Idolatry - Visions from the Throne of Eyes

Artist: Idolatry
Release Title: Visions from the Throne of Eyes
Year: 2016
Label: Humanity's Plague Productions
Genre: Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Visions from the Throne of Eyes (Pt. I)
2. Thunder from the Depths
3. Satanas häxan
4. Anachronistic Might of Spellcasting
5. Cathartic Expulsion of Shrieking Sorrow
6. Visions from the Throne of Eyes (Pt. II)
7. Tiamatic Winds
8. Illuminated Ominous Darkness
9. Imperator Nero Murmurationis Hortum

From the frozen north of Edmonton, Canadian black metallers Idolatry developed a ferocious reputation in their homeland on the strength of a vicious self-titled EP and numerous live performances over the years. Having honed their craft into a splendid Satanic brew, the quintet finally prepares their debut effort  on March 25, 2016 via Humanity's Plague Productions.

This here is a rather dynamic and mostly impressive effort that centers around the album’s overly simplistic riffing which marches forth with their traditional tremolo riffing. The cold, haunting atmosphere from these sprawling rhythms meshes incredibly well with the more simplistic and straightforward arrangements here and manages to bring about the colder atmospheres as it buzzes along at the faster tempos, while also allowing for the inclusion of melodic accents to bring out that frosty vibe even further. When given a more majestic, slower-paced feel here is where the album starts to stumble here as rather than effectively capture that slow, lurching crawl famous in most old-school black metal instead it just seems as though the band is devoid of energy and instead stumbles along half-heartedly which doesn’t seem to be the intended tone. Considering this is a debut effort, that has some leeway for it, but a little less forgivable is the somewhat jarring drumming which is quite busy at times and placed quite loud in the overall mix resulting in a constant clattering sound in the background that doesn’t really augment the music all that well even if the patterns and performances are played to perfection. It really just needed to be reigned in slightly, though overall it’s not all that bad of an effort at all.

Though there’s some minor debut jitters which is to be expected here, there’s still more than enough to really get out of this one that there’s a lot to like for fans of the frosty, slightly chaotic old-school black metal in this one though those who aren’t really forgiving of the flaws here should heed caution somewhat.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://idolatryblackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/visions-from-the-throne-of-eyes

Paganus Diabolus - Dear Winter

Artist: Paganus Diabolus
Release Title: Dear Winter
Year: 2016
Label: Sepulchral Silence
Genre: Raw Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Burnt Black Wings
2. Beyond the Life
3. Covering the Steps of a Killer
4. Dear Winter
5. Death Spell Under My Early Grave
6. Thy Shadow
7. Vapaj pokojnika (Prognan cover)
8. Spirits of the Damned
9. The Tale of the Bloody Rose

Just two short years ago, Serbian artist Mihaljo founded the black metal project Paganus Diabolous to create a powerful vision of black metal with two other artists in a power-trio with drummer David and guitarist Aaqil. When they were let go shortly after the formation it morphed into his solo project and has now finally unleashed the full-length debut digitally June 23, 2016 on Sepulchral Silence.

For the most part the bands’ attack is pretty simple and straightforward with the band utilizing raw, swirling tremolo-picked patterns to really settle on a gravelly, sluggish approach. There’s occasional bursts of speed here that let the riffing adopt more of a traditional second-wave attack, but for the most part it’s still a more sluggish nature here as it winds through the kind of sprawling, droning series of rhythms that takes on a rather relaxed tone against those few blistering outbursts. Due to the generally extended patterns featured here it’s quite easy for the group to let those varied attacks to get featured quite prominently while these fiery accents are given more of a feel towards being a variance alongside the simplistic and generally sluggish main rhythms. That in effects leads this one to feel quite slow-going and rather bland at times when it’s in these slower tempos with the album never really managing to catch fire all that well as the droning nature of the tracks just sound lifeless with the raw production job. It’s really tough with the band sounding far more lively and energetic when it does forsake these for the blasting drum-work and truly ripping tremolo riff-work so well associated with the genre’s hallmarks. As well, the fact that this one is as raw as it is really could be detrimental to the album with it a few notches above a home-recording level quality and pretty much gives the drumming the best sound quality here which is quite massive yet leaves everything else to sound so dark and low that it’s buzzing nature can be a turn-off in select conditions. Otherwise, there’s not much really wrong here.

Though there’s a few minor elements on display that do hold it back somewhat, there’s still enough to work-with here in terms of the ferocity of it’s attack and some overall fine riff-work that this one really does manage to stick out mostly for those followers of the rawest forms of black metal for the most part.

Score: 75/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://sepulchralsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/dear-winter

Abnabak/Mormânt de Snagov -Triumph of Death Split

Artist: Abnabak/Mormânt de Snagov
Release Title: Triumph of Death Split Album
Year: 2015
Label: Cold Raw Records
Genre: Black Metal/Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Abnabak - Coincidentia oppositorum
2. Abnabak - Memento Mori
3. Abnabak - Empire of Suffering (Sargeist cover)
4. Mormânt de Snagov - You're Next
5. Mormânt de Snagov - Antagonism
6. Mormânt de Snagov - Deathcrush (Mayhem cover)

One of the more unusual splits to be found, this split release between Finnish black metallers Mormânt de Snagov and Moroccan one-man black metal project Abnabak is quite a distinct location-based effort. Initially released as a limited CD run through Cold Raw Records on November 20, 2015 with only 120 hand-numbered copies being produced, each band brings two original tracks and a cover for a total of six tracks of music.

First up is the Moroccan Abnabak, whose one-man attack tends to be straight and simple worship of the second-wave Norwegian acts. Built around the swirling and frantic tremolo-picked riff-work and dynamic blasts wrapped around a raw, gravelly edge there’s little reason to believe this is actually a northern African band instead of a more traditionally-located country such is the competence of their attack. Able to generate the same overall mixture here with the sweeping full-throttle tempos and the sprawling mid-range atmosphere-filled melodies that are rampant in that overall section of the world, this here is a truly worthy old-school black metal attack. The closeness of the attack here should give away that they’re not the most original act out there but it’s certainly not a diminishing factor against them and works to the band’s advantage at times with their conviction but some might take offence to this overt and mindless aping of the classic sound. Still, they deliver some solid tracks here and score rather well.

The second band, Finland’s Mormânt De Snagov whose name is in Romanian which means “Grave of Snagov” after a city from Romania, is a more experienced act and it shows here. Though again firmly rooted in the old-school Norwegian style with the tremolo-picked rhythms and overall rather dynamic charges through the differing tempos throughout here, the fact that they’re able to maintain a lot more variance in their rhythms and riff-work which manages to make for a lot more intense and impressive actions within their arrangements alongside the blistering attack at the forefront of the band's sound. There’s not a whole lot really wrong with this band’s side of the split, though it’s actually the kind of tracks they provide here as they only manage one original effort alongside a re-recorded effort and the cover track, and there’s the need for more original work here after what the other side provided. Otherwise, this one was quite an impressive attack.

There’s not a whole lot really wrong with either bands on this release and overall both manage to come off rather well in terms of setting themselves up to be introduced to audiences and manages to get into the appeal of those who prefer competent and overall enjoyable second-wave black metal worshippers.

Score: 88/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://mormantdesnagov.com/merch.html

Vukari - Divinations

Artist: Vukari
Release Title: Divinations
Year: 2016
Label: Bindrune Recordings
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Divination I
2. Divination II
3. Cursus Honorum
4. Invictus Maneo
5. Ad Delerium I
6. Ad Delerium II
7. Sovereignty Through Extreme Tyranny
8. Bathe in the Divine Light

After a brief start as Vucari, Chicago atmospheric black metallers Vukari have quickly found their voice after the letter swap as they’ve since released two spectacular efforts already before this new release. Released on CD August 1, 2016 through Bindrune Records, this fantastic and immersive record should hopefully get the band onto the top of the scene with their second effort.

Frankly this here is one of the more impressive and devastating efforts in this particular style as there’s a concerted effort to keep the effort atmospheric as well as still firmly rooted in black metal. The core of utilizing the traditional black metal aesthetic here with rather fiery swirling tremolo-picked riffing and a rabid, churning series of rhythms here produce a rather vicious framework that comes complete with ferocious blasting drum-work and snarling patterns which is quite apparently influenced by the old-school system of black metal. Amongst all this savagery though is the album’s fundamental core which is the increasingly melodic and highly dynamic atmospheric sections that are often-times the main focus of the tracks, utilizing their celestial themes and extended post-metal framework to provide a rather strong melodic sensibility here when it stands out against the remaining material here where it really whips through these swirling progressive-tinged sections that sound far more atmosphere-laden. This great mix of styles and influences really makes this swing wildly from quiet, introspective moments full of those extended atmospheric sections and to tight, fiery blasts of traditional black metal in one fell swoop, a stylistic change that perhaps might not appeal to some out there looking for more traditional atmospheric black metal. Still, of more pressing concern is the album’s overlong and rather endless second-half that features a lot of extended post-metal-style sections dragging out the song-lengths when they sound more like mindless rambling than anything. Still, this isn’t that big of an issue.

Despite having one superficial and one legitimate gripe against it, this is still one of the more imminently enjoyable and impactful bands in the scene as they get far more right than they do otherwise, leaving this one highly recommended to atmospheric or post-black metal aficionados who’ll appreciate this effort the most.

Score: 90/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://vukari.bandcamp.com/

Assassin's Blade - Agents of Mystification

Artist: Assassin's Blade
Release Title: Agents of Mystification
Year: 2016
Label: Pure Steel Records
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Agents of Mystification
2. Herostratos
3. The Demented Force
4. Dreadnought
5. Autumn Serenade
6. Transgression
7. Nowhere Riders
8. Crucible of War
9. Frosthammer
10. League of the Divine Wind
11. Prophet's Urn

A wholly international act consisting of Canadian and Swedish musicians, heavy metallers Assassin’s Blade was formed in 2014 by Jacques Bélanger of Exciter fame who teamed with a dazzling pair of Swedish musicians, David Stranderud and Peter Svensson. When drummer Marcus Rosenkvist joined the band permanently in 2015 soon thereafter the band unleashed it’s debut offering on April 29, 2016 through Pure Steel Records.

For the most part this here is a fantastically old-school recording, comprising mostly of straightforward heavy metal material clearly in that sphere of influence. Tight, swirling trad-metal workouts are the main course here, running through rather impressive mid-tempo sections here while still allowing the band to switch-up proceedings quite nicely here when it switches over into other creative realms. Also managing to go into far more majestic, mid-range tempos here where it forsakes those tight speed-packed arrangements for more of a plodding mid-tempo series of rhythms that are far more relaxed and instead march along at an even-handed chug with the steady rhythms keeping it all in line. This is on the whole a really appealing arrangement for the most part, even aiding along by the fine guest musicians who provide extravagant and ripping soloing throughout most of the tracks as well as the explosive vocal-work. Indeed, there’s plenty of enjoyable work throughout here, this one does manage to stumble across one problem where the album goes into a dry spell music-wise in the mid-segment. There’s plenty of times in those tracks where it really could’ve turned up the speed more than what happens here, and the majority of those tracks in that section are based on the mid-tempo style of work instead and aside from that drop-off it really reinforces the idea of this one running through the same riffs and patterns. This is a rather troubling section that does come through mainly from the group’s inexperience, and should be remedied in time as they continue.

While there’s some minor flaws to be had here with the somewhat detrimental rhythms running into the same patterns, there’s plenty to like here in the classic heavy metal sound otherwise that it does come off more for that old-school heavy metal crowd or fans of the creative members involved who can look past the flaws.

Score: 83/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://www.puresteel-shop.com/ASSASSINS-BLADE-Agents-of-Mystification

Sorcery (Swe) - Garden of Bones

Artist: Sorcery (Swe)
Release Title: Garden of Bones
Year: 2016
Label: Xtreem Music
Genre: Swedish Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Holy Ground
2. The New Armageddon
3. Insanity Arise
4. Dark Waves
5. Hellstorm
6. Cleansed by Fire
7. Mass Murder
8. The Creator
9. Black Wings
10. Garden of Bones

One of the most legendary names in the Swedish death metal scene, Sorcery was one of the original instigators of the style with the earliest output coming in 1987 and issuing their debut several years later before splitting up in the late 90s. Now onto their second bone-crushing release since their reformation and third overall, the heavyweights continue on with their brand of full-throttle Swedish-flavored assault released May 15, 2016 on Xtreem Music.

Being a Swedish death metal group, it’s quite apparent from the on-set what this is about and what’s featured here. This here is prime-era early-90s death metal straight from Stockholm, featuring that distinctive churning riffing style complete with plenty of raging grooves in these mostly up-tempo numbers. Filled with plenty of raging swirling rhythms rather than the grinding buzzsaw patterns, it captures more of a darkened US style but the main element keeping this rooted in the Swedish scene is the simplistic, straightforward rhythm-section that maintains a distinctly charging Swedish-style template that’s featured throughout here which gives this a rather dark, heavy atmosphere to go along with the fantastic riff-work carrying this along as well. This here is essentially so good at this style of death metal that there’s a rather over-familiar tone and feel running throughout this one, in that it’s probably way too similar to numerous other death metal acts in the Swedish scene for it’s own good and comes off as another cog in the machine. That does crop up here in the numerous rhythms running along throughout here that tend to run together with only a select few riffs possible in the genre, but it’s a minor flaw in an otherwise enjoyable release.

Though it runs into trouble only slightly with the type of release featured here being somewhat similar and overly-reliable riffing that doesn’t really deviate much from the norm, it’s still enjoyable enough to really appeal here to fans of the Swedish school of death metal or just devout old-school death aficionados regardless of genre.

Score: 87/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/garden-of-bones

Order of Leviathan - Death Worship

Artist: Order of Leviathan
Release Title: Death Worship
Year: 2016
Label: Self-Released/Independent
Genre: Old-School Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Cult Of Wolves
2. Mortem Knell
3. Disenchant
4. Constant Perdition
5. Divide
6. Phlegmatic, I
7. Death Worship

From the obscure backwoods of Kentucky, black metallers Order of Leviathan have been bringing an infernal quest for total darkness into their sound from their inception in 2012. One of the few black metal bands to actually employ a triple-guitar attack in their sound, this self-released debut is released August 5, 2016.

In order to accomplish their feat, the group opts for the basics here in really letting this one channel the second-wave of Norwegian acts throughout. With their triple-guitar ability, they’re able to craft solid swirling tremolo-picked rhythms leading over the tight, chugging riff-work stuttering along at a solid mid-tempo pace that brings out a crunchy series of rhythms quite well. On the rare occasions when the tempo goes for a more blasting, vicious approach there’s a definite fire and enthusiasm to the material which is quite striking with the tremolo patterns getting more frantic and fiery alongside the blasting drum-work, though since the band stays within that mid-tempo realm quite often it’s reliance on those crunchy patterns and swirling tremolo rhythms creates a far more melodic bent to their music than expected. It also really helps to settle the group into a straightforward gallop that lets their pounding drumming and tight swirling rhythms keep the charred, blackened feel throughout here alongside the faster efforts. While it does seem to delve a little too closely to the same general patterns and straightforward approach the main element at play here is the group’s inclusion of laid-back and plodding rhythms with lighter vocals that don’t really evoke any kind of true black metal aesthetic within the music and comes off more like a slightly more extreme variation of modern metal convictions. It’s not wholly detrimental but it’s more of the jarring juxtaposition of these elements with the rest of the material that causes them to stick out more.

Though on the whole the band certainly has a lot to like here in regards to its varied approach and the times where it’s fiery blend of influences come together into a great whole, the few small problem areas here tend to keep this one relegated mostly to fans of the American black metal scene or ardent supporters of all second-wave worshipping groups.

Score: 82/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://orderofleviathan.bandcamp.com/

Temple Nightside - The Hecatomb

Artist: Temple Nightside
Release Title: The Hecatomb
Year: 2016
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Genre: Old-School Black/Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Graven
2. Adrift in Sepulchral Entropy
3. Ossuary (Commune 3.1)
4. Fortress of Burden and Distress
5. The Murderous Victor (Commune 3.2)
6. Within the Arms of Nothingness
7. Tempest
8. Burial Adoration (Commune 3.3)
9. Charnel Winds

After a massive debut effort, Australian black/death metallers Temple Nightside has spent the three years since not only honing their craft but also swelling in members, growing from an initial duo into a quartet now. With mainman IV the only hold-over and surrounding himself with new members in second guitarist BR, bassist V. Kusabs and drummer Mordance, this second full-length is released August 5, 2016 on Iron Bonehead Productions.

Much like their previous effort, the sound here is one of old, slumbering beasts slowly rising to overtake the world and is a perfectly apt description here. The main rhythms are based around deep, churning low-slung riff-work that effectively plods along here while employing a vast amount of sprawling, darkened patterns which create a swarming mixture of death, doom and black metal elements throughout here. The cavernous approach and churning riffing within the dark tremolo arrangements give it a more old-school blackened death metal style approach that comes off rather sinister-sounding in conjunction with the murky production job. That leaves the slower tempos to really showcase the churning patterns quite well with the churning patterns getting to take up plenty of room within the arrangements that brings out their sludgy atmospherics quite nicely here and acts as a great balance to the selected up-tempo arrangements that are featured within here. While on the whole the music works solidly in it’s vile, churning ways the fact that the album seems to get interrupted by a variety of brief, bland instrumental tracks is really where it seems to stutter somewhat. The fact that they range from barely thirty seconds to two minutes makes for some questionable nature as to their inclusion, especially when they don’t really set up the following track and two of them are back-to-back only broken up by one’s follow-up track and it halts the momentum of the middle section somewhat because of the cramped nature of these confusion efforts. Still, that’s really the only big problem on the album as the rest of it works solidly.

Though hampered by one small rather odd inclusion where it’s little instrumental interludes seem too oddly inserted into the overall running order and packed together too closely to let their effect sink in, there’s still a whole lot to really enjoy about this one that makes it a solid choice for old-school black or death metal fanatics who salivate over this type of material.

Score: 89/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/temple-nightside-the-hecatomb

Necroabortion - The Mutation Process

Artist: Necroabortion
Release Title: The Mutation Process
Year: 2016
Label: Disembodied Records
Genre: Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. The Mutation Process
2. The Scavengers' Feast
3. War Puppet
4. Dreams Spectator
5. Veiled Strings
6. Horrid Crossbreed
7. We Are the Plague
8. Forced Involution
9. Will To Power
10. Eviscerated from Life
11. Oscura Encomienda

Certainly having their share of lineup issues, Argentine death metallers Necroabortion have really been felled from capitalizing on their debut with these issues and has held them up for nearly a decade. Finally dropping their second guitarist for this release to settle on a devastating three-piece assault and featuring the same ferocious attitude, their new album comes out August 4, 2016 independently.

Despite their South American heritage, it could easily be forgiven for thinking the band hails from Florida circa-1995 such is their chosen attack structure. With tight, technical rhythms running along in frantic patterns that takes a full-on grinding approach to the steady tempos here, and it’s all straight from that particular playbook. Hammering out the technicality in their riff-work yet keeping it all within the realms of what’s needed within the arrangements rather than to showcase how rapidly they can change their riffing patterns keeps this diving along through frenzied patterns and dynamic up-tempo chugging rhythms which offers a nicely varied approach that’s wholly appreciative here with the approach giving this some dynamic crunchy rhythms alongside the frantic blistering blasts that are also offered up with a conviction and energy that’s appealing. It is certainly possible to tell where it’s going in terms of the arrangements, though, as the one main downfall of the band is the fact that they take those rhythms so explicitly that it really doesn’t offer forth a really original vision or approach regardless of the competency of their attack. This is really carried over as well into the album’s rather curious ability to really just end their tracks so suddenly that it’s almost jarring rather than ending naturally and it’s somewhat disarming when being blasting by a ferocious lead or a dynamic blast section only for a sudden end to the music to occur which really places emphasis on that last-played note and it really causes them to stick out even further. Still, to be this good after the layoff and struggle is quite commendable.

Though it does have some minor issues here and there when it comes to really carving out their own niche, sometimes just a competent and enthusiastic approach is enough to lift it up enough to listenability which gives this effort a wide berth of appeal to fervent fanatics of the Floridian approach to death metal or most of the revivalist bands in this style.

Score: 84/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://necroabortion.bandcamp.com/

Elderblood - Messiah

Artist: Elderblood
Release Title: Messiah
Year: 2016
Label: Osmose Productions
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Thagirion's Sun
2. Invocation of Baphomet
3. Devil in the Flesh
4. Leviathan
5. Satana
6. In Burning Hands of God
7. Adamas Ater

Founded in 2011 by frontman and guitarist Astargh, Ukrainian symphonic black metal upstarts Elderblood are certainly the most important band in that style from their home country. With new member Blodorn joining in on bass and a new label to spearhead their attack, this impressive second release is issued May 27, 2016 on Osmose Productions surely cements their growing status in the underground.

As is to be expected in bands of this style, the main focus here is on the symphonic display which is one of the more impactful and devastating found here. Bombastic, majestic and grandiose to the point of overkill, there’s so much dynamics in the onslaught of keyboard-work featured here that it generates a successful cinematic-score like feeling throughout here that truly sounds as massive as possible with it dominating the mix firing away impressive technical flurries or simple accents to further that cinematic connection. Even without that present there’s some absolutely killer work here as the band can drop the symphonics and present more traditional arrangements with a tight, frantic series of riff-work with swirling tremolo lead-work that’s incredibly heavy while packing a powerful punch and then letting the symphonic work act as melodic accents to the tracks which is just as impressive. This even manages to correct the last flaw from the previous effort in chopping off several tracks so it’s not so bloated and overlong, clocking in at a more respectable length with about half the tracks featured on this release which is another stand-out part of the album as the impact here is just as great while not overstaying it’s welcome and really makes the release a wholly ferocious and devastating effort. Some might find fault with the bands’ over-the-top keyboard theatrics and wish that they played it a little more straightforward considering they’re that good as they are in that format, but this is still a nitpicky and barely worthwhile flaw that still does need to be mentioned anyway as the album really does deliver.

On the whole this is a near-flawless release that really should put the band up into the upper echelon of the genre as there’s so much at work here that’s truly enjoyable as well as devastating that it really should be picked up by anyone into the genre while symphonic fanatics who haven’t found this group yet should be shamed for waiting so long to do so.

Score: 97/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/messiah