Emptiness : "Nowhere Speaks"

If there is one thing I like in my music, it is darkness, and this band from Belgium continues to scratch that itch. Over the years, they have done it in different ways on 2014's "Nothing but the Whore" that took a more blackened approach, then went goth in 2017 with "Not For Music," and now here we are, splitting the difference between the two with something that carries a hazy throb..The heavily affected vocals sound like the devil commonly does in horror movies. The icy guitar buzzing in the title track finds them in a more black metal space. It can capture melody or jsut hold the creepy tension; either works well. 

They are discordant and angular but still flow like syrupy shadows. Heavily atmospheric, they take a more unsettling approach to being heavy. More of 207's goth grooves bubble up in places. The vocals are more whispers than screams or growled/. There are a few ambient interludes which might have worked better just as intros to songs. Granted "Words to Wind" is already almsot eight and a half minutes long, so maybe that is where they were trying to trim the fat.

 For a metal drummer, there is a great deal of restraint in place, as it patters around more like jazz than looking for something to blast into. It moves through the murk with jazzy grace. Then midway itno the songs, thigns threaten to come to a boil but instead just fade into heavy breathing. It feels like this is where the song would have ended, but no there are still three minutes for them to fade in and slowly build things up. 

If you ever wonderer what it would be like if Tom Waits made a goth album well, "When the Whole Arrives' is a pretty good guess. Double bass drums to come in and try to anchor the song, but it's abstact arragnement has already soared off. The guitar is more defined on "The Clash of Forces"". It carries more drive and conforms more to metal expectations. Then it ebbs down to less tangible concepts for 'the Next in Line." It takes over half the song to build it up into something with movement.. It's almost shoegaze, but with much darker shoes being gazed upon.

There is a more bubbling chaos for "All For Nthing". Some of the issue is the mix as the guitar are getting a little song, unless they are given the space to ring out.. By the three minute makr it builds to blast beat pattering under it all. Reveb heavy sung vocals also join in to flaot off with them into the storm clouds. I will give this album an 8, it captures a nice mood, but could be more song-focused

Out July 17th on Season of Mist. 

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ERDVE: "Epigrama"

 

This is not our first ride with this hard-hitting Lithuanian band. There is less of a sludge-ridden ugliness and more of a syncopated hardcore groove not unlike how Harms Way drops it when it's hot. The first track is as heavy as you could want it when it comes to this sort of thing. The second song offers more melody from the guitar, which is a smart move rather than jsut committing to beating you in the ears. What this band has going against it is not unlike a problem that a band like Meshuggah faces. Their vocalist barks the same in every song, so it places all the weight on the guitars. 

To combat this, the guitar tries to employ different melodies to add an atmospheric texture to "Ydos" while not restraining their hardcore tendencies. There are some great guitar texture on this album that leads to ambient-minded riffs balancing out the weight of their attack, though the vocals keep the songs from being catchy. The electronic touches help, but they could stand to experiment even more. 'Svertas" also carries some extra depth in the ghostly echo it creates, but this gets plowed by the chug of the crunching wave of guitar. 

The hypnotic ringing to "Raukles" is darker, but they fall in behind it turned up to 11, and it kills the moment. The last song does carry a more djent-like groove. It also has more space, rather than just crashing against you with its sheer density. This is heavy and has more depth than your average sludge album that sets out just to crush you, but the previous album caught me more, so I will give this one an 8.5, Out on Season of Mist 

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The Ghoulstars : "the Dark Overlords of the Universe"

 

This band from Finland plays an upbeat brand of shock rock that opens with a gritty throaty anthem that makes you think they are going in a more Lordi direction. Then things get darker for "the Dead in Purgatory."  As far as horror goes, it's more in the light-hearted side, like if a rock band were playing at Disney's Haunted Mansion. Vocalist Arthur Thure is more versatile than just a leather-lunged howler. There is nothing all that original about what they are doing here, but it does have a charm. Until we hit the thunderkissed chug of "the Brain that Wouldn't Die," the use of samples is the only part that brings White Zombie.

Four songs into the album, it fees like they are sonically closer to post-Brockie GWAR mixed with the 69 Eyes, as I am sure fans of both those acts will find plenty of Halloween fun that is up their alley. "Graverobbers From Outerspace" has more of a Misfits feel, though the vocals are grittier.  "The Wolfman" might be one of my favorite movies, but this song is not my favorite on the album, as it's more aggressive but not as catchy. There are some decent riffs in it, but cool riffs alone does not make a good song, is the motto here. 

"The Ballad of the Cursed Bandits" is not a ballad at all, though that should not be a surprise considering the album up to this point has been paced more like Motorhead-style thrash than not. The more brooding metal mood of "Vampire" works for me better, which makes snese as I prefer vampires to werewolves. Most of these guys are in death metal bands aside from this band in fact the bass player was in Hooded Menace, so some of that influence comes out on the last song  I will give this an 8.5, as I like where they are going with this since horror movies and metal are pretty much what I am about, but with that said I personally already have a ton of bands that fill that need for me , as these guys are almsot too happy for my taste, these guys would be a great entry point for younger European auidences that are just discovering that sort of thing. They care about songwriting and set the stage with a fun mood. Drops on Season of Mist on May 15th.

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Unverkalt :"Héréditaire"

 

Only missed this one by a week, it's been on my radar, but jsut now catching up with Germany's Unverkalt. Setting the stage with a deceptive sense of melody before blasting into you. The melodic vocals are perhaps more intersting, but they work a delicate balance of playing to both sides of the band's dynamic range. Depressive more than it's blackened, the sonic weight of their songwriting impresses right from the first song, but can this band uphold the expectations set here?  

"Oath of Prometheus" finds the drums blasting in as the undercurrent trying to take control. The harsher vocals are more focused on chaos, as the sung vocals wander. I am obviously the audience these guys are looking for, but it also means I am more well versed in this sort of thing, so I can hear the influences a mile away on the second, but it still works well enough for me. The more they blast, the less impressed I am by the storm of sound, and I want to hear more melody. "Anae Lithi" finds the melodies winning out and giving this more depth than the more feral strains of black metal.

The sense of melody leans it away from black metal altogether on "A Lullabye for the Descent", but it's dark and moody enough to still win me over despite all the layers of vocals wrestling against one another. It makes me think of 90s bands like Crisis. There is a more black metal tension to "Prenumbrian Lament". One vocal color Dimitra often uses is a whisper little girl like voice. It's creepy enough to work. Often these are given a roaring death metal male counterpoint thanks to their guitarist Eli. 

With "Introjects," things begin to move in a more accessible metal direction, which carries over into "I, the Deciet," which features Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ. "Death is Forever" finds some intersting sound layered in a more intense black metal manner, but without some of hte structure of the previous songs.  The last song works off more of an emotional atmosphere, which is more dramatic than depressive. Overall, this album is an impressive marriage of sound into well-balanced songs. I will give this a 9.5. Out on Season of Mist. 

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Black Metal History Month- Bizarrekult : "Alt Som Finnes"

I noticed today how some metal sites are beginning to steer away from black metal as it is hateful for them, so I must pick up the slack and dig deeper. Here is a project based in Norway that offers a rather dynamic take on the genres rooted in solid songwriting. The first song serves as a purpose on the second while ending on where you are in the song. The vocals are a wrath-filled scowl. Though more singing appears the further into the album you travel. The drums are more deliberate than not. They lock into a dense throb for "Avmakt." It is more than just senseless blasting.

"Hap" is more atmospheric and finds them weaving a beautifully bleak shade into the sonic fabric of the song. There was a hint of the more depressive elements as an undercurrent, but I enjoy them coming to the surface here, making this my favorite song so far. They kick into a higher gear of intensity for "Drom". They shift through several dark and dynamic layers of anguished sound as the song unfolds. There is a more epic swagger, empowering gallop to the riff of "Verdens Verste". It brings Enslaved to mind.

"Aversjon" comes clsoer to what you might expect from black metal as it flows from a sweeping tremolo-picked riff. The drums drive the last song until it dips down into a more sparse melodic break. When they build back into the blast, there is a more Deafheaven feel. Overall, I like where they go with this album and the emotional range it is willing to venture into, so I will give it a 9.5. Out on Season of Mist.

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Crippled Black Phoenix : "Sceaduhelm"

 I have enjoyed watching this band descend further into darkness with each album. Will they stay dark here? Let's find out.  Here it is more subtle as it stirs to life with a post-rock instrumental. The first song with vocals is the lead single "Ravenettes". Blenda Kordic takes the mic on this one. There is an emotional punk feel that tugs against the post-punk tension, with the shadows haunting the atmosphere. Things takea more depressive turn on "Things Start Falling Apart," which I would not call post-punk but melancholic post-hardcore perhaps. It is a great song, nevertheless.

"No Epitaph" is surprising, as it fakes you, making you think it is going to be a Nick Cave-like song, then, midway, it kicks into something that has a more Black Sabbath-style riff, and they jam out into the sunset. 'Hollow End" has a dark, slinky stomp to it, that is heavy though not metal, with her haunting vocals returning. "Dropout" is almost like a 90s alt-rock take on a similar sound, though not as heavy. "Vampire Grave" is a post-punk song, which is gloomy, but not as romantic as you would think a vampire song should be, but it works well enough. It has a raw rock n roll strut. 

The longing of "Colder and Colder" reminds me of the Afghan Whigs, as it lurks in the dark corners of a smoky bar. "Under the Eye" is more of a drifting, stark take on Americana. The last song, "Beautiful Destroyer," builds into some very epic and majestic with a folk sway to it. This is an impressive display of refined and dynamic songwriting and is likely the band's best album yet, as it feels the most focused. I will round it up to a 10, it is being released on Season of Mist.

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PONTE DEL DIAVOLO : "De Venom Natura"

Ponte Del Diavolo is an interesting band from Italy. Their 2024 album scored a 9.5, as they continue to perfect what they did on this album as they kick in the door with blast beats before bringing a shadowy vision of post-punk snake its way around the verse before exploding back into a more snarled chorus, though singer Erba excels at blending vocal tones. One of their strengths is that they do not mix the two genres in an expected formulaic way, so they blend in a very organic manner. The second song finds manic post-punk vocals over the tense tremolo-picked guitars, though the drummer does not just fall back to blast beats to concince your they are into black metal, instead it keeps a punk vibe. 

The rapid-fire tempo of "Spirit, Blood, Poison, Ferment" caused me to need a second listen to absorb it. I like the ebb and flow of the dynamics used when the vocals bring things to a more deliberate place on the verse. I was not expecting the flourish of horns going into the chorus. Dark-wave tinged electronics add to the mood brewing on "il veleno della Natura" with black metal guitar bridging the verses to create a throbbing tension. Midway into the song, things accelerate but do not rush the vocals, which belt it out with the same steady resolve. 

"Delta-9" seems to be about the old devil's weed, which I would not expect them to be tokers of, but whatever works. It does unfold with a more psychedelic drone than what they have explored previously on the album. Then they wink in the direction of Cypress Hill, which was even more unexpected, before the bass rumbles into creating a pretty crushing riff.  Gionata Potenti lends his voice to the beginning of "Silence Walk With Me". He has a more conventional classic metal voice that is cleanly sung in the vein of the Scorpions, which brightens the tone. They close the album with a cover of Bauhaus' "In the Flatfield." I will take this every day over another cover of "Bela Lugosi's Dead." They keep the vibe of the song with the underlying tension, adding blast beats under the frantic chorus. I will round this up to a 10 based on the fluid blending of styles and Erba's stellar vocal preformance. 

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Gothtober - Your Inland Empire : "S/T"

 

Ex-members of the Crown have formed this darker, more electronic project, Your Inland Empire. Guitars still squeal out into the night, but are framed in a different context. It flirts with a similar sonic scope as other metal bands, such as Tiamat, who began crossing over into this more melodic alt-goth territory in the 1990s, as seen in the song "There Is No Me".  It works for me, but hopefully this album will get darker. The vocals seem too hopeful on the chorus. "Grinding" finds the drums driving things in more of a rock direction, as the vocals croon in a more emotive manner. 

"Edge of Perfection' takes a more blatant direction towards industrial. Though still rooted in rock, much like Rammstein. If Metallica covered Depeche Mode, the results might be similar to " Silver Knife". There i a stormier brooding to the pulse of "Undone", the vocals retaining the more rock grit despite a nuanced performance. I like the syncopation of this one. The metal comes roaring out on the chorus of "Venom" despite the more electronic lurking of the verse. "Sulfur" feels like how bands kept the flames of '80s classic goth sounds burning into the '90s. The vocal croon rides the middle ground as they refrain from getting too aggressive.

"Chemicals " finds the more metallic chug of guitar leading the way in before ebbing down into a more spacious, moodier tone for the vocals to build off. When they stomp on the chords at the chorus and the vocals stay the course, it works off more of a formula similar to that used by fellow Swedes Katatonia. There is a similar feel but with a more emotive atmosphere on "Myself Destruct," though it gets heavier when it builds with a more roaring vocal tone that is more overtly metal. "I'll Be Your Night" grooves a little more. The synth undertones build the mood. The vocals continue to employ a more hushed urgency. I they are not dark enough to really like the mood here, despite not being dark enough to be considered goth in the way Type O Negative is, they are moody enough to appeal to fans who like this brand of goth adjacent 90s spawned dark rock. I wil give this album a 9. It beings released on Seaon of Mist. 

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DANHEIM : "Heimferd"

This Danish project might sound familiar, as their music was featured on the show "Vikings".  Denmark is closer to the source material than if this were some culturally appropriating Americans. The first track is more solemn, with a feeling of longing brought to life by the hand pipes. Decent music to drink your coffee to as the fall brings a chill in the air. Vocals come in on the second song. If you are playing Dungeons & Dragons or like to imagine you're preparing for battle when you go to the gym, then it might be inspiring. It's a little darker than the first song. 

These albums are much like soundtracks in the sense that they are about capturing a mood more than being songs that stand on their own to feet. Once you start listening to an album like this, it can fade into the background. Even headliners like Wardruna are susceptible to this. There is more of a hypnotic groove to "Haukadalur", however, due to the atmospheric nature of what they do, which is prone to droning, the title track feels like it is more hypnotic tribal jam out of the previous song.  

Sonically, it benefits him to not be limited to just using traditional folk instrumentation, as he is allowed a wider range of production effects to create some interesting sounds. Some of these feel more like cinematic backdrops, which are the intro for the actual songs. "Kominn Dagr" has vocals that give it more more alluring feel. But it's the beat of "Runmykr" that makes it feel more like a song. This sense of movement keeps it from falling into the same droning trap that begins to give the songs a uniform feel.

The feeling of a brooding storm rolling in over the North Sea is summoned on "Stormdans".  This carries a folk dance feel with it to contrast the more foreboding undercurrent. Then they fall back on moments like "Valvejen" that blend into the previous song and feel like an extension of its drone. The rest of the album begins to drift in this direction, working best when vocals are there to help break things up. A chorus of voices chimes in for what sound like a majestic requiem to make for one of the album's strongest moments. I will give this one a 9 as it's a solid effort that sounds great and sets the intended mood even if it's hypnotic sways sometimes lull you into a faraway land with less focus on songwriting.This album drops Halloween on Season of Mist.  

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Hooded Menace : "Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration"

 

This death metal band from Finland improves with each album. Their last album, "The Tritonus Bell," snagged the number 3 spot in the Top 10 Death Metal albums of 2021 list here. What strikes me about this album is how melodic the guitar playing has grown. It is more of a tribute to classic metal with plenty of riffs that sound like they could have come from a King Diamond album, so that, of course, wins me over. The biggest difference is that the vocals are a more one-dimensional growl, though they are delivered with a great deal of purpose, and the lyrics can still be comprehended through the rasp. 

"Daughters of Lingering Pain" is more atmospheric and leans into the doom moods of what they do, with wisely placed keyboards in the background. The seven-and-a-half-minute song finds the riffs wandering around as they take you on a more melancholy journey at first before things gain momentum. The drummer serves as an excellent conductor for the twists and turns that unfold on this song. It did take a couple of listens to fully digest what was going on. 

"Lugubrious Dance" is more aggressive from the onset, like a more depressive version of Entombed, then things begin to unfold more sonically. Some fist-pumping anthemic riffs come midway into the song. Once again, they lead you into their haunted mansion of riffage, the winding corridors harmonized gallops. The vocals hold a little less purpose on this one, but the guitars are such a dominant factor that you would never notice. I was halfway into "Save a Prayer' before I realized it was a Duran Duran cover. This is the album's most unexpected moment. The vocals lack melody, leaving this all in the hands of the guitars. Thus, making the connection difficult to discern, but it works overall. 

There is more of a mid-paced Metallica-like chug to the last song. They steer things into a melodic direction with the harmonized guitar parts. Not sure how they would pull this off as a trio live, but that is where they are at with it. As with the bulk of the album, they wander off through a spooly labyrinth of riffs; this time, there is just more thrash influence to them, when not diving into more morose sounds. I will give this one a 9.5, as well. I'm not sure how it will stack up against the genre's increasingly higher level of competition this year, but it serves as a testament to an underrated band that continues to deliver the goods.  This drops on October 3rd on Season of Mist. 

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BASK : "The Turning"

 I was a big fan of their 2019 album, and this time around it feels like a heavier sound, though sticking to the honest plea of country-inflected vocals even amid guitars crunching around them. There is more boogie in the shuffle of "The Traveller". More layers of vocals harmonize to give things a more jammy prog feel. It almost feels more like Porcupine Tree. Heavier rock chords are crashing over the laid-back vocals of "The Cloth," which is a juxtaposition that works well to create dynamic songwriting that takes a few listens to absorb everything going on. 

There is a more harding rocking country feel to "Dig  My Heels" which finds a very country vocal melody being chased by more aggressive guitars. This is done in a very unique manner, making it the album's best song so far. If they had gone just straight country, it would have felt like Tyler Childers and not as effective since we already have a Tyler Childers in the world. It does take some twists and turns ends up in a more grandiose doomier stomp. 

"Unwound" is more aligned with their proggy metal side, though not due to any excess of aptitude, but more the layers of sound the song is built on.  They do jam out on the atmosphere midway through things. The guitar solos are very tasteful with layering of melody and sonics over shredding. The guitar solo does take a more direction, rock approach on the more elegant "Long Lost Light". 

There is more of a Wild Western feel to the last song than country. The vocals do not have a twang as they are belted out with a reflective tone. As the song unfolds, you hear the original manner in which they entwine the rock sound with the more pastoral textures before bringing a harder crunch, to keep the ebb and flow on the unexpected edge. I will give this one a 9.5. Sometimes, things are so heavily layered that you have to get a few listens in to fully grasp it, but when you do, it proves rewarding. August 22nd on Season of Mist 

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GAAHLS WYRD : "Braiding the Stories"

The album opens up with a more atmospheric intro piece, and the vocals are more of a faint texture. The title track finds things kicking in with the drums driving things forward in a more powerful rock direction. I am glad to hear Gaahl continuing to explore his singing voice. The vocals are well layered, with more of his upper register present while the baritone croon hols centerstage, which is on brand for him. It is not surprising that Gaahl and I are of a similar musical mindset for here he proves that the emotive value of darkness is just as heavy as metal. When it kicks back in after ebbing down the song is powerful but this is handled by strummed guitars, and not the more metallic tones you might expect. The guitar solo that emerges is the most metal thing and even then it provides a thematic melodic overlay. 

"Time and Timeless Timeline" finds them charging back into their metal root. Gaahl holds fast and uses restraint by not resorting to screaming over it. "And the Now" finds Gaahl dipping into more nuanced vocal tones, the overall feel of the song is more abstract. The buildup on this song is very interesting and sonically dense. It sounds like you are sailing into a storm. 'Through the Veil" is more of an ambiance interlude, though the title of the song itself encapsulates the theme of this album. "Visions and Time" finds them bringing more metallic tones back. It almost reminds me of Enslaved's more progressive tones, though with a darker more menacing mood. The song takes a great dynamic shift as the guitar playing continues to shine on this album.

 "Root the Will' starts off with a thrashing chug and shifts into a swirl of sound. The vocals create more of a droning chant here. The drums and bass hold down the stomping backbone of the song. Vocally the narrative is more crazed sounding in how it's arranged and performed, with no attempts to form to typical songwriting. 'Flowing Starlight" is the album's most goth moment as it is not far removed from what Fields of the Nephilim does.  An almost psychedelic tone to the guitar helps set the stage for this.Gaahl's voice sounds great on this and I love how his vocals are produced here. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. If you have been into his other work outside of Gorgoroth then you should like this album as well.  This drops on Season of Mist on June 6th. 

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Black Metal History Month- Revenge :'Violation.Strife.Abominate"

 

The bar is low for these guys. Their last album scored a 6.5. A six is the lowest score that can be considered listenable. They were really heavy, but not the best songwriters; however, if you were into grind-core sprinkled with blackened rawness, it might have been something you would give a shot. Things are more frantic and feral this time around, but not as heavy, thanks to the thin guitar tone that carries a reckless buzzing to the otherwise punk frenzy going down here. I don't remember the drums sounding this bad last time. "Flashpoint Heretic" is just chaos from the onset and sounds like they recorded themselves throwing their equipment down the stairs and overdubbed the meaningless screaming over it afterward. 

When the last album came out I was not into grindcore as much as I am now. But I really loved the last Full of Hell album, which combined black metal with grindcore in a more cohesive fashion, proving you can still be insanely heavy and write a fucking song. The drummer makes more of an attempt to do so three songs in. The vocals work to thwart his trying in this regard. To fight back he goes into a blast beat. There are some lower growls, and the way the vocals are distorted at times brings early Today is the Day to mind. I am a little concerned when I see I have to endure nine more songs of this. Despite the vocals, there seems to be more form and function to "Strife Invocation".  They throw themselves into a crude punk thrashing for "Emaciated Revelation" 

The crude patter of the drums plays against any potential "Mercy Revoked" has, at best felt like early Deicide, but without the hook to the riffing. "Piety Vaporized" falls in line with the conceptual theme. The song itself is a spastic battery of sound.  "Shockwave Iconoclast" is more of the same rapid-fire temper tantrums. "Last Resort" is sadly not a Poppa Roach cover. "Aftermath" blasts by with little attempt to catch my attention. But then, when I do pay attention to "Liars Rope" the results are not much better. The last song starts off with a more deliberate pound. I'll give this one a 6, as the production might not grate on the nerves of their fans, who are the only ones who will appreciate this album. For some reason, Season of Mist is invested in these guys.  

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Black Metal History Month - Saor : "Admist the Ruins"

Looks like the last time we reviewed this Scottish black metal band it was for their 2nd album. It scored an 8 making it better than most of the atmospheric black metal coming out that year, but not top 10 worthy. There is a more folk-entrenched melody in the music this time around. This feels like the most noted change from what I recall of their earlier work. The vocals are your typical mid-range black metal rasp. They occupy the obligatory space you expected them to. Some cool things are going on musically with woodwinds and synth textures. It gives a misty haunting vibe, though not a dark one. At over twelve minutes it is indeed an epically grandiose way to get things started which is what fans of this kind of black metal are looking for I suppose.

More if riding on the second song "Echoes of the Ancient Land" since this is where I am going to need to hear their ability to do something different than what they did here. There are already too many black metal bands who are one-trick ponies with all their songs sounding the same. It is also what separates a band from just being able to achieve a song to actually being songwriters. They do pivot and get more aggressive, with more double bass driving the sound than blast beats. This works for me as it keeps them from just being a Summoning tribute act. The woodwinds do return to what is almost the stock folk metal intervals. Almost all of this is being pulled off by Andy Marshall, which is impressive to some degree. He does have help with voice to chime in on the sung chorus to this song. The drumming is an impressive display from Carlos Vivas. It just becomes evident midway into this song that their songwriting still is somewhat bloated as the song things begin to drag. 

There is more atmosphere in the melancholy guitar that opens "Glen of Sorror". At least they can live up to the song's name. Though the mood brightens throughout the song into something with a triumphant brightness. The more layered roar of vocals works well. There is more of a hushed folky Agalloch feel to "The Sylvan Embrace" This makes sense given the song's title. The last song indulges in more grandiose pageantry the blast of the drums sits under everything back in the mix. The end of the song goes in an almost Enya-like direction. I'll give this album an 8.5, the songs are long-winded, but the album is well-recorded and sounds great. If bands like Summoning are your thing or you are already a fan of this project it is giving you what you want. Not dark enough for my personal tastes, there a metal heads who are into scented candles and like this sort of thing , they will be stoke. It drops on Season of Mist. 

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Black Metal History Month -Wrath of Logarius : "Crown of Mortis"

 

This band from California kicks in with aggressive guttural vocals that feel almost more like death metal before they sweep in with the kind of grandiose atmosphere that feels like black metal. This does give them an edge as they are more vert in their aggression than most black metal bands, their attack placing them somewhere between the epicness of Immortal and Behemoth sonically. They do not lay into a stream of blasting until "Erosion". The vocals stick to more of a scowled snarl. Though at times the lower more gurgled death metal vocals offer an almost call-and-response dynamic.  

The album sounds great from a production standpoint, though some black metal purists might not be accepting of this. They carry a great deal of authority into how they attack things in an almost Dimmu Borgir-like manner on "Of the Void". I appreciate the melodic breakdown on this one that establishes a wider range of moods.  They are not a symphonic band, but their sound is so big it creates something similar to Dimmu that can be felt in "Long Dead the King". They give you room to breathe by allowing for a more melodic intro to "interludes, though I would prefer to hear these sounds incorporated more into the actual songs, then we would be getting somewhere in terms of dynamics. As things are the blitz of sound that is 'the Ethereal Mist" begins to give everything a uniform snarl. The more shrieked vocals give things a more Cradle of Filth feel. 

"Lurker's Tomb" allows things to bask in the darkness a little more and the switch over into death metal vocals helps break things away from the shrieking. There is no question the drummer is a beat, but how can you not be to play in a black metal band. There is also a more technical aspect to his playing that brings this out and separates them from many of your standard black metal bands. The guitar solo on this song also proves this point.  "Dread" closes the album. There is a darker atmosphere to this song that I wish would have played in more to the overall sound of the album,. These guys are however great at what they do so I will give this one a 9. It comes out on Season of Mist on April 4th. 

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NITE : "Cult of the Serpent Sun"

The third album from this San Franciso metal band. They walk a line between black metal and traditional metal. I can hear where Tribulation might have occupied a similar sonic space at one time if they had not turned into a goth band. The snarled vocals are what roots them in black metal, as you could have someone with their foot on the monitor yodeling and it would sound like a different ballgame. You can draw comparisons to bands like Angel Witch in this regard. These guys are less thrashy and heading in a more Saxon-like direction. 

However, these guys are not just content with paying tribute to a bygone era of metal as they have plenty of catchy riffs, and when you get into the meat of the album, it;'s obvious they are great songwriters. "The Crow" highlights their skills as songwriters as it's anthemic but darker than what 80s metal bands were doing during this time. At times this gives things a proto-thrash pumping fist, but finds these guys occupying a needed middle ground when it comes to traditional metal.  "the Mystic" takes this and goes in a darker direction. It creeps with an impressive groove. "the Last Blade" finds the band showcasing their knack for guitar melodies shining in a manner that is not cheesy, at times recalling Thin Lizzy in places.  If you like guitar solos this album has more than its fair share of them.

I can hear traces of 80s Rush in places on "Carry On". It's really a great testament to their songwriting to compare them to Rush's more commercially viable era. The guitar is very nuanced, and if they said Alex Lifeson was one of their influences, I would tell them to carry on. These guys have super memorable guitar melodies driving this song which is not something you can say about most metal these days. This is also the juncture in the album where things lean in a more rock-n-roll direction.  "Tarmut" alludes to the theme of the album, while musically is a shadow rather than the eye of the sun the lyrics reference, its tense groove is hard not to bob your head to and features stellar guitar work. More juicy guitar solos roll off their fretboard. I typically refrain from using the epic as an adjective but some of the guitar harmonies on this album are deserving of it, like those found on the last song.

 I'll go ahead and round this one up to a 10, I've already gotten several listens to this album my first day of owning it, and feel like this is going to continue to grow on me. If you want a classic metal-sounding album that is just not reheating leftovers this band has you covered,. This rocker is going to slap ya when it drops on March 14th on Season of Mist.  

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This Gift is a Curse : "Heir"

 

This Swedish band plays a confrontational style of black metal that carries hard-core roots in its aggression. The first track does not just blast at you but brings various influences. I like how they are layered with the spoken female vocals when things break down by the end of the song. "No Sun, Nor Moon" finds the more hard-core side of the band surfacing on the chorus, though it blasts along in the vein of most black metal bands these days. I like the darker creep to "Void Bringer" though the vocals are more chaotic and work less with what is going on. 

"Death Maker" is the typical blasting you expect from black metal though a tad more feral in its frenzied snarl. "Seers of No Light" also falls along the more wrathful slant of black metal, and is not as sonically interesting as the more experimental and ambient take they embark on with "Cosmic Voice" even though it does work off more of a drone, and might not fall into the hooky bounds of songwriting, it shows there is a time and place for everything, and this type of willingness to play with the formula and think out of the box is something many of the other songs could benefit from as well. Fans of just black metal might find this to be their least favorite track if they only listen to black metal for their brains to become battered by blast beats. 

"Vow Sayer" falls closer to the expected bound of black metal, with some eerie melodies that create ambiance behind the more in-your-face onslaught in the front of the mix. In some ways, it's closer to the chaos of a band like Deathspell Omega. There is a darker atmosphere to the song "Old Space" that throbs with a darkness that I find more pleasing, along with a whispered vocal that is more brooding. All of these things are more pleasing. This swells into a more sludge-like mood, but is the first moment in this album that feels like this. The last song finds the vocal back in a crazed snarl that stirs things into a more chaotic vision of black metal. I'll give this album a 9, it's dark enough black metal that it works for me, though due to the unhinged vocal approach which is not as purposeful as what I normally look for I'm not sure how much I will actually listen to it, but there is no denying the success of what they created here.Out March 7th on Season of Mist.  

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November is Doom : Funeral :"Gospel of Bones"

 Norway is known more for Black Metal than doom. This band proves cold grim winters can be an inspiration for both genres. There is more of a folk element haunting the atmosphere cast by their sound. The vocals are in an almost operatic baritone croon, as they resonate with vibrato. Piano and violin add to the classical trappings. Female vocals delivered in a similar fashion join in. The guitar carries all the crunch with very deliberate chugs holding things down. The symphonic elements make them stand out from the pack so far this month, It's eight and a half minutes though it does not feel as if they are dragging it out, so that is positive. 

"Yestertear' feels more metal in the guitars. The deeply orchestrated arrangments are still intact with a dramatic operatic style employed for this one in the same manner it played into the first song. Although this vocal style could wear on me the end album, it still works well for two songs, I typically do not care how you are singing as long as they are dynamic and it feels like you approach each song differently. "Procession of Misery" is where they had taken these sounds and pushed them in this direction as far as they could go, without needing a shift. Otherwise, it will fade into the background. The more overt metal of "These Rusty Nails" is what the album needed. However, the vocals do not glide as smoothly over it as they could. It is not a deal breaker, but noticeable. 

The violin interlude feels like it should have been tagged onto the beginning of "My Own Grave". A more folk feel collides with heavier riffs, and the vocals fall into better spots here. "To Break all Hearts of Men' finds the needed vocal shift leading into the song. The chest voice bellowing had reached its peak so it made sense. There is a lighter higher voice, that carries a lazier croon. "Nar Kisten Senkes" is more emotive in the atmosphere summoned by its dramatics. Perhaps not as melancholy a mood until it digs further into the song. Then guitar solos and more chugged guitar riffs anchor it more in metal. It comes together pretty well as the more traditional metal elements are allowed to come forth. 

The vocals switch back to the same singer from "To Break All Hearts of Men"  for the last song, giving an almost Psychic TV feel. I think his variance in the vocals is more original and gives them an interesting path to explore, as we already know how doom sounds when it's dramatic, thanks to bands like Candlemass. I will round this down to a 9, which is still an outstanding score because the dramatics is not something I can hear myself listening to regularly, but you can not ignore the work these guys put into this and how they made the album they set out to make which was an ambitious goal that they nailed. It was released on Season of Mist. 

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Crippled Black Phoenix : 'The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature"

I gained a new appreciation for this band since the darker turn their past few albums have taken. This is supposed to be a double album, but I am reviewing them separately since they have different titles.  This one starts off with a sample from what sounds to be a "Sounds of Halloween" album. From there they sprawl out from a creeping post-rock, into a more grandiose throb. Not as dark as what I expected after the last album but it works. This sprawls out for 11 minutes. I only paid attention to the time around the 8-minute mark, so perhaps it's three minutes of excess. Production of the album sounds great and the guitar tones ring out with the perfect amount of reverb. There is a more rock n roll feel to "You Put the Devil In Me" which has a more soaring southern rock feel. 

"444" is the first song dark enough to lean toward being called goth, it feels like something Wovebhand might do. Justin Storms from the band Wailin Storms lends his voice which aims it in this direction. Then the shadows creep into the atmosphere of "Goodnight Europe". Belinda Kordic's voice is stellar on this one. So up to this point, we are at a 50/50 split as to songs dark enough to consider this album goth. The ambient interlude that follows this does not change this fact . However the more pastoral folk of "Song for the Unloved" carries a more Swans-like vibe, thanks to Ryan from Fotocrime coming in to drop vocals. This does build into a more Pink Floyd-like sound. There is a palm-muted riff that feels like it's going into "Another Brick in the Wall". The song is a 14-minute epic so who knows where it's going to end up. The saxophone solo over the more "Have a Cigar" groove is a pretty nice, touch and aside from the one riff, they do not become a Pink Floy Tribute band. 

"Whissendine" continues to float down a more Pink Floyd-like place with a darker grandiose theatric feel to the song's progression. They have always been a progressive band this time it's just coming from a place that is more like "the Wall'". They close the album by taking it in a more post-rock direction for the "Blizzard of Horned Cats".  I have not given the second album a listen yet, but this album has some goth adjacent songs, three of them to be exact it feels more proggy in scope and is not as dark,  not giving me a reason to hold back this review for Gothtober. however, it is still excellent and better than most prog bands you are going to hear this year so I will give it a 9.5. It drops November 4th, on Season of Mist.  

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Thy Catafalque :"XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek"

 12 albums into this project's legacy, things are moving in an even more progressive direction. At one time more of a black metal band, there is not a great deal remaining from those days. Lots of keyboards, with metallic punches when it comes to dialing the dynamics up. This band does sound like they are from Hungary. The exotic scales this album dances around are a testament to that heritage. I mean the scale is even called the Hungarian Minor, so how could it not be the lifeblood of these songs? They speed things up on the second song, which holds more black metal malice to its attack. 

"Vasgyar' finds the drumming propelling things forward in a metal manner. The arrangement jerks you back with the technical riffing. There is a great deal of fire in this aggressive attack, as the vocals take on a menacing snarl, that sounds more death metal than black metal. The song does build into an impressive syncopated groove. "Vilagnak Vilaga" feels more like a heavier take on folk metal. "Niyarfa, Niyirfa" moves in a more hooky fashion, as the vocals have plenty of room to ride the bass line. "Lydianoz" is more of a folk song that still weaves a serpentine charm thanks to the bass. There is nothing metal about the song and that is fine. The synths add more progressive depth to the song. 

"Vakond" features harpsichord sounds that dance around the organ. The album is moving in a more progressive folk direction which works just fine. This is what this album needs to do to retain its identity and not just follow what Ihsahn has laid out for black metal artists crossing over into progressive rock. For an instrumental it succeeds in holding my attention. "Kodkiraly" feels like alternative folk from the 90s. It simmers in the atmosphere but does not have as clear of a direction as the previous song. Midway in the distortion stomps in like a storm cloud. Snarled vocals darken the narrative. 

"Alahullas" wastes no time for the drums to establish the metallic direction it is going in. Synths take the guitar melody. The song has both punch and groove, though the vocals on the chorus are a little dramatic for my tastes. The guitar solo on this one is very effective as it adds to the melodic themes rather than pointless shredding. The last song goes in a more progressive direction. I will give this album a 9, as it cares about the songs, and finds a great dynamic balance while working in the sounds of it's homeland. 

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