Take Up the Mantle of Prophecy – An Interview with FIRIENHOLT

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Lives eternally entangled

By the wish that binds them close

forever till the end

A home found in each other

An isle beyond mortal men

beyond the reach of death

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We here in the dungeons of Black Metal Daily have certainly been appreciative of the work of UK epic black metal entity FIRIENHOLT since day one. We’ve covered almost all of their EPs, as well as their first full-length album. However, we’d never managed to contact them for an interview – until now, when on the eve of release for their monolithic and overwhelmingly beautiful second album White Frost and Elder Blood, the stars have FINALLY aligned.

If you remember their debut Waters Of Awakening (and you should), you’ll surely understand how we opined it was “a wondrous escape from reality – building an entrancing, almost hypnotic album that only draws you in further with each passing minute, until you’re right there treading the soil of middle earth with them.” In that, this new album proves itself the equal of its predecessor and much, much more. These gentlemen have clearly spent a great deal of time carefully and patiently building an incredible experience, with not a note wasted as every element elegantly soars; swirling and weaving together to render breathtaking, stunning soundscapes like only the very best of the subgenre can achieve. However, middle earth is NOT where this superlative opus takes us this time – White Frost and Elder Blood instead transports us deep into the world of The Witcher, an unexpected turn which you can be damned sure we discuss in our conversation below.

Thus; listen to the full-stream of this astonishing triumph of aural storytelling and splendour, then read on below to uncover the secrets behind its creation. And to leave on a note that further illustrates the caliber of craftsmanship here: this short introduction isn’t a review, but if it were, and with not a hint of hyperbole… White Frost and Elder Blood would be a solid 5 / 5. Hails.

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Greetings, Firienholt! It is a true pleasure to speak to you today. First, let us start at the beginning.

In my opinion, you’re one of the current shining lights of epic black metal – every release is excellent. From where did this light originally spring? What circumstances or desires first led to the birth of Firienholt?

The Wolf:  Thank you for the kind words, they are very much appreciated!  Our first releases were born out of the global lockdowns in 2020.  We found the glorious realms of epic black metal and dungeon synth to be perfect avenues to escape the confines of enforced isolation; not just in the music itself, but in being able to collaborate as well.  

You have a brand new album about to drop; your second, entitled White Frost and Elder Blood. I for one have been waiting for this with bated breath! One thing I immediately notice is an apparent change of theme – gone are the Tolkien themes of old (sacrilege! I hear many cry), to be replaced with what seems an exploration of Andrzej Sapkowski‘s The Witcher lore. Would I be correct? What instigated this switch?

The Swallow:  Indeed, we’ve switched it up this time around.  It felt like the right time; after four Tolkien themed releases in a scene already rich with excellent homage to the great writer, we wanted to explore further realms of fantasy.  I had actually first played and fallen in love with the Witcher III: Wild Hunt during the pandemic, so it seemed appropriate considering Firienholt’s legacy as a project born of lockdown.  It’s also such a rich universe that’s not been particularly used in our genre, so we felt there was freedom to really explore the lore and intricacies of the world.  

What is the particular Witcher tale this album tells?

The Raven:  This album revolves around the Witcher III game rather than the novels, which was a conscious decision – we wanted to keep it focused on that period in the narrative.  We explored some of the themes in the game – Geralt’s relationship with “fatherhood”; Geralt and Yennefer’s destined connection; the persecution of sorcerers – before building towards the climax of the album with the Final Age and Ciri ascending as the chosen Child of Time.  I suppose it could be classified as a loose concept album in that sense.  

The Wolf:  There are definitely lyrical allusions throughout the earlier songs which build into that final track.  We’re proud of how that’s come together.  I personally also really enjoy a particular musical reference we built into track 2; I hope people spot it and get the same kick out of it as me! 

Themes aside, did you approach the creation of White Frost and Elder Blood in any differing fashion to the fantastic By the Waters of Awakening? What is the usual creative process for you?

The Swallow:  This album followed a similar process to our debut, more or less, although it came together far more quickly.  Hopefully that shows that we have made improvements on the efficiency of the process at least!  We always start with the music, mapping out the skeleton of a song.  With the long form songs we write, we find it important to set out early on how the atmosphere will ebb and flow, where to place the hooks, and so forth.  Once that’s in place, we can then set to work on the lyrics and building up the instrumental layers of the song, often in tandem. 

The Raven:  We also believe in leaving the project to rest at certain points.  So, once a first draft is complete, we will leave the song untouched for weeks at a time, and then return with fresh – and often more critical – ears.  To us, this is the way to best bring out the full majesty of our epic black metal hymns. 

I believe this record to be your best yet – how do you personally feel it stacks up to your past works?

The Wolf:  In short, we agree!  A useful piece of constructive criticism we saw on the debut album was that the record was fairly long, but that the most memorable parts only took up half the runtime, and in hindsight, I don’t disagree.  

We made a real effort this time around to focus on giving each song a reason to be the listener’s favourite track.  With this style of music, there will always be portions of the song devoted to building atmosphere, but we wanted to ensure that the climaxes in each track were epic and plentiful.  The total runtime reflects that more focused approach.  

The Swallow:  There’s also been a bit of a step forward on the production and mixing front as well.  We’re all active in other musical projects, and so just having more experience than we did last time has contributed greatly to producing a refined end product that we love. 

In the beginning, you were releasing EPs with one side metal, the other side dungeon synth. Since then, you’ve now released two excellent but purely metal albums. Will you ever return to pure dungeon synth? What is your opinion of that genre as a whole? 

The Raven:  An astute question.  Whilst not necessarily planned that way, the duologies became a trilogy – each one telling the tale of an Elven maid in Tolkien’s lore.  When we started setting out the plans for the debut album, it was clear that we wanted to focus on the epic black metal elements of our sound, although a lot of that genre is influenced by dungeon synth.  Our keyboard work is very much a product of being fans of a wide-range of dungeon synth and dark ambient music, and I hope that fans of that genre take enjoyment in our work too.  

There are some fantastic albums within the dungeon synth genre that anyone who enjoys atmospheric music should ensure they listen to, even if just to gain a new understanding of the swathes of ambient music that exist out there.  Bellkeeper’s The First Flame of Lordran, Arthuruos’ Kosmos, Galdur’s Age of Lengds, Khull’s Call to Arms… the list goes on.  But the pinnacle of the entire genre is, in my opinion, Gil-Estel by Thangorodrim.  It’s simply perfect.

Now if I may, I must address the elephant in the room. Instead of the trio of Caradhras, Silvertine and Fanuidhol whom we know created the first record and prior EPs, your Bandcamp lists three entirely new members for White Frost and Elder Blood: The Wolf, The Raven and The Swallow. So, is this version of Firienholt entirely the same band? What’s the story there?

The Wolf:  The realms of fantasy hold many layers and identities for anyone who seeks them.  Why else do we as humans crave these otherworldly stories, if not to place ourselves within them and escape beyond the confines of cruel reality?  Firienholt is a true representation of that belief, especially considering the origins as a project born to escape physical captivity as well as the metaphysical.  Therefore, the importance lies not in the individuals behind it, but in our celebration of the otherworldly, and that is which we would encourage our audience to focus upon.  

The artwork for the album is a stunning piece of fantasy art. Who is the artist, and what is the scene depicted on the cover?

The Swallow:  This time for the design we approached Carl Ellis, who we’d become aware of for his work with the band Countless Skies.  We were particularly enamoured by his artwork for their latest album, Glow.  He was fantastic to work with, taking the brief provided and bringing it to life with his own style.  

The scene depicts the calm after the storm of the Tedd Deireádh, the Final Age.  With Eredin slain and the White Frost banished, the spheres of reality are safe.  Their task complete for the moment, the heroes enjoy a moment of calm reflection, gazing down upon the bay.  

Alongside this new album, I see your label Naturmacht Productions is also releasing an LP reissue of your debut By The Waters Of Awakening, with the inclusion of two bonus tracks; one of which is a remastered version of the first Firienholt song ever recorded. What is it like listening back to that very first track now, and what are your thoughts around including it as a bonus? 

The Raven:  I wished we’d been fussier with the original recordings!  There was a bit of editing work to do to tidy it up, but we didn’t want to re-record anything; the exercise was purely a restoration of the original.   

In many ways, “A Broken Blade” set the format for what a Firienholt song should accomplish through its runtime, and it’s a formula we’ve returned to time and time again.  It was also our introduction to the world, and I recall only positive things about that release.  With all that in mind, it felt like a natural choice to honour with inclusion on the physical edition of the debut. 

The other bonus track on your debut reissue is a Summoning cover. It’s probably clear why you would choose to cover Summoning, but why this particular track?

The Wolf:  Our brand of epic black metal leans closer to Caladan Brood than Summoning, but we of course hold the Austrian masters in the highest regard as the undisputed founders of this genre.  “Farewell” was their first song to incorporate sung vocals, and with that being a prevalent part of our sound, we felt it was the perfect song to pay tribute to.  

“Farewell” is also an appropriate choice of song name to close off an album, no? 

Might there be more unreleased Firienholt laying dormant down halls of iron and darkling door (or even just on a hard drive?)

The Wolf:  There were a few songs which never made it past the initial skeleton stages on each album, which could have been contenders for a future release.  However, shortly after submitting this album to Naturmacht, I suffered a calamitous technological failure which rendered all files lost to the void.  Any future works shall have to be begun from scratch! 

And finally – what lies ahead for you? Are you working on new material? Will we see more works set upon the Continent of The Witcher, or are new shores calling your name?

The Swallow:  In some ways, it’s surprising that we are now releasing a second album.  The project was born of lockdowns – now that these are thankfully a thing of the past, we all find ourselves busier people.  For a time, we thought that the debut album may be the last Firienholt release, but the reception upon its release in 2021 was magnificent and spurred us to work on the follow up.  Only time will tell what the future holds.  

Sincerest thanks for your time, Firienholt. Any final words or wisdom you would like to leave us with?

Wind’s howling.

White Frost and Elder Blood is available now via Naturmacht Productions.

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Purchase White Frost and Elder Blood on LP, CD, Cassette and digital from the Naturmacht Productions Bandcamp HERE, or digitally from the Firienholt Bandcamp HERE.

Support FIRIENHOLT:

• Official Bandcamp

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BLACK METAL DAILY’S LISTCRUSH 2021: The DEX Edition – Full-Length Albums

Not with a whimper, but with a fucking BANG – okay fine, a dull thud at this point, we’re already at least one knuckle deep into 2022 – our long drawn out 2021 LISTCRUSH series finally comes to an end.

Pretty sure I’m the last person anywhere on the planet to publish their albums list each year, but anyway – there were over ten thousand black metal releases vomited forth into the void of rampant consumerism and discogs flipping (or unnoticed and abandoned Bandcamp limbo) throughout 2021. Here I present my 40 favourite full length albums of the thousand-plus I listened to and the couple hundred I shortlisted, a final curation that’s a damn sight slimmer than last year’s overblown top 100 but hey, I’m trying to reign myself in and practice a little restraint. New year, new me and all that (again). Also included are a handful of near misses that I really wanted to make the cut but couldn’t cram in – be sure to hunt them down as well, all of them deserved a spot on the final list.

If you somehow need even more from my curation of superb stygian artistry, seek help, but also feel free to check out my already published TOP 30 DEMOS/EPs and TOP 25 SPLITS lists as well (and scope Tom and Gos‘s lists while you’re at it, they both have impeccable taste). As always, eternal thanks and respect to all artists, labels, reviewers and promoters for keeping the black flame alive. You are all excellent. Support the artists, buy physical copies… aside from that, onwards, ever onwards, forging into the sunset.

Hails.

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NEAR MISSES

• Black Kruud – Delusions Of Gangrene
• Weathered Crest – Blossoming Of The Paths
• Labyrinthine Haze – Descending Into The Deep
• Archgoat – Worship The Eternal Darkness
• Concilium – Desecration
• Ofermod – Mysterium Iniquitatis
• Burden Of Ymir – From Élivágar
• Solipsism – Cruelty & Necrospection
• Nächtlich – Satanas Solum Initium
• Starer – 18° Below The Horizon
• Henbane Chariot – Allpine Séance
• Arazubak – The Haunted Spawn Of Torment
• DSKNT – Vacuum γ-Noise Transition
• Ungfell – Es Grauet
• Yoth Iria – As The Flame Withers
• Ifernach – Capitulation Of All Life
• Norse – Ascetic
• Korpituli – The Ancient Spells Of The Past
• Inferno – Paradeigma
• Lamp Of Murmuur – Submission And Slavery
• Abstracter – Abominium
• Miasmata – Unlight: Songs of Earth and Atrophy

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TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2021

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40. Bræ – A Thousand Ways To End It All (Amor Fati)

Sounds like: a completely anonymous album released with no fanfare at all that zero people paid attention to. Seriously, I saw nobody talking about it, perhaps because at first glance/listen it’s quite nondescript. However, settle in and let this noisy, hypnotic and abrasive monolith of longform depression obliterate your soul and I’m sure you’ll agree: more people should have paid attention to this shit.

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39. Pan-Amerikan Native Front – Little Turtle’s War (Les Fleurs Du Mal / Stygian Black Hand / Nuclear War Now! Productions)

Sounds like: triumph, tragedy and pure grit, passed down through tales and shamanic rituals for eternity. Kurator of War‘s second full-length was the perfect prelude to his astonishing split with Kommodus; this man is never short of a riff.

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38. Firienholt – By The Waters Of Awakening (Fólkvangr Records / Naturmacht Productions)

Sounds like: Caladan Brood, but somehow even more enjoyable. This mysterious horde of UK Tolkien fanatics knocked it out of the park on their first full-length effort. More please.

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37. Nansarunai – Ultimul Rege (Banner Of Blood / Ancient Horror Records / Black Gangrene)

Sounds like: that moment when you’re deep in a tomb filled with the corpses of ancient warriors and kings… and they all suddenly come to life and want to kill you, so you’re torn apart by undead royalty from a bygone era. Something like that. Cold, vicious and powerful raw black metal filled with yearning, this is about to cop an LP release via Black Gangrene. Grab it if you’ve missed every other version, you chump.

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36. Lionoka – Tides Of Triumph (Old Mill Productions)

Sounds like: stunning traditional acoustic instrumentation woven around furious black metal. The naturalistic sound alone of this US First Nations black folk solo project is incredible and will hit you deeper than you could ever have expected.

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35. Nazxul – Irkalla (Seance Records)

Sounds like: vibes. No, seriously – the third album of an almost thirty year expression of darkness from these legendary Australians is less of a “pay attention to the intricacies” type of deal (not that those intricate details aren’t fucking fantastic) and more a just let it wash over you and sear your soul kind of record. Irkalla is an album you FEEL, and it grew on me every time I heard it. The perfect album to have playing in the background as you go about your day – it’ll infect everything you do.

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34. Blurr Thrower – Les Voutes (Les Acteurs de l’ombre)

Sounds like: being lifted out of your corporeal form and dragging your spirit downward; sinking below in a burst of pale light like some kind of transcendent reversed rapture. As I said in my REVIEW, anyway. The kind of album that makes you enjoy it – the choice is not up to you.

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33. Burier – Cremation Of Lingering Hope (GoatowaRex)

Sounds like: MAGGOTS UNDER YOUR SKIN CONSUMING YOUR FLESH but you’re still conscious and can feel every tiny bite but it feels soothing and right and you realise you are one with the earth and this is forever now. This Australian project loves death, dying and being dead, and I love this Australian project.

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32. Lunar Spells – Where Silence Whispers (Northern Silence Productions)

Sounds like new Greek black metal that sounds like old Finnish black metal. Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of albums that make me feel like the last twenty years never happened (shut up, I have a great life) – Where Silence Whispers falls firmly into that category.

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31. Fosso – Solo Amargo (Galafoice / Death Manifestations)

Solo Amargo sounds like witnessing some strange, strange magic at work in the dizzying heat of the deepest, most clandestine forests of Brazil. The synth? Spot on. Bass? Perfection. A remarkable debut that deserves both more attention and a follow up. Stat.

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30. Gorgon – Traditio Satanae (Osmose Productions)

Sounds like: the French pioneers once again showing everyone how it’s done. I rated this 4/5 in my REVIEW and I’d rate it even higher now. If you don’t like this you’re a coward, I don’t make the rules.

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29. Crucifixion Bell – Eternal Grip Of The Nocturnal Empire (Crown & Throne / Dybbuk Productions / Inferna Profundis Records / Black Gangrene Productions / Banner Of Blood)

Sounds like: staring into a mirror as you slice your face open, peeling and tearing back the skin until you’re standing there screaming at yourself with your own bare skull. I said in my Splits Listcrush that Crucifixion Bell is one of the premier raw black projects around today – if you’ve heard his other works and STILL need more proof than this album, there’s no hope for you.

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28. Dødsferd – Suicide And The Rest Of Your Kind Will Follow Part II (Fucking Your Creation Records)

Sounds like PURE FUCKING HATRED OF ALL HUMAN LIFE from the Greek underground legends. The title alone of this album will get you banned on social media, which ironically is just another example of how shit things are and how much we all suck. This record doesn’t suck, though. Read my REVIEW of it if you don’t believe me.

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27. Morte Incandescente – Vala Comum (Signal Rex)

Sounds like: black metal that absolutely does not give a single fuck about you, any current genre trends, or anything else at all. Portuguese legends Vulturius and Nocturnus Horrendus have been in the game since before you stopped shitting in diapers, and it shows. Killer. Bang your fucking head.

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26. Funeral Winds – Gruzelementen (New Era Productions)

This tasty slab of demoncy goes HARD. The word Gruzelementen translates to “smithereens”, and that’s exactly what will be left of your head after it’s been shattered by the sheer orthodox fury of this record – the way it maintains its horrifying hunger throughout is beyond impressive. Whilst other bands try to sound “Satanic”, Funeral Winds, the product of one Dutchman Hellchrist Xul, honour the ancients and achieve it effortlessly. Sounds like: being swallowed by the gaping maw of the dark lord.

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25. Stygian Ruin – The Blackened Temple (Independent)

I discovered this one thanks to Aesop of Agalloch, to whom I owe my gratitude – this Norwegian blend of dungeon synth and black metal surpasses all the usual results of that all-too-common marriage and becomes almost cinematic in scope and execution. Sounds like the soundtrack to the coolest movie you’ve never seen.

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24. Nigrum Pluviam – Eternal Fall Into The Abyss (Signal Rex / Asylum Tenebris)

Sounds like: the abyss staring back into YOU, as I wrote in our PREMIERE of this raw French insanity. This is probably the kind of thing that many of you would skip over in a second, but it’s exactly the type of thing that many of you SHOULD be listening to in order to plumb the wretched depths of the darkness within. You’ll feel better for it, trust me. An all-consuming vortex of primitive negative energy, older than time itself.

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23. Tyrannic – Mortuus Decadence (Seance Records / Iron Bonehead Productions)

This Australian oddity sounds like throwing your head back, howling in rabid, slavering fervour at the moon and diving headfirst in to a reeking open grave. I returned to this far more often than I originally thought I would. A criminally underappreciated band – Tyrannic operates in a space far and away from others of their ilk.

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22. Vahrzaw – The Trembling Voices Of Conquered Men (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Sounds like: me putting this in here because George said he’d break my legs if I didn’t. I kid – album kills. This is the best record these surly Australian black-death bastards have done since the last best record they did, so you should probably buy it. Word is their next one will be a complete change of direction as well… get keen for that.

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21. Крюкокрест – Домовина (Cold Sword Productions)

Sounds like: withering Ildjarn-esque black punk with enough wrath and spite to fuck anyone up. The debut album of these Russian Pleskau Brethren members annihilates their already great first demo and split with Леший from 2020. Here’s hoping they bring the ruckus again in 2022.

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20. Ahulabrum – Daimonic Reality (Atrocity Altar)

Most people will probably hate this, but it sounds like if cryptids made tape montages of themselves terrorizing people and the resulting recorded testimonies of the victims, mashed up like audio scrapbooks. Returning (with old unreleased material, the project is laid to rest) extraterrestrial US raw black/noise/ambient project Ahulabrum quietly released one of the most fascinating and weird tapes of the year. The truth is out there.

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19. Baxaxaxa – Catacomb Cult (The Sinister Flame)

Sounds like: the continuation of a MIGHTY return. The legendary Baxaxaxa keep the flame burning strong with an album of old school purity that does everything right; I hope we get many, many more records from them now that they’re rolling again.

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18. Mork – Katedralen (Peaceville Records)

Sounds like… TRVE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL. I said it best in the introduction to my INTERVIEW with Thomas: “Katedralen represents a more confident and honed collection of songs than Mork has ever had, at once immediately recognizable as Mork and becoming the natural evolution of the sound Thomas has been building since the inception of the project. These tracks marry a chilling aura of rising nocturnal demoncy with the storming caliginous fire of quintessential TNBM, rocking like a bastard whilst soaring with unmistakeable grandeur and grimness – the perfectly executed juxtaposition of epic, longing elements against primal neck-wrecking riffage ensure tracks ‘Arv’ or my personal favourite ‘Det Siste Gode I Meg’ (and any others really, they’re all fucking fantastic) will remain seared in your memory for an age.”

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17. Sarkrista – Sworn To Profound Heresy (Purity Through Fire / Worship Tapes)

Sounds like even more Finnish black metal perfected (by German transplants). Can you tell I’m partial to classic Finnish melody? Sarkrista are one of my favourites, and for very good reason – their third full-length uses those melodies to immediately plunge into a feeling that does not waver or fail for the entire record. A marvellous achievement from a band that hasn’t fucked up yet, and seemingly never will.

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16. Black Spirit – El Sueño de la Razón Produce Monstruos (His Wounds / Infinite Night Records)

Spanish raw black solo entity Black Spirit has been a regular showing on my Listcrushes of late, but this evocative full-length based on an aquatint by the late Spanish artist Francisco Goya is the sound of main man Javi hitting next level. Just released on vinyl via His Wounds a few days ago, too – order it or hate yourself. The sleep of reason produces monsters indeed.

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15. Misotheist – For The Glory Of Your Redeemer (Terratur Possessions)

Speaking of hitting next level, these Norwegians jumped up another three or four levels with For The Glory Of Your Redeemer. Immense, sprawling, intricate, multi-latered and multi-textured – no matter how many descriptors I spew out, the fact remains that this is purely and simply one of the finest examples of mystically and spiritually resonant black metal to emanate from Scandinavian shores in some time. Oh, and the LP packaging is probably the most luscious I received all year as well. Impressive all around.

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14. Kæck – Het Zwaarte Dictat (Folter Records / Hessian Firm)

Sounds like: a fucking tank (or something equally as heavy) crushing every bone in your body to dust. I REVIEWED this beast from the Dutch destroyers and gave it 4.5/5; in hindsight it probably should have broken the rating system and stood on its own because nothing else released this year was as infused with such ULTIMATE NEGATIVITY. So overwhelmingly bleak and brutal it becomes almost beautiful to witness.

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13. Los Males Del Mundo – Descent Towards Death (Northern Silence Productions)

I first heard this album when I was in intense physical agony whilst walking at night in the rain, and it hit me in such a way that it left an indelible mark on my soul. In fact, I think it ruined every other album of similar style that was released last year – nothing else matched up and all just sounded rather boring. Ergo, I have returned to this many times since and will likely continue to for many years to come. Sounds like: the very essence of trial and tribulation.

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12. Aquilus – Bellum I (Blood Music)

Sounds like: listening to someone far too talented to be creating music within the sphere of extreme metal. Speaking in a compositional sense Australian Horace Rosenqvist is streets ahead of everyone else on this list and Bellum I, unveiled ten years after his last release, is spellbinding as he trips the light fandango through a maze of gorgeous neoclassical or progressive soundscapes and technical blackened brutality with startling ease. I even get more out of tracks like the purely piano ‘Moon Isabelline’ than anything, which is saying a lot.

“What did the music mean to you?”

“I don’t know. It is full of emotion… but it’s not happy.”

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11. Pestilential Shadows – Revenant (Seance Records)

Australian black metal project Pestilential Shadows has been around for quite some time now. The masterful Balam created the project in 2003, and I can say with hand on heart – out of five previous full-length albums and a handful of splits and demos, 2021’s Revenant is, in my humblest opinion, his finest hour with this project. The type of record that needs to be sat and listened to in order to appreciate the depth and spiritual resonance within, this took me completely by surprise – and I already expected it to be good. Just sit and listen. You’ll see.

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10. Koldovstvo – Ni Tsarya, Ni Boga (Fólkvangr Records / Babylon Doom Cult Records / Extraconscious Records)

If you want to understand the magic of this mysterious (possibly Russian?) entity, listen to the second track ‘II’ from their quietly affecting debut album Ni Tsarya, Ni Boga – if the combination of catchy eastern European melodies emanating from ancient aeons past, haunting clean vocals (that somehow remind me of Garm‘s opening cleans on ‘Wintry Grey’ every time I hear them even though they sound absolutely nothing alike) and harrowing shrieks all wrapped up in a delicately crumbling production doesn’t leave your jaw on the floor, you’re either one cold motherfucker or probably dead. The rest of the album is also neat. Will we see more from this enigmatic entity? Here’s hoping.

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9. Reverorum ib Malacht – Not Here (Rubeus Obex)

Sounds like: a biblical depiction of total and complete destruction, obliterating all, from the very mouth and voice of God Himself. I’m going to take a bit of liberty here and say you NEED to also listen to the pseudo-companion piece Svag I döden that was released alongside this record as well, because in my opinion, they are best consumed as a complementary pair. Both albums are impossible to fully explain or quantify in this short paragraph… just read my REVIEW to get an idea, then listen and be blown away.

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8. MOON – Pandimensional Gnosis (Moribund Records)

Sounds like: early Xasthur being sucked into a black hole. Or a k-hole. Or both at the same time. Australian wretch Miasmyr‘s first full-length album in over five years did not disappoint in the slightest and only becomes more and more dysphoric and dissonant the deeper you fall in; I dare you to listen to this and not completely detach from reality. Supreme atmosphere.

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7. Grey Aura – Zwart Vierkant (Onism Productions / Kunstlicht)

Sounds like: ART. Six and a half years in the making, Zwart Vierkant not only is a work of art but deals with it in its subject matter as well. It’s based upon a novel written by founding member Ruben Wijlacker which “tells the story of an early 20th century painter who becomes obsessed with the Russian art movement, Suprematism, which idealises the abstract and rejects traditional artistic concepts” and this synergistic approach seems to inspire great creativity – which includes the disregarding of any elitist-imposed boundaries to carefully construct a dazzling stream of post-modern, almost surreal wonders and ruinous black metal to tell that tale. They take that black metal and wind it around their fingers like a cat’s cradle game, seamlessly incorporating different colored threads from any genre they see fit to create startling patterns; truly genre-bending and unique in the best spirit of the form and proving once again that the Dutch scene is one of the most forward-thinking in the world. An astonishing album that I had the pleasure of PREMIERING and speaking about with its creators, this is a modern classic that made an impact.

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6. Warloghe – Three Angled Void (Northern Heritage)

Sounds like: an album recorded in the ’90s, buried in a box under six feet of soil and only unearthed last year. No matter how eclectic my tastes can be these days as an old fuck, I’ll always remain that teenage elitist deep in my heart – you know, the guy saying black metal should be disgusting. It should be dark as pitch. It should attempt to summon forces beyond our reckoning. It should be the rotting, cancerous tumour destroying the world via sheer force of hatred… it should sound something like Warloghe‘s Three Angled Void.

I didn’t know this legendary Finnish project was busting out another album, but it certainly hit an unexpected and very welcome sweet spot for me. Building on their 2017 comeback EP Lucifer Ascends whilst ironically descending to more horrifying depths than they ever have previously, it might be nothing that people who’ve been around since before the Y2K bug fizzled out haven’t heard before – but it’s probably exactly what those people wanted to hear in 2021 without even realizing it. If Kæck up above was pure negativity, then Three Angled Void is the audio manifestation of loathing personified. Magnificent, and absolutely vile.

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5. Negură Bunget – Zău (Lupus Lounge)

Stright up – I did NOT expect Zău, the final swansong of Negură Bunget and tribute to Negru, to be this damn good. The previous few Negură Bunget records didn’t particularly land with me as they should have, but as soon as I pushed play on Zău I was breathlessly captivated from beginning to end and lost within the realm created by it. I’m listening to it again right now as I type, and still cannot believe how incredible it is. Sounds like: wandering the magical caves, mountaintops and glades of an icy world so pure, crystalline and beautiful you’ll feel your very spirit reinvigorate just by breathing the air of an album so immersive you can almost feel it in your lungs. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect parting note.

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4. Antichrist Siege Machine – Purifying Blade (Profound Lore Records / Stygian Black Hand)

“But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.” – Jude 1:10

You checked out the latest offering from blasphemic US annihilators Antichrist Siege Machine yet? If not, you’re fucking up in a big way because whilst 2019’s debut full-length ‘Schism Perpetration’ was an insane achievement, they’ve outdone themselves here – against massive odds, ‘Purifying Blade’ is a step forward in every aspect. A more razor sharp production means these riffs utterly lacerate your flesh as your bones are pummeled to dust, whilst their relentless savagery is given more dynamism (meaning they can now kill you in 36 different ways before your body hits the floor). Not one track is a dud, the interludes of bible verses are spot on – is it the best war metal release of the year? Yes. Have the piss beaten out of you and witness heaven being torn asunder by the entire thing below, if you don’t believe me. Vicious shit that sounds like… a knife in the very heart of God.

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3. CODE – Flyblown Prince (Karisma Records / Dark Essence Records)

And thus, the mighty and malignant < c o d e > did return. The UK progressive/avant-garde black metallers finally unleashed their wonderfully wretched and weird fifth full-length Flyblown Prince last year, and all I can say is… FUCKING HELL. Coming home to the experimental black venom of their early days yet also utilising some of the same softer-textured approach of their later work when necessary, the record is quite literally astonishing from the very first listen. This dark and dissonant nightmare fantasy was a hair’s breadth from taking out my album of the year slot, and is probably on equal footing with Resplendent Grotesque as my favourite of their works. Stunning.

“We hope you enjoy the album, and that the pain and toil was worth it. You eternally indebted wayside pastors…”

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2. Plebeian Grandstand – Rien Ne Suffit (Debemur Morti Productions)

If Flyblown Prince was a “FUCKING HELL”, Rien Ne Suffit by eschatonic French maniacs Plebeian Grandstand is a “HOLY FUUUUCK”. Idiosyncratic, intense, insane, barely music at times – Rien Ne Suffit cruelly smashes avant-garde black metal, jazz, hardcore, abrasive noise and mangled electronics together into something that sounds like total, ravaging mental torture. This record alternately makes you what to tear your hair out and smash through a fucking wall. You want the most messed up album of the year? This may just be it. And after two of the most mental albums you’ll hear in your life taking up the number three and two positions, we come to…

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1. Djevel – Tanker som rir natten (Aftermath Music / Tour De Garde / Mindscrape Music / Impure Wedding Productions)

…my album of the year. I fell in love with the seventh album from these Norwegian legends from the very first notes; by the time I’d finished my first spin I knew it would be an album that would become part of my musical DNA from that moment forwards. Why? Because this is absolutely quintessential, classic TNBM executed to perfection. The type you can feel. Moonlit magic whirls from these songs and embraces your soul with yearning, the riffs are incredible, hell even the acoustic break of the title track is mesmerizing – I’m not sure if it was the addition of Kvitrim of Mare on vocals/bass that’s made a difference (I certainly enjoy his vocals more, for what it’s worth) but whilst every Djevel album to this point has been great, Tanker som rir natten sounds like a band hitting upon their ultimate, true form. I never reviewed this, but I’d be hard pressed to not give it 5 / 5 and have almost worn the tape out already… if you haven’t listened yet, or you did and it didn’t click at the time, my sincerest advice to you is to give it another try. Majestic in every possible way, and I very, very rarely say this with any degree of seriousness… a modern masterpiece. Hail Djevel.

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BLACK METAL DAILY’S LISTCRUSH 2021: The Tom O’Dell Edition

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Man, what a year.  Somehow despite being once again locked inside for half of it, life was busier than ever –  nevertheless, I managed to cobble together a sufficient number of Black Metal Daily pieces to qualify for a Listcrush article, and as such now, whilst you remain on this page, you exist in a realm where my opinions are mighty, trve, and entirely infallible.*  As ever, my disclaimer stands that these are simply the albums this year that kept me coming back for more, as for me that’s the mark of a great album.  Although this time I did have to deploy a colour-coded spreadsheet in order to quantify exactly what the hell was going on.  I digress…

* … you’ve already closed it, haven’t you

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Listen along whilst you read:

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THE BLACK METAL TOP 10:

10. Miasmata – Unlight: Songs of Earth and Atrophy. (Naturmacht Productions)

I love Blind Guardian and I love black metal; this album takes the melodic leads of the former and harshness of the latter to create a blisteringly triumphant record that doesn’t sound quite like anything else out there at the moment.  And to think this is only the debut – I can’t wait to see what else Miasmata has in store. READ MORE 

• Essential tracks: ‘Artifacts‘, ‘Caverns of Malachite‘

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9. Firienholt – By the Waters of Awakening. (Fólkvangr Records, Naturmacht Productions)

Emerging from paths unknown, the epic black metal trio Firienholt knocked it out the park with their debut full length this year.  It’s Caladan Brood worship of the most faithful variety, right down to the >10min track lengths, but it’s magnificently done in all regards from the writing to the production, and it’s well worth a listen for anyone seeking some epic metal feelings; read Dex’s full review HERE.

• Essential tracks: ‘Ruminations by Starlight‘, ‘The Whispering Shadow‘

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8. Praecantator – Obelisk. (Sonic Transmitter Records)

Praecantator are a relatively local band I’ve followed on Facebook for years; I remember their early work being relatively standard second-wave styled black metal, and in all honesty expected Obelisk to be more of the same when I saw it announced on my feed.  Well, I don’t know what the hell happened to these guys in lockdown, but Obelisk blew my head off with an unexpected assault of blackened death metal riffage, and now I’m firmly at the edge of my seat to see what a full length will look like.

• Essential tracks: ‘Ascent‘, ‘Empyrean‘

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7. Cân Bardd – Devoured by the Oak. (Northern Silence Productions)

Cân Bardd’s story is one of success.  Their first album was exceptionally composed and released to a wave of adoring fans; since that album they’ve only grown and grown, and Devoured by the Oak continues that trend.  Main man Malo Civelli’s writing skills are on top form, as he effortlessly blends layers upon layers of harmony and countermelody.  I’ve critiqued his clean vocals in the past, but on Oak Civelli shows clear signs of improvement that are wonderful to hear.  Cân Bardd are truly titans of the atmoblack world now, and everyone should be paying them due attention.

• Essential tracks: ‘Une couronne de branches‘, ‘Devoured by the Oak‘ 

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6. Mesarthim – CLG J02182-05102. (Avantgarde Music)

Oh boy, this album.  My experience with Mesarthim this year was one of those rare moments where music is discovered at the perfect time.  I’ve not gone back to it as often in the latter months of the year, but there was a time where I simply could not stop listening; such was the moment.  Sticking it on again now whilst writing up this list reminds me of every emotion that inspired the artiest article I’ve ever written, and I stand by it as a heartfelt recommendation to anyone who loves synths and space. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Tidal Warping‘, ‘A Generation of Star Birth, Part 1‘ 

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5. Këkht Aräkh – Pale Swordsman. (Livor Mortis)

Riding straight from one emotional heavyweight to another, Këkht Aräkh’s Pale Swordsman was another album that floored me from the first listen.  I’m used to raw black metal incorporating dungeon synth elements, but usually those synths are used to create creeping horror or a sense of fantastic scale – in contrast, the instrumental elements of Pale Swordsman that fall outside the standard metal curriculum are haunting by way of sadness and solitude.  It’s not angry, but simply mournful and incredibly personal.  And damn, that last track… 

• Essential tracks: ‘Thorns‘, ‘Swordsman‘ 

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4. Ancient Mastery – Chapter One: Across the Mountains of the Drämmarskol. (Ad Victoriam, Pest Productions, Death Kvlt Productions)

Lying somewhere between raw black metal and Summoning-worship, Ancient Mastery’s first chapter is, quite simply, magnificent.  All of it is expertly constructed for the style, but the real showstopper is the synth and keyboard work.  I dare you to listen to 4:35 in “The Passage” without raising a fist to the sky;  you can’t.  Epic stuff. 

• Essential tracks: ‘The Passage‘, ‘The Majesty of Aztara‘ 

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3. Stormkeep – Tales of Othertime. (Ván Records)

I’ve heard this album described as 2021’s Emperor tribute, but in reality it’s so much more than that.  It’s an album every bit as captivating as its majestic cover artwork, spinning tales of classic dungeons and dragons fantasy.  The production is 90s symphonic black perfected and spun through modernity, with magnificent synths, gorgeous interludes adorning the grim black metal core.  Clean vocals by Visigoth’s Jake Rogers rear their head throughout the record too, and, as anyone who knows me can attest, I can never resist anything touched by his perfect baritone.  Tales of Othertime is just so much fun; simply put, it reminds me of everything I loved about black metal when I first discovered the second wave classics in times past. 

• Essential tracks: ‘The Serpent’s Stone‘, ‘Eternal Majesty Manifest‘ 

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2. Wormwood – Arkivet. (Black Lodge Records)

Wormwood’s transition from the folky black’n’roll exhibited on Ghostlands to gloomy Scandinavian atmoblack has never been more prevalent than on Arkivet.  The subject matter is haunting, the melodies are heart wrenching, and the result is a monolith of atmospheric tragedy.  It’s no one trick pony either, with catchy riffs, solos, and ambient instrumentation scattered throughout to keep the listener engaged and immersed in the peaks and troughs of the journey.  Every time I listen, I’m staggered.   

• Essential tracks: ‘Overgrowth‘, ‘End of Message‘ 

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1. Vvilderness – As Above, So Below. (Vvilderness Records)

My initial reaction to this album was that it was more The Witcher 3 soundtrack than metal album.  As a huge Witcher fan, this presents very little issue, and I’ve spun As Above, So Below countless times since it’s November release.  Perhaps controversially for my Black Metal list, it’s not the blackened elements that keep me coming back for more; it’s the expertly constructed folk sections with instruments and layers I can’t even name, it’s the melodies that call the high points of The Jester Race to mind… and it’s the raw feeling of nature that perfectly places the listener in some vast forest in the heart of the Continent.  Of course the blackness is there, used throughout as a required burst of ferocity, but also used with remarkable, expertly crafted restraint.  If you want the most emotive metal album of 2021, this is it.  

• Essential tracks: ‘As Above, So Below‘, ‘All Fires Die Out‘ 

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HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Windfaerer; Grima; Genune; Kauan; Decline of the I; Hulder; Belore; Carathis.

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THE NON BLACK METAL TOP 12:

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12. Knife – Knife. (Dying Victims Productions) 

This was the year I got into fun, dumb speed metal, and whilst most of this was homework on essential listening from earlier years, (looking at you, Bütcher), Knife took the crown for 2021’s trvest speed.  It’s exactly what you want from the genre, with cutting vocals, snarling riffs, and hooks you’ll have stuck in your head for days.  All of it done with absolutely no subtlety, and zero fucks given.  

• Essential tracks: ‘Black Leather Hounds‘, ‘K.N.I.F.E.’ 

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11. Stormtide – A Throne of Hollow Fire. (Metal Hell Records)

Melodic death metal has been around for a hell of a long time now, so it’s vital that new bands seeking to make their name in the genre find some way to keep it fresh.  Stormtide go for the epic approach, implementing eastern instrumentation alongside symphonics and blastbeats to generate a sense of wonder and mystery that pervades through the record.  The vocal delivery leaves a bit to be desired by way of diversity, but there are true moments of excellence where the vocals line up with the instruments – and when Stormtide do hit the mark, it’s damn enjoyable stuff.   

• Essential tracks: ‘Eternal Fire‘, ‘Awakening‘ 

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10. Inferi – Vile Genesis. (The Artisan Era)

Technical death metal had a phenomenal 2021.  Every band in the genre seemed to up their game, and so competition was fierce for spots on this list.  Vile Genesis shows Inferi honing their melodic ability whilst retaining their fearsome technicality, crafting an altogether more digestible but no less impressive album than 2018’s Revenant.  It falls down a little bit in terms of memorability when compared to some later entries in the same genre, but it’s an achievement to be proud of and absolutely worth a listen. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Simian Hive‘, ‘Mesmeric Horror‘ 

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9. Blood Red Throne – Imperial Congregation. (Nuclear Blast)

A pretty late discovery from a band I wasn’t familiar with at all, Imperial Congregation is modern death metal done properly.  As one would expect, it’s filled with sledgehammer riffs that beat you into relentless headbanging, but it’s also got sufficient depth and memorability to keep you wanting to come back for more.  The production is crisp and the songwriting is concise, making it eminently replayable, and the beating it delivers on the tenth play is just as massive as the first. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Conquered Malevolence‘, ‘Transparent Existence‘ 

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8. Ravenous E.H. – Hubris. (Feast Beast Records)

Power metal by way of the American school of heavy metal, Ravenous E.H.’s Hubris is carried largely by a phenomenal vocal talent in R. A. Voltaire, whose mighty baritone is one of my favourite discoveries of the year.  Bolstered by a luscious mix, Hubris is suitably grandiose and theatrical to be the strongest power metal album of 2021.  I’m not sure how it would contend against other North American power/heavyweights – say, if Visigoth, Eternal Champion and Judicator all released in 2021 too.  But I’m excited to see what the future has in store for Ravenous, and if the fortunes of metal are kind, we may see such a contest in the future, and bask in the inevitable trve glory. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Son of Storms‘, ‘Die 1,000 Deaths‘
• https://ravenouseternalhunger.bandcamp.com/album/hubris 

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7. Mental Cruelty – A Hill to Die Upon. (Unique Leader Records)

Anyone who doesn’t think deathcore is one of the most exciting genres in metal at the moment is kidding themselves, and that is a hill I will indeed die upon.  Mental Cruelty take the blackened and symphonic elements utilised by peers like Lorna Shore and craft one of the biggest albums I’ve heard in a while.  The symphonics are majestic, and perfectly offset and compliment the sheer brutality of the riffs and vocals.  My only desire is for an occasional moment of clean vocals, as showcased by bands like Shadow of Intent and Fit For An Autopsy, just to add a touch of diversity in the otherwise mostly relentless assault.  

• Essential tracks: ‘Ultima Hypocrita‘, ‘Abadon‘ 

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6. Interloper – Search Party. (Nuclear Blast)

A surprising entry for my list, Interloper’s brand of progressive metalcore really stuck with me.  Impressively technical yet not to the point of limited accessibility, lead vocalist Andrew Virrueta’s clean tone bears a remarkable similarity to Chester Bennington, which suits the material perfectly.  The hooks are massive, and the progressive songwriting is effective and driving; in many ways, it’s not something I feel I know how to write about, but I cannot recommend Search Party enough.  

• Essential tracks: ‘Idle Years‘, ‘Pathkeeper‘

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5. Rivers of Nihil – The Work. (Metal Blade Records)

A deeply surprising album considering my expectations, The Work falls very much in the category of works that should be listened to in order, in one sitting.  Shuffle play can’t capture the balance between ambient calm and intense deathened fury that the album juxtaposes, and it’s that balance that feels like the record’s greatest strength.  It’s a fairly long album, but if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded with a journey unlike any other this year. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Terrestria IV: The Work’, ‘The Void from Which No Sound Escapes‘

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4. Ephemerald – Between the Glimpses of Hope. (Inverse Records)

Equal parts modern melodeath and atmospheric metal, Ephemerald struck a chord with me instantly through their songwriting.  It’s an epic album without question, and displays a flair for balancing driving melodeath with synthy ambience.  But it’s not just that I enjoy it; it’s that large parts of it feel like material I would write, and so it feels intimately familiar.  Everything from the synth choices, to the song structures and clean harmonies had me nodding, thinking “yes, they’ve made the right decision there”.  A wonderful album. 

• Essential tracks: ‘Reborn‘, ‘All There Is‘

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3. Archspire – Bleed the Future. (Season Of Mist)

Quite frankly, it’s ridiculous how Archspire are able to write music that’s so inconceivably technical and yet undeniably catchy.  They show off to no end, yet fit it into a concisely edited 30 minute album, clearly knowing that 30 minutes is about the perfect length for this level of intense yet enjoyable audio assault – half the time I don’t have any idea what’s happening, but I know I’m loving it.  Bleed the Future doesn’t quite take the techdeath crown for 2021 for me, but it’s an essential listen regardless.  

• Essential tracks: ‘Drone Corpse Aviator‘, ‘Golden Mouth of Ruin‘ 

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2. Obscura – A Valediction. (Nuclear Blast)

Man, this was an album.  Obscura were the first techdeath band I really got into, with 2009’s Cosmogenesis and 2018’s Diluvium being particular highlights.  With another dramatic lineup change in the build up to A Valediction, I was a little uncertain what to expect.  Would it lean towards the spacey prog, or the overtly technical side of the band’s previous efforts?  The answer – neither.  A Valediction is technical yes, but primarily melodic and furious, and even thrashy.  It’s like if Slaughter of the Soul was delivered by a tech band, and it absolutely rips.  Monster riffs and grooves are layered throughout, and the vocals are delivered with positive rabidness, and it’s just irresistible – I think the ending of “In Adversity” could even be classed as a beatdown.  Obscura haven’t just made the best tech death album of the year, they’ve potentially made the best album of their career. 

• Essential tracks: ‘In Adversity‘, ‘When Stars Collide‘

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1. Lorna Shore – … As I Return to Nothingness. (Century Media)

How can a three track EP be my favourite release of the year, you ask?  Simple – it’s sensational.  Whatever places Lorna Shore went in the short time since 2020’s Immortal must have been imbibed with some kind of magic, as this EP takes every element I loved about that album and dials it to 11.  New vocalist Will Ramos is an exceptional talent, the melodic writing is delicious from the guitar leads to the ever-growing symphonic/blackened influence, and the breakdowns are a whole new level of give-no-fucks fun.  All eyes are on Lorna Shore for the full-length follow up to this, and if the quality is this high again, I can’t see another band coming close to catching them.  

• Essential tracks: All of them, there are only 3! 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Words of Farewell; VOLA; Edu Falaschi; Fallensun; Ghosts of Atlantis

I also released music this year!  If you’ve got this far, I’m allowed to blow my own horn a little:

Sojourner – Perennial:

Dwarrowdelf – Cold Lie the Ashes:

 

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Black Metal Daily‘s LISTCRUSH returns with The GOS Edition and Dex‘s full-length album Edition soon.

Follow Black Metal Daily on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and Bandcamp HERE for more cult sounds and tonal blasphemy.

A New Legacy – A Review of ‘By the Waters of Awakening’ by FIRIENHOLT

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Gone are the stars and the morning light
Gone is the path so free
Lost are their hearts and their hopes to night
The years bringing misery

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Greetings, weary travellers. As we all know, the well of Tolkien inspired black metal never seems to run dry – which, of course, does not mean all that is drawn from it is refreshing. When I originally discovered the epic black metal strains of enigmatic UK triumvirate FIRIENHOLT (named after Firien Wood, an oak forest below Halifirien) back in Bandcamp Misanthropy Vol. 26, my opening line was “this is TRASH i AM sO AngRY WHY DO PEOPLE COPY CALADQN BRood ARGH”. I was joking, of course – well, not about the Caladan Brood bit – the magic that Firienholt conjured was definitely of the palette cleansing variety, a delight for the taste buds. Happily then, after continuing that streak over a tantalising tease of two more all-too-brief EPs, they have now finally blessed us with a truly wondrous full-length album – By The Waters Of Awakening.

Those three prior Firienholt EPs all followed a theme: one track glorious, immersive epic black metal and a second of pure dungeon synth. This debut album obviously does away with that format (although those previous EPs all compiled end to end would make a fantastic album in themselves, if anyone at the labels just happen to be reading this) to the point where there are no pure synth tracks at all – just complete and total EPIC BLACK METAL FEELINGS. Those feelings are given more depth across an album-length exploration of the Firienholt sound, too. My personal favourite track ‘Ruminations By Starlight’ is positively menacing at times; others are utterly morose, more still pensive and/or contemplative. And of course, there are the yearning, sweeping triumphs – we are talking Caladan Brood worship, after all.

But Caladan Brood isn’t the only artist paid homage to, of course. Genre kings Summoning, Eldamar, Keys Of Orthanc and even the early work of our own Dwarrowdelf all get a look in, but the mysterious trio of Caradhras (vocals, keys – is the name a hint that Elffor, noted fan of epic black metal, is somehow involved?), Silvertine (guitars, programming) and Fanuidhol (bass, vocals, keys) do more than enough to make these five songs their own as the stirring riffs surge beneath soul-searing keys, huge choruses and vocals both clean and harsh. The writing is magnificent; exactly what you want to hear and, somewhat remarkably, only gets stronger as the album moves through. Instead of fatigue, the listener only becomes more engaged – the final two tracks (including the literally epic thirteen minute closer ‘The Whispering Shadow’) are the best on the album.

That said, there are a few potential pitfalls. To someone who isn’t into this sort of thing the synths might be a little cheesy (or maybe even for those who are super into it as well – it isn’t quite as lush as the Brood). The tempo may drag a tad. The structures and riffs might sound a touch repetitive at times – a bit “Lord Of The Same Chords”, if you will. For everyone else however, the melodies are gloriously evocative and the slowly unfolding songs will present a wondrous escape from reality – building an entrancing, almost hypnotic album that only draws you in further with each passing minute, until you’re right there treading the soil of middle earth with them.

Releasing on cassette via our friends at Fólkvangr Records and on CD via Naturmacht Productions (with LP possibly coming in 2022), the full album will be streaming HERE in mere hours time – I strongly recommend you tune in. Back in the Bandcamp Misanthropy coverage of that very first EP, my closing words were that it “might be the first hint of Firienholt rising up to take the epic black metal crown”… on the strength of this debut, I can comfortably say without a shadow of doubt that they’re poised to sit on the throne with the greats.

Hail Firienholt, long may they reign.

RATING: 4.1 / 5

By The Waters Of Awakening releases June 11th via Naturmacht Productions and Fólkvangr Records.

Purchase By The Waters Of Awakening digitally from the Firienholt Bandcamp HERE, digitally and on CD from the Naturmacht Bandcamp HERE, or on cassette from the Fólkvangr webstore HERE.

Support FIRIENHOLT:

• Official Bandcamp

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Email: blackmetaldaily@outlook.com

BANDCAMP MISANTHROPY: VOLUME 26

The bottomless wellspring of Bandcamp is overflowing with great shit just waiting to be discovered. This series aims to shine light on the freshest emanations and foulest incantations from its darkest corners, a few artists at a time. Here’s the twenty-sixth installment for your vulgar delectation – and it’s a doozy, with more music and less words than ever before so we can fit in even more fetid recommendations. Enjoy.

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Artist: SPIRIT POSSESSION

Year: 2020

Kicking off in serious fucking STYLE: impassioned, frenzied, and just plain ROCKIN’ black magic fury that sounds like Funereal Presence and was even given a shout out by Wrest of Leviathan when it dropped earlier in the year. Turns out Demo 2020 is, without a doubt, one of the best demos of 2020 so far. Delicious madness at name-your-price.

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Artist: DESPONDENT MOON

Year: 2020

Next up, some UK abrasion from back in January that deserves a second look… and a third, and a fourth. The synth-laden raw black metal persona of dungeon synth entity DEORC WEG, Despondent Moon sounds like pure caliginous evil in glorious, coruscating swathes, and third album The Infernal Shadows Of Winter only hones all that to an unbelievably cold and addictive point. Sold out on tape, up at name-your-price download… but in other great news, when the plague abates it’ll be released on LP through His Wounds, so keep a bleeding ear to the ground for that one.

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Artist: LEECHES

Year: 2020

Raw black metal from members of Sørgelig, Isolert AND the mighty Dødsferd? Count me the fuck IN. Rabid riffage over percussive pulverisation from ND and throbbing bass madness from Reactive provides the perfect storm to swarm around the menacing throat of Wrath – if A Plague In The Heart Of Light is their first demo, bring me on a fucking full-length stat. Oh, and there’s also a gloriously austere piano interlude by Azrael of UK blasphemers Heathen Deity as the icing on the cake. Name-your-price.

(EDIT: Tape coming soon through F Y C Records & Distro!)

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Artist: BROTTHOGG

Year: 2019 / 2020

If you haven’t heard melodic blackthrashing Norwegian horde Brotthogg‘s debut EP The Last Traveler, you fucked up. If you haven’t heard their 2019 follow up album Echoes of the Past then you’ve fucked up even harder, but you can fix that right now because Echoes… copped a CD issue (with The Last Traveler included as a bonus!) AND got put up for name-your-price download by Redefining Darkness Records back in January. So, no excuse. What does it sound like? Dissection and Old Man’s Child chilling with Vektor… in other words, amazing. Pick this up now.

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Artist: FIRIENHOLT

Year: 2020

this is TRASH i AM sO AngRY WHY DO PEOPLE COPY CALADQN BRood ARGH

…nah, just kidding – this debut two track EP of Caladan Brood-meets-Dwarrowdelf (or something like that) is simply beautiful. No idea who’s behind it, but on the strength of the one epic black metal battle and following synth rumination, I’m keen as mustard to hear more of this. Ironically, The Crownless might be the first hint of Firienholt rising up to take the epic black metal crown. Name-your-price.

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Artist: WALDHEXEN

Year: 2020

By George Van Doorn: Woo hoo! A new Waldhexen EP. I loved their old stuff. What? They’re a new band and this is their debut EP. Fuck! Moving right along. The first thing you’re going to notice is that the singer is an escaped mental patient. He transitions from guttural DM vocals to blood-curdling screams, sometimes within a single line. Waldhexen play Black/Death Metal with a sprinkle of Doom for good measure. The BM riffs are really good, with each guitar doing something different. Waldhexen have produced a great debut that blends styles in a really interesting way. I hope we see a full-length of this quality in the near future.

Ego Canus Lunam Cano is name-your-price.

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Artist: VAMPYRIC BVRIAL / SLAVES TO THE ENCHANTED FOG

Year: 2020

This was already shared to the BMD Facebook page when it was released, but some of you are sleeping on it so listen the fuck up. Ordo Lux Sepulchrum is the recent blood pact between US ultra-raw entities Vampyric Bvrial and Slaves to the Enchanted Fog, and these crumbling, dungeon synth infused emanations hissing from deepest subterranean chambers are not for the faint at heart – Vampyric Burial‘s broken tape recorder wretchedness is the very embodiment of the harshness and haunting beauty of night, whilst Slaves to the Enchanted Fog waft down similar pathways and induce hypnosis through waves of scouring black horror, howling and scratching. A stunning release for those initiated into this sort of thing, it’s released in a limitation of just thirty copies via Apo Kosmos Khaos Productions (still a few left!) or on digital at name-your-price. Support true rawness.

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Artist: WYNTER MYST

Year: 2020

“Cold, melodic and furious black metal from the UK” is the bio of solo project Wynter Myst, and that more than aptly describes its debut release End Of An Era too. The product of a moment’s inspiration by Steve Blackwood of Old Corpse Road, the minute you hear opener ‘Seasonal Depression’ burst from your speakers with surprising power (and some really neat tone) you’ll know this is gonna be a good one – then when you get to the incredible ‘The Stars Aligned’, fucking hell. The fact that this was all basically improvised and made up on the spot is remarkable. Chilling interludes only add to the glorious Finnish/Swedish-styled atmosphere of this fantastic debut… nothing more to say, buy this now. Digipack CD still available from Cavernous Records HERE or download it at name-your-price.

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Artist: ISKALDE MORKET

Year: 2020

In the mood to have your soul torn apart by dissonance? Good, because UK necromancer Iskalde Morket‘s long-awaited second full-length Metaphysics Of Mass Murder is a labyrinthine horror trip that tumbles down every wretched corridor in your hideously fucked-up mind, then drags any grotesque abominations it can find screaming and clawing back into the light. I hope you’re not hiding anything… this record WILL find it. Dazzling stuff, constantly shifting and changing into new nightmares. Name-your-price.

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Artist: SIRHK

Year: 2016 / 2020

I actually discovered this heaving slab of alchemically progressive black metal via Iskalde Morket, who shared it via their Facebook page – and it is very, very good. PERPETVVM MERAM SVMMAM EXTERIORA MEA was originally released by this UK solo project back in 2016, but has been: “remastered & re-jigged by Meatlocker Records for the ‘best’ listening experience. This is the DEFINITIVE version with full lyrics, titles and art included.” Heavily textured yet tastefully austere, these dynamic and disconcerting compositions are all underpinned by some truly inventive riffage. This remaster is name-your-price, but you can listen to and purchase the original for £4 from the Sirhk Bandcamp HERE too, if you’re so inclined. Oh and they’ve just released a new EP this year too, so check that out while you’re at it.

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Artist: NOCTURNAL PRAYER

Year: 2019

I can’t quiiiite remember but Nocturnal Prayer‘s debut demo Grim Sermons Of The Nocturnal Prayer might have been recommended by one of the Vampyric Bvrial guys; either way, this raw Canadian rite of lupercalian abandon is some extremely stellar shit. Unhinged crepuscular howling meets lunar insanity, abrasive and enflamed – those vocals are downright delightful, this is really the sort of thing we need more of (yeah, I know there’s shitloads of it, genius; but not done THIS well). They have newer demos available at their own Bandcamp HERE but it’s at name-your-price download from the Extinctionist Records Bandcamp linked below and the 2020 DIY tape editions are still available too, so jump on that or die screaming on the toilet.

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Artist: LED BY DELUSIONS

Year: 2020

Another UK project, this time of the solo “bedroom” DSBM variety. But wait! Before you either skip over this one or tear your ears off, for an amateur home recording Led By Delusions‘ debut full-length Natural Decay thankfully escapes many of the frequent pitfalls of its kin and through pure strength of will is fairly successful at capturing the bleakness of life and the torture the artist must be feeling. Tracks like ‘Catatonic State’ induce exactly that, hypnotic waves of desolation washing over the listener… whoever this shadowed entity is, they have a bright and miserable future ahead of them as they refine their processes across further releases. There’s a neat doom influence that rears its head on occasion, too. Name-your-price download, support the end of this dream called life.

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Artist: LIPHOBIA

Year: 2019

Moving on and diving further into bleakness, we have Deadspring: some ambient-infused atmospheric black that slowly settles over the earth like a dense haze of impenetrable raw noise and only gets darker and more abrasive the longer it lingers. Liphobia are from China, and what they do is certainly deserving of more attention – imagine if the cover art was even more occluded and grey; that’s pretty much what would happen to the earth if this sound became reality.

Name-your-price download, tape available from Depressive Illusions Records HERE. Beware, when you listen it takes a while to fully warm up, but when it does… you’ll see.

ƃuᴉɹds ǝʇɐl ǝɥʇ uᴉ ǝᴉp
ǝɔɐǝd ʇǝƃ oʇ ʎɐʍ ou

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Artist: THERMOHALINE

Year: 2020

And finally, probably the most unique thing in this Volume – the eponymous debut EP of “thermodynamic oceanic black metal”, from multinational collective Thermohaline. Discard all preconceived notions of what you’re about to hear and let the relentless, inexorable tides of electronica, black and doom metal envelop you and carry you away on the currents… as the band say themselves:

“Let yourself be drowned in sonic waves, gasping for air and imploding in crushing compression. Breathe in the salty atmosphere of the vast oceans. Descend and face your blackened doom in the ultimate depths of not just our planet, but ultimately our own minds.”

Indeed. Even unmastered, this gem from back in January is superb and I hope it’s not the last we hear from them. Name-your-price download. Hails.

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