ALBUM REVIEW: Gaerea – Coma


Back in 2022, Portuguese Extreme Metal recluses Gaerea released Mirage (Season of Mist), my album of the year. It was the first time I had been exposed to the shrouded-in-mystery outfit, but it was nearly impossible to choose any other record to headline that year.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Hell Is Other People – Moirae


Aside from having one of the most spot-on names, Hell Is Other People also meticulously and so magnificently presents a style of metal that marries atmospheric/blackened vocals and post-Rock instrumentals.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Copse – MMXXIV


Much like an anthology of a renowned author’s most acclaimed works, MMXXIV (Church Road Records) is a collection of the first two EPs released by Copse.

And there’s good reason to have the Post-Black Metal band’s five songs in one physical form: they are undoubtedly the gold standard for how the genre should sound.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Ellende – Todbringerin


If Taylor Swift can do it, so can Ellende.

The longtime Austrian Atmospheric Black Metal outfit have re-recorded their 2016 record Todbringer for purposes of acquiring ownership. That new effort, entitled Todbringerin (AOP Records), is a shining example of Ellende’s innate ability to produce music that is precise and approached with care and balance.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Kingcrow – Hopium


Hailing from Rome and with a name inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem Raven is Kingcrow, after a six-year gap between albums they are back with Hopium (Season of Mist). Theirs is an emotive brand of Prog Rock but the Metal of the previous album The Persistence, has been dialled down with atmospheric, ambient, Electronic, and Alt Rock elements playing a larger part. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Malconfort – Humanism


In a world where you can never keep on top of everything being released, we can be pretty confident that there isn’t anything else in 2024 quite like Malconfort and the band’s debut, Humanism (Transcending Obscurity Records).Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Häxanu – Greve – Naturmystik


When I received the news that I would cover a split between the US-based Häxanu and the Sweden-based Greve for review, I was immensely enthusiastic about it as I’ve always had high expectations of the craftsmanship of both Black Metal acts– all-round mystical, atmospheric, and heavy on belligerent blast beats. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: SYK – eartHFlesh


At now around a decade since their inception, Italy’s SYK have been garnering a, perhaps understated, but certainly formidable reputation with a penchant for complex and dissonant Death Metal. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Acathexis – Immerse


Consisting of Jake, Dany, and Déhà, Acathexis unites members of Mare Cognitum, Los Males del Mundo, and Downfall of Nur together as an intercontinental unit based in Argentina, USA, and Belgium, In collaboration with Extraconscious Records, Amor Fati Productions proudly releases Acathexis’ second full length that is highly anticipated; entitled Immerse which is available on both CD and vinyl formats.

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