Black Metal

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    Entartung – Peccata Mortalia (2014)

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    Delivering one of the most savage and yet melodic Black Metal onslaughts of 2014, today we have Germany’s mysterious outfit Entartung and their sophomore release “Peccata Mortalia”. With a very savage sound, this band nicely throws in some melodic and atmospheric elements to create some of the densest and demoralizing Black Metal tunes of this year.

    Opening with a weird intro, the band’s full prescense is felt with the devastating “Blasphemaverit in Spiritum Sanctum”. In this track the band immediately generates comparisons to bands like Horna and Taake with their razor sharp aggressive riffs and commanding vocals. However, Entartung takes it one step further with their ultra-catchy melodic riffing passages. In full (newer) Gorgoroth fashion, “Out of Darkness into Light” delivers more blows with incisive riffs and eerie atmospheric sections.

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    Tortorum – Katabasis (2014)

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    Keeping the Norwegian Raw Black Metal decadent sound alive, today we have Bergen’s Tortorum and their pummeling second release “Katabasis”. With all the watered down Black Metal we have these days, it is quite refreshing to hear bands like this being released by labels like World Terror Committee that focus on superb Black Metal. With over 50 minutes of music, this is one hell of a release you cannot miss.

    The first sign of BM decadence comes with the initial powerful riffs of “The Great Apocalypse”. Delivered with a crystal clear production, this track really opens the album wide open with inhuman vocals and blistering drumming. With Immortal-esque catchiness, “In Nameless NonBeing” is one of those tracks that are prefect for moshing after a long day of work.

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    Fluisteraars – Dromers (2014)

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    Unleashed only in LP and Cassette, today we have Dutch outfit Fluisteraars and their debut full-length release “Dromers”. Presenting us with over 34 minutes of music divided over three pummeling tracks; this release shows the band’s abilities to create engaging Black Metal songs that are both very long and highly atmospheric in nature.

    Opening side A with “De Doornen”, the band slowly builds up their sound in a style similar to acts like Agalloch, Fen, Velnias, that keep things going for a while before their intentions are fully revealed. The guitar work is quite solid and the sporadic vocals are very well placed to allow the music to develop without any interruptions. The drumming is quite solid and nicely executed, highlighting the brutality of the band’s sound.

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    Grue – Casualty of the Psychic Wars (2013)

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    Arriving from American label Eternal Death, today we have a duo from Boston named Grue. In their debut full-length record “Casualty of the Psychic Wars”, the pair delivers five crushing tracks of highly atmospheric and devastating USBM. Mixing blistering passages of furious Black Metal with more mellow and powerful atmospheric sections, this is one excellently constructed release that will immediately put the band on the map.

    Opening with the album title track, we get a whirlwind vibe that reminds us of BM outfits Mortualia, Algazanth, and Sargeist. The riffing is quite primitive and the distortion nicely creates a thick layer of decadence in the music. Changing the tempo of things, “Calling down the Stars” continues the aural onslaught with fast paced drumming and very interesting atmospheric interludes that feature some spoken word sections.

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    Behemoth – The Satanist (2014)

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    Having lost interest in Behemoth since their 2004 release “The Apostasy”, it is quite refreshing to hear they have recovered their brutality and desire to deliver the most sickening, and perfectly produced, release they could with “The Satanist”. Featuring nine tracks of Behemoth at the top of their game, this is one hell of a demolishing aural experience that no Metal fan would want to miss.

    Opening with the first single of the release, “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel”, the guitar sound is quite piercing and Nergal’s vocals are as commanding as ever. The use of choirs greatly enhances the atmosphere and gives it that “The Omen” kind of unholy vibe. The band’s aggression continues through demoralizing tracks like the punishing “Furor Divinus” and the massive “Messe Noire”, both of which are filled with pummeling drums and an intense bass guitar pounding away.

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    Sarke – Aruagint (2014)

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    Featuring one of the most brilliant line-ups in Extreme Metal, today we have Sarke and their third full-length release “Aruagint”. Originally intended as a solo project of Sarke (Thomas Bergli  of Khold, Tulus, ex-Old Man’s Child fame), this all-star Black Metal super group combines rudimentary BM elements with Heavy/Thrash Metal and a good dosage of Hard Rock thrown into the mix to create a decadent yet truly Norwegian sound.

    Opening with the crunchy riffs of “Jaunt of the Obsessed”, we immediately take notice on the super production behind this release as well as the technical proficiency of everybody involved in the album. With a catchy Black’n’Roll attitude in tracks like “Ugly” and “Strange Pungent Odyssey”, we get that urge to headbang similar to what Vreid has been doing to crowds in their last releases. Having Asgeir Mickelson handling the drums, we get a full range of his Progressive skills infused into the music.

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    HELK – The Chronos (2013)

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    Arriving from Mexico, today we have HELK and their very unique debut EP “The Chronos”. In this 6 song release, the band showcases a mixture of Black/Death/Thrash Metal that creates a melodic yet aggressive atmosphere very unique to this peculiar band. With a high dose of melodic riffs and epic headbanging moments, this is one EP that should not go unnoticed.

    Opening with “Dark Funeral”, the band showcases their melodic aptitudes with incisive riffs, tight drumming, and catchy harsh vocals. With a certain air of bands like Kalmah and Carcass the release keeps pushing forward with “Freedom”. The combination of deep growls and harsh BM-style screams is quite engaging and allows the music to grow in different directions. Other playful tracks play off to the Thrash Metal strengths of HELK like the blistering “Vistrera”.

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    Krieg - Blue Miasma (2013)

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    Today we have the re-release of Krieg’s “Blue Miasma”, a staple album in the band’s career that came out in 2006. Out on Forever Plagued Records, this version of the album, according to Imperial himself, is the way it was originally intended to sound. With a very raw and punishing nature, we have over 60 minutes of crushing USBM that could have been recorded yesterday and people would have never guessed it.

    After a very traditional intro, the band fully explodes into raw and melodic savagery with tracks like “Who Shall Stand Against Me” and “Under an Uncaring Moon”. This early onslaught reminds us of acts like Mortualia, Sargheist, and similar Black Metal bands with certain melodic riffing. Sonically, “Blue Miasma” has that relentless rawness that only a handful of bands can put together and come out as a more brutal and more aggressive outfit.

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    Esoterica – Aseity (2013)

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    Featuring members and ex-members of outfits like Krieg, Vital Remains, Chaos Moon, and countless other bands, today we have Esoterica and their monumental release “Aseity”. Featuring a thick and devastating atmospheric component, this Ambient/Black Metal release will enshroud your sonic landscape with crushing riffs, demoralizing vocals, and very thick layers sound aural dissonance.

    Wasting no time, Esorterica blows things wide open with a pummeling onslaught on the opening track “Lessons in Forbidden Alchemy”. The band’s three members deliver one hell of a powerful sound with a merciless guitar distortion and perfectly crafted drums complementing the harsh vocals. This punishing musical approach nicely continues on tracks like “A Slave’s Ablution” and “Fever”, both of which never let go of the listener’s throat with their crushing atmospheric elements.

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    Kult of Taurus - Divination Labyrinths (2013)

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    Arriving from Greece, today we have Kult of Taurus and their savage debut full-length release “Divination Labyrinths”. Featuring eight crushing Black Metal tracks, this release is as raw and decadent as humanly possible. This album should become a staple of the filthiest Black Metal that is enhanced with weird atmospheric elements. Said atmospheric weirdness pushes the band’s sound from average to attention demanding in a few seconds.

    Immediately after the typical mood-setting intro, “Channeling End” delivers some incisive Black Metal riffs that will stick on your head for days. The sound is quite raw and direct, allowing the band to have that late 90’s feeling to it. Continuing with “The Light That Divides The Earth”, the music is quite crude, just like old-school BM should be. With harsh shrieks, tight drumming, and punishing riffs, Kult of Taurus might not be extremely original but they get the job done.

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