Tombs – Path of Totality

I was mostly interested in Tombs because they picked up Bryant Meyer, electronics/keyboardist of the inexplicably defunct Isis. This move parallels that of Isis front man Aaron Harris, who joined the re-kindled Twilight to release Monument to Time End. Both black metal bands. Both having released progressivized black metal albums. One would think, of all [...]

Deafheaven-Roads to Judah

Hands down, my favorite Black Metal album to date. Deafheaven highlight all the strong points of the genre, a flowing yet logical song structure and the ability to invoke an emotive atmosphere which ties the album together. There are no goat heads impaled on sticks or band members burning churches and eating each other. George [...]

Anaal Nathrakh – Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here

Anaal Nathrakh Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here When a album has such a good title, it usually does not deliver. This is a rare case where the music fits the title to a T. It sounds exactly like hell on earth. The songs are angry and noisy almost to the point [...]

Amesoeurs – Self Titled

Amesoeurs Self Titled: Neige from Alcest got together with friends and made created this band. It was an attempt to fuse Black metal with shoe-gaze/post-punk, which seems like a bad idea on paper. Well, the actual results are more hit than miss. What really works on this album is when the music is very atmospheric [...]

The Funeral Pyre – December EP

The Funeral Pyre December EP: Here’s a band from LA trying to combine Death and Black metal. Defiantly not the first band to do it, but still it’s a nice idea. And these guys show that when it’s done well, it’s awesome. Just look at the first track. Awesome atmosphere, great guitar part, and the [...]

Cobalt – Gin

Cobalt Gin: Wow a Black metal duo, never heard of that before. Actually these guys are really good. They play Black Metal but instead of just punching the guitar over and over while the drummer hits as many things as he can, they actually have musical skill. There are neat passages of atmosphere and just [...]

Orcustus – Orcustus

Orcustus Orcustus: Why? Why keep making lame black metal like this? This had done nothing new or good. It just sounds like a mosquito buzzing incessantly while some spastic jerk hits boxes. Please stop. Rating: 2/15 corpse paint was never, ever cool.

Burzum-Draugen

Burzum Draugen: As usual Varg has some cool ideas which are quickly destroyed by cheesy synths, church burning growling, and the whole murdering, racist, arsonist deal. That being said a couple of the tracks here are kind of interesting. Rating:9/15 Crazy fucks from Norway

Celeste – Misanthrope(s)

Celeste Misanthrope(s): Even though this is hardcore mixed with black metal, it’s still really bland and gets old quickly. Rating: 6/15 shitty musical Reese’s cup

Fen-The Malediction Fields

Fen The Malediction Fields: Creepy Black Metal guy gets hands on synth, Halloween sounds cd, and sings like Morrissey. Rating: 4/15 Prayers for the Apocalypse