Tag Archives: melodic black metal

Album Review – Imha Tarikat / Confessing Darkness (2025)

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The extermination sect from Germany is back with its fourth studio album, once again pushing hard against all the boundaries that define Black Metal.

Everything about German Black Metal entity Imha Tarikat has always been real, the anger, the despair, the hatred, the bursts of energy, the eternal longing, and also the boundless passion both on record and live on stage that borders on physical self-destruction. On their fourth album, titled Confessing Darkness, such an innovative creature is once again pushing hard against all the boundaries that define the Black Metal genre without ever losing the essential connection to the harsh style. Recorded and mixed by Michael Zech at The Church of Sound Studio, mastered by Victor Santura at Woodshed Studio, and with a sinister artwork by Sofia Buratti of Silvatica Illustration and layout by Łukasz Jaszak, the follow-up to their 2022 opus Hearts Unchained – At War with a Passionless World delivers even more of the band’s raw energy than before, with a relentless pushing and unstoppable drive forward characterizing their sound, as well as a deep emotional intelligence that fully utilizes the ability of Black Metal to express every feeling ranging from purest love to darkest hatred, from severe depression to outbursts of joy, all masterfully crafted by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kerem Yilmaz (aka Ruhsuz Cellât), while also featuring guest drummer Jerome Reil (of bands like Destroy Them, Exumer, and The Very End).

The absolutely atmospheric intro Aufbruch, which means “departure” in English, will open the gates of the netherworld for Kerem to strike us all with Wicked Shrine, where he barks rabidly while also firing wicked riffs and bass lines, supported by the Stygian beats and fills by Jerome. Then leaning towards the more recent creations by the mighty Behemoth we have Another Failed Ritual, with the project’s Blackened Death Metal side lurking in the shadows ready to prey on us, whereas Kerem extracts strident, mesmerizing sounds from his guitar in Voices of Bitter Epiphany, exploding into a feast of Black Metal led by Jerome’s pounding drums. In Excellent Grief the dauntless Kerem continues to distill his venomous vocalizations and riffage, keeping the album as harsh and sinister as it can be; and the title-track Confessing Darkness brings forward Imha Tarikat’s most unrelenting version, with Kerem bursting his lungs screaming in anguish and despair.

Chamber of Sin is another song where Jerome shows no mercy for his drums, blasting sheer heaviness while Kerem continues to drag us to pitch black darkness with his riffs and vociferations. Then we face Horns in the Smoke, which carries a beautiful name for an onrush of Melodic Black Metal where Jerome’s beats and fills walk hand in hand with Kerem’s harsh roars. Memoria Dei (Profanity and Devil) also presents a classy name, albeit not as exciting as the rest of the album (despite its pleasant pace), while Pitch Black Reflection, the second to last song of the album, is a brutal, austere explosion of Black Metal tailored for lovers of the style, with Kerem sounding infernal with both his riffs and cryptic vocal lines. Finally, The Day I Died (Reborn into Flames) closes Kerem’s Black Metal mass in great fashion, with all violence, darkness and hatred flowing from all instruments living up to the legacy of the genre.

Taking the aforementioned personal confessions several steps further as it is all true, Imha Tarikat have matured as Confessing Darkness clearly demonstrates, overflowing conviction and strength while also marking a milestone in the rise of the band. Fans of the music by Empyriam, Anaal Nathrakh, Agrypnie, Groza, Vemod, and Wolves In The Throne Room, among others, will surely appreciate the Stygian sounds found in Confessing Darkness, and you can also get in touch with Kerem Yilmaz and his Imha Tarikat by following the project on Facebook and on Instagram, and support it by streaming all of their creations on Spotify and obviously by purchasing Confessing Darkness by clicking HERE. Love, hate, happiness, sadness, light, darkness, and of course an endless dosage of first-class modern-day Black Metal are the main ingredients in Confessing Darkness, an album that will drag you to the project’s somber lair and keep feeding on your soul for all eternity, proving once again why Imha Tarikat have become a synonym to contemporary Black Metal all across our decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Wicked Shrine, Confessing Darkness and Pitch Black Reflection.

Worst moments of the album: Memoria Dei (Profanity and Devil).

Released in 2025 Prophecy Productions

Track listing
1. Intro – Aufbruch 1:10
2. Wicked Shrine 3:17
3. Another Failed Ritual 4:48
4. Voices of Bitter Epiphany 4:13
5. Excellent Grief 4:46
6. Confessing Darkness 7:45
7. Chamber of Sin 6:56
8. Horns in the Smoke 4:10
9. Memoria Dei (Profanity and Devil) 4:57
10. Pitch Black Reflection 4:20
11. The Day I Died (Reborn into Flames) 4:26

Bonus track
12. The Sun Goes Down (Thin Lizzy cover) 6:19

Band members
Kerem Yilmaz – vocals, guitars, bass

Guest musicians
Jerome Reil – drums (session)
Marvin Giehr – vocals on “Pitch Black Reflection”, rhythm guitar on “Wicked Shrine” and “The Day I Died”
Barth Resch – vocals on “The Sun Goes Down”

Album Review – Anzv / Kur (2025)

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The world of the dead is calling us all to the sound of the newborn spawn by this mysterious Portuguese horde, opening our ears and hearts to the underworld of nihilism and despair.

Taking their name from the Mesopotamian monster figure Anzû, described as a divine storm bird who could breathe fire and water or in some descriptions as a lion-headed eagle, while also considered as the personification of the southern wind and the thunder clouds, Porto, Portugal-based Death/Black Metal beast Anzv is challenging the spiritual possibilities of seeing beyond the void and into the nothingness of nothing in their sophomore opus, entitled Kur, opening your ears and hearts to the underworld of nihilism and despair. Written, produced, and conceptualized by the band’s own guitarist M., mastered by M. and Bruno Silva, and displaying an ominous artwork by vocalist A. (of Dantas Inferno), the follow-up to their 2022 album Gallas continues to blend Portugal’s dark musical side with the Sumerian underworld, resulting in extra creepy, hostile and mysterious soundscapes masterfully crafted by the aforementioned A. and M. alongside guitarist N., bassist T., and drummer E.

In Sumerian, Ekur means “mountain house” and refers to the sacred temple of the god Enlil in the city of Nippur, while musically speaking it’s a devilish and harsh display of Black Metal, with the guitars by M. and N. exhaling sulfur. Then we have Imdugud, which in ancient Mesopotamian religion refers to a monstrous bird, often depicted as a lion-headed eagle or griffin, with A. continuing to vociferate like a demonic entity supported by the rumbling kitchen by T. and E.; followed by Alû, a vengeful, nocturnal spirit in Akkadian and Sumerian mythology, often described as a shadow demon or evil spirit that terrifies people in their sleep and can cause nightmares, with the band showcasing their trademark fusion of Black and Death Metal with Sumerian mythology. Sahar, of Arabic origin, meaning “dawn” or “the time before dawn”, is a two-minute aria of darkness with their riffage penetrating deep inside our skin; and Shamash, a  Hebrew word (שמש) that means “servant” or “helper”, is a lecture in Melodic Black Metal where the vocals by A. will send shivers down your putrid spine.

An Edimmu in Mesopotamian mythology refers to a type of spirit often associated with the ghosts of those who died and did not receive a proper burial, with the music sounding devilish and grim from the very first second while M. and N. fire pure darkness form their axes, followed by Etemenanki, meaning “House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth” in Sumerian, the name of a ziggurat (stepped temple) dedicated to the god Marduk in ancient Babylon, sounding as venomous as its predecessors, all boosted by another visceral vocal performance by A. Then in Ancient Mesopotamian religion, Namtaru is a deity who personifies death and destiny, and that’s exactly the feeling in this vile aria, offering an overdose of caustic Black Metal to our avid ears. Lamashtu is the most terrible of all female demons in Mesopotamian religion, the daughter of the sky god Anu, and the band needs less than two minutes to pulverize our souls with their hellish sounds, before all comes to an end with Anzû, a monster in several Mesopotamian religions, where A. keeps roaring darkly while E. hammers his drums nonstop.

In the context of Sumerian mythology, “kur” refers to the underworld or the world of the dead, and each song in Kur is deeply rooted in that thematic, either representing a lion-headed, winged eagle monster, a class of spirits, or a demonic deity depicted as a hybrid creature with lion, bird, and human features, among others, and it’s that additional touch of obscurity and mystery that truly elevates the album’s power and energy to a whole new level. You can find more information about such a brilliant Portuguese horde on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their Stygian creations on Spotify, and put your damned hands on Kur by clicking HERE or HERE. In the end, the world of the dead is calling us all to the sound of Anzv’s newborn spawn, dragging us all into eternal darkness in the name of our beloved Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Imdugud, Shamash and Namtaru.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Edged Circle Productions

Track listing
1. Ekur 5:21
2. Imdugud 5:03
3. Alû 4:05
4. Sahar 3:55
5. Shamash 4:56
6. Edimmu 6:25
7. Etemenanki 5:09
8. Namtaru 4:02
9. Lamashtu 3:15
10. Anzû 2:57

Band members
A. – vocals
M. – guitars
N. – guitars
T. – bass
E. – drums

Album Review – …And Oceans / The Regeneration Itinerary (2025)

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These iconic Finnish extremists are back with their seventh studio opus, a flamboyant distillation of the group’s grand nocturnal art assimilating all their hopes, dreams and influences into an uncompromising document of ravenous intent.

Chaos chameleons. Nocturnal shapeshifters. The skyward trajectory of idiosyncratic Finnish extremists …And Oceans has been serpentine and sublime, appealing to diehard fans of bands the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth and Samael with their unique blend of Experimental, Industrial, Electronic and Symphonic Black Metal. Recorded at Inka Studio and at SoundSpiral Audio, produced and engineered by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, and displaying a visually stunning artwork by Adrien Bousson, The Regeneration Itinerary is the seventh studio album by this unstoppable band currently formed of Mathias Lillmåns on vocals, Teemu Saari and Timo Kontio on the guitars, Pyry Hanski on bass, Antti Simonen on keyboards, and Kauko Kuusisalo on drums, a flamboyant distillation of the group’s grand nocturnal art assimilating all their hopes, dreams and influences into an uncompromising document of ravenous intent.

Otherworldly, cryptic sounds suddenly explode into a hybrid of Experimental and Symphonic Black Metal entitled Inertiae, with Mathias’ deep roars matching perfectly with the striking keys by Antti, followed by Förnyelse i Tre Akter, or “renewal in three acts” from Swedish, even darker than the previous song thanks to the visceral riffage by Teemu and Timo while Kauko shows no mercy for his drums, delivering his own blend of Black and Death Metal violence. Chromium Lungs, Bronze Optics carries a poetic name for a hard hitting creation by …And Oceans, where their caustic riffs will pierce your mind in great fashion, while their experimental and symphonic sides clash beautifully in The Form and the Formless, once again led by the massive beats and fills by Kauko. Prophetical Mercury Implement showcases massive Stygian lyrics (“Injecting the mirrorlike waters / Feeling it flowing within / Floating on its waves / Observing how it unfolds / Now, / I am the medium / I am the stream”) amidst a beyond enfolding and atmospheric sonority, whereas in The Fire in Which We Burn we face an overdose of heaviness, sulfur and darkness blasted by the band in the best Behemoth style, spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Mathias.

The Ways of Sulphur lives up to the legacy of Industrial Black Metal, with Antti stealing the show with his phantasmagorical keys; and I Am Coin, I Am Two offers a more introspective sound inspired by Melodic Black, Death and Doom Metal, while still presenting their trademark ferocity. Then back to a more visceral mode we have Towards the Absence of Light, with their riffs and the bass lines by Pyry being boosted by Antti’s whimsical keys. The last song of the regular edition, The Terminal Filter, brings to us all another humongous dosage of Black Metal infused with experimental and industrial nuances, resulting in an epic ending to the album, and if you go for the deluxe edition of the album (a digipak with extended 20-page booklet + exclusive gold coloured metal coin symbolizing an adviser through opposites + 2 exclusive bronze coloured acrylic coaters symbolizing the coming together of opposites in clamshell box with alternative cover, hand-numbered and limited to 500 copies worldwide) you’ll get two bonus tracks, Copper Blood, Titanium Scars and The Discord Static, both sounding absolutely insane and worth every single penny invested in it.

…And Oceans The Regeneration Itinerary Digibox + Digital Deluxe Edition

Exploring the interplay between darkness and light, chaos and order, spiritual and material realms, with each song embodying an experience for the mind and body, finally navigating a passage to the present moment, The Regeneration Itinerary is definitely the band’s most experimental album to date. “The new album can be seen as a synthesis of our entire back catalogue,” suggests frontman Mathias Lillmåns. “But there are new levels of extremity, too, ones that we’ve never reached before. These songs simply demanded harsher vocals. The riffs commanded it, and who am I to disobey?” Hence, you can get to know more about …And Oceans, their new album, tour dates, plans for the future, and support them by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on Spotify, and by purchasing their awesome new album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. In the end, those Finnish metallers will keep pushing their own boundaries, experimenting with new sounds and nuances and, therefore, delivering more striking albums like The Regeneration Itinerary in the coming years, proving why they’ve become a reference and a force to be reckoned with in the extreme music scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Förnyelse i Tre Akter, The Fire in Which We Burn and Towards the Absence of Light.

Worst moments of the album: I Am Coin, I Am Two.

Released in 2025 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Inertiae 4:30
2. Förnyelse i Tre Akter 5:07
3. Chromium Lungs, Bronze Optics 4:29
4. The Form and the Formless 3:32
5. Prophetical Mercury Implement 6:57
6. The Fire in Which We Burn 3:04
7. The Ways of Sulphur 4:17
8. I Am Coin, I Am Two 4:25
9. Towards the Absence of Light 4:49
10. The Terminal Filter 5:22

Digibox + Digital Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
11. Copper Blood, Titanium Scars 4:14
12. The Discord Static 3:35

Band members
Mathias Lillmåns – vocals
Teemu Saari – guitar
Timo Kontio – guitar
Pyry Hanski – bass
Antti Simonen – keyboards
Kauko Kuusisalo – drums

Album Review – Vyr Muk / Crimson Fields of Sorrow (2025)

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This dauntless Ukrainian lone wolf returns with a harsh and visceral new album, a raw and atmospheric journey through desolation, sorrow, and the decaying remnants of civilization.

A musical project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Vladyslav Blizniuk from Kharkiv, Ukraine which debuted in 2023, Black/Death Metal entity Vyr Muk, or “whirlpool of torment” from Ukrainian, focuses on dark, deep themes including suffering, personal struggles, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, making it a very personal and intimate project. Mixed and mastered at Anti Social Riddim Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by Oleksandr Koval, the project’s brand new opus, titled Crimson Fields of Sorrow, is a logical continuation to its 2024 EP Shadows Falling on The Dead Cities, offering us all a raw and atmospheric journey through desolation, sorrow, and the decaying remnants of civilization, immersing the listener in a sonic battlefield where each track is a blade forged from chaos, cutting through the veil of illusion and apathy.

The visceral riffs by Vladyslav will cut your skin deep in Voracity / Ненажерливість, already offering a phantasmagorical, haunting blend of Black Metal boosted by his devilish gnarls and endless obscurity; whereas after a serene yet dark piano intro we’re treated to a Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal aria titled Cold Steel / Холодна сталь, again translating his personal struggles into captivating extreme music. The harsh vociferations by our lone wolf set the tone in The Era of Rot / Епоха гнилі, where once again he invests in a sharp, austere sonority led by his scorching riffs and blast beats. And get ready for a nine-minute voyage through the realms of darkness and solitude to the sound of Bitterness of Loss / Горіч втрати, starting in an enfolding and melancholic manner, presenting elements of Doom Metal added to its drums and cadaverous guitar lines. Vladyslav’s horror movie-inspired keys darken the skies in the closing tune Oh How It Was / Ой як же було, an instrumental feast of Symphonic Black Metal that sounds as epic as it is cinematic.

Exploring themes of war, existential decay, and inner torment, with lyrics presented in Ukrainian, Crimson Fields of Sorrow (already available in full on YouTube and on Spotify) is a ritual of grief and defiance, a hymn for the fallen and a curse upon the void, and you can put your damned hands on such a personal and acid album by purchasing it from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the multi-talented Vladyslav and his Vyr Muk on Instagram, showing your support not only to Ukrainian extreme music, but to Ukraine as a whole during such difficult times to their citizens. Because Crimson Fields of Sorrow is not just music. It is a howl from the void. It is struggle, grief, and truth, and you should definitely give it a listen to be part of that harsh yet unique sonic experience.

Best moments of the album: Voracity / Ненажерливість, The Era of Rot / Епоха гнилі and Bitterness of Loss / Горіч втрати.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Voracity / Ненажерливість 6:04
2. Cold Steel / Холодна сталь 6:28
3. The Era of Rot / Епоха гнилі 6:32
4. Bitterness of Loss / Горіч втрати 9:00
5. Oh How It Was / Ой як же було 4:37

Band members
Vladyslav Blizniuk – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Solfatare / Asservis par l’espoir (2025)

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This incandescent Black Metal entity from Belgium will burn your soul with their debut offering, exploring the depths of existential anguish and plunging into humanity’s long-lasting quest of meaning, only to find none.

Trapped between barren cobblestones and leaden sky, Belgian Black Metal entity Solfatare (a name that finds its origin in a specific volcano from the Phlegraean Fields region of Italy, believed by ancient Romans to be a mythological entrance to the underworld) emerges from the sullen maze of the Brussels region armed to the teeth with their debut full-length opus, entitled Asservis par l’espoir, or “enslaved by hope” from French. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jeremie Bezier at Black Out Studio, the new album by T.S.G.H. on vocals and guitars, N.C.P.M. on bass, and T.G.T.H. on drums explores the depths of existential anguish and plunges into humanity’s long-lasting quest of meaning, only to find none, defiantly embracing the absurd and wielding French poetry as a weapon of absolute lyricism, in an attempt to adorn our torment.

The trio arises from the underworld like demonic creatures in Des monarques anhedoniques (or “anhedonic monarchs” from French), suddenly exploding into a fulminating Black Metal onrush led by T.G.T.H.’s crushing drums; and T.S.G.H. delivers haunting, desperate vocals and grim riffs in D’Hommes et d’Isopteres (“of men and isoptera”), a detailed, multi-layered tune tailored for fans of the genre. Their Stygian sounds keep permeating the air like an evil creature lurking in the shadows in Du deuil affaire (“of mourning”), with the bass and drums by N.C.P.M. and T.G.T.H. transpiring hatred; whereas the piercing riffs by T.S.G.H. sound even more metallic in Ozymandias, offering more of the band’s unrelenting modern-day Melodic Black Metal. It’s then pedal to the metal in the ruthless Sous des Cieux absents (“under absent skies”), offering more of T.G.T.H.’s pulverizing yet intricate beats, and this talented Belgian squad ends the album with the breathtaking, suffocating Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne (“when your brain is gnawing at your skull”), with all instruments sounding as enfolding and obscure as possible.

Drawing from the roots of traditional Black Metal while embracing a more avantgarde touch, weaving dissonance, glorious melodies, and visceral riffs into an unrelenting journey toward the heights of despair, Asservis par l’espoir invites us all to “enslave ourselves”, which you can do by simply start following the band on Facebook, and of course by purchasing a copy of the album from the Signal Rex’s BandCamp. In the end, Solfatare will submerge you in the fervent magma of chaotic, visceral Black Metal found in Asservis par l’espoir, leaving you eager to have your entire body and soul consumed again and again by their eternal fire, just the way we love it in modern-day Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: D’Hommes et d’Isopteres, Sous des Cieux absents and Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Signal Rex

Track listing
1. Des monarques anhedoniques 6:45
2. D’Hommes et d’Isopteres 7:07
3. Du deuil affaire 7:16
4. Ozymandias 5:09
5. Sous des Cieux absents 7:16
6. Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne 8:48

Band members
T.S.G.H. – vocals, guitars
N.C.P.M. – bass
T.G.T.H. – drums

Album Review – Serenity in Murder / Timeless Reverie (2025)

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Japan’s own Melodic Death Metal beast returns with their stunning fifth opus, exploring the fragility of life, the complexities of human emotions and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

Having carved their place in the Melodic Death Metal scene worldwide for almost 15 years, Tokyo, Japan-based Symphonic/Melodic Black/Death Metal outfit Serenity In Murder continues to push boundaries in 2025 with their latest masterpiece, entitled Timeless Reverie, their fifth studio album and the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2021 opus Reborn, further refining their signature blend of raw aggression and symphonic beauty. Navigating a dark and emotional landscape, taking listeners on a journey through themes of time, destiny, inner turmoil and personal revolution, the new album by frontwoman Ayumu, guitarists Freddy and Ryuji, bassist Yu-ri and drummer Allen seamlessly weaves complex melodies, atmospheric symphonic elements, and crushing heaviness, exploring the fragility of life, the complexities of human emotions and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

The band needs less than two seconds to already crush our souls in God Forsaken, as imposing, complex and heavy as it can be, led by the masterful drumming by Allen while all symphonic elements take its epicness to a whole new level; flowing into the also melodic yet visceral Matrix, reminding me of the sounds blasted by Soilwork, Children of Bodom and In Flames but with the band’s own technical Japanese twist. Freddy and Ryuji are on fire in Blue Roses Gracefully Fall, blasting sheer electricity through their lancinating riffs while once again the background orchestrations sound majestic, and it’s pedal to the metal in the melodeath feast entitled And the World Awake, where their guitars transpire heaviness supported by the rumbling kitchen by Yu-ri and Allen. Allen keeps hammering his drums nonstop in Never Defiled, while Ayumu roars and gnarls like a true she-demon for our total delight.

A Dance of Sorrow lives up to the legacy of Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal, with Ayumu once again stealing the spotlight with her piercing screams, whereas the band sets fire to the atmosphere in The Flames Ablaze, where the riffs and solos by Freddy and Ryuji will electrify your mind in great fashion. Revolt definitely sounds more modern than its predecessors, yet still raw and violent, with its vocal lines alternating between Melodic Death Metal and Metalcore, followed by the serene interlude Past: Timeless Reverie, bringing peace to our hearts before their new version of the song Noticed This Is the Betrayal, originally released in the 2015 album The Highest of Dystopia, sounding sharp and infuriated just the way we like it in melodeath, with Ayumu bursting her lungs by barking rabidly until the very end. Lastly, we have Hope: Timeless Reverie, a lengthy outro that despite sounding detailed and cinematic, takes away a tiny bit of the album’s punch due to its duration. It might have worked better if shorter or if it had vocals, but nothing to worry about as it’s still a good song.

After all is said and done, Timeless Reverie, which is by the way available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, showcases a band at the peak of their creativity and form, hopefully expanding their reach beyond their homeland and letting them spread their wings over other parts of the world like North America and Europe. Timeless Reverie is undoubtedly one of the precious gems of heavy music in 2025, and if you want to know more about the band and their music, you can find them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and of course purchase a copy from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. The paradox between light and darkness (and no, I’m not talking about “Olbers’ paradox” in astronomy) seems to be a constant in heavy music, but few bands are capable of translating it into first-class, captivating music like what Serenity In Murder has to offer in their new album, turning it into a must-listen for anyone, and I mean anyone, who enjoys good music anywhere in the world.

Best moments of the album: God Forsaken, And the World Awake, Never Defiled and The Flames Ablaze.

Worst moments of the album: Hope: Timeless Reverie.

Released in 2025 Apostasy Records

Track listing
1. God Forsaken 4:13
2. Matrix 3:46
3. Blue Roses Gracefully Fall 4:08
4. And the World Awake 3:34
5. Never Defiled 4:40
6. A Dance of Sorrow 3:48
7. The Flames Ablaze 3:06
8. Revolt 3:18
9. Past: Timeless Reverie 1:25
10. Noticed This Is the Betrayal 3:28
11. Hope: Timeless Reverie 6:04

Band members
Ayumu – vocals
Freddy – guitars, clean vocals
Ryuji – guitars
Yu-ri – bass
Allen – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Vermilia

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Vastaan kulkee kuu kasvot kutsuen…

Miten teillä menee, rakkaat metallipäät? If you have no idea what this means, maybe we could ask our metal lady of the month of April here on The Headbanging Moose to help us with the translation, as not only it’s in her mother tongue, but she also uses this language in one hundred percent of her lyrics. Not only that, she’s more than just a singer, being responsible for all instruments in her one-woman Black Metal project. Owner of a mesmerizing voice, she will stun us all with her undisputed fusion of Pagan Black Metal with Nordic and Scandinavian melodies, offering us all beautiful lyrics in the form of poems about life, death and nature in her native language. Her name is Julia Mattila, usually referred to as her alter-ego Vermilia, a very creative woman and a free soul from the land of ice and snow who has a vision and a deep passion for music inside her head, always ready to let everything out in the form of her unique sounds.

Born and raised in Hämeenlinna, a city in Finland and the regional capital of Kanta-Häme, located in the southern interior of the country and on the shores of Lake Vanajavesi, Vermilia has been crafting music basically since she was born, having done everything from classical music to folk singing to metal and everything between that. She grew up in a very musical family, which means making music has always been very natural to her. Moreover, she is also an audio engineer, always listening to different genres to find new ideas for her own sound and production, therefore keeping her music as fresh and unique as possible with each album released.

Her one-woman project Vermilia was founded back in 2017, blending Pagan Black Metal with Scandinavian and Nordic melodies, clean, harsh and melancholic vocal harmonies, and lyrics in the form of poems about life, death and nature, always singing in her mother tongue Finnish, and always responsible for not only all vocal duties (including some amazing harsh growls), but also for all instruments (including even shaman drums), graphics and videos, recording, producing, mixing and mastering of all of her albums, plus all the artworks and photography. Shortly after forming Vermilia, she released her debut album Kätkyt (which means “cradle” in English), in 2018, which ended up being one of the most best selling metal albums on BandCamp during the weekend of its pre-release announcement, receiving a huge amount of praise from a variety of critics, magazines and webzines, and of course from fans from all over the world.

Right after the enormous success of Kätkyt, she released on March 1, 2019 her cover version for a Finnish classic song called Täällä Pohjantähden Alla, originally released by Petri Laaksonen in 1994 (and you can check the original version HERE). Vermilia’s atmospheric version became a huge success on Spotify, jumping straight to number #1 of the most viral songs in Finland on the official Spotify charts. After such a wild feedback from music lovers from all four corners of the earth, it was more than natural for Vermilia to keep her momentum going with the 2020 four-track EP Keskeneräisiä Tarinoita, which translates as “unfinished stories”, also getting tons of positive feedback from all types of metal and non-metal fans.

Then after reaching almost two million streams on Spotify, it was time for Vermilia to unleash upon humanity her highly anticipated sophomore opus, entitled Ruska, or “autumn foliage”, the process of leaves turning to various shades of yellow, orange, red and brown as the trees get ready for winter. The evolution in her music was beyond clear in Ruska, with her always evolving blend of Atmospheric, Pagan and Black Metal getting more personal, tighter and more compelling, culminating now in 2025 with the release of her strongest album to date, the breathtaking Karsikko, an expression that represents a set of markings made on a tree somewhere between a deceased person’s home and the burial site in the Finnic religion, which was believed to prevent the individual’s spirit from coming back. Her visuals are also a crucial part of her music, and you can savor that in all of her official videos on YouTube, including Veresi, Kansojen Kaipuu, Marras, Tuonen Joki, Hautavajo, Ruska, Hauras, Kuollut, Kaunis, and Äiti Maa. All of them are definitely worth a watch, and all of her albums are certainly worth purchasing from BandCamp, and you can also click HERE for all things Vermilia, including her mesmerizing live performances.

Apart from Vermilia, you can find our she-wolf (under her name Julia Mattila) as part of the bands Duo Julia Mattila & Samuli T. Mäkelä and Seele, and as the vocalist for a now defunct project named The Passion of Our Souls. As a matter of fact, Duo Julia Mattila & Samuli T. Mäkelä and The Passion of Our Souls are basically the same band, with the main difference being the type of music they play. In Duo Julia Mattila & Samuli T. Mäkelä, it looks like Julia and Samuli play (or used to play, who knows) cover songs in a sort of folk style, while in The Passion of Our Souls the style was a fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Metalcore with nuances of symphonic and gothic music, having released back in 2015 their first and only record, the EP Soulmates, as you can see in the song Give Me Your Soul.

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Her other band, named Seele, is an Alternative Rock/Electronic Pop band from Finland with whom Vermilia released the album Jos Vain Kaiken Jättäisin (which means “If Only I Left Everything” in English), in 2016, but that was it. Furthermore, you can also find her doing backing vocals on the song Peikonmieli, from the 2017 album Saatto, and vocals on the song Ikarus, from the 2019 album Valo, both released by the now defunct Finnish Melodic Black/Gothic Metal band Mustan Kuun Lapset, another band from Finland that always used their mother tongue to keep their connection to their roots intact and always present in their music.

In regards to Vermilia’s idols and influences, she always mentions in her interviews that her biggest inspirations are nature, sadness, darkness, autumn rain and mythology. “Everything I compose or write happens without bigger plans. I just let the creativity fly and move forward with the feelings I have in that moment,” she commented, complementing by saying that musically speaking she’s influenced by Atmospheric and Pagan Black Metal, as well as by folk music, which in her opinion represents freedom of art and freedom of mind. Furthermore, although her music is sometimes compared to Myrkur, Ulver and Moonsorrow, all bands she respects and admires, she mentioned she still thinks that their music is different from Vermilia, saying that any similarities might come from her subconscious or something like that.

As mentioned before, Vermilia is a skilled singer who can do both clean and harsh vocals, and she commented already in an interview how much her vocals have evolved with time. “I have studied different vocal techniques, which has helped me find all my voices. I love using my voice in many ways, and it’s my favourite instrument.” On a side note, when playing live of course she ends up needing support from other musicians to be able to bring her creations to life. “I do every single vocal by myself. There is no other vocalists on the album. But for example in the live shows I can’t do all at the same time, so there needs to be some compromises, like someone to double the growls in some parts of the songs when I do the clean vocals.” Furthermore, she also has a very good explanation for singing pretty much all the time in Finnish. “The Finnish language is very rich and there are so many metaphors in my lyrics that it’s kind of hard to translate these songs. I have done some lyrics in English in the past before Vermilia, but I am a so much better writer in Finnish so at this point I will keep doing this in Finnish because it fits perfectly to this, but you know, never say never.”

Vermilia also has a strong opinion about all the discrimination and disrespect towards women, both in the music industry and in everyday life. “I think we are going in a better direction, but we are still very far away from a solution for this.” In addition, she also thinks the new wave of women in Black Metal and other styles of extreme music is awesome, showing a lot of respect for bands like Myrkur and Sylvaine. “I think it is awesome that women are rising and doing their own music in their own way.” And of course, as she was born in Finland, a country considered by many as the epicenter of the best heavy music on the planet, she had some nice words to say about her homeland. “I love Finnish music in many genres, not just metal. I guess it’s so cold and dark here that we have to be creative and keep our brains warm by doing metal. For me Finland is a calming place where my mind is clear and my soul is resting. We have so many forests and lakes that you really don’t have to see other people if you don’t want to. Peace of nature is inspirational. I love to write and compose here.”

There are also countless interviews and videos online with Vermilia, like this nice one for a podcast from Latvia named Metālkāsts LV, where she talks about why she decided to fly solo in her career, her songwriting ritual, the importance of writing and singing in her native Finnish language, her favorite season of the year, and more, showing she’s not just a very talented musician, but also a very down to earth woman who will keep working hard and releasing new albums for our total delight, always following her passion for music, always inspired by nature, and always remaining true to her Finnish roots. And do you know her motto? Well, that’s a very simple yet powerful one that all of us should carry inside our hearts. “Be thankful for what you have right now, and don’t take anything for granted.”

Vermilia’s Official Facebook page
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Vermilia’s Official YouTube channel

“I love Finnish music in many genres, not just metal. I guess it’s so cold and dark here that we have to be creative and keep our brains warm by doing metal. For me Finland is a calming place where my mind is clear and my soul is resting. We have so many forests and lakes that you really don’t have to see other people if you don’t want to. Peace of nature is inspirational. I love to write and compose here.” – Vermilia

Concert Review – Septicflesh (The Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON, 02/24/2025)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Stormruler and Vltimas

On a Monday night in what has been a complete shitshow of city incompetence with regards to snow removal, Toronto’s metal denizens were treated to a great night at The Velvet Underground with the titans of Greek extreme metal SEPTICFLESH along with friends VLTIMAS and STORMRULER in support for the Modern Primitive in North America Tour 2025. Toronto being their first stop on the  Canadian leg of the tour. Originally this show was supposed to be at The Concert Hall on Yonge Street but ticket sales were not as strong as were anticipated and so a change in venue had to take place as The Concert Hall would have been too large of a venue for the smaller crowd. Quite a shame if you ask me because it is a superior venue, but this dark cloud had a silver lining, if anything, it just made the show at The Velvet Underground feel more intimate.

The weather was finally a bit more cooperative with milder temperatures but the city’s mismanagement of snow removal this year has been such a joke and sidewalks were still inundated with snow and garbage and other such messiness that walking the streets had become such an ordeal for most people. Lining up for the show was a bit of a challenge because there was barely enough room for pedestrians to get by but we all made the best of it. Finally security let us inside at around 7pm and as soon as we had got in the first thing we all noticed was that the merch was priced in American dollars which was a little odd all things considering. It didn’t bother me much though, I was way too excited to see  Septicflesh for any of that shit to bother me. The place filled up nicely and I made sure that I got close to the stage because the sight lines at the Velvet Underground are shit if you are short like me. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the show to begin. St. louis Missouri’s STORMRULER kicked off the show with a blistering 5 song set of  delicious melodic black metal complete with some solos for desert. Stormruler are filling in for Ex Deo as they are no longer on the tour because of unforeseen circumstances. It was my first time seeing them and I found them to be quite entertaining. I would definitely check them out if or when they visit us again.

Setlist
Sacred Rites & Black Magic
Reign of The Wicked Duke
In The Eye Of The Mirror
Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations
Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers

Band members
Jason Asberry – vocals, guitars
Nick Burks – guitars
Dalton Moore – bass
Jesse Schobel – drums

Up next was the extreme metal powerhouse that is VLTIMAS. They are a kind of supergroup consisting of ex Morbid Angel Frontman David Vincent (USA) on vocals, ex Mayhem and current Aura Noire guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (NOR), Canada’s own Flo Mounier of Cryptopsy on drums, Dutch Bassist Ype TWS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portugal’s Joao Duarte of the band Corpus Christii on guitar as well. Vltimas proceeded to tear the roof off with a brutal onslaught of extremity and I was surprised that the pits of hell didn’t open up in the middle of the floor. These guys are so polished and professional that they had the crowd instantly energized. The house was about 85% full but it felt like more than that. Everyone was waiting for Septicflesh to get on before they let loose in the pit. Vltimas absolutely killed it! 10/10!

Setlist
Epic
Something Wicked Marches In
Invictus
Mephisto Manifesto
Exercitus Irae
Last Ones Alive Win Nothing
Scorcher
Diabolus Est Sanguis
Everlasting

Band members
David Vincent – vocals
Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen – guitars
Joao Duarte – guitars
Ype TWS – bass
Flo Mounier – drums

SEPTICFLESH

The crowd was thoroughly rabid when the mighty SEPTICFLESH got on stage. The circle pit was instantaneous and the crowd never let up. Neuromancer was the second song they played and it blew the lid off the place. It was epic! definitely a crowd favourite as well as my own personal favourite song of theirs. I swear that riff lives in my head. The crowd was beside themselves with utter joy and satisfaction and you could tell that this band has a special connection with their fans, almost personal. This was my first time seeing them live and I fucking loved every second of it. Septicflesh belted out banger after banger the whole entire set. They are such an incredible band to see live! 10/10, would love to see them again! Overall it turned out to be a great night and a hell of a good show.

Setlist
The Vampire From Nazareth
Neuromancer
Pyramid God
Heirophant
Portrait Of A Headless Man
Coming Storm
Martyr
We, The Gods
A Desert Throne
Virtues Of The Beast
Communion
The Collector
Anubis
Dark Art

Band members
Spiros Antoniou – harsh vocals, bass
Sotiris Vayenas – guitars, clean vocals
Christos Antoniou – guitars, orchestrations, samples
Psychon – guitars
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums

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Album Review – Christ Dismembered / Ov Vampiricy (2025)

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An infernal Black Metal horde from Down Under is ready to ride out into the world once more, bringing with them the heretical gospel that is their sophomore opus.

A tolling bell, a howling wind and chants of dire imprecation announce the return of Black Metal horde Christ Dismembered, Australia’s chief advocates of apostasy and servants of the beast. Forged in the fires of the city of Millicent, South Australia in 2012, the band now formed of Arch Worm on vocals and guitars, Doomsayer on lead guitars, Winter Demon on rhythm guitars, Skorpa on bass, and Plague on drums is ready to ride out into the world once more, bringing with them the heretical gospel that is Ov Vampiricy, the follow-up to their 2017 self-titled debut, their second full-length album of blood hungry Black Metal in their crusade against the light, being tailored for admirers of the music by Nifelheim, Immortal, Dark Funeral and Behexen, among many others.

The howling winds of evil will embrace you in the album’s intro, taking you on a one-way journey to the underworld in Fool’s Gambit, already offering a vibrant fusion of Melodic Black Metal with old school Black Metal, with Plague sounding simply infernal on drums for our total delight. Then the strident riffage by Doomsayer and Winter Demon will mercilessly pierce your damned minds in Mother of Demons, a lecture in Black Metal by the quintet exhaling pure hatred and obscurity, followed by The Numbers Oppose You, offering an extra dosage of sulfurous Black Metal with Arch Worm gnarling like a demonic entity; and there’s no sign of slowing down nor anything like that, as it’s pedal to the metal in an ode to all things Black Metal titled Under the Cross, perfect for some blasphemous action inside the pit.

After that, we have the atmospheric interlude The Banishment, the calm before the storm as this Australian horde will crush your putrid souls in A Ritual Most Foul, where Plague dictates the song’s pace with his intricate yet demolishing blast beats, keeping the album at a high level of blasphemy. Sorcerer of Nazareth is a pure old school Black Metal extravaganza showcasing all the passion for the dark arts by the band, followed by Child Devouring Servants of Satan, one of the most infernal of all tracks of the album, with Doomsayer and Winter Demon stealing the show with their flammable riffage. Their second to last offering from the pits of the netherworld, entitled See You In Hell, showcases another vicious gnarling attack by Arch Worm, whereas last but definitely not least, this horde from Down Under will burn your frail bodies to the sound of the fiery Riddled With Sin, with Skorpa and Plague making the earth tremble with their beyond venomous and rumbling kitchen.

The children of the night will be unbound and their infernal music will echo through the darkness once more to the sound of Ov Vampiricy, and you can join such an amazing horde from Down Under by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their vile creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of their impious new album from their own BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from MSH Music Group. After all is said and done, simply open your ears to the cries of the children of the night, open your arms to their embrace to the sound of their blasphemous and vile new opus, or grip your crucifix in shaking hands and weep, because Christ Dismembered will take no prisoners in their quest for old school Black Metal armed with their excellent new offering.

Best moments of the album: Mother of Demons, Under the Cross and Child Devouring Servants of Satan.

Worst moments of the album: A Ritual Most Foul.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Intro 1:45
2. Fool’s Gambit 5:21
3. Mother of Demons 4:15
4. The Numbers Oppose You 4:12
5. Under the Cross 4:34
6. The Banishment 2:30
7. A Ritual Most Foul 4:27
8. Sorcerer of Nazareth 6:29
9. Child Devouring Servants of Satan 4:33
10. See You In Hell 5:54
11. Riddled With Sin 5:13

Band members
Arch Worm – vocals, guitars
Doomsayer – lead guitars
Winter Demon – rhythm guitars
Skorpa – bass
Plague – drums

Album Review – Hållbar / Nemesis (2025)

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Behold this excellent album of “Contemporary Black Metal” made in Poland, reminding us all that sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

Forged in the fires of Warsaw, Poland in 2023, Melodic Black/Death Metal horde Hållbar, a Swedish word that translates to “durable” or “sustainable” in English, is ready to crush our souls with their first full-length album, simply titled Nemesis. Self-recorded at Okrutnik Studio, mixed and mastered by Filip “Heinrich” Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio, and with artwork and design by Dariusz Barabaś from Seeg Design and Bartosz Rybitwa, the debut opus by Gosia Marczak on vocals, Przemysław Janusz Gracel and Jakub Bałdyga on the guitars, Bartosz Wietnam Mitura on bass and Sebastian Kredek Cieciera on drums brings to our avid ears a crossover between Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal with Deathcore-like female screams, or in other words, a unique belnd that the band likes to call as “Contemporary Black Metal”.

The cryptic, eerie intro Ambiguous Loss will darken our minds before the band comes ripping in Mental Apraxia, with Sebastian hammering his drums manically, offering Gosia all she needs to bark and roar like a true she-demon; and the guitars by Przemysław and Jakub exhale heaviness and sound as sharp as a knife in Face to the Ground, presenting a great fusion of Melodic Death and Black Metal. The title-track Nemesis brings forward obscure lyrics barked by Gosia (“You’re the hero of your personal myth / You’re an obdurate cancer running through my veins / You’re the buffalo with predator’s teeth / Nemesis! Oh! / Show me everything it is worth to die for / Nemesis! / Show me everything you just want to die for / Let them free!”), whereas Bartosz and Sebastian make the earth tremble with their metallic kitchen in the venomous Love/Hate Language.

After such a hurricane of blackened sounds, we face a more introspective, serene start in Fears, with Gosia gnarling deeply before all explodes into a headbanging extravaganza led by the massive drums by Sebastian, resulting in maybe the most Black Metal of all songs. The band continues to pave their darkened path in Voodoo Doll, another excellent option for some vigorous headbanging with the riffs by Przemysław and Jakub transpiring sulfur; and there’s no time to breathe as their caustic fusion of Death and Black Metal keeps penetrating deep inside our souls in Aposiopesis, while Gosia blasts an overdose of harsh roars in Tormentor, supported by the thunderous sounds crafted by her bandmates. Puppet String, the second to last song of the album, again ventures through darker lands, sounding perfect for some mosh pit action, whereas lastly we have Possibilities, a solid tune that puts a visceral yet melodic ending to the album.

“Nemesis is a tale of unprocessed experiences and emotions that, difficult and aggravating at first, eventually teach important lessons – stories of mental illness, codependency, perfectionism, patterns of unreflective behavior and loneliness. Nemesis is about each of us, because we are sometimes our own worst enemies,” commented Gosia about the band’s debut offering, and you can join the band in that never-ending fight against our inner demons by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their music on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of Nemesis from BandCamp or from DistroKid. We’re definitely our worst enemies in life, which is why we have high quality bands like Hållbar among us, to give us strength through their music to continue moving forward no matter what.

Best moments of the album: Face to the Ground, Fears and Aposiopesis.

Worst moments of the album: Tormentor.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Ambiguous Loss 0:41
2. Mental Apraxia 3:54
3. Face to the Ground 3:19
4. Nemesis 3:10
5. Love/Hate Language 3:47
6. Fears 3:33
7. Voodoo Doll 4:45
8. Aposiopesis 3:29
9. Tormentor 3:24
10. Puppet String 4:05
11. Possibilities 3:51

Band members
Gosia Marczak – vocals
Przemysław Janusz Gracel – guitar
Jakub Bałdyga – guitar
Bartosz Wietnam Mitura – bass
Sebastian Kredek Cieciera – drums