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Album Review – Der Rote Milan / Verlust EP (2025)

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Enveloped in shadow, this six-headed German Black Metal beast returns with a new EP encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.

Enveloped in shadow, Trier, Germany-based sextet Der Rote Milan returns to action with more of their intense, melodic, riff-driven Black Metal in their newborn EP Verlust, the German word for “loss.” Produced by the band itself, recorded, mixed and mastered by Markus Stock  at Klangschmiede Studio E, and displaying a suffocating artwork by Matt Prison, the follow-up to their 2019 full-length album Moritat and their the 2023 EP Schlund sees the band formed of III on vocals, I and V on the guitars, VII on bass, II on synths, and VI on drums  develop further their Atmospheric Black Metal sound and lyrical depth, all steeped in a deep sense of humanity, of indulging in the human condition, even those parts many may wish to avoid, encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.

The EP kicks off in great fashion to the strident, piercing riffs by I and V in Aus der Finsternis, or “out of the darkness” from German, evolving into a bestial fusion of old school Black Metal with Post-Black Metal nuances, sounding utterly hypnotizing and vile from start to finish. Où allez-vous, or “where are you going?”, brings forward more of their trademark sonority, with VI sounding ruthless as usual on drums while III vociferates the song’s devilish words majestically; and there’s no time to breathe as such a demonic horde invades our senses with Skepsis der Existenz, or “skepticism of existence” (referring to a philosophical doubt about the nature and reality of existence itself), perhaps the most Black Metal of all songs, with III once again stealing the show with his raspy growling. Verlust, the song that carries the name of the EP, brings forward an overdose of soul crushing riffs by I and V supported by the classy drumming by VI; and they close the EP on a vile and frantic mode with Der letzte Rubin, or “the last ruby.” inspired by a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Furthermore, I can imagine the speed and size of the circle pits that can be formed during it, all boosted by another rumbling background crafted by VII, II and VI.

Exploring a strange sense of beauty that emerges from despair through the multi-faceted nature in which loss is experienced, the music by Der Rote Milan draws not only from nature, but also from the darker side of humanity’s acts, notably historical wars in Central Europe, anti-religion and, on an individual level, inner conflict. The combination of those elements with the harshness of  Black Metal sounds once again fantastic in the band’s newborn EP, and if you want to put your damned hands on it simply go to BandCamp or to Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their austere creations on any platform like Spotify. Because loss exists and purveys through our lives in many forms, one of them being the undisputed Black Metal offered by Der Rote Milan in albums like Verlust, a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of music and life in general.

Best moments of the album: Où allez-vous and Skepsis der Existenz.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork

Track listing
1. Aus der Finsternis 4:46
2. Où allez-vous 4:40
3. Skepsis der Existenz 4:06
4. Verlust 4:12
5. Der letzte Rubin 5:04

Band members
III – vocals
I – guitar
V – guitar
VII – bass
II – synths
VI – drums

Album Review – Spectral Lore / 11 Days EP (2023)

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Embark on a musical voyage together with this Greek Atmospheric Black Metal/Ambient entity, offering us all a powerful concept album about the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean sea.

A concept album about the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean sea, 11 Days is a very different album for Athens, Greece-based Atmospheric Black Metal/Ambient entity Spectral Lore, being its first album to feature a specifically political theme. Originally released as a digital album in March of 2023 with the aim to gather funds for refugee and migrant aiding collectives, it functions not just as a musical album with a fictional narrative based on real events, but also as a statement of protest against the policies of the European Union regarding refugees and migrants. Recorded, mixed and mastered by the band’s own mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ayloss (of Auriferous Flame, Clarent Blade, Divine Element, Fortress of the Pearl, Mystras, and several other amazing projects) at Stellar Auditorium, displaying a captivating artwork by Christina Chrysanthopoulou, and featuring an array of special guests, the album describes a fictional journey of survival through the Mediterranean sea using supernatural and mythic elements, in an attempt to tell such a story in a way consistent with Black Metal and Ambient aesthetics, being therefore recommended for fans of Mare Cognitum, Chaos Moon, Midnight Odyssey and Blut Aus Nord, among others.

Featuring guest vocals by an unknown member of Greek Black Metal horde Yovel, Moloch is a multi-layered, harsh and unique creation by Ayloss that alternates between classic Atmospheric Black Metal and Experimental Black Metal moments, with its visceral, cryptic vociferations being beautifully complemented by hammering drums and piercing Black Metal riffs, moving like an arrow on fire in pitch black darkness until the very last second. Then we have Fortitude/Sunrise, with synths, electronics and vocals by guest Nate Collins, another phantasmagorical and ethereal aria that will mercilessly enfold your damned soul for ten minutes. In other words, it’s the utmost definition of ambient music, with all elements connecting to each other to craft an ominous atmosphere; followed by Adro Onzi, featuring guest vocals by V. and a guest guitar solo by K. (both of Greek Black Metal act Voak), guest vocals by Sadistik, and synths by Odile Aurora Strik, an explosion of old school Black Metal with modern nuances that’s simply pulverizing from start to finish. Once again leaning towards Experimental Black Metal, the song showcases an amazing job done by all musicians involved, embellishing the airwaves for impressive 13 minutes and flowing into the also dense and mesmerizing Tremor/Kalunga Line, featuring synths, electronics and vocals by guests Nate Collins and Odile Aurora Strik, again venturing through the realms of atmospheric and ambient music, sounding very delicate yet also dark and grim, therefore closing the album on a whimsical note.

“These kinds of policies with the goal of violently curtailing immigration cause enormous death and suffering, as migrants are forced to take even more difficult and dangerous routes to avoid repression. The primary intention with this album is therefore to call out the xenophobic, nationalist and anti-immigrant ideologies that are still dominant today in Europe, under the veil of fake progressivism and pseudo-humanist rhetoric,” commented Ayloss about all issues going on in Europe, and you can get to know more details and find additional links about everything happening in the region on the project’s BandCamp page, where you can obviously purchase a copy of 11 Days (also available for a full listen on YouTube), as well as from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page or from Throne Records as a CD or an LP, keeping in mind all sales from the digital version and proceeds from the physical editions will be donated to pro-refugee organizations and causes. You can also follow Ayloss and his Spectral Lore on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and stream more of the project’s music on Spotify, joining Ayloss on a musical journey where fantasy and reality collide in a truly compelling way, again proving how the power of music can have a very positive impact on our rotten and decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Moloch and Adro Onzi.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 I, Voidhanger Records/Throne Records

Track listing
1. Moloch 11:05
2. Fortitude/Sunrise 10:08
3. Adro Onzi 13:45
4. Tremor/Kalunga Line 9:02

Band members
Ayloss – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Nate Collins – synths, electronics and vocals on “Fortitude/Sunrise” and “Tremor/Kalunga Line”
Odile Aurora Strik – synths on “Adro Onzi”, synths and field recording on “Tremor/Kalunga Line”
V. – vocals on “Adro Onzi”
K. – lead guitars on “Adro Onzi”
Sadistik – vocals on “Adro Onzi”
Unknown – vocals on “Moloch”

Album Review – Fossilization / Leprous Daylight (2023)

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A Brazilian Death and Doom Metal duo attacks with their first full-length album, offering us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair.

One of the most acclaimed and praised newcomers in the underground recesses of the contended and highly demanding Death Metal feud, São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Doom Metal duo Fossilization attacks with their first full album, entitled Leprous Daylight, an utterly crushing and brutally wrenching release. Recorded at Hellspass Studio, mixed and mastered by Finnish musician and producer Otso Ukkonen, produced by the band’s own V, and featuring illustrations by Indonesian artist Rio Oka of Digtrash Art, the album offers us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair maliciously crafted and fiercely executed by the aforementioned V (aka Thiago Oliveira of Jupiterian) on vocals, guitars and bass, and P (aka Paulo Pinheiro of Jupiterian, Mortal Embodiment and Riffcoven) on drums, being a must-listen for fans of Dead Congregation, Krypts, Spectral Voice, Incantation, and for all admirers of the Brazilian Death Metal scene in general.

The sinister, grim intro Archæan Gateway introduces the duo’s deep and sharp heaviness before all hell breaks loose in Once Was God, where P is infernal behind his drums making the earth tremble while V roars like an entity from the underworld, or in other words, it’s a modern-day Blackened Doom aria that will darken your mind mercilessly. In Oracle of Reversion we face hellish words vociferated by V (“Transcending through the ages of fog and cold / Usurper of the throne in the skies and stars / Shadows bent before thee in honor / The Gods hum their lament and sadness / To nothingness”) while he also slashes his stringed axe in the name of darkness and evil; and V also does a superb job with both his scorching riffs and thunderous bass in At the Heart of the Nest, a lecture in Blackened Death Metal with a menacing Doom Metal vibe not recommended for the lighthearted.

The second half of the album begins with the pulverizing title-track Leprous Daylight, where P sounds inhumane behind his drums, bringing his heaviest artillery and therefore generating a beyond infernal atmosphere perfect for V’s demonic roars; followed by The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames, another brutal, neck-breaking tune of darkness blasted by the duo, and Fossilization don’t show a single drop of mercy for our souls, hammering our cranial skulls with their devilish fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal until the very end. Then the riffage by V sounds even darker and more sulfurous in Eon, a lecture in heaviness, brutality and insanity by Fossilization that lives up to the legacy of the most visceral form of Doom Metal, with P pounding his drums with tons of rage and dexterity, whereas lastly we face the most Doom Metal of all tracks, the sluggish and grim Wrought in the Abyss. It loses its grip after a while, though, but V and P still showcase a venomous performance throughout the entire song, putting a Stygian ending to the album.

This bestial album made in the depths of the Brazilian hellish pits can be enjoyed in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously grab a copy of it from HERE (mailorder) or HERE (BandCamp), adding an extra touch of darkness and sulfur to your already demonic collection. In addition, go check what V and P are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, succumbing to the most obscure side of heavy music, and keeping such infernal duo inspired to keep blasting our ears with their music for many years to come like what they have to offer us all in their debut opus.

Best moments of the album: Once Was God, At the Heart of the Nest and Eon.

Worst moments of the album: Wrought in the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Archæan Gateway 0:55
2. Once Was God 4:59
3. Oracle of Reversion 5:02
4. At the Heart of the Nest 4:24
5. Leprous Daylight 5:03
6. The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames 4:56
7. Eon 5:40
8. Wrought in the Abyss 5:36

Band members
V – vocals, guitars, bass
P – drums

Album Review – Jupiterian / Protosapien (2020)

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Rising as a mythical creature, this Brazilian Atmospheric Sludge and Doom Metal outfit is ready to haunt our souls with the crushing, primeval music found in their brand new opus.

Formed in 2013 in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, the unyelding Atmospheric Sludge/Doom Metal outfit Jupiterian is back in action after releasing their groundbreaking album Terraforming in 2017, which was akin to the sound of tectonic plates shifting. In the aftermath of that event, a new revelation has been unearthed, their magnum opus Protosapien. Featuring a Stygian artwork by Polish artist Mariusz Lewandowski, it slices through the ominous atmospheric murk of the band’s previous effort and in an almost primitive yet strangely evolved manner, goes for the jugular. Comprised of Von  vocals, guitars and synths, A on the guitar, R on bass and G on drums, Jupiterian rise as a mythical creature, imbibing everything that transpired and distilling it all to create something highly potent, dense and sonically immeasurable, a form of harrowing, otherworldly Sludge and Doom Metal that lumbers on erratically, carving their own path, trampling on anything that dares stand in their way, and being therefore highly recommended for admirers of the music by  Eremit, Loss, Primitive Man, Gaerea and My Dying Bride, among others.

The phantasmagorical and cinematic intro Homecoming will crawl deep inside your skin and darken your heart until the gates to the underworld are open with the imposing Mere Humans, where the reverberating bass by R and the Stygian riffs by V and A will make your head tremble while G fires sluggish, doomed beats nonstop. V’s and A’s dirty and piercing guitar lines keep bringing darkness to us all in Voidborn, accompanied by G’s damned drums and the hellish vociferations by V, being perfect for cracking your neck headbanging in solitude. Put differently, this is the epitome of primeval Sludge and Doom Metal spiced up by the obscurity of Blackened Doom, whereas in the vile Capricorn we’re treated to a ritualistic doom aria spearheaded by G’s tribal beats, with the quartet bringing forward a sharp hybrid of American Sludge Metal and classic Doom Metal. Furthermore, the bass punches by R sound absolutely metallic, taking the song’s malignancy to a whole new level. And they offer more of their raw and unearthly sounds in the heavy-as-hell Starless, showcasing a great sync between R and G with their respective bass jabs and drums while the inhumane growls by V add an extra touch of evil to the overall result. Lastly, a gargantuan roar by V ignite the one hundred percent, unfiltered Atmospheric Doom Metal feast titled Earthling Bloodline, where G pounds his drums slowly and steadily while his bandmates generate a menacing ambience with their strings from hell.

There are numerous places where you can put your dirty hands on Protosapien, such as the band’s own BandCamp page, the official Transcending Obscurity Records webstore (where you can find precious gems such as the 8-panel digipak CD with metallic effect and sandalwood fragrance or an amazing boxset including an autographed LP), the Transcending Obscurity Records webstores for the US and Europe, Apple Music, Amazon and so on. Hence, you can also support those Brazilian doomers by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and also by streaming all of their wicked creations on Spotify. As aforementioned, like a mythical creature Jupiterian are among us to haunt our souls and blacken our damned hearts, having in Protosapien the perfect weapon to attack us all with their crushing, antediluvian doom.

Best moments of the album: Capricorn and Earthling Bloodline.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Homecoming 2:09
2. Mere Humans 5:38
3. Voidborn 6:53
4. Capricorn 7:06
5. Starless 7:13
6. Earthling Bloodline 6:40

Band members
V – vocals, guitars, synths
A – guitar
R – bass
G – drums

Album Review – Acedia Mundi / Selfhatred.Addiction EP (2020)

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Join those French metallers in the pitch-black streets of Paris to the sound of their new EP, filling the void and hatred that we bring to ourselves and to others.

A cryptic Paris, France-based Black Metal entity that goes by the stylish name of Acedia Mundi (which translates from Latin as “the world’s apathy”) is back in action three years after the release of their debut opus Speculum Humanae Salvationis with a brand new and exctinig EP entitled Selfhatred​.​Addiction, highly recommended for fans of what the band itself likes to call “Urban Black Metal”. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Nidstang Studio and featuring a Stygian artwork designed by the talented Faquin (Epectase, Imperial Triumphant), based on a shot from the 1995 film The Addiction by Abel Ferrara, Selfhatred​.​Addiction is a solid step in the career of the band currently comprised of vocalist and guitarist V., guitarist T., bassist W. and drummer A., pointing to a bright future ahead of them. Selfhatred.Addiction is S.H.S’ gnarly little brother. A turning point for us soundwise as our cold and surgical identity got warmer and passionate without abandoning our psychological trademark. This release deals with themes related to wandering, an aimless life, other than raw and bestial debauchery to fill the void and hatred that we bring to ourselves and to others. Three years have passed and a lot has happened for Acedia Mundi. We went from studio project to live band and a founding member was left behind. After a lot of line-up changes we are now working on a second album that will be released in 2021,” commented the band about their new EP.

The opening tune Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) couldn’t have started in a more obscure, crude and venomous way, with V. growling like a demonic entity while A. crushes and hammers his drums manically in an amazing display of contemporary Black Metal. Then we’re treated to almost six minutes of pulverizing German Black Metal with a vibrant French twist in their cover version for Katharsis’ 666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung), featuring guest guitarist G. (Atavisma), where V. and T. are ruthless with their vile riffage accompanied by the low-tuned, eerie bass by W., living up to the epicness and sulfur from the original version from Katharsis’ 2000 album 666. After such demolishing tune it’s time for the second original track of the EP, Dic(k)hter, blending classic Black Metal with modern-day Post-Metal and Experimental Black Metal and sounding as wicked and austere as it can be. Moreover,  the sick barks by V. are perfectly complemented by the infernal shredding and demonic beats blasted by his bandmates, making your head tremble throughout its four intense minutes. And lastly, featuring D. (Sanctuary) on the guitars, Acedia Mundi arise from the pits of the underworld with a grandiose tribute to The Stooges in I Wanna Be Your Dog, originally released in their 1969 self-titled debut album (check the original version HERE). I truly love Slayer’s cover version known as “I’m Gonna Be Your God” from their 1994 album Undisputed Attitude, but I must admit the guys from Acedia Mundi also nailed it with their scorching Black Metal vibe.

In case you’re curious to listen to the band’s new compositions and cover songs from Selfhatred​.​Addiction, you can take a full listen at the EP on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course to keep the band inspired to move forward and to keep delivering their extreme music for many years to come you should also purchase your desired version of the EP from their own BandCamp page, from MusikÖ_Eye’s webstore in CD, cassette or as a CD + cassette + poster special bundle, from Apple Music or from Amazon. In addition, don’t forget to follow those talented French metallers on Facebook and on Instagram to know more about their future projects, including their upcoming full-length album in 2021. Acedia Mundi definitely bring a breath of fresh (or maybe I should say sulfurous) air to the Extreme Metal scene with their new EP, leaving us eager for more of their music in the coming months and, consequently, more than ready to join them in their quest for heavy music in the pitch-black streets of Paris.

Best moments of the album: Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) and I Wanna Be Your Dog.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 MusikÖ_Eye

Track listing
1. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) 5:41
2. 666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung) (Katharsis cover) 5:55
3. Dic(k)hter 4:05
4. I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover) 3:27

Band members
V. – vocals, guitars
T. – guitars
W. – bass
A. – drums

Guest musicians
D. – guitars on “I Wanna Be Your Dog”
G. – guitars on “666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung)”

Album Review – Der Rote Milan / Moritat (2019)

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Enjoy these German tales from the past connected to the present through themes of freedom, fear and fighting oneself in the face of death, all embraced by first-class Black Metal.

I, II, III, IV and V. More than just Roman numerals, those represent the five pillars of a German Black Metal unity known as Der Rote Milan, who are beyond ready to keep haunting  our souls with their second full-length opus, entitled Moritat, the follow-up to and a logical progression from their 2016 debut album Aus der Asche. Not only that, their new album can also be considered a concept release, as Moritat tells local stories based on real events during a thirty-year war that took place during the 17th century, with its central character being the historical figure Schinderhannes, an outlaw considered by some to be the “German Robin Hood”.  These stories, which take place in the southwestern Germany’s Hunsrück region, are connected to the present through themes of freedom, fear and fighting oneself in the face of death.

Forged in 2015 in the fires of Trier, a southwestern German city in the Moselle wine region lying in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the west of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the border with Luxembourg, Der Rote Milan (which would translate to English as “the red kite”) continue to play Melodic Black Metal in Moritat, finding their identity in a combination of vicious blast beats, catchy melodies, and calm, thoughtful moments. The lyrics are performed in German to underscore the local character of the stories, giving the whole experience of listening to their music an extra touch of aggressiveness, obscurity and pure evil. Comprised of six very detailed and bold songs, Moritat surpasses the 40-minute barrier in great fashion, positioning this cryptic entity as one of the most promising new names of the underground German scene.

Gentle notes gradually morph into a brutal but very melodic devastation entitled Die Habsucht (or “the greed” in English), where IV begins fulminating everything and everyone with his demonic beats while lead singer III fires some absolutely enraged roars, with the music flowing majestically until a somber and atmospheric break takes over, powerfully getting back to an infernal Black Metal ending. Then it’s time for I and II to pulverize our ears with their scorching riffs in Drohende Schatten (“threatening shadows”), a lesson in Melodic Black Metal by this Teutonic horde, sounding even more demented and violent than the opening track, whereas Gnosis der Vergänglichkeit (“gnosis of transience”) is an ode to all things dark and mournful with a melancholic Atmospheric Black Metal-inspired intro where III’s otherworldly growls and vociferations sound utterly anguished and grim, while V keeps the ambience menacing with his low-tuned bass.

And that intricate and lugubrious vibe keeps haunting our souls in Der letzte Galgen (“the last gallows”), where III growls demonically while his bandmates extract the most vicious and piercing sounds possible from their instruments, with IV once again stealing the spotlight with his precision and technique, getting almost tribal with his beats at times (which in the end enhances the song’s taste and punch even more). There’s no time to breathe with more of their vibrant fusion of classic Black Metal with distinct melodic and atmospheric styles in Der Findling (“the boulder”), reaching deep inside our hearts and blackening them beautifully, with I, II and V being in a fantastic and extremely evil sync with their strings, before the title-track Moritat (“ballad”) brings to our metallic ears 12 minutes of visceral sounds and noises, with the amount of aggression and obscurity flowing from each instrument being truly outstanding. Not only that, IV keeps demolishing his drums in a very precise and melodic way, while the guitars sound and feel extremely sharp, therefore cutting our skins mercilessly, with the music remaining epic until the song’s triumphant and dark finale.

In case these simple, straightforward words are not enough to show you how potent and somber the music by those German metallers sounds and feels, you can take a more detailed listen at Moritat in its entirety on YouTube, and of course after getting stunned by their disturbing sonic waves you must check what Der Rote Milan are up to on Facebook, and purchase Moritat from their own BandCamp page, from the Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork’s BandCamp page or Big Cartel, from iTunes or from Amazon. In a nutshell, the gates to the underworld of German Black Metal are open, and Der Rote Milan are right there waiting to claim your soul to the sound of their brand new, pulverizing concept album of first-class Melodic Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Drohende Schatten and Moritat.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2019 Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork

Track listing
1. Die Habsucht 6:10
2. Drohende Schatten 3:26
3. Gnosis der Vergänglichkeit 7:42
4. Der letzte Galgen 7:21
5. Der Findling 4:16
6. Moritat 12:01

Band members
III – vocals
I – guitars
II – guitars
V – bass
IV – drums

Album Review – All My Sins / Pra Sila – Vukov Totem (2018)

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Immerse yourself into a work of windswept mysticism and pure pagan fury dedicated to the most important and powerful totem in the culture of southern Slavs.

Originating from the southern regions of Europe, Serbian Black Metal duo All My Sins was officially formed by multi-instrumentalists Nav Cosmos and V in the year of 2000 in the city of Pančevo around the idea of claiming their own place among the already-established Second Wave of Black Metal. Inspired by the spiritual heritage of the land they come from, the band started making records, each of them conceptually placed around certain mythological symbols such as their brand new opus entitled Pra Sila – Vukov Totem, which would be roughly translated to English as “The Primordial Force of the Wolf’s Totem”, a work of windswept mysticism and pure pagan fury dedicated to the most important and powerful totem in the culture of southern Slavs, the wolf.

Featuring a somber cover art by Romanian musician and artist Daniel Dorobantu (Thy Veils) and guest musicians Nemir, Khargash and Jaguar (from underground Serbian bands like Obscured and Terrörhammer), All My Sins’ newborn eight-track album portrays the wolf as the ancient ancestor of Serbian people, a creature with unusual attributes that is believed to possess obscure divine powers, narrating a vast spiritual journey throughout the realms of southern Slavic mysticism. The meeting of man and wolf, mystically dangerous yet magnificent at the same time, depicts the encounter with a demonic being and concurrently the moment when a man meets his native forefather. In the world of wilderness abandoned by man, contradictory and strong, the wolf represents everything we are not, unknown and terrifying, or the perfection of a stranger.

In the opening track Vukov Totem, or “Totem of the Wolf”, a demented blast of visceral Black Metal invades our ears mercilessly, with V pulverizing his strings with his violent shredding while Nemir shakes the foundations of the earth with his blast beats before a cosmic break turns the sonic devastation into a more progressive and atmospheric extravaganza. Their incendiary feast of Slavic Black Metal goes on in Zov iz Magle, or “A Call from the Mist”, where Nav Cosmos roars and gnarls powerfully from the bottom of his blackened heart, with the entire song feeling very dense, enfolding and also bringing some deep, phantasmagorical clean vocals, while its instrumental parts remind me of old school Norwegian Black Metal; followed by Vetrovo Kolo, or “The Wheel of the Wind”, another brutal explosion of extreme sounds by All My Sins where Nemir sounds even more enraged and bestial on drums, while Nav Cosmos vociferates manically. Furthermore, the song’s razor-edged guitar riffs will violently pierce your mind and soul, leaving you completely disoriented after all is said and done. And U Mlazevima Krvi, or “In the Streams of Blood”, brings forward devastation, rage, madness and top-notch Pagan Black Metal to our ears. What else can you ask for, right? Moreover, Nav Cosmos’ deranged growls in his mother tongue end up adding an extra touch of lunacy to the overall musicality, just like what happens in the whole album.

Then it’s time to get smashed into the circle pit to the fulminating Opsena, or “The Phantasm”, showcasing almost eight minutes of crushing Black Metal with Atmospheric Black Metal nuances while V continues to brutalize his strings powerfully, with the music morphing into a completely new sonority after a cryptic, somber passage, feeling a lot more melodic and introspective. In the bridge Mesecu u Oko, or “Towards the Moon’s Eye”, wicked, Stygian noises are spiced up by Nav Cosmo’s anguished gnarls, flowing into over 10 minutes of a beyond atmospheric display of contemporary Black Metal named Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Prvi), or “The Final Equinox (Act I)”, sounding epic and bold from start to finish, with Nemir delivering sheer darkness through his crisp drumming, until melancholy permeates the air in Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Drugi), or “The Final Equinox (Act II)”, featuring guest Khargash on bass and backing vocals. This is a fantastic Atmospheric Black Metal chant infused with hints of Doom Metal, remaining as sluggish and grim as it can be and, therefore, putting a pensive ending to such demolishing album of Pagan Black Metal.

Brewing since the ancient days, Pra Sila – Vukov Totem (available for a full listen on YouTube) is now being released into the modern era with a timelessness that’s exciting to behold, and you can savor that first-class fusion of Black Metal and the Slavic culture by purchasing the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Saturnal Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, from Amazon, or from Discogs. Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on VKontakte, and immerse yourself into a sensational world of South Slavic Black Metal mysticism crafted by this talented and undisputed Serbian duo.

Best moments of the album: Vukov Totem, Vetrovo Kolo and U Mlazevima Krvi.

Worst moments of the album: Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Drugi).

Released in 2018 Saturnal Records

Track listing
1. Vukov Totem 9:43
2. Zov iz Magle 7:56
3. Vetrovo Kolo 6:25
4. U Mlazevima Krvi 3:52
5. Opsena 7:57
6. Mesecu u Oko 1:19
7. Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Prvi) 10:25
8. Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Drugi) 8:10

Band members
Nav Cosmos – vocals, recitals, bass
V – guitars, bass, clean and backing vocals, recitals, keys, vrg

Guest musicians
Nemir – drums (session)
Khargash – bass, backing vocals on “Konačna Ravnodnevica (Čin Drugi)”
Jaguar – backing vocals on “U Mlazevima Krvi”

Album Review – Skáphe / Skáphe² (2016)

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Embrace the psychotic and dissonant uproar pouring from the satanic Black Metal crafted by this implacable duo, and you’ll definitely shorten your descent to the netherworld.

Rating5

skhape2_coverBorn in 2014 as a new project from American multi-instrumentalist A.P., also known as Alex Poole (Chaos Moon, Esoterica, Krieg), and having released their self-titled debut full-length album that same year, Chaotic Black Metal band Skáphe return with their disturbing music and nightmarish vibe in Skáphe², an album that not only will keep haunting your soul just like their first installment, but that also consolidates this talented American duo as one of the most promising Black Metal acts in the world of heavy music.

The addition of Icelandic singer D.G., or Dagur (Misþyrming, Naðra), added a lot of dark power to this band from Philadelphia, located in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States, enhancing the obscurity, impact and malignancy found in their music. In other words, the macabre passages and enigmatic vociferations in Skáphe² will simply bring your deepest fears to light (or maybe I should say to darkness), a usually desired effect of Black Metal on people. Moreover, the hypnotizing artwork by Icelandic musician and artist H.V. Lyngdal, exhibiting an eviscerated devil devouring a human being, is the perfect depiction of our mental insanity and of our souls poisoned by the same fears exposed in the music by Skáphe.

Instead of regular song names, Skáphe simply numbered their creations from 1 to 6 in Roman numerals. The first track, entitled I, offers a darkling psychedelic start followed by a turmoil of dissonant growls and blast beats that will lacerate your soul, proving why they don’t label themselves “chaotic” in vain. In addition to that, D.G. provides his business card as the demonic voice of Skáphe in this bestial Black Metal chant with lots of Atmospheric Doom elements added to increase its infernal aura. II continues right where the opening track stopped, which means more satanic passages and cavernous screams with A.P. putting all his demons and anger into the music, resulting in sheer darkness. Needless to say, the anguished grasps by D.G. will make you feel very uncomfortable (in a good way, of course).

skhape_apIII, the third installment, is even sharper and more mesmerizing. It’s fast and sludgy at the same time thanks to the excellent job done by A.P. with all instruments, resulting in an ode to Black and Doom Metal represented by four minutes of despair with absolutely no hope in sight. In the Stygian tune IV, D.G. howls like a werewolf during its obscure start, and its eight minutes of extreme music are definitely not suitable at all for the faint at heart. Moreover, after an eerie break in the middle of the song, brutal Black Metal nicely explodes from all instruments for our total delight.

Obviously, the fifth chant, named V, keeps the fires of hell burning bright, showcasing a tormented performance by D.G. enhanced by the reverberating riffs and the doomed drumming by A.P. The tone of the guitar throughout the whole song is amazing, sounding like a downward spiral to Hades. And finally, the last tune VI reminds me of the most obscure songs by Triptykon at first, evolving to an extremely disturbing form of dark music. A.P. has an enraged performance, while D.G. continues his demented path to the underworld. And when the blasting Black Metal music stops, we’re treated to about two minutes of wicked background noises, meaning we’ve finally reached the gates of hell.

You can get more details on the apocalyptic loudness engendered by Skáphe at their Facebook page, and if you really want to add more affliction and pandemonium to your everyday life, you can buy a copy of Skáphe² at the band’s official BandCamp page, at the I, Voidhanger Records’s BandCamp page, at the Fallen Empire Records’ webstore (LP version) or at the Vánagandr’s Big Cartel page (cassette version). Embrace the psychotic and dissonant noises pouring from the satanic Black Metal crafted by this implacable duo, and you’ll consequently shorten your descent to the netherworld.

Best moments of the album: III and V.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 I, Voidhanger Records/Fallen Empire Records/Vánagandr

Track listing
1. I 6:32
2. II 4:40
3. III 4:11
4. IV 8:16
5. V 5:42
6. VI 6:34

Band members
D.G. (Dagur) – vocals
A.P. (Alex Poole) – all instruments

Album Review – Tod Huetet Uebel / Malícia (2015)

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If you let the infernal and malevolent music by this amazing Portuguese duo reach your heart, there’s no coming back.

Rating4

Cover_CDLet’s end this week on a high note with the flammable Black Metal by the talented Portuguese duo Tod Huetet Uebel, and I must assure you that you won’t be the same after listening to what they have to offer. By the way, the name of the band is the German for “death guards evil”, a more than suitable caption for the disturbing music you’ll find in their debut full-length album, entitled Malícia (the Portuguese word for “malice”). If you had no idea of how demonic music can be in Portugal, you better get ready for the heartless war found in this album.

Created from the very essence of hatred in 2012, Tod Hueted Uebel define their music as “a post-traumatic Black Metal experience” that “will leave mental bruises and scars in those who dare listen to the torments that dwell within”. Well said, guys. That perfectly summarizes Malícia, an album that will please fans of the darkest Black Metal you can imagine. Featuring an amazing 6-panel digipak with artwork by French artist/musician Valnoir (Metastazis), the level of wickedness and laceration in the album is not for the ordinary metal fan, making it a demanding listen for those who are not used to the atrocities of extreme music.

In the opening track, eccentrically named XIII (and get used to that, because all songs have names based on Roman numerals), a sinister intro flows into a diabolical sounding built upon modern Black Metal but without losing its traditional viciousness and speed. Multi-instrumentalist Daniel C. is responsible for crafting the music in all tracks, offering singer Marcos M. the perfect ambience for his anguished growls, and let me tell you this dynamic duo will darken your spirit already on the first track of the album (which is always the main goal in Black Metal, of course). And darkness is here to stay based on the nonstop violence and vileness delivered in I, where Marcos M. keeps disgorging his putrid snarling, unnerving your mind in a disquieting 9-minute first-rate aria of malignancy for lovers of classic Extreme Metal with a desolating and melancholic ending that obviously gets back to a sonic havoc before the song is actually over.

Their anger just grows in XII,  where Daniel C. is simply bestial on drums and guitars, delivering sick riffs and demonic beats and fills perfect for the harsh vocals by Marcos M., with another short break for the listener to take a deep breath before diving back into the musical twilight engendered by Tod Huetet Uebel. Moreover, their lyrics in Portuguese are as evil, poetic and awesome as possible (“Quero morrer, ser inverso ao amanhecer / Quero perecer, na demora da tua obra / Sinto-me leve, disperso ao corroer / Do sentimento que vos mantém / Amantes a ninguém”, which would translate to English as “I want to die, be reverse at dawn / I want to perish, in the lateness of your work / I feel light, scattered as I corrode / From the feeling that keeps you / Lovers to no one”), increasing the impact of their music.

XX VIII XXI is an instrumental tune that feels like a fiendish entity penetrating our flesh, working as an intro to the barbaric IX, where the initial scream by Marcos M. sounds inhuman while the instrumental parts continue their onslaught of darkness. It’s sheer Black Metal that will please all fans of the genre, making it extremely easy and interesting to feel all the pain and grief stemming from their ghoulish vocals. III might be the shortest of all tracks, but it surely delivers everything a good Black Metal chant needs, being precise, berserk, melodic and lugubrious, with Marcos M. with his growls and howls and Daniel C. with his lancinating riffs generating an ode to hopelessness and evil.  Besides, when they sing in English their lyrics are no less complex and beautiful, proving how talented this duo is (“Blood Libels of regal contempt / Dichotomy of essence and paragon of woe / The face of things to come / Burn this flesh oh dying light / In thy untold furnace of quintessence / Aether of malignant perfection”). Lastly, presenting elements from Doom Metal and Blackened Doom, the hindmost opus in Malícia, entitled V, is definitely the most nerve-racking of all. This time, Daniel C. focuses on mesmerizing and grievous notes while Marcos C. sounds like he’s being dragged down to hell, and I dare you to survive its 8 minutes without feeling totally uncomfortable or distressed in the end.

In summary, if you consider yourself a genuine adorer of the most perverse and heinous forms of Black Metal, I highly recommend you go after the music by Tod Huetet Uebel, available at their BandCamp and at the Caverna Abismal Records BandCamp. This sharp and impressive duo from Portugal is brilliantly cementing their dark path in the world of Extreme Metal, and in case you let their infernal music reach your heart, I must warn you that there’s no coming back.

Best moments of the album: I, XII and III.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Caverna Abismal Records

Track listing
1. XIII 5:49
2. I 9:00
3. XII 7:20
4. XX VIII XXI 1:15
5. IX 7:05
6. III 5:30
7. V 8:00

Band members
Marcos M. – vocals
Daniel C. – all instruments