Tag Archives: doom metal

Album Review – Veilburner / Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy (2025)

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The eighth opus by this uncanny Death and Black Metal creature sees the duo continue to suffer like two dragons consuming one another in a serpentine-like fashion until one can no longer consume the other, frozen in the shape of infinity.

Only one year after the release of their critically acclaimed album The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom, Pennsylvania, United States-based Avantgarde Death/Black Metal creature Veilburner returns with their eighth full-length album, poetically titled Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy. Displaying another Stygian artwork by Luciana Nedelea, the new opus by Chrisom Infernium on vocals, lyrics and design, and Mephisto Deleterio on all instruments and production sees the duo continue to suffer like two dragons consuming one another in a serpentine-like fashion until one can no longer consume the other, frozen in the shape of infinity (∞) and numerologically represented by the digit eight (8). Samael (the “poison of god” and the eighth sphere of the Qlippoth), as well as Choronzon (the dweller of the threshold) and the Ouroboros all correlate with this symbol of infinity and exist in Veilburner’s lore as the antagonistic and immutable eternity, which if confronted can lead to self-destruction and the finality of manifestation, permanently breaking the loop.

Like the beginning of a black mass, the duo ignites their festivities with Longing for Triumph…, with the marching drums by Mephisto suddenly evolving into pure Black Metal madness while Chrisom roars like a demented entity from the abyss; and Mephisto keeps slashing his scorching axe in Pestilent Niche, delivering fierce, metallic riffs for our total delight, as experimental as it is progressive, sounding like two or three songs in one. Then venturing through Atmospheric Black Metal lands with a pinch of Doom Metal we face Rigor & Wraith, with the cryptic vociferations by Chrisom sounding truly haunting, whereas back to a ferocious Black Metal sonority they offer us That Which Crypts Howls Grandeur, where all instruments by Mephisto sound absolutely demonic, adding an extra dosage of insanity and sulfur to the overall result. Da’ath Ye Shadow Portrait is another excellent display of Avantgarde Death and Black Metal by the duo, with Chrisom once again barking rabidly nonstop, followed by Ouroboreal Whorl, the least Black Metal of all songs, maybe a bit too experimental for my taste, never sounding truly heavy. They get back on track with Matter o’ the Most Awful of Martyrs, blasting their trademark blend of demented Black and Death Metal sounds, with Mephisto sounding ruthless armed with his riffs, solos and blast beats until the very last second; and lastly, we have …Reeking of Tragedy, the “conclusion” of the opening track, therefore forming the title of the album, which couldn’t have sounded more inhumane and sinister, with the duo firing their devilish roars and eerie riffs nonstop.

In the spirit of striking while the iron is hot, this eighth evolution of the Veilburner story capitalizes on momentum while simultaneously achieving new heights in their song-crafting and story-telling, leading their characters on a journey in which they cannot recognize triumph without tragedy, and sees them residing somewhere between the abyss and their devotion to mortal re-occurrence, that which seems to attract death, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Blut aus Nord, Imperial Triumphant, Deathspell Omega, Hexrot, Oranssi Pazuzu, Akhyls, and Akercocke. You can dive into the dark realms ruled by Veilburner by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their unique creations on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their new album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy, Chrisom Infernium and Mephisto Deleterio face not just any death, but the kind in which they are bound to an infinite loop of reincarnation, and destined to repeat the same traumas and failures as before.

Best moments of the album: Pestilent Niche, That Which Crypts Howls Grandeur and Matter o’ the Most Awful of Martyrs.

Worst moments of the album: Ouroboreal Whorl.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Longing for Triumph… 7:00
2. Pestilent Niche 6:19
3. Rigor & Wraith 5:26
4. That Which Crypts Howls Grandeur 6:19
5. Da’ath Ye Shadow Portrait 7:04
6. Ouroboreal Whorl 6:29
7. Matter o’ the Most Awful of Martyrs 6:00
8. …Reeking of Tragedy 7:14

Band members
Chrisom Infernium – vocals
Mephisto Deleterio – all instruments

Album Review – Olde Throne / Megalith (2025)

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Behold the new opus by this New Zealand-based Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal entity, a primal journey into the depths of prehistory, delving into the primordial darkness of the Neolithic age.

A Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal band born in a time when main composer and frontman Harrison McKenzie was living in Glencoe, Scotland, the amazing Christchurch, New Zealand-based project Old Throne returns with another bold and multi-layered opus, entitled Megalith, following up on their 2022 debut An Gorta Mór and their 2023 sophomore In the Land of Ghosts. Even after moving back to his native New Zealand, Harrison felt deeply inspired by his experience in the highlands, translating such inspiration into the music found in all of his albums. Mixed and mastered by Tim Yatras (Austere, Germ), and displaying a stunning artwork by German illustrator Misanthropic Art, the newborn spawn by Harrison on vocals, guitars and bass, alongside Zannibal on lead guitars and synthesizers and the aforementioned Tim Yatras as their session drummer, is a primal journey into the depths of prehistory, delving into the primordial darkness of the Neolithic age. Drawing inspiration from stories of Celtic mythology, the album’s narrative is rooted in tales dating back as far as 10,000 BC, with the use of flutes, throat singing and tribal drums forging an immersive brand of Neolithic Black Metal.

The soothing sounds of Mother Nature permeate the air in the intro Primordial Realm, inviting us all to join Old Throne in an distant era long forgotten in The Most Elder Days, a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal spearheaded by Harrison’s striking riffs and devilish roars, with all background elements giving it an even more epic and visceral vibe just the way we like it in extreme music. It’s then pedal to the metal in the Black Metal attack entitled My Throne, offering more of the band’s killer riffage, boosted by the blast beats by Tim; whereas An Drochshúil, an Irish-Gaelic term meaning “the evil eye” which refers to a supernatural curse or affliction caused by a malevolent glare or look, believed to bring harm to a person or animal, perfectly depicts that type of evil, with Zannibal’s synths bringing an extra dosage of darkness to the song.

Ail Na Mireann, which means the “Stone of the Divisions” and refers to a significant ancient stone on the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath, Ireland, sees the band shift to an even more obscure, melancholic sonority, with Harrison’s strident riffs and rumbling bass matching perfectly with his desperate growls. Then we face a stunning Atmospheric Black Metal storm titled Temple of the Sky, where Tim shows no mercy for his drums while Harrison and Zannibal extract pure adrenaline from their axes, not to mention the song’s captivating, mysterious female vocal lines. The second to last song in Megalith, titled Sceach Geal, a sacred tree in Irish folklore strongly associated with fairies and mystical beings, slows things down a bit while maintaining the album’s epic vibe, losing a bit of its energy close to the end, though; and lastly, get ready for the darkest of all songs, the ruthless Tuan’s Bane, alternating between Doom Metal moments and the sheer aggression of Black Metal, also offering some enfolding passages until its climatic and furious finale.

Conceived as a single, unbroken auditory ritual, Megalith is a continuous concept piece, with each track flowing seamlessly into the next, demanding to be experienced in its entirety from beginning to end, therefore resulting in the perfect meeting spot for SAOR and Naglfar alike, just to name a couple. Harrison and his henchmen are waiting for you with their breathtaking Neolithic Black Metal experience on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their undisputed creations on Spotify, and to purchase a copy of the excellent Megalith from the project’s own BandCamp, as well as from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or from Sound Cave (in both CD and LP formats), or simply click HERE for all things Old Throne. This is by far one of the most interesting and unique Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal projects of the current scene worldwide, and I’m sure you’ll have an absolute blast going back ten thousand years together with Old Throne to the sound of their imposing new album.

Best moments of the album: The Most Elder Days, Temple of the Sky and Tuan’s Bane.

Worst moments of the album: Sceach Geal.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Primordial Realm 1:15
2. The Most Elder Days 5:14
3. My Throne 3:17
4. An Drochshúil 5:18
5. Ail Na Mireann 6:39
6. Temple of the Sky 6:18
7. Sceach Geal 6:50
8. Tuan’s Bane 7:58

Band members
Harrison McKenzie – vocals, guitars, bass
Zannibal – lead guitars, synthesizers

Guest musician
Tim Yatras – drums (session)

Album Review – Lamp of Murmuur / The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy (2025)

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This uncanny Los Angeles, California-based Black Metal entity once again raises the chalice of victory for the masses with a new beckoning of devotion and elegance.

“And you’ll come back to me
Bathed in the tears of countless full moons
My heart will beat
Like a wardrum of rebellion
On this black night, oh! So evil, so pure
Once again
In the heat of your spasms
And the light of my passion
My heart will beat…”

Two years since the release of Saturnian Bloodstorm, Los Angeles, California-based Black Metal entity Lamp of Murmuur has once again raised the chalice of victory for the masses with a new beckoning of devotion and elegance, titled The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy. Recorded while engulfed in the caustic summer winds of 2023 with the guidance of the Seven Spears, the Circle of Gold Feathers and the always recurrent Crimson Agony, and showcasing a stunning artwork by Batdog (with layout by Eduardo Mora), the fourth studio album by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist M., or the Mythical Archduke of all Rebellion, of bands like Silent Thunder, Magus Lord and Fuinäehot, stands as the synergy of both sides of a bloodstained coin – triumph and grief, transcendence and torment.

The album starts with the cryptic, eerie intro The Fires of Seduction, dragging us all to Lamp of Murmuur’s Stygian lair in Forest of Hallucinations, exploding into an imposing wall of Symphonic Black Metal where M.’s striking keys and visceral roars clash majestically during the song’s over nine minutes of absolute darkness. Then investing in a more traditional Black Metal sonority, he hammers his drums and extracts sheer sulfur from his axes in Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm), followed by the also infuriated Reincarnation of a Witch, showcasing an amazing job done by M. with his demented riffs and beats, therefore living up to the legacy of Melodic Black Metal in an overdose of darkness by our lone wolf that sounds captivating from start to finish.

After the instrumental (and lengthy) interlude Angelic Vortex, we’re treated to the three-part title-track, starting with The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part I – Moondance, evolving into an epic onrush of darkened sounds by M. with his thrilling riffage exhaling of fury and rage, while its last moments venture through more symphonic lands before The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part II – Twilight Orgasm brings forward a sinister fusion of Doom and Black Metal, flowing into The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall, a nine-minute aria of obscurity where M.’s cadaverous vocals will haunt your soul for all eternity, ending in a truly climatic manner. Lastly, featuring guest vocals by Crying Orc (Këkht Aräkh) and Xofrnk, we have A Brute Angel’s Sorrow, where instead of fast and furious Black Metal we face a delicate, grim display of melancholy.

Inspired by the primordial majesty of Black Metal yet unbound by its limitations, Lamp of Murmuur has gradually ascended these past years as one of the furthermost esteemed and sought luminaries within the new wave of Black Metal, with The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy standing as another testament to the project’s unwavering pursuit of vision and freedom. Such an uncanny creature from the netherworld can be found on Instagram with news, tour dates and so on, and you can also stream all of its wicked creations on Spotify and, above all that, purchase the venomous The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy from the project’s BandCamp or from Wolves of Hades, or simply click HERE for all things Lamp of Murmuur. Because The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is an offering of intoxicating grandeur, a hymn to the eternal dream of a soul yearning to be unchained, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the career of one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Forest of Hallucinations, Reincarnation of a Witch and The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall.

Worst moments of the album: Angelic Vortex.

Released in 2025 Wolves of Hades

Track listing
1. The Fires of Seduction 1:48
2. Forest of Hallucinations 9:13
3. Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm) 7:38
4. Reincarnation of a Witch 5:25
5. Angelic Vortex 2:15
6. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part I – Moondance 7:08
7. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part II – Twilight Orgasm 6:18
8. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall 9:10
9. A Brute Angel’s Sorrow 4:21

Band members
M. – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Crying Orc – vocals on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow”
Xofrnk – vocals on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow”

Album Review – Season of The Dead / Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 (2025)

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This newborn beast of blood-soaked, horror-infused Death Metal will eat your flesh to the sound of their debut album, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

A visceral, cinematic Extreme Metal project born from the twisted minds of Titta Tani (former drummer of Necrophagia and Goblin), Giacomo Anselmi (former Goblin guitarist and current member of Goblin Legacy), and Enrico Giannone, founder and owner of Time To Kill Records, acting as producer and visionary behind the entire concept, United States-based Death Metal brigade Season of The Dead aims at resurrecting the blood-soaked legacy of horror-infused Death Metal, channeling the rotten spirit of bands like Necrophagia, Mortician, and Fulci, while paying tribute to the grotesque imagery and raw energy of cult underground horror films. Formed of the aforementioned Giacomo Anselmi (Goblin Legacy) on the guitars and Titta Tani on drums, alongside John McEntee (Incantation) and Fiore Stravino (Fulci) on vocals, and Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog) and Chuck Sherwood (Incantation) on bass, the album delivers a relentless assault of Death Metal brutality, layered with cinematic tension and ritualistic atmospheres, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

Just like in a horror movie, the intro Necromancy brings to our putrid ears three unsettling minutes of obscurity, warming us up for Then We’ll Rise, inspired by Romero’s masterpiece Day of the Dead (and featuring related audio contributions), with John vomiting the song’s zombified words mercilessly supported by the crushing beats and fills by Titta. Voodoo Ritual starts in a phantasmagorical way, evolving into another slab of insanity by the band, even sounding Doom Metal at times to make things even creepier, whereas Giacomo fires classic, unrelenting riffs in the pulverizing, demented Events Of Flesh, accompanied by the venomous bass by Dave, again bringing absolute horror to our minds and souls just the way we like it in Death Metal.

In Open The Gates the vocals by Fiore exhale pure gore for our vulgar delectation, not to mention Titta is also ruthless behind his drums, while disturbing sounds ignite one more explosion of Death Metal by such an amazing supergroup entitled The Other Side, with John once again sounding like a zombified vocalist, and with Chuck and Titta making the earth tremble in this ode to insanity. The Stygian riffage by Giacomo kicks off the headbanging beast entitled Burning Moon Sickness, providing John with exactly what he needs to haunt our souls with his visceral growling; and closing such a unique album we have Bloodfreak, with its eerie sounds matching perfectly with the Doom Metal-infused beats by Titta while John continues to attack us all with his demented screams.

With influences ranging from Killjoy to City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, and Cannibal Holocaust, creating a soundscape that feels like a soundtrack to a lost VHS splatter nightmare, Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1 is just the first full-length chapter of Season of The Dead, a macabre journey into the heart of horror-infused Death Metal, and you can get in touch with those anti-heroes of blood and gore via Facebook and Instagram, and feed your excruciating hunger for Death Metal by streaming their music on Spotify and by purchasing their excellent debut album from their own BandCamp, or from the Time To Kill Records webstore. However, do not forget Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 is not just an album. It’s a chronicle of the undead, a sonic descent into rot, fear, and splatter, and you might not come out of it alive, joining their army of the undead for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Then We’ll Rise, Events Of Flesh and Bloodfreak.

Worst moments of the album: Voodoo Ritual.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Necromancy 3:13
2. Then We’ll Rise 4:37
3. Voodoo Ritual 4:03
4. Events Of Flesh 3:57
5. Open The Gates 3:53
6. The Other Side 4:54
7. Burning Moon Sickness 4:20
8. Bloodfreak 5:14

Band members
John McEntee – vocals
Fiore Stravino – vocals
Giacomo Anselmi – guitars
Dave Neabore – bass
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Titta Tani – drums

Album Review – 1914 / Viribus Unitis (2025)

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Trench warfare meets blackened death and doom in 1914’s fourth onslaught of war-torn fury, tracing a timeline from 1914 to 1919 while painting a grim journey through the war’s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath.

Continuing their warpath forged with the albums Eschatology of War (2015), The Blind Leading the Blind (2018), and Where Fear and Weapons Meet (2021), Ukrainian Blackened Death/Doom Metal formation 1914 returns with unrelenting force on their fourth studio album, Viribus Unitis, which is Latin for “With United Forces,” a phrase chosen as a personal motto by the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph (1830-1916), reflecting the band’s resilience through war, loss, and upheaval, a powerful symbol of survival and solidarity. Recorded at Jenny Records, produced, mixed and mastered by Alexander Backlund and Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying another obscure artwork by Vladimir ‘Smerdulak’ Chebakov, the new opus by k.u.k. Galizisches IR Nr.15, Gefreiter, Ditmar Kumarberg on vocals, K.K. LIR Czernowitz Nr.22 Oberleutnant, Witaly Wyhovsky and K.K. LIR Stanislau Nr.20 Zugsführer, Oleksa Fisiuk on the guitars, k.u.k. Galizisch-Bukowina’sches IR Nr.24, Feldwebel, Armen Howhannisjan on bass, and K.K. LIR. Lemberg Nr.19 Fähnrich, Rostislaw Potoplacht on drums builds on the band’s acclaimed conceptual approach, pushing even deeper into emotional and musical intensity. Continuing their chronicle of World War I, 1914 shift their focus slightly, from the raw portrayal of death and destruction to themes of camaraderie, endurance, and the emotional landscapes of those who endured the horrors. Told through real events and personal accounts of a Ukrainian soldier in the K.u.K. army, the album traces a timeline from 1914 to 1919, painting a grim journey through the war’s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath.

War In (The Beginning of the Fall) is one of the band’s trademark intros we love so much, taking us to the horrors of war in 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl), a lecture in Death and Doom Metal led by the demented drums by Potoplacht while Kumarberg roars and screams like a demonic war god. In other words, the album couldn’t have started on a more visceral, demolishing vibe, which is also the case in 1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge), where once again it’s fantastic how the excerpts, samples and songs from World War I added to their music always sound creepy, while the guitars by Wyhovsky and Fisiuk bring the heavy artillery to their already ruthless sonority. The bombs are coming strong in 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive), an explosive, scathing tune by 1914 where their incendiary riffs and blast beats bring sheer doom to our blackened hearts; and they keep hammering our cranial skulls with their Blackened Doom magic in 1917 (The Isonzo Front), led by the pounding drums by Potoplacht.

Then investing in a pure Doom Metal sound we face 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action), and the result is beyond haunting, heavy and grim, with Kumarberg’s deep vociferations sending shivers down our spines, followed by 1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War), with guest vocals by Christopher Scott of Precious Death, making an infernal duet with Kumarberg while the rumbling bass by Howhannisjan and the drums by Potoplacht sound like a true bombing squad. The third part of such an imposing aria, 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape), features guest vocals by Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride and High Parasite, and when you have a guest like that you know you’re in for a treat of absolute Doom Metal madness, with the striking riffage by Wyhovsky and Fisiuk penetrating deep inside our skin; flowing into the very emotional and dark 1919 (The Home Where I Died), overflowing melancholy with the deep clean vocals by guest Jerome Reuter of Rome walking hand in hand with the song’s somber piano, before all comes to an end (or not) in War Out (The End?), as cryptic and obscure as usual, putting a stunning conclusion to the album.

While their previous releases centered on the futility and finality of war, Viribus Unitis explores the human bonds forged under fire and the strength of those who returned, broken, changed, yet still alive, deepening their commitment to historical authenticity, both lyrically and conceptually. You can join 1914’s ranks on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their unparalleled live performances, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their warlike music on Spotify, and above all that, put your blood-soaked hands on Viribus Unitis by clicking HERE. In other words, trench warfare meets blackened death and doom in 1914’s fourth onslaught of war-torn fury, and you better get ready as those unstoppable Ukrainians want you to join them in the battlefield, for victory or death.

Best moments of the album: 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl), 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive), 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action) and 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. War In (The Beginning of the Fall) 1:30
2. 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl) 4:48
3. 1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge) 9:14
4. 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive) 6:11
5. 1917 (The Isonzo Front) 6:34
6. 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action) 6:20
7. 1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War) 6:12
8. 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape) 5:50
9. 1919 (The Home Where I Died) 7:07
10. War Out (The End?) 3:10

3-LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Cristallo/Gold/Deluxe Wooden Box Bonus Vinyl/Welcome to the Trench Club EP
1. War In 1:07
2. Die Karpathenschlacht (Rework 2025) 6:02
3. Die Karpathenschlacht (Ship Her Son RMX) 4:30
4. 8 × 50 mm R. Infanterie Repetiergewehr M.95 (Rework 2025) 7:29
5. 8 × 50 mm R. Infanterie Repetiergewehr M.95 (Kadaitcha RMX) 6:55
6. War Out 1:33

Band members
k.u.k. Galizisches IR Nr.15, Gefreiter, Ditmar Kumarberg – vocals
K.K. LIR Czernowitz Nr.22 Oberleutnant, Witaly Wyhovsky – guitar
K.K. LIR Stanislau Nr.20 Zugsführer, Oleksa Fisiuk – guitar
k.u.k. Galizisch-Bukowina’sches IR Nr.24, Feldwebel, Armen Howhannisjan – bass
K.K. LIR. Lemberg Nr.19 Fähnrich, Rostislaw Potoplacht – drums

Guest musicians
Christopher Scott – vocals on “1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War)”
Aaron Stainthorpe – vocals on “1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape)”
Jerome Reuter – vocals on “1919 (The Home Where I Died)”

Album Review – Ildaruni / Divinum Sanguinem (2025)

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This Armenian Black Metal beast is back with its sophomore opus, a conceptual work centered on Mithraism, guiding the listener through nine ominous rites meant to transform one into the storm of nomos and burning gnosis.

Blending Epic Black Metal and ancient folk melodies forgotten from times immemorial, Beyond Unseen Gateways, the 2021 debut by Yerevan, Armenia-based Pagan/Atmospheric Black Metal horde Ildaruni explored the Urartian domain’s height and the esoteric knowledge of pagan mysticism. Now on their sophomore opus, titled Divinum Sanguinem, or “divine blood” from Latin, the band enclasps Black Metal’s aggressive and arcane form, steeped in the immersive, murky atmosphere of a desolate, ancient shrine. Recorded by Avet Ghlijyan at Massive Studios (vocals), by Mark Erskine (guitars and bass), by Armen Shaverdian at Guitar Clinic Studio (drums), and by Maria Harutyunyan at Alpha Sound (acoustic instruments and choirs), mixed and mastered by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios, showcasing a grim artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, and featuring an array of very special guest musicians, the new album by Narek Avedyan on vocals, Robert Meliksetyan and Mark Erskine on the guitars, Artak Karapetyan on bass, and Arthur Poghosyan on drums and dap is a conceptual work centered on Mithraism, its occult initiations and lesser-known mysteries, guiding the listener through nine ominous rites meant to transform one into the storm of nomos and burning gnosis. A work of mystical upheaval and a sermon to the bestower of creed, it leads through ghastly pathways toward the ladders of Apothanaitismos.

The album begins with the cinematic, ethereal intro Mithras Alone Is My Wreath, featuring the cello by guest Andranik Aghajanyan, setting the stage for Ildaruni to consume our blackened hearts to the sound of The Ascension of Kosmokrator, a no shenanigans, ruthless Black Metal attack spearheaded by the venomous gnarls by Narek and the blast beats by Arthur. Then arising from the pits of the underworld we face Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone, featuring the Khazer Choir from Armenia to give it a truly haunting vibe, while Robert and Mark’s riffs transpiring pure darkness; and the bagpipes by Arthur Atayan and the narration by Artak Karapetyan bring sheer epicness to Forged With Glaive and Blood, while the band’s riffs and beats keep the atmosphere as caustic as it can be. And the clean vocals by guest Armen Shahbegian clash with the devilish vociferations by Narek in Zurvan Akrane, another explosion of Melodic Black Metal by Ildaruni.

The Khazer Choir returns in Arcane Sermon, also presenting a heavy-as-hell kitchen by Artak and Arthur, overflowing classic Black Metal while at the same time presenting the band’s epic approach; whereas it’s time for six minutes of Doom Metal-infused obscurity in Immersion Into Empyrean, with Narek roaring nonstop accompanied by the sluggish yet hammering drums by Arthur. The qanun by Mar Margaryan, alongside another phenomenal contribution by the Khazer Choir, make the band’s infernal sounds feel even more imposing in Scorching Pathways to Samachi, the most detailed song of the album, presenting multiple layers that in the end converge into absolute darkness, while closing the album we’re treated to the title-track Divinum Sanguinem, with guest Tamara Mkhitaryan making a “Beauty and the Beast” vocal duet with Narek, a lesson in Melodic Black Metal where the riffage by Robert and Mark will darken the skies for all eternity.

While the Armenian horde has left their earlier folk-driven melodies and riffs behind, grandiose and wickedly melodic passages still lurk amid the oppressive, grim elements found in Divinum Sanguinem, sporadically erupting with blazing fury. Real choir arrangements summon and channel the album’s lyrical mysteries, uniting its thematically entwined tracks into a single, esoteric rite, and you can explore and feel all those details and elements by purchasing a copy of the album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their harsh, embracing Black Metal creations on Spotify. In a nutshell, Divinum Sanguinem marks a new era in the career of Ildaruni, solidifying their name in the current Extreme Metal scene worldwide, and pointing to an even brighter future ahead of one of the best (if not the best) metal bands to ever arise from the beautiful Hayastan.

Best moments of the album: Forged With Glaive and Blood,Scorching Pathways to Samachi and Divinum Sanguinem.

Worst moments of the album: Immersion Into Empyrean.

Released in 2025 Black Lion Records

Track listing
1. Mithras Alone Is My Wreath 2:27
2. The Ascension of Kosmokrator 5:42
3. Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone 5:30
4. Forged With Glaive and Blood 5:46
5. Zurvan Akrane 6:33
6. Arcane Sermon 5:50
7. Immersion Into Empyrean 6:00
8. Scorching Pathways to Samachi 6:49
9. Divinum Sanguinem 8:04

Band members
Narek Avedyan – vocals
Robert Meliksetyan – guitars, acoustic guitars, ambience, samples
Mark Erskine – guitars
Artak Karapetyan – bass
Arthur Poghosyan – drums, dap

Guest musicians
Khazer Choir – choirs on “Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone”, “Arcane Sermon” and “Scorching Pathways to Samachi”
Arthur Atayan – bagpipes on “Forged with Glaive and Blood”
Mar Margaryan – qanun on “Scorching Pathways to Samachi”
Andranik Aghajanyan – cello on “Mithras Alone is My Wreath”
Tamara Mkhitaryan – female vocals on “Divinum Sanguinem”
Armen Shahbegian – clean vocals on “Arcane Sermon”, “Scorching Pathways to Samachi” and “Zurvan Akrane”
Artak Karapetyan – narrations on “Forged with Glaive and Blood”

Album Review – Novembre / Words of Indigo (2025)

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The newly reinvigorated Italian pioneers of Atmospheric and Progressive Gothic, Doom and Death Metal return with their most elaborately adorned and sonically refined opus to date.

Coinciding with 35 years since the band’s original inception under the Catacomb moniker, and after an extended period of inactivity following the release of their 2016 acclaimed album Ursa, the newly reinvigorated Italian pioneers of Atmospheric and Progressive Gothic/Doom/Death Metal known as Novembre return with their most elaborately adorned and sonically refined opus to date in the shape of their ninth studio album, titled Words of Indigo. Mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö (Opeth, Katatonia, Bloodbath) at Unisound, and displaying a classy artwork by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia) of Seempieces Design Studio, the new album by vocalist Carmelo Orlando, guitarists Alessio Erriu and Federico Albanese, and drummer Yuri Croscenko, with the support of session bassist Fabio Fraschini, will embrace you in a melancholic yet warm darkness, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Sacturnus, Novembers Doom, Shores of Null, Les Discrets, Woods of Ypres, My Dying Bride, and Draconian.

After a whimsical intro the band comes crushing our souls with their share of melancholy and doom in Sun Magenta, spearheaded by the crisp, piercing guitars by Alession and Federico, whereas Statua showcases an even more pensive, darker side of the band, with the clean and harsh vocals by Carmelo sounding amazing from start to finish. The band continues to distill their fusion of Progressive and Doom Metal in Neptunian Hearts, sounding heavy while also bringing tons of melody to our avid ears; whereas Ann-Mari Edvardsen (of The 3rd and the Mortal) makes a stylish vocal duet with Carmelo with her stunning voice in House of Rain, adding even more darkness to their core sound and, therefore, resulting in a beautiful ballad of extreme music, followed by Brontide, keeping the ambience dense, grim and hypnotic thanks to another classy performance by all band members, with Yuri dictating the pace with his doomed beats and fills.

Then after the theatrical interlude simply titled Intervallo we face another blast of their Progressive Doom Metal in the form of Your Holocene, an enfolding, thrilling tune where Carmelo’s deep, nocturnal vocals sound even more powerful, supported by the always incendiary riffs by both Alessio and Federico. Chiesa dell’alba brings forward more of their mix of Paradise Lost-infused doom and the progressiveness of bands like Dream Theater and Allegaeon, again presenting the intricate and fierce drumming by Yuri, followed by Ipernotte, one of the most detailed, multi-layered and vibrant of all songs, where the guitar job by Alessio and Federico is beautifully complemented by the thunderous bass by Fabio Fraschini. And last but not least, the band will darken the skies and consume our minds with Post Poetic, where Carmelo yet again melts our faces alternating between clean, ethereal vocals and the madness of his harsh gnarls, flowing into the climatic outro Onde, putting a pensive, somber ending to the album.

An exquisite and finely-textured display of creative prowess exploring themes of danger and innocence, fear and nostalgia, the latest journey by Novembre takes the listener through the torrents of raging Death Metal and sweeping, uplifting passages of serene poignancy, all woven together as finely crafted and layered melodic epics. You can put your hands on Words of Indigo via BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tours dates and more of their music, and to stream the embracing sounds from all of their albums on Spotify. November is undoubtedly a month that transpires doom, and the music offered by Novembre in Words of Indigo will surely work as the perfect soundtrack for your gloomiest, darkest days of such a Stygian month.

Best moments of the album: Statua, Your Holocene and Post Poetic.

Worst moments of the album: Brontide.

Released in 2025 Peaceville Records

Track listing
1. Sun Magenta 7:23
2. Statua 6:05
3. Neptunian Hearts 6:11
4. House of Rain 7:33
5. Brontide 6:21
6. Intervallo 1:14
7. Your Holocene 5:29
8. Chiesa dell’alba 7:26
9. Ipernotte 6:52
10. Post Poetic 6:27
11. Onde 2:29

Band members
Carmelo Orlando – vocals
Alessio Erriu – guitars
Federico Albanese – guitars
Yuri Croscenko – drums

Guest musician
Fabio Fraschini – bass (session)
Ann-Mari Edvardsen – vocals on “House of Rain”

Album Review – Drofnosura / Ritual of Split Tongues (2025)

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A strange beast that’s absolutely comfortable in its own iridescent, translucent skin, this Canadian entity will stun us all with their expansive, stirring, and dissonant new album.

A strange beast that’s absolutely comfortable in its own iridescent, translucent skin, Toronto, Canada-based Blackened/Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal entity Drofnosura has been taking elements from multiple styles since their inception back in 2010, finely grounding them, and using the material to sculpt a new body entirely, just like what they have to offer in their sophomore opus Ritual of Split Tongues, following up on their scathing 2019 debut Voidfever. Showcasing a beyond menacing, disturbing artwork by Dusty Ray Art, the new album by W.L.F. on guitars, vocals, and synthesizers, M.A.D. on bass, vocals and synthesizers, and D.A.S. on drums, percussion, vocals and synthesizers sees the band traversing various realms, with a few songs surpassing the 15-minute mark, putting the emphasis on creating a meditative, transcendent atmosphere more than anything else.

Like a vile creature arising from the pits of the netherworld, the trio comes crushing our cranial skulls mercilessly in Selection of a Corpse, with the hammering drums by D.A.S. and the visceral guitars by W.L.F. complementing each other in great fashion. Then in the context of Hindu cremation, Kapala Kriya is a ritual where the skull of the deceased is pierced with a stick during the cremation process, while in heavy music it’s a ten-minute demented creation by Drofnosura where their venomous, minimalist vocal lines will haunt your damned souls for all eternity, sounding almost like the actual Hindu ritual. Then the title-track The Ritual of Split Tongues brings to our putrid ears over 15 minutes of primeval, sinister Doom Metal with Post-Black Metal elements led by the once again slow but fierce beats by D.A.S., followed by ἐγείρω (egeirō), a Greek verb that primarily means to raise, awaken, or stir up. It can also mean to wake up from sleep or to be awakened, as well as it can refer to the act of resurrecting or raising someone from the dead, resulting in a ritualistic interlude that sets the tone for The Well of Seven Heads, where the band shows absolutely no mercy for our damned minds and bodies while their Atmospheric Sludge Metal vein pulses harder than ever during its venomous 12 minutes, flowing into the also atmospheric, gloomy and dissonant Desounen, putting a Stygian ending to an album not recommended for the lighthearted.

Highly recommended for admirers of the music by Blut aus Nord, Devenial Verdict, Eibon, Amenra, Lurk, Isis, Pillar of Light, and The Angelic Process, among others, Ritual of Split Tongues is an astounding album where multiple influences converge to create music that’s at once expansive, stirring, and dissonant, and lingers on in the mind for longer than one would think, with the music naturally evolving within each of the songs as they progress, and it isn’t fatiguing just because it’s done in such an intuitive manner. You can get more details about Drofnosura, their music, live concerts and so on by checking what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram (or by clicking HERE), stream their cryptic creations on Spotify, and of course show your support to those talented Canadians by purchasing their bestial new album from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In the end, Ritual of Split Tongues is certainly not an album for the lighthearted as mentioned, but let’s face it, that’s exactly what Drofnosura wanted to achieve with their multi-layered, grim and absolutely stunning new album.

Best moments of the album: The Ritual of Split Tongues and The Well of Seven Heads.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Selection of a Corpse 6:23
2. Kapala Kriya 10:22
3. The Ritual of Split Tongues 15:27
4. ἐγείρω 3:48
5. The Well of Seven Heads 12:28
6. Desounen 15:01

Band members
W.L.F. – guitars, vocals, synthesizers
M.A.D. – bass, vocals, synthesizers
D.A.S. – drums, percussion, vocals, synthesizers

Album Review – Thaumaturgy / Pestilential Hymns (2025)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: An Ignominious End.

Released in 2025 Memento Mori

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

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

Album Review – Perishing / Malicious Acropolis Unveiled (2025)

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This Costa Rican entity will attack with their debut opus, an extension of their style of playing slow, torturous, dread-filled Death and Doom Metal where every note carries weight, and with it, deathly implications.

Formed in 2023 in San José, Costa Rica, boasting members of Astriferous, Mortual, Candarian, Bloodsoaked Necrovoid, and Necroferum, and following a sensational demo titled Lutum in 2024, Death/Doom Metal creature Perishing is back with their much awaited debut full-length offering, beautifully titled Malicious Acropolis Unveiled. Mixed by Andrew Oswald, mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio, and showcasing a vile, grim artwork by the phenomenal Belial NecroArts (Undersave, Hierarchies), the debut opus by J. Antonio Salas on vocals, Justin Sánchez on the guitars, José Pablo Phillips on bass, and JM Arrea on drums is a must-have for admirers of Disembowelment, Rippikoulu, Mortiferum, Winter, Thergothon, and Inverloch, offering us all an extension of their style of playing slow, torturous, dread-filled Death and Doom Metal where every note carries weight, and with it, deathly implications.

The pounding drums of apocalyptic doom by JM ignite the devilish Autolysis (I. Imago Fluidus Macula), accompanied by the otherworldly bass by José Pablo, whereas Autolysis (II. Fatum Cursed by Nature) sounds even more sluggish and grim than the opening tune, evolving into a demonic beast led by the deep gnarls by J. Antonio. The Stygian riffs by Justin walk hand in hand with the low-tuned, venomous bass by José Pablo in Castle of the Leached Body, a lecture in Blackened Doom made in Costa Rica, and another cryptic start will haunt our damned souls in Las Ruinas del Palacio, before all explodes into a doomed wall of sounds guided by JM’s visceral drums. Osedax (Devoured by the Cavernous Worm) is a lecture in Death and Doom Metal by the quarter, with J. Antonio’s hideous roars being boosted by the demonic guitars by Justin; whereas their coup-de-grace comes in the form of Acropolis of Malignancy, sounding and feeling as infernal, heavy and disturbing as it can be, with the whole band delivering pure, unfiltered doom until the end.

Maintaining a suitably organic sound and being selective with their tunes to create the best impression, Perishing have created an album that fans of this kind of punishing, slow blend of death and doom music will find impossible to resist. You can get in touch with those ruthless Costa Rican metallers via Instagram, and I’m sure if you’re planning a visit to their homeland you might be able to see them live, stream their heavy-as-hell chants on Spotify, and add a copy of their newborn beast to your devilish collection by purchasing it from BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. The Costa Rican extreme scene has never been stronger and more prolific, and it’s with albums like Malicious Acropolis Unveiled that we can rest assured those blackened, evil sounds will keep reverberating across the entire world for man years to come.

Best moments of the album: Castle of the Leached Body and Osedax (Devoured by the Cavernous Worm).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Autolysis (I. Imago Fluidus Macula) 5:24
2. Autolysis (II. Fatum Cursed by Nature) 6:18
3. Castle of the Leached Body 8:58
4. Las Ruinas del Palacio 7:27
5. Osedax (Devoured by the Cavernous Worm) 9:21
6. Acropolis of Malignancy 7:35

Band members
J. Antonio Salas – vocals
Justin Sánchez – guitars
José Pablo Phillips – bass
JM Arrea – drums