4.0

Agenbite Misery – Remorse of Conscience Review

By Andy-War-Hall on February 5, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Noise Rock, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 65 comments

“Anyone who’s brushed against James Joyce’s modernist classic Ulysses has almost certainly encountered the phrase “remorse of conscience” before. A pivotal theme of the novel, remorse of conscience refers to more than mere guilt over a perceived ethical failure but the misery inflicted by it, its weight and torment. In the days leading up to receiving Remorse of Conscience, the independent debut from New Hampshire’s genre-blending Agenbite Misery, a record informed by Ulysses and “steeped in grief, alienation and the search for meaning in modern life,” I was experiencing that eponymous turmoil myself.” Modern Hellenic disorientation.

Invictus – Nocturnal Visions Review

By Kenstrosity on January 26, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, 79 comments

“Five years ago, I highlighted Invictus’ 2020 debut LP Catacombs of Fear as part of our year-end death metal roundup feature. Since then, the Japanese death metal trio toiled under the ground with a brutal live schedule and steadily wrote what might very well be my most highly anticipated follow-up in the death metal realm. Hot on the heels of killer releases from personal favorites like Depravity, and jumping just ahead of another highly anticipated salvo from Eximperitus, Invictus’ upcoming Nocturnal Visions has big shoes to fill and stiff competition to combat.” Captaining the soul.

The Ruins of Beverast – Tempelschlaf Review

By Dear Hollow on January 13, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 110 comments

“The Ruins of Beverast has never released a bad album. Its architect, Nagelfar alum Alexander von Meilenwald, has both a devotion to the trve and old-school as well as a flexibility to experiment, creating a legendary discography that feels like a natural progression from beginning to end. From the early and raw marriage of black metal and doom that set the foundation with genre classics Unlock the Shrine and Rain Upon the Impure, to the more melodic and ritualistic horrors of Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite and Blood Vaults, culminating in the ritual-imbued pinnacle Exuvia, the act has an uncanny ability to recall the familiar while trudging into unexplored territory.” Ruins, runes, and revulsion.

Lychgate – Precipice Review

By Grin Reaper on December 17, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, 46 comments

“Dense, dark, and demented, Lychgate’s Precipice breaks nearly six years of silence with music as unsettling as the concept it’s built upon. The album’s primary inspiration draws from E. M. Forster’s short story “The Machine Stops,” a dystopian tale first published in 1909 that cautions against over-reliance on technology. In it, The Machine enables people to govern their lives from isolated chambers, interacting virtually rather than in person after the Earth’s surface becomes uninhabitable. Integrating notions such as blind obedience to technology, instantaneous communication, and climate change furnishes a lavish backdrop for London’s Lychgate and their fourth LP.” Throw open the gate!

Pedestal for Leviathan – Enter: Vampyric Manifestation Review

By Kenstrosity on December 12, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 27 comments

“Depending on what you already know about the castle to your left and what it holds, this review will either come late, very late, or right on time (read: actually on time or only slightly late). That’s because Colorado’s goth-soaked symphonic brutal death upstarts Pedestal for Leviathan originally self-released their debut LP, Enter: Vampyric Manifestation, on Halloween. In short order, it was picked up for distro by Gurgling Gore Productions, who released it again digitally on November 14th (with physical cassettes dropping December 12th). Then, Personal Records also picked it up for yet another digi release, along with a compact disc release, set for December 12th. Having none of this information prior to picking up Personal Records’ promo for review, needless to say, I was confused and frustrated. However, Enter: Vampyric Manifestation was simply too cool not to write about, so here we are.” Pedestal pushing.

Suncraft – Welcome to the Coven Review

By Spicie Forrest on November 27, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Stoner Rock, 52 comments

“I first became acquainted with stoner rock while attending college and skiing in Salt Lake City. Whether carving the corduroy or taking face shots of bottomless pow, the raucous groove of the style made for a great soundtrack. I’ve largely moved on to heavier and less accessible pastures, but once in a while, something brings me back. This time, it was Suncraft, a five-piece formed in Oslo, Norway in 2017; I couldn’t let a genre tag like “stoner/black/pop” pass by unyoinked. We missed their 2021 debut, Flat Earth Rider, but I’m here to give their sophomore effort, Welcome to the Coven, the proper AMG treatment.” Turkey in the oven, surrounded by the coven.

Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons Review

By Alekhines Gun on November 26, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, 81 comments

“Sometimes it’s all a question of perspective. Among the most prominent and influential of French black metal, the sometimes-solo-project-sometimes-three-piece entity known as Blut Aus Nord have manifested four or five entirely different versions of themselves over the last thirty(!) years. Occasionally, their albums are released in sets of connected sounds and themes, and other times you can be exposed to one idea you fall in love with, only for the band to pivot away into something new and unexpected; imagine the surprise fans of Fathers of the Icy Age must have felt first hearing The Work Which Transforms God. We are now at album sixteen, and the question isn’t as much “is this gonna be any good” as much as “which band is showing up today?”” Blut is going on here??

Steel Arctus – Dreamruler Review

By Andy-War-Hall on November 26, 2025 in Reviews, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 43 comments

“Brothers, you need power metal in your life. No, you do. You need authentic positivity shot straight into your cynic-rotten hearts, now. Most fortunate for you, Greek power metallers Steel Arctus have graced this year of 2025 with their third album Dreamruler, marking the third entry into the chronicles of their titular hero Steel Arctus. 2020’s Fire and Blood detailed the origins of Steel Arctus and his girlfriend the Arcadian Lady, 2022’s Master of War saw him delve into the fires of Hades and now Dreamruler sees him challenge the titular Dreamruler in his evil world of dreams to rescue his bodacious muse.” Steel, love, and wizards.

Depravity – Bestial Possession Review

By Kenstrosity on November 22, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, 65 comments

“Since the release of Evil Upheaval in early 2018, I fell head over heels for Aussie death metal quintet Depravity. Evil Upheaval always going to be a difficult debut to follow, but Grand Malevolence did its very best and largely matched the debut’s sheer heft and vicious energy. Five long years spans the gap between then and now, with third salvo Bestial Possession, threatening to pummel me into dust. Little does Depravity know how badly I want it.” Depraved kinks and frightful brutality.

Antinoë – The Fold Review

By Tyme on November 21, 2025 in Reviews, Ambient, Not Metal, 18 comments

“As the whispering winds of winter begin to blow colder through my neck of the woods, a time of year when fires get cozier, quaffed beers get darker, and we here at AMG begin to rhapsodize on things missed and regale readers with things listed, I found myself still searching for a near-end-of-year something new. When I saw Antinoë’s Dark Essence Records debut, The Fold, blurbily described as ‘Neoclassical Folk meets melancholy Pop with a Metal attitude,’ I was intrigued. Descending from the mountains of Madrid, Antinoë is the passion project of pianist and vocalist Teresa Marraco.” Cold keys in a cruel world.