The North

One more please Ben:

Skuggor (Sweden)

July 2025

1. Bathory - "Enter the Eternal Fire" (from "Under the Sign of the Black Mark", 1987) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Norrhem - "Teräsmyrskyssä" (from "Aurinko ja teräs", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Enthroned - "Deny the Holy Book of Lies" (from "Prophecies of Pagan Fire", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

4. Trespasser - "To the Barricades!" (from "Чому не вийшло?", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

5. Immortal - "Storming Through Red Clouds and Holocaustwinds" (from "Pure Holocaust", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

6. Varathron - "Unholy Funeral" (from "His Majesty at the Swamp", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

7. Enslaved - "Lifandi liv undir hamri" (from "Vikingligr veldi", 1994) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Regnum Noricum - "Aminata Muscaria" (from "Lost Legacy", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

9. Groza - "Dysthymian Dreams" (from "Nadir", 2024) [submitted by Saxy]

10. Shylmagoghnar - "A New Dawn" (from "Emergence", 2014) [submitted by Andi]

11. Häxkapell - "Metamorfos" (from "Om jordens blod och urgravens grepp", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

12. Mystifier - "The Baphometic Goat of Knights Templar in the 12th Century" (from "Göetia", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

13. Niden Div. 187 - "A View in the Mirror Black" (from "Impergium", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

14. Lycopolis - "Lord of the Necropolis" (from "The Procession", 2021) [submitted by Sonny]

15. Mortuary Drape - "Evil Death" (from "Secret Sudaria", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

16. Void of Hope - "The Hollow Hymn" (from "Proof of Existence", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Deathspell Omega - "Wings of Predation" (from "Paracletus", 2010) [submitted by Sonny]

18. Summoning - "Beyond Bloodred Horizons" (from "Lugburz", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

19. Malokarpatan - "Ve starém mlyne čerti po nocách mariáš hrávajú" (from "Nordkarpatenland", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

20. Moonsorrow - "Pimeä" (from "Verisäkeet", 2005)

Beherit - "The Oath of Black Blood" (1991)

A compilation of two early war metal releases from these Finnish underground heroes. I'm not a huge fan of 1990's "Demonomancy" demo to tell you the truth but the "Dawn of Satan's Millenium" E.P. makes up for it with a more consistent level of execution. This is super-raw shit right here & you may struggle with it a bit if you haven't spent time in the tape trading scene of the 1980's & 1990's. I love those demonic vocals which were clearly an influence on what was to come. The grindcore influence is obvious at times & it's also worth remembering that this material was drawn from well before the Norwegian Second Wave of Black Metal explosion in 1992. Beherit's 1993 debut album "Drawing Down the Moon" was a clear step up from here but that's not to say that "The Oath of Black Blood" isn't worth seeking out if you're into the war metal sound.

For fans of Blasphemy, Archgoat & Von.

3.5/5

Demonomancy demo - 3/5

Dawn of Satan's Millennium E.P. - 3.5/5

There is no logical reason why I have not listened to Aeternus before this month’s feature release. Indeed, there is so much I enjoy on ...and So the Night Became by way of death metal influences as well as black metal as well, that it is almost criminal that I have never made effort to connect with them before this month. It has taken me the best of four decades of listening to metal to get around to Aeternus, but as they say, “better late than never”. What the sophomore album from Aeternus possesses is a density to the songwriting which evolves into the sound. I could see a danger of the album easily straying into overtly introspective passages. Opening track ‘There's No Wine like the Blood's Crimson’ is over thirteen minutes long and has such an epic and orchestral intro that you do start to wonder if this is going to be a little too grandiose for the palate. Thankfully, just as this fear hits the fringes of becoming palpable, the driving black metal kicks in.

This is pretty much the story of the album for me. This is a well-balanced album that uses pace well, introduces tracks appropriately and balances all these ideas nicely. It promises the epic, but for me never really stretches quite that far into proceedings with that ethos. Instead, it treads a thoughtful path that seems to have been given much consideration. As such, even the longer tracks hold value for their duration. ‘Warrior of the Crescent Moon’ carries every bit of poise that the tile suggests but is never over the top in its delivery. It charges consistently forwards, keeping check of the pace and allowing the track to level in the mind of the listener, so that when those soothing keys come in around the final minute or so of the track they feel absolutely at home, like they are simply guiding the track to its logical conclusion. That’s clever songwriting.

The Immortal style opening (and indeed continuation) on ‘When the Crows Shadow Falls’ is a joy to behold. This track for the most part is a raging beast in terms of the pace of the attack, but there remains that sense of restraint and control that somehow lets the glory of the music take precedent but never lets it runaway with itself. This is a wonderfully crafted track and probably my album highlight. With acoustic flourishes and rich melodic elements, this album is possibly one of my greatest hidden gem discoveries in recent years. Exuding Dissection levels of melody as it goes along, lavishing with layers of some Satyricon, Nemesis Divina displays of grandeur alongside the promise of progressive overtures from the likes of Borknagar to boot, there is a lot for me to like here.

5/5

Have finally had to kiss goodbye this classic Dissection hoodie which became too dodgy looking to wear out in public some time ago. I did the gardening in it this morning & it got so covered in thorns that I decided it was easier to simply toss it out than to remove them all effectively.

Thanks everyone.

Alcest - "Spiritual Instinct" (2019)

The sixth full-length from these French blackgaze gods probably isn't one of their finest releases to date but it's still worth checking out as there are no weak tracks included & it oozes of professionalism. I'd suggest that the track programming could have been a little better because the best material doesn't arrive until right at the end of the tracklisting with the very solid "Le miroir" & album highlight "Spitirual Instinct" being comfortably my pick of the six songs on offer. I don't think it's a coincidence that those two are also the only tracks that I'd call post-metal either as I've found myself appreciating that side of Alcest's sound a touch more than their signature blackgaze one here. I don't think I can see myself reaching for "Spiritual Instinct" over records like "Kodama", "Les voyages de l'âme" or "Souvenirs d'un autre monde" but it's certainly not a creative failure & is easily more rewarding than 2014's "Shelter".

For fans of Amesoeurs, Lantlôs & Deafheaven.

3.5/5

Krallice - Diotima (2011)

So, here is yet another example of the fact that I have no idea what I am talking about, or even what I like half the time. My only other exposure to Krallice was their 2015 album, Ygg Hur, to which I awarded a measly 2.5 stars. I remember said album as being a bit technical and a bit dissonant in the way that I didn't especially enjoy around that time. As such, I wasn't particularly enthused going  in to this, but it is actually pretty good and I enjoyed it a helluva lot. It is made up of fairly lengthy and repetitive tracks of muscular black metal that seem to have a beefiness derived from employing death metal production techniques. With the repetitious nature of the riffs and lengthy runtimes you would be forgiven for filing this away as atmospheric black metal but it isn't really as I don't think the repetition is deployed in a way as to create atmospheric layers, but rather to bludgeon the listener and make them feel like they have taken a metaphorical punch on the nose. There is some dissonance involved, but nothing too egregious and certainly not enough to put even my sensitivity to it on alert, just enough to add a bit of bite and edge to the tracks to prevent them becoming too warm and fuzzy. 

I don't want to give the impression that this is a boring slog of repetition, though, because the songwriting and composition of a track like "Telluric Rings" is much more accomplished and nuanced than that and is a fine of example of a band who want to make interesting black metal whilst still delivering on the darker side of the genre. The band employ two vocalists, the main one, I think, is guitarist Mick Barr whose vocals are a harsh bark in a more death metal style than the more familiarly thin shrieks of second vocalist, bassist Nicholas McMaster. Speaking of which, I must also make mention of McMaster's bass playing which is busily at work doing some serious heavy lifting for a fair bit of the runtime, not content to just follow the riffing, the bass weaves some quite complex patterns, adding some nice flavour to the musical mix.

I have got to say, I am quite impressed by Diotima and feel that maybe I have been unjustified in giving Krallice short shrift in the past. Every track is strong, but the aforementioned "Telluric Rings" sounds like something special to me and is possibly heading towards becoming a firm black metal favourite of mine. I notice that I am the first on here to rate it, but I strongly recommend a listen to most of the North regulars because, honestly, it is much better than I make it sound.

4.5/5

Fans of Austin Lunn will be happy to know that he will release Laurentian Blues on 15th August.  This is his eleventh full length and is released via Bindrune Recordings.  

I tend to agree with you Vinny. I've never been much of a fan of "Noregs vaapen" & don't think any of Taake's subsequent full-lengths are a match for their first three full-lengths to be honest.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT

1. Bathory - "Enter the Eternal Fire" (from "Under the Sign of the Black Mark", 1987) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Norrhem - "Teräsmyrskyssä" (from "Aurinko ja teräs", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

3. Enthroned - "Deny the Holy Book of Lies" (from "Prophecies of Pagan Fire", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

4. Trespasser - "To the Barricades!" (from "Чому не вийшло?", 2018) [submitted by Sonny]

5. Immortal - "Storming Through Red Clouds and Holocaustwinds" (from "Pure Holocaust", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

6. Varathron - "Unholy Funeral" (from "His Majesty at the Swamp", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

7. Enslaved - "Lifandi liv undir hamri" (from "Vikingligr veldi", 1994) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Regnum Noricum - "Aminata Muscaria" (from "Lost Legacy", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

9. Groza - "Dysthymian Dreams" (from "Nadir", 2024) [submitted by Saxy]

10. Shylmagoghnar - "A New Dawn" (from "Emergence", 2014) [submitted by Andi]

11. Häxkapell - "Metamorfos" (from "Om jordens blod och urgravens grepp", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

12. Mystifier - "The Baphometic Goat of Knights Templar in the 12th Century" (from "Göetia", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

13. Niden Div. 187 - "A View in the Mirror Black" (from "Impergium", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

14. Lycopolis - "Lord of the Necropolis" (from "The Procession", 2021) [submitted by Sonny]

15. Mortuary Drape - "Evil Death" (from "Secret Sudaria", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

16. Void of Hope - "The Hollow Hymn" (from "Proof of Existence", 2025) [submitted by Vinny]

17. Deathspell Omega - "Wings of Predation" (from "Paracletus", 2010) [submitted by Sonny]

18. Summoning - "Beyond Bloodred Horizons" (from "Lugburz", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

19. Malokarpatan - "Ve starém mlyne čerti po nocách mariáš hrávajú" (from "Nordkarpatenland", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

20. Moonsorrow - "Pimeä" (from "Verisäkeet", 2005)

Next playlist due September 2025

8 minutes of boring dark ambient which, apart from turning a half-hour EP into a full album, is uncalled for:

Native instruments such as the bandura are in superb balance with heavy riffing:

I have only just got round to this one and I am liking what I am hearing at this point. I will give it a few more spins and see if I can work a review up.

Mysterivm Xarxes - 'In Resonance with the Carnalized Manifestations' (2025)

In Resonance with the Carnalized Manifestations has been on my review list for what feels like months now. I mean, yes it was released way back in January and we are now well into May, but it feels like I have been toying with it for longer than the last nearly half a year. As I just start to remember why I usually find keeping up with the slew of new releases each year such a challenge, here I am finally committing my thoughts to review. With Austria not being my usual go to country for black metal, to find such a raw and intense experience that instantly recalls the jarring horror of Leviathan is a real treat. Indeed, first track proper, ‘Bound and Condemmed in the Chamber of Your Insignificance’ is as harsh and unforgiving as the track title suggests. It is clear from the off that if you are looking for some catchy, black ‘n roll style bm, you are in the wrong hole.

The crude melodicism of the dashing tremolos, which are generated by the guitarist just dashing their hand up and down the fretboard it seems, does bring an unexpected sense of underlying depth when you take time to listen critically. In fact, the more I listen to this EP the more it has grown. The EP format does not make this a smash ‘n grab bm release either, Homvnkvlvs does everything on Mysterivm Xarxes releases and his marauding style of black metal more than hints at thought and structure beneath the ghastlier aesthetic that he presents in his music. The melody is primitive to an almost pagan extent at times, but the fact is that the tracks are in a continued state of flux. The pacing and tempos change with a degree of regularity, keeping you guessing as to where tracks might be going next. By the time we get to the middle of third track ‘At the Threshold of Purification’ we are almost straying into a progressive build for a few bars before we descend back into raging black metal fury again.

Therefore, despite being only a little over thirty-one-minutes in duration, the EP feels very fulfilling. It is like everything that is wanting to be said is expelled in an enormously entertaining manner. The ambient sections work just as well as the more aggressive parts when they are given the floor. Keying up the final act of the release, instrumental number ‘Dawn of Inner Renewal’ does just enough with its gentle ambience to settle our nerves for one last foray into the rampant black metal of ‘Shards of Lasting Rememberance’. This last track comes charging out of the blocks like a possessed animal. That fearsomely strummed tremolo drives the track forward with unrelenting fury, all making for a satisfying end to fine release overall.

4/5

Dawn - "Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher" (1994)

Unlike many fans, I slightly prefer the debut album from these Swedes over their more widely celebrated 1998 third full-length "Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)". It's an extremely consistent record that's highlighted by some powerfully executed drumming from Karsten Larsson (Falconer/King of Asgard). Henke Forss' (Niden Div. 187) blackened shrieks are rip-roaring too which sees him nicely complimenting the sophisticated & melodic guitar riffs which showcase an early Emperor influence at times. There are no weak numbers included which makes it hard to ignore Dawn's claims in the melodic black metal space. I think most The North members will get something out of this one.

For fans of Sacramentum, Vinterland & Dissection.

4/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Melodic Black Metal Releases of All Time list:

01. Dissection – “Storm Of The Light’s Bane” (1995)

02. Rotting Christ – “Non Seriam” (1994)

03. Mare Cognitum – “Solar Paroxysm” (2021)

04. Les Chat de Nihil – “Le tyran et l’esthete” (2021)

05. Dawn - "Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher" (1994)

06. Dawn – “Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy)” (1998)

07. Iskald – “The Sun I Carried Alone” (2011)

08. Naglfar – “Teras” (2012)

09. Abigail Williams - "In The Absence Of Light" (2010)

10. Dissection - "The Somberlain" (1993)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/164

Another month flies by, which means it's time to select a new feature release for The North. This time, I've elected to go with the 1997's "Impergium" LP from the short-lived Swedish black metal outfit Niden Div. 187, featuring members of Dawn, Thy Primordial & A Canorous Quintet. Very much in opposition to the mentioned bands' epic & melodic leanings, this is a short (just under 26 minutes) & sweet slab of relentless black metal brutality that should satisfy fans of Legion-era Marduk, Sammath & Zyklon-B. Highly recommended!

https://metal.academy/releases/28870

I have done a couple of listens through to this and although I get the talent and the direction, it just doesn’t work for me.  For a start, the songs are too long and have far too much to say over their duration.  As a result they feel like a collection of ideas moulded (although not forcibly so) into whole songs.  I find myself losing interest pretty quickly to be honest and then I get snapped back into the room by a more beautiful or interesting moment.  I even tried the bedtime black metal trick, where I sit in bed with headphones on and listen to something in the dark, yet this still didn’t keep me present with the album.

I like my folk music now and again (in fact, increasingly so of late) but I almost just want this to be all folk or all black metal really.  As I say, clearly a talent, but not one that is resonating with me.

2/5

Drudkh - 'Shadow Play' (2025)

Drudkh tailed off for me not long after Microcosmos. A Handful of Stars was a poor follow up to 2009’s triumph of a release and I progressively lost interest in the band. In writing this review, I looked back at some of my ratings for what has come after 2010 and found that on the few I had rated, I had little if any memory of what they sounded like (ratings on relevant releases have therefore been deleted from MA). Whereas I would have once looked forward to a Drudkh album, I found news of Shadow Play arriving landing with a less than muted applause. For me it almost feels like Drudkh have said everything I wanted to hear on their first few records. Those first four albums were the band’s golden run in my book and although they most certainly do have albums outside of that window of releases that I enjoy, I sensed that Shadow Play was not going to see me reaching for the higher end of the scoring range.

My fears were confounded by the frankly boring album opener ‘Scattering the Ashes’, a seven-minute plus track that is frankly one of the dullest pieces of music the Ukranians have ever written. I get the sound of the footfalls in the snow are of someone carrying an urn, however the track itself goes nowhere in between the footfalls that bookend the instrumental. Not a positive start then. Hold on though, both ‘April’ and ‘The Exile’ immediately get me interested in the album again with their driving rhythms and charging pace. The riffs seem to wrap effortlessly around one another, seemingly at home regardless of the tempo being deployed at the time. The rich melody that Drudkh are famous for is certainly still at the forefront of their music. The sound of the guitar alongside Roman’s grim vocals are familiar and welcome sounds. There’s a jangle to a Drudkh tremolo that sometimes sounds like a 60’s psychedelic rock jam. As we get onto the halfway point of the album, things are looking up.

I would go as far as to say that the previous two tracks are a couple of the best songs Drudkh have pulled together in a long time. Solid and memorable, urgent and pressing, as well as sounding like they are performed with passion and guile. ‘Fallen Blossom’ introduces a more aggressive sound, not dissimilar to the overall sound of album The Swan Road. Whilst the melody is still obvious, there is a harsher, colder edge to it on here. Even when the track seems to settle down into a rhythm, it still feels oppositional. The keys do little to soothe this abrasive edge, seeming to support its threat and intent with menacing atmospheres. The track builds into a tumultuous mass of tremolos and percussion, never taking its foot off the gas for the final third of the song. A more melodic opening greets us on ‘The Eve’, even if we are still seeing no signs of the pace letting up in the first instance. At this point I did start to wonder if some variety was missing here, but just as the demons started to have me doubting Drudkh, there’s a swell of accessible, more leniently paced melodies that is cleverly given space to breath and develop before becoming consumed again in the more raging torrents of the track. There is great use of pacing here, even though I missed this on my first few listens, it seems so obvious as I listen through on my review write-up.

Album closer, ‘The Thirst’ sounds like there may be some folk instruments at play in the raging mix that starts the track. I cannot see anything listed other than guitars and keyboards, so it may just be clever use of the keys, but I hear some light droning warbling in the background that seems to be a different pitch to the tremolo that I would normally attribute such sound too. In the end though, Shadow Play is not an album that needs much in the way of expansion. It says what it needs to say very well without much in the way of thrills being needed. It is one of the most consistent Drudkh albums that I have heard in a while and it really is only let down by that lifeless opening track which thankfully soon becomes a distant memory as the real quality of the album soon starts to take over.

4.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Satyricon - "Du som hater gud" (from "Nemesis Divina", 1996) [submitted by Karl]

2. Desaster - "In the Ban of Satan's Sorcery" (from "Hellfire's Dominion", 1998) [submitted by Sonny]

3. Kvist - "Stupet" (from "For kunsten maa vi evig vike", 1996) [submitted by Vinny]

4. Emperor - "Night of the Graveless Souls" (from "Emperor", 1993) [submitted by Karl]

5. Satanic Warmaster - "Harken the Bells of Damnation" (from "Exultation of Cruelty", 2024) [submitted by Vinny]

6. Dawn - "Sorrow Flew on Black Wings" (from "Sorgh på svarte vingar fløgh", 1996) [submitted by Karl]

7. Primordial - "The Mouth of Judas" (from "Redemption at the Puritan's Hand, 2011) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Oubliette - "Desolate Path" (from "Eternity Whispers", 2024) [submitted by Saxy S]

9. Stormlord - "Under the Samnites' Spears" (from At the Gates of Utopia, 2001) [submitted by Andi]

10. Black Witchery - "Barbarism Domination" (from "Inferno of Sacred Destruction", 2010) [submitted by Sonny]

11. Revenge - "Revelation Emaciated (Chalice Abominate)" (from "Violation.Strife.Abominate", 2025) [submitted by Sonny]

12. Ungfell - "Im Ruusch" (from "De Ghörnt", 2024) [submitted by Vinny]

13. Sorcier des Glaces - "The Winter Nightsky" (from "Snowland", 1998) [submitted by Karl]

14. Saor - "Glen of Sorrow" (from "Amidst the Ruins", 2025)

15. møl - "Jord" (from "Jord", 2018)

16. Majestic Mass - "Sanguine Dreams of Lust" (from "Savage Empire of Death", 2018)

17. Ieschure - "Cold Stars of Eternity" (from "Cold Stars of Eternity" EP, 2020) [submitted by Sonny]

18. Inferi (ARG) - "Marked with Our Ancestors Blood" (from "The Awakening of the Black Hordes", 2005) [submitted by Karl]

19. Ruïm - "Fall of Seraphs" (from "Black Royal Spiritism - I - O Sino da lgreja", 2023) [submitted by Vinny]

20. Demoncy - "Risen from the Ancient Ruins" (from "Empire of the Fallen Angel: Eternal Black Dominion", 2015) [submitted by Karl]

21. Helheim - "raunijaR" (from "raunijaR", 2015)

Here's my review summary:

What makes Stormlord stand out in the symphonic black metal pack is the lyrics centered around Italian mythology, and it fits well for when the music alternates between melodic and thrashy. At the Gates of Utopia is the band's second album and their first with the locally popular Scarlet Records after a decade in the underground. Many songs have an epic black metal structure of fast guitars and drums occasionally slowing down for a gloomy section. Even people like me who aren't into black metal that much can enjoy this power and glory. There's also some dramatic choir and male operatic singing. Still we have great speed in the guitars, bass, and drums, in conjunction with the epic atmosphere. As amazing as At the Gates of Utopia is, I still don't feel up to switching back to the on side of my on-off relationship with black metal. Nonetheless, this is the best I've heard from symphonic black metal in a long while, particularly in some highly memorable tracks including the title intermission. As for a couple tracks, they rule too but could've had less forced ideas. With all that said, power metal-ish symphonic black metal might just be worth it for any metal listener!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Under the Samnites' Spears", "Xanadu (A Vision in a Dream)", "At the Gates of Utopia", "The Curse of Medusa", "The Secrets of the Earth"

For fans of: Arcturus' 1996 debut, Bal-Sagoth, Demoniac (the pre-DragonForce band formed in New Zealand)

Ben, Sonny, Xephyr, Rex....this amazing offering of power metal-ish symphonic black metal might just be worth you guys' time:

Gorgoroth:

1. Under the Sign of Hell
2. Pentagram
3. Antichrist
4. Destroyer
5. The Last Tormentor / Bergen 1996
6. A Sorcery Written in Blood demo
7. Quantos possunt ad Satanitatem trahunt
8. True Norwegian Black Metal - Live in Grieghallen
9. Incipit Satan
10. Instinctus bestialis
11. Under the Sign of Hell 2011
12. Ad majorem Sathanas gloriam
13. Twilight of the Idols

I honestly think they managed to avoid dipping below a certain level of quality across the whole discography. I'd suggest that even the lowest placed records on the list ain't that bad, although I certainly am biased as far as this band goes - Gorgoroth were my first love when it comes to extreme metal, and I will always place them among the highest deities of my metal pantheon. I hope we're going to hear from them once more - it's been 10 years already since "Instinctus bestialis" and I wouldn't mind at all to witness yet another "Rebirth".

Edit: For every connoisseur of Infernus' unique riff attack, allow me to recommend some 2024 releases to scratch the itch a bit:

1. Förgjord (FIN) - "Perkeleen weri"

2. Sørgelig (GRE) - "Φθορά"

3. Isolert (GRE) - "Wounds of Desolation"

How's it going, fellas, as it is my turn to nominate the featured release for The North, I would like to, once again, use the opportunity to introduce you to one of my personal highlights of 2024, this time of the black metal variety. My pick this time is going to be the second full-length from the New York-based conventional black metal crew Spite, "The Third Temple". The album offers a nice marriage between the Immortal-esque melodic riffing against the backdrop of cozy pre-Norwegian warmth and heavy/speed metal tendencies reminiscent of the likes of Master's Hammer and Grand Belial's Key. The lyrical themes form another link with the latter, concerning ancient biblical tales and Jewish mysticism, although notably without the antisemitic component that is notorious of GBK. All in all, I've found plenty to enjoy on this record - let me know what you think!

https://metal.academy/releases/55216

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

Tracklist:

1. Bathory - "A Fine Day To Die" (from "Blood Fire Death, 1988) [submitted by Sonny]

2. Dark Funeral – “My Dark Desires” (from “Dark Funeral” E.P., 1994) [submitted by Daniel]

3. Kampfar - "Kledd i brynje og smykket blodorm" (from "Mellom skogkleedde aaser", 1997) [submitted by Karl]

4. Novembre – “Let Me Hate” (from “Dreams d’azur”, 2002) [submitted by Daniel]

5. The Great Old Ones - "Me, the Dreamer" (from "Kadath", 2024) [submitted by Vinny]

6. Keep of Kalessin - "Obliterator" (from "Reclaim", 2003)

7. Black Anvil - "On Forgotten Ways" (from "As Was", 2017) [submitted by Sonny]

8. Ragnarok - "Minner om svunne tider" (from "Nattferd", 1995) [submitted by Karl]

9. Imber Luminis - "We Are Not Free" (from "Nausea", 2017)

10. Ellende - "Ballade Auf Den Tod" (from "Todbringer", 2016) [submitted by Vinny]

11. Al-Namrood - "Kail be mekialain" (from "Wala'at", 2020)

12. Aggressa – “VooDoo Doll” (from “Nuclear Death” E.P., 1988) [submitted by Daniel]

13. Kvlthammer - "Hounds" (from "Kvlthammer", 2014)

14. Gehenna - "Morningstar" (from "First Spell", 1994) [submitted by Sonny]

15. Bestial Warlust – “At the Graveyard of God” (from “Vengeance War ‘Till Death”, 1994) [submitted by Daniel]

16. Angantyr - "De dødes valg" (from "Indsigt", 2024) [submitted by Karl]

17. Impaled Nazarene – “Steelvagina” (from “Suomi Finland perkele”, 1994) [submitted by Daniel]

18. Barshasketh - "Nitimur in vetitum" (from "Antinomian Asceticism", 2025) [submitted by Sonny]

19. The Black – “The Black Opal Eye” (from “The Priest of Satan”, 1994) [submitted by Daniel]

20. Смрт - "U raljama košave" (from "Na utrini", 2024) [submitted by Karl]

21. No Point In Living - "The Path To the End" (from "The Cold Night", 2017)

The next playlist for The North will be published at the beginning of April, so suggestions in by 15th March please.

Abigail Williams - In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns

Genre: Symphonic Black Metal

This debut album is basically what would happen if a bunch of metalheads discovered real extremities for the first time, decided that Born of Osiris was just as good as Emperor, and then thought they would be the coolest thing on Earth if they decided to mash the two.  Well, they didn't end up the coolest thing on Earth, but it's not that bad of a debut.

The most important thing to keep in mind are the veterans these guys got to help with the album, notable a couple of metal veterans: Emperor drummer Tryn, and metal producer James Murphy.  High grade celebs.  The worst thing to keep in mind is the constant deathcore-infusion, which the symphonics can't quite drown out.  The writing itself is pretty good, going into a lot of complex and unpredictable parts while maintaining a constant vibe.  But with the album always switching between another blast beat, violins and the bare essentials that symphonic black metal needs, it pretty much becomes 46 minutes of the same thing; it's variations of the same song that gradually get less original and slightly worse overtime.  Now this doesn't mean the album eventually sucks.  In fact, the first two songs: The World Beyond and Acolytes, are actually very good.  Acolytes is almost incredible in a way, largely due to a keen awareness of what extreme metal needs to sound like.  Obviously, we have our two veterans to thank for that.  But eventually, the album bears the same originality as any Fleshgod Apocalypse album.  Thankfully, there's one shining example of great writing on side B: Empyrean.  That song really carries some of the Emperor spirit and is one of the heavier tracks.  I might even say it's my favorite song on that album.

So, starts of great, finishes decent, has instances of brilliance.  Stays brutally heavy throughout, and beautifully produced.

82/100

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The North for 2024.

Below are some of the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2024 The North Cover of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

The following link will take you to the Gallery, displaying the top North releases that you have not rated yet: CLICK HERE

Got around to the Sargeist tune today. That is fucking great and fits right in. Good Swap IMO!

Here is my review:

Knowing nothing of Code, I did my due diligence and it turns out that they are from the UK, or at least founding member (and only remaining member of the lineup that recorded Nouveau Gloaming), Aort, is. He began the band as a solo project called Seaonal Code in 1998, recording a number of demos before shortening the name to Code and expanding the lineup by bringing in fellow Brit Kvohst as vocalist and recording a further demo in 2002. Further expansion to a five-piece with the addition of US guitarist, Vyttra and a norwegian rhythm section of bassist Viper and drummer AiwarikiaR, saw the release of this, their debut, in 2005.

An initial, cursory listen-through reveals something a little unusual with Nouveau Gloaming, which is the liberal use of clean vocals on what is, essentially, a black metal album. Not exclusively, to be sure, but enough to make the listener sit up and take notice. Kicking off with opener, "The Cotton Optic", things begin fairly conventionally with a very tightly-performed slice of conventional black metal which has a memorable, medium-paced riff that wouldn't sound out of place on a Satyricon album. Very soon, though, things take a different turn with second track "Brass Dogs" being the first to feature the aforementioned clean vocals. It starts and ends with a crackling sound and those clean vocals, recorded very thinly, as if playing on an old record player through cheap speakers. A fairly ominous and slow-tempo tremolo riff joins in along with sluggish drum beats to provide accompaniment to the, obviously deliberately, oddly-produced and slightly disorientating vocals. This is quite a stange track and it does have a kind of disconcerting effect on the listener, which, after the fairly conventional and accessible opener made me wonder where Code would be taking us next.

"An Enigma In Brine" has a post-black feeling to it, with the tremolo riffs forming a wall of sound, alternating clean and harsh vocals and a slow tempo, with lumbering drumbeats, eventually building in tempo and intensity. This is followed by "A Cloud-Formed Teardrop Asylum" which begins with a liturgical chant vibe and those increasingly familiar clean vocals before turning in a progressive black direction that feels a little like the kind of track latter-day Enslaved would be very comfortable with, sounding both epic and poignant, although I felt it ended a little too abruptly.

I think by now you get the picture that this is not exactly your typical black metal album, but something far broader in scope, with a diversity of structure and texture from track to track. It must be said, however, that the album as a whole, despite the individual tracks' diversity does have a coherent and cohesive tone and atmosphere, with a general feeling of discomfort and unease generated by the feeling that something is somehow amiss. I see that the band later went in a more progressive direction and that is certainly hinted at here in their earliest work as even this early on they seem to be seeking to breach the boundaries and constrictions of their chosen genre. Technically the band sound consumately accomplished to my untrained ear and their songwriting is forward-looking and ambitious, building a fairly unique atmosphere with their musical abilities rather than relying on production techniques to do the heavy-lifting atmosphere-wise as some are wont to do. The production is exceedingly clear and allows each member ample exposure in the mix.

I must admit I am very pleasantly surprised by Nouveau Gloaming as I was unaware of the UK having been the home of such a unique black metal release. It is both accessible and thoughtful, whilst still generating the kind of uneasy air that great black metal is so consummately suited for and is one of the UK's more interesting black metal efforts.

4/5

Yeah, I don't mind them too much and still like the debut album, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh, along with my personal favourite Middian and Nymphetamine is OK. I don't really think they have been classed as black metal for many a year now, gothic metal being the most usual tagging for them. 

Do you also hear a bit of an industrial sound here too, Daniel, particularly in the machine-like dehumanisation of tracks like the title track and "Ikikäärme"?

I do but I wouldn't say that it's worthy of aq secondary tag as it's not all that prominent in the overall direction of the album. The psychedelic side of the Oranssi Pazuzu sound has certainly been pushed to the back this time though, hasn't it? I'm gonna put up a Hall of Judgement poll to have the album put into The North at some stage today so make sure that you vote in that mate.

I just finished reviewing the latest Paysage d'Hiver album & it's another classic in my opinion. It honestly had the potential to be one of the all-time great black metal records if not for one flaw which I go into detail about but, as it stands, I'm gonna place it in second place for my The North award, slightly behind Oranssi Pazuzu (if we end up counting it here of course).

Then we have Drudkh and Immortal too boot, again with tracks pulled from two great albums. 

Yeah, those Drudkh & Immortal tracks are both very solid, aren't they?  The whole "Autumn Aurora" album is too actually but I have to admit that I've never considered "Sons of Northern Darkness" to be anything more than decent. I think it's just a little more melodic & accessible than I'd like from Immortal to be honest. I certainly get some enjoyment out of it but I rarely feel like returning to it when I have their more aggressive material to turn to.

Could not get on with that Bathory track

I don't mind that track actually. In fact, I don't mind a good two-thirds of the songs on "Requiem" but the other third is bad enough to see me generally steering well clear.

The Slaughter Lord inclusion is probably my favourite song from them. Anyone that thinks that war metal came about through Blasphemy in 1989 should take a listen to that track & some of the early Sarcofago demo tapes in my opinion.

Just for reference, if you are checking this out on Spotify, they have made a right cock-up of the track listing. The short intro track isn't on the original album and they have all the titles wrong - track 2 on Spotify is actually "Bestial Warlust", track 3 is "Dweller of the Bottomless Pit" and so on, until you get to track 6 which is "Hammering Down the Law of the New Gods" / "Holocaust Wolves of the Apocalypse" with the first part being a short intro.

I'm glad you mentioned that because I based my review on the Spotify version so have had to change my track references now. It was bloody confusing while listening to the album as my recollections of my enjoyment of each track were drastically out of whack.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Stiriah - Sterbend im Nebel (from Portal, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

2. Yoth Iria - We Call Upon the Elements (from Blazing Inferno, 2024)

3. Aara - Senkrechte Welten (from Senkrechte Welten, 2024)

4. Emperor - Wrath of the Tyrant (from Emperor, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

5. Furia - Ptaki Ida (from Nocel, 2014) [Submitted by Xephyr]

6. Labrynthus Stellarum - The Light of Dying Worlds (from Vortex of the Worlds, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Sørgelig - Those of the Depths (from Φθορά, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

8. Panzerfaust - Occam's Fucking Razor (from The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion, 2024)

9. Watain - The Limb Crucifix (from Rabid Death’s Curse, 2000) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Gargul - Gallows (from Gallows, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

11. Horna - Haudanusva (from Perimä vihassa ja verikostossa, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Veilburner - Ill Visions of Hex-Shaped Hiss, Behead the Howling Spirit (from The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom, 2024)

13. Necrowretch - Dii Mauri (from Swords of Dajjal, 2024) [Submitted by Xephyr]

14. Dark Horizon - Secrets of the Nightmare Prophecies (from Darkness Falls upon Mankind, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

15. Nargaroth - Black Metal ist Krieg (from Black Metal ist Krieg, 2001) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Saor - Amidst the Ruins (from Amidst the Ruins, 2024)

17. Imperial Triumphant - Hotel Sphinx (from Hotel Sphinx, 2024)

18. Isolert - The End of Beauty (from Wounds of Desolation, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

19. Enslaved - Slaget I skogen bortenfor (from Hordanes Land, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

I was already across this release as we headed into November and so seeing it added to the feature roster lined it up nicely for review. As those folky rich melodies sent my brain into a near trace-like state, I did start to question my credentials as a nail coated wristband wearing black metal fan. But then I remembered my enjoyment of Mare Cognitum and Darkspace and convinced myself that my icy soul was no nearer to being thawed as I first feared. The inclusion of such a heavy amount of synths is perhaps the most challenging part of Vortex of the Worlds yet at the same time it would not work as well as an album without them. They do sound incredibly artificial and are without doubt the main culprit in steering the album away from the more extreme boundaries of black metal, but I find at the same time they are relatively easy to make peace with given their obvious contribution to such a rich and luscious soundscape.

When taken out of consideration for a moment, the synths are far from the only positive element of the instrumentation. The tremolo riffing is excellent (Transcendence) both in isolation and also in accompaniment to everything else. When paired with vocals, they ground the album in the more familiar and safe territory of atmo-black. The programmed drums do not go unnoticed, but are hardly a problem either as I do not believe that Labyrinthus Stellarum wrote Vortex of the Worlds with any desire to focus on percussion. The lack of bass is the only real issue I have as it does makes things sound unnecessarily sterile and gives those synths an almost smothering edge at times. There is a rumbling "something" in the background but I would suggest it is just the intentionally density added in the production to mask the lack of bass.

My instinct suggests that Labyrinthus Stellarum will move too far away from a core black metal sound in subsequent releases to this one. For now, Vortex of the Worlds is a sensible gateway into that vortex that I sense will soon lose some of its appeal in the coming records. I am more than happy to celebrate the successes of this record though and acknowledge its bravery in sticking to its ideals and values. It retains a unique edge without dropping into a Summoning level of repetition and genuinely has some exciting and intense moments that standout. The songwriting suggests that particular methodology is sound enough as the crescendos mid-track are effective and create some of the strongest moments in the record. The album has grown on me with repeated listens but I can sense that looming distance is coming still.

3.5/5

 I am familiar with the Walknut and Satyricon tracks and it was fantastic to hear them again.

I absolutely love "Walk the Path of Sorrow" & my recent revisit of "Dark Medieval Times" has only further fueled those flames. It's the only genuine classic on that record in my opinion. I could have picked a number of tracks from "Graveforests & Their Shadows" actually but the extra aggression in the shorter closing track gave it a slight edge over the other more solid inclusions on that album.

I don't mind DMT, but The Shadowthrone is my favourite Satyricon album if you don't count the The Forest Is My Throne / Yggdrasill split with Enslaved.

Here's my review:

Popular Swedish black metallers Watain first came to my attention around fifteen years ago through their 2003 sophomore album "Casus Luciferi", an experience that I really enjoyed which saw me venturing either side of it to indulge in the band's first & third albums in 2000's "Rabid Death's Curse" & 2007's "Sworn to the Dark". The latter offered me a similar level of appeal to "Casus Luciferi" & saw my interest in Watain being well & truly maintained while their debut album "Rabid Death's Curse" delivered a milder brand of entertainment which didn't encourage me to seek out repeat visits. Watain have very much lost their way with me since that time with the 2010's not treating them very well at all. Even my couple of live experiences have been fairly lacklustre to tell you the truth but things started to look up again with 2022's "The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain" seventh album which was their best work in a long time. It's been eons since I heard the Swede's first-up effort though & this month's feature release nomination would seem like as good a time as any to reassess the merits of Watain's early sound.

The production job on "Rabid Death's Curse" isn't amazing. I guess it's nothing out of the ordinary by black metal standards but Håkan Jonsson's drum sound is terribly lacklustre while bassist Erik Danielsson's vocals could probably have been better highlighted. It took me a listen or two to get used to but I eventually found myself coming to terms with it. This is a different sounding Watain to the one that most fans have flocked to anyway though as it's much less melodic & entirely more traditional in its take on the classic black metal sound. You won't find too many dalliances with Dissection-style melodics here as there are relatively few risks taken on "Rabid Death's Curse", so much so that I'd argue that most of us would likely not have come across this release if it had sported a different band moniker on the front cover. Most of this material goes for broke on the higher tempo blasting with much less time afforded to eerie atmospherics. There's a clear tendency to want to portray themselves as being "evil" too & it's easy to see that Watain were still fairly young & immature at this early stage with the band all still sitting within an age bracket of 18-20.

The biggest obstacle that I faced with "Rabid Death's Curse" can be found in the drumming of Jonsson. He clearly seems to fancy himself as a Marduk-style blaster but his ability to deliver on that concept falls noticeably short of the mark with his blast beats being very messy indeed. This flaw takes a lot of the gloss off of those sections & leaves me with the clear understanding that early Watain were at their best when they showed more restraint by slowing things down a touch. Guitarists Pelle Forsberg & C. Blom produce some more than acceptable black metal riffs here although they aren't always terribly original in how they go about creating them. You see, Watain were a little late to the table to get away with producing an album that sounds this familiar with the Scandinavian scene having well & truly peaked during the middle of the previous decade. Still... there's something about the classic black metal model that lends itself to well produced emulation, isn't there?

"Rabid Death's Curse" is essentially a flat line when it comes to quality & consistency with all eight tracks included sitting at pretty much the same standard. This leaves the listener with a tough task when trying to identify favourites amongst this lot as there are no clear highlights. In saying that though, there are no creative failures to speak of either so I've found myself enjoying the whole album, at least once I'd found a way past my issues with the blast beats. If I had to pick a few of the stronger songs then I'd probably go for opener "The Limb Crucifix", "Life Dethroned" & "On Horns Impaled" but I could just as easily have selected any of the other five songs too given how closely they sit to each other.

Despite the consistency in the tracklisting, there's can be no denying that Watain were not a top tier act at this stage of their evolution. In fact, I'd suggest that they sat smack-bang in the middle of the third tier which is where I place most of the artists that give me mild enjoyment without commanding much in the way of replay value. The Swedes would quickly improve on that position over the course of their next two full-lengths but I'd still suggest that "Rabid Death's Curse" was an acceptable first-up effort for a young band that was still discovering their own capabilities. It may not make any sort of bold creative statement but it does showcase an understanding for the genre from an aesthetic point of view with the atmosphere being suitably dark & grim & the song-writing being attractive enough to keep me engaged. The band would return much better for the run in three years time, this time having dropped guitarist Blom for a new three-piece lineup, & would begin their attempts at global domination with what I consider to be their best record, so one gets the feeling that "Rabid Death's Curse" was an essential stepping-stone in that process. It's just not necessarily an essential one for your average black metal listener, even if I think it's definitely worth a spin or three.

For fans of Valkyrja, Mayhem & Ondskapt.

3.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Dreamless Veil - Dim Golden Rave (from Every Limb of the Flood, 2024)

2. Necrowretch - Total Obilteration (from Swords of Dajjal, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Samael - Rebellion (from Rebellion, 1995) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Horna - Hymni I (from Nyx - Hymnejä yölle, 2024)

5. Firtan - Arkanum (from Ethos, 2024)

6. Satanic Warmaster - Bafomet (from Aamongandr, 2022) [Submitted by Karl]

7. Unanimated - Blackness of the Fallen Star (from In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Winterfylleth - Upon This Shore (from The Imperious Horizon, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Spite Extreme Wing - Acqua di fonte di gloria (from Magnificat, 2003) [Submitted by Karl]

10. Vafurlogi - Reikul vofa (from Í vökulli áþján, 2024)

11. Impaled Nazarene - Hate (from Ugra-Karma, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Marduk - Those of the Unlight (from Those of the Unlight, 1993) [Submitted by Karl]

13. Agrypnie - Aus rauchlosem Feuer (from erg, 2024)

14. Sorhin - Livets löfte (from Apokalypsens ängel, 2000) [Submitted by Karl]

15. Rotting Christ - The 4th Knight of Revelation (from Thy Mighty Contract, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Groza - Dysthymian Dreams (from Nadir, 2024)

17. Beherit - Lord of Shadows & Golden Wood (from Drawing Down The Moon, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Trelldom - Fra Mitt Gaml (from Til Minne…, 2007) [Submitted by Vinny]

19. Funeral Mist - Funeral Mist (from Devilry, 1998) [Submitted by Karl]

20. Ellende - Scherben Teil I (from Todbringerin, 2024)

Here's my review:

I wasn't surprised in the slightest to find Ben nominating the sole album from Moscow-based atmospheric black metallers Walknut for feature release status this month as he's been raving about it for a good fifteen years now. In fact, it was one of a whole bunch of releases that he recommended to me to explore upon my return to metal in 2009 so I've been well across it for a long time now & have given it a number of return visits over that period. As with most siblings, my tendency is always to want to slam something that Ben adores as my first point of call so I probably went into my first listen to "Graveforests & Their Shadows" with a level of defensiveness & subsequently found myself taking little away from the experience which allowed my to give Ben the smug feedback I'd always intended on giving (i.e. "I dunno what you see in this bro. You can't even hear the riffs!") but time & repeat listens have seen me gaining a strong affection for this Russian artist, if not to the same stratospheric levels as Ben or Sonny.

Walknut is the solo project of Anton Svyagir who goes by the pseudonym of StringsSkald. He's fairly well known in the underground for his work with other Russian black metal acts like Forest, Nitberg & Темнозорь who you may be aware of but "Graveforests & Their Shadows" is by far his most celebrated work. This sole album sees him collaborating with Темнозорь lyricist & Stellar Winter Records owner Gorruth (known as Ravnaskrik for this project) who provides him with well-articulated stories of icy landscapes & tortured souls with which to layer over his lo-fi black metal instrumentation. I've often been critical of the use of the atmospheric black metal subgenre tag in recent years as it seems to have lost a lot of its meaning with people failing to understand its original intent & attempting to chuck it over far too many conventional black metal releases for my liking. But the tag fits the Walknut sound like a tailored glove as "Graveforests & Their Shadows" is far more about texture & subtlety than it is blasphemy & brutality & it does a great job at creating a fantasy world in which the listener can almost see, touch & feel the scenes being portrayed in Ravnaskrik's lyrics.

The lo-fi production job employed is nothing unusual for the atmospheric black metal subgenre but it's certainly well done on this occasion. I still maintain that the guitar riffs are quite difficult to pick out of the mix when taken in isolation as they're used more for texture than they are for melodic direction. It's the keyboards that are layered over the top that are tasked with giving the guitars their melodic context & this technique works quite well, contributing to the album's unique character. The tempos are generally fairly restrained with minimal use of blast-beats & three of the six tracks exceed the ten-minute mark which isn't all that uncommon for releases of this type. Stringsskald's tortured screams are another highlight as he sounds genuinely inhuman a lot of the time which only adds to the frostbitten atmosphere. Unlike a lot of European black metal though, Walknut's fuzzy musical tapestries feel somehow comfortable & you don't get the feeling that the intent was to suffocate or intimidate the listener. There's a warmth to be found in all of the frost if you know what I mean & I feel that this element is what makes the Walknut album stand out from the wealth of similar releases on the market.

The tracklisting kicks off with a well-executed one-minute ambient piece called "Hrimfaxi" that I really enjoy before taking off into the proper black metal material. Of the five metal songs, there are a few that stand out as highlights but all are worth listening to. The more expansive pieces like "Come, Dreadful Ygg" & "Grim Woods" are excellent examples of their type but I think it's the more upfront & aggressive four-minute instrumental closer "Skinfaxi" that appeals to me the most which is perhaps not all that surprising. Opener "Motherland Ostenvegr" is probably the most popular track but I rank it slightly below these other three along with the ridiculously titled "The Midnightforest of the Runes". It's a very consistent album overall though with the entire 43-minute runtime being worth exploring.

I've said a lot of positive things about "Graveforests & Their Shadows" so far, haven't I? And four-stars is more than respectable rating. But why don't I regard Walknut's lone album as highly as some of our other members by placing it up on a pedestal with the absolute cream of the black metal crop then? I think it's to do with some of the melodic ideas portrayed in the instrumentation to be honest. As well-executed as this material is, I often find that the motifs don't quite fully connect with me in the same way as peers like Paysage d'Hiver or Burzum do when they're at their best & it's important to me that I save my elite ratings for releases that I regard as being genuinely life-changing. The programmed drums are fairly obvious too which does detract from the overall package a touch, although I admittedly find myself getting more used to them with each listen. Nonetheless, "Graveforests & Their Shadows" is an excellent example of the atmospheric black metal subgenre & if that's something that you usually dig then I have no doubt that you've find a lot of enjoyment in it.

For fans of Drudkh, Ygg & Wędrujący Wiatr.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Pestilential Shadows - Devil's Hammer (from Devil's Hammer, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

2. Spectral Wound - Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal (from Songs of Blood and Mire, 2024)

3. Impaled Nazarene - I Al Purg Vompo: My Blessing (The Beginning Of The End) (from Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz…, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Schammasch - They Have Found Their Master (from They Have Found Their Master, 2024)

5. Ljå - Til Satan (from Til avsky for livet, 2006) [Submitted by Karl]

6. Aetheria Conscientia - The Blossoming (from The Blossoming, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Korgonthurus - Syyttäjäenkeli (from Kuolleestasyntynyt, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Oranssi Pazuzu - Valotus (from Valotus, 2024)

9. Véhémence - L'étrange clairière (from Par le sang versé, 2019) [Submitted by Karl]

10. Mystifier - An Elizabethan Devil Worshipper's Prayer Book (from Göetia, 1993)

11. Havohej - Fucking of Sacred Assholes (from Dethrone the Son of God, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. In Aphelion - A Winter Moon's Gleam (from Reaperdawn, 2024)

13. Hulder - Hearken the End (from Verses in Oath, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Wraithfyre - Ablaze in Abyssal Frosts (from Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms, 2024)

15. Absu - Infinite & Profane Thrones (from Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L., 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Ymir - Silvery Howling (from Ymir, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Paysage d'Hiver - Urgrund (from Urgrund, 2024)

18. Blut aus Nord - Elevation (from Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

Here's my review:

The 1993 "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz..." debut album from Finnish black metallers Impaled Nazarene made a significant impact on me after I picked it up on CD shortly after release. It's blend of simple, catchy, yet still pretty evil sounding black/war metal was really well produced & executed which left me with the impression of an artist that was aware of its limitations & worked really hard at maximizing its strengths. I wasn't surprised that Impaled Nazarene's tongue-in-cheek approach got a few purists noses out of joint (I'm looking at you Ben) but I could manage to look past it in order to take "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz..." for what it is i.e. one of the more fun black metal releases of its time. So, when news of Impaled Nazarene's sophomore album hit my ears only ten months later, I found myself eagerly reaching into my pocket for another helping.

The "Ugra-Karma" album makes for a very good accompaniment for the band's debut actually as it possesses many of the same traits & qualities. It was recorded by the same lineup in the same recording studio with the same producer & only a short time later so I guess that was to be expected though, wasn't it? It's of a pretty similar quality too so if you liked "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz..." then you were probably always gonna like "Ugra-Karma" too. The production job is once again extremely solid, making the most of the simple, uncluttered arrangements by presenting them within a tight, rock-solid framework. The drum kit sounds particularly powerful while front man Mika Luttinen's grim black metal vocals are once again a highlight.

The twelve track, 38-minute tracklisting is generally pretty solid with only the misguided industrial black metal piece "Gott ist tot (Antichrist War Mix)" failing to hit the mark. In fact, that particular number fell well below the bar so I've struggled to justify its inclusion to be honest. There's less of the war metal sound that I enjoyed so much on the debut this time but we find Impaled Nazarene replacing it with a punk rock influence that we'd see them expanding on further on future releases. The wonderful "Hate" is by far the best track on the album in my opinion with its incorporation of synthesizers giving it more of a classic Norwegian feel than most of the other material. I also really enjoy the more aggressive & brutal tracks like "Coraxo", "Goatzied" & "Cyberchrist".

"Ugra-Karma" has gone on to become Impaled Nazarene's most highly regarded release over the years & it's not hard to see why as it showcases a flare for violence & brutality wrapped in an air of accessibility, a lethal combination when done just right. There's been very little attempt at any sort of sophistication & there's a place for that sort of record in my life given my history as an old-school tape trader. I do have to admit that I prefer the debut over "Ugra-Karma" though, mainly because I prefer war metal over punk rock by a considerable margin. I also miss the dark Mayhem-style power chord riffs that "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz..." delivered with such success. However, I've returned to "Ugra-Karma" many times over the years & will likely continue to for some time yet as there's no doubt that it's a very solid example of mid-90's European black metal.

For fans of Sadistik Exekution, Impiety & Belial.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Seth - Et que vive le diable (from La France des maudits, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

2. Vananidr - The Watcher (from Beneath the Mold, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Aura Noir - Conqueror (from Black Thrash Attack, 1996) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Sear Bliss - The Winding Path (from Heavenly Down, 2024) [Submitted by Xephyr]

5. Gaerea - Hope Shatters (from Hope Shatters, 2024)

6. Samael - After the Sepulture (from Blood Ritual, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Whoredom Rife - Den vrede makt (from Den vrede makt, 2024) [Submitted by Karl]

8. Gorgoroth - På slagmark langt mot nord (from Destroyer, 1998) [Submitted by Karl]

9. Sig:Ar:Tyr - Awaiting the Last Dawn (from Citadel of Stars, 2024)

10. Hail Spirit Noir - The Temple of Curved Space (from Fossil Gardens, 2024)

11. Keep of Kalessin - Through Times of War (from Through Times of War, 1997) [Submitted by Karl]

12. Krallice - Fatestorm Sanctuary (from Inorganic Rites, 2024)

13. Yoth Iria - The Great Hunter (from As the Flame Withers, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

14. Cradle of Filth - To Eve the Art of Witchcraft (from The Principles of Evil Made Flesh, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Diocletian - Barbaric Hunt (Feral Prey) (from Inexorable Nexus, 2024)

16. Kvaen - De Dodas Sang (from The Formless Fires, 2024) [Submitted by Xephyr]

17. Nattefrost - Primitive Death (from Terrorist: Nekronaut Pt. 1, 2005) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Inherits the Void - The Orchard of Grief (from Scars of Yesteryears, 2024)

19. Enslaved - Heimdallr (from Ygdrasill, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Dark Funeral - Shadows Over Transylvania (Re-Recording 2024) (from Shadows Over Transylvania (Re-Recording 2024), 2024)

I agree with Vinny on removing Batushka. I've listened to a lot of modern Black Metal and there aren't a lot of bands that follow in Batushka's footsteps with the chanting aspect; the only one that springs to mind is Thy Darkened Shade and their 2014 album Liber Lvcifer I: Khem Sedjet which predates the Batushka album. 

Since we're going purely influential, I'm also with Vinny on removing Conqueror and keeping Blasphemy as the sole War Metal representative, unless someone else wants to suggest an example that's pushing the genre in the modern era. Something like Infernal Coil's Within a World Forgotten since that seems to be hailed as War Metal graduating into something more than the original Blasphemy-core, but I'm not an expert on that. 

I don't listen to a lot of Depressive Black Metal so take this opinion/suggestion as you will: I would keep Xasthur and Leviathan and remove Silencer. Unless Silencer's 2001 is cited as being a real influence on either of the other two albums, in which case I would keep Silencer and Xasthur. I did find out that Bethlehem's Dictius Te Necare predates all of these under the Depressive Black Metal tag, releasing in 1996, and while the production is much clearer and the songwriting isn't as frantic, it still has the reflective and despairful atmosphere along with a vocal style that I've heard from many a Black Metal band. I'm just not sure how well this album was known by other musicians at the time. If Bethlehem comes into the discussion, it'd be Bethlehem and Xasthur for me personally. I went back and forth but I think Ben's right in saying that Xasthur is the more quintessential Depressive Black Metal sound, even though I think Leviathan has the more interesting album.

I think Enslaved stays.

I'm unsure on having both Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir beside each other as the final Symphonic Black Metal representatives, especially since In the Nightside Eclipse is already there. I'm not an expert on either of these bands, but from what I can tell, modern Black Metal bands more closely follow Dimmu Borgir's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant than Dusk and Her Embrace, which sounds still sounds pretty unique to me. I'd have to spend some more time coming up with a more modern representative for Symphonic Black Metal, I don't know if there is one to be honest. 

I also get frustrated by the need to further sub-categorise metal genres, but I think in this instance it's a valid one. The influence that Deathspell Omega have had on black metal can't be overstated. There are many (admittedly) lesser known bands that are attempting to utilise a similar sound. I reviewed one here at Metal Academy not long back actually...

https://metal.academy/releases/23898

Bekor Qilish, Kvadrat and Skaphe are other bands that come to mind that are very obviously bringing Deathspell-like dissonance into their music. I do feel there's something quite distinct about the sound that was introduced by Blut Aus Nord's The Work Which Transforms God and Deathspell Omega's mid-2000s releases. They don't have traditional black metal riffs at all.

For anyone interested, I think these are good examples...

https://open.spotify.com/track/2eDaorhzqRSmuYdPFW7Jnu?si=728c5b45a7584f69

https://open.spotify.com/track/5FSASFBCaKkBYhH6iYq4kN?si=9f51be8b321a4f29

https://open.spotify.com/track/377pFq2o7qSZSU9wAo8oiI?si=635093e767b540a0

Here's my review:

My earliest experiences with French black metal stars Blut aus Nord came through the tape trading scene of the mid-to-late 1990’s when I became exposed to their first two albums, both of which I really enjoyed. My self-imposed hiatus from the metal scene for pretty much the entirety of the 2000’s saw me almost completely forgetting about this band though & it wasn’t until Ben encouraged me to investigate their classic 2003 fourth album “The Work Which Transforms God” upon my return to metal in 2009 that my passion for Blut aus Nord was reignited & boy it was an exhilarating experience too. That record possesses a purity of darkness that few in the black metal scene can touch & it affected me on a deep enough level to see me flogging the album for months to come. Since that time though, I’ve found Blut aus Nord to be a little hit & miss with some of their releases falling a little flat & others reaching the higher stratospheres of the black metal air space. 2009’s seventh album “Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars” has always been one that I’ve taken very positively though, even if it perhaps doesn’t sit amongst my favourite Blut aus Nord records overall. I’ve returned to it several times over the years but have never afforded it the dedicated attention required for a well-informed review until now. Let’s take a look at what it’s all about.

Blut aus Nord releases inevitably possess their own unique characters & “Memoria Vetusta II” is no different in that regard. It contains some really big positives that drive its appeal but it also presents us with a couple of weaknesses that prevent the album from becoming the true classic it seems to have the potential to be on the surface. Unlike some of Blut aus Nord’s more experimental or avant-garde efforts, “Memoria Vetusta II” is noticeably more accessible & is unquestionably an atmospheric black metal record. It’s a lot more about producing ethereal soundscapes than it is about battering or intimidating the listener with its tone creating a calmer & more contemplative view of the world than a record like “The Work Which Transforms God” which was significantly darker. There’s a strong focus on melody here with the stunning guitar riffs combining with some subtly incorporated, almost angelic synthesizers to wonderful effect. In fact, the keyboard work sometimes reminds me of German ambient producer Gas with its soft, organic timbre beautifully intertwining with the guitar work to produce some quite vivid visuals. This is the real strength of “Memoria Vetusta II” as there’s an undeniable class about the way Vindsval creates his guitar parts & I find this element of the record to be infinitely impressive.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of things that detract a little from the strength of those components though. Firstly, the programmed drums sound weak & obviously artificial which goes against the more organic nature of the rest of the instrumentation. There are certainly those more industrially-tinged Blut aus Nord releases where the drum machine plays an intrinsic role in the atmosphere but here I find that it lacks the required cohesion with the rest of the instrumentation, a flaw that is only further highlighted by the fact that the bass guitar is so low in the mix that it’s almost redundant. Similarly, Vindsval’s grim black metal vocals reside quite a bit further back in the mix than I’d ideally like to see them sitting. This technique works really well for many of your more lo-fi & noisy black metal artists but here I find myself consistently wishing they were a little further towards the front so that they could compliment the clear strength in the guitar work. Sadly, this was not to be & I’ll have to take “Memoria Vetusta II” for what it is. Let’s not sit here dwelling on what-if’s though because this is still a damn fine black metal record in its own right.

The nine-song tracklisting is a wonderfully consistent collection of material that flows very nicely together, despite containing a few interesting deviations from the standard atmospheric black metal model. My pick of the bunch is actually the ambient/dungeon synth intro piece “Acceptance (Aske)” which puts me into a lovely warm & meditative state before the black metal assault firmly jolts me to attention. The more traditional black metal numbers are all very solid with "....The Meditant (Dialogue With the Stars)" & "Antithesis of the Flesh (...And Then Arises a New Essence)" being the most significant compositions in my opinion. The well-executed clean folk guitar piece “Translucent Body of Air (Sutta Anapanasati)“ works very well to break up the album while instrumental closer “Elevation” is also worth mentioning as it's comfortably my favourite of the metal tracks. I love the way that it manages to transcend the black metal genre through the use of repetitive, melodic motifs which wash over the listener. It’s a stunning way to finish what was already a highly rewarding hour of black metal.

Look, perhaps “Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars” isn’t the career-defining masterpiece that so many black metal fans seem to claim it as these days but it is a damn fine record nonetheless & one that I can’t see disappointing too many extreme metalheads, at least once they’ve given it a few spins & accepted the initially distracting drum programming. I have to admit that this was an obstacle for me on each occasion that I’ve revisited “Memoria Vetusta II” over the years but those feelings of hesitation inevitably fade once I became reacquainted with the obvious quality in the guitar hooks. There are three or four Blut aus Nord releases that I’d reach for before “Memoria Vetusta II” when I feel like a fix of high-class French black metal but there’s no doubt that it’s a record of substance that needs to be heard in an underground scene that’s so chock full of followers. These guys clearly fit into the category of leaders & their influence on not only their local scene but the international one is beyond question.

For fans of The Ruins of Beverast, Akhlys & The Eye.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=e1f1eac0cfee4656

1. Gaerea - World Ablaze (from World Ablaze, 2024)

2. Akhlys - Maze of Phobetor (from House of the Black Geminus, 2024)

3. Árstíðir lífsins - Nauð greyprs élreka (from Aldrlok, 2024)

4. Adversarial - Merging Within the Destroyer (from Solitude With the Eternal..., 2024)

5. Enslaved - I lenker til Ragnarok (In Chains Until Ragnarok) (from Blodhemn, 1998)

6. Warmoon Lord - Blazing Warrior Soul (from Burning Banners of Funereal War, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Whoredom Rife - The Beautiful End of All (from Den vrede makt, 2024)

8. Master's Hammer - Utok (from Ritual, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Sólstafir - Hin helga kvöl (from Hin helga kvöl, 2024)

10. Critical Defiance - Full Paranoia (from The Search Won't, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Begotten - If All You Have Known Is Winter (from If All You Have Known Is Winter, 2020)

12. Saidan - Genocidal BloodFiend (from Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Emperor - My Empire's Doom (from Wrath of the Tyrant, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Ætheria Conscientia - Endless Cycle (from The Blossoming, 2024)

15. Satanic North - Village (from Satanic North, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Amiensus - A Consciousness Throughout Time (from Reclamation, 2024)

17. Evilfeast - From The Northern Wallachian Forest… Tyranny Returns (from Elegies of the Stellar Wind, 2017)

18. Pestilent Hex - Chapter II: "Nature of the Spirit" (from The Ashen Abhorrence, 2022)

19. Summoning - The Passing of the Grey Company (from Minas Morgul, 1995)

Cool find. I would have probably never heard of this one if I hadn't joined the Academy. After giving it a few spins over the course of last week, I decided to review it as well:

https://metal.academy/reviews/35546/9858

As the final moments of Ulver's Bergtatt play out and fade into the abyss I complete my journey through Black Metal-The First Decade.

This really was a journey too, I experienced a range of emotions; anger, frustration, joy, sadness, disappointment, and satisfaction.  Where the Modern Death challenge list left me apathetic, I was never at a loss for visceral emotional response as I made my way throught the frostbitten, demonic, mystical, and beautiful forest of Black Metal's early offerings.

There was only one or two albums where I was left with a middle of the road sort of feeling. I was for the most part either writing a half star review or a five star review, and to me that's the best sort of art. I wouldn't reccommend every album as a stand alone, but I would reccomend that list as a complete experience.

I also learned a lot about myself and how I relate to this clan. 

I'm a very a-typical Black Metal fan, or at least very much against the grain of the stereotype perpetuated on the internet. I do not come to this music to praise the horned one-while not a church goer I am a very spiritually devoted Christian. I'm not particularly fond of absurdly low-fi production or blast beats-I enjoy them as flourishes or when they add a certain character to the overall product, but I am not on a quest to find the most harsh and abrasive recordings available.

so what am I doing here? 

I relate to descriptions of frozen wilderness and bitter cold. I understand isolation, and misanthropy. I enjoy evil sounding guitar riffs. My favorite albums on this list were 1st wave entries that played like diabolical thrash more than the 2nd wave or true Norwegian sound. The more melodic entries appealed to me. I have always prefered dirty vocals over cleans, so the black metal rasp suites me fine. 

I'm drawn to black metal through DSBM, which I get a feeling is sort of the black sheep (or goat as it were) of the sub-genre. It works along side my adoration for particular funeral doom. I enjoy melancholy introverted heavy music. 

BLACK FUCKING METAL! 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=9eb898291b6f4c46

1. Akhlys - Sister Silence, Brother Sleep (from Sister Silence, Brother Sleep, 2024)

2. Scarcity - Venom & Cadmium (from Venom & Cadmium, 2024)

3. Antichrist Siege Machine - Lysergic War Psychosis (from Vengeance of Eternal Fire, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

4. Aristarchos - Atrium - Martyr of Star and Fire (from Martyr of Star and Fire, 2024)

5. Tsjuder - Lord of Terror (from Kill for Satan, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Saidan - Visual Kill (from Visual Kill: The Blossoming of Psychotic Depravity, 2024)

7. Kostnateni - Nevolnost je vše, čím jsem (Nausea Is All I Am) (from Upal, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Sear Bliss - The Upper World (from The Upper World, 2024)

9. Above Aurora - Inner Whispers (from Myriad Woes, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Anorexia Nervosa - Antinferno (from Redemption Process, 2004) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Liturgy - Vessel of Everthirst (from Immortal Life II, 2024)

12. Aquilus - Into the Earth (from Bellum II, 2024)

13. Hellripper - Mester Stoor Worm (from Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Grima - Hunger God (from Frostbitten, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. 1349 - Ash of Ages (from Ash of Ages, 2024)

16. Melechesh - Incendium Between Mirage and Time (from Sphynx, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Primitive Warfare - Heretic Crusade (from Extinction Protocol, 2024)

18. Trhä - Danë‡i (from Av◊ëlajnt◊ë£ hinnem nihre, 2023) [Submitted by Daniel]

When my self-imposed exile from metal was ending at the end of the Nineties and I was casting around for bands to get me into the new sounds that had developed since I left it behind in 1990, I stumbled upon CoF playing live on some late night UK TV show and was mesmerised by their sound and aesthetic which were all new to me. I soon obtained a copy of Principles of Evil (via Napster I am ashamed to say) and really got into this new, eccentric-sounding and thoroughly exciting "new" style. I've not always been wowed by all their stuff, but I did find that this debut, Middian and even Nymphetamine offered me enough enjoyment to thoroughly shred any possibility of me claiming to be any kind of trve kvltist black metal fan! However, over the intervening years my black metal listening has refined itself somewhat with Cradle no longer appealing to me that much and it has been a long time since I last listened to Principles of Evil all the way through, so it's time to see how it stacks up 25 years on from my initial discovery of the East Anglian black metal goths.

The most striking thing about CoF is the sheer theatricality of their sound. Combining the symphonic black metal of Emperor with the gothic aesthetics of MyDying Bride, Dani Filth strikes me as a black metal version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Cradle albums as soundtracks to black metal musicals. In truth, that fanciful notion has less basis in fact here on the debut than it does on some of their later releases, but it is still a fair comment, I think, as it is still steeped in theatricality. To this end Benjamin Ryan's keyboards play a significant role on The Principle... providing intros, outros, interludes and as atmospheric layering they are never far from the action and provide some great moments, such as during The Forest Whispers My Name where they provide a nice melodic overlay and my favourite track, To Eve the Art of Witchcraft, which is undoubtedly elevated by Ryan's keyboard work.

Obviously, Cradle never really sounded this black metal again, with them inching into more gothic metal territory with each release, but underneath the gothic and atmospheric trappings there are some pretty decent slices of melodic black metal blasting here with the title track, the aforementioned The Forest Whispers My Name and A Crescendo of Passion Bleeding. They are unafraid to slow things down, too, and lean more into the gothic metal direction. The Black Goddess Rises, for example, contains little actual black metal and is a much more considered tempo, almost resembling doom metal, for much of it's runtime.

I'm actually glad I returned to this for May's feature because it has held up quite well across the intervening years and I feel a bit more love towards it today than I did before revisiting it. Of course there is an inherent degree of cheesiness here, with Dani's clean vocals providing much of it, but I do like his singular brand of ear-piercing screams which possibly makes me a bit more forgiving. All in all, I am feeling so well-disposed to Principle today, after several revisits during the month, that I am going to up my long-standing 3.5 star rating to a full 4.

4/5