Album Review – Saħħar / Migja ta Mohh Mignun (2026)

Behold the scorching new offering by this Maltese one-man Black Metal project, chronicling the descent and transformation of a man consumed by insatiable thirst for forbidden knowledge.

A concept prose based on a Maltese legend formally penned by Agostino Levanzin (which in turn is rooted in actual events from the 16th century), chronicling the descent and transformation of a man consumed by insatiable thirst for forbidden knowledge, Miġja ta Moħħ Miġnun (or “Journey of a Mad Mind”) is the seventh studio opus by Pieta, Malta-based one-man Black Metal institution Saħħar. Presenting elements from an amalgamation of styles added to its Raw Black Metal essence, the new album by the lone wolf Marton Saliba marks a significant step forward in his artistic evolution, further refining a sound rooted in isolation, heritage and a deeply personal vision. Emerging from a scene far removed from the genre’s traditional strongholds, Saħħar continues to carve out a distinct identity within the contemporary Black Metal landscape.

L-Għatxan, or “thirst” in Maltese, starts in a ritualistic way before Marton consumes our souls with his Black Metal riffage and stone crushing drums, whereas Għerf Minsi, or “forgotten wisdom,” is even more infuriated and grim, with Marton barking and screaming with tons of anger and hatred in his blackened heart. It-Tarf tal-Kożmu u ta’ Ruħi, or “the edge of the cosmos and of my soul,” carries a beautiful name for a doom-laden Black Metal extravaganza by our Maltese warrior, with his roars piercing our minds mercilessly; and  he puts the pedal to the metal armed with his unstoppable blast beats in Fil-Palazz Sejjaħtilhom (“to the palace I called them”), a lecture in extreme music. His Doom Metal vein arises in Il-Miġja sa Sqallija (“the coming to Sicily”), as dark and sinister as it can be, while Ftakar fija!, or “remember me!,” continues with the same vibe as its predecessor, albeit a bit too sluggish and repetitive at times. L-Antikrist il-Ġdid (“the new antichrist”) alternates between cryptic, spine chilling moments and absolute darkness and chaos, putting a grim ending to the album, but if you go for the physical release you’ll get the scorching bonus tracks Id-Dinja Taħt Pajjżi (“the world under countries”) and L-Imlejka (“the angel”), both visceral and dense, therefore absolutely worth the investment in the CD version.

In a nuthsell, Migja ta Mohh Mignun expands on the project’s established sonic framework, blending harsh intensity with subtle melodic layers and a pervasive sense of decay. The result is a work that feels both immersive and unsettling, enveloping the listener in a bleak, almost otherworldly atmosphere, being therefore highly recommended for fans of renowned acts the likes of Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth, Mortuary Drape, and Dimmu Borgir. You can get more information about Marton and his Saħħar on Facebook and on Instagram, stream his discography on Spotify, and of course purchase Migja ta Mohh Mignun from BandCamp, from Time To Kill Records, or by clicking HERE. Marton and his Saħħar will certainly take you on a one-way descent into the deepest corners of an insane mind in their new album, and you better be prepared because once that descent starts, there’s no return.

Best moments of the album: Għerf Minsi, Fil-Palazz Sejjaħtilhom and L-Antikrist il-Ġdid.

Worst moments of the album: Ftakar fija!.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. L-Għatxan 2:47
2. Għerf Minsi 5:19
3. It-Tarf tal-Kożmu u ta’ Ruħi 5:44
4. Fil-Palazz Sejjaħtilhom 6:58
5. Il-Miġja sa Sqallija 6:40
6. Ftakar fija! 6:24
7. L-Antikrist il-Ġdid 6:52

CD bonus tracks
8. Id-Dinja Taħt Pajjżi 5:01
9. L-Imlejka 6:21

Band members
Marton Saliba – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
David Cutajar – guitars (live)
Kyle Anthony Cortis – guitars (live)
Gordon O’Reilly – bass (live)

Album Review – Monachopsis Art / An Empty Existence (2023)

A newborn Finnish creature is ready to darken the skies with their debut opus, inspired by early first and second wave Black Metal as well as more recent Atmospheric Black Metal.

Playing brutal yet hypnotic and hauntingly beautiful music straight from their woeful souls, Finnish Black Metal trio Monachopsis Art was formed in 2022 by members from such bands as The Abbey, Henget, Shape of Despair and Licht des Urteils, aiming at creating music that is organic and raw, but still powerful and feeling-evoking, which is exactly what you’ll find in the band’s debut opus, titled An Empty Existence. Mixed and mastered at Studio Beyond North Star by the band’s own guitarist, bassist and keyboardist J.H. (aka Jesse Heikkinen), the album is inspired by early first and second wave Black Metal bands such as Venom, Bathory and Burzum, but also more recent Atmospheric Black Metal acts such as ColdWorld and Lustre, while the lyrics revolve around war, suicide and the meaningless struggles of human life, all played with passion and hatred by the aforementioned J.H. together with N.K. (aka Natalie Koskinen) on vocals, and A.K. (aka Antti Kaislaranta) on drums.

Atmospheric and sinister from the very first second, the intro Thee Darkness Gathers… will darken the skies before the trio comes hammering our hearts with Seeds, a solid fusion of old school, raw Black Metal with more contemporary sounds and nuances led by the venomous gnarls by the she-demon N.K., whereas Silent Torture presents a hypnotizing rhythm led by the Doom Metal beats by A.K. while J.H. adds his share of horror to the music with his somber keys and sharp riffage. Following such powerful tune, the band brings forth River of Blood, offering us all devilish lyrics grasped by N.K. (“Hear the sound / Of the burning wood / Feel the power of / Pure disgust / See how the light (is) fading away / Watch how flesh…buried under the tone”) amidst a dense and Stygian sonority.

Then featuring guest vocals by the demonic Spellgoth (Horna, Trollheims Grott), who makes a phantasmagorical duet with N.K., we have A Dark Place, with J.H. extracting pure evil from his guitar and keys; followed by Stargazer, once again bringing to our avid ears a grim hybrid of Black and Doom Metal while A.K. dictates the song’s lugubrious pace and N.K.’s witch-like vociferations and introspective clean vocals permeate the air beautifully. J.H.’s keys continue to give their music a theatrical vibe in Flesh Will Be Humiliated, while their core Black Metal sound is perfect for summoning all creatures from the underworld; and the trio continues to walk straight into darkness in No Desire to Live, with J.H. and A.K. making a sinister duo and, therefore, making our heads tremble with their devilish sonic weapons. Finally, we face Flame of Night, which is not a bad song but the keys sound a bit excessive during its entirety, taking away a bit of its heaviness. N.K. is awesome on vocals as usual, though.

The name of the band couldn’t have been more appropriate than Monachopsis Art, as “monachopsis” is defined as the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place, plus the word “art” to depict how the band members see their creations as a different form of art that doesn’t follow the rules of the existing music scene, all carefully brought into being in An Empty Existence. Hence, go check what such promising trio is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and above that, go grab your copy of their idiosyncratic debut album from the Nordvis webstore or by clicking HERE, and you can also find all things Monachopsis Art by following this link. The music by Monachopsis Art is evil, atmospheric, delicate and captivating, turning An Empty Existence into the perfect soundtrack for one of those dark days with no end in sight.

Best moments of the album: Silent Torture, A Dark Place and Stargazer.

Worst moments of the album: Flame of Night.

Released in 2023 Forgotten Friends/Silent Future Recordings

Track listing
1. Thee Darkness Gathers… 2:05
2. Seeds 3:50
3. Silent Torture 4:02
4. River of Blood 5:00
5. A Dark Place 3:06
6. Stargazer 3:34
7. Flesh Will Be Humiliated 2:55
8. No Desire to Live 3:30
9. Flame of Night 4:25

Band members
N.K. – vocals
J.H. – guitars, bass, keyboards
A.K. – drums

Guest musician
Spellgoth – vocals on “A Dark Place”