Albums of the Year 2021

Delighted to point out that, we have now graciously realized Arson Cafe’s 500th post. Some have been lost along the way, yet it was planned and delivered to match this milestone with the most important entry of 2021.

Top 10 EPs of 2021

"An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. Contemporary EPs generally contain four or five tracks, and are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album. An EP originally referred to specific types of records other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) and LP, but it is now applied to mid-length CDs and downloads as well." (Source: Wikipedia)

10. Obscure Skuadron - Mysterious Existence

An EP as obscure as its name, these guys have an awesome thick wall of noise and a nerdy obsession with aliens, as one can tell from the titles of the tracks. Short and sweet, Mysterious Existence makes me wonder if it's an one time event, because I would enjoy a full release like that quite a lot. Screw variety.

9. Grinning Death's Head - Cataclysm

Blood War was a masterpiece, that I found too late. The first new move after four years, Grinning Death's Head new two tracks are equally menacing, and with delightful barbarity. This project doesn't need much to impress, and it's unquestionably energetic and in your face. Gotta love the extra, slight background synths too. It's a must to check out.

8. Spiral Staircase – Cellar Dream

You would say Cellar Dream is the first extended release of Spiral Staircase, not for its length but because it is the first EP after demos and splits, and with two years of space between their previous work. Apart from the fact that I'm fully into this name, logo and cover color, the bleached out fuzziness of this EP for some reason, totally calmed down my soul.

7. Serpent Column - Katartisis

This should need no introduction, especially after a series or really successful releases by this project. By now, you might already expecting what to listen to from Serpent Column, but once again it's equally strong, and reeks of talent and great musicianship. A lot of notable, tickling melodies and dried out riffs here. Pretty technical as always.

6. Somme - Prussian Blood

In case you were thinking that we have too many posterized, pixelized black and white lo-fi black metal projects in the last few years, you were right. In case you were thinking they all hide behind the fuzzy production without really having a solid musical idea, you were right. In case you were thinking they are all the same, they are. Somme from Finland come to teach us the actual meaning of playing "raw black metal", with a proper lo-fi attitude, out of truthful intention and not smugness. Impressive work, I loved every last slice of it.

5. Nocturnal Effigy - The Night's Sorrow

At this state, releases like these get sold out at the blink of the eye. The manpower behind this project is also responsible for some of the most treasured acts in the dungeon synth / raw black metal scene, therefore it's almost guaranteed it will be another treat for the ears: harsh, ominous guitar riffs and an even harsher sound, excellent instrumental pieces and more slower / melodic tracks make up for a wonderful release that forever belongs in the underground.

4. Ûkcheânsâlâwit - Alaskan Escape

Listening to Alaskan Escape, the name of Ildjarn is obviously the elephant in the room. Completely stripped down, repetitive, hypnotic black metal with raspy vocals and a middle finger to all that is nicely produced and friendly. The lyrics are as glacial-cold as you think, there's hardly any turns, but in the end it's so good. I could listen to this pummeling beating for hours, especially riffs like in "uanatshu". It doesn't have to be more complicated than this really.

3. Forsmán - Dönsum Í Logans Ljóma

If you're into Icelandic black metal, then you must already know this new band. If not, then you must listen to them and their debut EP, right away. Professionally made, Forsmán know the groundworks of their country's scene very well and present another piece of huge compositions, massive riffs, powerful vocals and guitar lines and excellent sense of composition. The best Icelandic release this year, with Mannveira closely behind.

2. Kvadrat – Ψυχική Αποσύνθεση

This mini-release alone saved the year for me when it comes to new extreme metal from Greece. Enjoyable and complex, with several exciting turns and unusual melodic structures, excellent aesthetics (and a unique logo!), Kvadrat picks up the label of "dissonant" and ultimately doesn't exhaust the listener with it. Ψυχική Αποσύνθεση (Greek for mental decomposition) is a great first sign from this band, which moved on by being part of a neat split with Moeror and Human Serpent later in the year. I can't wait to see a full length release from them now.

1. Lorna Shore - And I Return to Nothingness...

I never expected that my interest in deathcore would ever be considerably revived, but this EP made too much of an impact to ignore. While being aware of the previous Lorna Shore material, the change to a new singer has brought new light to the band, which could quite frankly reinvent the way the genre is played, especially in the breakdown sections. Epic symphonic parts go along proper doses of heaviness, and the fact that listening to "To the Hellfire" has such a reaction trend, means the band broke through. For better or for worse, this was by far the EP I enjoyed the most this year.

★★★★★

Top 10 Greek metal albums of 2021

Usually, there are a handful of releases from Greek bands that I fully endorse every year, however for 2021 I didn't find such an equivalent. In fact, I was not fully into some albums I expected to be, and newer stuff was not revolutionary. I'm still missing listening the new Diablery and Agnes Vein records because they come out next week, but it's anyway a legit wrap-up of the year from my side. Having decided to put all these lists a bit earlier than usual this year, it is what I get.

Arson Cafe's
top 10 Greek metal albums of 2021

10. Human Serpent - Heirlooms Eternal

9. Shattered Hope - Vespers

8. Eldingar - Maenads

7. Rapture - Malevolent Demise Incarnation

6. Spectral Lore - Ετερόφωτος

5. Caedes Cruenta - Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults

4. Mystras - Empires Vanquished and Dismantled

3. Drakon Ho Megas - Drakon Ho Megas

2. Nihilism - Cataclysme vers l'ascendance

1. Yoth Iria - As the Flame Withers

Top 20 dungeon synth albums of 2021

Discreetly, I have been following the modern, digitalized dungeon synth scene since the early 10's with Lord Lovidicus and early Erang. Elffor releases fell on my lap almost as early as black metal, and I have enjoyed a lot of the known Wongraven, Burzum and Summoning material. The most distinct was Depressive Silence, but now there is almost a saturation of popping projects, yet I think the DIY community and the authenticity of the artists, is for the underground, unmatched at the moment. I listened to more dungeon synth (forest synth, winter synth etc... all included) than usual this year, so here's 20 cookies.

Arson Cafe's 
top 20 dungeon synth albums

 20. Ghunjul – Freezing Breath
19. Forest Temple - Spectral Threads of a Cosmic Dream
18. Kyvon – Frozen Grimoire
17. Fridfull - Fridfull
16. Adrasteia & Celestial Sword – Split
15. Gelure – The Candlelight Tomes
14. Abholos – Where Cold Shadows Dream
13. Necrocachot - Forest Of Bones
12. Coniferous Myst & Erythrite Throne - Northern Stories of Frost
11. Knights of the Stygian Order – Strength and Valor
10. Oublieth - À l'Ombre du Royaume en Cendres
9. Mörka Skogens Vindar - Trollens Återkomst
8. Druadan Forest & Old Sorcery - Split
7. Trädvarelse - Cave
6. Redhorn Gate – Sires of Old
5. Varvitos – Forbidden Lost Lore
4. Snowspire – As if Wandering in a Dream...
3. Forlorn Kingdom - Alpine Black Magick
2. Ulk – Shellbound
1. Wallachian Cobwebs – Night Sobbed a Potion Diseased

Top 10 non-metal albums of 2021

I always like to fool myself that I'm diverse but I'm not. I tried to make a mixed list with all my music listens back in 2015, and only one non-metal album made it to the top 20, namely mouse on the keys' The Flowers of Romance, which I still listen to today, so it was well placed. After that, it was a Merzbow album at #47, so yes it wouldn't make sense for me. I listen to such albums at different times, but the real problem lies in that I can't properly compare all releases together, under the same perspective. Anyway!

Arson Cafe's
top 10 non-metal albums of 2021

10. Jess and the Ancient Ones - Vertigo

9. MONO – Pilgrimage of the Soul

8. Fire! - Defeat

7. Maybeshewill - No Feeling Is Final

6. Foudre! - Future Sabbath

5. Filmmaker – Vlad Tapes

4. Iceage – Seek Shelter

3. CHVRCHES – Screen Violence

2. cursetheknife – Thank You For Being Here

1. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage

Top 10 demos of 2021

There is a certain fixation to the demo format, and as I have tried to follow the mindset of full albums only, a lot of releases of truly great music are completely missed like that, especially in the underground. However, I have to admit I still don't spend as much time as in releases of longer duration every year, yet there's always some space for a newcomer's unfiltered and more spontaneous work. 

Arson Cafe's
top 10 demos of 2021

10. Μνήμα – Flesh Prison

9. Vel’HAR – Letania

8. Moortrieder – When Death Appeared

7. Blood Sorcery – Chapel of Blood Part I

6. Skeleton – Ordainment of Divinity

5. Gråinheim – Hexndeifl

4. Eternal Sword - The Cursed Land

3. The Suns Journey Through The Night – Demo  II

2. Necromantical Invocation – Dogme Et Rituel De La Haute Magie

1. Moon – On the Other Side of Daylight

Whoredom Rife - Winds of Wrath (2021) Review

Genre: Black Metal

Location: Trondheim, Norway

Release date: 15.11.2021

Label: Terratur Possessions

Listen: Bandcamp

Website: Instagram

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The first two Whoredom Rife albums were released with only short in-between period in 2017 and 2018, but the band has been busy with a few smaller scale releases since then before putting their third full length together. Apart from the split with Taake, two EPs that include, among a lot of acoustics, a Manes cover, show how much ingrained the band is to its scene and especially its origin. I can't say I didn't enjoy their first steps, as both Dommedagskvad and Nid - Hymner av hat have a load of great moments in them, but I wasn't bought by the rest of their material, so I had to be in the waiting for the next record.

And as far as it seems, once again they come along extremely photogenic. These covers are just a pleasure to watch, there's no grimness but only apocalyptic beauty in the designs, which goes along with the crystal clear sound Whoredom Rife maintains from the beginning. Winds of Wrath is also the first title, apart from the self-titled first EP in 2016, that has an English title, even though the band usually chooses Norwegian & English for the songs themselves, a tradition that is kept with this release as well. If I haven't given enough key words already, Winds of Wrath is all you imagine it to be and quite efficient as well. Whoredom Rife are good with heaviness, fast-paced ferocity with solid injections of melodies and a few background synths for the atmosphere.

Nothing less that a fine example of modern Norwegian black metal, this record almost feels too professional. Everything works properly and it's been designed to quench your thirst for this music. If we somehow agree that this accessibility has turned this genre to a walk in the park compared to a narrow path between a cliff and a mountain that it once was, Winds of Wrath is well-made but not so dangerous art, at least to the ears of the seasoned black metaller. Maybe I have this wrong impression of this kind of Scandinavian black metal now, yet I have always enjoyed an album that doesn't ruin it, and Winds of Wrath certainly doesn't.

Therefore, Whoredom Rife's strongpoint, as it has always been, is the melodic variety in their albums. The epic element is always present, and they frequently speed up to more intense parts, all of them nicely flowing into each other. I can't get into these vocals, to me they sound too distorted or with too much studio effect, yet the main body of work is on point. I'm afraid Winds of Wrath's case will be the same as the previous two albums, a great listen but never gets memorable. Yet for today, it's a solid record.

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Tracklist:

1. Curse of the Moon

2. A Thousand Graves Endured

3. Gospel of Hate

4. Hav av Sykdoms Blod

5. Winds of Wrath

6. Einride

Damage: 3.5/5 [Great]

Warloghe - Three Angled Void (2021) Review

Genre: Black Metal

Location: Säynätsalo, Finland

Release date: 2021

Label: Northern Heritage Records

Website: Facebook

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After the EP Warloghe released in 2017, Lucifer Ascends, I wondered for a bit if they would have a follow-up to 2003's Womb of Pestilence. It turns out we get Three Angled Void, 18 years later, released relatively quietly through the common suspects of Northern Heritage in Finland. The band has achieved its own cult status due to its first two albums, and even almost two decades later, nothing has changed with Warloghe. 

This includes all the points that I enjoy about them, as well as the ones I don't. It seems to me the project has an above average perception when it comes to its aesthetics and textual content (cover art, titles, concepts etc...). They don't fall into the blasphemous, straightforward words of other Finnish bands. They don't overload their covers with Old English fonts and logos, instead they are all the time, plain and enigmatic. I equally like the newest art of Three Angled Void, as simplistic as it seems. It is worth it to own an LP of The First Possession or Womb of Pestilence, just because of the awesome artwork, and the same applies for this.

Nevertheless, the actual music of Warloghe is regrettably moderate at most times, with only a handful of more blistering moments. It it was the case in the past, it's also with Three Angled Void that I struggle to maintain focus when listening, while enjoying a track part here and there but that's about it. The production is very close to Warloghe's older material, fairly chalky but not always to a good extent, basically providing a far-flung instrumentation sound that's almost detached from the shrieked vocals on top. The middle / slow paced pieces in Three Angled Void are sluggish and too familiar, making "The Everburning", or "Inhuman Error" difficult to remember. 

On the other hand, more exciting activity appears in the more aggressive lines of "Invultuations From the Black Earth", and "Lucifer Ascends" (not a new track but a part of the aforementioned EP). "Starlit Portals Amidst Mass Graves" also offers a few fine, traditional black metal melodies, but the constant one dimensional vocals of the record doesn't seem to catch up with the ferocity of these pieces. I liked how minimally the album ends with "Singularities Descend", and especially its final two minutes. 

Even after all this time, Warloghe's work remains completely unchanged, to standard black metal with a few extra elements that the fans might enjoy, and Three Angled Void fits perfectly to their back catalog. It could have been released one day after Womb of Pestilence. While I support the band for its overall stance, and they have not received unreasonable exposure all these years, their music often doesn't pass the average bar for me, but it's always a nice feeling to see projects like this active and sticking to what they want to do.

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Tracklist:

1. The Everburning

2. Lucifer Ascends

3. Inhuman Mirror

4. Invultuations from the Black Earth

5. Starlit Portals Amidst Mass Graves

6. Singularities Descend

Damage: 3/5 [Good]

Gaahls Wyrd - The Humming Mountain (EP, 2021) Review

Genre: Black Metal

Location: Bergen, Norway

Release date: 05.11.2021

Label: Season of Mist

Listen: Bandcamp

Website: Instagram

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I have always found interest in following Gaahl's activities in the scene and outside of it, as one of the most iconic figures of this music. While not all his endeavors are my cup of tea, I certainly have favorites and enjoyed this project's debut GastiR - Ghosts Invited, quite a lot two years ago. I made sure not to listen to any promotional track before going into their new EP, The Humming Mountain, either. While at first thinking that it was in fact a second full length album, in turn this mini-release left me with mixed feelings and unsure whether I personally dig the effort, even if it's aesthetically and musically well within acceptable levels. 

Clean vocals are chosen almost completely this time, for the whole release. Gaahl's voice is one of the most prominent in black metal and the outcome doesn't lose in emotion or quality, yet I can't deny that I would have loved a harsher voice, especially in the faster parts of the album. With that in mind, The Humming Mountain contains a few chunks of interesting content, but it's also stalling a considerable much as well. Some compositions are holding back and at the same time, over dragged in duration, keeping mellow melodies but ultimately no serious impact. This is the case for both the nine-minute opener "The Seed" and the self-titled track.

Then, "The Dwell" and "Awakening Remains - Before Leaving" represent the other part of the coin for The Humming Mountain. Significantly speedier tempos, cutting black metal riffs with a nice atmosphere, but still no shrieked vocals, very much in the spirit of Gaahls Wyrd and what they have been doing the last few years. These two songs, while not incredibly extravagant, might have the listener nodding for a bit and could be appreciated for more variety as well as more potent melodies. Unfortunately, closing "The Sleep" is even emptier than how The Humming Mountain starts, and it had me wondering why it's there and who couldn't think of abstract clean guitar echoing tricks like that.

While the EP has clear highlights, it also has some fairly clear weak points. The more passionate fans of Gaahls Wyrd will still appreciate The Humming Mountain, but it's quite clearly an understatement compared to the wonderful debut of the band. I believe more focus will be put in a second album if it ever comes. I kind of see this as what Windswept represents in the Drudkh universe, even if it's a wild analogy. Despite the bitter tongue of this text, Gaahls Wyrd is exactly how Gaahl's art should be manifested, in my opinion.

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Tracklist:

1. The Seed

2. The Humming Mountain

3. The Dwell

4. Awakening Remains - Before Leaving

5. The Sleep

Damage: 2.5/5 [Average]

Necromantia - To the Depths We Descend... (2021) Review

Genre: Black Metal

Location: Greece

Label: The Circle Music

Listen: Bandcamp

Website: Instagram

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I am not old enough to have lived the second wave of black metal as it happened. I didn't even get into the genre through a ladder of traditional bands during my first interactions with it, and at first I can say I really didn't get it. I listened to a lot of classic albums way too late and for a long time, interest was limited to frostbitten, maniac caterwauling from the North. It is one of the reasons I have never had a huge attachment with Greece's scene, apart from its importance of course.

What did happen at a quite sensitive age back then though was my encounter of Necromantia's Ancient Pride EP (one of their most popular releases), through a physical magazine that distributed it, and it was a kickstart not only to check the band but to look around what was happening in my neighborhood too. Ancient Pride is still one of my favorites exactly because of this reason, yet I don't stand a chance in a discussion with fans that have been following the project from the beginning and have researched into their material. Necromantia righteously claim rights for one of the most unique groups in black metal as a whole, they have the respect of the underground and more mainstream alike, and they have been highly influential for the scene, worldwide. 

After Baron Blood's passing, news started brewing about a farewell EP and the closure of Necromantia. A while later, the EP became a full album, and it took a while longer to release. As it has been stated by Magus himself, but is fairly obvious from the title and lyrics, To the Depths We Descend... is a record strongly personal to the band and serves plainly as a swan song, rather than a new release. Featuring new material, and re-recordings of old classic songs, a farewell to Baron Blood and the final chapter of one of the most important extreme metal bands of the country, is here. All this is understandable, but what I would have never expected is a significant change in the instrument arrangement, one that gave them their most characteristic quality: there is no more 8 string bass. And on top of that, you get to hear guitars. Balance has been disturbed so much, that the next step might be a Barathrum folk metal album.

Furthermore, what is this artwork? It didn't hit me well, especially coming from a cult band like that, to have such a digitally bright, video game artwork. In Game of Thrones terms, this artwork is the equivalent of the CGI-flooded Mountain - Hound fight in the last episode, while their earlier material go closer to the realistic, sincerely brutal and uncomfortable Brienne - Hound fight from the fourth season. I'm deliberately making a millennial analogy to this issue to establish my background, and while it's not an ugly artwork per se, it's not engaging at all to the album's concept despite the clarity of its depiction. Things like these make not buy a record, because it is too far from the aesthetics I am looking for in this music. 

The line up for To the Depths We Descend... features, apart from Magus of course, drum war machine Maelstrom, who is probably playing on every Greek black metal band right now, and George Emmanouel on the guitars (oh, the guitars...). Influence by the two must have been huge in the musical outcome, and they are both quite efficient. Most of the guitar lines in the album are quite potent, the drumming is on point as always, and the synths / electronics add a lot of epicness in the compositions. There's plenty of melodic riffing, a few harsher moments, and the listener will have the chance to enjoy ancient tracks like "The Warlock" and "Lord of the Abyss", re-played under this new light that found Necromantia in 2021. 

While the whole record is a tribute to Baron Blood, one of the more emotional moments appears towards the end of "And the Shadows Wept" where a narration directly to him is spoken. Album opener "Daemonocentric" is a banger, there is a beloved spookiness in the keys and melodies of "Inferno" and "Eldritch" and bass is given some justice with its own piece "Give the Devil his Due". A warm instrumental with more experimental nuances, "To the Depths We Descend" hits before the old tracks kick in. To the Depths We Descend... is a seemingly rewarding record, which makes it an odd case to formulate an opinion on.

While the Greek black metal sphere worships the album like there's no tomorrow, I sincerely hope in a parallel universe, the final Necromantia record would have been something different. A rawer, complex record that glorifies their uniqueness and originality. One album that pays homage to their past not simply by re-recording old tracks with the cleanest production possible. One that doesn't diverge from its past so much that it smashes one of the vital instruments for its sound, the bass, completely out of existence. And instead, throws in two and a half minutes of a bass interlude to trick the audience and relieve its conscience. I can guarantee you will like this album when you listen to it, but for me it's lacking, yet in really discrete ways. 

Rest in chaos, mighty Necromantia!

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Tracklist:

1. Daemonocentric

2. And the Shadows Wept...

3. Give the Devil His Due

4. Inferno

5. Eldritch

6. To the Depths We Descend...

7. Lord of the Abyss MMXXI

8. The Warlock MMXXI

Damage: 2.5/5 [Average]

Cenotaph - Precognition to Eradicate (2021) Review

Genre: Brutal Death Metal

Location: Turkey

Label: Coyote Records / New Standard Elite / Tentacles Industries

Listen: Bandcamp

Website: Facebook

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As one of the oldest and steadiest bands in the brutal death metal scene, Turkey’s Cenotaph have a long back-catalog of several classic releases, some more graphic than others. Despite the line-up turmoil that the group has undergone, it has been the case that there is a new release every 3 – 4 years, except the 7 year gap between 2010’s Putrescent Infectious Rabidity and 2017’s Perverse Dehumanized Dysfunctions.

Now, Precognition to Eradicate is mercilessly violent. Its production wouldn’t be characterized as totally polished, compared to other like-minded, modern bands, yet the record’s bulldozing sound exerts absolute domination. Living up to the band’s history, remarkable levels of brutality are achieved, while maintaining distinct technicality and deep, below-the-earth, growling throughout the whole album. Tempos constantly change, the maniacal guitar shredding focuses on the wall of heaviness instead of displaying prowess, there are moments of some more clear bass tapping while the drumming execution is plain savagery. The outcome of Precognition to Eradicate is fully served by its semi-dusty production, and Cenotaph show what it means to be a truly heavy band with top-notch musicianship.  

Listening to tracks like “Isolation Turned Into Cannibalism”, the self-titled track or “Anomalous Necrotic Breed”, the masterful combination of hard-hitting fast parts and short-termed, not overused grooves, as well as excellent usage of all the instruments involves, establishes how focused Cenotaph are with this release. A slower, almost doomy section comes towards the ending of the fifth track, “Recombinant Extraterrestrial New Form”, which is also met in the record’s final track “Into the Septic Molecular New Form”, two moments when Cenotaph dare to step into more abstract territories, compared to their known pummeling brutal death metal core.

With its delicate artwork (done by Delik Saike), Precognition to Eradicate proved to be more convincing than the last two efforts of the band and is a highlight for this year’s death metal release wagon.

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Tracklist:

1. Anti-Pathogenic Morbid Incubation  

2. Progeny of Embryonic Congenital Malformations

3. Anomalous Necrotic Breed

4. Virus Induced Dehumanization 

5. Recombinant Extraterrestrial New Form 

6. Isolation Turned into Cannibalism 

7. Precognition to Eradicate

8. Pandemic Bacterial Reverse Mutation 

9. Into the Septic Molecular New Form

 

Damage: 3.5/5 [Excellent]

Bullet Ratings - October 21 [II]

Apparition (US) - Feel (Profound Lore Records):

The band's first EP was a 12 minute delight, and their debut full length is just an extended version of the same joy. Well produced, hefty doom / death metal with great riffs in all the right places, this album deserves to circulate among fans of the genre. [3.5/5]

Cradle of Filth (UK) - Existence is Futile (Nuclear Blast):

I would prefer not to. [2/5]

Dark Fog Eruption (Japan) — 忘却と絢爛の幻想 (Self-released):

Completely unaware of this project, their second release since 2019's debut is a wholly enjoyable piece of work. Dark Fog Eruption mostly rely on patterns of the traditional black metal framework, often reminded me of the melodic techniques of German / Finnish bands, with a more unique semi-growling voice instead of shrieking. Listen to this if you like Sargeist! [3/5]

Feral Season (US) - Rotting Body in the Range of Light (Profound Lore Records):

Took a serious note on this band. A highly immersive release with intriguing content, the sound is amazing and so are all the different ideas that come and go in it. [4/5]

In Crucem Agere (Austria) - Calling the Void (Aural Music):

There's too much information scattered all over the place in this release. While the band's intentions are fine, I couldn't really get through the album's different directions. While it is experimental, it is also avant-garde in a somehow predictable way. [2.5/5]

Massacre (US) - Resurgence (Nuclear Blast):

As they note in the last song of the album, the return of the corpse grinder. I can't say that I didn't enjoy Resurgence, from its art to its music, as I understand the time it's released and from who. That's what they would do anyway, and why not? [3/5]

Organic (Italy) - Where Graves Abound (Testimony Records):

I was not impressed by Organic's first released Carved In Flesh, it was too standard Swedish old school death metal. They have not changed their path with Where Graves Abound, but at least this time all the tunes are as heavy as needed, fast and not more lengthy than needed. The characteristic chainsaw sound still prevails. [3/5]

The Wolf Garden (UK) - Woven of Serpent's Spines (Naturmacht Productions):

A bit indifferent atmospheric black metal for me, it has its moments but can't make it to my favorite artists list from the genre. [2/5]

Vomit Spell (Germany) - Vomit Spell (F.D.A. Records):

From what I initially saw, I expected (and really hoped) that this record would be much heavier than what it was eventually. Maybe Vomit Spell go into middle-paced tempos more than needed, maybe not all their riffs are as strong, but it's still not skippable. [3/5]

Waking the Cadaver (US) - Authority Through Intimidation (Unique Leader Records):

Back in my deathcore discovery years in 2010-2011, there was big talk and quite an amount of distrust against this band. Never expected them to return but Authority Through Intimidation is a pretty solid record. It also feels like that's all I want from Waking the Cadaver, exactly that sound. Not a fan of their previous discography, but Authority Through Intimidation clicked. [3.5/5]

Cult of Eibon - Black Flame Dominion (2021) Review

Release date: 29.10.2021
Genre: Black Metal
Location: Greece
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Listen: Youtube

Website: Facebook

While having started about six years ago, Cult of Eibon's line up consists of seasoned members who have had experience for a long time and with numerous projects in the Greek black metal scene. The band left a good mark with a couple of EPs back in 2016 and 2017, and the split release with Caedes Cruenta (who are closely related) in 2018 was also short but enjoyable, yet we were missing a more complete work until now. Black Flame Dominion features sharply colored artwork (as they did in their previous two releases) and eight tracks of clear textbook examples of this country's genre style.

As an album, and as many times as this has been said, Black Flame Dominion musically loiters in the 90's second wave as it was being realized in Greece, so much that apart from a relatively cleaner production, it wouldn't have been a surprise to see it materialize back then. The roots of earlier underground heavy metal are its basic characteristic, there's no frenetic blast beating, the compositions are more distinct and warmer than purely aggressive black metal, but it has its more furious moments nonetheless. Cult of Eibon's how to checklist has all the ticks filled, on how the guitars and drums are played, on the slight use of eerie keyboards here and there, on its introduction, the Lovecraftian references and the shrieked vocals, you know it if you have been following Greece's classic releases from three decades ago.

The record, in its forty minutes of length, does not get dull or more difficult to listen to at any moment. While Cult of Eibon don't throw any crazy tricks in, in fact they don't diverge from the common recipe at all, Black Flame Dominion is still quite enjoyable and with nice little transitions between its different parts. Guest musicians from the scene also take part in the album, especially in the more notable track "Phaesphoros", while I especially liked the synths in "Crossing the Stargate of Xitalu" and the fast-paced, self-titled song. For the fans of Greek black metal, Cult of Eibon is already a band within the radar and now their full length offer will seriously circulate around its target, it's a decent release with specific focus and no cockiness. 

Tracklist:

1. The Fiery Pillars of Ninazu 

2. Into the Realm of Na-Girt-A-Lu

3. The Dreamer and the Morning Star 

4. Phaesphoros

5. Black Flame Dominion

6. Recollections from the Chthonian Empire

7. Crossing the Stargate of Xitalu

8. The Mournful Chime of Charon's Bell

Damage: 3/5 [Good]

Bullet Ratings - October 21 [I]

Arcanist (US) - Caustic Apparitions:

Quite filthy raw black metal with some punk touches. The tracks are not the hardest or most compelling ever, but it is a pleasing listen. [3/5]

Azazel (Fin) - Aegrum Satanas Tecum:

I've heard every riff in this album before. You've also heard every riff in this album before. Painfully typical black metal, but hey, Chris Moyen art is always nice to look at. [2/5]

Caveman Cult (US) - Blood and Extinction:

Savage War is Destiny was gruesomely elegant and dazzling. Caveman Cult keep it up with an accurate creation of war metal that properly comes at you as a knuckle duster in the face. [3.5/5]

Full of Hell (US) - Garden of Burning Apparitions:

A swift carnage of grindcore, noise and clean production. Against religious ideals, Full of Hell own their alley and comfortably dwell in it, yet I would have liked the record to sound more wholly violent. For me, the last two previous albums were much heavier. [3/5]

Gloosh (Rus) - Sylvan Coven:

I'm so glad this guy proved me right. Since last year, I've been murmuring about this quiet force and the couple of fine EPs it had put out, now everything resonates to an impressive, captivating debut full length album. It totally dominates the atmospheric black metal territory, while not even being constrained there. Sylvan Coven is indeed a wonderful work of art. [4/5]

Revel in Flesh (US) - The Work:

It's disheartening to see the metal scene fall for this. It's a pile of pretentious experimental audacity, and the technicality won't save you if your ideas are for the trash bin. And sadly, a handful of neat saxophone parts didn't save it this time. [1/5]

Revenant Marquis (UK) - Below the Landsker Line:

Tasty riffs bounce off distorted production with a horrible echo effect. One might as well chop their songs into pieces the next time, but still this album's beauty can be recognized, like a beautiful human behind broken glass. One of the leading albums Revenant Marquis has put through. [3.5/5]

Wraith (US) - Undo the Chains:

Didn't know this band, but Undo the Chains proved to be rather entertaining. Nice black / thrash with no overstatements. [3/5]

Skepticism - Companion (2021) Review

Release date: September 24th, 2021

Genre: Funeral Doom Metal

Origin: Finland

Label: Svart Records

Listen: Bandcamp

We got a tiny bit of Eero Pöyry action earlier this year with his keyboard contribution to the introduction and outro of Mork's latest album Katedralen, a great work of modern Norwegian black metal that features some of the band's most well-written material to date. As for me, I enjoyed Katedralen but was more anxiously waiting for the next Skepticism full length, especially after the slight letdown of 2015's Ordeal, where the band didn't manage to keep my attention almost at all. Prior to that, they have massive albums on their backs, each one a big chapter in their story dating back to the early days of establishing this subgenre.

If you want some quick insight to stop reading this text faster, you should already know then that Companion is startling. Its massive atmosphere, through multilayered synths and the beloved church organs, the snail-paced guitar lines -even though, this time Skepticism dare to play a bit faster too- all live up to their names. With instances that reminded me a bit of the Farmakon era, it's packed with epic moments and almost no dull moment, it naturally flows and you won't even know when the 48 minutes of duration have passed when listening to this magical journey. Companion changes mood from time to time, based always on interesting ideas and fine musicianship, so don't expect pointless, endless songs that attempt to mimic funeral doom metal. I really liked some of the directions this record took, and it's after all, made by veterans.

The album openers "Calla" and "The Interwined" are wonderful examples of Skepticism class, and they stand on the slightly more uplifting side of the album. The band picks up some speed here and might catch some listeners off guard (just compare this to the standard speeds of e.g., Alloy), offering an abundance of beautiful melodies and some especially nice piano + drums part in "The Interwined". Slower, church organ driven lines follow in "The March of the Four", where one can find some of the more typical funeral doom elements being clearer. However, Companion takes a wondrous turn from then on, as it shows its angry face with "Passage". Apart from the intimidating introduction, which feels like a more furious, fast paced black metal track might kick in, its used of background synths, along the mellower, more common Skepticism style, provides a heavier, more punishing result that made it possibly my favorite track in the record.

It's pointless to mention how good the keyboards and the church organ is every time it deserves a mention in Companion, but for the people who are familiar with Skepticism, the quality of Eero Pöyry's execution is well known. That's what I enjoyed the most in the dolent "The Inevitable", and the rest of the instrumentation in the ominous introduction of the final track "The Swan and the Raven", as well as how it built up and closed the album in the same manner. Yet, not to totally praise this release, what I did not completely enjoy at several times was the growling of the vocals, as to me it didn't sound as hefty, as deep or as strong as it could have been, which had me thinking that if Companion featured a more monstrous lower vocal work, it would have been among my top funeral doom metal albums. Still, I doubt this will alienate the fans out there, as Skepticism have made another really solid effort.

Ok, this was really nice, now back to Stormcrowfleet again.

Tracklist:

1. Calla
2. The Intertwined
3. The March of the Four
4. Passage 
5. The Inevitable 
6. The Swan and the Raven

Damage: 3.5/5 [Great]

Runespell - Verses in Regicide (2021) Review

Release date: September 10th, 2021
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Origin: Australia
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Listen: Bandcamp

On an already great trajectory, with three well-catered records before this, Runespell established themselves rather quickly in 2017 with their debut Unhallowed Blood Oath and just kept on going on the same pace. Having followed this project from the beginning, I found myself always enjoying their material, which was sometimes unfortunately buried under needlessly unclear production that didn't always serve the songs. One of the reasons I still go back to some of their older works is because the credibility of the music and the epic / atmospheric proportions it's able to reach.

Thankfully, this miscue was completely overcome with the new album Verses in Regicide, which seems to have taken its sound outcome rather seriously. It is finally possible to experience Runespell at its full magnitude, with an adequate production of clear enough instruments, space and a tremendous atmosphere that's offering higher levels of admiration that can be met by just a few black metal bands, who practice this kind of epicness in their music. Wondrous melodies are a pivotal part of Verses in Regicide, from melancholic to heavier and faster parts, behind echoing deep vocals and section changes in the tracks that are absolutely wonderful, as Runespell often take just the right amount of time to build the following lines in these compositions. The record also stands out textually and aesthetically, as one would expect judging from the quality found in track titles / artworks of their previous offerings.

A big leap forward has been achieved, which streams through the record's production but also from the songs themselves. Runespell don't stray from the path they have set, they just excel on it with every new release and Verses in Regicide is no different. It's a record that starts with a blast, the brilliant "Structures of Collapse", and is packed with memorable, emotional and powerful moments of epic proportions. I recognized several influences from the Greek black metal scene and especially the modern works of Macabre Omen, as common lines can be drawn between Verses in Regicide and the absolute masterpiece that is Gods of War, At War. The listeners aware of this release should already clear out their schedule and give this record its time, because at various moments of listening to it I was almost equally overwhelmed and satisfied.

There's two instrumental pieces in the record, "Into Dust" and the outro "Windswept Burial", and you should not skip them. The majestic sound is emphasized even more through the chords of the acoustic guitars and they work perfectly as the bridges between the rest of the album. Tracks "Vengeance Reign" and "Realm of Fire" feature top-notch and unique atmospheric black metal, with the latter including the few moments that Runespell increase the groove and the aggression. The longest track in Verses in Regicide, "Tides of Slidhr", clocks up to nine minutes, combines middle paced tempos with marvelous riffs and at times faster guitar lines just to demonstrate how naturally this flow is achieved from the band. It definitely grows more the more you listen to it.

Verses in Regicide could prove to be one of my favorite releases of the year and it comes from a band that had discreetly shown what it can do, but only now unleashes its full power. More attention on Runespell and this album will give it the justice it deserves, as a well-worked, well-thought and complete release that it is. With an improved sound and potent tracks, all that's needed for a monumental black metal creation is here and it's only waiting for the scene to discover it. I'm really glad I followed this band from the beginning just a few years ago and noticed this evolution first hand.

Track listing:

1. Structures of Collapse

2. Vengeance Reign

3. Realm of Fire

4. Into Dust

5. Tides of Slidhr 

6. Shadow's Dominion 

7. Windswept Burial

Damage: 4/5 [Excellent]

Fluisteraars - Gegrepen door de geest der zielsontluiking (2021) Review

 

Release date: August 27th, 2021

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Origin: Netherlands

Label: Eisenwald

Listen: Bandcamp

This band's last album Bloem, not only had a big impact on me, but it also brought some more mainstream attention as a case of more accessible and also fairly personal style of black metal. It was one of the richest, more diverse albums Fluisteraars put out, with a wide variety of instruments that emphasized their emotive character, and for once made Dutch sound great. When looking at the news for a new record just a year later, I thought they keep on the habit to release two albums for two consecutive year, as it had happened in 2014 with their debut Dromers, and Luwte a year later.

From the aesthetics of Gegrepen door de geest der zielsontluiking (=gripped by the Spirit of Soul Blossoming..?), one would imagine that the band decides to take a rawer, more straightforward approach this time than the milder previous work. A title that can't be pronounced by a non-native, and a black and white simplistic cover, may hint an intention of possibly reaching a more underground audience, as they have also returned to a three song structure of about thirty five minutes, something that was exercised again seven years ago during the first steps of the band. So, Gegrepen... has three tracks, and the biggest chunk of the record is taken up by the last piece, a twenty minute long mammoth composition named "Verscheuring in de schemering". Subsequently, the album is indeed based on a pretty clearly dirtier sound, the production sounds distant but organic, almost as if it was not recorded at a studio at all. 

Despite the cover and production though, Fluisteraars don't really aim for a more aggressive record, since most of the music in Gegrepen... is business as usual for the band. The -by now- characteristic, natural structural ideas are dominant, with their compositional narrative having not changed at all to an extent that you almost feel you know these tracks, if you've heard of Fluisteraars before. Especially in the case of the last track, which for its first ten minutes, is almost the same as "Oeverloos" from their 2018 split with Turia, the riffs and how the different parts are connected are basically the same, which is probably the recipe the band follows if they wanna make a really long piece. Things get more abstract on the second half of "Verscheuring..." though, for  a few minutes before asserting a charged ending to the record, that was pretty awesome. At times, it feels like this band appeals to me more than the average band because a few of their repetitive riffs I have been humming in my head at random times, and then somehow they create it.

Apart from that, the two other tracks of Gegrepen... should be noted for their passionate vocals (that's how you combine screams and clean yelling properly). Musically, I wasn't rocked of my chair as a whole from this record as I get a sense that Fluisteraars can produce something like this any day now, and I'm not sure how much effort or pushing the boundaries was actually put here. If you want to listen to their music with not the most polished production ever as it was in Bloem, you can pick this album or the more daring listener would even go to their older material, or last year's compilation Relaas. Yet, for a full length I was left with a bitter taste of wanting more from this. The band emphatically states that "there was no keyboards used on this record", a messages that implies their motive to put together an unfiltered, authentic release, which also has its unexpected turns, especially in the more contemporary parts that conclude tracks "Het overvleugelen der meute" and "Brand woedt in mijn graf". 

In retrospect, one aspect Fluisteraars should be complemented for at least is their efforts to sound unique, and their production in Gegrepen... makes a case for this. It might alienate some listeners, but it's clear the band hasn't chosen this kind of, all in all pretty catered, sound just for the sake of it. With their new album, they haven't taken a step forward necessarily but I don't see that disappointing the fans, yet from such an impulsive band I would have appreciated a bit of out of the box thinking here and there, at least in the main bodies of the tracks. What they seriously need to work on though, is finding a new logo, because this mess looks terrible.

Damage: 3/5 [Good]

King Woman - Celestial Blues (2021) Review

Release: July 30th, 2021
Genre: Doom / Post-Metal / Shoegaze
Origin: California, US
Label: Relapse Records
Listen: Bandcamp

I have to admit I completely missed King Woman's debut album Created in the Image of Suffering four years ago, at least at the time it was released, since I got around to listen to it some time later, and the reason could have been how much I thought this name is close to King Dude, which made me almost already know what I will listen from this band. By listening to the debut, the case was well like that as one can point out musical similarities between the two, but King Woman surely is a separate entity that doesn't call for unnecessary overshadowing.

Introducing itself with a slightly unsettling front cover, Celestial Blues is not as innocent as the title would suggest but no fan of this project / style would be fooled like that about the content. With the new record, King Woman stretches more on spiritual religious aspects of the frontwoman's Kristina Esfandiari life, mulling over despair and mourning as a textually rather dark record that uses theistic figures and elements to describe much more personal experiences. Of course, the crawling, gloomy, slow-paced (for the most part) music goes along with the ongoing elegies, this time putting more emphasis to clearer doom metal passages, while the post-metal temperament always manages to stand out. At the same time, the absolute highlight in Celestial Blues and any King Woman work, is actually Kristina's thrilling voice.

The focus on more variety compared to the first album as well as the emphasis on some heavier guitar parts gives the band the boost it needed, especially in the first part of the record lie the best moments of Celestial Blues. The heavier, stoner / doom metal distorted guitar lines distantly bring Pallbearer to mind, while the common grounds with Chelsea Wolfe are quite strong throughout the release in its entirety. The self-title opening tracks efficiently demonstrates the above and starts Celestial Blues with a blast, which continues with the second track "Morning Star" (a reference to Satan), one of my favorites as a whole. However, the two most compelling tracks of the album for me were by far "Boghz" and "Golgotha", with intense heavier moments, slow paced, painful passages, and the latter featuring a stunning cello part by Jackie Perez Gratz (who you may know from Giant Squid or Grayceon).

For the second half of Celestial Blues, the album unfortunately doesn't maintain the same level of competence musically, as I found the compositions aching at various points. "Coil" and "Psychic Wound" are mere average songs (Imagine the same ones without such a unique voice), but more specifically the use of harsher vocals here didn't come out as that convincing to me. With the exception of "Entwined", which does have some worthy moments, and the sorrowful, emotive ending piece "Paradise Lost", Celestial Blues suffers from a few filler moments but thankfully not too many, and it's not what's left in the mind of the listener after it's done. The more potent works in the album stand out and contain possibly some of King Woman's best creations to date.

Recognizing a certain evolution in this project's music, this album is one I would return easier than Created in the Image of Suffering, however only for specific chunks of it. As much as I adored a few tracks, others left me almost indifferent but in total Celestial Blues is a work that deserves its appreciation. It's hurting, it's distressed, darkly poetic and probably fulfils the artist's vision as it was meant to be. If King Woman has evaded you so far, and you like the approach of other musicians like King Dude and Chelsea Wolfe, it's almost a crime not to listen to this as well.

Damage: 3/5 [Good]

Wolves in the Throne Room - Primordial Arcana (2021) Review

Release: August 20th, 2021
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Origin: Washington, US
Label: Relapse Records
Listen: Bandcamp

Looking at the cover of Primordial Arcana, one can draw parallels to Watain's The Wild Hunt, considering this its "atmospheric black metal" equivalent, as that album was also one of the most daring and mature efforts of the Swedish band. In a similarly passionate manner, Wolves in the Throne Room have also put forth to create all equipment and tools for their aesthetics on their own by now, becoming totally independent when it comes to the development of their 7th album, Primordial Arcana. Their video clip of the first single from the album, "Mountain Magick", offers a very pleasing visual experience of all this as well.

As far as I follow them, I don't remember any of their works being praised as their previous album, Thrice Woven. As it has been noted by fans, the musical enrichment following the post-Celestial Lineage era has been overly beneficial for the band and it's not an exaggeration to say that they are on their best form now, rather than in their first most influential albums. As the overlords of Cascadian black metal, we are witnessing their evolution into a band that becomes one chapter of this music on its own, and its members as artists with such authentic substance that a certain level of respect is almost deserved by default from all the fans of the scene. How they have handled all aspects of Primordial Arcana, and by how well crafted the outcome is, makes me believe that Wolves in the Throne Room now unleash their truest self, in the most unfiltered way possible.

Primordial Arcana is a unique beast on many aspects. First of all, the production is not as cleanly worked as it was in Thrice Woven, yet it's quite organic and gives massive space to the instruments. Usage of percussions has grown a lot, adding more layers of intensity to the tracks with their immense echoing sounds. Melodies dance around and come and go, so naturally handled by a band that is possibly one of the few real masters of this craft. It's usually profoundly atmospheric and very close to its essence, nature, and only chooses to get more violent at specific moments, e.g. in the introduction track or "Primal Chasm (Gift of Fire)". Slightly shorter compositions than usual are featured in Primordial Arcana, with the longest track "Monsters of Rain and Storm" being a sensational piece that offers an ideal listening experience if you want to know what Wolves in the Throne Room is all about.

A fair amount of ambiance is also explored by employing an even wider variety of sounds, like in the beginning of "Spirit of Lightning" or "Underworld Aurora". The certain underlying ritualistic vibe of these parts, along with the slower melodic passages that follow enhance the capacity of the record, which is hard to miss or hard to skip once it gets under the skin. Primordial Arcana has a lot of elements that would make a masterpiece, and Wolves in the Throne Room have no one to compare to, as they didn't just set the bar, but they also placed it there in the first place. The last couple of compositions "Eostre" and "Skyclad Passage" present two different sides of the band through dark ambient only, the first being a nostalgic tune with slight dungeon synth elements, and the latter being a darker, more ceremonial piece to end the record. 

What's more essential is the state of Wolves in the Throne Room at the moment, who are at their best form and will be under discussion for their later discography, as much as their earlier one. Primordial Arcana gets points because of how complete it is as a whole, the most mature offering of the band and one that characterizes them more than anything they have done in the past. As a person who was never a die hard follower, it's impossible not to recognize how well being independent has turned out for them, and now only the sky is the limit.

Damage: 4.5/5 [Brilliant]

Múspellsheimr - Ave Mund​-​Spilli (2021) Review

Release: August 12th, 2021

Genre: Black Metal

Origin: Sweden

Label: Self-released

Listen: Bandcamp

A couple of months ago, I listened to the first demo by a new Swedish project named Forbidden Worship, a fairly promising forty minute work full of strong and well-recorded black metal that as a whole, could stand very well as a full length album as well. Now, the mastermind behind them comes around with another personal project, Múspellsheimr, and its debut full length release Ave Mund​-​Spilli, which is actually shorter in duration than the Forbidden Worship demo, and also slightly different musically. 

Things are much rawer  than what we were briefly used to from this musician, yet the Scandinavian vein is quite strong in Ave Mund​-​Spilli, which maintains an ice-cold, masterfully made lo-fi sound that will not drown out the plethora of memorable riffs of the record. The tracks are unnamed, but I found myself hooked from the first two the last and each was more surprising than the last, since the intensity doesn't wear out as long as it progresses. I have often thought that it's too easy for a band to be pretentiously raw sounding with today's available home software, but Múspellsheimr don't fake it, there is a lot of energy and unique potential in Ave Mund​-​Spilli that makes it stand out.

It would be more difficult to keep your attention to the music if more moments were like the introduction of "III", a very typical kind of build up filler found in many bands, but you can be rewarded by the thunderous chaos that takes place after that particular song unfolds, which is also a highlight of Ave Mund​-​Spilli. That's how Múspellsheimr manages to save the day when it comes to a few instances of the music almost getting into filler territory, as the main parts of it are all of quite high quality black metal. I also loved the first and the fourth track, both having the type of guitar playing that reigns the Scandinavian territories and characterizes the genre, here executed neatly by Múspellsheimr.

While the demo of his other project was also notable, only now I am convinced that it was not a coincidence but the person behind these projects has a good grip on how to compose this music. Ave Mund​-​Spilli is an example of a fine album on the opposite side of clear productions, and it has something to say musically, which is in the end the most important aspect we are looking for. In a desert of bedroom sounding raw black metal bands with saturated black and white imagery, sitting under tons of dust, here is an oasis.

Damage: 4/5 [Excellent]