Faidra – Militant: Penitent : Triumphant
By Jools Green
Release Date: 3rd November 2023 (Northern Silence Productions)
Author: acertaintaste
Waldgeflüster – Unter bronzenen Kronen
Waldgeflüster – Unter bronzenen Kronen
Release date: 29 September (AOP Records)
By Jools Green
Following on from the successes of their 2021 studio full length Dahoam, German Black Metallers Waldgeflüster are back with a four track, twenty-eight-minute, special mini-album, a collection of autumnal songs, consisting of three reimagined pieces that include two covers, and a reworking of one of their own tracks alongside a new piece.
Ofnus – Time Held Me Grey And Dying
Ofnus – Time Held Me Grey And Dying
by Jools Green
Release date: June 30th (Naturmacht Productions)
Forming recently, in 2021, Welsh Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal outfit Ofnus, are taking the Black Metal scene by storm, I was recently blown away by their live performance supporting Wayfarer at my local venue, winning me over within the first half of the opening track of their set, Burned By the Soul Of The Moon, I was even more surprised to discover afterwards it was only their third live performance, although their line-up does consist of members from familiar bands from the scene; Agrona, Black Pyre, Blind Divide and Democratus, so they bring a wealth of experience with them and at the announcement of a debut studio album, Time Held Me Grey And Dying, I was literally falling over myself with excitement to grab the opportunity to review it.
Interview: Wraithstorm (Alicia Cordisco)
I used to actively avoid any music I felt wasn’t fast or aggressive enough. The faster the better. I wanted Dark Funeral. I wanted Keep of Kalessin. I wanted The Berzerker.
What a fool I was.
In the last year or so I’ve been trying to play catchup with slower and more melodic metal. I went through numerous “top ten” or “best of” lists for the multiple doom offshoot genres to acquaint myself with the classics. For some reason, I found that I was particularly drawn to funeral doom. What a turnaround from the militant stance my younger self took! The most melancholic, slowest metal genre there is turned out to be my personal favourite.
I’m always pleased to find new music I love, but especially so for new funeral doom because the niche for this genre is so small. I was delighted earlier this year to discover Wraithstorm, a three-piece from the good old U.S of A.
I have listened to their debut album Unseen & Unfound at least once a week since I discovered it, so you can imagine how happy I was when bassist and lyricist Alicia Cordisco agreed to answer a few questions.
Blackbraid – BlackBraid I
Now I am going to start this off with a question – Can one man be responsible for quite possibly the most anticipated black metal release of the year? My view is yes and here is why
Native American Black Metal solo project hailing from the Adirondack Mountains – ✔️
Non-Typical Black Metal artwork – ✔️
Raw and Powerful – ✔️ (more…)
Molder – Engrossed in Decay
All it takes sometimes is a brief glance to know that some thing you is going to be utterly disgusting will be at the same time an absolute joy – I make no bones whatsoever here, Illinois-based Molder attack as if they’ve be cast in a remake of Argentino’s Demons. (more…)
Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture
In my teenage years I hit on an idea that changed my whole life and outlook on the world. Our desire for safety and comfort has led us to delegate more and more reaponsibility to a central body who promise to look after us and keep the wolves from the door. What resulted was the creation of human zoos.
The societies we have created are wholly unnatural environments. We created these live within in order to protect ourselves from the harsh, violent, unpredictable natural world. In doing so we believe we have bettered nature and have somehow surpassed it. (more…)
Peasant – The Lonewolf
No longer lurking in the shadows for Peasant are back following on 2020’s MMXIX demo and the band take a darker stance with latest EP The Lonewolf.
The sinisterly vulgar artwork is very much my mind’s eye as the EP begins with title track “The Lonewolf” it’s impact is immediate, the battle worthy screech at its inception makes way for quite simply a boiling pot of the rawest black metal. (more…)
Malignant Aura – Abysmal Misfortune is Draped Upon Me
Emerging through the shadows with a sense of foreboding Australia’s Malignant Aura introduce their gloomy and tenebrous death-doom sound with latest release – Abysmal Misfortune Is Draped Upon Me.
Opening track “Malignant Aura” serves a great introduction as to the journey the listener can expect to go on – one of caution & apprehension – the track is slow and ominous in its delivery for the majority so when the solo laden into and slow drums of “In A Timeless Place Beneath The Earth” begin to enter the speakers it’s almost a relief. Two tracks in and fifteen minutes gone, more of this please. (more…)
Sacred Son – The Foul Deth of Engelond
The old “black metal should be extreme” line is almost always trotted out by fascist sympathisers or apologists who are totally fine giving their money to horrible bigots. The thing is, I actually agree with them. Not on the subject of financially supporting literal neo-nazis, but in that black metal should be extreme. It is a genre that should constantly push new ground in order to remain unacceptable.
This is where we find Sacred Son. You may recognise them as the band who used album covers that truly shocked the black metal world for being completely unlike any other black metal cover art. With The Foul Deth of Engelond, the band have opted for cover art that is going to appease black metal purists, and a theme that will piss them off. Apparently it’s perfectly fine to write music about hating Jews or immigrants but when someone writes music from a radical left point of view we should “keep politics out of music”. Ok, cowards. (more…)