DESOLAT : "People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders"

 

They must worship Black Flag in Austria, as the first song strikes me as a more metal version of Black Flag; the vocals are howled in a Rollins fashion for sure. But let's face Black Flag is not  Black Flag these days, and the Rollins Band is retired, so someone needs to scratch that itch. There is a good amount of sludge mixed in when it comes to the big riffs. The vocals also switch to a snarl midway into the song, which furthers this comparison. The riffs shift to a darker place I enjoy. "Pig Race to the Apocalypse" sounds like they just left the tape rolling and jammed out of the first song. They switch up the riffs in a more metal-than-punk manner, making me reasonably sure this is a sludge bandd with black Flag influence.

On "This Sadness Makes Me Rage," It feels like the vocals are balancing out the more melodic direction the guitars are going by being more abrasive. The song wanders into Jarboe doing a spoken-word section that sounds like his therapist giving him a pep talk, which works for me and makes it the most interesting song thus far. Both groove and chaos are colliding for "No Depression When Dead" as it devolves into a jazz-like din. There is a similar but more nuanced riff paving the way for "Wannabe VIP," which finds a girl taking over the mic. This is the band's third album so they clearly know what they want to do here.  

The tense, muted riff driving "Good People Keep Their Mouths Shut..."  carries a sinewy Jesus Lizard-ish mood. There is indeed a dash of noise rock in the burly mix of sounds as well. The most punk moment is "the Art of Shit," but even then some sludgy riffs crash in. It is, however, more Stooges than Black Flag, which I appreciate. Even though experimenting with samples gives it a twist, they stay pretty punk on "Cyberdyne Employment Application". This is still tempered with an almost Slayer-like riff. The vocals twist into an Eyehategod-like sneer on the last time; this is not the first time it's happened on this album, but the most prominent. I like what they are doing on this album I will give it a 9.

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Ellende : "Zerfall"

 I'm excited that my first album review of 2026 will be a new one from this Austrian project that claimed the number one spot in the top 10 Black Metal albums of 2024. They are atmospheric, with stunning guitar work and a haze of melancholy, lending their waves of scathing picking an edge. The wrathful vocals are perhaps more scornful this time around. Halfway through the first actual song, a melodic swathe of clean guitar with folk elements emerges. It works from the melodic themes established in the song. In other words, it's on point for what you might expect from these guys if you are already a fan. 

The second part of "Wahrheit Teil" starts off as a more melancholic continuation of what they established in the first part, but the difference is that they gain momentum and build it more aggressively. This does not mean an assault with blast beats. The title track finds them jamming a slow-burning progressive-minded groove into the version of melodic black metal they have clearly mastered. Twin guitar melodies complement their melodic side, going into."Ubertritt"

"Zeiten Wende Teil" is another two-parter, the first part being the kind of sweeping guitar melodies you expect from most black metal that is not singularly focused on blast beats. There is also a sorrowful atmosphere haunting the backdrop. They pick up the attack with a more metallic intensity to the tremolo-picked guitar on the second part. There are some pretty cool riffs on this one as the song progresses, despite not being what I think of as a riffy band. It ends with a great guitar solo. 

The last song sets the stage with a sample of a phone message leading into things with a gradual build. This willingness to experiment is one of the things that makes this one of their best releases so far. A chorus of sung vocals breaks things up as they double down on their commitment to melody and great guitar playing. I will give this album a 9.5, setting the bar pretty high for black metal albums to come this year. 

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Ellende : "Todbringerin"

It seems I have some catching up to do. The last time I heard these guys was back when they released their 2019 album, so few trips to the studio are under their bullet belts that I missed. This explains the growth in the more melodic direction of their sound, and the pristine nature of the production that is organic enough to capture the spirit of the genre without being so polished they lose the black metal feel like say Behemoth. These Austrians are doing their own thing in the best way possible without turning off fans of the genre, as the scope of sound has changed but even with the jazzy guitar interludes nobody is going to doubt these guys are a black metal band even when they skimp on the blast beats. 

Agalloch might be a fair sonic comparison. The snarl of the raspy vocals anchors them in metal as the music soars off into the autumn sky. The drumming is very nuanced. The guitars are very nicely layered with wonderful tones dialed in. The instruments have space rather than just a buzzing drone of tremolo-picked guitars. "Verehrung" is very intentional, and works off all the elements they set in place in the previous song, without wearing them out already. "Scherben Teil" is written as parts one and two. The first of these sets the stage with a steady strum of guitar and a gracefully tasteful guitar solo. This does coast off into the kind of ambient black metal that is the backbone of this album. It is decorated with some stellar guitar flourishes. The second part kind of drones of the atmosphere formed in the previous song. 

"Versprochen" is the first song that crosses all the way over from black metal into post-rock. It's a pretty majestic song, so hard to argue with the results and the great guitar playing that drives the point home. "Verachtung' is the counterpoint to this as it roars back with more metallic intent. Keeping its fury at a steady march. The last song splits the difference as starting off with more ambiance pervading the guitar melodies then the storm builds into the scathing vocals that hold more malice in the climax. This album is better than what I heard from this band previously, which says something since the last album I reviewed got a 9, so I will give this one a 9.5, it shows you what black metal could be capable of.

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L'Âme Immortelle : "Ungelebte Leben"

 

This Austrian dark-wave duo has been honing their craft for some time. The interplay of female vocals with the male vocals creates a beauty and the beast dynamic. Their new album opens with a song that serves as a fair introduction to who they are. The baritone grit on the male side of this equation is not unlike the kind of vocal style Rammstein employs, so comparisons are somewhat warranted at times. "War of Silence" shows the band leaning into a more dancefloor-oriented groove, and finds Thomas Rainer using more nuance and flexing his emotive croon. Sonja takes the reins of "Regret" which is almost a Nightwish-like ballad, though rather than symphonic metal it works off a lush electronic backdrop, though is much more poppy. Until the bass line becomes prominent it almost gets too melodramatic. 

Keeping things more uptempo plays to their favor as the synth riff to the title track proves. The first song that I think would fit the most seamlessly into the rotation of any of the Goth nights I attended last year. It also works well with their vocal interplay. The melodies are given more space to form hooks. "Push" is another ballad that goes a little too far into flowery territory for my personal tastes. The whole symphonic thing feels like it's too contrived for my tastes, and Dimmu Borgir is the only band that I am into that uses the symphonic elements. Once again this is a matter of my personal tastes, and this project is skilled at doing what they do, when things steer in this direction it's just not my thing. 

There is more thump to "Nie genug" which feels like they are moving in a more effective direction. They stay in this more EBM direction with poppier slant for a while. It's catchy enough and stays true to the genre, but perhaps at the risk of losing their individualism. It borders on  90s Euro house music. "Own Way' tries a little too hard and ends up feeling sort of awkward in execution. "Weit fort" is too happy for my personal tastes, but works . The album ends with a more grandiose melodrama with 'Widerhall". It reminds me of something that could have been on Kate Bush's 2011 album, as it is hushed almost to the point of being trip-hop. Overall I appreciate the effort they put into this album, they have been at it for sometimes, so are clearly executing their vision well. Some songs resonated with me more than others, but will give this album an 8.5, for people who are into this sort of thing. I prefer it darker and with more bite, but can see when something is well done for what it is. 

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Ice Ages : "Coma"

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Austrian electronic project offers a dark dramatic take on electronic music. It reminds me of a less emotive VNV Nation, at times. The droning machine-like churn that keeps the opening track in motion is stark but also rather flat in terms of dynamics. On the second song, the vocals are more sung to provide a little more flow, though the backing instrumentation is giving the vocals more room to breathe they are drifting in a more symphonic direction. "Self Exiled" is a more effective song for what they do as it carries more groove. Up to this point, they were presenting pleasing sounds but here they all fall together. In terms of arrangements, the songs begin to sprawl out more in eight-minute songs.

Some of the fat can be trimmed like the minute-long build-up into "Euthanasia". This song drones along an ethereal melody that is being hammered by more machine-like beats.  The middle section of this song could have stood to have been edited down. "Fatal Breath" finds the vocals in a more robotic cadence.This song takes a while to get going. It is not until three minutes in that feels like any progress has been made,It ebbs and flows off a theme, but the vocals chant and never hook you in with anything that makes you invested in the song.

"Idol" is more rhythmic. There is less orchestration to bog it down. The vocals which are this project's weak spot, tend to follow a similar pattern to what they have already done earlier in the album. This begins to make all the songs feel the same, as well as just generally start to bore me, Much like the previous song it works over variations of the established theme. There is more of an 80s pulse to "Promising Demise". The beat is pretty much your typical early industrial fare but with better production value. It takes two minutes for the vocals to appear and even then they do not really remain all that present until another minute passes. Once again there is a lack of any form of vocal hook.

This project would work really well at making music for video games, as it is more about a cinematic tone of sound than catchy songs, This can be felt in the eight-and-a-half-minute closing song. It is not until midway into this song that it really takes a noticeable turn. The vocals remain an obligatory exclamation. I will give this a 7.5, it works in terms of creating a sound but does not translate into songs you will be drawn back into. 

Black Metal History Month - Carathis :" Amethyst & Moonstone"

 This Austrian band had two eps that were never properly released so they are being combined to form this album. There is a raw element to what they do but that does not keep them from using synths to symphonic effect and writing catchy songs with thrashing intent. The vocals sit back in the mix. The drums are not just slamming you with blast beats though they do crop up. "the Crimson Gate' is straight forward to the point of taking influence from a more classic metal sound. The snarled vocals want to sing when the chorus hits, but the croak instead. 

The style of black metal they throw themselves into with such deal can have a bit of tedium if it is not tempered with other dynamics. "the Forsaken Realm" finds everything running together a bit, thanks to the hyper aggressive tempo. There is more melody thanks to the synths pushing it through on "the Fallen Star" but not enough to make me say "wow this is great." instead I simply agree that this is black metal that I appreciate. The more deliberate the passage the more impactful. By the time we get to the "Amethyst Fortress" they have begun to rely on blast beats more. This leaves things feeling a tad rushed. The sound quality changes on 'the Portal" the problem being this is black metal and the synths sound too bright. The vocals remain at an enthusiastic croak.

They even have keyboards on "the Procession" that sound like they have been marched in from a late 80s dance track. At this point in the album the blast beats have gotten tedious. They dig deep and find more gas in the tank for "the Prayer".There is more of a taunt palm muted chug to the last song, though it comes close to blasting off. I will give this album an 8, as they inject enough of themselves into things to make it worthwhile.

Death is June - Crypt Crawler - " Future Usurper"

 

Right from the bass intro they have my ear because they are not opening this going for the throat. It is not to say they are not capable of doing that they just bring more to the table. I suppose this would fall under progressive death metal, though they are not too mathy or wanky.   Midway into the opener the show they can pick up speed with a very thrashy riff. In the first song alone they prove themselves capable ot hitting all the marks you might want from a death metal band. The vocals remind me a little of Death in their harsh scowl. The songs are memorable and catchy. The guitar work is great. I am almost sold on the first song, though the question is can they prove to deliver like this all the time or is this a bar they are setting too high for themselves that the rest of the album will not live up to?   

They are a tightly coiled aggression machine with all the hooks that old school thrash used to dish out, but run from a filter of classic death metal . They keep this big epic maximum head banging momentum going into "Force fed to the Dead". Death metal about zombies works for me.  'Delirium" introduces more melodic elements from the guitar. There is a doomier tone, though this is not navigated as smoothly, in some of the more angular turns, though on second listen it was not as noticeable, though the death metal parts, sound more like everyone else/. I like the darker tone going into "Inherent Complexion". They end up taking off with rapid violence from there and steam roll you.  'Choir of Reprieve" is the first where it feels like they just kind of fall into the speed trap of most death metal bands and have a more monochrome  This is given more of a contrast by the wider range of dynamic sonic colors in 'the Avaricious Ones".  It still succeeds at being heavy though the riff has more of a moshy swing to it.

The riff to "Horrors of Humanity" is catchy enough , but it at first felt like a continuation of the previous song. The lyrics are easy to discern with the articulated rasp of his growl. The guitar solo is very Kirk Hammett. The deliberate riffing of " The Illusion We're Under" shifts into more progressive passages are more fluid than some of the album's others turns towards this. "Once Shadow Now Flesh" is not the album's most adventurous song, but it is catchy and works well.  I will give this album a 9.5, making it one of the best death metal releases so far this year. If you like melodic death metal with progressive touches, then this is a must. This Austrian band has a future for sure.

 

Glare of the Sun : "Theia"

This band out of Austria offers a more dramatic and progressive take on death doom. Progressive in the sense they are not using the same tired formula. This is on the more well produced European spectrum of death metal. So if you are looking for something more dense and dirty this is not it. That is not to say they do not have grit as they do. They have strummed clean guitar and sung vocals to help break up things as early as the first actual song.The third song grows more atmospheric as well as darker. It indulges their doom side. It flows well and has dynamics. They continue to grow more melodic as the song that follows has a feel of mid-period Katatonia. The mood and tempo are still down trodden.

Even when the vocals get more throaty they hang onto their most melodic styling. The guitar is sluggish thought the drums take on a more mid paced drive before the distortion cranks to life. It reminds me of a slower version of Enslaved at times. They continue to use the low breathy spoke word vocal for the darker more melodic calms before the storm. When the sung vocals do come in they are well done and not overstated. They are varied sometimes coming in as a resonate baritone. The drummer doesn't over play either , which is weird considering their death metal leanings. His playing is very nuanced. About seven songs in things begin to run together for me. The album's third act does find it falling into more of a formula .

Despite having a strong start then losing steam before getting to the finish line. I think it succeeds more often than not and I like the risks they take to distance themselves from the pack. Perhaps they are not as good as say Nailed to Obscurity, but this album is well produced and sounds good . I will give it a 8.5, though I won't get much further play from it. If you are a fan of melancholy death doom heavy on melody, then this is worth your time. .
7.9/ 9

Black Metal History Month - Ellende :"Lebensnehmer"

This project out of Austria started as a one man band and added session guys along the way , but is primarily still fueled by brain child L.G. who handles the vocals and core instrumentation as from perhaps drums. It starts off pretty straight ahead black metal then drifts into some pretty cool melody and atmosphere midway into the first song. "Die Wege" is more straight forward and driving, with hints of rock n roll. The riff are not a blinding blur of sonics but deliberate. Then things begin to get a little more diverse with the strum of clean guitar. It turns out to be an instrumental. It sounds good, but after the first couple songs I wanted to hear those more melodic elements worked into the bigger picture of what they do , which to some extent occurs in "Der Blick wird leer" .  The verse slows down enough to give the snarl of the vocals more purpose. I think the fact they continue to not rely on blast beats really helps this album.

It seems to be a thing with black metal this year, to get mid way into the album and the songs begin to sound the same. There is some redemption here as the guitar playing is pretty melodic and offers breathing room while keeping the shadows of the sound dense. This is shame as the more atmospheric sections are set apart like instrumentals when they re more interludes. Once again I would rather hear stuff like this worked into their songs to create more dynamic range. They continue to sonically intense melodic qualities even in the songs that are more straight forward black metal. Eventually they do come closer to blending the softer touches, leading to more furious blasting. But when it is done like that it comes across much more effective. I guess my question about integration of their two sides is answered on "Atemzug" which blends piano and acoustic guitar into what is otherwise their normal black metal sound. It seems to bookend it rather than weave into the more angry roar. The second part of the more melodic portion wisely comes by way of using the guitar solo to bridge the two worlds. But they are two very separate sides no blended. I will round this one up to a 9. I liked it so much it did make it to iTunes , if it makes it to the iPod is another story. If you want something in the vein of Agalloch, but without the more folk sides of that band then these guys are in the same zip code when it comes to the brand of black metal they can churn out.

Black Metal History Month - Abigor : "Höllenzwang (Chronicles of Perdition)"

This is the 10th album from these Austrian black metal maniacs. The vocals are crazed. Sometimes they are sung and when this happens it sounds like Emperor on a whirl wind of drugs. The varied layers of vocals give them a personality of their own. The guitars are also layered sometimes two different parts that seem like they are working against one another, but given the chaotic nature of what they do this works out fine. "Sword of Silence" has more of a thrashing groove but the weird Mayhem like vocals keep things weird. By the end of the song it has taken more twists and turns than expected. This album stays focused on Satan and has many samples from horror movies to remind you of this fact. All of the songs are in the three to four minute range.

"the Cold Breath of Satan" starts off a little fast and then feels like it is more difficult for them to get focused enough to draw you back in. "None Before Him" is a much better song, it is more experimental with the bass driven groove , but it all works here. The big chorus of overdubbed vocals creates a more majestic feel. "Olden Days" has it's vocals a little more sung but angular chaos abounds. Some one left a comment on their Bandcamp page that says this album reminds them of everything they love about "Grand Declaration of War" and I think this album is more manic than that, really the only part that sounds like Mayhem is the vocals and if you are going to compare it to Mayhem its more like the early Attila days. "Hymn to the Flaming Void" is less though out than the previous song. The first minute and a half in their is a cool part, but it quickly shifts into something else like most of these songs.

By the time we get to "Christs Descents Into Hell" they have jerked you back and forth like a less proggy version of Sigh. "Ancient Fog of Evil" is a little darker. The vocals don't sit as well over the dissonance as they do on other songs.I'll give this album an 8.5 , they are goo at what they do and their playing got them that high so it was an enjoyable listen, I appreciate that they think beyond the blast beat, but it doesn't feel like an album I am going to return to a lot if at all. If you are a fan then go ahead and round it up to a 9.

Summoning : "With Doom We Come"

It starts off with a instrumental that has what sounds to be snippets of dialogue, almost like background music for your next Dungeons and Dragons session, the actual metal doesn't start until the second song. Which has growled vocals , but while the main riff is more interesting.There are some folk percussive elements that are more predominant at the begin. The mix of this album is weird sometimes unfortunately the synths are more present in the mix and the guitar takes a back seat compromising the heaviness that could have been if they have a more organic sound.Not that anything is really consistent as the guitar comes up for "Carcharoth". The songs tend to work at more of a pulse than the triumphant gallop that once characterized this band. I can only think of one song that isn't ruled by the pulse of it's melancholy atmosphere. The positive side to this is the fact that the melancholy feel makes for a darker listen when then the fugal horns are not holding the melody. On "Carcharoth" the vocals have more of a Bathory quality to them and are not in the Gullom like growl.

The piano that opens "Herumor" highlights one of the tonal weakness of the album though this particular song compensates for it by switching up the approach to the vocals and having a almost Dead Can Dance like rhythmic quality to the songs tempo breaking away from the pulsing drone that has ruled the album up to this point.Things get a little darker on "Night Fell Behind". The drums start off sounding a little more organic. This one is back to the pulsing feel , but it does so in the same manner as post-prison Burzum. The vocals go back into the almost sung Bathory like feel.  The last two songs of this album both are eleven minutes. "Mirklands" opens with a piano melody.  The vocals have more of a feral snarl to them. The dynamics of this song are more effective despite having to wrestle against the keyboards.

The title track which closes the album finds the vocals getting even closer to singing. It is pretty clear that while the album really indulges in the more folk like elements to create a more pagan metal feel these guys are not playing black metal. The flute melody really drives this point back home to Middle Earth. The break downs where it falls back to the synth lines are not the album's strongest moments.I like this album despite the cheese filled synth lines. I like the fact it is darker and more melodic. I have enjoyed the handful of listens I have given it thus far, though unless we get a thick snow, I can not see this as something I would listen to while out and about on my iPod, so I'll round it down to a 8.5, which is still a step above just being pretty decent. 

Harakiri For the Sky : " III : Trauma"

The post rock infused in this post- metal seems to be more post-hardcore if the half time stomps are any indication. The drums of this Austrian project are more double bass heavy than they are blast beaten. The vocals feel more hardcore in their mid range dry screams. The guitars have a range of colors and sonic textures making them the centerpiece of this projects sound. The drumming is a close runner up, and the two work well to make the most out of every punch. I think I make it no secret that I am burned out on the whole ten minute plus epic, but these guys made me forget to look at the time and made the most of the eleven minutes the opener takes up. "Funeral Dreams" is more up tempo, but doesn't pull you into like the opener did and comes across as being a little indifferent when the double bass is not hammering at you. "Thanatos" comes at you harder with the double bass driving eve more relentlessly. The guitar tones begin to stray from your typical metal over drive right before the blast beats come in. This gives a wide range of sonic space that is being covered here. The clean vocals that surface really add a lot and don't fall along the lines of most melodic singing that is still left over from the days of Myspace metal. They blast back into a more black metal direction after this.

With Agalloch broken up these guys are just as suited as any to claim that crown. Things slow down for "This Life as a Dagger" . The screams are pretty emotive and very post-hardcore vibe going in the way this groove flows against the atmosphere.There is a really awesome guitar break at the six and a half minute mark. The half time punch at the end of the song is pretty powerful as well. 'The Traces We Leave" starts off with a more black metal feel, though very entrenched in melody. The half time stomp is now beginning to become part of the formula here. The vocals morph into something more interesting meeting between a scream and singing. "Viaticum" finds them locked in a throaty chant that reminds me of Nachtmystium. There is a cleaner post-rock like tone to the brighter "Dry the River", that has an almost screamo cadence to it. The vocal chant becomes clearer toward the midway point of the song, as their bag of sonic tricks continues to swell.  The last song wraps what they have been doing up nicely with a bow, it doesn't take you any where new, just sums what the strengths of this experience have been.I'll give this one an 8.5 it's pretty solid.