Prepare yourself for a breathtaking Symphonic Black Metal journey to the war-torn, magical and baroque world of Argenthorns.
A new and mysterious Symphonic Black Metal project from the land of a thousand lakes, more precisely from the Finnish city of Lahti, Argenthorns will take you on an epic cloak and dagger adventure in the project’s debut opus The Ravening, all taken from the mind of its sole member, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Juuso Peltola, the man behind Warmoon Lord and Old Sorcery who goes by the name of Mason Rofocale in this epic and baroque metal saga. Mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis, and many more), and displaying a stylish, classic artwork by Swedish master Pär Olofsson, The Ravening marks the first chapter of Mason Rofocale’s occult chronicle through lands unknown, a Black Metal tale told the way it used to be in the 90’s with piercing screams, fascinating keyboards and icy cold riffs, recommended for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Bal-Sagoth, Odium and Limbonic Art.
The cinematic and phantasmagorical intro Hanen Salissaan Kastoimme Unenhoureet Vereen (“In Hane’s hall, we drenched the sleeping whores in blood” from Finnish) will captivate your senses before Juuso smashes our cranial skulls in The Manor of the Demon Duke, a pulverizing Symphonic Black Metal aria showcasing fast and electrifying riffs, menacing drums and Juuso’s infernal gnarls, resulting in a grandiose start to such compelling tale. Juuso wastes no time and continues to tell the album’s story in the most metallic way possible in In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens, where all background keys, orchestrations and sounds provide him with the perfect atmosphere for his wicked Black Metal vociferations; whereas his old school Black Metal vein gets stronger in I: Incursion II: a Procession of Spectres, bringing forward his passion for the 80’s and 90’s sound while also adding his own twist to the music, ending in a doom-ish, sluggish manner.
Investing in a more orchestral, imposing sonority, Juuso will embellish the airwaves with his piercing guitar lines in Malefic Chronicle, enhancing the song’s punch and heaviness with his classy drums and whimsical keys; and in Wings of Psychomachia he adds elements from Atmospheric Black Metal and also from Doom Metal to his core sound, resulting in a song that exhales melancholy and introspection while also evolving into a Symphonic Black Metal voyage that will smash your mind mercilessly. Then epic keys ignite the second to last song of the album, titled The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant, with Juuso declaiming the song’s words in a poetic way before gnarling and roaring like a demonic beast, feeling modern yet deeply rooted in classic Black Metal (not to mention his amazing riff work), flowing into the also cinematic outro Elpyminen (“recovery” from Finnish), putting a mesmerizing and climatic finale to Juuso’s blackened musical journey.
The multi-talented metal warrior Juuso, or maybe I should say Mason Rofocale, is eager to know what you think of his music on Facebook, and you can show him all your support by purchasing a copy of the intense and multi-layered The Ravening from his own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave (as a CD, a vinyl, or a special galaxy vinyl), as well as from other sources such as mvdshop.com. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking journey to the war-torn, magical and baroque world of Argenthorns, but I must warn you that once you enter such metallic realm you might never come back.
Best moments of the album:The Manor of the Demon Duke, In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens and The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music
Track listing 1. Hanen Salissaan Kastoimme Unenhoureet Vereen 1:36
2. The Manor of the Demon Duke 3:55
3. In the Hoary Shadows of the Blighted Gardens 5:29
4. I: Incursion II: a Procession of Spectres 7:21
5. Malefic Chronicle 5:28
6. Wings of Psychomachia 7:02
7. The Grand Hallowing of the Tyrant 5:19
8. Elpyminen 2:17
Band members Juuso Peltola – vocals, all instruments
This infuriated Black and Death Metal horde from Greece will crush your mind with their debut effort, showcasing their steely vision and penchant for writing superbly structured songs that have an inherent catchiness to them.
Formed in October 2017 in the hypnotizing city of Athens, Greece, the unrelenting Black/Death Metal horde Decipher is ready to unleash upon humanity their first full-length opus, entitled Arcane Paths To Resurrection, the follow-up to their 2019 debut EP Of Fire and Brimstone. Displaying a stunning artwork by Artem Grigoryev, the album showcases the steely vision and penchant for writing superbly structured songs that have an inherent catchiness to them by vocalist M.L., guitarists K.G. and K.C., and drummer N.C., while also being gritty and dynamic, not giving you much time to dwell on things as it keeps throwing one deadly riff after the other at you as you’re forced to scramble in an attempt to fully comprehend them before life comes to an end.
The band’s Stygian guitars ignite their sulfurous attack in Chants of the Unholy, with the blast beast by N.C. bringing hell to their imposing musicality, and K.G. and K.C. continue to extract darkness and hatred from their guitars in Lost in Obscurity while M.L. vociferates rabidly in the name of evil in a great display of contemporary Black Metal. Then a beyond creepy, phantasmagorical interlude titled Arcane Paths will send shivers down your spine before the quartet comes crushing our putrid souls once again in Enslaved to Be, presenting their demonic riffs and growls supported by another bestial performance by N.C. on drums, also showcasing hints of Melodic Black Metal carefully inserted into their core sound.
Get ready for eight minutes of sulfur and obscurity entitled Altar of the Void, with the entire band being on absolute fire from start to finish, in special M.L. with his venomous gnarling while K.G. and K.C. once again hammer our skulls with their axes; whereas investing in a more somber sonority with elements from Doom Metal and Blackened Doom we have Penance, before exploding into their core insanity led by the infernal drums by N.C., sounding very detailed, demonic and thrilling, or in other words, a lecture in modern-day Black Metal. And lastly, closing the album the band offers us all one last onrush of malignant Black Metal titled Sanctum Regnum, with their piercing guitars and hellish roars elevating the song’s obscurity to a whole new level, therefore feeling very dense and grim until the very last second.
In a nutshell, Decipher are more than ready to kill armed with their sulfurous debut effort, and if I were you I would definitely give those Greek metallers a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their classy music, stream their sick creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of Arcane Paths To Resurrection from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a special digipak CD or as an ass-kicking shirt + CD combo (or click HERE for all things Decipher). The band is surely delivering a timeless piece of Black Metal that’s impactful and strongly evocative with Arcane Paths To Resurrection, keeping in mind this is just their first opus, which means Decipher will surely make a lot of noise in the coming years for the delight of al lovers of extreme music out there.
Best moments of the album:Chants of the Unholy, Altar of the Void and Penance.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records
Track listing 1. Chants of the Unholy 4:11
2. Lost in Obscurity 5:40
3. Arcane Paths 1:48
4. Enslaved to Be 4:56
5. Altar of the Void 8:52
6. Penance 5:15
7. Sanctum Regnum 5:42
Band members
M.L. – vocals, chants
K.G. – lead and rhythm guitars, bass, vocals, chants
K.C. – guitars
N.C. – drums
If you agree with the statement that humanity is a mistake, you’ll have an absolute blast with our metal lady of this month of April here on The Headbanging Moose, setting fire to our rotten and decaying world with her inhumane gnarls, unique looks and devilish attitude. Known in the underworld of extreme music as the ruthless frontwoman for bands the likes of Lebenssucht, Humanitas Error Est and I Am All Wounds, she’s the perfect depiction of the importance of women in the current Black Metal scene worldwide, inviting us all to her Stygian lair to the sound of her sulfurous and harsh yet mesmerizing music. Her name is Anett Hauzu or Anett Gebauer, but you might know her for her demonic monicker S Caedes, a German Black Metal she-wolf that will crush your damned soul with her undeniable talent and passion for the darkest side of music and arts in general.
Born and raised in Leipzig, the most populous city in the German state of Saxony, S Caedes, which by the way is the combination of “sadist” (S) and “carnage” (Caedes, in Latin), with both words standing for her character, is much more than “just” a Black Metal vocalist, being also a skillful and innovative photographer and model, and according to S Caedes herself, she’s also a “blood fetishista” and a “fucked up mind”. Married to Australian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Gebauer, of bands such as Deadspace, Humanitas Error Est and I Am All Wounds (and as you might have notice, those two are definitely “partners in crime” in most of their music projects), S Caedes mentioned in one of her interviews that she was discovering different styles of metal music when she was around 12 or 13 years old, getting to know Black Metal and falling in love with it at the age of 14, saying Black Metal was then able to provide her with a special feeling that no other type of music could. “It’s just the feeling of knowing exactly where you stand with yourself. I’m strictly anti-religious and disgusted by humanity. It’s not an empty phrase for me, it’s just… me. Black Metal stands for the hate and aggression I always had and still have inside. I can’t put it better in words. When you’re really into Black Metal, you’ll know what I mean. Either you feel it or not,” commented S Caedes, who also said that after discovering Black Metal she always wanted to be on stage and scream the hell out of her throat, but she didn’t do anything to create a band then.
It was close to the end of 2012 when S Caedes together with drummer Ahephaïm started searching for musicians to finally form a Black Metal band, which was the initial spark for what would become Leipzig, Germany-based Brutal Black Metal entity Humanitas Error Est. One year later, S Caedes and Ahephaïm finally had a complete band lineup and started creating songs for their first album as Humanitas Error Est, resulting in their 2016 eleven-track beast Human Pathomorphism. A project with negative thoughts against any religions and pure misanthropy, Humanitas Erorr Est “is about confronting the world with its own brutality, its own sadism, its own hypocritical statement of liberty. It’s about unleashing indomitability, stir up hatred. It’s a scornful critical examination at mankind itself,” as stated by the band itself, with their name being the idea of Ahephaïm, a very unique, not cliché-ridden name that represents exactly what they stand for, meaning as already mentioned “humanity is a mistake” or “humanity is an error” in Latin.
After the tough decision of disbanding in 2019, S Caedes and Ahephaïm spent the better half of 2019 and early 2020 searching for the right musicians to propel them forward, with their new lineup being comprised of our metal lady and the band’s drummer, of course, together with Basmu (aka Chris Gebauer) on vocals, Arboria and Mictician on the guitars, and Fenrir on bass, turning the band into a multinational horde with members from Germany, Belgium, France and Australia. After the band being reborn like a phoenix, a new song was released back in 2020 entitled An Inexcusable Existence, available for purchase directly from their BandCamp page, following the same misanthropic and anti-human tropes expressed in their earlier work, and you can compare their new sound with their older songs the likes of Raping Religions and Pain Feeder to see their inner fire is still intact. Moreover, the band is currently working on a new album, which I’m sure will be amazingly brutal.
Her other major band, the venomous Depressive Suicidal Black Metal outfit Lebenssucht, is also a multi-national group with most members being the same as from Humanitas Error Est, those being S Caedes on vocals, Ahephaïm on drums, Arboria on the guitars, Basmu on bass, and the non-Humanitas Error Est member Irleskan, from Austria, on lead guitars. One interesting fact about Lebenssucht is that the band was originally formed by S Caedes and Ahephaïm together with a third member, renowned vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Déhà (from bands like Acathexis, Déhà and Yhdarl, among several others, and who also mastered the debut album by Humanitas Error Est), who left the band in 2019. Despite not being a member of Lebenssucht anymore, Déhà is seen like a brother by S Caedes, showing all respect and admiration they have for each other. Lebenssucht, which means “lust for life” or “life addiction”, don’t have any limits as per S Caedes herself, and although the style played by the band is labeled as Depressive Suicidal Black Metal, the project is not about bringing hatred to the world. “It’s about enjoying your life, no matter what price you have to pay for. It’s about turning negativity into strength. Life is our drug,” commented S Caedes. If you want to properly experience the music by Lebenssucht, you can find their 2016 debut EP Fucking My Knife and their 2020 full-length opus -273,15°C (which represents absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature where heat energy is absent in a substance) on Spotify and on BandCamp, and enjoy the officials videos for A Hole in My Heart, Mirrors and Beloved Depression on YouTube, and stay tuned as their next album is going to sound even harsher, according to S Caedes herself.
Apart from her work with Humanitas Error Est and Lebenssucht, the unstoppable S Caedes is also one half of the stunning Black Metal duo I Am All Wounds, together with her life partner Chris Gebauer, describing their music as “two souls colliding in a frenzied internal storm”, or “a sonic illustration of two beings woven together in fervent longing, an unyielding force,” having recorded the EP Keep Me Breathing in 2020, available on their BandCamp page and which contains the beautiful song You’re The Air That I Breathe. Not only that, she has also participated in a live improvisation recording named XXVI – IX – MMXV together with Ahephaïm and Déhà, recorded on September 26, 2015 (but released only in 2020) at Gate 32 Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria.
If you think all of those bands are projects are enough for S Caedes, you’re absolutely wrong, as our diva of darkness can also be found as a guest vocalist in the song Libido Dominandi, from the 2019 EP of the same name released by Australian Depressive Black/Gothic Metal act Deadspace; and also doing vocals on the songs The Unfair Betrayal, Insomnia and Morbus, from the 2019 album Morbus, and additional vocals on the 2019 live album Live at Brutal Assault 2017, both by Déhà’s Drone/Doom/Black Metal project Yhdarl; plus a couple of other guest appearances with the Black Metal bands Withering Night and Absolutus. Do you want more? What if I told you S Caedes was also the artwork model and was responsible for the editing in Deadspace’s 2019 EP Libido Dominandi; took care of the logo and layout for the 2020 EP Nuclear Sundown, by German Black/Doom Metal one-man project Exitium Sui; did the photography for the 2016 demo Century of the Goat, by German Black/Thrash Metal band Goatfuck; and also took care of the layout for the 2020 EP Keep Me Breathing, by her own project I Am All Wounds?
Not only that, S Caedes also did lots of videos for different bands (either her own or other unrelated bands), including the videos for the songs Moksha, by Deadspace; Serpent on a Cross, by Spectral Damnation; A Hole In My Heart, by Lebenssucht; An Inexcusable Existence, by Humanitas Error Est; teasers and trailers for Deadspace and Lebenssucht; and just finished the music video for Demenzia Mortis, which is yet to be released. When asked how she’s capable of maintaining a healthy balance between so many bands and projects with diverse sounds, she said that as each band carries a special part of her character and her view of life she needs them all to express herself with all emotions, always remaining true to herself and her principles, and saving enough physical and mental energy for each one of them.
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As expected, S Caedes is obviously highly influenced by countless Black Metal bands, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t enjoy other styles such as Dark Ambient, Doom Metal, Martial Industrial, Death Metal and so on, and that she doesn’t own records from completely different artists such as Shakin’ Stevens and Rosenstolz. Among her favorite bands you’ll find great names the likes of Darvaza, Ritual Death, Merrimack, Vortex Of End, Aversio Humanitati, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Arkhon Infaustus, Benighted, Ondskapt, just to name a few; on the Dark Ambient side she likes listening to Slaughter Natives, Gnaw Their Tongues, Triarii and Puissance, among others; and on the Martial Industrial side S Caedes likes groups such as Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, in special their song The Love & Defiance of Being Alive. “People who know me well often call me complicated concerning my taste of music. I don’t agree with that, I just don’t listen to every shit, that’s the point. Music needs to be able to crawl in my head and stay there, squeeze out my inner self, fuck my brain an give me goosebumps or the will to mosh like a psycho,” commented S Caedes about her unique taste in music, always focusing on the importance of Black Metal in her life and career. “Black Metal is my life, as ridiculous as it maybe sounds to some readers, it’s like that. It’s my personal freedom, I can lay down and just be who I really am.”
Regarding her vocal style and technique, S Caedes said in one of her interviews that in the beginning she just tried out what she could do with her voice, with her training songs being Sluts of Hell from Nattefrost and Bleached Bones from Marduk, and her throat was always scratching like hell after. She then started searching online for instructions on how to use her voice properly and found a very helpful video named The Zen Of Screaming, by renowned vocal coach Melissa Cross, also asking other vocalists for their advice. “It’s really great to discover your voice, trying out what is possible,” commented S Caedes, who also said that it’s important to reach a good balance to be able to sing extreme music. Moreover, when asked about her view of touring with a band and playing live, she mentioned that her bands’ audiences should always be ready to engage with them, as the bands always deliver a very emotional and honest performance. “The advantage of being on stage is that you can let out all your emotions in such extreme way, which is simply not possible when you’re at home. On stage I’m completely in rage, it’s like a shot in my head, letting the audience suck what comes out. Blood always brings me to this special state of mind. I’m a heavy blood fetishist (real blood, no fake shit!), it’s a big passion of mine and I just love being covered in it. When the music begins, I’m not thinking anymore, I’m just 100% in the songs and always give my everything. Off stage… well, I fought several years against all of these rule-based behaviors and finally succeed to be able to do in life what satisfies myself. Family and friends call me a bulldozer. Typical Aries. I agree with that. I’m a sadist. I like to torture slaves. I’m not beating around the bush with that. In addition, I’m also working as photographer and model. So, yeah I have quite a lot to do, but it’s exactly what makes me happy. I don’t care about being evil (whatever that means). I only care about my very needs.” She also said that she really doesn’t care if she plays in front of 50 or 5000 people, mentioning their performances at Underground Remains Open Air, Night Of Blasphemy and Boarstream Open Air as really mind-blowing moments.
When asked about the current Black Metal scene worldwide and in her homeland Germany, S Caedes said she sees it as a big family, finding like-minded people who are able to understand her point of view as opposed to the stress and hypocrisy that comes from living in a regular society. “Most people have their daily routine with all these stupid rules (e.g. dress code at work). Black Metal helps (helped me) to break through (social) conventions, finding myself and staying true to myself. Black Metal can help to relieve everyday’s negativity,” said our Black Metal she-demon, who also believes the Black Metal scene in Germany is a bit more elitist than in other countries as the scene is very developed with lots of festivals, labels and bands. “The fact is that I don’t care from which country a band is. It’s all about the music. Nothing more, nothing less.”
S Caedes is also an accomplished photographer and fetish model, usually under the name Anett Gebauer, having her own website named Anett Gebauer Photo & Film dedicated to that form of art, and stating that her intent is to express various moods and emotions that are sometimes hidden from the naked eye. “Through the visual arts, I work to uncover underlying voices in order to portray alternative perceptions of life without limits. My work is about exposing the beauty of raging desires, unleashing your inner self, and for those who like it the morbid and obscure way, also daring to drown in deep dark waters. I invite you to take a deeper look under the surface. Through my images, I study the unconscious creatures of the collective human existence – pulsating, seductive and also shocking.” She also offers band shootings, CD artwork, music video creation and retouchings, is bookable for events and live photography, and does self-photography and work as a model. “I am a lover of dark arts, spanning from visual arts, film, music and literature. I create art that is rooted in life, with either positive or negative influences. All my work is inspired by bare emotions and the depths of human existence. I am forever excessive, perfervid, dirty-minded and stay always hungry for more.” Furthermore, she has already been part of several exhibitions, including Heart Of Darkness, in 2018 in the United States; Radiant Art Festival, in 2016 in Belgium; Session Noire, in 2011 in Germany and Belgium; and Art-P, in 2009 and 2010 also in Germany, among others.
Last but not least, S Caedes has a peculiar view on different topics, sometimes controversial, sometimes fairly straightforward. For instance, she said that one of the things she wishes the most is that the endless suffering of animals would finally end and that they would be accepted and respected as sentient beings; and also that her mom is her real life childhood hero, as she’s still grateful to her for a lot of things. “Honestly, I didn’t want me as a daughter,” commented S Caedes, who also said that as a wrestling fanatic her biggest heroes in the sport are Triple H and Sabu. “There was just so much blood in their matches, an intoxicating and formatively awesome sight for me.” As you can see, S Caedes is not just an amazing musician and artist, but also a great human being with a lot to offer to the metal community, always carrying the flag of Black Metal, the flag of freedom of expression and the flag of arts in general proudly high, and we’ll always be grateful to her for being so awesome and for creating such inspiring music and imagery.
A newborn Finnish creature is ready to darken the skies with their debut opus, inspired by early first and second wave Black Metal as well as more recent Atmospheric Black Metal.
Playing brutal yet hypnotic and hauntingly beautiful music straight from their woeful souls, Finnish Black Metal trio Monachopsis Art was formed in 2022 by members from such bands as The Abbey, Henget, Shape of Despair and Licht des Urteils, aiming at creating music that is organic and raw, but still powerful and feeling-evoking, which is exactly what you’ll find in the band’s debut opus, titled An Empty Existence. Mixed and mastered at Studio Beyond North Star by the band’s own guitarist, bassist and keyboardist J.H. (aka Jesse Heikkinen), the album is inspired by early first and second wave Black Metal bands such as Venom, Bathory and Burzum, but also more recent Atmospheric Black Metal acts such as ColdWorld and Lustre, while the lyrics revolve around war, suicide and the meaningless struggles of human life, all played with passion and hatred by the aforementioned J.H. together with N.K. (aka Natalie Koskinen) on vocals, and A.K. (aka Antti Kaislaranta) on drums.
Atmospheric and sinister from the very first second, the intro Thee Darkness Gathers… will darken the skies before the trio comes hammering our hearts with Seeds, a solid fusion of old school, raw Black Metal with more contemporary sounds and nuances led by the venomous gnarls by the she-demon N.K., whereas Silent Torture presents a hypnotizing rhythm led by the Doom Metal beats by A.K. while J.H. adds his share of horror to the music with his somber keys and sharp riffage. Following such powerful tune, the band brings forth River of Blood, offering us all devilish lyrics grasped by N.K. (“Hear the sound / Of the burning wood / Feel the power of / Pure disgust / See how the light (is) fading away / Watch how flesh…buried under the tone”) amidst a dense and Stygian sonority.
Then featuring guest vocals by the demonic Spellgoth (Horna, Trollheims Grott), who makes a phantasmagorical duet with N.K., we have A Dark Place, with J.H. extracting pure evil from his guitar and keys; followed by Stargazer, once again bringing to our avid ears a grim hybrid of Black and Doom Metal while A.K. dictates the song’s lugubrious pace and N.K.’s witch-like vociferations and introspective clean vocals permeate the air beautifully. J.H.’s keys continue to give their music a theatrical vibe in Flesh Will Be Humiliated, while their core Black Metal sound is perfect for summoning all creatures from the underworld; and the trio continues to walk straight into darkness in No Desire to Live, with J.H. and A.K. making a sinister duo and, therefore, making our heads tremble with their devilish sonic weapons. Finally, we face Flame of Night, which is not a bad song but the keys sound a bit excessive during its entirety, taking away a bit of its heaviness. N.K. is awesome on vocals as usual, though.
The name of the band couldn’t have been more appropriate than Monachopsis Art, as “monachopsis” is defined as the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place, plus the word “art” to depict how the band members see their creations as a different form of art that doesn’t follow the rules of the existing music scene, all carefully brought into being in An Empty Existence. Hence, go check what such promising trio is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and above that, go grab your copy of their idiosyncratic debut album from the Nordvis webstore or by clicking HERE, and you can also find all things Monachopsis Art by following this link. The music by Monachopsis Art is evil, atmospheric, delicate and captivating, turning An Empty Existence into the perfect soundtrack for one of those dark days with no end in sight.
Best moments of the album:Silent Torture, A Dark Place and Stargazer.
Worst moments of the album:Flame of Night.
Released in 2023 Forgotten Friends/Silent Future Recordings
Track listing 1. Thee Darkness Gathers… 2:05
2. Seeds 3:50
3. Silent Torture 4:02
4. River of Blood 5:00
5. A Dark Place 3:06
6. Stargazer 3:34
7. Flesh Will Be Humiliated 2:55
8. No Desire to Live 3:30
9. Flame of Night 4:25
Band members
N.K. – vocals
J.H. – guitars, bass, keyboards
A.K. – drums
Guest musician Spellgoth – vocals on “A Dark Place”
Behold the magnificent debut opus by this Belarusian Black Metal horde, based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss.
Forged in the scorching fires of Minsk, Belarus in 2019, when five essences emerged from the abyss to the veils of night on the eve of the end times in order to reap the living, to satisfy the hunger of darkness and to nourish the wombs of the dark gods, the venomous Melodic Black Metal horde Ciemra (or Цемра, which means “darkness” in Belarusian) delivers fast-paced, cold and pure Black Metal which is looking at both the classic European sound and its more contemporary interpretations, which is exactly what you’ll find in their newborn opus titled The Tread of Darkness. Recorded at Alma Studio, mixed and mastered by Yaroslav Tseluyko at Jaro Sound, and displaying a demonic artwork by Nestor Povarnin, The Tread Of Darkness is based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss, masterfully brought into being by the witch Malvain on vocals, Misery and Zima on the guitars, Kurz on bass, and Sønn on drums.
The acoustic guitars by Misery and Zima will mesmerize your soul accompanied by the slow and steady beast by Sønn in Ciemra, before the Belarusian sorceress Malvain begins gnarling in a dark and beautiful manner, with the music growing in intensity until becoming a sulfurous and grandiose feast of undisputed Black Metal. After such impactful start, the band continues to distill their blend of Melodic Black Metal with old school, raw Black Metal in Four Riders, with the band’s guitar duo cutting our skin deep with their evil riffage, followed by Vomiting Void, very melodious and bestial from the very first second while showcasing devilish lyrics growled by Malvain (“Burning the world / Building the temple / In the end of the night / There’s a Vomiting Void / So far material awake the gun”). And investing in a more cadenced, obscure sonority led by the classic drums by Sønn supported by the low-tuned bass by Kurz, Call of the Ancestors is an evil composition perfect for summoning evil spirits.
Then continuing to pave their path to pitch black darkness it’s time for War, again presenting the trademark roars by Malvain while Misery and Zima add elements from Death and Doom Metal to their riffs; and their piercing, strident guitars keep darkening the skies in A Night for the Death, where their Blackened Doom vein arises like a creature from the netherworld, with Kurz and Sønn once again hammering our heads with their demonic kitchen in a lecture in extreme music. The eerie vociferations by Malvain are the main ingredient in the Black Metal extravaganza Winter, where the caustic sound of their guitars will blacken your mind for all eternity, whereas in Serpent’s we face more of their infernal words (“The shaking Serpent / In the Abyss / The Raw materials / I’m on my knees…”) while the music is just as Stygian and heavy as the rest of the album, exploding into a gargantuan onrush of pure Black Metal at the end. Lastly, closing such somber album we have Where the Eyes Close, offering more of the band’s darkly melodic and grim Black Metal for our total delight, with its ethereal passages creating a stunning paradox with the band’s more visceral and violent side.
The bestial debut album by such promising Belarusian horde can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness you can purchase your favorite version of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a digipak CD, a black vinyl or a color vinyl, from Season of Mist also as a digipak CD or a color vinyl, from Record Shop X, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, don’t forget to start following Ciemra on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos. Nature, in its primordial beauty and originality, also finds a place in The Tread Of Darkness, as there is where Ciemra find themselves at peace, but the exact opposite of that peace is what the quintet will offer you throughout the entire album, relentlessly dragging you toward endless darkness.
Best moments of the album:Ciemra, Vomiting Void, A Night for the Death and Where the Eyes Close.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music
Track listing 1. Ciemra 7:09
2. Four Riders 4:41
3. Vomiting Void 3:52
4. Call of the Ancestors 4:59
5. War 5:49
6. A Night for the Death 5:43
7. Winter 4:48
8. Serpent’s 4:28
9. Where the Eyes Close 5:00
Band members
Malvain – vocals
Misery – guitar
Zima – guitar
Kurz – bass
Sønn – drums
Let’s embark on a fun interview with vocalist and guitarist Victor Rosewrath of Doom Metal outfit Vale of Amonition, where he talks about his band, their new album, the metal scene in Kenya and Uganda, and more.
Victor Rosewrath (Vale of Amonition)
The Headbanging Moose: Let’s kick off the interview with a very easy and direct question. Can you please introduce yourselves to our readers in case they have no idea of who you are, how you guys started, and what type of music you play?
Victor Rosewrath: We are Vale of Amonition, a doom metal band from Uganda in East Africa with myself, Victor Rosewrath on vocals, sharing guitar duties with Solomon Dust and new members Mordecai Ogayo on bass and Jude Bulinda on drums.
THM: In my opinion, Vale of Amonition seems to be the perfect name for a Doom Metal band. Can you please explain in more detail how you came up with that name, and what it means to you as a band?
VR: The name was supposed to evoke simultaneous moods of calm and dread. A “valley of ammunition”, a sanctuary but also a hub of violence – said violence can be historic or omnipresent; emotional/personal or actual and relevant, we explore all through our rather deliberate lyrics that sometimes read like prose because the band was formed by failed writers haha.
THM: You’ve recently released your new album Immortalizing the Lugubrious, or Those Of Evolving Despair, an amazing step forward in your career I might say. How do you feel about the album? Is it exactly what you guys wanted to accomplish with it? How does it compare to your previous efforts, and how has the feedback from your fans been so far?
VR: We are immensely proud of how the record sounds. It’s the best-produced we’ve ever been. There’s a conciseness to it that was lacking in our previous efforts. The songs are sharper and heavier while still maintaining the epic and bombastic character of the sort of dark metal we gravitate towards. Our fans were floored by how much we’ve developed and we seem to be gaining new fans which as far as we’re concerned, this is the best place to begin to get to know the band.
THM: In the amazing song Drink The Poetry Of The African Wretch, you guys had the support from vocalist Nelecc, of bands like Euphoric Decay, Nelecc, Krummholz and Void of Sorrow. How was it to work with him, and why did you decide to have him in the album?
VR: Nelecc, or rather Nelson, is a longtime friend with whom I’ve worked before in the Krummholz black metal project. I had him in mind once Solomon Dust sent me the music and thought his voice would suit some of the sections in that song. We speak fairly often so I proposed it to him and true to his nature, he was enthusiastic and quickly jumped on board. Since he was in the loop already with how the album was developing, he also came up with the guitar solo in Sons Of The Moribund and gave that song the right melodic-folky touch it needed. Nelson’s always such fun to collaborate with and we’ll be working together more in the future.
THM: What were the biggest issues you faced during the recording of the album? Is there anything you guys did that right after the album was finalized you thought “this could have been done differently”?
VR: In the past, we’ve always recorded together in person and this album required a lot of remote recording and sending files because we are in entirely different countries now. We were also working with producers we’ve never worked with before – it was all a bit too much to maneuver but we managed to make it happen. There isn’t anything we’d change about the album, it feels right the way it is.
Album Review – Vale Of Amonition / Immortalizing the Lugubrious, or Those Of Evolving Despair (2023)
THM: How’s the metal scene in your homeland Uganda and Kenya? Are there any new bands form those countries you would recommend to our readers, and how do you see the African metal scene in general?
VR: The East African metal scene is alive and well. A lot of those bands down there are friends of ours and we’ve shared stages. Mordecai used to play with The Seeds of Datura and Dead Skin Remedy so that’s already two names I’d recommend. Duma is doing exciting things at the moment. Irony Destroyed just released an album last year, Crystal Axis are these amazing punk rockers with their finger on the pulse of African issues. There’s the legendary Last Year’s Tragedy and Threatening, the extreme metal of Absence of Light, Chovu and of course Nelecc. Such a vibrant scene we’re proud to call our community.
THM: I believe you guys have relocated to Canada a while ago, or at least one of you, correct? Why did you decide to move here to Canada, and what are the main differences you see between the metal communities here and in your home countries?
VR: I’m the one who moved to Canada but I hadn’t called Uganda home for a long time so the move wasn’t particularly strange for me. I’ve been fortunate to have friends and community here that I’ve known for a long time and what I’ve noticed is that metal scenes tend to all be driven by that tribal, communal spirit. There’s that same giddy rush and palpable energy in the air when metalheads are gathered in a single space; it feels like anything could happen, like something otherworldly is available to all. Really the biggest difference is that the scene in East Africa is smaller but the same ethos prevail.
THM: Why do you think there are so few black people in heavy music? I’m seeing more and more black musicians, as well as black fans on the shows at least here in Toronto, but it’s still a very small percentage compared to your regular “white guys”. What needs to change in our culture to attract more black folks to metal?
VR: There’s gatekeeping in metal as in all subcultures and that needs to break down if you wanna attract groups of people that normally wouldn’t gravitate towards this music. I feel that is already happening to some degree. The African metal scenes started with similar stereotypes about this being “white folks’ music” and with bands being treated as novelty acts but the perseverance required to be taken seriously has won out for us in the end, I think.
THM: How about your touring plans? Do you already have some concerts scheduled in the coming months to promote your new album? And how difficult is it for you guys to book concerts?
VR: Nothing booked yet. We’re having a few conversations at the moment to figure all that out and in the event of something happening soon, all will be shared.
THM: Who are your biggest idols and influences not only in music, but in life in general, and how exactly have they helped Vale of Amonition shape your music and style?
VR: Solomon Dust likes William Blake while I like John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” above all. We like to read. These things will not always show up in our music of course but the more epic literary stuff still feeds how I approach lyrics for sure. As far as bands go; Black Sabbath was a foundational influence for our riffing styles and King Crimson was how we learned to be “prog” without belaboring the point. Then there’s Swans and Neurosis to thank for that incantatory tribal aesthetic, Solitude Aeturnus, Fates Warning and Candlemass for adding flourish and pizzaz but in a highly effective moody sense, Katatonia, Novembers Doom and Nevermore for being topical but in mournful fashion and Celtic Frost, Rotting Christ, My Dying Bride and Type O Negative for cultivating a dark presence. That about sums it up, I’d say.
THM: Let’s now play a fun game before the end of the interview called “The Time Capsule”. Please list 10 songs from 10 different bands or artists to be saved in a time capsule for all future generations, and let us know why you selected those.
VR: Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody because it still sounds grand, moving and celebratory – more time is not gonna wane the brilliance of that song and Queen in general have a pretty strong discography. Metallica’s The Four Horsemen still sounds like pure electricity and there’s something pure and youthful and eternal there. Black Sabbath’s eponymous 1970 dark thing of a song should be able to send shivers down the spines of the imaginative. Godflesh’s Locust Furnace sounds like worlds being laid to waste. It has a sort of languid insistence to it that I find both numbing and freeing. On a happier note, how about Stevie Wonder’s As. It is calm, spiritual and life-affirming. Scott Walker’s Rosemary is immaculate and easy to love and be moved by. Such wistful heft to it all. Kendrick Lamar’s Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst is a meditative dose of realistic storytelling that should be preserved for its uncomplicated brilliance. Lord Vicar’s Sulphur, Charcoal and Saltpetre is the doom song to end all doom songs. Tori Amos’ Precious Things is a slab of anger and redemption that still carries so get it into that time capsule. Last and greatest, Aretha Franklin’s Respect so future generations can “find out what it means to me!”
THM: Thank you very, very much again for the interview! Please feel free to send your final thoughts and considerations to your fanbase, and also to our readers who don’t know you yet, and to let everyone know where they can find your awesome music and more details about the band!
VR: Our music is now available to stream on all platforms and the new album can be purchased off Bandcamp. We are on Facebook at Vale of Amonition | Facebook where we post the latest that’s happening with the band.
Let’s embark on a bitterly cold journey together with a new Sludge and Doom Metal band from Arkansas to the sound of their debut opus, a concept record about a primitive nomad chasing a baby mammoth from the herd.
Hailing from Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, in the United States, the up-and-coming Sludge/Doom Metal trio Mammoth Caravan is unleashing upon humanity their bitterly cold and grim debut opus, entitled Ice Cold Oblivion, a concept record about a primitive nomad chasing a baby mammoth from the herd. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jason Tedford at Wolfman Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by the band’s own drummer Robert Warner, Ice Cold Oblivion will smash your head with the power of the riff, masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Robert Warner alongside vocalist and bassist Brandon Ringo and guitarist Evan Swift, being therefore recommended for admirers of the dirtiest side of Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal.
Get ready for a heavy and thunderous Sludge and Stoner Metal voyage in the title-track Ice Cold Oblivion, with the dirty bass by Brandon complementing the massive, sluggish beats by Robert in great fashion, whereas featuring guest vocals from Mat Johnson of Second Life, Evan extracts sheer heaviness form his riffs in Nomad, a lecture in contemporary Doom Metal perfect for headbanging like a true metal bastard. Then a pensive, melancholic start gradually evolves into another Sludge Metal aria entitled Petroglyphs, where Brandon and Evan are in a Stygian sync armed with their stringed axes, not to mention how deep and evil the roars by Brandon sound and feel; and the rawness and obscurity of Evan’s riffs will keep haunting your soul in the instrumental Megafauna, while Robert dictates the song’s venomous pace with his hammering drums in another solid and thrilling explosion of Sludge and Doom Metal for the masses. The tribalistic beats by Robert ignite their second to last blast of obscurity titled Periglacial, with Brandon and Evan quickly joining him with their respective bass lines and riffage, while also presenting Ghost-like vocals by Brandon, and lastly the trio offers our putrid ears almost 11 minutes of sluggish beats, dirty rockin’ guitars and low-tuned bass jabs in Frostbite, very detailed and electrifying from the very first second, with the music being mesmerizing, rich and demonic until the very end, therefore putting a climatic conclusion to the album.
In case you’re eager to put your hands on such solid feast of doom, you can purchase Ice Cold Oblivion from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also give the guys from Mammoth Caravan a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their album in full on Spotify. In summary, Ice Cold Oblivion has everything you can ask for in a Sludge and Doom Metal album, taking you on a bitterly cold, grim journey that will leave you eager for more of the music by this talented American trio in the coming years.
A two-piece Canadian band will take you on an introspective journey to the sound of their new album, a cold embrace of Post-Metal colliding with Ambient Drone meant to be dark and depressing.
A two-piece Sludge/Drone/Post-Metal band formed in 2015 by former members of Alaskan and Stay Here, those being Gary Thibert on vocals, guitars and bass, and Deniz Güvenç on vocals, drums, piano and synths, in Ottawa, Canada’s capital located in the east of southern Ontario, They Grieve hope that their music fills a niche not quite like other Post-Metal acts who are currently active, and their first full-length opus, titled To Which I Bore Witness, is a clear step up for them. Engineered and mixed by Topon Das at Apartment 2 Recording, mastered by Dave Williams at Eight Floors Above, with additional piano recorded by Alex Jakimczuk at Uppercut Studios, and displaying a stylish artwork and design by Pascale Arpin, the album takes the form of an introspective journey, meant to be depressing, while the listener is confronted with sad, loud music that’s not meant to cross into anger, a cold embrace of Post-Metal colliding with Ambient Drone recommended for fans of The Body, Cult of Luna and Bell Witch.
A slow build grows in intensity until all hell breaks loose in Wither, showcasing melancholic, grim lyrics (“Failure knows no bounds and makes its home here within me / Endless is the night of its becoming / Nothing returns / Cower, collapse, wither”) while the sluggish beats by Deniz make an interesting paradox with his own synths. Then investing in a sinister Sludge/Doom Metal sound, the duo will hammer our heads and pierce our minds with their dirty riffs and pounding drums in Under the Weight, also showcasing a phantasmagorical passage to the synths by Deniz, sounding heavy and atmospheric from start to finish; whereas If Light Should Appear is another seven-minute ode to darkness and doom where Gary is devilish with his raw riffs and low-tuned bass, resulting in the perfect depiction of what Atmospheric Sludge Metal is all about. The title-track To Which I Bore Witness will drag your damned soul to endless darkness while the duo roars in anger and pain, again showcasing their slow and steady guitar lines and drums, being therefore not recommended for the lighthearted. After such intense and Stygian tune, it’s time for a soothing instrumental interlude titled Guided, with its minimalist sounds setting the tone for Weakness, presenting deep, melancholic lyrics (“I am bound to only the quiet call of ruin / And weakness holds me / Weakness alone holds me”) while the music is as atmospheric, savage and obscure as possible until the very end.
In case you want to know more about Gary, Deiz and their They Grieve, and therefore show them all your admiration and support, you can start following the duo on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream more of their music on Spotify, and above all that, purchase To Which I Bore Witness from the Silent Pendulum Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, or simply by clicking HERE. “This album, both lyrically and musically, tries to capture the uncomfortable juxtaposition between weakness and weight. We are constantly trying to express the ways in which the ugliness and decay we see in the world sets itself down and plants its roots inside of us – how the weight of the world transforms into our own weakness once it has done so. We try to capture this feeling of juxtaposition and tension within the music itself by oscillating between ambient, textural drones and heavy, doom-laden riffs,” commented the duo about their newborn spawn, an album that will certainly cement their name among the best bands of the current Post-Metal scene worldwide.
Best moments of the album:Under the Weight and To Which I Bore Witness.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Silent Pendulum Records
Track listing 1. Wither 7:12
2. Under the Weight 7:23
3. If Light Should Appear 7:00
4. To Which I Bore Witness 6:43
5. Guided 3:18
6. Weakness 8:01
Band members
Gary Thibert – vocals, guitars, bass
Deniz Güvenç – vocals, drums, piano, synths
Feast on the most ambitious, detailed and thrilling album by one of the driving forces of the extreme music scene in the Mother Continent.
Formed in 2009 in the city of Kampala, Uganda, molded and shaped in Kenya, and drawing from traditional and extreme doom sources such as Black Sabbath, My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Type O Negative, to name a few, the unrelenting Doom Metal entity Vale Of Amonition, whose name by the way refers to a place, a “sanctuary for warmakers” of sorts, with most of the lyricism being centered around happenings in that place, has just released their third full-length opus, entitled Immortalizing the Lugubrious, or Those Of Evolving Despair, the follow-up to their 2017 album Those of Tartarean Ancestry and their 2019 EP Ancient, Evil & African. Recorded and engineered by Nick Wathi at Andromeda Music, mixed and mastered by Luc Chiasson, and displaying a cryptic artwork by Ben Dickey, the new album rounds out the band’s ambitions thus far and provides us all with their most complete record yet, showcasing the undeniable talent and passion for heavy music by Victor Rosewrath on vocals and guitars, Solomon Dust also on the guitars, Mordecai O. Ogayo on bass, and Jude Bulinda on drums.
In the imposing opener Where They Gathered And Suffered, the band brings forward elements found in the crushing Doom Metal blasted by renowned acts the likes of Black Sabbath and Celtic Frost while Jude darkly smashes his drums accompanied by the Stygian riffs by Victor and Solomon; whereas their incendiary riffs keep penetrating deep inside our minds in Sons Of The Moribund, with Victor declaiming the song’s lyrics with tons of passion in this Progressive Doom Metal aria. My Firstborn Will Surely Be Blind is a beautiful song crafted by the quartet both musically and lyrically, with the sluggish, doomed beats by Jude and the rumbling bass by Mordecai adding an extra touch of obscurity to the overall result, and in Drink The Poetry Of The African Wretch we’re treated to the guest vocals by Nelecc (of Euphoric Decay, Nelecc, Krummholz and Void of Sorrow), bringing even more rage and anger to the music while Victor, Solomon and Mordecai offer our ears a thrilling stringed attack. Terminus is another dark and pensive tune by the band that reminds me of the Doom Metal played by My Dying Bride with Progressive Metal nuances, with Victor sounding utterly somber on vocals accompanied by the sinister, slow drums by Jude. Finally, closing the album we face eight minutes of first-class African metal titled At Evolution’s End, with the quartet blasting their visceral sound mercilessly spearheaded by another poetic vocal performance by Victor. Needless to say, there isn’t a single second left empty in this ode to darkness and doom.
The fantastic Immortalizing the Lugubrious, or Those Of Evolving Despair, which is by the way available in full on YouTube, is one of those must-have albums for anyone who’s a diehard fan of doom or African metal, or both, and if you consider yourself one of those fans you can purchase the album from the band’s own BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also follow Vale Of Amonition on Facebook for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music. Always forward-thinking and progressively inclined, Vale of Amonition have shifted into utterly bleak territory that is gloriously underscored with tribal menace since their inception, with their new album representing the coronation of this African quartet as one of the driving forces of the current metal scene in the Mother Continent.
Best moments of the album:My Firstborn Will Surely Be Blind and Drink The Poetry Of The African Wretch.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Where They Gathered And Suffered 9:16
2. Sons Of The Moribund 6:09
3. My Firstborn Will Surely Be Blind 7:35
4. Drink The Poetry Of The African Wretch 6:09
5. Terminus 6:58
6. At Evolution’s End 8:04
Band members
Victor Rosewrath – vocals, guitars
Solomon Dust – guitar
Mordecai O. Ogayo – bass
Jude Bulinda – drums
Guest musician Nelecc – vocals on “Drink The Poetry Of The African Wretch”, guitar solo on “Sons Of The Moribund”
Behold the debut effort by this ruthless American beast, showcasing a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal.
Blasting a visceral and crushing form of Death Metal since their inception back in 2020 in Texas, but currently located in Long Beach, a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States, Skulldozer will smash your cranial skull with their newborn spawn, entitled Non Stop Ruthless Crushing. Combining elements of traditional Death Metal and modern melodic Sludge Metal, the band comprised of Jason Ramsay on vocals and guitars, Keith Dobson on lead guitars, Mike Spurlock on bass, and Joel Stepp on drums has truly captured a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal, delivering a ten-song offering of powerful and catchy, classic Death Metal that worships at the altar of righteous headbanging.
The title-track Non Stop Ruthless Crushing will darken your soul and crush you like an insect from the very first second, with Jason’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with the venomous riffage by the same Jason and Keith; whereas Joel sounds like a stone crusher in the vile Thy Enemies Driven Before Me, again showcasing the band’s passion for all things Death Metal, sounding visceral and heavy until the end. Kingdom Ossuarium is a neck-breaking, mid-tempo black mass by the quartet spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Jason while Mike hammers his bass mercilessly, and blasting sheer heaviness and hatred it’s time for Hatesworn Shitstorm, one of the most crushing songs of the album with Joel stealing the spotlight with his demonic beats. After that, get ready for two and a half minutes of absolute chaos and insanity titled Scum Beneath the Skin, offering brutal and technical Death Metal for the masses with Jason and Keith kicking ass with their riffs and solos.
Adding hints of obscure Doom Metal to their already damned sonority, the band fires Wolves Amongst Sheeple, showcasing another round of their headbanging riffs and fulminating beats, and more of their old school Death Metal sounds comes in the form of Bastards of Zeus, where not a single second is left empty, overflowing obscurity, rage and heaviness led by the pounding drums by Joel. Then in Bow to None the band alternates between faster moments and pure heaviness with Jason growling deeply during the entire song, supported by Joel’s crushing beats and Mike’s rumbling bass, whereas Deathblessed keeps the album at a high level of animosity, albeit a bit generic if compared to the rest of the album, while once again bringing elements from classic doom. Finally, those American death metallers offer our avid ears the infernal Skullfucking Domination, where the entire band is on fire, in special Joel with his demolishing beats, and with Jason vociferating rabidly in the name of extreme music.
If you want to show your support to this newborn beast named Skulldozer, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, more of their music and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and above all that, grab your copy of Non Stop Ruthless Crushing from their own BandCamp page as well as from the Guts and Blood Records’ BandCamp page. Skulldozer are among us to stay based on the high quality of the music found in their extremely vile debut album, and if I were you I would start warming up your neck for some unstoppable headbanging as soon as those guys hit the road with their venomous and demonic Death Metal.
Best moments of the album:Hatesworn Shitstorm, Scum Beneath the Skin and Skullfucking Domination.
Worst moments of the album:Deathblessed.
Released in 2023 Guts and Blood Records/Rotten Records
Track listing 1. Non Stop Ruthless Crushing 4:35
2. Thy Enemies Driven Before Me 4:01
3. Kingdom Ossuarium 4:59
4. Hatesworn Shitstorm 3:58
5. Scum Beneath the Skin 2:30
6. Wolves Amongst Sheeple 4:42
7. Bastards of Zeus 3:47
8. Bow to None 5:05
9. Deathblessed 6:33
10. Skullfucking Domination 4:03
Band members
Jason Ramsay – vocals, guitars
Keith Dobson – lead guitars
Mike Spurlock – bass
Joel Stepp – drums
A new and mysterious Symphonic Black Metal project from the land of a thousand lakes, more precisely from the Finnish city of Lahti, Argenthorns will take you on an epic cloak and dagger adventure in the project’s debut opus The Ravening, all taken from the mind of its sole member, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Juuso Peltola, the man behind Warmoon Lord and Old Sorcery who goes by the name of Mason Rofocale in this epic and baroque metal saga. Mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis, and many more), and displaying a stylish, classic artwork by Swedish master Pär Olofsson, The Ravening marks the first chapter of Mason Rofocale’s occult chronicle through lands unknown, a Black Metal tale told the way it used to be in the 90’s with piercing screams, fascinating keyboards and icy cold riffs, recommended for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Bal-Sagoth, Odium and Limbonic Art.
The multi-talented metal warrior Juuso, or maybe I should say Mason Rofocale, is eager to know what you think of his music on Facebook, and you can show him all your support by purchasing a copy of the intense and multi-layered The Ravening from his own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave (as a CD, a vinyl, or a special galaxy vinyl), as well as from other sources such as mvdshop.com. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking journey to the war-torn, magical and baroque world of Argenthorns, but I must warn you that once you enter such metallic realm you might never come back.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 