Black Metal

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    Heretic Cult Redeemer – Heretic Cult Redeemer (2014)

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    Spewing their Black Metal poison, today we have Greek outfit Heretic Cult Redeemer and the re-release of their 2013 debut full-length self-titled release. Delivering seven punishing acts of BM devastation, this band sets a very sinister mood while beating the listener to a pulp with their crafty riffing and demoralizing vocals.

    As the opener “Crawling Hope” delivers the first blows, the band delivers waves of traditional BM riffs with fuzzy distortion and sickening vocals. Mixing in some solid headbanging moments in their music, allows HCR to crafty catchy and memorable tracks like “The Oldest of Times” and the very melodic “Bleeding of the Giant Sun”. The band’s command of the Black Metal arts is infused in the sinister oppressive atmosphere of songs like “Destiny of Death” and its super catchy yet firm riffage.

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    Ketzer – Starless (2016)

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    Arriving with great hype and praise, today we have Germany’s Ketzer and their third full-length release titled “Starless”. Delivering a hefty mixture of Black Metal, Thrash Metal and some Post/ Hard Rock elements, this release comes under its own terms and with its unique sound that further expands the band’s musical range. Considerably more creative than most albums these days, the hype is real when it comes to this outfit.

    Opening with the playful and Black’n’Roll-ish “Starless”, we are treated to a mixture of Aura Noir and Vreid thanks to catchy riffs and a very crafty tempo. Things get more awesome with the uber catchiness of “Godface” and its very direct attitude. This song reminds us a bit of Tribulation, but with the Ketzer signature. Continuing with the surprises, the heavy “Count to Ten” has a good dose of sinister riffs and that obscure BM atmosphere that bands like Satyricon seamlessly create.

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    Siculicidium – Lélekösvény (2015)

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    Hailing from Romania, today we have Siculicidium and the 2015 Sun & Moon Records re-release of their 2007 EP “Lélekösvény”. As the legitimate spreaders of Transylvanian Black Metal, this band delivers nine crushingly raw hymns that sound like a mixture of Immortal, Dark Throne, Satyricon, amongst others.

    Opening with the raw fuzziness of “Az Erdõ Szelleme: we instantly settle into a very low-fi quality release that is pretty visceral and in your face. The brutal intensity of tracks like “Lelkem Némasága” and “Ösvények, Csillagok” remind us of the old days of Osmose and Moonfog Productions releases of unknown bands that had a competition of who had the most ravaging and authentic low-quality production. The band’s musical core is quite competent and manages to create intricate songs that are quite appealing and are far from dated by today’s standards.

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    Coldbound – Rites Under Moonlight (2015)

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    Hailing from Finland, today we have one man demolition machine Coldbound and its latest release “Rites Under Moonlight”. Featuring 10 tracks and over 50 minutes of hauntingly aggressive and atmospheric music, this release crushes the opposition with gut-wrenching shrieks and the perfect balance of raw brutality with melodic/atmospheric creepiness.

    After the typical intro, we are left with the throbbing bass guitar line of “Fullmoon Delirium” and its very sinister BM-infused riffing. As the band delivers the atmospheric creepiness of tracks like “Origins of Black Sun” and “Fullmoon Delirium”, we are quite impressed with Råbjørn’s ability to switch between BM, Doom, and purely atmospheric passages in as seamless manner. Another great example of this is the blistering “Devil's Universe”.

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    Spectral Lore – Gnosis (2015)

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    Continuing ‘their’ experimental journey, one-man behemoth Spectral Lore returns with a hefty Middle Eastern inspired release titled “Gnosis”. Labeled as an EP, but clocking in at nearly 50 minutes, this release moves away from the extremely experimental nature of “Voyager” and moves into territories of bands like Melechesh, Myrath, and Orphaned Land.

    Opening with the ravaging “Dualism”, we are instantly directed to a journey of guitar driven Melodic Black Metal with some very subtle hints of Middle Eastern inspired elements. The vocals are not traditionally delivered and only spawn some shrieks and whispers, adding extra mysticism to this release. As the album slowly progresses into the melodic brilliance of “Gnosis’ Journey Through the Ages”, we are greatly enjoying the ethereal atmospheric elements that further enhance the engaging riffing and intricate bass guitar line.

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    Necroblaspheme – Belleville (2015)

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    Always pushing the envelope, French bands have managed to craft some of the most interesting Metal albums of the past few years. Today is the turn for Necroblaspheme and their crushing Atmospheric mixture of Black/Death/Sludge Metal, on their third full-length release “Belleville”. Featuring members and ex-members of Glaciation, this outfit delivers a very unique sounding mixture of elements that will entertain all fans of any of the genres they combine.

    Opening with the dissonant riffs of “Rempart”, the band crafts a very thick and sickening atmosphere that weaves back and forth between aggressive vocals and catchy guitar melodies. As “Le discours du bitumen” and the instrumental “How Did We Get There” roll in, we start to see the band’s true intentions with their highly aggressive wall of sound that brilliantly transforms over the duration of each track.

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    Blaze of Sorrow – El Eremita del Fuoco (2015)

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    Being one of the finest Atmospheric Black Metal bands in the scene, Blaze of Sorrow returns with yet another excellent release with “El Eremita del Fuoco”. Filled with brilliant melodic passages, this album reminds us of the earlier Alcest stuff mixed with some older Agalloch as well. Clocking in at around 40 minutes, this is one of the best releases of the genre in 2015.

    Opening with the ethereal “La Conquista del Cielo”, the band sets a very melancholic mood early in this release. Featuring very subtle atmospheric elements and bleak soundscapes, the track nicely explodes into BM riffs that are more melodic than aggressive. Continuing strong, “La Madre” is a bit more aggressive and playful with very well defined drum patterns and headbanging passages.

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    Selbst – An Omnious Landscape (2015)

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    Always psyched to receive music from Romania’s Sun & Moon Records, today we have Venezuela Black Metal battalion Selbst. This soul crushing mCD release is truly a punishing exercise in BM execution, filled with over 22 minutes of ravaging music that will keep you to the edge of your seat. Expertly crafting an oppressive atmosphere, this is one release that will haunt you for months.

    Opening with the relentless “An Omnious Landscape”, this two-man outfit delivers waves after waves of pummeling riffs and hyper-fast drums. There is really no moment to relax in this bestial track that crafts a very dense and crushing atmosphere with only traditional elements. The brutality continues with the imposing “Heterodox Reason”. This track reminds us of a mixture of Gorgoroth and Horna, but with a distinct signature style that has Selbst written all over it.

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    Swampborn – Alleged Escape (2014)

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    Hailing from Russia, today we have two-man battalion Swampborn and their very promising debut EP “Alleged Escape”. Crafting over 25 minutes of very fresh sounding Black Metal with tons of melodic and experimental passages, the band manages to catch the attention of the listener from the first note to the last one. If you like less straightforward and more complex Black Metal, this is one release that you don’t want to miss out on.

    Opening with the 10-minute epic “Augoeides”, the band sets a very mellow Post-Rock-ish vibe early on and suddenly transitions into more melodic BM territories. The music is quite well crafted and very engaging, allowing the killer riffs and tight drums to carry the track. We particularly enjoy when they go out of ‘script’ and deliver lush instrumental or melodic passages mid song.

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    Chordewa - Recast Gear for the Mindcraft Course (2014)

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    Constantly scouring the planet for the best Metal, it is very exciting for us to find hidden gems like Moldavian Progressive/Avant-garde Black Metal outfit Chordewa and their debut full-length release “Recast Gear for the Mindcraft Course”. Featuring a very futuristic theme and sound, the band delivers 36 minutes of brilliant music that reminds us of acts like Arcturus and Vulture Industries.

    The album starts with the funky tempo changes of “Psyche in the Shell”, a great intro to the band’s deranged musical brains filled with lush keyboards and intricate drum patterns. The Artcurus worshiping “Mindcraft Course” brilliantly shows even a more aggressive and faster side of the band as this track merges from familiar to fully represent the weirdness of Chordewa’s sound with its Proggy undertones. The playful “The Spiral” is one of our favorite songs thanks to its ritualistic percussions section and how the band swings the direction of the song’s mood very drastically.

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