Black Metal

Diespnea – Radici Review

Diespnea – Radici Review

By Kronos on February 4, 2026 in Avante Garde, Black Metal, Code666 Records, Italian Metal, Releases, Reviews, Black Metal, 35 comments

“A black metal album bent on re-orienting the genre away from a frostbitten North and towards an imaginary sun-bleached South, the saguaro being perhaps the most resilient (and, tellingly, clichéd) symbol thereof. Ambitions often crumble against this landscape; the schemes of miners fall through, the hopeful homesteads dry into rubble, at the bodies of desperate migrants collapse in the canyons. Beauty and hostility, available in such great measure here, produce the romance of the desert, the basis for Radici.” Like a cactus in the snow.

Fell Omen – Caelid Dog Summer Review

Fell Omen – Caelid Dog Summer Review

By Alekhines Gun on August 15, 2025 in Black Metal, 94 comments

“Raw black metal is a tricky proposition. There’s an extremely thin line to walk between production choices designed to add mood and atmosphere to compositions via a wall of auditory fog and production choices that sound like someone threw their equipment down a block of concrete stairs and deemed it “artistic.” Countless one-man projects launch all the time to throw their hat in the ring with the Black Cilices and Paysage D’hivers of the world, with results ranging from formidable to unlistenable. Hailing from Greece, Fell Omen are newcomers to this arena, with their second album dropping a meagre six months after their first. Such a rapid turnaround implies either a deep creative well or a collection of kiddie-pool shallow ideas, so let’s dive in and see what these dog summer days have to offer.” Never unchain(mail) the knight.

Bythos – The Womb of Zero Review

Bythos – The Womb of Zero Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 22, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Terratur Possessions, Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal, 26 comments

“Yet, while these Scandinavians continue what they helped to create, their Finnish brethren have been at it for almost as long. Unfortunately, n00bs to the scene are enchanted—as we all have been—by the murders and mysteries of the Norwegian and Swedish camps. My favorites from that landmass, which shares borders with both Norway and Sweden, are the trio of Behexen, Horna, and Sargeist. Though their language is different, the message is the same. Bludgeoning, destructive, hateful, and vicious. But, what if a band came along, with members from all three of my favorite Finnish outfits? With the intention of slowing the pace, adding layers of melody, and capping it all off with the hooking guitar leads of Watain and Dissection? I wonder what that would sound like…” Panic Womb.

Forlesen – Hierophant Violent Review

Forlesen – Hierophant Violent Review

By Carcharodon on April 17, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Hypnotic Dirge Records, Post-metal, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Drone, Post-Metal, 80 comments

“A hierophant – a word I was dimly aware of but confess that I had to look up – is a person who leads the religious into the presence of that which is deemed holy by the relevant congregation. It also a card in the tarot deck and at least one of its meanings is that of a teacher or counselor who aids the seeker in the acquisition of knowledge. Both of these meanings are wholly appropriate for Bay Area trio Forlesen’s debut, Hierophant Violent. I would estimate that, since beginning my tenure serfdom here at AMG, my musical consumption has increased by upwards of 80% and I was listening to a lot before I started. And yet it’s rare indeed that an album hits me like Hierophan Violent did.” Elephantine Hierophant.

At the Altar of the Horned God – Through Doors of Moonlight Review

At the Altar of the Horned God – Through Doors of Moonlight Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 15, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Folk Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 80 comments

“Seriously. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Like ‘pagan’ wasn’t already a bad word to most of the Christian population. Now it’s a bad word for Christian-hating metalheads. Unfortunately, the folky, melodic, and, at times, quite beautiful qualities of the genre veil the National Socialist squabble from many-a anti-Semitic band and label. Which, for someone that loves this style of music, is frustrating as hell. Many writers—not only of this website—won’t touch the stuff. Though plenty of writers skip over one-man black metal outfits because there’s a bajillion of them—all blurring together in one chaotic sound after another—’pagan black metal’ bands get tagged and placed in a cold locker. Not a band name mentioned. Not even out of spite. But, neither I nor Spain’s At the Altar of the Horned God will let these motherfuckers spoil a good time.” Nazis bad, pagans good.

Khôra – Timaeus Review

Khôra – Timaeus Review

By Kenstrosity on April 15, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Death Metal, German Metal, Irish Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Blackened Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 36 comments

“Once again, I picked promo for an irrelevant reason. German/Irish blackened death trio Khôra wound up in my review queue because their name sounds like the name of one of our cats (Kora). I feel like that’s a perfectly reasonable justification for album selection. If it isn’t, well, then I guess I don’t care. Khôra doesn’t care either, and put out whatever the hell they want regardless of what your tastes or expectations are.” Cats and jammers.

Argesk – Realm of Eternal Night Review

Argesk – Realm of Eternal Night Review

By Doom_et_Al on April 14, 2020 in 2020, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, British Metal, Clobber Records, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 23 comments

When I
“When I’m unsettled, I retreat to what I know; to what I’m comfortable with. And while there’s a global pandemic locking down the planet, these are profoundly unsettling times. When the promo bin threw some atmospheric black metal my way, I was completely on board for that. This is the genre, after all, that got me into metal, and it’s where I feel most at home. No matter the time of day, or my mood, I can always spin some atmoblack. The icy embrace warms my cold heart and calms me. Which is all to say that Realm of Eternal Night, the debut album from British outfit Argesk, is precisely the kind of music I was looking for this week.” No escape.