Wrathprayer - The Sun of Moloch: The Sublimation of Sulphur's Essence Which Spawned Death and Life

It's been a bit since I've used this blog but since so many of my readers still come back here (even when I don't post for months on end) I gotta throw you a bone. Wrathprayer's blend of bestial blackened death comes in the style of the Australian death metal scene with hints of bands like Teitanblood and Witchchrist. The reverb-soaked production adds a cavernous depth to their music. The atmosphere throughout the record is seamless and well composed, as for the music, the riffs are primitive and chaotic. This record is a must-have for fans of truly blasphemous music. BVRN For Fans of: Portal, Diocletian, Teitanblood, Profanatica, Vomitor

Dephosphorus - Axiom

Ever wondered what would happen if Pig Destroyer became a black metal band? Well here you go. You have blisteringly-icy blackened riffs backed by pounding grind riffage and powerful percussion. The choatic production lends a lot to their thick sound as it brings out the chunkiness of their tone and allows them to accentuate the more rhythmic elements of their music. Their are a lot of things that they do right on this release and I've got to give them credit for having me upon my first listen. Keep an eye on this band in the future, they're onto something.

RIP N TEAR

For Fans Of: The Secret, Anaal Nathrakh, Coffinworm, Clinging To The Trees of A Forest Fire, Gaza, Deathspell Omega

Azarath - Blasphemers Maledictions

What is it about Poland that helps bands produce such great blackened death metal? There has to be something in their water. Azarath's new album blends Bathory-esque black metal with death metal from all over the map. This album is FAST but not to the point where it becomes incomprehensible. The pacing of the drums is met perfectly by the machine gunning guitars and commanding leads. Though don't worry this isn't some blast fest, the drummer does well enough to bring the more rhythmic elements of death metal percussion in to make some really great Immolation-esque stops and starts. This album deserves your time.

THE RIPPIN' AND THE TEARIN'

For Fans Of: Waitain, Immolation, Bathory, Deathspell Omega, Vader, Behemoth, Nightbringer

Young and In The Way 'V'

Powerful blackened crust with sternum-snapping weight. Get your fill of the new shit here

For Fans Of: Leviathan, Weakling, Converge, Iskra, Martyrdod


Wanna here it on the go? NAB IT

Please order this record once it drops. They deserve your cash money.

Ravencult's 'Morbid Blood' Full Album Stream!

Ravencult's newest offering is a great gem of blackened filth. The riffs come cold and razor thin through some of the best black metal production out there. If you haven't had a chance to pick the album up (because nobody's THAT dumb) you should listen to this mother fucker and find yourself a way to pick it up. Greek extreme metal reigns supreme!







For Fans Of: Watain, Skeletonwitch, Denouncement Pyre, (early) Deathspell Omega

Fell Voices - Untitled

Fell Voices have a brand of black metal very much akin to the likes of Weakling and Wolves in The Throne Room but manage to avoid being a copycat band. They definitely evolve WITTR's earlier demo/Diadem-era sound into something a little darker and raw, bringing memories of Judas Iscariot to mind (for some unknown reason). There's a good bit of atmosphere on this record but the majority of it comes from the guitar work rather than anything employed outside of the upfront musical elements. The riffs are epic in nature and definitely draw the listener into their grasp with meditative pacing and the gradual rise and fall of tension making the two tracks on the album fly by; great songwriting. The audible bass is also a bonus. I greatly enjoy the fact that the bassist has some very defined moments on this record (which sadly, is rare among black metal bands)


Having only heard them since I picked up this record the other night I can say that I'm decently surprised and I can say I'm pretty glad that I picked this baby up. Hopefully you'll like it enough to go buy it from them because this act definitely deserves your cash.

LUST


FOR FANS OF: Judas Iscariot, Wolves in The Throne Room, Weakling, Horna, Nightbringer

Wolves in The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

Wolves in the Throne Room's 'Celestial Lineage' is the final piece to the trilogy started by 'Two Hunters'. Their sound has now become an amalgamation of all the styles present on the records that preceded this release.

The expansive ambience plays out behind galloping drums and ethereal guitars with each piece slowly bleeding into the other. Slower doom-oriented passages juxtapose the staggering moments of near silence and grow into epic and triumphant crescendos of blackened glory, leaving the listener lost in the massive space created by the music.

Having listened to this record immediately after seeing them live brings a lot of perspective to the desired feeling at each part. I highly recommend seeing them while they're on tour with Thou where you can snag this gorgeous album before the release date.

BOW

Tsjuder - Kill For Satan

Tsjuder rip out of the cold landscapes of Norway with a great piece of black metal fraught with cold (but still devastating) guitar tone, great vocal dynamics and drums that avoid the BLASTBLASTBLASTBLASTBLASTBLASTBLAST trap that many bands of their ilk seem to fall into. With riffs that seem to be a tad bit death metal inspired they're not afraid to forsake haunting melody/ferocity for rhythmic passages that pummel. Great band. Looking forward to catching them at MDF this year.

HAIL AND KILL

For Fans Of: Beherit, Black Witchery, Gorgoroth

Crucifier - Stronger Than Passing Time

Crucifier wields a multi-faceted weapon; one that hits hard with faceripping riffs and at times, traditional melodies that cut through the chaos to ring out in triumph. The blend of black metal and death metal on this record is damn near a perfect mixture. Great songwriting keeps everything moving forward while the record stretches out to embrace other influences such as doom and more down-to-earth thrash. This album manages to do very well to encompass all the niches in the extreme metal family tree without forcing it.

UTTER BLACKNESS

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Impetuous Ritual - Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence

Have you ever wished to taste the forbidden knowledge that lies outside of existence? Have you ever wanted to drift weightlessly through hellish holes of blackness and screaming sine waves? Impetuous Ritual offers you all of that and more. Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence molds the deafening roar of the likes of Portal with the blasphemous cantrips of Incantation, Disembowelment and Immolation. The arcane atmosphere dissolves into pure chaos as the guitars create a cacophonous din of pure otherworldly animosity. There is no other emotion here, there is only terror. The wild fjords of space give way to blasting drums and horrific vocals that conjure nameless things from the walls of eldritch sound slithering forth from your speakers. Pure evil.

BOW DOWN

For Fans Of: Portal, Profanatica, Incantation, Encoffination, Ulcerate and Gigan

Profanatica - Disgusting Blasphemies Against God

It's rare that I hop on the bestial black metal bandwagon but Profanatica is one of those bands that has this magic air to them. Fierce riffs, nasty-as-fuck bass tone and one of the best drummers in black metal. If you like your black metal slathered in semen, goat gore and cunt blood you came to the right place. Unholy in every sense.

For fans of: Witch Tomb, Incantation and Blasphemy

GOD IS FOR PUSSIES
REAL MEN WORSHIP THE EARTH

Noctes - Pandemonic Requiem

This band came out of absolutely NOWHERE for me. Having never heard of them prior to a small taste received through YouTube I was hooked the instant that their melodically-edged cacophony of blackened metal shot out of the gate. Easily addictive and quite possibly climbing to the top of my Black Metal list with each listen. The guitars have the perfect mix of lo-fi chill and sharp contrast to deliver their melodic pummeling and the drums call the thousands to war. Absolutely punishing and not really all that abrasive for the band's pedigree. Definitely a really enjoyable listen and full of memorable moments that will keep you entranced in their beautifully macabre sound.

...SATAN

For fans of: Emperor, Peste Noire, Lightning Swords of Death and Dissection

Shaidar Logoth

Being skeptical of any USBM project that seems to be born far from its roots, I was going into these recordings with rather low expectations only to have them blown completely out of the water. The reverb-soaked guitars create a hauntingly expansive sound for this project and as the songs evolve you can really hear all the elements drift in and out of place effortlessly and without the transitions sounding forced. If you're looking for some awesome USBM this is the place.

Their Myspace

For fans of: Twilight, Leviathan, Lurker of Chalice and Judas Iscariot

Mysophilia

Mysophilia is an up-and-coming two-piece USBM project out of Michigan. With a sound faintly reminiscent of Judas Iscariot it's nice to hear some legit blackness crawl its way out of the mitten state. The drummer is able to hold you typical black metal beat but isn't afraid to bust lose with a nice flourish here and there. The guitars are meditative and sharp as razors, their chilling tone cutting through the mix in both of the songs they have available.

Their Facebook

Download demo tracks here

Tombs - Fear is the Weapon

Tombs' brand of hard-hitting blackened hardcore (which is still a shitty way of describing them since it's a great injustice to box this band up like that) is as potent as ever on this compilation of unreleased tracks that Relapse has put out for those of us rabidly waiting another offering. While Winter Hours was a very dark and morbid album, it still had a strangely 'glimmering' tone to it that almost made it seem bright. 'Fear is The Weapon' has a much darker feel to it. The bass still throbs like a beating heart underneath the walls of sound created by the guitar and drums. If you enjoyed their previous efforts you DEFINITELY need to get this.

FEAR IS THE KEY

For fans of: Jesu, Fugazi and Converge

Leviathan - The Tenth Sub Level Of Suicide

Leviathan is one of those one-man-bands that manages to crank out interesting and layered music with each release, this one in particular is fantastically stellar right down to the amazingly nimble basslines that dance under the ethereal guitars like witches at the Sabbat. Everything here is done right in ways beyond imagining; the vocals are potent and vicious while the drums keep their pace excellently even in the more haunting passages between blasts, the bass is perfect in the mix and the guitar maintains its lo-fi "chill" while sounding vibrant and lively. Definitely a great release to keep you company during these cold winter months.


Kill Yourself

Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

Enslaved are back with their Prog-infused Black Sword swinging high over their heads. No holds barred experimentation (albeit not to the level of SOOOME bands we listen to) and some nice vocal dynamics make this album a real trip. With the soothing singing mixed with the blood-curdling growls over a typhoon of riffs backed by blistering drums while flighty guitar leads soar like blackbirds over this sonic battle field. As someone of Norwegian descent, it's refreshing to see a band portraying the wisdom of Odin and his followers as more than "KILL, MAIM, BURN" type shite (not that it's not enjoyable) but this combines all the majesty of the land of its origination. The cold atmosphere mixed with the unspeakable beauty inherent to the snowy wastes and mountain-highs. This record builds on the sound of 'Vertebrae' and brings even more to the table. Once again, this is a band with a lot under their belt and a lot more to add to their trophy case.

DRINK FROM THE FOUNTAIN

Melechesh - Sphynx

Progressive Sumerian Black Metal? You bet your mother's burka it is! This band has been in and around my radar for quite some time and here and there I've dabbled in them with varying results each time but since it is NOTHING BUT BLACK METAL NOVEMBER it's really put me in the prime listening to mood for this type of stuff. With primo guitar tone that combines the mighty Deathified-black thrash attack of later Behemoth with the Saurian-monolithic guitar stylings of Nile. Instruments from the country of inspiration are present throughout, with tablas (and possibly others I'm unaware of) weaving in and out of the music, bringing with them the taste of bloody sand stuck in your teeth as the scarabs tear through your soft, sun-baked skin. If you like monstrous riffs, precision drumming and originality; this band is for you. A must have for any fan of Black Metal or Metal PERIOD. A great release, it's a shame it took me this long to find it.


PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!

Nightbringer - Death And The Black Work

Not many bands truly encompass the full majesty of the world of the occult. Few successfully conjure images of black monoliths of the three veils; projecting death and its many mysteries into sonic form. Nightbringer successfully accomplishes this without breaking a sweat. They've put out one of the most atmospherically and technically punishing black metal records ever to have emerged from the void. With riffs that cut like cold steel and bass that bubbles and ebbs like hot tar, the instrumentation on this album never seems misguided or underdeveloped. Everything here is perfect and this album deserves much more attention. The hereafter opens its gates as you start to spin it. Open up your ears to the tales of the dead and revel in it.

Did I mention that they're from the good ol' US of A? USBM reigns supreme.


STEAL