Tag Archives: melodic black metal

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Monolith (2023)

Posted on by
1

The unstoppable Polish vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Moloch returns with an incendiary new album, offering us all 46 minutes of raw intensity, embodying nihilism, misanthropy and disdain for an indifferent world.

Prepare to be embraced by absolute darkness, as Opole, Poland’s own Black Metal/Dark Ambient institution ZØRORMR is back from the underworld with its latest offering, entitled The Monolith, following up on its highly acclaimed 2016 EP The Aftermath. Recorded at Red Dragon Studio, Dobra 12 Studio and Via Nocturna Studio, produced by Arkadiusz “Aro” Jabłoński at Monroe Sound Studio, and displaying a wicked cover art by Paweł Kuranda, The Monolith spans over 46 minutes of raw intensity, embodying nihilism, misanthropy and disdain for an indifferent world, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist and multi-insturmentalist Moloch (with the support of guests Quazarre on lead guitars and Icanraz on drums), making it the most personal and formidable ZØRORMR release to date.

Kicking things off in style, the title-track The Monolith is eerie and sinister from the very first second, growing in intensity and obscurity to the Doom Metal beats by Icanraz while Moloch extracts sheer evil form his guitar and bass, exploding into a massive, visceral Black Metal feast with Moloch gnarling majestically. Downward Spiral is another devilish, multi-layered Black Metal aria crafted by Moloch showcasing beautiful guitar solos by Quazarre while Moloch makes sure the atmosphere remains as Stygian as it can be; whereas the sharp, piercing guitars by Moloch supported by the fulminating blast beats by Icanraz will darken the skies in Hollow, the perfect depiction of how brutal yet melodic and mesmerizing the music by ZØRORMR can be, followed by I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, showcasing a very peculiar name to a breathtaking, demonic creation by Moloch that lives up to the legacy of Melodic Black Metal, feeling simply infernal from start to finish with Moloch’s growls sounding truly haunting.

The second half of the album begins with the sulfurous The Pentagram, with Moloch being on fire with his enraged vocals, flammable riffs and thunderous bass accompanied by the always vicious drums by Icanraz in a tribute to pure evil; and slowing thing down a bit and beginning in a serene manner we have Return to Nothingness, while of course always sounding macabre. It’s not a bad song, but far from being as strong as the rest of the album, though. Then back to his more demonic mode, Moloch will hammer our heads mercilessly in Per aspera, ad astra (“through difficulties, to the stars” from Latin), where his diabolical vocals sound awesome until the very end while he also fires ass-kicking riffs supported by more of Quazarre’s classy solos; and the album’s last onrush of obscurity, entitled Enter the Void, begins in a somber way to the dirty riffage by Moloch, alternating between doom-ish moments and absolute heaviness, therefore putting a vile and dark ending to an opus not recommended for the lighthearted.

The new installment in the career of Moloch and his ZØRORMR is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you’re a true servant of the dark arts of heavy music you can purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE (CD) or HERE (digital), and don’t forget to also start following ZØRORMR on Facebook and on Instagram. As aforementioned, The Monolith is Moloch’s most personal album since he started ZØRORMR over a decade ago, bringing forward his past and present sounds while always thinking forward, opening countless roads for him to keep growing as a musician while remaining loyal to the foundations of Black Metal with all of his upcoming releases.

Best moments of the album: The Monolith, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream and Per aspera, ad astra.

Worst moments of the album: Return to Nothingness.

Released in 2023 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. The Monolith 7:39
2. Downward Spiral 5:52
3. Hollow 6:26
4. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream 5:03
5. The Pentagram 3:55
6. Return to Nothingness 6:29
7. Per aspera, ad astra 5:32
8. Enter the Void 5:24

Band members
Moloch – vocals, guitar, bass

Guest musicians
Quazarre – lead guitars
Icanraz – drums

Album Review – Thron / Dust (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold the majestic fourth album by this unrelenting German Black Metal horde, explicating the undeniable fact that everything will turn to dust someday.

Forged in 2015 in the deep darkness of the Black Forest, a mountainous region in southwest Germany, bordering France, the unrelenting Black Metal horde Thron is back with a fantastic new opus, titled Dust, their fourth full-length album following up on their 2021 effort Pilgrim. Currently formed of Samca on vocals, PVIII and Raven Dust on the guitars, SXIII on bass and J on drums, the band incorporated new elements to their sound in Dust by going back to their very roots which lie in the early 80’s, when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate ruled the field, while at the same time taking inspiration from the 90’s when bands like Tiamat, Edge of Sanity and Sentenced expanded their horizons. This fusion of sounds, combined with serious dedication to the glorious Progressive Rock dinosaurs of the 70’s, the love for the dark extreme musical arts with blasting fury and aggressive vocals, the crisp recording at Black Halo Studios Rheinfelden, Chäuer Studios Bärn and RL Studios Freiburg, the first-class mixing and mastering by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios, and the sinister artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, turn Dust into a must-listen for admirers of the music by Dissection, Watain, Necrophobic, Unanimated and Tribulation, just to name a few.

The devilish guitars by PVIII and Raven Dust will send shivers down your spine in Dying In The Mud, kicking off the album on a beyond dark note with Samca gnarling nonstop in the name of Black Metal; and such talented German horde puts the pedal to the metal in Return…, delivering classic Black Metal spearheaded by the massive drums by J while the band’s guitar duo keeps firing sheer obscurity from their axes, sounding furious, insane and evil just the way we like it. SXIII adds his share of heaviness to the music through his bass lines in The True Belief, leaning towards Melodic Black Metal while Samca keeps vociferating manically, being therefore perfect for some vicious headbanging, whereas back to a more infernal mode the band will demolish our souls with The Golden Calf, once again showcasing a superb guitar job and demonic blast beats, not to mention its welcome breaks and variations. And not a single second of peace is offered to us all in Monologue, another straightforward, Stygian Black Metal extravaganza showcasing the usual demolishing drums by the infuriated J.

The intro in The Eve is certainly spine-chilling, and that sulfurous, demonic vibe grows in intensity before exploding into old school Black Metal with hints of Death Metal. Needless to say, Samca sounds utterly grim on vocals, whereas Into Oblivion is another very harmonious and piercing creation by Thron venturing through the realms of modern-day Melodic Black Metal where all riffs and solos are absolutely incendiary. More of their razor-edged riffs will penetrate deep inside our psyche in The Tyranny Of I, with J dictating the song’s venomous pace with his intricate but also violent beats; followed by Face Of Despair, darker and more demonic than its predecessors thanks to its hints of Doom Metal while remaining loyal to the band’s core essence, presenting another superb vocal performance by Samca and overflowing desperation, hatred and sulfur. Their second to last breath of blasphemy comes in the form of The Wrong God, with PVIII and Raven Dust cutting our skin deep with another flawless riff attack, while lastly the band still has time to fulminate our senses with Martyr, where J is bestial behind his drums supported by the rumbling bass by SXIII throughout the song’s almost seven minutes of pure Black Metal awesomeness.

In summary, Thron more than nailed it with the apocalyptic Dust, delivering a collection of eleven Black Metal anthems that will undoubtedly place it among the best Black Metal albums of the year. Furthermore, such sensational blast of extreme music made in Germany can be appreciated in all of its obscure glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and if you consider yourself a true servant of the underworld you should definitely purchase a copy of it from the Listenable Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping the fires of Black Metal burning bright until the very end. Because you know, as the band itself stated, everything will turn to dust someday.

Best moments of the album: Return…, The Golden Calf, The Eve and The Tyranny Of I.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Listenable Records

Track listing
1. Dying In The Mud 5:08
2. Return… 4:52
3. The True Belief 4:06
4. The Golden Calf 6:13
5. Monologue 3:31
6. The Eve 5:52
7. Into Oblivion 3:58
8. The Tyranny Of I 5:42
9. Face Of Despair 4:20
10. The Wrong God 4:48
11. Martyr 6:55

Band members
Samca – vocals
PVIII – guitars
Raven Dust – guitars
SXIII – bass
J – drums

Album Review – Mork / Dypet (2023)

Posted on by
1

Let yourself sink into the depths of the abyss to the sound of the sixth full-length album by this one-man Black Metal project hailing from Norway.

The ever prolific, Halden, Norway-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Thomas Eriksen returns from the underworld with his Black Metal outfit Mork armed with the project’s sixth studio, entitled Dypet, following swiftly on the heels of his 2021 opus Katedralen. Recorded and mixed by Thomas himself, mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, and displaying a sick artwork by David Thiérrée (inspired by the album’s theme of “Draugen” or “Cthulhu”) and crest by Jannicke Wiese-Hansen, Dypet, which means “the deep” from Norwegian, is a miasma of grim and frost-bitten riffs and harsh vocal melodies, simultaneously pushing new ideas forward yet still retaining the signature foundations of ice cold hypnotic Black Metal. Furthermore, Dypet is not a concept album and the themes of hatred, death, betrayal, inner demons and misanthropy will find fans of Black Metal right at home, continuing his exploration of the depths of darkness.

Thomas unleashes his inner demons in the Stygian opening tune Indre Demoner (“inner demons”), starting in a somber, pensive way before exploding into first-class Melodic Black Metal led by his harmonious yet piercing guitar lines, followed by Forført Av Kulden (“seduced by the cold”), even more obscure than its predecessor, with Thomas gnarling like a creature from the abyss until the very end. Moreover, regarding its concept Thomas said that the song “is about being seduced into the cold hard weather outside by an unknown force, wandering into the snowstorm at night and ending up freezing to death. It depicts a somewhat glorified theme of death as a beautiful and unavoidable thing.” Then in Svik (“betrayal”) we’re treated to classic Scandinavian Black Metal infused with Melodic Black Metal elements, with Thomas firing his usual roars supported by a solid job done on drums; whereas Et Kall Fra Dypet (“a call from the deep”) is absolutely heavy and dark from the very first second, where Thomas once again hammers his drums fiercely while his growling resonates through the air.

Featuring guest vocals by Norwegian vocalist Hjelvik, Høye Murer (“high walls”) brings forward strident, razor-edged riffs and low-tuned bass which together generate the perfect atmosphere for Thomas and Hjelvik to vociferate in the darkest possible way; and inspired by the beautiful Nordic countryside we have Bortgang (“demise”), thematically exploring the idea of legacy and it’s various interpretations from both the perspective of the deceased and those that were left behind, another melodic and flammable display of Black Metal by such talented Norwegian musician. Enhancing his animosity and rage it’s time for the venomous Avskum (“scum”), where Thomas keeps roaring rabidly while his guitar sounds absolutely infernal, also showcasing demonic blast beats; and  last but not least Thomas invests in a more direct, old school Black Metal sonority in Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen (“back to origins”), flowing smoothly until the song’s climatic and grim finale.

“It is with great pride that I am able to present and experience the release of my sixth full length album. I put every single drop of myself into the process of shaping Mork’s music. Perhaps even more so with this new album. As the album title, which translates to ‘the deep’, something from the depths has been brought to the surface, Dypet was inspired by my life over the last couple of years, the thoughts, feelings, passion and the evolving of creative free will. Dive in and let yourself sink into the abyss,” commented Thomas about his newborn beast, and you can let your soul be dragged into the deep by streaming the album in full on YouTube or on Spotify, or by clicking HERE and purchasing your favorite version of it. In addition, don’t forget to also follow Thomas and his Mork on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things surrounding such grim and captivating project. The abyss is calling you to the sound of the new album by Mork, and I’m sure that, once there, you’ll enjoy its cold embrace for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Forført Av Kulden, Høye Murer and Avskum.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Peaceville Records

Track listing
1. Indre Demoner 6:15
2. Forført Av Kulden 5:20
3. Svik 5:16
4. Et Kall Fra Dypet 7:31
5. Høye Murer 6:37
6. Bortgang 5:49
7. Avskum 4:44
8. Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen 6:15

Band members
Thomas Eriksen – vocals, all instruments

Guest musician
Hjelvik – vocals on “Høye Murer”

Album Review – Decipher / Arcane Paths To Resurrection (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

This infuriated Black and Death Metal horde from Greece will crush your mind with their debut effort, showcasing their steely vision and penchant for writing superbly structured songs that have an inherent catchiness to them.

Formed in October 2017 in the hypnotizing city of Athens, Greece, the unrelenting Black/Death Metal horde Decipher is ready to unleash upon humanity their first full-length opus, entitled Arcane Paths To Resurrection, the follow-up to their 2019 debut EP Of Fire and Brimstone. Displaying a stunning artwork by Artem Grigoryev, the album showcases the steely vision and penchant for writing superbly structured songs that have an inherent catchiness to them by vocalist M.L., guitarists K.G. and K.C., and drummer N.C., while also being gritty and dynamic, not giving you much time to dwell on things as it keeps throwing one deadly riff after the other at you as you’re forced to scramble in an attempt to fully comprehend them before life comes to an end.

The band’s Stygian guitars ignite their sulfurous attack in Chants of the Unholy, with the blast beast by N.C. bringing hell to their imposing musicality, and K.G. and K.C. continue to extract darkness and hatred from their guitars in Lost in Obscurity while M.L. vociferates rabidly in the name of evil in a great display of contemporary Black Metal. Then a beyond creepy, phantasmagorical interlude titled Arcane Paths will send shivers down your spine before the quartet comes crushing our putrid souls once again in Enslaved to Be, presenting their demonic riffs and growls supported by another bestial performance by N.C. on drums, also showcasing hints of Melodic Black Metal carefully inserted into their core sound.

Get ready for eight minutes of sulfur and obscurity entitled Altar of the Void, with the entire band being on absolute fire from start to finish, in special M.L. with his venomous gnarling while K.G. and K.C. once again hammer our skulls with their axes; whereas investing in a more somber sonority with elements from Doom Metal and Blackened Doom we have Penance, before exploding into their core insanity led by the infernal drums by N.C., sounding very detailed, demonic and thrilling, or in other words, a lecture in modern-day Black Metal. And lastly, closing the album the band offers us all one last onrush of malignant Black Metal titled Sanctum Regnum, with their piercing guitars and hellish roars elevating the song’s obscurity to a whole new level, therefore feeling very dense and grim until the very last second.

In a nutshell, Decipher are more than ready to kill armed with their sulfurous debut effort, and if I were you I would definitely give those Greek metallers a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their classy music, stream their sick creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of Arcane Paths To Resurrection from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a special digipak CD or as an ass-kicking shirt + CD combo (or click HERE for all things Decipher). The band is surely delivering a timeless piece of Black Metal that’s impactful and strongly evocative with Arcane Paths To Resurrection, keeping in mind this is just their first opus, which means Decipher will surely make a lot of noise in the coming years for the delight of al lovers of extreme music out there.

Best moments of the album: Chants of the Unholy, Altar of the Void and Penance.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Chants of the Unholy 4:11
2. Lost in Obscurity 5:40
3. Arcane Paths 1:48
4. Enslaved to Be 4:56
5. Altar of the Void 8:52
6. Penance 5:15
7. Sanctum Regnum 5:42

Band members
M.L. – vocals, chants
K.G. – lead and rhythm guitars, bass, vocals, chants
K.C. – guitars
N.C. – drums

Album Review – Insomnium / Anno 1696 (2023)

Posted on by
2

Finland’s masters of Melodic Death Metal return with a bold and sinister new album, taking us back into the dark times of the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe.

Based on a short story by Niilo Sevänen (just like their 2016 album Winter’s Gate), Anno 1696, the ninth studio album by Finnish Melodic Death Metal institution Insomnium, takes the listeners back into the dark times of the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe, famine and superstition. Mixed by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Arda Recorders, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Recording Studios, displaying a classy artwork by Sami Makkonen, and featuring guest keyboards by Coen Janssen (Epica, Amahiru), the follow-up to their 2019 effort Heart like a Grave doesn’t disappoint at all, proving why this Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala-based unity currently comprised of vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevänen, guitarists Ville Friman, Markus Vanhala and Jani Liimatainen, and drummer Markus Hirvonen has become one of the pillars of the genre in the entire Scandinavia, delivering first-class Melodic Death Metal album after album for our total delight.

Acoustic guitars and tribal beats ignite the opening tune 1696, being gradually joined by several other elements and evolving into a demolishing feast of their trademark Melodic Death Metal, with Niilo’s growls matching perfectly with their melodious guitar lines; followed by White Christ, presenting strong, classic lyrics flawlessly declaimed by the iconic Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ together with Niilo (“In the name of our Saviour and Lord / In the name of our Monarch and the Crown / I’ve come to bring the law and justice to this land / I’ve come to bring the light and grace of the Christ”) in a lecture in Melodic Black and Death Metal. Then we have Godforsaken, featuring Johanna Kurkela (Altamullan Road, Auri, Eye of Melian) on vocals, adding a touch of finesse and melancholy to the overall result, accompanied by the massive beats by Markus Hirvonen and the piercing riffs by the band’s guitar triumvirate, flowing into the pure Insomnium tune Lilian, where a serene, delicate intro once again explodes into their unparalleled sound, showcasing an amazing job done by Ville, Markus Vanhala and Jani with their axes and, therefore, inviting us to headbang in pitch black darkness.

More of their poetic, bitterly cold lyrics is offered to us all in Starless Paths (“Cruel is the winter’s might / Dreadful the howl of wind / Beyond the pathless treks we roam / Where the church bells never toll”) while the music sounds extremely harmonious and dense from start to finish, and the band continues to distill their stylish Melodic Death Metal in The Witch Hunter, spearheaded by the classic beats by Markus Hirvonen while keeping the album as vibrant as it can be. The shortest of all tracks, titled The Unrest, begins in a similar acoustic way as the opening tune while Niilo darkly declaims the song’s words together with the clean vocals by Ville and Jani, and albeit being a good song it lacks the same energy from the others. Finally we’re treated to The Rapids, bringing forward a superb fusion of violence, melancholy, harmony and darkness by Insomnium, offering our avid ears almost eight minutes of their undisputed music. Moreover, Niilo roars deeply while his bandmates make sure the music remains imposing until the very last second, with their guitar solos piercing our souls majestically.

Perhaps the best way to fully understand everything Insomnium wanted to accomplish with Anno 1696 would be by watching this track by track video, and before or after you do so you can stream the album in its entirety on Youtube and on Spotify, being therefore properly immersed in the sinister world crafted by such important band from the Finnish scene. Also, don’t forget to start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and above all that, to purchase the excellent Anno 1696 by clicking HERE or HERE. As already mentioned, the album is all about the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe, and there’s nothing better than the Stygian and melancholic music by Insomnium to guide us all through such dark and horrifying times.

Best moments of the album: White Christ, Lilian and The Rapids.

Worst moments of the album: The Unrest.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. 1696 6:18
2. White Christ 6:03
3. Godforsaken 8:35
4. Lilian 4:29
5. Starless Paths 7:48
6. The Witch Hunter 5:43
7. The Unrest 3:52
8. The Rapids 7:38

Japanese Edition Disc 2 – Songs of the Dusk
9. Flowers of the Night 5:28
10. Stained in Red 6:50
11. Song of the Dusk 9:43

Band members
Niilo Sevänen – lead vocals, bass
Ville Friman – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Vanhala – guitars
Jani Liimatainen – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Hirvonen – drums

Guest musicians
Sakis Tolis – vocals on “White Christ”
Johanna Kurkela – vocals on “Godforsaken”
Coen Janssen – keyboards

Album Review – Okkultist / O.M.E.N. (2023)

Posted on by
1

Get ready to have your sinful soul dragged to hell by this Portuguese Blackened Death Metal outfit to the sound of their infernal sophomore opus.

The result of loss and sacrifice, the culmination of pain, and absolute detachment from life, O​.​M​.​E​.​N., or Omnis Malum Et Noceo, which translates from Latin as “everything evil and harmful”, is the sophomore opus by Lisbon, Portugal-based Black/Death Metal horde Okkultist, representing the band’s strongest effort since their inception in 2016 and, consequently, a huge step forward in the career of one of the most interesting names of the current Portuguese scene. The journey of an obsolete sense of desperateness from walking out of the void weighting us down that is depression, into the high state of spiritual healing, O​.​M​.​E​.​N. has everything a diehard fan of Blackened Death Metal desires and more, showcasing the undeniable talent and passion for the occult by vocalist, lyricist and visionary Beatriz Mariano, lead guitarist and co-founder Leander Sandmeier, rhythm guitarist João Corceiro (who by the way pre-produced the album), bassist David J. Rodrigues and drummer Eduardo Sinatra, all of them more than ready to drag your sinful soul to the pits of hell.

The title-track O​.​M​.​E​.​N. feels like the band is summoning evil spirits from the underworld (“In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas / Luciferi Excelsi / Ave”), resulting in a very extensive intro that opens the gates of hell for Okkultist to attack our senses with Death to Your Breed, where the Melodic Death and Black Metal drums by Eduardo create a rumbling ambience for the witch-like roars by Beatriz, providing us with everything we love in extreme music, being fast, furious, heavy and absolutely evil. The band continues to fire their acid fusion of Death and Black Metal in Meet Me in Hell, inviting us all to bang our heads nonstop to the devilish, piercing riffs by Leander and João; whereas the hellish sound of their guitars permeate the air in Blood on Satan’s Claw, bringing to our ears four minutes of undisputed heaviness and obscurity. And in Demonic Warfare we face another round of first-class Black and Death Metal spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Beatriz while Eduardo dictates the pace with his pounding drums, not to mention the striking solos by Leander.

9th Layer of the Abyss is a song that can be considered Okkultist’s ultimate black mass, taking us on a one-way journey to the pits of the netherworld while Eduardo brings forward sheer doom through his slow and steady beats; whereas back to a more infuriated mode, this unstoppable horde will darken our minds with the brutality and harmony found in Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice, showcasing once again striking riffs and solos, devilish blast beats, and the always mesmerizing she-demon gnarls by Beatriz. Then in loving memory of the one and only Alexi Laiho (RIP), it’s time for their rendition of Children of Bodom’s hit Sixpounder (check out the original one HERE) from their 2003 critically acclaimed album Hate Crew Deathroll, presenting a fantastic job done by the entire band from start to finish. Lastly, closing the album we’re invited to slam into the pit one last time to the sound of Crimson Ecstasy, with Beatriz growling viciously while David’s bass and Eduardo’s drums make the earth tremble in the name of Extreme Metal. In addition, not even the unnecessary lengthy silence at the end of the song (before one final invocation of around one minute comes up) ruins the track’s overall quality. I wonder if they had to release an album with over 40 minutes of duration as requested by their record label, and that was their way of doing it.

The caustic and thrilling O​.​M​.​E​.​N., which is available in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and on sale from the Alma Mater Records’ BandCamp page and webstore, as well as from Apple Music (or you can click HERE for links to the album and all other things Okkultist), will certainly open countless doors worldwide for the band, and you can also show them your support and admiration by following them on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. “Dark times exist so we can harness that power through them, and rise above anything or anyone that has tried to put us down. This album is for YOU – YOU who have survived through the worst of your days, YOU who didn’t know what to do when things got tough, YOU who’ve felt hopeless, blind, beaten up, not knowing where you have to be in life. You are not alone. Take this album, and use its strength to show you how endless your inner power is. It’s all in your hands,” commented Beatriz about their newborn spawn, an album that will feature among the best hailing from Portugal this year hands down.

Best moments of the album: Death to Your Breed, Meet Me in Hell, Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice and, obviously, Sixpounder.

Worst moments of the album: None, except for the length of the first track and the extensive silent break of the last track.

Released in 2023 Alma Mater Records

Track listing
1. O​.​M​.​E​.​N. 4:00
2. Death to Your Breed 3:24
3. Meet Me in Hell 4:31
4. Blood on Satan’s Claw 4:05
5. Demonic Warfare 4:33
6. 9th Layer of the Abyss 4:13
7. Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice 4:05
8. Sixpounder (Children of Bodom cover) 3:26
9. Crimson Ecstasy 10:12

Band members
Beatriz Mariano – vocals
Leander Sandmeier – lead guitars
João Corceiro – rhythm guitars
David J. Rodrigues – bass
Eduardo Sinatra – drums

Album Review – Ciemra / The Tread of Darkness (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold the magnificent debut opus by this Belarusian Black Metal horde, based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss.

Forged in the scorching fires of Minsk, Belarus in 2019, when five essences emerged from the abyss to the veils of night on the eve of the end times in order to reap the living, to satisfy the hunger of darkness and to nourish the wombs of the dark gods, the venomous Melodic Black Metal horde Ciemra (or Цемра, which means “darkness” in Belarusian) delivers fast-paced, cold and pure Black Metal which is looking at both the classic European sound and its more contemporary interpretations, which is exactly what you’ll find in their newborn opus titled The Tread of Darkness. Recorded at Alma Studio, mixed and mastered by Yaroslav Tseluyko at Jaro Sound, and displaying a demonic artwork by Nestor Povarnin, The Tread Of Darkness is based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss, masterfully brought into being by the witch Malvain on vocals, Misery and Zima on the guitars, Kurz on bass, and Sønn on drums.

The acoustic guitars by Misery and Zima will mesmerize your soul accompanied by the slow and steady beast by Sønn in Ciemra, before the Belarusian sorceress Malvain begins gnarling in a dark and beautiful manner, with the music growing in intensity until becoming a sulfurous and grandiose feast of undisputed Black Metal. After such impactful start, the band continues to distill their blend of Melodic Black Metal with old school, raw Black Metal in Four Riders, with the band’s guitar duo cutting our skin deep with their evil riffage, followed by Vomiting Void, very melodious and bestial from the very first second while showcasing devilish lyrics growled by Malvain (“Burning the world / Building the temple / In the end of the night / There’s a Vomiting Void / So far material awake the gun”). And investing in a more cadenced, obscure sonority led by the classic drums by Sønn supported by the low-tuned bass by Kurz, Call of the Ancestors is an evil composition perfect for summoning evil spirits.

Then continuing to pave their path to pitch black darkness it’s time for War, again presenting the trademark roars by Malvain while Misery and Zima add elements from Death and Doom Metal to their riffs; and their piercing, strident guitars keep darkening the skies in A Night for the Death, where their Blackened Doom vein arises like a creature from the netherworld, with Kurz and Sønn once again hammering our heads with their demonic kitchen in a lecture in extreme music. The eerie vociferations by Malvain are the main ingredient in the Black Metal extravaganza Winter, where the caustic sound of their guitars will blacken your mind for all eternity, whereas in Serpent’s we face more of their infernal words (“The shaking Serpent / In the Abyss / The Raw materials / I’m on my knees…”) while the music is just as Stygian and heavy as the rest of the album, exploding into a gargantuan onrush of pure Black Metal at the end. Lastly, closing such somber album we have Where the Eyes Close, offering more of the band’s darkly melodic and grim Black Metal for our total delight, with its ethereal passages creating a stunning paradox with the band’s more visceral and violent side.

The bestial debut album by such promising Belarusian horde can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness you can purchase your favorite version of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a digipak CD, a black vinyl or a color vinyl, from Season of Mist also as a digipak CD or a color vinyl, from Record Shop X, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, don’t forget to start following Ciemra on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos. Nature, in its primordial beauty and originality, also finds a place in The Tread Of Darkness, as there is where Ciemra find themselves at peace, but the exact opposite of that peace is what the quintet will offer you throughout the entire album, relentlessly dragging you toward endless darkness.

Best moments of the album: Ciemra, Vomiting Void, A Night for the Death and Where the Eyes Close.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Ciemra 7:09
2. Four Riders 4:41
3. Vomiting Void 3:52
4. Call of the Ancestors 4:59
5. War 5:49
6. A Night for the Death 5:43
7. Winter 4:48
8. Serpent’s 4:28
9. Where the Eyes Close 5:00

Band members
Malvain – vocals
Misery – guitar
Zima – guitar
Kurz – bass
Sønn – drums

Concert Review – Rotting Christ (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/05/2023)

Posted on by
1

And the city of Toronto became part of a global cult of melodic and ritualistic Black Metal thanks to the undisputed music by the almighty Rotting Christ. 

OPENING ACTS: Gaerea, UADA and Carach Angren

I must confess I was a little worried about what would happen to the GAEREA, UADA, CARACH ANGREN and ROTTING CHRIST concert at Lee’s Palace in Toronto last night, as part of their amazing Under Our Black Cult North American Tour 2023, mainly due to the shitty weather that has been punishing the United States and Canada in the past month or so. If you go to Gaerea’s official Facebook page, you’ll see they had to miss a few concerts in the US due to the nasty weather conditions, and after the heavy snow storm that hit Toronto this Friday I wasn’t sure if the concert was actually going to happen. Fortunately for all of us Torontonians who headed to a sold-out Lee’s Palace last night the weather was perfect for this time of the year (it wasn’t even that cold), and not only the four bands played, but they all kicked some serious ass.

My only complaint is once again related to the time the doors opened, already after 7pm, and the time Portuguese Black Metal entity GAEREA hit the stage, at 7:30pm sharp. This means a lot of people who were still lining up outside of the venue until around 7:40pm missed the first few minutes from Gaerea’s performance. Why can’t the venues open their doors at least one hour prior to the first band, and come up with a faster way to check ID’s and tickets so that fans can enjoy all bands they paid some good money to see? Anyway, Gaerea were phenomenal during their short but powerful concert, playing only songs from their 2022 opus Mirage such as Salve and Laude while their mysterious frontman kept mesmerizing us all with a unique performance that reminded me of a darkened mix of Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan. It was a dark, atmospheric and evil performance by the quintet, and I can’t wait to see them return to Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Intro
Deluge
Salve
Mirage
Urge
Laude
Outro

Band members
*Information not available*

After a very quick break, it was time for American Melodic Black Metal horde UADA to pulverize our damned souls with one of the most atmospheric concerts I’ve seen in a while, playing long, intricate and visceral songs the likes of the title-track from their 2020 opus Djinn, plus The Purging Fire and Cult of a Dying Sun, with the strong smell of incense from the beginning of the show generating a captivating ambience for all fans at the venue. Jake Superchi was insane on vocals and guitar, headbanging manically while also growling like a beast for our total delight, while his band members, particularly drummer Josh Lovejoy, kept the music flowing majestically until the very last second. UADA are already gearing up for their first South American tour this October, which not only  means those guys are becoming bigger and bigger in the metal scene, but also that if you live in one of the South American cities they’re visiting in a few months you can rest assured you’re in for a fantastic treat.

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Djinn
Snakes & Vultures
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, guitars
James Sloan – guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Josh Lovejoy – drums

The third opening act of the night, Dutch Symphonic Black Metal demons CARACH ANGREN, also brought forth an ass-kicking concert, perhaps not as detailed or melodic as Gaerea or UADA, but full of energy and absolutely phantasmagorical. Blending songs from all of their albums with their latest opus Franckensteina Strataemontanus, from 2020, the duo Seregor (aka Dennis Droomers, who’s by the way in a relationship with the stunning Sandie Gjørtz, the frontwoman for Danish Melodic Death Metal outfit Defacing God) and Ardek (aka Clemens Wijers), with the support of the butcher Bastiaan Boh on the guitars and Gabe Seeber on drums, delivered a very theatrical concert for the crowd in Toronto, inspiring the fans to ignite some circle pits and even a wall of death with their devilish music. The only thing that bothered me a lot was the lack of a bassist while Ardek had two keyboards, but as weird as it might look the band has a lot of chemistry onstage and you end up forgetting about that minor detail right after the first song.

Setlist
Electronic Voice Phenomena
The Ghost of Raynham Hall
The Carriage Wheel Murder
The Necromancer
Bitte Tötet Mich
Operation Compass
Franckensteina Strataemontanus
A Strange Presence Near the Woods
Monster
Bloodstains on the Captain’s Log

Band members
Seregor – vocals, guitars
Ardek – keyboards, piano, orchestrations, backing vocals
Bastiaan Boh – guitars
Gabe Seeber – drums

ROTING CHRIST

It was around 10:20pm when the main attraction of the night, Greek Black Metal institution ROTTING CHRIST, showed Toronto once again why they’re one of the most important names in the history of extreme music, and will always be a reference to any metalhead who’s into the darkest side of metal. It’s beyond impressive how the iconic Mr. Sakis Tolis and his brother Themis Tolis are still so energetic on stage after so many decades on the road, hypnotizing the crowd and making every single one of their concerts simply memorable. In addition, I need to mention bassist Kostas Heliotis and guitarist Kostis Foukarakis also added their share of heaviness and electricity to the show, headbanging nonstop, interacting with the fans, and of course, playing all songs to perfection.

I was finally able to witness the guys playing songs form their awesome 2019 album The Herectics live, those being Fire, God and Fear and The Raven, and both were superb. However, their classics including the opening tune 666, Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, Elthe Kyrie, In Yumen-Xibalba and Noctis Era were the most electrifying moments of the show as expected, generating intense, unstoppable mosh pits for the delight of everyone who decided to brave the storm that became the main pit. And how not to love Rotting Christ when they worship our buddy Satan by playing on the same night the songs Apage Satana, Societas Satanas, and the majestic Grandis Spiritus Diavolos? That was superb, and the energy flowing between the band and the crowd was insane.

Whenever the mighty Rotting Christ takes the city of Toronto by storm again, I’ll certainly be there. It’s one of those must-see shows by a band that loves what they do and that loves to witness their fans going mental during their live performances. The temperature inside Lee’s Palace was so hot that some people had to wait after the show was over for their shirts to dry from all their sweat before enduring another cold winter night in Toronto, but after all was said and done everything was totally worth it. Sakis is an unstoppable metal beast, the city of Toronto loves him, and hopefully next time he’s in the city with his horde they can play in front of an even bigger crowd. And until that day comes, we should all keep these words deep inside our herectic hearts… NON SERVIAM!

Setlist
666
Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Fire, God and Fear
Dub-sag-ta-ke
Apage Satana
Elthe Kyrie
Demonon Vrosis
Societas Satanas
Non Serviam
In Yumen-Xibalba
Grandis Spiritus Diavolos
The Raven

Encore:
Noctis Era

Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
Kostis Foukarakis – guitars, backing vocals
Kostas Heliotis – bass, backing vocals
Themis Tolis – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – Bloody Falls / Dying is Easy EP (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

This Finnish five-piece metal act is ready to attack with their new EP, a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death.

Formed back in 2017 in the city of Valkeakoski, Finland, the five-piece killer combo known as Bloody Falls combines all kind of elements of the most extreme metal genres, including blasting drums, epic passages and memorable guitar riffs that will make your head explode in a million pieces, while having their sound rooted in contemporary Melodic Black and Death Metal. Now in 2023 the band formed of Antero Hakala on vocals, Stavros Mathios and Marko Mäkinen on the guitars, Mika Lehtinen on bass and Rami Vartiainen on drums is unleashing upon humanity their new EP entitled Dying is Easy, following up on their 2021 album Burn the Witch. Recording and produced by the band’s own guitarist Stavros Mathios at VStudio, and mixed and mastered by Max Morton at Morton Studio, the EP is a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death, all introduced by heavy riffs and guttural vocals.

Are you scared to die, or are you scared to live? Well, Bloody Falls will answer that question to you in Dying is Easy, a brutal explosion of Black, Death and Groove Metal led by the venomous roars by Antero while Stravos and Marko darken the atmosphere with their devilish riffs. Then get ready for six minutes of sheer heaviness and obscurity in the modern-day Black and Death Metal feast titled Dancing with Flames, with Mika’s rumbling bass and Rami’s hammering drums inspiring us all to break our necks headbanging like crazy bastards; whereas Face Your Demise leans towards modern-day Melodic Death Metal with some Metalcore nuances, with Antero’s vocals sounding as evil as possible accompanied by the classic and melodic guitars by Stravos and Marko. It’s time for a headbanging, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune entitled Death By Hanging, with Rami stealing the spotlight with his massive beats while Antero keeps roaring like a beast, and their last blast of extreme music comes in the form of Reaper Is My Neighbor, where the bass jabs by Mika will hit you hard in the face while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing their stringed weapons in great fashion.

Although it would have been nicer to have a full-length album released by the band instead of just an EP, the 25 minutes of music found in Dying is Easy are already incendiary enough to prove how talented and passionate for heavy music those Finnish metallers are, and if you want to show them your support you can find them and start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new EP from the Art Gates Records webstore, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE. As death is inevitable, why not enjoy some good heavy music during our miserable lives like what Bloody Falls have to offer us all until our very last breath?

Best moments of the album: Dancing with Flames and Death By Hanging.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Art Gates Records

Track listing
1. Dying is Easy 5:13
2. Dancing with Flames 5:46
3. Face Your Demise 4:22
4. Death By Hanging 4:10
5. Reaper Is My Neighbor 4:39

Band members
Antero Hakala – vocals
Stavros Mathios – guitars
Marko Mäkinen – guitars
Mika Lehtinen – bass
Rami Vartiainen – drums

Album Review – Grá / Lycaon (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Succumb to the dark side of music ruled by this Swedish Black Metal horde armed with their sinister and visceral fourth studio album.

Since their inception in Stockholm, Sweden in 2010, the fantastic Black Metal entity Grá (a mixture of the Icelandic “grár” and the Swedish “grå”, simply meaning “gray”) has relentlessly worked to shape their music to be both a perfect example of Swedish Black Metal and a very personal interpretation of its classic sound. Now in 2023 the horde comprised of Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral, Cursed 13) on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Vediger (Diabolic Lust, Cursed 13) on bass, and Dimman (Veiled, Cursed 13) on drums returns from the underworld with their fourth opus, entitled Lycaon, a lecture in classic and modern Black Metal. Mixed by Terry Nikas at Zero Gravity Studios, mastered by George Nerantzis, displaying an explosive cover art by Chilean artist Felipe Ignacio, and featuring guest guitarist and keyboardist Maugrim (Vargagrav, Cursed 13) and guest vocalist Terry Nikas (Scar of the Sun), Lycaon heads in the opposite direction of their 2018 intricate and bombastic album Väsen, displaying fewer layers meticulously measured and well thought out to carry the right atmosphere forward.

White City Devil is very melodic and grim from the very first second, with Dimman sounding like a beast behind his drums offering Heljarmadr exactly what he needs to darkly roar nonstop in a flammable fusion of old school Black Metal with contemporary Melodic Black Metal. After such intense tune we have Flame of Hephaestus, even more sulfurous and with Heljarmadr growling the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Through cinders and snow, chasing the storms / Cleansed and so cold, concealed and obscure / Astray from all life, so violently dark / Shrouded in ice, forged in the fire”) while the guitars sound utterly caustic; and Maugrim and Heljarmadr keep slashing our ears with their visceral riffs in Torn Asunder, an ode to Black Metal that will please all fans of the genre. Then we’re treated to the title-track Lycaon, a lesson in modern-day Black Metal spearheaded by the venomous vocals by Heljarmadr while Vediger and Dimman make the earth tremble with their demonic kitchen. In other words, simply raise your horns in the name of evil to the sound of this amazing song.

It’s then time for their infernal rendition of Bathory’s Chariots of Fire (from their 1987 album Under The Sign Of The Black Mark), with Heljarmadr stealing the spotlight with his demented vocal lines; whereas the sinister bass by Vediger kick off the groovy and melodic Ett Avskedsbrev (or “a farewell letter” from Swedish), accompanied by the rhythmic beats by Dimman. Brännmärkt, which means “tarnished”, “tainted” or “branded”, carries on the torch exploring the cold war from a Swedish perspective, where the intro depicting a Swedish emergency siren called “Hesa Fredrik” (Hoarse Fredrik) and an old radio transmission was recorded right when the Russia-Ukraine war started. Musically speaking, it’s absolutely heavy and obscure, with Dimman pounding his drums mercilessly while the guitars by Maugrim and Heljarmadr bring an extra touch of malignancy to the overall result, flowing into the tribalistic outro titled Jaws of the Underworld, concluding the album on a cinematic note to the sound of the hammering drums by Dimman.

As aforementioned, Väsen might have been dropped like a bomb onto our heads back in 2018, but it’s with Lycaon that Grá have reached a whole new level of obscurity in their music, already placing it as one of the best albums of 2023 even if we’re just starting the month of January. Hence, don’t forget to show your support and admiration to the guys from Grá by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their official YouTube channel, by streaming all of their wicked creations on Spotify, and obviously by purchasing their massive new album from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a Digipak CD, a black vinyl or as a limited color vinyl, or from Amazon. Lycaon is Swedish Black Metal at its finest, and I’m sure you’ll succumb to the dark side ruled by Grá right after your first listen to such Stygian album.

Best moments of the album: Flame of Hephaestus, Torn Asunder, Lycaon and Brännmärkt.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. White City Devil 4:40
2. Flame of Hephaestus 4:20
3. Torn Asunder 4:17
4. Lycaon 5:10
5. Chariots of Fire (Bathory cover) 2:50
6. Ett Avskedsbrev 4:27
7. Brännmärkt 6:17
8. Jaws of the Underworld 3:38

Band members
Heljarmadr – vocals, guitars, keyboards
Vediger – bass, backing vocals
Dimman – drums, percussion

Guest musicians
Maugrim – additional guitars and keyboards
Terry Nikas – additional vocals