebrate the Corpse blends Death and Doom Metal with subtle nuances of Black and Thrash Metal, presenting a great job on the guitars by both T.J. and Marty while Chris Boris keeps delivering endless groove through his bass punches.

Into Lifeless Shrines, one of their oldest compositions, comes smashing our heads mercilessly, showcasing a violent pace boosted by the song’s austere lyrics while once again bringing to our avid ears classic Death Metal spiced up by the most Stygian elements from Doom Metal, and the rumbling bass by Chris Boris kicks off the also visceral Leave it with the Worms, where the guitars by T.J. and Marty will pierce your ears while Chris Fulton gives us all a very good reason for slamming into the pit. Following this ode to darkness, Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffage and intricate and berserk beats are the main ingredients in the Death Metal extravaganza titled The Ruin of Flesh, with T.J. demonstrating all his skills as a growler once again, and there’s nothing better than a huge dosage of gore and violence to end a Death Metal album, which is exactly what you’ll get in Exordium of Decay, with its wicked guitar solos and hammering drums keeping the music vibrant and grim until the song’s climatic finale.

If you consider yourself a fan of underground Death Metal, then you should definitely give the guys from The Glorious Dead a try, as their raw and pulverizing creations might be exactly what you’re looking for in extreme music. Hence, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook for news, tour dates and other details about the band, and purchase a copy of Into Lifeless Shrines from the Bindrune Recordings’ BandCamp page or webstore, fueling The Glorious Dead to keep demolishing our heads and disturbing our peace with their frantic and heavy Death Metal for many years to come. Put differently, let’s all hail the northern hordes of Death Metal together with the talented metallers from The Glorious Dead, with Into Lifeless Shrines marking the most cohesive and detailed step in their career so far.

Best moments of the album: The Noise of Gravediggers, Tenebris Arca and Reunite in Grotesque.

Worst moments of the album: Celebrate the Corpse.

Released in 2020 Bindrune Recordings

Track listing
1. Solium Mortis (Intro) 1:42
2. Vitreous Hemmorhage 4:17
3. The Noise of Gravediggers 5:02
4. Cranial Festering 3:16
5. Tenebris Arca 5:27
6. Putrefactive Adoration 4:21
7. Reunite in Grotesque 4:14
8. Celebrate the Corpse 5:33
9. Into Lifeless Shrines 4:20
10. Leave it with the Worms 4:11
11. The Ruin of Flesh 5:25
12. Exordium of Decay 4:37

Band members
T.J. Humlinski – vocals, guitars
Marty Rytkonen – guitars
Chris Boris – bass
Chris Fulton – drums

Album Review – Obscure Relic / First Black Communion EP (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

A violent Black Metal declaration dripping obscurity and impiety from its essence, blasted by an evil horde hailing from the hot and steamy Brazilian labyrinths.

The hot and steamy Brazilian labyrinths keep on oozing the blackest secrets from the all hellish flaming arts, with guitarist Deoarsprofanum and drummer Thiago Splatter, also known from bands like Power From Hell, Velho and Pombajira, summoning the darkest powers on the day of the dead in 2019 to create a bestial revelation by the name of Obscure Relic in Duque de Caxias, a city on Guanabara Bay and part of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, playing the meanest and most devilish version of Black Metal you can think of. Now in 2020 Deoarsprofanum and Thiago Splatter, together with vocalist Thiago Caronte, guitarist and keyboardist Død and bassist Hellmaniac are unleashing upon humanity their debut EP titled First Black Communion, the follow-up to their 2020 demo Sons of Evil Power and, above all, a violent Black Metal declaration dripping obscurity and impiety from its essence, or if you prefer, the ultimate aggression statement for all non-believers which will nail you to everlasting joy for pain and suffering.

Stygian guitars form the depths of the underworld rev up the band’s demonic engines in the intro Descending… before they begin crushing our minds and souls with the title-track The First Black Communion, where Thiago Splatter demolishes his drums accompanied by the scorching riffs by Deoarsprofanum and Død, all spearheaded by the infernal, high-pitched gnarls by Thiago Caronte, resulting in a lecture in old school and primeval Black Metal. And we’re treated to more of their melodic but absolutely perturbing Black Metal in Master of All Forms, showcasing razor-edged riffs and a sense of despair permeating the air from start to finish, while Thiago Splatter sounds even more pulverizing on drums, and if you think they couldn’t sound more visceral and aggressive you need to take a listen at Enter the Infernal Realms, a putrid display of traditional Black Metal bringing forward Thiago Caronte’s satanic roars and the ass-kicking, rumbling bass punches by Hellmaniac. The last track of the album, For Blackerubins, offers the listener another round of demented screams, blast beats and slashing guitars, with both Deoarsprofanum and Død living up to the legacy of Scandinavian Black Metal with their wicked shredding, all flowing into the atmospheric outro Rising…, which puts a melancholic and eerie end to such short but heavy-as-hell EP of Black Metal.

You can give a shout to this talented horde hailing from Brazil through their official Facebook page, and of course purchase a copy of First Black Communion from the Hellprod Records’ BandCamp page or from their webstore in CD and tape formats, as well as from the Cianeto Discos’ BandCamp page or webstore. As aforementioned, First Black Communion is utterly violent and obscure, or in other words, it reeks of pure Black Metal, and if this is just the debut album by Obscure Relic I wonder how much evil and darkness this insane Brazilian horde can spread all over the world with their future releases.

Best moments of the album: The First Black Communion and Enter the Infernal Realms.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Hellprod Records/Cianeto Discos

Track listing
1. Descending… 1:03
2. The First Black Communion 3:58
3. Master of All Forms 4:00
4. Enter the Infernal Realms 3:37
5. For Blackerubins 3:25
6. Rising… 1:43

Band members
Thiago Caronte – vocals
Deoarsprofanum – guitars
Død – guitars, keyboards
Hellmaniac – bass
Thiago Splatter – drums

Album Review – Barbaric Horde / Axe of Superior Savagery (2020)

Posted on by
Reply

An uncanny entity from Portugal is unleashing upon us a savage beast that lives up to the legacy of dirt and raw old school Black Metal.

The gates to the underworld are open in the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal, thanks to the venomous and unrelenting fusion of Black and Death Metal played by a mysterious entity that goes by the name of Barbaric Horde, ready to decimate your senses and leave you completely disoriented after the 28 minutes of infernal music found in their debut full-length opus, nicely titled Axe of Superior Savagery, are over. Featuring an old school artwork by Warhead Art and layout by Maciej Kamuda Art, Axe of Superior Savagery is a much bolder beast than their 2016 demo Gasmask Perpetrators and their 2017 demo Tainted Impurity, while at the same time keeping the band’s utterly raw and dirty core musicality intact, therefore living up to the legacy of the early days of Black Metal.

And this uncanny Portuguese entity quickly arises from the pits of hell with the fulminating opening track Tyrant of the Dark Trynity, offering our putrid ears a high dosage of evil in the form of insane blast beats, crude riffs and Stygian vociferations. Put differently, it can’t get any more underground than this, followed by Antichrist Command, bringing forward blasphemous, acid lyrics (“Flames of holocaust unconquerable / A new world alliance / Forged on the caustic fires of vengeance / Hideous fiends throw the kings head to the rats / One by one the knife will do god’s work”) amidst another infernal and visceral display of Black Metal infused with Death Metal elements. Then rumbling, doomed bass lines permeate the air in the also wicked Venomous Infernal Carnage, with extreme aggression flowing from their riffage while the song’s apocalyptic and tribal beats give the overall sonority a sense of despair and violence; and even more disturbing than its predecessors, Barbaric Provocation is a lesson in primeval Black Metal showcasing gruesome gnarls and roars, while the guitars and bass keep reverberating and piercing our ears mercilessly.

Furious and frantic drums dictate the rhythm in the ode to darkness and blasphemy titled Bow Before the Altar of Satan, where razor-edged guitar riffs will cut your skin deep and make you bleed in the name of extreme music, whereas the title-track Axe of Superior Savagery will simply smash your skull with its fusion of the rawest forms of Black and Death Metal. Hence, it couldn’t have sounded more demonic, as if Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem merged into one single entity of pure evil. Vicious guitars and a menacing, bold atmosphere are the main ingredients in the also disturbing chat Storms of Primitive Violence, sounding and feeling berserk and insane form start to finish, also presenting a very raw sound that will please all fans of the genre, before they offer us all one final blast of demented sounds not recommended for the lighthearted in the form of Wrath of Goetic Glorification, where truly demonic growls from the depths of the underworld lead this sick display of pure and unfiltered Black Metal, ending the album on a perturbing note.

Barbaric Horde’s infuriated display of Black and Death Metal can be better appreciated in its entirety on YouTube, and you can also show your support to the underground of the underground by listening to more of their music on Spotify and by purchasing Axe of Superior Savagery from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, from Rex Diaboli’s BandCamp or Big Cartel, or from Discogs. This eerie Portuguese horde, which I suspect is formed by two devilish members, is showing a lot of potential with Axe of Superior Savagery, aiming at carving their name in the Portuguese metal scene as one of the most barbaric, inhumane and dirty entities playing our beloved Black Metal, consequently putting a huge smile on Satan’s face for effectively representing him in our decaying and rotten world through their hellish music.

Best moments of the album: Antichrist Command and Bow Before the Altar of Satan.

Worst moments of the album: Venomous Infernal Carnage.

Released in 2020 Godz ov War Productions/Rex Diaboli

Track listing
1. Tyrant of the Dark Trynity 4:23
2. Antichrist Command 3:02
3. Venomous Infernal Carnage 4:32
4. Barbaric Provocation 2:57
5. Bow Before the Altar of Satan 3:27
6. Axe of Superior Savagery 3:03
7. Storms of Primitive Violence 3:34
8. Wrath of Goetic Glorification 3:31

Band members
*Information not available*