In my review of Saint Vitus’ self-titled debut album, I called out my enjoyment of Scott Reager’s vocals, highlighting their deranged style being a perfect fit for Chandler’s guitar sound. Just as with the debut album, Reager’s performance is front and centre on Die Healing also, yet this is never at the detriment of anything else on the record. For a guy who had straight up gone to ground for a decade, he appears to have just walked back into the studio like he had just nipped out for ten minutes to get a packet of cigarettes and some bourbon. There is no scenario in any parallel universe whereby Saint Vitus records this album with any other vocalist, and it works at all. He’s creepy to the point of having a skin-crawling effect. Tracks like ‘Dark World’, ‘Let the End Begin’ and ‘In the Asylum’ are perhaps unrivalled within my doom listening experience to date in terms of that true force being formed by this perfect marriage of the vocals and guitar.

Listen to the psychedelic musings on ‘Trail of Pestilence’ and just try and keep your jaw off the floor. Die Healing is a real all round band record though. For all the waxing lyrical I am doing about the vocals and guitar the album would not be anywhere near as successful without the drums of the late Armando Acosta and the bass of the also sadly departed Mark Adams. ‘Sloth’ might be one of the most appropriately named doom tracks in the history of the genre, it is so oppressively heavy it reaches the point of suffocation. It is albums like this that are the reason why I switched from The Guardians into The Fallen clan. The atmospheres here are so wonderfully threatening in such an effective yet completely inoffensive way; they are a genuine by product of the instrumentation, just so unforced sounding and organic in nature.

My only real criticism of the album is the lacklustre closing track. They should have closed the album with ‘In the Asylum’ in all honesty as anything trying to follow that was going to be struggling. ‘Just Another Notch’ is primetime filler unfortunately which even Reager’s vocals can’t save. Oddly, he sounds the tamest of all on this track in comparison to the others. Final track aside, there is much to be celebrated on Die Healing even if it marks the end of the band for at least a decade.

2026 was shaping up to be a sparse year on the black metal listening front.  After an exhausting 2025, keeping up with as many new releases as I could in black metal, I decided that 2026 would be a leaner year by all accounts.  In a month that has seen me purchase the new Mork album for my collection, it was not long before I could feel that familiar chill in my bones that could only be tempered by more chilling black metal music.  As my bm rotation began to grow, I soon found the international supergroup, Doedsvangr in front of me with their third album, Within Flesh.  Now, I must confess that I did not take an immediate shine to this record.  As my first foray into the band’s music, I was not feeling the vocals at all.  The spoken word aspect of them at first came across as sounding a bit dreary and dull as opposed to menacing.  Yet, soon enough, it was clear that the vocals are all part of the ravishing grimness of the record.  In fact, I would go as far to say that there are not many other styles of vocals that could outdo these in all honesty.

The real resplendent qualities of the record lie in those urgent tremolo riffs that dominate tracks such as ‘Omnipath’, or in those drums that appear straight forward in the first instance but are actually hitting some interesting patterns.  Then there’s the looming menace of ‘Blodskam’ with those spine-chilling choral keys that create atmosphere galore in the background.  Then I realised that this is the real sweet-spot for those vocals as they work like recitals of incantations that when uttered in the correct dialect can bring forth the darkest of evil from beyond.

Then artwork may possess some disappointment (incidentally the artwork clearly references the opening track on the record, ‘Devil Bites Man) but there’s very little of that spreading into the record it is pleasing to note.  Within Flesh has a fully formed sound to it.  One that I would expect to hear from a collective of such seasoned pro’s such as Shatraug, Sanrabb and Doedsadmiral.  It is a shame that I have no knowledge of prior releases to benchmark this one against.  As such it is able to be rated entirely off the back of its merits as a standalone record and is one that shows that when done correctly (most importantly by the correct people), black metal doesn’t have to be warped, combined with other styles or dumbed down by sterilising melodies to be effective.

I believe Ben showed me Emperor's third full-length while I had already entered the early stages of my decade-long hiatus from metal but I wouldn't fully explore "IX Equilibrium" for myself until a good decade after its release. I remember really liking it too, as I do now after revisiting it several times over the last decade & a half. It's certainly not the undeniable classic that 1994's wonderful "In the Nightside Eclipse" debut album (4.5/5) was but it compares fairly well with 1997's "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" sophomore release (4/5) & Emperor's split album with Enslaved (4/5) in my opinion.

Emperor were just a trio by this point with their iconic frontman Ihsahn (Hardingrock/Peccatum/Thou Shalt Suffer/Zyklon-B) being supported by only rhythm guitarist Samoth (Scum/The Wretched End/Arcturus/Gorgoroth/Satyricon/Thou Shalt Suffer/Zyklon/Zyklon-B) & drummer Trym (Enslaved/Zyklon) but their sound still has plenty going on. The Norwegians had toned down the symphonic component by this stage in their evolution so this is more of a conventional black metal record, although we are starting to see some more progressive elements starting to take shape here & there. If I'm being critical, I'd suggest that Trym's drum sound is far too clicky which highlights his deficiencies in timing but there can be no denying his sheer speed when he conducts his trademark blast beats. The otherworldly atmosphere that Emperor have built their careers on is still here but I don't think Ihsahn's vocals are quite as effective as they have been in the past & there certainly aren't as many highlight tracks. Closer "Of Blindness & Subsequent Seers" is the obvious exception & it takes you to all manner of weird & wonderful outlooks. "The Warriors of Modern Death", on the other hand, seems to be nothing more than a Viking-period Bathory tribute (complete with intentionally chaotic guitar solos) & is comfortably the least effective piece on the album, even if I do still kinda like it.

Ultimately, I can't deny that Emperor were still a class act but I don't think "IX Equilibrium" (or "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" for that matter) are tier one black metal releases. They sit very comfortably in the middle of the second tier which is still a more than respectable place to be. Let's just not kid ourselves that they retained their position at the top of the black metal pecking order for more than a few years. If pushed to choose sides, I would place "IX Equilibrium" slightly behind its predecessor & the Enslaved split but comfortably ahead of the 1992 "Wrath of the Tyrant" demo tape. I don't think it'll leave too many The North members disappointed & I'll continue to revisit it for years to come but I don't think it's the outright classic that many of you were probably hoping for after the huge success of "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk".

For fans of Limbonic Art, Ihsahn & Enslaved.

6 years is a long time to wait for a new album. When that happens, some bands try to make the ultimate comeback album. However, there are times when a band would just return with a short amount of tracks that may, in theory, disappoint fans. The new offering by these Canadian progressive metallers Protest the Hero, Within contains 6 full songs in just 36 minutes, almost like the EP Pacific Myth, but slightly longer and adding in two interludes which I guessed help cement it as a full-length studio album.

I don't blame the band for the somewhat slow progress, considering the turbulence in their lineup and health. But now, they can still display the heroes within them that shall be appreciated and never protested! Within reigns in excellent triumph despite its aforesaid short length and independent release.

"Mouthpiece" is an energetic rapid-fire way to kick off the album. The riffs and melodies will get you hooked, and d*mn, those lyrics hit hard, "In a world of vivid colour, our eyes are beaten grey". Then "Fishhook" is more punky in the music and attitude. The instrumentation and lyrical narrative really catch my attention. "Above" is the first interlude, sounding so emotional in the symphonics.

"Grandfather's Axe" is another kick-A track, adding in some thrash/speed aspects. The vocals by Rody Walker still impress me. "The Orchard" soars through as a pleasant standout. It ends with a soft serene outro sung by Jadea Kelly who has collaborated with the band in the past. Her most beautiful performance since in their debut Kezia!

"Below" is one more interlude to get you seated for what comes next. "Liberty Spike" accelerates through fast instrumentation and captivating lyrics, "A second song, for my first friend, whose loss this time, is permanent". Finally, "The Mariner" is the ambitious 7 and a half minute finale. Walker has clearly improved since his vocal issues that occured right before recording Palimpsest, and the lyrics and musical grandeur throw back to that album's highlights. Another album ends on an inspiring note!

Although Within can't beat the glory of the band's earlier albums like Kezia, it exemplifies their talent and passion within the music and lyrics. It shows that Protest the Hero are standing strong and powerful in just 36 minutes, which isn't that bad of an album length if you're up for repeated listening. They continue to hold their prog-metal ground!

Favorites: "Mouthpiece", "Grandfather's Axe", "The Orchard", "The Mariner"

I was originally introduced to these Dutch death metallers through Neuropath vocalist Mark Wangmann via their incredibly raw & intense 1992 debut album "Cross the Styx" (4/5) which I really enjoyed. This led to me picking up Sinister's classic 1993 sophomore record "Diabolical Summoning" (4.5/5) shortly after it was released & finding that the band had taken things to another level with that release becoming somewhat of an all-timer for me. For that reason, I was first in line to pick up Sinister's third album "Hate" as soon as it hit the shelves & it left me more than satisfied. In fact, I'm gonna suggest that it's Sinister's best release overall these days &, for that reason, you can probably find photos of me wearing a "Hate" t-shirt on stage during the middle of that decade. "Hate" sees the trio returning with a more controlled & mature sound that may be a touch less frantic & brutal but more than makes up for it in class & tightness. There's a major Cannibal Corpse influence throughout but this is a step up from anything those Buffalo extremists had produced to the time. The first couple of tracks are utterly devastating & so is closer "The Bloodfeast". Front man Mike van Mastrigt's (Houwitser) vocal delivery is powerful yet intelligible throughout, the riffs of Bart van Wallenberg are angular & interesting & the beats of drummer Aad Kloosterwaard (Houwitser/Thanatos), who is the MVP for me personally, are pummeling & super-tight. This is peak-time, elite-level mid-90's death metal at its finest & should be essential listening for all of our The Horde members.

For fans of Cannibal Corpse, Deicide & Monstrosity.