Black Metal

  • Outre – Ghost Chants (2015)

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    In a year filled with truly innovative and thought-provoking Black Metal releases, Godz ov War Productions present us with the decadent “Ghost Chants” from Polish new-comers Outre. Perfectly deconstructing the genre and making it their own, this album features seven track of truly sickening Black Metal unlike anything you have ever heard before. The band’s unique pummeling musical approach sounds like a mixture of Watain, Behemoth and Weapon with some of the Shining/Bethlehem craziness sprinkled into the mix.

    Setting the stage with a pummeling wall of noise decadent opening ‘intro’ titled “Chant 1. – Departure”, which feature some eerie ritualistic vocals. It is until “Chant 2. – Shadow” that the band’s blasting blasphemy commences with a pummeling track filled with oppressive riffs and deranged vocals. The Black Metal aural devastation is excellently crafted to be as demoralizing as possible thanks to the killer drumming and intricate guitar work that is viciously present on
    “Chant 3. - The Fall”.

  • Cradle of Filth – Hammer of the Witches (2015)

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    As one of the biggest surprises of 2015, today we have the infamous Cradle of Filth and their 12th full-length release “Hammer of the Witches”. Bringing us back to when the band was turning heads left and right with their “Dusk and Her Embrace” and “Cruelty and the Beast” releases, this is by far the best release from them in over 10 years. Delivering 11 punishing tracks of lush Symphonic Black Metal we are sure that most old fans of the band will come flocking back to them.

    After the warm-up intro, things are blown wide open with the intense drumming of “Yours Immortally…”, courtesy of Martin Škaroupka coming quite close to the glory days of the band with Nick Barker. The mood is as magical as on “Cruelty and the Beast” with crushing tempo changes and the howling of Dani Filth. The band finally got back to their mojo of crafting songs with tons of tempo changes and perfect combinations of howls, growls and clean male and female vocals as in “Enshrined in Crematoria” and “Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess” (one of our favorites).

  • Amestigon – Thier (2015)

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    Hailing from Austria, today we have Amestigon and their soul crushing sophomore release “Thier”. Featuring almost one full hour of music divided in four tracks, this release delivers waves of old-school Black Metal packaged between atmospheric passages that nicely create a very oppressive vibe.

    Slowly warming up with “Demiurg”, we are treated to demoralizing riffs and hellish vocals. The combination of some clean chants nicely allows this track to be extremely eerie. The band’s raw and old-school Black Metal is very effective and brings back memories of bands like Horna meets old Satyricon. Stepping things up, “358” features a pulsating bass guitar line and in some part, higher intensity moments than on the first piece. The atmosphere is again nicely worked into the song, allowing it to change the direction of the music at any given time.

  • Abyssion - Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki (2015)

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    Arriving from Finland and being heralded as the next big thing, today we have Abyssion and their third full-length release “Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki”. Released via Svart Record’s imprint Secret Trees curated by Mathew "Kvohst" McNerney, this album delivers a very unique sounding Punk-fueled cracked-out Psychedelic Black Metal that is equally weird as it is brutal. Clocking in around 35 minutes of music, if you are a true explorer of Black Metal, this is one you haven’t really heard before.

    Opening with the sonic abuse of “Luonnon harmonia”, you get your standard fare of Black Metal riffing with some odd atmospheric elements thrown into the mix. The vocals are quite disturbing and greatly enhance the level of brutality crafted by the tight drumming and punishing riffs. As the Burzum/Dark Throne vibe of “Kosmoksesta tuli hautani” arrives, we are totally hooked on this band’s crushing sound.

  • Strynn – Alienation (2015)

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    Seems like there is something in the water in France that has been coming from the Norwegian highlands in the last few years, and that something is making some of the most vicious Black Metal bands come out of France instead of the Nordic lands. Today we have a very brutal outfit called Strynn and their sophomore release “Alienation”. Released through Mortis Humanae Productions, this is yet another of their finest releases for those of us that like savage Black Metal like it was originally envisioned many years ago.

    Quickly pummeling through demoralizing tracks like “Anthropophobia”, “Sadistic”, and “Obliteration”, the band perfectly blends the rawness of Black Metal from the 90’s with a vicious clarity that we rarely hear these days. Not only looking to viciously attach through brutality, there are some atmospheric/’melodic’ elements like on “Desolation”, “Reminiscence” and “Plague” that make this release even more incisive and dynamic.

  • Sigh – Graveward (2015)

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    We love it when bands push the limits of music and Sigh is a fine example of how to continue finding odd ways to further expand your sound in the most bizarre and exciting ways. With “Graveyard” the band continues down their path of madness and delivers one of the most exciting releases of 2015. Featuring a plethora of guest appearances and a central theme around Italian zombie flicks and Fabio Frizzi’s compositions, this is one of the must have releases of 2015.

    Leading with guest Kelly Simonz’s guitar leads on “Kaedit Nos Pestis” and the dramatic atmospheric/psychedelic elements of “Graveward”, the band sets a very atmospheric and chaotic mood right from the start. Mirai Kawashima and Dr. Mikannibal have an amazing chemistry and their insane vocal incursions are just one of many things that make Sigh quite unique. The madness reaches new level with the very cinematic “The Tombfiller” and its killer symphonic arrangements, brilliant guitar solos (courtesy of Kelly S again) and crazy effects.

  • Secrets of the Sky – Pathway (2015)

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    Instantly showing that their debut “To Sail Black Waters” was no fluke, Bay Area’s outfit Secrets of the Sky delivers an even more mature and expertly crafted sophomore release with “Pathway”. Finding their home in Metal Blade Records, the band fully explores their musical capabilities with the 13 tracks presented in this very unique and different sounding release.

    Opening with the relaxing sound of waves on the ‘instrumental’ “I”, this swiftly transforms into the band first real onslaught titled “Three Swords”. Expertly manipulating the atmosphere of their music, this opener sets a very mellow mood that fully explodes as the band rips through some thunderous Doom riffs between peaceful interludes. Placing nice tempo-shifting interludes between the tracks, Secrets of the Sky perfectly manipulates and guides the listener’s experience.

  • Gorgoroth – Instinctus Bestialis (2015)

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    Six years have passed since the monumental “Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt”, a new episode in the history of Gorgoroth that does not include disgraced previous members Gaahl and King ov Hell. The band returns with a new vocalist and a thirst for blood and crushing Black Metal brutality. Featuring eight songs of dense and diverse music, the band quickly establishes an oppressive and bestial sound that only a handful of elite acts can deliver.

    Kicking off with the monumental “Radix Malorum”, we are treated to outstanding devilish riffs courtesy of Infernus. With such a vicious foundation Atterigner (of Triumfall fame) lays his commanding vocals, creating a demolishing and painful sound that will delight any fan of the genre. “Dionysian Rite” continues the massacre with another quick onslaught of pummeling drums and blistering bass guitar lines. It is not until “Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus” that the band continues their musical approach from their previous album with riffs that are just oppressive to hear when paired with melodic passages that further elevate the music.

  • Wallower – Vanishing In Bloom (2014)

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    At Infernal Masquerade we usually receive anywhere between 20 to 40 promos each week, so going ‘off script’ to review something requires a killer release. Wallower and their savage mixture of Black Metal with Shoegaze have managed to stand out enough for us to review their killer debut EP. Under the title “Vanishing In Bloom”, we are presented with four brilliant songs that deliver a rare mixture of melody and harshness perfectly in harmony.

    The release explodes wide open with their pummeling “Meteor”, a blistering track that features ear-piercing vocals and superb guitar work. The bands demolishing sound is very raw and brutal, perfectly balanced by the shoegazy parts thrown into the mix. While not as cathartic as Deafheaven or atmospheric as An Autumn for Crippled Children, the band perfectly captures the rawness and bleakness behind acts like Ghost Bath and Heretoir, as shown in the crafty “Dispel”.

  • Aureole – Alunar (2015)

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    One man American outfit Aureole is finally releasing their demo on CD and Avantgarde Music has taken to the task to do so. With a very bleak and hypnotic sound, “Alunar” delivers five songs and around 40 minutes of Atmospheric Black Metal that nicely entertains and relaxes the listeners.

    Stating with “Citadel Alunar”, M.S. creates a very bleak atmosphere that is suddenly ravaged by low-fi distorted riffs and hellish vocals. The tension is perfectly introduced and developed in the first track and some tension is relieved on the faster harsher parts. “The voice of Nebular Flame” provides a very bleak backdrop with minimalistic atmospheric elements solid riffs, very contrasting to the mostly atmospheric “The Serenity of the Hourglass”. Luckily, the raw Black Metal harshness is back with the 12-minute behemoth “Crusade of NGC 5128”, a very trippy and engaging track.

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