Category: Black Metal

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DAWN OF OUROBOROS – The Art of Morphology – REVIEW

 

The San Francisco Bay Area has always been a hot spot for Metal from the early 80’s Thrash scene to today. Dawn of Ouroboros proudly carry on the tradition of bringing fresh and exciting new exteme music to the masses with their debut release, “The Art of Morphology.”

This album is somewhat difficult to review but I do not mean that in any bad way whatsoever. In fact it is quite the opposite as this is an extemely great listen. Let’s start off by taking everything you know about Black Metal and toss it aside. Yes, I know that is a cliche thing to say but that principle completely applies here. From the gentle opening chords of “Revivied Spirits,” the album sets an deep atmospheric tone then hits hard into blast beats, harsh vocals and buzzsaw guitars for the second half of the song. The next song, “Pinnacle Induced Vertigo” also starts in the same kind of matter but this track has a more melodic feel. The clean vocals are really effective here as well. Vocalist Chelsea Murphy has some incredible range and talent. Normally I hate when bands mix vocal styles with a  passion but somehow it the folks in Dawn pull it off.

“Gateway to Tenebrosity” is a short piano instrumental that leads perfectly into “Lunar Cathexis.” Here Murphy blends vocals styles again, going from sweet to demonic on a more Black Metal sounding track. This is the theme throughout the entire album and what leads into it’s difficulty to review. Dawn of Ouroboros are constantly changing their sound and style. The change, however, is never jarring and flows well with the rest of the song. This is a highly recommneded listen as it takes all of your preconceived notions and flips them on their head. I am sure after a few more listens, I will pick up on more subtleties and complexities.

I’ll just close this by saying, “Go forth and listen now!”

 

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ETERNAL ARMAGEDDON – In Light In Dark In Hate – Album Review

 

Black Thrash Bastards is the perfect opening track for this debut album from the Bangladesh trio Eternal Armageddon. It kicks you hard in the teeth from the get go with thrashy guitars, raspy vocals and punishing drumming. They sound and feel like a bunch of Black Thrash Bastards. Seriously. This is pure trashy classic Bay Area inspired Thrash sprinkled with heavy does of Black Metal and cooked to perfection. Fans of Midnight, Venom and Sodom will want to pick this one up quick. Hell, fans of Metal should check these guys out.

Vocals are filthy, guitars are buzzing and drums are blasting, yet this is an extemely captive listen with plenty of octane to keep you coming back for more. Hazam the Black Reaper manages to slow things down for just a moment before going for an early NWOBM sound. It is just as awesome as it sounds. The guitar work for the rest of the album is very heavily Thrash influenced but works oh so well. Once the plague of COVID-19 is over, I can see huge circle pits forming anytime this band takes the stage.

In Light In Dark In Hate is a solid listen from start to finish. Incredible hooks, slick production and enough raw energy to put them at the top of their tier.

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May Coffee Subscriptions

Good moaning, Kvlt. Lest we not groan for killer tunes in this month’s coffee subscriptions for your hunger for aggression will be fulfilled. We are excited to announce the offerings of two great bands in this month’s subscriptions!
 
 
Akurion is a Tech-Death band hailing from Montréal featuring former members of Cryptopsy, Cattle Decapitation, Augury, and Neuraxis. With an affinity for aggression that matches their level of mastery with their instruments, Akurion delivers this beastly release filled with massive, yet raw, production…the way I like my tech-death. Akurion appears courtesy of Redefining Darkness Records
 
Eternal Armageddon is a Black/Thrash Metal trio based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The album, In Light In Dark In Hate, boldly captures the frenzied eagerness to torn the religious beliefs apart. Skillfully channeling mysterious black metal, raucous first wave black/thrash, and even d-beat vitality to some extent. Eternal Armageddon appear courtesy of Qabar PR
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THRONE OF MALEDICTION – Perfect Tragedy – Album Review

If watching Mountain Men has taught me anything, Montana can have some brutal and unrelenting winters that takes a total bad ass to survive. Throne of Malediction are a Blackened Doom Metal band from the Metal as fuck state of Montana fronted by Eric Sartana Horner. Horner is a musical beast who performed Guitars/Bass/Keys and Vocals on all tracks. This EP is a little something old and a little something new. The first three songs are brand new recordings while reminding tracks are demos and covers the group recorded throughout their history.

Legacy of Sorrow is outstanding track with some crunchy riffs, melodic shifts, growling vocals as well as some epic sounding keys. Horner even manages to lay out some clean vocals here that work well and do not feel forced or out of place. The title track, Perfect Tragedy, clocks in at nearly ten minutes that really showcases Throne of Malediction’s Blackened Doom flavor. Horner leads the listener on a darkened path of crooning guitars, melodic riffs and some impressive solos. The vocals are gruesome and on point bringing this epic saga together.

The demos included on this release are also worth checking out for their dirty and raw feeling alone. The covers included are pretty damn good as well. Nailbomb’s Cockroaches has new feel with Horner’s vocals. And speaking of vocals….Horner included a haunting acoustic cover Danzig’s I Don’t Mind the Pain. Danzig is a tough act to follow in the vocal department but not only did Horner nail the cover (with clean vocals!) here he managed to make it his own

 

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3560310662 size=large bgcol=333333 linkcol=ffffff tracklist=false artwork=small]

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ULVKULT – Lupus Occultus – Album Review

Lupus Occultus, like the title suggests is centered around Werewolves. Luckily, this EP is really something you can sink your hungry fangs into. This release is the band’s debut demo which is hard to believe as it feels like anything but. The tracks here feel and sound like they have been laid down by a well seasoned band that has already released a few albums. They guys in UlvKult are clearly well established musicians. The production value on this recording is tight and professional and sounds like they clearly know what they are doing in the studio. Don’t worry, it’s not over produced, this is some killer sounding Trve Black Metal. 

Carpathian War Bells is a great track to start off with it’s crushing guitars, killer bass-lines and intense vocals. The song is relentless and full of classic Black Metal intensity and fury. This three piece stay true to their word of “no trends, no gimmicks, just trve Black Metal.” Full Moon Necrmancy is a killer song with plenty of shattering riffs, blast beats and incredible vocals that will have you screaming along. Wyrd of the Wolves is a great choice for a closing track. It starts of crushing only to slow down into heavy groove with some impressive guitar solos that fade into another fury of intense old school Black Metal. 

If this is their first effort, UlvKult are definitely a band to watch.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=417076665 size=large bgcol=333333 linkcol=ffffff tracklist=false artwork=small track=2013001247]

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GrimDad – “Hi Trve Kvlt. I’m Dad.”

Just by checking out GrimDad’s logo you can tell that this is not a band that takes itself in a serious matter. Grill spatulas, golf clubs and a wrench hang from a legible logo reminding most listeners to the least metal person they know…their fathers.

With “Hi Trve Kvlt. I’m Dad,” GrimDad takes the concept of dad jokes and pushes it to it’s extreme limits. With song titles such as Welcome to Chili’s, Kickstart my Heartburn and Dungeons and Drag-Dads, GrimDad takes a humorous approach to music genre that is not often depicted this way. The lyrics, like most dad jokes, will either give you a little laugh or cause you to let out a groan. I was surprised by the music itself. For a band that bills itself more or less a parody, they sound and feel like traditional black metal with it’s low fi production, blast beats and shrieking vocals. For me, Welcome to Chilis is the stand out track here and if happen to be a father that has ever attempted to take the family out to dinner, you know how brutal that can be.

If you are looking for something that is different and outside the norm and maybe something to give yourself a little laugh, GrimDad is what you have been waiting for.

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Review of HELLEBORUS – Wares Saprophytic Divinations

HELLEBORUS – Wares Saprophytic Divinations


Symphonic Black Metal from Colorado? Sign me up. Helleborus sophomoric effort is 50 plus
minutes of pulsating Black Metal stacked and filled with plenty of evil ambiance and darkened
orchestras. Helleborus manages to meld both old school and modern Black Metal into a fresh
experience. While there is nothing that is completely new or surprising on this album, it is
nonetheless a hell of a lot of fun.
The opening track, Celestial Grave, haunting atmospheric beginning that slowly turns into
thunderous drumming and killer vocals sets the tone for much of the album. Further tracks
unleash a fury of well crafted guitar riffs and accompanied with hellacious symphonic orchestra
scores. There is a perfect balance of melodies here which creates an intense listen.
Blakulla’s Meadow is the stand out song for me with headbanging riffs and awesome
atmospheric melodies. If you are into any type of Symphonic or Atmospheric Black Metal, do
yourself a favor this holiday season and gift this album to yourself and a fellow fiend.

 

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1787698823 size=large bgcol=333333 linkcol=ffffff tracklist=false artwork=small]

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VIDE: VIDE II Review

VIDE: VIDE II Review
Reviewed by Andrew Risch

Vide is an extremely mysterious act. Not much is known other than the artist refers to himself
as a nobody from the swamps between Louisiana and Texas. The mystery surrounding Vide
fits perfectly alongside their musical output. With their latest EP release, Demo ii, Vide offers the
listener a haunting and atmospheric journey into despair.

Despite billing itself as a demo, there is some fantastic stuff here. From it’s atmospheric riffs and
torched vocals, Vide proves have the potential to go even further with their raw and energetic
sound. These Nightmares is the stand out track here. The song title is aptly named as it feels
and sounds like a nightmare come to life with a killer opening riff and haunting atmospheric
background. The only negative to this release is that it is too short. The intro and outro track
clock in under 2 minutes each leaving only 3 actual songs but all in all that’s not bad for a
release billing itself as a demo and the intro and outro perfectly bookend the songs in between.
It will be exciting to see what Vide has in store for an “official” album.

 

 

LIMITED EDITION VIDE 15oz BLACK MUG

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WILT – “Ruin” Review

WILT – “Ruin” Review
Reviewed by Andrew Risch

Hailing from the frigid winters of Canada, Wilt unleashed their second album, Ruin, last year.
Since it’s release, Wilt has began to amass quite a following (and rightfully so). Full of dark,
ambient and atmospheric Black Metal, Wilt’s sophomore release takes the listener on a
melancholy spiritual journey into a realm of entertaining dark and depressive Black Metal. The
production comes out rich and vibrant, but not over produced, lending to a satisfying blackened
sound.
Jordan Dorge’s harrowing vocals act as a guide through the bleak darkness and perfectly meld
the music together. At times the vocals feel distant, which works quite well with the overall
nihilistic feeling that Ruin manages to accomplish. The riffs on this album come off as somber
and heavily Doom influenced with many tracks exceeding 7 minutes for plenty of thick, sludgy
listening.
Ruin is the perfect soundtrack as you travel “Into the Unknown.” Wilt does an excellent job
melding Doom Metal with Atmospheric Black Metal for a truly dark and disturbed listen.

Available in digital, cd, and vinyl formats on Wilt’s Bandcamp Page

 

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 BURIER stream GOATOWAREX debut demo at “Decibel” magazine’s website

 BURIER stream GOATOWAREX debut demo at “Decibel” magazine’s website

On October 6th internationally, Goatowarex will release Burier‘s debut demo, simply self-titled, on cassette tape format. And today, Decibel magazine streams the demo in its entirety. Featuring an extremely exclusive interview with the artist behind Burier, stream Burier in its entirety exclusively HERE.Burier hail from the deepest recesses of Australia’s vast, ever-fervent black metal underground. While Burier is the artist’s first public recording, they are no mere neophyte.

On its own merits, Burier is 28 minutes of outsider aural torment. Black metal but almost in an abstracted sense, the soundfield here is defiantly RAW: impossibly distant, almost emaciated, unapologetic but wielded with tactical might. Within this cacophonous cocoon, Burier build mesmeric screeds of strangely melodic atonality, often buttressed by well-placed touches of old-growth organ. Distressed and diseased, these five paeans to pain favorably remind one of the French Black Legion’s medieval ruminations. You can almost feel the cobwebs and smell the mildew; the dungeons are calling…

Even within the underground, Burier lurk beneath it. As such, Goatowarex is proud to align strategic forces, and will endeavor to release the artist’s future recordings. You’ve been warned.

In the leadup to its international release on October 6th, stream Burier‘s Burier in its entirety exclusively HERE, courtesy of Decibel, North America’s only monthly metal magazine. Ordering information can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:


Tracklisting for Burier’s Burier – demo 1
1. On Winged Leeches of Ash
2. Disease & Deluge
3. Mausoleum Ritual
4. Beneath the World (I, II, III)
5. The Grand Failure
 

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