March 2022 "The North" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=ad33lxB0QTeKRBCFFI_h1g
Tracklisting:
1. Negativa - XXIII (from 04, 2022)
2. Spectral Wound - Diabolic Immanence (from A Diabolic Thirst, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]
3. Violet Cold - Immersive Collapse (from Səni Uzaq Kainatlarda Axtarıram, 2022)
4. Archgoat - In Extremis Nazarene (from Worship the Eternal Darkness, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]
5. Dark Forest - Vesperia (from Land of the Evening Star, 2012)
6. Vorga - Fool's Paradise (from Striving Toward Oblivion, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
7. Mare Cognitum - Ataraxia Tunnels (from Solar Paroxysm, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]
8. Sargeist - Black Fucking Murder (from Satanic Black Devotion, 2003) [Submitted by Vinny]
9. Odium - The Brightness of the Weeping Kingdom (from The Sad Realm of the Stars, 1998)
10. Leviathan - Made as the Stale Wine of Wrath (from Massive Conspiracy Against All Life, 2008) [Submitted by Sonny]
11. Onirik - Melodies of Reflection and Praise (from The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]
12. Panopticon - Chase The Grain (from Roads To The North, 2014) [Submitted by Xephyr]
13. Anaal Nathrakh - Satanarchrist (from In the Constellation of the Black Widow, 2009)
14. Burzum - My Journey to the Stars (from Burzum, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]
15. Ninkharsag - The Necromanteion (from The Dread March of Solemn Gods, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]
16. Det eviga leendet - Estrange (from Reverence, 2022)
17. Festung - Fallt! (from Der Turm, 2022)
That Spectral Wound album from last year was a banger. Probably one of the most consistent bm releases of the year next to Mork. Hard to not enjoy any track from A Diabolic Thirst. Daniel has had a strong month with choosing that Mare Cognitum track.
Violet Cold are new to me although I have seen that Empire of Love album cover floating around. This track is big on the melody in a typical blackgaze-fashion and is possibly a tad too melodic for my tastes. It is listenable in an inoffensive way but not something that I have much requirement to revisit anytime soon.
Increasingly, I find I have to be in the mood for a sound such as Archgoat. I did have a real War Metal phase for about 12 months or so when I got in Deiphago, so I do understand the merits of the sub-genre. I just find myself looking for more depth in my bm nowadays and hence Archgoat are not appealing right now. By comparison, Dark Forest are of interest with that eclectic mix of epic bm and some base, folk elements being applied to create quite a grand bashing affair. Not keen on the vocals though as they steer the track towards viking metal which is not my preferred thing, got the head nodding though.
Vorga are a funny looking bunch if look at them on the internet. Musically solid enough in a melodic/slightly atmo kind of a way. Odium are previously unknown to me and I never really got overly excited about the symphonic side of bm but I will check out more of their stuff as they do seem to have a well established plethora of bm musicians in their ranks.
I do need to revisit that Leviathan album in all honesty as it has been a while, however that track reminds of what drew me to them in the first place. That unnerving tension that they somehow manage to summon is really clear on this track. My choice of Onirik was down to me revisiting the album and recognising what an incredibly interesting offering it is - so much so I bought the vinyl recently. It is a densely layered album but one that rewards with repeated visits and is on long term rotation at present.
I do not believe that I have ever heard a Panopticon track I do not like and this one (at my first time of hearing) keeps up that consistency. Aggressive and passionate throughout as always. Have to confess to not being Anaal Nathrakh's biggest fan but this one got my interest out of its sheer relentless attitude alone. There is nothing to say about Burzum that hasn't already been said. One of the absolute classics.
Ninkharsag are a local band to where I live (Liverpool, UK) and I had been listening to The Dread March of Solemn Gods for a few weeks. Melodic like Dissection as opposed to Sacramentum I think they hold a lot of promise.
By far the find of the list this month is Det eviga leendet. I loved this with that swarming tremolo that cuts the very air around it (these guys have made it straight onto my Trello board to check out). Festung were interesting also but got caught in the light of Det eviga leendet unfortunately. All in all though a great playlist.
I've also been very impressed by Det eviga leendet, and the Shining-like approach of Negativa has grabbed me in the last couple of weeks too. The Festung album seems inconsistent and overlong after a couple of listens, but it's hard not to find some enjoyment in a blatant Paysage d'Hiver clone.
Can never get too much Mare Cognitum or Leviathan. Oh, and that Spectral Wound track reminds me why I need to check that album out.
1. Negativa - XXIII (from 04, 2022)
Nice and expansive atmo-black that doesn't do anything new, but is still pretty good. I'll give this album a listen sometime when I get chance.
2. Spectral Wound - Diabolic Immanence (from A Diabolic Thirst, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]
Fuck yeah, this is superb ass-kicking, real black metal. Loved this track and indeed the album from whence it came.
3. Violet Cold - Immersive Collapse (from Səni Uzaq Kainatlarda Axtarıram, 2022)
A little too inoffensive for me - kOsmik is still my preferred album from this guy.
4. Archgoat - In Extremis Nazarene (from Worship the Eternal Darkness, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]
I love these guys and this is monstrously demonic BM.
5. Dark Forest - Vesperia (from Land of the Evening Star, 2012)
Starts off well, but I'm less enamoured when the vocals kick in as they are a little too viking metal for me.
6. Vorga - Fool's Paradise (from Striving Toward Oblivion, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
Quite enjoyed this one too, sort of melodic, but still with a bit of a bite to it.
7. Mare Cognitum - Ataraxia Tunnels (from Solar Paroxysm, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]
Another of last year's top-knotch black metal albums. Mare Cognitum sits very near to the top of the atmo-black tree for my money (which I did spend on a limited edition coloured-vinyl copy of Solar Paroxysm).
8. Sargeist - Black Fucking Murder (from Satanic Black Devotion, 2003) [Submitted by Vinny]
I really like this album. Proper, unpolluted black metal with an old-school early second wave sound.
9. Odium - The Brightness of the Weeping Kingdom (from The Sad Realm of the Stars, 1998)
Unfamiliar with these guys and this, their only album. Very much influenced by Emperor I would guess and not bad at all. Not overly symphonic, so doesn't become cheesy at all.
10. Leviathan - Made as the Stale Wine of Wrath (from Massive Conspiracy Against All Life, 2008) [Submitted by Sonny]
This is fucking intense, man! Wrest is seriously a guy not to be fucked with if he can summon up this level of firepower at will.
11. Onirik - Melodies of Reflection and Praise (from The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]
I REALLY like this album. Gonius Rex takes his black metal in a progressive direction with his busy and relentless guitar work and temporal twists and turns. Complete with Abbath-like croaky bullfrog vocals!
12. Panopticon - Chase The Grain (from Roads To The North, 2014) [Submitted by Xephyr]
Roads to the North is the album that got me into Panopticon, so it will always have a place in my black metal heart. Obviously this is also fantastic as are 90% of Panpticon tracks.
13. Anaal Nathrakh - Satanarchrist (from In the Constellation of the Black Widow, 2009)
I've never listened to Anaal Nathrakh despite seeing their name everywhere for the last 20 years. Not intentionally, it's just one of those things I guess. Anyway, this is fucking manic, so now I guess I'll have to check them out properly.
14. Burzum - My Journey to the Stars (from Burzum, 1992) [Submitted by Sonny]
I'm one of those annoying, contentious motherfuckers who thinks Varg's debut is as good as anything else he put out (and a damn sight better than most - only Hvis lyset tar oss coming close) and I love this song especially. So sue me!!
15. Ninkharsag - The Necromanteion (from The Dread March of Solemn Gods, 2021) [Submitted by Vinny]
Decent English black metal bands are in short supply, so it's nice to ear a bit of decent Dissection worship from good ol' Blighty.
16. Det eviga leendet - Estrange (from Reverence, 2022)
Not heard these guys before, but I like this a lot. I see it has Jacob Buczarski of Mare Cognitum on vocals which can only be a good thing. Pounding rhythm and swirling guitar work gel really well with JB's excellent vocals
17. Festung - Fallt! (from Der Turm, 2022)
Obviously taking it's queues from Paysage d'Hiver, albeit with a meatier sound than Pd'H's lo-fi approach, this is a decent slab of atmo-black. Not too original, but good nonetheless.