Consistently being the inherent epitome of a harsh menacing winter and presenting ever-enigmatic themes that have to do with the void of darkness and the subconscious, the Switzerland-bound Paysage d’Hiver has been around for quite some time playing inclement Ambient Black Metal with a low-fidelity raw production, while also incorporating elements of a myriad of associated styles, being Funeral Doom Metal, Dungeon Synth, and Drone. Continue reading
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
With Norway being so synonymous with Black Metal from its roots to the present day, by now France can hold an equally high association with its latter-day avant-garde offshoots. As much as black metal was always about experimentation and evolution, France is particularly prominent for bands pushing black metal into even further trajectories, from the philosophical and conceptual reaches of Blut Aus Nord to the likes of Alcest and Deathspell Omega encompassing polar opposite ends of the spectrum. Purveyors of mystique Abduction; whilst not necessarily envelope pushers in comparison to the aforementioned are, however, similarly unconventional in their approach as second album Á L’heure Du Crépuscle (Finisterian Dead End) attests. Continue reading