“Atmospheric post-black metal is quite the concept. Both titular subgenres span wide varieties of inspirations, levels of aggression, and affinities for emotion. Done well, they are gateways to catharsis and emotional storytelling. So I was intrigued when Rituel : Initiation caught my eye. This is the debut full-length release from Swiss post-black metal band De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube, recommended, or so I’m told, for fans of Alcest and Heilung.” Swiss misery.
“If you know anything about grumpy ole Grier, you know he’s been dry-humping Bizarrekult ever since 2021’s Vi Overlevde. “Dry-humping” might not be the correct term. Maybe passionate lovemaking? Yeah, that’s the stuff. But, in all seriousness, this little band came out of nowhere and has been making waves in such a short time. While the debut had me glued to my seat, the follow-up, Den Tapte Krigen, damn-near bolted me down—to the point that I had to cut myself out of my pants to break free. If that had been the band’s swansong, I would have been just fine for the rest of my life. But Bizarrekult is back to ruin another pair of my pants. Behold! Alt Som Finnes!” Weird kvlt fandom.
“If, like me, you played a lot of the original Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), then you might agree that the game has a nigh unbeatable vibe. The densely forested hills rolling into the distance, the subtle call of a nearby Nirnroot, the grossly overconfident mudcrabs, the endearing jank of two townspeople conversing like they’ve only just discovered human language; it’s a distinctly cozy high fantasy setting that feels like home in a way few modern games could hope to replicate. Thus, I was excited to learn that Velothian, the epic post-black metal act that was previously featured on the 2024 EP Roundup for their Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind-themed EP Path of the Incarnate, now draws from Oblivion as inspiration for their debut full-length, Mythic Dawn.” Scroll goals.
“Though not all post-metal is instrumental, almost all instrumental metal bands play some variation of post-metal. One could write a riveting dissertation exploring the reasons behind this phenomenon and its implications, if one were inclined towards musical studies and history; alas, I am but a humble observer of such odd patterns and have no definitive answers. Perhaps it is part of how heavily defined by vocals many genres are; perhaps the textured and buildup-heavy nature of post-metal simply lends itself well to instrumental approaches. Greek 5-piece we.own.the.sky makes no effort to break the pattern on its third album In Your Absence, but as a fan of the style, I have no complaint.” Sky rights but no space.
“Fall in the Pacific Northwest means two things: foggy air and the official start of sadboi season. And German post-black quintet HERETOIR are here to offer a choice soundtrack for the colder, darker months ahead. Since its inception as a solo project by multi-instrumentalist David Conrad in 2006, HERETOIR has been a mainstay in the blackgaze scene, crafting music that has been a long-standing source of catharsis while operating in the darkness with other well-known acts like Alcest and Fen. Solastalgia marks the trio’s fourth full-length album, but the first one we’ve reviewed here. Still, the group’s presence at AMG Industries isn’t entirely new.” Birds of gaze.
“Jord began life in pretty much the exact way one would expect of an atmospheric black metal act. Founder Jörgen “Jurg” Ström would take daily walks through the forests of Sweden during fall 2020, during which he decided to start a nature-oriented musical endeavor. He quickly released two albums, Sol and Måne, on his own before recruiting guitarist Sebastian “Hravn” Svedlund and drummer Stefan Jansson, both of whom he had briefly performed with in Rimfrost and its splinter group Omnicidal. They worked together to create Tundra in 2023, and now look to extend their productive streak with Emellan Träden, Jord’s fourth full-length record in five years.” Forest packaging.
May Filters bring August off-kilters. Find your passion amongst the flotsam.
“The contrast of opposites is fundamentally important in art, and Sylvanshine is an apt name to illustrate this principle. As I just learned from Wikipedia, “Sylvanshine is an optical phenomenon in which dew-covered foliage with wax-coated leaves retroreflect beams of light, as from a vehicle’s headlights. This effect sometimes makes trees appear snow-covered at night during summer.” Fittingly, Ion Ureche’s blackgaze project from Bucharest, Romania, deals with opposing themes, specifically “love and loss, hope and desperation.” Shine gazing.
“Pikes—the genus Esox—are perfect predators whose size and ferocity have made them somewhat legendary. However, as an emblem, they are somewhat understated and powerful but unobvious: literally hidden under the surface of the water, part of the sempiternal and vital river ecosystem. This lends weight to the already evident fact that Esox is an incredibly personal project for its creator, Federico Sturiale. 5 years in the making, Watery Grave tells the story of a suicidal drowning, with the drowner’s final reflections making up the album’s acts. It’s a tale that feels every bit as organic and raw as it ought to.” Immersion therapy.
Our man in the Netherlands attended Roadburn and sent dispatches from the front. Then he went missing…
