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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 – Unsouling / Outward Streams of Devotional Woe (2025)

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 I, Voidhanger Records

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

Band members
A.S. – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Imperial Demonic / Beneath the Crimson Eclipse EP (2023)

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As above, so below, this Northern Ireland-based Melodic Black Metal horde will see you in hell armed with their breathtaking debut effort.

Having first emerged back in 2021 in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a solo project by drummer Cameron Åhslund-Glass (Celtachor, Darkest Era, Overoth), paying homage to the more polished Black Metal sound of the late 90’s and early 2000’s, but currently comprised of Cameron together with Andy Heathen (Celtachor, Overoth) on vocals, Daniel Dempster (Overoth) and Kacper Lewandowski on the guitars, and Gareth Murdock (Alestorm) on bass, the pulverizing Melodic Black Metal horde Imperial Demonic has just unleashed upon humanity their debut effort, a fantastic EP titled Beneath the Crimson Eclipse, bringing the fire and brimstone back to modern Black Metal. Recorded at Third Level Audio, engineered and produced by James Reeve and the band’s own Kacper Lewandowski, and displaying a sinister artwork by Romanian artist Luciana Nedelea (with logo by Nox Fragor Art and album cover arrangements by Anaïs Mulgrew), Beneath the Crimson Eclipse brings forward a fusion of fury and triumph, aggression and melody, with the band pursuing a heavier, more aggressive territory with relentless blast beats, melodic hooks and visceral lyrics.

As a creature crawling from the underworld, the band begins their caustic sonic attack with The Furnace, an imposing Black Metal aria where Andy roars majestically accompanied by the infernal drums by Cameron, kicking off the EP on a beyond sulfurous note; whereas Daniel and Kacper extract strident, piercing Black Metal riffs form their axes in Ways Of The Secular Flesh, offering us all nonstop action while Gareth hammers his bass like a maniac. Then once again embellishing the airwaves with their pulverizing riffs, bass lines and blast beats, the band brings forward The Path Of Night, living up to the legacy of contemporary Melodic Black Metal while Andy sounds inhumane on vocals as usual; and keeping the level of sulfur and obscurity as high as possible, Andy screams in anger in Dawn Of The Infernal Age, supported by another infernal performance by Cameron on drums in a lecture in Melodic Black Metal. Lastly, closing such fantastic and intense EP we have Beneath The Crimson Eclipse, offering us all more of the band’s austere sounds with Gareth and Cameron making sure the atmosphere remains as sulfurous as possible, while Daniel and Kacper fire their undisputed Black Metal riffs nonstop for our total delight.

This precious gem of darkness is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can certainly show your utmost support to the guys from Imperial Demonic by clicking HERE and purchasing your favorite version of Beneath the Crimson Eclipse. Don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and more of their Stygian music, showing all your appreciation for their wicked creations. In the thrilling Beneath the Crimson Eclipse, Imperial Demonic delivered exactly what they said they would, sounding heavily rooted in that scorching Black Metal sound from the 90’s and 2000’s without sounding repetitive or outdated, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the career of Cameron and his horde.

Best moments of the album: The Path Of Night and Dawn Of The Infernal Age.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Black Lion Records

Track listing
1. The Furnace 3:40
2. Ways Of The Secular Flesh 4:44
3. The Path Of Night 7:20
4. Dawn Of The Infernal Age 4:49
5. Beneath The Crimson Eclipse 6:02

Band members
Andy Heathen – vocals
Daniel Dempster – lead guitars
Kacper Lewandowski – rhythm and additional guitars
Gareth Murdock – bass
Cameron Åhslund-Glass – drums