BLACK METAL DAILY’S LISTCRUSH 2023: The GOS Edition

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By GOS (Order ov the Black Arts / ViaOmega Magazine)

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All my kin at Order ov the Black Arts and Black Metal Daily… It is time. Time for those of us so inclined to agonize in the depths of our own minds and memory, feebly declare war against the inner demons of self doubt and existential futility, and  toil on the very brink of madness in the ever-anticipated and thoroughly Sisyphean of labors: Black Metal albums-of-the-year list and review. The placement of albums here isn’t particularly solid but more generalized with position shifting relative to mood and context.

It is also that time of year when I celebrate the mark of another orbit of Helios, embarking on my 5th decade towards the unknown beyond. Accordingly, it would be my honor to present, as a gift of myself, to you if you will indulge me, 50 albums from 2023 which I felt compelled to address, if briefly. Though the ultimately favored tend to appear towards the end, the specific placement is of only marginal importance, and their positions never stagnant, but ever shifting and relative to mood, activity, and the Hericlitean spirit of fire and eternal flux.  

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TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms from the Arachneophidian Qur’an [Iron Bonehead Productions]

Orientation: Radical and militant inverters of all that is sacred from India move away from noise and towards death with sophomore full length album. First on the list because it is death metal and not black metal, not because it isn’t badass.

Sounds like: Nostalgic brutal death metal of old, and what I cut my teeth on, such as HATE ETERNAL’s King Of All Kings or NILE’s Black Seeds of Vengeance, but benefiting from some modernization in the mix; needless to say, the fucking drumming is full-onslaught, batshit crazy, and one of the main listening points.

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THE ARCANE ORDER – Distortions from Cosmogogy [Black Lion Records]

Orientation: Death metal adepts from Denmark relinquish their 4th album since 2006 and make the list at the beginning because they are death and not black metal… don’t let that fool you, probably in my top 10 for this year overall.

Sounds like: Self-described as death/thrash but I’m not really hearing that; sounds to me like excellent melodic / progressive DM similar to something like SLUGDGE or HATH or early BLACK CROWN INITIATE with some sparing but fucking great synth and some semiclean vox.

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SULPHUR AEON – Seven Crowns and Seven Seals [VÁN Records]

Orientation: Renowned Lovecraftean blackened (kinda, barely) death metal band  from Germany release much-anticipated 4th album, and it is pretty damn good (but not as good as their last one… or two?).

Sounds like: Patented, fairly unique combination of brooding yet monstrous yet cosmic progressive death metal with a fair amount of lofty echoed cleans; the last track is particularly great.

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TORTURE CHAIN – The Reign of Deimos [Hosptital Productions]

Orientation: Surprisingly developed-yet-unknown project from New York, born in roughly 2008, and composed by one man (Torturer aka Brendan Radigan, who is also in a bunch of other bands which I have never heard of but feel like I should) drops 4th album… and my jaw just a bit, squeaking in on the list in the final hours.

Sounds like: ABIGOR. A LOT; also somewhat less so like FANISK or ELDRIG with the synth at times, but this is more guitar-driven (like ABIGOR); note that this album is huge, clocking in at around 70 minutes. 

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THE COLOR OF RAIN – Oceans Above [Void Wanderer Productions]

Orientation: Progressive black metal trio from the Netherlands pumps out a few singles then promptly delivers a neat debut album, which is colorful in more ways than one; probably belongs somewhere ‘higher’ on my list but I’m not sure where, so here it is.

Sounds like: A combination of postblack like AGRYPNIE, ANOMALIE, or HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY, with acoustic bits not unlike AGALLOCH, and some sort of progressive metal like RIVERS OF NIHIL or FALLUJAH… with a measure of A FOREST OF STARS and even a sprinkle of DSOish dissonance thrown in there, just in case things weren’t eclectic enough. 

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RORCAL – Silence [Hummus Records]

Orientation: Abstruse, wholly pessimistic, and incredibly heavy blackened something-or-other band from Switzerland descends further with sixth album, and I wonder if it should even be included on a black metal AOTY list, it is somewhat irresistible.

Sounds like: blackened post-hardcore/doom/sludge/noise (yeah yeah, I know); heaviness to the point of obliteration, asphyxiating density, with a compressed-yet-crystalline sound which has always been hard to describe; CELESTE (Fra), ANAAL NATHRAKH if they had headed towards noise instead of groove… or … something like that.

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AVDAGATA – The Faceless One [At Dawn Records]

Orientation: Relatively new symphonic/melodic blackdeath trio from Sweden, with members from DARK FUNERAL, NIGHT CROWNED, and REVERORUM IB MALACHT (among others) lays down a good debut full length after buttering us up with a GREAT debut EP in 2021 (Damnatio Cursus, on Black Lion Records).

Sounds like: Well… they USED to sound a lot like little known (but excellent) symphonic blackdeath commanders GLORIA MORTI, but now they have softened slightly to somewhere between that and later OLD MAN’s CHILD; good, with earworm guitar hooks and good blasting.

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BLACK VOID CULT – …Even The Stars Have To Die [self-released]

Orientation: Relatively new black metal trio from Mexico offers up a diverse and solid second album with some interesting musical additions.

Sounds like: Mostly guitar-driven with tight drumming and dual vocals, tends to muscle it’s way in with straightforward blasting, then show off with some damn sweet synth and / or guitar work before jumping back into the pit; kind of a combination of cosmic black metal and blackthrash, while incorporating some elements of symphony and Mexican flavor.

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NORDIC FROST – To Make The Acquaintance Ov Death [Rebel Pyro Musick]

Orientation: Symphonic black metal duo from California delivers 4th album; isn’t blazing any new trails, but targets a specific era of SBM for which I have a particular soft spot.

Sounds like: Contemporary symphonic black metal acts like CRADLE OF FILTH, OLD MAN’S CHILD, and DIMMU BORGIR (moreso), but importantly harnessing the tenuous magic which occurred after the said bands had modernized but before they really took a full nosedive (ie circa 1999-2003); clean, straightforward, well-but-not-overly-produced melodic black metal with piano and synth.

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MØRKT TRE: Зазирни за Обрій [Darker Than Black Records]

Orientation: Avant-garde blackfolk from Ukraine creates an eclectic but confidently cohesive third album incorporating various labyrinthine elements too numerous to mention.

Sounds like: Similar to the likes of ENSLAVED, NEGURĂ BUNGET, DORDEDUH, but inevitably with its own take due to the unpredictable, unique and progressive nature implied with those comparisons; the old world, expanded and extended into the synthy astral future. 

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SORATHIAN DAWN – Radiant Terror [self-released]

Orientation: Australian melodic blackdeath band is unnaturally excellent after waiting 11 years for a second album… and desperately needs to be signed to a solid label, or at least make some damn physicals (take my money!).

Sounds like: Riff-rich with flowing percussion and overall triumphant melody, highlighted by fantastic soaring lead and solos, nuanced synth,  and harsh screamed vocals, toneless and whispery… the one-dimensionality of which are my only real complaint; guitar work is fucking gorgeous. 

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URBAIN – A Soul Purged [Hypnotic Dirge Records]

Orientation: Progressive black metal supergroup from Texas, composed of members of WILLS DISSOLVE, OVNEV, FATHER RUST and GOLGOTHAN, composes a specifically urban-dystopic debut.

Sounds like: A conglomerate of various emotive and conceptual energies such as entropy, sorrow, rage, beauty, pride, power, grandiosity, hubris, suffering, and hopelessness; a surprisingly cohesive mix of very different purveyors of urban destitute: ULVER, VOICES, WHITE WARD, MOURNING BY MORNING, and WORM SHEPHERD. 

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ÚKRYT – 1897 [Starved Light / self-released]

Orientation: Australian partners S (of DÉPARTE) and M (of VERËVKINA) produce an instrumental  full-length opus (after an initial EP, 2019) featuring two 16+ minute tracks. 

Sounds like: An expansive, sprawling, and beautiful odyssey towards the edges of every unknown, both internally and externally, tugging on the spirit with a soft yet deadly undertow, and pulling the listener out to sea upon waves of epic atmosphere which is surprisingly crushing at times.

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FALAISE – After All This Time [Flowing Downward]

Orientation: Italian post-black/gaze project manages to make itself my guilty pleasure with a fourth album full of meandering guitar and piano hooks.

Sounds like: Equal interplay between wonderment, melancholy, and rage; blackened out with periodic volleys of steady double kick and black metal vocals; atmospheric, but distinctly urban; lots of feels; DRAWN INTO DESCENT, AN AUTUMN FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN, ALCEST

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SÓL ÁN VARMA – Sól án varma [VÁN Records]

Orienation: Authoritative supergroup of Iceland, this is a project originally commissioned back in 2018 and was founded by D.G. and T.I., but also features five (yes fucking FIVE) additional prominant Icelandic artists to produce a near 70-minute triumph.

Sounds like: … fucking ICELAND, it sounds like black metal from Iceland – alas – how could it sound otherwise? MISÞYRMING, CARPE NOCTEM, ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS, NAÐRA, SVARTIDAUÐI, ANDAVALD, ALMYRKVI.

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FATAL EMBRACE – Manifestum Invernalis [Black Lion Records]

Orientation: Swedish meloblackdeath veterans who have been around since ‘92 and released their debut in 1997 take their time creating a sophomore release… and it was time well spent.

Sounds like: Powerful, modern symphonic black combined with melodic death; aggressive, heavy, polished, similar to …AND OCEANS, but more terrestrial and grants the listener more breathing room, although it is also more brooding and dark.  

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ASAGRAUM – Veil of Death, Ruptured [Edged Circle Productions]

Orientation: Pre-eminent all-female orthodox melodic black metal from the Netherlands fires off with 3rd album and stays relevant as fvck.

Sounds like: Not far off from fairly standard melodic, satanic, mostly Swedish black metal fare (WATAIN, DARK FUNERAL, NECROPHOBIC, NAZGHOR, VALKYRJA, THULCANDRA, KVAEN, FÄUST, etc.) but more dynamic, more interesting, more authentic, or more consistent than the more well-known names. This album utilizes limited dissonance which I have not noticed before.

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ASTWIHAD – Gatha 1: Asto-Vidatu [Ardawahisht Kollective]

Orientation: One of a cluster of fucking fantastic and varied bands from Iran (including Ardwisur, Broken Pillars, Désespéré, Enscelados, Erancnoir, Forelunar [my favorite], and Menakere, among others) which make up Ardawahisht, ASTWIHAD emerges with a debut mini album, possessing an immensity that has nothing to do with its play time.

Sounds like: Incredibly oppressive yet cosmic black metal with some brief Middle Eastern percussive elements; a more savage and overtly demonic (ok to read *better than*) DARKSPACE, and closer to old BORGNE, but even still more monstrous and devastating… yet with a breathtaking synthy beauty.

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ALDAARON – Majestic Heights, Melancholic Depths [Paragon Records]

Orientation: Atmospheric pagan black metal band, founded in 2007, crystalizes a fourth aptly-titled album; from France, but I keep thinking they are from Russia, if that means anything *shrug*.

Sounds like: Gripping, blazing fast, wintery atmospheric black metal with robust production, driven by pretty obvious programmed drums (which add their own endearing aspect), and intermixed with various tidbits of dark ambient, lightly distorted guitar soloing, and martial atmospheric interludes.

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FAUSTIAN – We Come As Angels [self-released]

Orientation: Silly bois from death metal band WEREWOLVES (and a veritable shitload of other bands including THE BERZERKER, THE ANTICRHRIST IMPERIUM, PSYCROPTIC, THE AMENTA, ABREMALIN, and ex-AKERCOCKE) decide to make a black metal album, and it’s pretty damn good!

Sounds like: Competent and suspiciously catchy and quite blasty modern black metal; basically what the new PANZERCHRIST album *should* have sounded like (god dammit), although FAUSTIAN could have mixed in more death metal vocals to get it even closer.

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IRITYLL – Schlafes Bruder [Rebel Pyro Musick]

Orientation: Debut full length duo out of Austria is like a black metal meal with a fuckload of death metal seasoning. Pretty tasty if you don’t mind your food mixing. 

Sounds like: They are using a Boss HM2; deathened the fuck out blackdeath with heavy yet glassy almost deathcoreish mix or production… but still black metal; thicc but sharp and acerbic, almost wintery at times; something like new …AND OCEANS but with less synth, and LOUDER; HORDA, HORRENDA.

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GRAVE GNOSIS – Pestilence Crowned [self-released]

Orientation: Dead-serious occult black metal entity from Florida releases a stone-cold insane third album, so wild that it brushes up against my eccentricity tolerance threshold yet leaves me in awe.

Sounds like: Somebody spiked the blood chalice for the zealous satanic ceremony with a fuckload of LSD; blackened psychedelic fever ritual.

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PANOPTICON – The Rime of Memory [Bindrune Recordings]

Orientation: Still-standing-strong pillar of American black folk, like MEPHORASH (see below), seems to have journeyed away from black metal proper with a massive tenth album focusing on the balance and struggle between life and death. 

Sounds like: Should probably be considered more blackened doom folk than black folk; even when the drums are flying, the entire sensibility of the album, repetition, and pacing is much more aligned with doom characteristics, and the folk elements with extended instrumental sections are more prominent than ever; fantastic when the mood strikes.

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MINENWERFER – Feuerwalze [Osmose Productions]

Orientation: Translation: “Firestorm”; formerly “atmospheric” war-themed black metal duo from California decide to firebomb the atmosphere and focus on obliteration via shrapnel with 4th album.

Sounds like: An aweing level of hysterical black violence that borders on war metal; relentless martial battery delivering pure overt aggression and cutthroat, rabid guitar lead in equal measure; ENDSTILLE, 2000’s ENTHRONED, AD HOMINEM, PRECAMBRIAN

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RINGARË – Of Momentous Endless Night [Avantgarde Music]

Orientation: Two incredibly prolific US BM musicians Alex Poole and Jake Blackburn (both of many bands, including CHAOS MOON, ENTHEOGEN, GARDSGHASTER, SKÁPHE, KRIEG, NATTFÄRD, and more) get with Swedish vocalist Likpredikaren (NATTFÄRD, ARS HMU, MUSMAHHU) to do some great things; Swartadauþuz is surprisingly absent.

Sounds like: Atmospheric symphonic black metal with a distinct emphasis on the drums, almost as if the percussion acts as the lead instrument instead of the guitar, which I can dig because the drums are mind-blowing; vox could be dialed back a bit.

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VVILDERNESS – Path [Beverina]

Orientation: One-man Hungarian post-black / black folk project, releases a 4th album since the debut in 2017… every one of which has had placement on my end-of-year lists, although the first is still the best.

Sounds like: A unique and unmistakable hybrid of black metal, Hungarian folk, progressive metal, and post-rock, with a distinct naturalistic flavor due to use of acoustic guitars, folk influences (read: hurdy-gurdy, talharpa, nyckelharpa), breezy melodies, and a forested aura. 

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OUTLAW – Reaching Beyond Assiah [AOP Records]

Orientation: Brazilian band, notably featuring Tommi “Tomahawk” Tuhkala on drums (MOONLIGHT SORCERY, ONDFØDT, KVAEN, SPELL OF TORMENT) radiates third album of anti-cosmic Luciferian black metal. 

Sounds Like: Taking what WATAIN achieved with apex album Lawless Darkness, and springboarding off of it to create orthodox melodic black metal infused with some subtle post-black tendencies; progressive, more consistently harmonic, and fucking epic. 

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PASSÉISME – Alternance [Antiq Records]

Orientation: Relatively new (founded in 2019) three-piece from Fran – wait… Russia? Russia. Not France? Are we sure?  Ok, from Russia – get my attention with an incredibly talented if quirky sophomore album.

Sounds like: Sounds like it is from fucking France. Like SÜHNOPFER, or AORLHAC, or (to a lesser degree) VÉHÉMENCE or NÉCROPOLE, wherein guitar is just constantly leading in a way that sounds like a non-stop solo. In PASSÉISME’s case it has a wild, mischievous, woodsy, and impromptu character, with the Greek god Pan appropriately adorning the cover art; the straining shouted vox might throw some listeners.

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THE KRYPTIK – A Journey to the Darkest Kingdom [Purity Through Fire]

Orientation: Significantly overlooked black metal duo from Brazil unfurl an ambitious third album, with 7 long tracks clocking in at almost 70 minutes, the shortest one almost 8.

Sounds like: Symphonic black metal that sounds like it should have epic blue cover art… and it does; tends towards more “atmospheric” grandiosity rather than in-your-face orchestration, and strikes a balance between the two, sort of a midline between AEON WINDS (see below) and EVILFEAST.   

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… AND OCEANS – As in Gardens, So in Tombs [Season of Mist]

Orientation: Veteran Finnish dark industrial act releases second album after significant, and much -needed auditory overhaul.

Sounds Like: High-octane, impeccably mixed, full, powerful, and modern symphonic black metal; DIMMU BORGIR-level orchestration with LIMBONIC ART-like cosmic elements, but with aggression more akin to Diabolus/Attera-era DARK FUNERAL or even BELPHEGOR’s blacker edges.

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BLOEDMAAN – Castle Inside the Eclipse [Immortal Frost Productions]

Orientation: One-man upstart from Belgium grabs some deserved attention with a short-but-sweet EP-sized album with undeniable appeal.

Sounds like: Crazy melodic “French” riffs similar to FORTRESSE or FERRITERIUM but a bit more light-hearted and fantasy-oriented like MOONGLIGHT SORCERY or ALDAARON; fucking epic and awesome. 

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ARGENTHORNS – The Ravening [Avantgarde Music]

Orientation: Third solo project from Finnish virtuoso Lord Vechi Vrăjitor, best known for being the sole creator behind both WARMOON LORD and OLD SORCERY adds to the emerging 90’s SBM throwback motif of 2023.

Sounds like: An excellent ode to a fucking army of classic symphonic black metal pillars (in all cases, specifically their early output): EMPEROR, DIMMU BORGIR, LIMBONIC ART, CRADLE OF FILTH, ANOREXIA NERVOSA, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, as well as more oddball flourishes like FINNTROLL, VESANIA, and even OPETH.

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ALBIONIC HERMETICISM – Nova Nativitas Mundi [The Hermetic Order of Ytene]

Orientation: Prolific riff-god O.W.G.A, of Great Britain, sole creator behind this and additional currents (most notably AULD RIDGE, see below), casually drops 8th and 9th full length in the last 3 years (across all projects) and continues to emerge as one of the best contemporary authentic black metal artists in the world.

Sounds like: O.W.G.A.’s unpolished, spontaneous, and wholly authentic foundation, here conceptually focused on occult fantasy and satanic science fiction, with the music appropriately and spectacularly leaning into more avant-garde, cosmic, psychedelic, and progressive rock territory while still being unmistakably black metal. 

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ONDFØDT – Det Österbottniska Mörkret [Black Lion Records]

Orientation: Finnish occult black metal traditionalists offer a savage fourth album, rack another great release up for Black Lion, and spurn, for me, one of those deep and oft expensive dives into the entire historical repertoire. 

Sounds like: Solidly in the camp of King / Ghaal era GORGOROTH, albeit perhaps with slightly more traditional melodic hints like VALKYRJA or SEHTERIAL. Makes me want to mentally add them to what I think of as the subgenre of modern hyperblasting authentic black metal ala NORDJEVEL, AVSLUT, WHORDOM RIFE, DJEVELKULT, etc.

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STARER – Wind, Breeze, or Breath [Snow Wolf Records / Fiadh Productions / Fólkvangr Records]

Orientation: Completely ass-kicking one-man black metal project from Kentucky (with a penchant for covering rock and alternative) and owner of Snow Wolf Records sinks a third full length in as many years. I’m really hoping for a vinyl press at some point.

Sounds like: Surprisingly-hard-to-describe-other-than-”American” symphonic black metal which aggresses up to TSJUDER (etc.) levels, but also leaves space for orchestration, expanse, atmosphere, doomy parts, tasteful clean vocals, groove, and more. Something about it (the mix maybe? the percussive flow?) reminds me of mid-era PANOPTICON (except symphonic instead of folk), but I can’t figure out if that is a legit association or just because *Kentucky*.

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TAUBRĄ – Therizo [Debemur Morti Productions]

Orientation: Swiss offshoot of AARA unleashes debut album of satanic orthodoxy, featuring two AARA members on guitars and drums, and support from T of MALPHAS and R of ILHALUNG on bass and vox, respectively. 

Sounds like: Darker and more violent than AARA. Relatively straightforward blasting modern black metal, with riffwriting reminiscent of the last two MISÞYRMING albums… except, considering mixing/mastering by S.D. (AVERSIO HUMANITATIS) at Empty Hall Studios, predictably cleaner and thicker and less unhinged or feral in production. 

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WAYFARER – American Gothic [Century Media]

Orientation: Black “folk” pioneers from Colorado, after peaking in 2016 or 2018 (in my opinion), recover significantly with 5th album American Gothic, a release notably stronger than 2020’s A Romance With Violence. Noticing while writing this that they jumped labels from Profound Lore to Century Media.

Sounds like: Progressive black metal with the quintessential, distinctive Western-Americana flavor which is their schtick; with every album they seem to stray further from black metal proper and towards a more generalized still-marginally-blackened “progressive extreme Western-metal” sound , which, luckily, they seem to be getting better and better at (although the earlier albums Old Souls and World’s Blood are still my favorites).  

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ERSHETU – Xibalba [Debemur Morti Productions]

Orientation: Two unknown badassess from France and Norway get together to do themed albums which each revolve around death in specific culture. They recruit more renowned badassess (Vindsval aka BLUT AUS NORD, and Lars Nedland of BORKNAGAR) to help out. Debut album Xibalba tackles Mayan lore.

Sounds like: Ritualistic black metal mixed with native South American wood and wind instruments; WARDUNA meets MAQUAHUITL (but the black metal aspect is often more ceremonial, epic, and measured, and less riffy and chaotic); band describes music as cinematic and taking inspiration from film scores.  

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CELESTIAL ANNIHILATOR – Annihilation for Esoteric Nascency [self-released]

Orientation: From South Korea. One-man cosmic black metal project, creator of which is also sole soul behind AMBRIXIAK (also excellent), and guitarist for DARK MIRROR OV TRAGEDY and METAMORPHOSIS. Seems to get better and better with each thing he has his hand in. 

Sounds like: Guitar and percussion-driven cosmic black metal, which sounds exactly like it should. The fact that synth isn’t the main thrust gives it a more aggressive or visceral feel, although still distinctly cosmic. FFO MARE COGNITUM, BEZMIR, NUMEN NOCTIS, INHERITS THE VOID.

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AEON WINDS – Night Sky Illuminations [Avantgarde Music]

Orientation: Established but underrecognized symphonic black metal from Slovakia – with numerous singles, splits, EP’s, etc. filling the space between albums – gusts in with a third full length. 

Sounds like: Synthladen contemporary symphonic black metal with some slight deathy heaviness and groove making it a bit more melancholy than similar ARGENTHORNS and any of the other SBM listed above; forceful and darkly triumphant, often with an almost marching / martial quality and 50-caliber double kick; grandiose yet deliberate.

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ASET – Astral Rape [Les Acteurs de l’Ombre]

Orientation: Occult supergroup of an unknown number of reportedly fluctuating international artists, *some* of which are from ORANSII PAZUZU and SETH, focusing on Egyptian necromantic themes, descends with a debut out of fucking nowhere and turns a bunch of heads for good reason.

Sounds like: A “plunge into the mystical astral” (band’s words); a shockingly masterful apotheosis of aggressive fringe orthodox black metal which is equally immense, ritualistic, and dissonant; imagine a near perfect combination of AKHLYS / AORATOS / NIGHTBRINGER and MEPHORASH and DEATHSPELL OMEGA, also might be compared to FYRNASK and DODECAHEDRON.

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MOONLIGHT SORCERY – Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle [Avantgarde Music]

Orientation: After getting everyone’s attention with two incredible EPs in 2022 and buttering up the hype with a couple of singles, Finnish trio (plus Tommi “Tomahawk” Tuhkala on drums [OUTLAW, ONDFØDT, KVAEN, SPELL OF TORMENT]) flower their debut full length, and it was exactly what we were hoping for.

Sounds like: Fantastical and incredibly addicting black metal mixed with the best parts of power metal, to put it succinctly, overtly and beautifully reveling in the adventure which these two genres have to offer, whilst avoiding the pitfalls (ie no power metal vocals… thank fucking god). STORMKEEP, STORMLORD, blackened CHILDREN OF BODOM.

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MYSTICAL FULLMOON – Hermits Amidst the Marvels of Darkness [Zazen Sounds]

Orientation: Relatively unknown but longstanding (originated 1994) band from Italy verify that they are veterans with an excellent 3rd album of mixed extreme metal.

Sounds like: A mix of symphonic black metal and melodic death metal with classical elements; orchestration so robust that it is cinematic, yet not overbearing in the overall sound, with a somewhat homogenous production; having a hard time figuring out what other SBM band they REALLY sound like, even though it shouldn’t be difficult… perhaps that is some of the appeal; maybe a blacker and MUCH better SEPTICFLESH.

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ΣARΚ – Inumbris [self-released]

Orientation: Mysterious and almost completely unknown one-man project from Greece demonstrates rapid development by unfolding an immense fourth album after three prior since 2021. There is very little information available. Support this person.

Sounds like: Multilayered, massive, crushing black metal with shades of cataclysmic industrial, cavernous atmosphere, hypnotic doom, and eerie dissonance; INCREDIBLY good for how underground it is; *sort of*: ALMYRKVI, RUINS OF BEVERAST, BLUT AUS NORD, but also DEATHSPELL OMEGA and new GRAVENCHALICE (but better).

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HELLERUIN – Devils, Death, and Dark Arts [New Era Productions]

Orientation: One-man black metal riff machine from the Netherlands ignites a second album in jet-black fashion, garners legitimacy points by almost immediately having his Bandcamp profile deleted for no apparent reason.

Sounds like: Ferocious, full melodic black metal with copious tasteful blasting, entirely adequate vocals, and riffs that Just. Don’t. Fucking. Quit. MGŁA, SARGEIST, and TAAKE comparisons seem like low hanging fruit and less on-target than SPECTRAL WOUND, GRAFVITNIR, and DÉLÉTÈRE.

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HASARD – Malivore [I, Voidhanger Records]

Orientation: Debut black metal manifestation of French composer Hazard, best known for grandiose dark experimental neoclassical / extreme avant-garde opera project LES CHANTS DU HASARD; an immediate top contender for AOTY.

Sounds like: The march of an immense doomsday engine combined with the terror of a celestial air raid siren; increasingly orchestrated and industrialized advance dissipating into horror-drenched, brooding, malevolent atmosphere; impossible symmetry of chaos and momentum like the holographic scaffolding of some horrific sonic fractal; pure apocalyptic rapture; AKHLYS / NIGHTBRINGER, DECOHERENCE, early AXIS OF PERDITION, a more violent BLUT AUS NORD, ALMYRKVI, REVERORUM IB MALACHT.

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VAHRZAW – In the Shallows of a Starlit Lake [Bitter Loss (RID), self-released]

Orientation: Death / slightly blackened death metal band from Australia tries their hand at classic 90’s-style symphonic black metal…  and fucking kills it.

Sounds like: Unclean melodicism, slightly muffled blasting, malevolent vocals, flows of synth; an authentic, unvarnished and unequivocal homage to the time-honored sound of Norwegian and Swedish spirits of old; EMPEROR, CRADLE OF FILTH, DARK FUNERAL, SATYRICON, 1349, and GORGOROTH.

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AULD RIDGE – Folklore From Further Out [The Hermetic Order of Ytene]

Orientation: Prolific riff-god O.W.G.A, of Great Britain, sole creator behind these and additional currents, casually drops 8th and 9th full length in the last 3 years (across all projects) and continues to emerge as one of the best contemporary authentic black metal artists in the world. Note: We at Black Metal Daily were honored to get an exclusive interview regarding all of his projects after first completing conversational reviews for 2023 AULD RIDGE and ALBIONIC HERMETICISM albums.

Sounds like: Organic, brilliant, and audacious black metal perfection; heroic folktales provide the album concept and free-flowing, instinctive, metalized folk melodies provide the musical underpinning, particularly in the stone-cold insane improvised guitar lead (think of a more feral WINDIR, sort of), viola, and Irish bouzouki; acoustic folk interludes between each black metal track.

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IMPERIAL DEMONIC – Beneath The Crimson Eclipse [Black Lion Records]

Orientation: Unnaturally engaging and endearing debut EP from Northern Ireland manages to take my AOTY when I am in a certain nostalgic mood… but is excellent enough to induce that nostalgic mood, and marks another (major) win for Black Lion for 2023 in the process. 

Sounds like: Absolutely classic-to-the-core, straight to the point in the vein of early 2000’s Dark Funeral and Naglfar, with some Old Man’s Child and Cruelty era CoF thrown in. Nostalgic as all fuck, bringing me back like 20+ years, when I was first getting into the genre, and I love it; kicks so much ass that it is almost cheesy. 

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MEHPORASH – Krystl-Ah [Shadow Records / Regain Records]

Orientation: Supreme ritualistic occult blackened phenomenon from Sweden continues its trajectory astray from black metal proper with a metaphysicedelic fifth album, and takes AOTY in the process.

Sounds like: While still blackened, MEPHORASH has capitalized on a foundation of traditional Swedish black metal and has steadily transcended the genre with crowning sonic occultism (1557 – Rites Of Nullification, 2015), then prominent doses of ecclesiastical ritualism (Shem Ha Mephorash, 2019),  and now dark ascendant psychedelia; ecstatic elevation, rapturous layers, resonance beyond the auditory; a vast cathedral of consciousness, a battery of kaleidoscopic windows, fractals rotating, effortlessly melts and crumbles, builds, rises, melts and crumbles, over and over and over; material form, mental structure, rational thought caught in the ineffable tide of entropic cosmic connection.

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LISTCRUSH WILL RETURN… MAYBE.

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LISTCRUSH 2019: Dex’s Top Full-Length Albums

Okay, so here it is – my list of favoured albums that resonated with me the most over the last twelve months. These are the gems I garnered severe replay value from and that I’ll likely return to many more times in future; the ones that burrowed in deep and sat there, festering away and becoming an irreversible part of me. It may seem like a shitload but I somehow listened to somewhere around 1,200 black metal albums/demos (WORTH MORE THAN YOUR LIFE) over the last twelve months and my original shortlist was around 200 releases long, so cut me some slack here – whittling it down to 66 was hard enough.

It’s a black metal only list and only full-lengths qualify (top EPs/demos list is HERE and splits/collabs list is HERE, if you want more recommendations). Due to the sheer volume of albums I wanted to fit in I’m also being outlandishly pedantic with original release dates and other things this year, so although it’s a fucking outstanding record you won’t see stuff like Musmahhu (digital dropped December 2018 or it would have made it in for sure) or the BEKËTH NEXËHMU – De Fördolda Klangorna re-recording appear (technically first released on tape years ago even though not many heard it). There are also others like the new Mizmor that I really should’ve spent more time with, but I didn’t because I’m an idiot, so they don’t make the list. Anyway, here’s the year that was for me. Hope it was just as good for you, thanks to everyone who read my shit and to every artist either on this list or not for doing what you do with such passion, and keeping this beast known as black metal imbued with eternal life. Hails.

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66. PRIMEVAL WELL – Primeval Well

Ryan described the inspiration behind this to me as (and I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this): “Some sort of alchemical urge to meld things that shouldn’t work together into one singular, organic living creation based upon what I feel is common ground between black metal, certain types of old-time music, and certain types of modern jazz”. Some of the melodies are lifted from actual folk tunes too – you really do need to listen to this to get the full, incredible picture.

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65. HAVOHEJ – Table Of Uncreation

Weird, probably hated by many, but I thought this was a great return for the project and I liked it far more than the last Profanatica. Pure evil.

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64. REVENANT MARQUIS – Polterngeyst

Horrible, abrasive, mind-warping, harrowing, haunting. All apt ways to describe the raw onslaught of Revenant Marquis, the apparent new master of blown-out raw madness that’s as psychologically disturbing as it is suffocating. Will drain your very essence and leave you a hollow shell.

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63. QAYIN REGIS – Doctrine 

Astonishing occultic debut that effortlessly delivered on all the promises made by their great first EP.

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62. MALHKEBRE – Satanic Resistance

Visceral and untainted satanic orthodoxy from these French apostles, who only get better with each release.

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61. DAUÞUZ – Monvmentvm

The miners return with another slab of perfectly executed tremolo glory and fantastic atmosphere.

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60. ASAGRAUM – Dawn Of Infinite Fire

“A massive album of Satanic glory that does everything right and will reignite any black flame to a blazing inferno”. Read the full review HERE.

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59. FÖRGJORD – Ilmestykset

“at once rough and almost riotous, yet inflicted with a deep and forlorn melancholia, and the masterful juxtaposition of these elements is a true delight to listen to. Almost every song walks dusted, long forgotten and crumbling hallways like an ancient Count Orlok from Nosferatu whilst in the same breath tears through the forest like a pack of wolves on a wild hunt”. Read the full review HERE.

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58. IFERNACH – Skin Stone Blood Bone

In a word: Primal. In another word: Excellent. Three more words: Listen to it.

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57. JUTE GYTE – Birefringence

Are you insane? No? If you’re unfamiliar with Jute Gyte you might be after listening to this album. Microtonal braindance madness, and my favourite thing I’ve heard from him in a minute. Which is saying a lot.

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56 LASTER – Het wassen oog

Another strange, beautiful and unique album from a strange, beautiful and unique band. Side note – W. Damiaen‘s other project Nevel also released a stunning album, Leven.

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55. STARLESS DOMAIN – EOS & ALMA

Yes, I’m putting these in together because they’re both equally astonishing and wonderful companion pieces to each other. Listen to them both, and read my interview with the minds behind these hypnotic forays into deep field black metal HERE.

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54. KVELGEYST – Alkahest 

The Helvetic Underground Committee does it again. These alchemical rites were positively thrilling.

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53. VOËMMR – O ovnh intot adr mordrb

“You may find yourself questioning: is this madness, the deterioration of my mental faculties? Nay – just the subterranean wraiths of Voëmmr infecting our reality with all the malignant malevolence usually hidden on the other side. For O ovnh intot adr mordrb isn’t just an album – it’s a portal to another plane of non-existence.” We were lucky enough to premiere this and speak with the Aldebaran Circle members themselves – read the full thing HERE.

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52. WARMOON LORD – Burning Banners Of The Funereal War

This Finnish one man project came out of nowhere for me and surprised me with how often I returned to it. Cold, classic melody – the old-school pretty much perfected.

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51. DARKENED NOCTURN SLAUGHTERCULT – Mardom

Speaking of old-school perfected; the ever-reliable Onielar and co. returned with another gem. They’ve never released a bad album and Mardom drew from everything they’ve done before, with a few new twists.

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50. KËKHT ARÄKH – Night & Love

Romantic lo-fi black that probably should’ve been higher up this list due to it’s (relative) uniqueness and how damn well the whole thing is put together. Spellbinding, delicate atmosphere and raw emotion. LP is up for pre-order through Livor Mortis as we speak, by the way.

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49. BLACK CILICE – Transfixion Of Spirits

Not quite as good as Banished From Time… but still fucking great.

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48. MINENWERFER – Alpenpässe

Opening your album with a 17-minute epic is the ultimate power move. US guys singing in German about Prussian involvement in WWI over gorgeous atmoblack never sounded so damned good.

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47. OBSEQUIAE – The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings

Everyone expected this to be amazing. Spoiler alert: they were correct. Medieval bliss.

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46. MYSTAGOGUE – And The Darkness Was Cast Out Into Wilderness

Wessel Damiaen of Laster and Maurice De Jong of Gnaw Their Tongues come together to create an album that “whilst not doing anything radically unheard of, still perfectly balances all of its elements into an experience that will subtly dawn on you with increasing power. Like an ecclesiastical revelation sent from on high… and echoed down below.” Plus, it got even better the more I listened to it. Read the full review HERE.

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45. MYLINGAR – Döda Själar

The final panel of their Döda triptych of albums was just as face-devouring and intense as the last two. Ravenous and fetid. Where do they go from here?

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44. VAAL – Visioen van het verborgen land

Saw the fury toned down a little from previous releases, in favour of a more atmospheric menacing/morose feel – and you know what? It worked a treat. I’ve already liked everything the Dutch hermit has put out prior to this but the thick, ancient vibes conjured through these four lo-fi black tracks and four ambient interludes took the project to an entirely new level.

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43. KALEIKR – Heart Of Lead

This progressive, complex and beautifully crushing album expertly blended psychedelia and dissonant death with the innate dazzling textures of Icelandic black metal; and all whilst being fed through a filter of intense emotional weight. Impacted early and had huge staying power. As a bonus, we also interviewed Kjartan HERE.

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42. OCCELENSBRIGG – Glacial Conjuration

Thus, the enigmatic Aldebaran Circle solo entity returned to us with its second full-length blizzard of raw black hypnosis, Glacial Conjuration. This project hasn’t put a foot wrong yet and the magic summoned by its swirling tremolo winds and clattering drums is no less potent here; this shit will bury you under six feet of snow and you’ll be so transfixed you won’t even bat an eyelid.

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41. HOPE DRONE – Void Lustre

Obliterating atmospheric post-black sludge-infused nihilism. Drown in the relentless devastating waves. I fucking love this band and how they’re evolving; 2020 will be the year I finally catch them when they come back down here (I’ve missed them more times than I care to count). This tape found its way to my deck many, many times.

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40. AKROTHEISM – Law Of Seven Deaths

These orthodox esotericists effortlessly outdid their already solid first album with a cosmic monument of modern black metal. Captivating and transcendent.

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39. THE DEATHTRIP – Demon Solar Totem

Kvohst is back, Thomas from Mork got involved… I was not expecting new The Deathtrip but I’m far from sad we got it. A worthy successor to the superb Deep Drone Master.

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38. CULT OF EXTINCTION – Ritual In The Absolute Absence Of Light

I’ll be honest – a lot of war metal/bestial black death runs the risk of all sounding the same to me. I mean shit, if I want to listen to Blasphemy or Bestial Warlust I’ll just listen to them. The stuff that really makes my pants fit nice is when bands or artists come at it from another angle, injecting their own idiosyncratic weirdness into the equation… which is where Cult Of Extinction come in. Although definitely still taking cues from the legends, the project of prolific German solo artist Void goes one further than those earthly brutalities and sophomore effort Ritual In The Absolute Absence Of Light instead sounds like the world being torn apart by occultic and alien means as all we can do is watch in abject horror. The ferocity on display is far past redlining, the harrowing audio samples only add to the mind-shredding abilities of the carnage vomiting forth from your speakers, the whole thing is almost biblical – just like the Gustave Doré cover art, this is exactly like staring into the Empyrean.

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37. HAGZISSA – They Ride Along

“In their unique robes and with manic fervour they reap madness with their newly polished spells; eight shrieking and howling odes to the primal and otherworldly. It’s music that sounds like it’s been whipped to your ears on laughing winds as you stand in ragged cloth at the crossroads at midnight… Hagzissa really do walk a wild path of ancient wickedness; unfettered from the norms of regular existence, dancing on that gossamer-thin line between this earthly realm… and the other.

Came back to this magical and sinister beast many, many times. I had the immense pleasure of premiering it and interviewing founder B. Moser too; check that out HERE.

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36. PHARMAKEIA – Pharmakeia

Everything Prava Kollektiv put out this year was fantastic… and this slab of oppressive, churning violence was the best. Harrowing.

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35. DWARROWDELF – Of Dying Lights

Hold up – I want to stress this isn’t a “conflict of interest” type thing. Although later on in the year Tom would end up adding his considerable class to our writing team here at BMD, this stunning album was on lock for a spot in my list regardless. Anyway, this is my personal pick for epic black metal album of the year. I also had the pleasure of premiering this album, check that (and a nice chat with the man himself) out HERE.

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34. HUMAN AGONY – Putrescence Of Calvary

Was my favourite bestial black/death release of the year for a while. “A symphony of cruelty. Pure hatred and destruction of the human race“… check the full review out HERE.

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33. GRAFVITNIR – Venenum Scorpionis

“The Swedish occult black metal constellation of Grafvitnir is one of those projects intrinsic to the existence of black metal in general. They sum up the very essence of it, every release surging with the mystical power of forces unseen and calling to things beyond sight and comprehension; a grand maelstrom of hate, worship, violence and hyper-melodic intensity honed to the point where it could slice a hole in the fabric of existence itself.”

A band that has never fallen short of my expectations and this record was no different. I also got to chat with them about it earlier in the year; check that out HERE.

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32. BLUE HUMMINGBIRD ON THE LEFT – Atl Tlachinolli

One of the first albums that caught my attention for the year… possibly even in 2018 because promos came a little early, if I recall correctly. Hype built up over almost a decade to this slab of Aztec / Black Twilight Circle war, and it was worth the wait.

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31. TEITANBLOOD – The Baneful Choir

Slightly more accessible than their recent work and not quiiiiite up to Seven Chalices level, this typically dissonant monstrosity of nightmare-fuel still hit the spot for me. Could listen to the title track all day, which is probably an odd one to pick out of the bunch, but hey.

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30. DRASTUS – La Croix De Sang

Surprisingly this turned out to be a fairly divisive release between those that loved it and those who didn’t understand the hype at all. One guess which camp I’m firmly in.

“A divine conflagration crawling from the primordial core of life, reaching to devour all, and bring only ash” …read the full review HERE.

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29. WAGNER ÖDEGÅRD – Om undergång och de tretton järtekn

Released a pair of great eponymous albums this year but this one he let really rip with the punk influences, so it is therefore superior and takes the chocolates in my books.

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28. IMPAVIDA – Antipode

Returning after eleven years in the abyss with the aptly named He, Who Walketh The Void on vocals, this album is genuinely unsettling as hell. As I said in the full review (HERE), it “…continues the path set out by the first two releases with impressive ease and a natural evolution into even further realms of unfolding terror and darkness. On sheer feeling alone experiencing this record is akin to sitting through some kind of mind-blowingly expansive psychological/occultic horror film. Complete immersion via repeat listens yields immense reward, but be warned; the terror may shatter your fragile synapses, turn your blood to ice… perhaps even burn you alive.”

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27. BETHLEHEM – Lebe dich leer

Onielar’s second appearance on this list hit me even harder than the first – her throat-shredding howls are fucking perfect for the DSBM originators’ inventive compositions.

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26. SÜHNOPFER – Hic Regnant Borbonii Manes

Hyper medieval melodies are king on this glorious monarchial maelstrom. Still blows me away each time I listen to it.

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25. MORK – Det Svarte Juv

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: True Norwegian Black Metal will never die as long as Mork are still around to carry the torch with great albums like this.

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24. YELLOW EYES – Rare Field Ceiling

Immersion Trench Reverie was my 2017 album of the year. This didn’t hit quite the same heights, but is still a near immaculate record.

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23. ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE – Schism Perpetration

This album hits fucking HARD. Riffs ahoy, delivered with punishing force. The track ‘Prime Mover’ alone is insane… I can only applaud.

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22. FUNERAL PRESENCE – Achatius 

I saw this recently described as “taking 10g of dried Hawaiian psilocybin mushrooms in a posessed 16th century convent”, which isn’t too far from the truth. Vital stuff with a pure and irrepressible black metal spark.

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21. VARGRAV – Reign In Supreme Darkness

“What works? Everything. What doesn’t work? Nothing. With his second Vargrav offering V-KhaoZ has surpassed all comparisons to take the throne and reign in the modern era alongside all the old masters. Reign In Supreme Darkness is no mere copy or homage, no tribute album trading on nostalgia… it is Supreme Majestic Black Metal Art. Bow down.”

I was super pumped on scoring the full-stream premiere of this before it fell through at the eleventh hour – but that didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for it one bit. Read the full review HERE.

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20. VANUM – Ageless Fire

Grandiose, powerful, melodic… this irresistible album stayed with me all year. Still love that cover art, too.

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19. ALTARAGE – The Approaching Roar

This approaching roar consumed all in its path, swarming and devouring, leaving only decimation in its wake. Altarage are unstoppable.

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18. KAMPFAR – Ofidians Manifest

After some health problems, the Norwegians are back with serious intent. The breathtaking Ofidians Manifest is their strongest work in a very long time.

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17. SINMARA – Hvísl Stjarnanna

Originally, I was lukewarm on this album… now I cannot get enough of it. Þórir Garðarsson and Garðar S. Jónsson seem to unstitch reality with their riffs. Swirling, bewitching, celestial goodness.

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16. SØRGELIG – We, The Oblivious

“Challenging you to confront and accept the pointlessness of it all, this album is emotional warfare. A mandatory listen for those who will understand. Buy or die, it doesn’t matter… just accept the void.”

This ended up a chronically underappreciated album for the year. Read the full review HERE and then listen to the fucking thing, alright?

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15. BARSHASKETH – Barshasketh

For their fourth album, the UK demons distilled their potent concoction into arguably its most potent form yet. Black metal as a weapon.

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14. STELLAR DESCENT – Moss

I’m sure even the gentlemen that created this incredible moment in art might even be surprised to see it so loftily placed in this list (especially when they released another, more black metal album this year too), but just listen to it and you’ll see why. It still touches me deeply with every mesmerizing spin.

“To fully feel this album, go outside into nature, as far away from anything civilised as you can go, and just sit. Close your eyes, feel the air on your skin and… listen. You’ll sink into an appreciation of the fabric of life, seeing all the threads that make up our existence intertwine together into the intrinsic tapestry that we walk through every day, yet ignore due to the very nature of the world we have created for ourselves. One that we should pay more attention to before it’s too late. This album is a reminder. Don’t miss it.”

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13. GOLDEN ASHES – Gold Are The Ashes Of The Restorer

…and the award for most stunningly coherent holistic expression of vision in 2019 goes to: this magnificent creation. Another project from Maurice of Gnaw Their Tongues, everything here ties in with perfect synergy – the album art, album title, track titles, hell even the project name are the very manifestation of the transcendent music found within, and all create something overwhelmingly beautiful.

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12. BORKNAGAR – True North

Was not expecting this album to stick with me as much as it did; I’ve always liked everything the Norwegians have done, but not loved it like this. Soaring, progressive, wondrous stuff – with a few new members and ICS Vortex back on the mic, this was a revitalized, resounding triumph.

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11. QUALM – Tiefe

I don’t know what I expected from this album when I saw the cover art, but it certainly wasn’t the most raw, miasmic, miserable and mood-altering record of the year. The vibe here is nothing short of incredible as hypnotic waves of slow abrasion induce a trancelike, life-leaving state; the way this album feels speaks deeply to my soul. When this shit gets rolling it makes Xasthur seem like the happiest dude on earth. Drowning, portrayed in the harshest of audio forms.

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10. MISÞYRMING – Algleymi

First listen I quite liked this record, then I went off it a bit. Then one day I chucked it back on and it clicked like never before – it was all I listened to on repeat for days, and has remained in my regular playlist since then. Yeah, it certainly has its flaws, but by taking a totally different approach to their debut the Icelanders have created something stirring and electrifying… and oddly life-affirming. Probably a good one to listen to after Qualm, then.

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9. CULT OF ERINYES – Æstivation

Holy FUCK this album is a monster. Came out of nowhere at the end of the year and forced its way almost immediately to the top tier of this list. Hands down the best thing they’ve put their name to; a career defining release. “…a relentless onslaught that blows away anything they’ve put their name to thus far; it’s more intense yet with deeper textures than ever before, far more abrasive, more epic in composition… more transcendent. Every searing note is another scrape against your soul, slowly scouring it away with growing violence until it is left raw and bleeding.” Read the full review HERE.

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8. DAI-ICHI – dai-ichi

This mysterious duo came from nowhere (Japan? Who knows) with the sleeper hit of the year. It was also the first original vinyl put out by one of BMD‘s favourite cassette labels, Fólkvangr Records – so you should buy one and support. ‘Seishi’ is still one of my top tracks of 2k19 – check out our premiere of it HERE.

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7. AKASHA – Canticles Of The Sepulchral Deity

“Charging d-beat mayhem tears strips off of coruscating raw black, sinks its teeth into heavy metal and drags it flailing and bleeding through the dirt. Right from the get-go the guitar tone alone acts as a conduit for fearful mysticism and visions of arcane electrical storms crackling wildly into the night, off kilter riffage careening along as songs sound inches from flying off the rails… and it’s all deliciously drenched in a virulent strain of howling sanguinary misanthropia and the pungent stench of disinterred tombs.” If you somehow haven’t heard this album yet, fix that immediately – even Shatraug of Sargeist rated this as one of the best of the year. Read our interview with sole practitioner Leech HERE.

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6. DEATHSPELL OMEGA – The Furnaces Of Palingenesia

“We will grant you freedom from freedom”. A controversial inclusion? This is, to me, the best thing they’ve done since Paracletus (which is one of my albums of the decade). Hasjarl really is one of the most creative players out there.

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5. DEPARTURE CHANDELIER – Antichrist Rise To Power

Man, had I been looking forward to a full-length from these guys… and oh man did they deliver, adding to what is one of my favourite slowly growing discographies in black metal with a glorious, almost faultless record. Also took the honors of being one of the most memed bands of 2019. Neat.

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4. RINGARË – Under Pale Moon

In the entirety of 2019 I played no tape in my possession more than I did the Forgotten Centuries hand-dub of Under Pale Moon. It became my go-to for late night writing sessions, its haunting midnight atmospheres and otherworldly synth a catalyst for slipping into transcendent mental realms and inspiring creativity. Am I infinitely grateful Alex finally decided to release this after all these years? Yes, I am.

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3. SAMMATH – Across The Rhine Is Only Death

Don’t get me wrong, I love nuance and subtlety in my black metal as much as the next person. I can get down to some soft stuff when the mood takes. However, a massive part of my listening pleasure is also derived from hearing pure, uncompromising, skull-shattering aggression and holy fucking shit did this album utterly nail that brief for me. The gents in Sammath perfected their formula with an album that was the very sound of war; an obliterating beast of balls to the fucking wall hatred, relentless death and frenzied blood-flecked carnage. I can only salute them in awe. It’s probably also the review I enjoyed writing the most last year, read the full thing HERE.

“Sammath are the boot on your neck, the gun barrel pointed at your face as you cry and piss yourself in the mud. Across The Rhine Is Only Death is the bullet going through your brain as you choke your last breath.

The ultimate war album. Fucking die.“

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2. BLUT AUS NORD – Hallucinogen

This was my number one for the longest time, switching back and forth with Sammath depending on the day. The Frenchmen mutated their sound even further, adding classic and progressive rock elements… resulting in their best work in years. I love albums that do odd things to your head, and this psychedelic trip into worlds unknown definitely does. Ivan did a great review of this which echoes my own sentiments well, so instead of blathering on further I’ll just say: check that out HERE.

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1. NEDXXX – NEDXXX 

I’m sure at least half of you are reading this saying “what the actual fuck? This album dropped extremely late in the year, I didn’t even like it, how the shit could this poser have it at number one?” Well hold onto your Mayhem undies kids, I shall explain.

As I said way back in the intro, I listen to a relatively large amount of music each year (nowhere near as much as some), and often find myself thinking about that age-old edgelord chestnut – is black metal really dying? I mean, look at most of the stuff that gets praised each year. Look at your own favourite albums. Chances are, at the most basic level many if not all are a slightly rearranged or altered copy of something else that you already liked the previous year. And the year before that. And so on. Not only sonically, but in image, album title, the works. Even in extreme metal, all too often everything is expected, everything is safe – in the age of clicking scores of Bandcamp/YouTube links per day, if it’s not immediately familiar with a sound that people already identify with it’s often discarded in favour of the next thing released thirty seconds later. Not always, but often; that’s just how shit is nowadays. Paradoxically, that’s what largely happened with NEDXXX… and that’s what it seems actively designed to challenge.

If NEDXXX is similar to anything, you could say there are shades of the mighty Abigor within, especially the latter day albums. It’s not too much of a stretch to assume TT is somehow involved – I couldn’t think of too many others who would create this. Whoever it is, they’ve seemingly written the album with the intent to tap into something discussed by a voice in the centre of the album – the DIABOLICAL. As the voice states: “What is the diabolic? The diabolic disrupts. It comes from the Greek words Dia and Boli. Diaboli means to tear apart, rip asunder. Anything therefore that breaks pattern. That destroys unity. That corrupts gestalt. Produces discord. That is the diabolic”.

This album is the diabolic manifested, obtaining “evil” through tearing apart all of the safe, expected and endlessly repeated tropes of what you expect from a black metal album and leaving a truly expressive and creative conduit for unspeakable forces. It doesn’t even have a fucking name. I’ve seen many people saying they tried it once or for a track or two but they couldn’t handle the “mathcore” influence/complexity, or it was just noise, or boring. Where were the same old blasts and tremolo lines, or if it was supposed to be some sort of dissoblack, why wasn’t it a DSO copy? It immediately challenged people’s perception of what they expected to hear, it rebelled and attempted to corrupt expectations. For this is not an easy-lisening album – It’s impossibly complex, for starters. Almost Naked City level batshit. It shreds, blasts, switches on a dime at least twenty times in each track, has bongos, dialogue samples, clean proselytizing and distorted roars, takes an immensely intricate approach to composition. It demands attention, investment… and this investment pays off. Peel back the layers, allow its complex patterns to assimilate with your synaptic pathways and a doorway will open – a doorway only true black art can breach, and which all too few artists are attempting to even reach these days, content to release the same old stuff. A doorway to the true diabolic, one of the core tenets of black metal itself.

So yeah, simply put, for me this is the most creative and (yes, I ACCEPT YOUR WRATH) “black metal” album released this year. I’ve listened to it countless times since release, bought the LP and all. Of course, many people hated it. I wholeheartedly recommend you just try it again for yourself, forget about everything else and listen. Absorb.

Open the doorway. Hails.

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Near Misses:

You should also check out the recent albums by Degredo, Ancestral Shadows, Regnans, Arnaut Pavle, Beorn’s Hall, Penance Stare, Wormwitch, Nocturnal Departure, An Isolated Mind, Mizmor, Sutekh Hexen, Frostveil, Nordjevel, Runespell, Djevel, Earth And Pillars, Sun Worship, Arkona, Haunter, Gardsghastr, Örmagna, Keres, Sores, Marras, Ashen Chalice, Waste Of Space Orchestra, Defacement, Revenant Marquis, Witchbones, Gorgon, Vukari, Aegrus, Consummation, Vessel Of Iniquity, Sadisme, Cthonica, all the Prava Kollektiv stuff, Sarke, Schammasch, Mephorahsh, Vástígr, Bednja, Worsen, Wolok and Mo’ynoq. All of these are also fucking great records, and either just missed out or might have made the list if I’d been able to spend more time with them. Oh, and the new Mayhem was solid enough… but we’ve all heard that.

Best Tribute Album: Lords Of The North – A Tribute To Bathory (Fólkvangr Records)

A labour of love from the Fólkvangr stable with a stunning result. Read my full review HERE. Closely followed by the great Devastators Of The Suns (A Tribute To Katharsis) by Bile Noire.

Biggest Letdown: MGŁA – Age Of Excuse

Felt like a largely boring rehash without the spark of previous works, took an entire album to get to the one great song (the last one).

…and that’s it. Listcrush done for another year. Cheers again, maniacs. Hails.

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Email: blackmetaldaily@outlook.com

LISTCRUSH 2019: Tom O’Dell’s Black Metal & Non-Black Metal Favourites

My LISTCRUSH isn’t a deep reflection on the musical and artistic sophistication of the past year. For me, the most important thing for any new album is how much I want to listen to it again and again. I appreciate and respect the skill and talent behind a musical monument like Funerals from the Astral Sphere, but it’s not the kind of album I’ll come back to time and time again. Therefore, I’m not saying that these are the best black metal/non black metal albums of the year. I’m saying that these are 20 albums that I’ve had a great time with, and I really hope you give them a listen and stick them on repeat for a bit as well. 

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BLACK METAL TOP 10:

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1. Saor – Forgotten Paths

I joined the Saor hype train really late (read: about a month ago), but you can imagine how I regret that now. From the jaunty chorus of ‘Bròn’ to Neige’s excellent guest feature in ‘Forgotten Paths’, this album is epic from start to finish.

Check out: ‘Bròn’

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2. Asagraum – Dawn of Infinite Fire

With its perfect blend of driving aggression, haunting melodic leads, and savage vocals, this album really reignited my love for the harsher end of the black metal spectrum.

Check out: ‘Beyond the Black Vortex’

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3. Abigail Williams – Walk Beyond the Dark

This blew my expectations out of the water. Rather than the cheesy symphonic black metal I thought I’d be letting myself in for, Walk Beyond the Dark explodes and drives with the force of a titanic powerhouse. Seriously hard-hitting black metal.

Check out: ‘Black Waves’

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4. Numenorean – Adore

This is an album that makes you reflect. The emotional breadth on display is stunning, from manic fury to deep, elephantine melancholy. I challenge any metal fan to listen to it and not be moved.

Check out: ‘Portrait of Pieces’

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5. Thormesis – The Sixth

From the first minute, this album storms out of the blocks with hooks aplenty and driving verses, and the interesting integration of subtle blackgaze elements contributes to an altogether unique musical atmosphere.

Check out: ‘Sonnen’

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6. Null – Lore of a Sleeping Forest

A really late release in the year (in fact kicking out another album I’d already written for this list…), this release shows that a new force of atmospheric black metal is ready to be revealed to the world. The ambience and emotion created within the exceptional runtime is huge, and promises to be an album I’ll be revisiting for a long time to come.

Check out: ‘Echoes of Torment’

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7. Crimson Moon – Mors Vincit Omnia

In a year overshadowed by drama featuring another band(s?) famous for black metal with traditional choral incorporations, Crimson Moon quietly released an album that outshone anything they(either of them?) have released.

Check out: ‘Altars of Azrael’

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8. Cân Bardd – The Last Rain

Whilst not quite the colossal achievement that was Nature Stays Silent, I really enjoyed Cân Bardd’s second effort in as many years, and it’s great to hear them through some pristine production. The chorus on the title track in particular is huge.

Check out: ‘The Last Rain’

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9. Vargrav – Reign in Supreme Darkness

I always wished that Emperor had released another In the Nightside Eclipse before going all proggy and well-produced, and now it appears that Vargrav have done that on their behalf. Any points lost for originality are more than made up for in awesomeness – this is an album that takes me back to my earliest days of black metal discovery, and I love it for that.

Check out: ‘In Streams from Great Mysteries’

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10. Bykürius – A Heretic Art

A release that deserved way more thunder than it received, A Heretic Art built on traditional melodic black metal elements and elevated them with creativity and imagination… all whilst clearly not taking themselves too seriously.

Check out: ‘Rise, Our Father Lucifer’

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NON-BLACK METAL TOP 10:

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1. Brymir – Wings of Fire [Symphonic Melodeath]

This landed straight at the top of my list when it dropped in March, and nothing ever threatened to knock it from that pedestal. It’s like if Wintersun incorporated more power metal elements, and it’s magnificent.

Check out: ‘Chasing the Skyline’

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2. Thornbridge – Theatrical Masterpiece [Power Metal]

Traditional power metal, with plenty of thrashy galloping riffs and layered choruses. It’s a formulaic approach, but the charisma and passion showcased throughout never fails to evoke the grandeur required by successful power metal.

Check out: ‘Ember in the Winter Grove’

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3. Singularity – Place of Chains [Symphonic Tech-Death]

This is a rare beast; a tech-death album that knows when to show restraint. Combining that with the masterful integration of symphonic and blackened elements, Place of Chains earns its place as the most memorable tech-death album I’ve heard this year.

Check out: ‘Desmoterion’

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4. Insomnium – Heart Like a Grave [Melodeath]

Insomnium are one of my all-time favourite bands, and I was never going to not love this album. It’s potentially my favourite album since Across the Dark, with some excellent clean vocal work alongside the traditional Insomnium elements.

Check out: ‘Pale Morning Star’

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5. Organectomy – Existential Disconnect [Slamming/Brutal Death Metal] 

Relentlessly heavy slam; the addition of occasional black metal elements takes it to a level above the majority of the chuggers out there.

Check out: ‘Where Pantheons Lie II: Conviction’

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6. Shadow of Intent – Melancholy [Symphonic Deathcore]

Deathcore has been a naughty word in metal circles for years, but bands like Shadow of Intent are showing that the genre really could be taken seriously again. Vocalist Ben Deurr might be the best in metal at the moment, and the orchestrations and incorporations of influences from black metal to melodeath are masterful.

Check out: ‘Under a Sullen Moon’

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7. Allegaeon – Apoptosis [Technical Melodeath]

Whilst not quite as colossal as 2016’s Proponent for Sentience, Allegaeon continue to showcase a level of technical brilliance without losing melodic direction.

Check out: ‘Stellar Tidal Disruption’

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8. As I Lay Dying – Shaped By Fire [Melodic Metalcore]

Metalcore has also made some huge leaps forward in recent years, and As I Lay Dying’s triumphant return is as evident of this as any. The riffs are perfect for the gym, the hooks are massive, and the vocals are devastating.

Check out: ‘Torn Between’

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9. Twilight Force – Dawn of the Dragonstar [Symphonic Power Metal]

I was worried when Twilight Force fired their previous vocalist, as I thought he may have been the driving force behind their unique sound. However, with former Rhapsody legend Alessandro Conti at the helm, Twilight Force have delivered another album of classically-tinged power metal, filled to the brim with all the cheese they can muster.

Check out: ‘Dawn of the Dragonstar’

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10. Atlantean Kodex – The Course of Empire [Epic Heavy/Doom Metal]

I’m very particular with doom, but Atlantean Kodex really hit the sweet spot with their traditional take on the epic/heavy style. The vocals are layered with delicious harmonies, the riffs are slow and driving, and the Byzantine theme makes my inner history nerd way too excited than is acceptable.

Check out: ‘A Secret Byzantium – Numbered as Sand and the Stars’

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LISTCRUSH 2019: The Ivan Gossage Edition

Hails to Order Ov The Black Arts, Black Metal Daily, and any readers gracious enough to spend time reading what will follow. 2019 has been a hell of a year for extreme metal, and these are my top 57 picks of the year. There’s a hierarchy here, but only by tier… those that fall within a given tier are generally interchangeable and honestly even the margins of each tier are a little arbitrary to some extent, but this seems like the most feasible way to provide some sort of structure.

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FIRST TIER: ALBUM OF THE YEAR

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Disillusion – The Liberation

I could write a short novel about my experience with Disillusion, but that would be boring for you, too personally revealing for me, and marginally inappropriate for this forum since Disillusion isn’t black metal. Sitting midway between progressive epic death metal (think An Abstract Illusion, Ne Obliviscaris, or Eternal Storm [see below]) and progressive modern rock (i.e. Tool), Disillusion can be squarely described as epic progressive metal. Their 2004 album Back To Times of Splendor is THE album I would choose if I could only choose one album to listen to forevermore (except if I were living in the snow, then it would be The Mantle by Agalloch), and The Liberation is a sequel to Back to Times of Splendor. The music?… you will just have to listen for yourself, don’t expect anything too aggressive, and I’m never surprised when other listeners aren’t nearly as hyped about it because so much of my listening experience is wrapped up in subjective contexts. Just listen to ‘In Waking Hours’ and ‘Wintertide’ (songs 1 & 2) with headphones and no distractions… if it doesn’t resonate with you I get it, but I can’t really adequately express how this album resonates with me, and I’m not going to try. Bottom line, it’s probably my favorite thing that has been released since 2015 except for Schammasch’s Maldoror Chants EP. Favorite tracks: ‘Wintertide’, ‘A Shimmer In The Darkest Sea’ [Tool fans should check that one out], and ‘The Liberation’.

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SECOND TIER (six selections)

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Saor – Forgotten Paths

This was probably my most anticipated release coming into 2019 except for Schammasch and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Since it was released early in the year, because it is so short, and because my love of the album was reinforced by seeing Saor live at Fire In The Mountains festival, it almost certainly gets the award for most spin time. Three epic Caledonian tracks and a nice filler outro that I nevertheless bother listening to. Did I mention that it is short? Yeah, that’s my only complaint… the album length, as well as more nuanced details like the physical presence of the vinyl (regular sleeve instead of elaborate gatefold with poster like the previous 3 albums) makes me really want to accuse this release of being an EP. That aside, the music is PHENOMENAL. Three tracks make picking top songs pretty pointless, so I’d like to recommend full volume on the track ‘Forgotten Paths’ at 4:20 (do you hear that crazy rubbing sound that the bass starts doing at 4:28-30?! What the IS that?!) and the chorus’ of ‘Brón’. Saor has since signed to Season of Mist, and Andy is already working on the next album. Yes, please.

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Misþyrming – Algleymi

Unlike Saor and Schammasch, I was completely blindsided by this one. When it went up for preorder I blew it off because there was no preview track. Big mistake, which was almost instantly rectified upon hearing the first minute of the first song. Aggressive, catchy, subtly epic, and with good amount of attention paid to seriously rocking the fuck out… to put it simply, Algleymi has everything that I look for in black metal… not just in timbre, but in attitude as well: “It is our utmost conviction that the artist ought to stand beyond good or evil and that the pursuit of his or her artistic goals should therefore remain untouched by considerations pertaining to critical reception, the sensitivity of a potential audience, or anything that would detract from the full accomplishment of those artistic goals. Taking into creative consideration the very fragile current zeitgeist would render any piece of art absolutely harmless and devoid of worth … let us leave the world of binary thinking for a minute, concentrate solely on the individual of exceptional fabric, and dream aloud.” [D.G., Bardo Methodology interview, 2019]. Full Support. Favorite tracks: I don’t know… fucking… all of them I think.

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Aoratos – Gods Without Name

The prolific output of Naas Alcameth makes it difficult to resist exacting upon Aoratos a bit of comparative analysis against its infernal siblings. What Aoratos projects is a supernatural force which is both external and worldly, and can hence be more easily demarcated from the dread internal psychic nightmare of Akhlys, as well as from the more subterranean hellish inferno of Bestia Arcana. That leaves Nightbringer as Aoratos’ closest relative, but here there are important differences. Lacking the epic keyboards and heightened shrill falsetto guitar lead of Nightbringer and bringing instead a nuanced industrial edge, Aoratos forgoes the immense, sprawling apocalypse of Nightbringer and instead emotes a monstrous haunting; more local, more rural, and more terrestrial. The power of this album is absolutely annihilating. Recommended: ‘Gods Without Name’, ‘Thresher’, ‘Watcher on the Threshold’. See full review HERE.

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Schammasch – Hearts Of No Light

One of my two most anticipated albums of the year, Schammasch (unlike Fleshgod Apocalypse) did not disappoint. Overall, both lyrically and musically, Hearts Of No Light exudes something that is darker, more negative, and more personal than previous albums. Lacking the usual concrete motif, Hearts Of No Light instead consists of multiple tenebrous approaches to a wider and more varied array of areas deep within, where shadowy undercurrents hold sway, where rays of light are glimpsed, and where outward cohesion begins to dissolve. In this way, Hearts Of No Light signifies a progression not only in terms of wider musical variance, but also in the way that the whole is composed… while each track addresses different nebulous aspects of being and tends to individually move from a state of abstraction towards increased emotive cohesion, of the lack of a distinct overarching thesis is itself a statement about the chaos and darkness of inner existential turmoil. Recommended tracks: ‘Ego Sum Omega’, ‘I Burn Within You’, ‘Katabasis’. See full review HERE.

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Asagraum – Dawn of Infinite Fire

If you are looking for straightforward, no frills, epically aggressive familiar Swedish sound (ala Sworn To The Dark / Lawless Darkness and Vobiscum Satanas / Diabolus Interim) complete with persistently satanic themes, casually blazing riffs, relentlessly tasty ballistic percussion, scorching vocals and that horns-in-the-air ‘let’s burn this fucker to the ground’ insolence, look no further than this musical inferno. Everything about this release positively glows with sincere and authentic classic black metal audacity, and they are doing it WAY THE FUCK BETTER than more established contemporary acts (yes, looking right at you, Watain and Dark Funeral). These ladies are fucking DOMINATING right now and if you like that style and you haven’t been paying attention, please get off your ass, because Dawn of Infinite Fire is downright ruthless. Recommended tracks… fuck, same as Misþyrming, this whole thing is amazing.

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Mephorash – Shem Ha Mephorash

Shem Ha Mephorash is a work of massive ambition, and I have to admit that a significant part of the appeal is not just the music (which is fantastic but pointedly contemplative and ecclesial and not necessarily superior to 1557-Rites of Nullification in my opinion) but the sheer developmental advancement and enormity of the album (clocks in at 74 minutes), the stunning artwork of the physical product, and the overall level of ambition and coherence. The lines between the daemonic and theistic blur here as Mephorash seems to obscure such trivial distinctions, the trumpets of both Heaven and Hell harkening a sacred fire to the spirit, casting the listener simultaneously above as crystalized vapors of ethereal perfection and below to infernal ashes of annihilation. Woe to the profane secular flesh and petty ego, gasping and choking on the smoke from a numinous flame. A modern esoteric black metal masterpiece, Shem Ha Mephorash radiates with transcendence, sacramental power, and a terrible, beautiful white flame of holy judgement. See full review HERE.

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THIRD TIER (ten selections)

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Kaleikr – Heart of Lead

This one is a bit of an enigma. There’s a LOT going on here that Kaleikr managed to seam together very well. Starting out very close to the beautiful, utra-melodic, atmospheric black metal sensibility of Saor’s Forgotten Paths (ironic because the albums were released at almost the same time), Heart of Lead quickly evolves in a myriad of different directions, like more menacing progressive black metal, technical death metal, progressive death metal, and prog-rock. It even gets a little bit into that claustrophobic and suffocating Icelandic sound with the short title track… but this is minimal and not overdone. A good thing in my personal opinion.

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Musmahhu – Reign of the Odious

A fucking savage blackdeath offering curtesy of Swartadauþuz, mastermind behind Bekëth Nexëhmü, contributor to Gardsghastr (see below), and a surfeit of other extreme projects. This one ranks as perhaps the most violent of all my year-end picks, and might be compared somewhat to Aoratos as an immediate reference. Reign of the Odious is more death metal-oriented, but similar in terms of unremittent pitch-black maelstrom mixed with subtle industrial(ish) elements and an undercurrent of epic cataclysmic ruin. Completely necessary. 

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Eternal Storm – Come The Tide

I won’t get too into it because it isn’t black metal, but this is a magnificently written, powerful, very melodic opus of beautiful epic artful death metal, which got LOTS of playtime from me. For fans of An Abstract Illusion, Exsickator, and Rivers Of Nihil’s Where Owls Know My Name (but more melodic DM than technical DM). Recommended tracks: ‘Through the Wall of Light Pt. I (The Strand)‘, ‘Through the Wall of Light Pt. II (Immersion)’, ‘The Mountain’.

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Wormwood – Nattarvet

In 20+ years of listening to extreme metal, there has been only ONE time that an initial listening experience was so profound that I was almost brought to tears from the opening minutes of a song… What is crucial about ‘The Isolationist’ (the last song, track 7)  and in a more general sense Nattarvet as a whole, is the ability to capture a profound paradox: It is a journey both within and also beyond, aptly conjoining the psychological tragedy of isolation with the coldness of natural indifference, and achieving a dissolution of the self through immersion in the solitude that pervades reality as a whole. See full review HERE.

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Hath – Of Rot and Ruin

Another death metal album. A fantastic one… a near perfect combination of groove, speed, classiness, melodicism, brutality, progressiveness, and technicality, complete with tasteful acoustic interludes and fantastic vocal variation. For fans of Black Crown Initiate before Black Crown Initiate decided to try to sound like Tool. With vocals kind of like Travis Ryan ala Cattle Decapitation, but without those melodic highs. It’s really just badass in every way.

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Panzerfaust – The Suns of Perdition, Chapter 1: War, Horrid War

Monstrous, crushing, war-themed blackdeath with limited tasteful atonality, overpowering vocals, and some doomish sensibilities (mostly in terms of production and an overall sense of progressive desolating inevitability, not in terms of speed)… what can be said about this album that hasn’t been said before and more elaborately? This is one that just demands a listen in order to get it. It’s difficult for me to describe it in a way that makes the album sound unique, but it IS unique, and its short length and promise of subsequent installments makes it easily digestible, leaving one pining for more. I hope we get it in 2020.

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Totaled – Lament

You ever get those moments when you give your chosen listening device a raised eyebrow because of all of the asskickery that is suddenly occurring? Like it was sort of kicking ass in the first place but then it gets taken to the next level and hits that sweet spot when you are just like ‘fuuuuuck’? Well, Lament has a SHITLOAD of those moments. It’s a fusion of black metal and galloping no-damns-given punk/crust/core/grind/violence/something belligerence. On the BM side of things there’s some classic Swedish melody taking place, not unlike old Dissection or mid-era Watain, etc., but there also some much more aggressive, cutthroat Tsjuder-like ripping which really helps bridge the gap between the epic melody and the whateverthefuckitis in such a way that the tracks can vacillate between the disparate styles and sometimes outright mix them together while always sounding entirely seamless. I managed to pounce on the last fancy LP on Bandcamp and the package came with this really cool set of Tarot cards which match the cover art. Definitely highlights this as a top release for me.

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Vukari – Aevum

With only moderate hype, this album turned a lot of heads when it dropped (at least in my social media circles)… and for good reason. Progressive black metal done perfectly: great focus, great balance, great drive, great production. The sound, while not as “warm” as one would find with many post-black offerings, but it is certainly not “cold” either, and the mix embraces the sort of enveloping, balanced, crystalline density that one can find, for example, with Gaerea’s Unsettling Whispers (2018)  or Beltez’s Exiled, Punished, Rejected (2017) … the sort of mix where you can hear everything, nothing is in excess, and it all sounds terrific. There’s nothing here that isn’t downright tasteful, and it fucking rocks on top of it.

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Vortex of End – Ardens Fvror

Vortex of End definitely gets my most underappreciated band of the year vote. Despite one previous album already under the belt, captivating album artwork, a surprisingly elaborate physical product (I grabbed a gold LP), and my own best efforts, it never really seemed like Ardens Fvror gained much traction as the triumphant black metal monument that I think it is. Musically, this is undeniably compelling: a slightly death-tinged, powerful, ferocious, yet artistic orthodox BM masterwork with an array of exciting elements and plenty of room to breathe. The vocals are particularly noteworthy… varied, interesting, and effective. What it reminds me the most of is a more muscular evolution of Ascension’s acclaimed Consolamentum album, while simultaneously being much better than anything Ascension itself has put out since. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS. 

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Rorcal – Muladona

Based on a novel of the same name by Eric Stener Carlson, and featuring narration of the story by the author, Muladona is the extreme auditory interpretation of a horrific tale of disease and decay, death, violence and stench, grotesque pubescence and entrenched evil. Heavy to the point of devastating, suffocatingly dense, and with a compressed magnitude which is a bit hard to explain, it is no surprise that Metal Archives inadequately describes the band as “Sludge/Doom Metal/Post-Hardcore” but, I’m somewhat curious that the “Blackened” tag is omitted. I’m not sure about older albums, but this one certainly warrants it. Much like the Reverorum Ib Malacht release last year (but sounding nothing like it) my reaction isn’t really “I like this”, but more like “I am in awe of this”.

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FOURTH TIER (fifteen selections)

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Blut Aus Nord – Hallucinogen

Hallucinogen is a prismatic, spiraling, inspired voyage that intentionally waxes towards both the outer realms of cognition as well as towards the far fringes of an eccentric discography which is already so varied and visionary that Blut Aus Nord holds a categorically exclusive, unique, and unmatched status within black metal at large. See full review HERE.

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Drawn Into Descent – Endless Endeavour

A melancholic and moving combination of DSBM (which I almost never listen to) and post-black warmth. Much like the Wormwood release, the album is full of quality tracks, but there’s one that really caused me to make the investment, and that was “Wither” (track 2), which a peer shrewdly described as “the ‘Sultans of Swing’ of black metal”… can you hear it? Since I do believe that ‘Sultans of Swing’ is probably one of the best 5 rock songs ever written, let’s just say I was convinced.

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Ashbringer – Absolution

Easy Americana-folk infused barelyblackmetal with meandering, woodsy melodies, lightly cascading percussion, straightforward vocals, positive Lennon-esque message, and a very organic, natural, mellow production. Very little distortion or aggression to be found here, this is for times of peace. My only complaint is that the vocals could use some variation, they stick to the Harakiri For The Sky-ish yelling pretty much exclusively. Quite beautiful overall though and probably my most laid-back pick of the year. Great tunes for a wayward northwestern drive amongst the trees, and truly a unique album, musically and visually.

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Akasha – Canticles Of The Sepulchral Deity

Malignant, audacious, and relentlessly abrasive, Akasha is a hybrid of venomous, frenzied raw black metal and savage, necksnapping D-beat driven crustpunk. Unlike Totaled, there is zero melody to found in these tracks, only slight variations of speed which ranges from paced predatorial malevolence to frenetic, driving bloodlust, all the while spearheaded by riffs to rip out your throat and vocals to mar your soul. Shockingly, singularly, and utterly vicious.

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Consummation – The Great Solar Hunter

Pummeling drums drive forward anxious riffing before seamlessly progressing to up-tempo headbanging extravaganza sections. Short but violent guitar solos are dispersed throughout, as downtempo passages featuring ominous chants emerge. Mid-paced groove proves to be one of the more stellar aspects of the album, among many other impressive qualities. Swirling, threatening, almost nauseating guitars atop simple ritualistic beats transition to more doomy, melancholic, and at times quite beautiful measures featuring soaring leads and spoken word. See full review HERE.

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Gardsghastr – Slit Throat Requiem

For me, there’s a lot to not like with about 95% of all modern symphonic black metal. Gardsghastr, essentially a supergroup comprised of Swartadauþuz (Bekëth Nexëhmü, Musmahhu, etc.), Alex Poole (Chaos Moon, Entheogen, Skáphe, etc.), the Blackburn brothers (Chaos Moon, Accursed Aeons, Guðveiki, etc.) and relative newcomer voice Glömd avoids all of those pitfalls, hurling forth an album that is at once grandiose and furious. Symphonic elements accentuate the songs instead of trying to carry them, and the tracks blast forward with surprising aggression and brazen scorn, tempting comparisons to more assaultive works within the subgenre like Anorexia Nervosa’s Drudenhaus (but less reliant on orchestration) and Nightbringer’s faster songs.

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Aihos – Hävityksen Maa

Immediately virulent melodies ala MGLA, Dumal, or Uada… helplessly addictive headbanging-in-traffic grooves… beautiful clean acoustic moments… unabashed black and roll qualities of Instinct / Assassins era Nachtmystium… the folk inspired flavors of Nokturnal Mortum… both the classic magnitude of Sworn / Lawless and the more stripped-down galloping orthodoxy of Casus / Trident Watain… fateful march-for-the-horizon-with-your-head-held-high epic ala Catamenia‘s Winternight Tragedies… and all wrapped up in just the right amount of Finnish fuzz. It might not be breaking any huge molds, but this album interweaves multiple facets of straightforward melodic black metal. An instant classic, second in line for most underappreciated album of the year.

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Ultar – Pantheon MMXIX

A critically underrated release from earlier this year. A soaring and complex melodic post-black Lovecraftian opus with a long list of fine attributes, not least of which is an amazing and varied vocal performance and soul-tugging guitar solos. While the music tends towards epic, bombastic scales, the vocals serve to maintain integration with both more traditional black metal currents as well as loop in some post-rock and black-folk elements (specifically similar to the little-known American one-man act Appalachian Winter). I was midway through the third track on the first playthrough when I found myself going for the Buy Record/Vinyl button.

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Grima – Will of the Primordial

Nature-centered and frost bitten, this Siberian black metal places a heavy emphasis on melancholic inflection, an icy subzero vocal delivery, and shitload of damn appropriate accordion. Not to mention other cool stuff like winter bells, blizzards of furious double kick, and whirling guitar riffs, and frigid synth. As a bonus, when Naturmacht Productions opened up preorders they also made the previous album, Tales of the Enchanted Woods available on vinyl for the first time. Thankyouverymuch.

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Sühnopfer – Hic Regnant Borbonii Manes

It is difficult to describe what takes place across the vast and furious sonic landscape of this album. The music embodies austere medieval granite… yet shimmers with golden empyrean aristocracy; the sound is gritty and hard… yet so clearly of the air and the heavens; belligerent and ruthless… but brimming with a passionate hyper-melodicism; a furious bombardment of harmonized antipodes. It is a shockingly flawless display of weightless chaos and choreographed intensity, breathtaking not only for its sheer aesthetic beauty but also because one can scarcely comprehend how such a beautiful maelstrom of orchestrated complexity is possible. Disorientation almost guaranteed unless full attention is given, and even then, it’s a gamble. See full review HERE.

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Remete – Into Endless Night

Steadily driving, foggy melodic black metal, courtesy of D, mastermind behind post-black prototype Woods of Desolation and the rawer(ish) and folk-energized Forest Mysticism. Synth and probably various other instruments adding heavy doses of melancholic presence make this some perfect wintertime midnight music which gets better with every subsequent listen. Into Endless Night is at the top of my list of albums that I’m willing to get pressed onto vinyl at some point. 

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Dead To A Dying World – Elegy

Sort of an odd pick for me if I’m being honest. Also, hard to categorize with some sludgy elements, progressive aspects, doom pacing, black metal flourishes, and “epic crust” is given a nod on their Bandcamp page. Also, multiple vocal styles of deep roaring, blackish screaming, male and female cleans, and array of interesting instrumentation including viola, hurty gurty, Hammond organ, piano, tubular bells, clarinet, hammer dulcimer, and cello. Forlorn, complex, and heart-wrenchingly beautiful much of the time, the wake of my own personal hype surrounding this release led me to retro-collect their entire catalogue, and I regret nothing. 

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Noctem – The Black Consecration

With The Black Consecration, Noctem have definitively annihilated any preconceived notions of what their 5th studio album should sound like… and it is tremendous. Abandoned are many of the death metal elements, grandiose epic flourishes, crystal clear pristine production, and overall vastness of musical concept. What has been embraced is something significantly more stripped down but not raw, focused but not primitive, and straightforward but not simplistic… something more… black metal, and with a noteworthy compacted production to boot. See full review HERE.

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The Great Old Ones – Cosmicism

Like some immense cosmic horror, tentacles reaching through time and space to spread its monstrous alchemy across the vast universe, Cosmicism is immense, Lovecraftian supernaturalism, carefully layered into ambitious and complex, deep yet expansive melodic black metal. The void’s cold smolder, the frothing of measureless and beautiful empyrean dread emanates from these tracks, not in a relentless explosion, but in a calculated, purposeful, majestic cosmic imperialism, more powerful with every return.

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Nihilism – Obscurite Noir

Jet-black and insidious, this album makes use of addictive, needling riffing (including something that sounds, awesomely, almost identical to parts of the anxiety-inducing film score in 28 Days Later [track 2]) and blistering percussion. It was one of the earliest albums I found this year that really resonated with me (Veldes being the only one of note that I discovered prior to it), and thus it has gotten a lot of periodic listens over the last 12 months, each time reminding me just how fucking solid it is. I would certainly buy this on vinyl, were it available.

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FIFTH TIER (twenty-five selections)

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Veldes – Flameless

This one has the benefit of being the very first album that resonated with me in 2019… earnest, verdant, nature-based melodic post-black luxuriance with prominent (if slightly overbearing) vocals. FFO Woods of Desolation etc. etc.

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Ancient Hostility – Ancient Hostility

Vitriolic black metal with scornful, torturous, and pensive mid-to-slow paced music and absolutely caustic, scathing vocal delivery courtesy of Imber (ex Synodic, Aludra, and hopefully more TBA!).

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Decoherence – Ekpyrosis

Unnerving dissonance, mechanized inertia, catastrophic atmosphere, and ominous spirit, this is Blut Aus Nord worship of the highest order, managing, like Almyrkvi (Umbra, 2017), to surpass the master.

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Qayin Regis – Doctrine

Excellent occult black metal, reminiscent of a more stripped down variation of Naas Alcameth’s various projects (mostly due to the vocals, but also due to a palpable sense of authenticity) with Schammasch-like meditative pacing and even DSO Si Monvmentvm Reqvires Circvmspice style riffing at times.

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Beorn’s Hall – In His Granite Realm

American Viking/black, surprisingly pleasing despite (or maybe because of?) a particular looseness and rudimentary approach with timing, tempo, and production.

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Falaise – A Place I Don’t Belong

Urban, isolative, and despondent, this is warm post-black featuring a particular song that is heroin-level addictive (‘Leaves in the Wind’).

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Fleshgod Apocalypse – Veleno

FA will always have a place in my heart, at the very least due to at one point being an all-time favorite band. They’ve changed a lot. Veleno is good, but I hope this album grows on me more than it has so far.

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Misertus – Daydream

Lush, atmospheric post-black melodies absolutely drenched in an almost blinding distortion and featuring a vicious vocal approach, very cool combination of beauty and malice.

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Temple of Perdition – Homage to the Dead (EP)

Religiocritical hymns saturated in warm, heavy cathedralic aesthetics, and featuring choirs, celestial instrumentation, grandiose movements, blasting percussion, and transcendental nods towards ego dissolution and ascension. See review HERE.

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Worsen – Cursed to Witness Life

Hard-hitting melodic, misanthropic American black metal with thrashy flavors and hints of melancholy.

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Sulphura – Voidpulse

Instrumental atmospheric meditative ambient ritualistic drone side project of CSR (Schammasch). If you are familiar with the ambient bits of Triangle, Maldoror Chants, and Hearts Of No Light, then you know exactly what you are in for. 

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MGLA – Age of Excuse

Polish masters of melody return with exactly what you would expect: infectious riffs and absurdly complex percussion that only MGLA delivers.

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Heilung – Futha

Massive neo-folk tour-de-force in a style similar to Wardruna, with a profound live show, fusing tribal beats with a plethora of instrumentation highlights and a vague ritualistic dance quality.

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Haxandraok – Ki Si Kil Ud Da Kar Ra

Occult black metal managing to blend ritual and melody, featuring guitarist of Acherontas and primarily semi-clean pseudo-chanting vocals, similar to what Schammasch does on the regular.

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Imha Tarikat – Kara Ihlas

Unique and candid black metal with back ‘n’ roll sensibilities, a particular shouting vocal approach, and fiery solos.

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Meszaroth – Caro Data Vermibus

Caught up with this one earlier in the year and it did the trick keeping me tuned in and primed for that Mephorash / Schammasch sound before either of the latter dropped their new albums. 

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Thormesis – The Sixth

Very solid melodic progressive black metal, which sounds a lot like Harakiri For The Sky or 2019 Saor (except with keyboards instead of the Scottish instruments and more typical vocals). 

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Minenwerfer – Alpenpässe

A strange but alluring combination of almost Agalloch-esque woodsy atmospherics, raw BM primitivism, war-metal callousness, and World War motifs. 

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Stillness – Hermit

Warm, folky and fanciful with lots of synth, bagpipes, violin, piano, acoustic guitar, clean vocals etc. makes this damn near appropriate to make the family listen to during the holidays. Except when it’s not.

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Gorgon – Elegy

Polished, well-produced, epic, muscular, fully modern symphonic death metal with touches of industrial elements, fits snugly alongside bands like Dawn of Ashes, Empyrean Throne, Shade Empire, The Monolith Deathcult, and Septicflesh.

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Decarabia – Ancestral Kingdoms

Medieval black metal drenched in ghastly, murky, and archaic dungeon/dark ambience; also, vocals are quite submerged in the mix, which I have been appreciating lately, at times evoking a sense of ancient suffocating dread, despite being fairly easy to listen to.

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This Gift Is A Curse – A Throne of Ash

Blackened crust/grind/noise-core, surprisingly sophisticated and actually a bit epic at times, while yet exhibiting an unrestrained, almost hysterical barrage of white-hot hatred.

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Frostnatt – Rimfrost

A short melodic blackish instrumental featuring guitar / percussion (particularly cymbal) reciprocation and precision not unlike MGLA, except with a more synth heavy folky trajectory… think MGLA + maybe Falkenbach or Windir or something like that.

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Iapetus – The Body Cosmic

Aspiring and brilliant progressive death metal, flaunting a constellation of great approaches and talents, including percussion from Dan Presland (of Ne Obliviscaris, a reasonable comparison). Not a huge fan of some of the vocals but this album is a bit of a masterpiece in the progdeath world.

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Cult of Erinyes – Æstivation

The placement of this release is based almost entirely on how late it came to the game and the fact that it is still vying for position amongst everything above… a wild, occult auditory assailment, which, like Vortex Of End above, benefits heavily from fucking insane vocal performance and which, like Rorcal above, is almost supernatural in its ravening violence.

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And here, with Cult of Erinyes, an end-of-of year decimator which adequately represents the imminent black and extreme metal excellence that we will continue to see in the year(s) to come, seems like an appropriate place to stop and bid farewell to 2019. I want to give a humble salute to all purveyors of extreme music that I have interacted with this year, the fellow admins and superior members of Order ov the Black Arts, and Dex with Black Metal Daily and Rick with MoshPitNation for giving me the opportunity to ignite the flame with all reviews this year.

Forward, and may thy will be done. 

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Email: blackmetaldaily@outlook.com

Consumed by Flame – A Review of Asagraum’s ‘Dawn of Infinite Fire’

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I want to be consumed

By the infinite fire

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Sometimes, just sometimes, it’s possible to get burned out on black metal. Not so much the genre as a whole (far too much variety to be found within these wretched, crumbling halls for that), but more specific aspects of the sound – you might find yourself thinking “Ugh, another dissonant / raw / whatever band. Next please”. I’ll admit I sometimes get into that space with the more Scandinavian sounds, as those particular strains have been my first love since the mid ’90s and therefore I tend to listen to a relative shitload of them. Which is coincidentally where I was at when I first heard each of Dutch blasphemic powerhouse Asagraum‘s two offerings… and both times they have shaken me right out of my stupor with sulphuric fury and blazing hellfire.

Their 2017 debut Potestas Magicum Diaboli garnered them global accolades and a tremendous amount of well deserved attention. Simmering with sorcerous energies it took many by surprise, its unearthly blend of ’90s majesty and arcane psychedelic dissonance proving them a force to be reckoned with – and now they return via ex-Immortal bassist Iscariah‘s label Edged Circle Productions with their upcoming sophomore offering Dawn of Infinite Fire, which might just blow even that out of the water.

If the debut was the bewitching sulphur, Dawn of Infinite Fire is definitely the hellfire. Even speaking from a production standpoint everything is clearer, more vivid and packing a heat that could singe your eyebrows – but the songwriting is where this release really ignites. Ostensibly a duo for the studio with Obscura handling everything besides drums, she is clearly not content to rest on her laurels and packs more variety into the tracks than ever before; keeping it fresh as each composition crackles with its own diabolical energy while sounding less like she writes the songs and more like she just opens her soul and lets the dark power flow out in the form of music. Right from the first moments of opening salvo ‘They Crawl From the Broken Circle’ the aggression is palpable, as a riff filled with contempt and sheer force combines with A‘s annihilating drum patterns in a fearsome statement of intent.

From there the track shoots off into a stratospheric display of strength, twisting and turning through atmosphericism and impious immensity, flexing its muscle as Obscura‘s killer layered vocal attack is also showcased to its fullest extent. It’s a great song, but even that is quickly topped by the aptly named ‘The Lightless Inferno’ – which does exactly what it says on the tin and proves to be a maelstrom of alternating black suffocation and moments of brief, discordant respite. It’s intense and gripping, wrapping black clawed fingers around you and squeezing tighter as the track goes on.

However, next up is the already-premiered ‘Abomination’s Altar’. This track sums up why I feel Dawn of Infinite Fire is an even better album than its predecessor, breaking immediately out into a ripping, high-energy explosion of rage and flame. This album marks the first since original skinswoman Trish Kolsvart departed the band and while I do rate her extremely highly as a drummer (check her recent work in Urarv for proof), I opine that A might be an even more inspired fit for the type of evil Asagraum conjure. Just listen to what she does with Obscura‘s writing in this track in particular; there are a cornucopia of styles on display as she reacts to every change in the track, imbuing it with an almost delirious fervor and devastating impact. A huge addition to their sound, you just know this pair are going to be summoning some serious quality for some time yet.

In comparison to the ire of ‘Abomination’s Altar’, following track ‘Guahaihoque’ is the universe collapsing; the sounds of angels falling in slow motion from heaven and being swallowed by the ravenous void. It balances punishing misery out with slower, almost rockier moments and comes replete with some diabolically sinister solos to boot, and the simple-yet-effective basswork also shines. The titular album centerpiece ‘Dawn of Infinite Fire’ carries these feelings even further, dripping in rebellion and sublime Luciferian glory as the main riff is simply exquisite. ‘Dochters van de Zwarte Vlam’ (“Daughters of the Black Flame’) seems to me like it closes off this magnificent trilogy of tracks, as though they’re all composed of the same virulent magic that emanates from unhallowed realms, bound together and only existing to ensnare your soul.

And then we come to ‘Beyond The Black Vortex’. An affecting build up pulls you in before supreme menace erupts like a black volcano, searing black lava consuming all. The dissonant jangle of Obscura‘s guitars is spectral omnipotence juxtaposed against crushing heaviness; it’s a fantastic track that then proves to deliciously offset the pure acrimonious frenzy of the following ‘Hate of Satan’s Hammer’. Cut of similar stained cloth to ‘Abomination’s Altar’ but drenched in almost physical feelings of animosity and disgust, it’s perfectly placed within the album for maximum emotional engagement – the dynamic flow of the entire album is wonderful, and at this point the sheer hostility apparent in the track feels like a call to arms. The final piece of this infernal puzzle is then the seething ‘Waar Ik Ben Komt de Dood’, which translates to my favourite song title: “Where I Am, Death Comes”. A more fitting end to this journey you could never find; the utilisation of clean vocals providing gravitas as the track itself is almost somber, a more contemplative air settling over the scenes of destruction… it’s as though you’re standing amidst the collapsing, burning, charred remains of everything and acknowledge the fact that you did all this, and your very existence is a cold hard threat to all life in the cosmos. Not in pity, sadness or self loathing, either; in pure steely resolve and ineffable power.

Thus, the journey ends. I already loved the first album and its fully realised assault on humanity but Dawn of Infinite Fire somehow even manages to sound like a realizing of potential, a massive album of Satanic glory that does everything right and will reignite any black flame to a blazing inferno. A triumph that should propel them to even greater heights – just wait for the full thing to drop and you’ll see. Hail Asagraum.

Dawn of Infinite Fire is available to pre-order now for a September 23rd release via Edged Circle Productions.

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Purchase Dawn of Infinite Fire from the Edged Circle Productions Bandcamp here, the European webstore here or the North American webstore here.

Support Asagraum:

• Official Facebook

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