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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 – Hyl / Where Emptiness Is All (2023)

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A majestic display of Atmospheric Black Metal, bringing the cruel peace of absolute devastation, and invoking the killing quietude of an abandoned world wrapped in the soft death of snow.

Birthed in the creative cauldron that is the mind of multi-instrumentalist Rick Costantino (Schizo, Krigere Wolf), Italy/Poland-based Atmospheric Black Metal horde Hyl is a new entity that captures an atmosphere of utter desolation, of a world bereft of life, being highly recommended for fans of Ruins Of Beverast, Vemod, Mgla and Fuath, just to name a few. Comprised of the aforementioned Rick Costantino (who also goes by his initials R.C.) on the guitars and bass, Shadow (Black Altar, Ofermod) on vocals, and Krzysztof Klingbein (Vader, Belphegor) on drums, the band is releasing their debut effort, titled Where Emptiness Is All, bringing the cruel peace of absolute devastation, and invoking the killing quietude of an abandoned world wrapped in the soft death of snow. Mixed and mastered by Dionisis Dimitrakos at Descent Studio (with vocals mixed by Devo Andersson at Endarker Studio), and displaying a sinister logo by Christophe Szpajdel of Lord of the Logos and a Stygian album art by Elysivm Artwork, the album transpires Black Metal at its most powerful and enthralling, imbued with winter magic and offering a glimpse into a darkness beyond human experience and understanding.

The atmospheric intro Pvrification will beautifully darken the skies, setting the stage for Hyl to crush our senses in Into the Unknown, with the piercing guitars by R.C. embellishing the airwaves while Krzysztof begins hammering his drums in the name of Black Metal, all complemented by the grim, visceral guttural by Shadow. Their blackened attack goes on in the multi-layered, imposing extravaganza titled And Everything Dies, a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal sounding even more venomous than its predecessor due to the pulverizing drums by Krzysztof; and the atmosphere remains dense, somber and majestic in the title-track Where Emptiness is All, where once again Shadow roars like a demonic entity accompanied by the sharp riffs and rumbling bass by R.C. in another infernal display of Atmospheric Black Metal. Then a dark, menacing intro gradually evolves into an ethereal voyage titled Endless Illusions, with R.C. and Krzysztof blasting melodic yet at the same time sulfurous sounds from their sonic weapons, flowing into the closing tune Under a Watching Sky, which sounds and feels more like an outro than anything else. I personally preferred if it was a regular song, or if it was a little bit shorter in duration, but it’s still a solid way to conclude the album.

Those three extremely talented metallers from Italy and Poland are eager to know what you think of their music, and you can do so by giving them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course you can show them your absolute support and admiration by purchasing a copy of Where Emptiness Is All from the Odium Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, succumbing to the darkest and most atmospheric side of extreme music. You’ll certainly have a blast wandering through the Stygian realms explored by Rick Constantino and his henchmen in Where Emptiness Is All, always keeping in mind that there’s no turning back once you let darkness and desolation take over your damned soul.

Best moments of the album: And Everything Dies and Where Emptiness is All.

Worst moments of the album: Under a Watching Sky.

Released in 2023 Odium Records

Track listing
1. Pvrification (Intro) 1:03
2. Into the Unknown 7:41
3. And Everything Dies 6:58
4. Where Emptiness is All 5:12
5. Endless Illusions 7:36
6. Under a Watching Sky 5:03

Band members
Shadow – vocals
Rick Costantino – guitars, bass
Krzysztof Klingbein – drums