2018 Black Metal - Tumblr Posts
-Convulsing- New release from one man Australian Atmospheric Blackened Death project.
Artwork by Jeff Whitehead (Wrest) of Leviathan.
Album can be purchased on Bandcamp.
Grievous by Convulsing
Plaguestorm
Eternal Throne EP
Available as Digital, Vinyl, or Cassette from Helter Skelter Productions.
Hailing from Malmö, Sweden, these black metal miscreants have unleashed four tracks of raw traditional black metal that is uniquely their own. From the opening choir transformation into a growling wall of feedback, you know you're in for a wild ride. Furiously paced, yet with beautiful flourishes of musicianship and no shortage of groove, this EP howls from start to finish. The guitarwork is the definite star of this show, going from frigid tremolo picking to wild solos that would be perfectly at home on a Maiden album. And the tone is a banshee wail, utterly perfect for this fiery plague that melts your face from start to finish. Definitely a favorite release of mine this year.
Released July 9, 2018.
Album Artwork- ??
Watain
Stage Props for Swedish black metallers' recent Austin, Texas show in support of their new album, Trident Wolf Eclipse.
Photo by blogger. Barracuda, Austin, TX. March 2018.
Ováte -Ováte
Available from Soulseller Records.
The debut album from new Norwegian black metal band Ováte, featuring Aindiachaí, live musician for Taake and Gorgoroth, on guitar and bass, and Brodd, live musician for Taake, on drums.
If you enjoy Norwegian Black Metal, this album is worth checking out. Raw and riff heavy, it displays the styles of the associated acts these men play for. I find the Taake sound particularly noticeable, and don't consider that a bad thing. You can definitely headbang to this one, as there is a good bit of melody to the blazing riffs.
The vocal work is good, very traditional for this kind of sound without being overly raw or melodic, and the drumming compliments the guitarwork quite well. There are even some hints at folkish influences, such as the epic choral touches to Morgenstjerne, which I find reminiscent of Havukruunu's stellar Kelle Surut Soi album from last year.
Overall, this is a solid release that hits the right spots, and while it perhaps brings nothing new to the table it is still a superbly executed piece of traditional Norwegian black metal.
Released June 1, 2018
Artwork ???
Mare
Ebony Tower
New album by Norwegian Doomy, Occult Black Metallers. Really, really good stuff. Great atmosphere, haunting vibes, sucks you right in.
Can be picked up from Terratur Possessions.
Reblogged from @reptileshrine
MARE - Ebony Tower by TERRATUR POSSESSIONS
Blitzgeist
Ritual Magic
Portland Oregon based black metal, from Zane, the man behind the stellar Elegiac black metal project. Whereas Elegiac has a rawer, more traditionally agressive tone to it, Blitzgeist is a bit slower with the tempo. A grimier, almost more melodic sound pervades this project, and the vocal work reminds me of Inquisition. As the apt title suggests, there is a ritualistic aspect to the compositions and style.
Pick it up from the musician's personal label, Sacrificial Sounds.
Lathspell; Malum
Luciferian Nights Split
Two Finnish Black Metal powerhouses have just released this split. The Lathspell side has me exceptionally excited, as they are a fiery, aggressive, and crushing black metal band. If raging traditional black metal is your thing, be sure to give this a listen. Finland continues to be one of my current favorite black metal scenes, and bands like this are why.
Blood Worship
Death's Omnipotence
Released: June 15, 2018
This debut from Stockholm, Sweden based black metallers Blood Worship is one of my top albums this year. Blazing black metal in the traditional Swedish style, this album is precisely on-point, from the riffs to the vocals to the drumming.
If you're a fan of Dark Funeral, Dissection, or Watain, you really need to hear this album. It worships its stylistic forefathers while pummeling you with one fantastic riff after another, sucking you in from beginning to end. Also featured on drums is David Folchitto, newest addition to the mighty death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse's lineup.
My favorite track is probably Rites of the Inner Shrine, but honestly all four tracks are absolutely killer.
You can pick it up via their bandcamp page.
Solar Temple
Fertile Descent
Preview of new album from Dutch Atmospheric Black Metallers. Superb fuzzy blackened trance.
Reblogged from @reptileshrine
Red River Family Fest III -2018
This weekend, Friday September 28- Saturday September 29 at The Barracuda in Austin, Texas, USA.
Some last minute lineup changes have occurred. Vilkacis and Délétère have unfortunately had to drop, however in their steads are Ulthar, Pandiscordian Necrogenesis, Malevich, and Vale.
Come and enjoy!
Panegyrist
Hierurgy
Avant-garde ritual black metal from Chicago, Illinois. This is their debut album, released just this year through I, Voidhanger records.
The avant-garde elements remind me a tad of Therion, but this is definitely still wrapped up in the black metal spirit. A ritual for the soul, this is not raw or aggressive, but rather spiritual and contemplative, with underlying grandeur and majesty.
Imperial Triumphant
Vile Luxury
New York jazzy progressive blackened death. These fellows are insanely talented, and bring a variety of musical elements together into a terrifyingly beautiful experience. Their latest album, Vile Luxury, is a streamlined, precise mixture of all their influences, and it is a powerful creation to behold.
They are currently wrapping up the Blood Sand Ash tour with UADA and Panzerfaust, and you really should not miss it.
Stranger Fruit
Zeal and Ardor
The second album from Swiss-American Manuel Gagneux's extremely Avant-garde black metal project was released earlier this year.
What starts as bluesy Occult rock mixed with Deep South folk and African Spiritualism morphs into a blizzard of frigid Norwegian-styled rage, a maelstrom of voodoo, Satanism, and pure hatred. Chanting, crooning, and howling are blended into a beautiful mix of heavy rock and roll and the wailing guitar sounds of classic black metal, in an album that never ceases morphing into something more.
If you're looking for something vicious in an unexpected way, this album is brilliant. A sonic ritual statement of independence and rage, it encapsulates the violent free spirit of Black Metal while being a beautifully crafted work of musicianship.
My only caveat is I feel some of the songs could be longer, allowing Gagneux to fully capitalize on the sound he is perfecting and the catchy choruses peppered throughout. Nevertheless, this has become one of my favorite albums this year, and I eagerly await the band's future endeavors.
You can pick it up via the band's Bandcamp page, or from their website for physical copies.
Personal Favorite Track: Don't You Dare
Album Artwork: Manuel Gagneux
Uada
Oregon black metallers played a fantastic live show yet again at Red River Family Fest III
Photo by blogger. Barracuda, Austin, TX. Red River Family Fest III, September 28, 2018.
This will be happening Halloween night in San Antonio, Texas. The return of black n' roll masters Black Jackal!
The show is free, so if you're in the area there's no reason not to come.
Black Jackal- Rock N Roll Nightmare
The debut album from San Antonio black thrash n roll speeding death train Black Jackal is probably in my top 5 albums of the year. This album slays. It rocks. Its absolutely awesome. If you like Venom, Weaponizer, Bastardizer, Destroyer 666, etc., you absolutely must try this album. If you want rock n roll, you must try this album. If you love heavy metal, you must try this album.
The riffs are some of the best you will hear, from a master guitarist and his virtuoso nerdtastic rythym- man ripping the heavens asunder. The basslines roar, a groovy undertow pulling everything together, especially on Skeletonize. Top notch drumming keeps you banging your head at breakneck speeds throughout. The vocals are some of my favorite, a raspy growl tearing through the rock and roll din, gruff but discernible in a manner I tend to find rare in many metal releases, towing a perfect line between harsh and clean.
There is a somber aspect to this release, as the rock and roll nightmare himself is no longer with us. The stunning last track is a reminder of what was lost, and a beautiful way to close the album. The band continues to forge ahead, each step forward in honor of a metal maniac, and I await what the future brings with excitement.
Lay down your soul for the God's rock and roll!
You can currently pick up digital copies from Flesh Vessel Records on Bandcamp, and physical copies are coming in the near future.
Uruk
Nihilistic Warfare in Inhuman Realms
Another amazing release from a Texas band this year. These Austin, Texas traditional black metallers have followed up their stellar 2016 debut, Battle Hymns, with an even better album. Nihilistic Warfare in Inhuman Realms is blistering, storming, battle-hardened black metal that sweeps you along for the ride, marching over everything in its path. The drum and bass guitar gallop like wargs, the guitars herald frigid dark doom, and the vocals rage and roar. It sucks you into the fray, sinks its teeth in, and never lets go, from start to finish.
But there's a twist: just when you get comfortable in the saddle, a beautiful folkish passage transpires, a-la Satyricon of old. And the album morphs, continuing its gallop of death, but pulling in an epic and emotional current, melding battle-rage and dark melancholy into a poignant musical blend, successfully evoking the album's title. And that epic whirling battle continues until the last note, tumultuous and powerful, glorious and grim.
The album can be obtained digitally from either the band or Flesh Vessel Records on Bandcamp.
CDs can be obtained from Flesh Vessel Records.
Tapes can be obtained from Red River Family Records.
Elegiac
Pagan Storm
The newest release from this Portland, Oregon based solo black metal project follows last year's superb release Black Clouds of War, and continues the merging of classic black metal and hints of folk and pagan metal elements. Raw and unapologetic, but still well-produced and fantastically mixed, this album never sacrifices melody or enjoyment while being a raging assault on the senses in the vein of Satanic Warmaster or Darkthrone.
While the title itself indicates the pagan black metal stylistic leanings, it is not overdone, and the album remains firmly rooted in the traditional black metal sound. Rather, the pagan stylings are used to grow the songs, turning typical roaring riffs into hypnotic passages that allow the pagan longings to flourish. This generates a mixture of somber, mournful, yet celebratory emotions, an apt devotional to old ways, expressed with beautiful melody and stout heart. The songs tend towards a longer run time, permitting the soundscape to expand organically and meld the various little parts into a mesmerizing whole. As with the rest of this project's discography, it is worth listening, keeping the ancient spirit of black metal alive and kicking.
CDs can be obtained from ATMF Recordings.
Released September 28, 2018
My 2018 Album Of the Year List, pt. 1
This is a ridiculously long list, so its split up. Its still long. It might be overdoing it. I don't care. Believe it or not, I even left several releases off. I cannot emphasize it enough, there was a ton of superb music to be heard this year, and my goal is that maybe you'll find something new to enjoy. Read it or don't, just keep loving music.
75)IDLE HANDS - PDX- Don't Waste Your Time
- Heavy metal with a sort of goth rock bend to it that's just an enjoyable listen
74)IAMX- Alive In New Light
- electro goth rock of a sort. Still his own thing. The main single, Stardust, is fantastic.
73) Sniper 66- Annihilator
- Austin punk rock that gives no quarter. They just get better and better.
72)Lunaform- Lunaform
- absolutely beautiful debut prog/djent EP from the Dallas area.
71)Convulsing- Grievous
- Punishing, melancholic black/death metal hailing from the Land Down Under
70)YOB- Our Raw Heart
- I'm actually not generally a fan of loooong, plodding doom metal, but personal taste aside, this is probably one of the best metal albums this year. It is aptly titled, and emotionally rewarding.
69)Pious Levus- Beast of the Foulest Depths
-Grimey Death metal from some of Texas' finest, here to rip you open.
68) Marid-VVVVVVV
-Beautiful Saharan atmospheric black metal that makes me feel calm, so always a good thing.
67)Craft- White Noise and Black Metal
-Black metal to napalm your ears with. Just napalm. Burn.
66)Carn Dûm- Shadow and Fire
- Tolkien black metal that roars like a Balrog and hits like one too.
65)Whoredom Rife- NID-Hymner av Hat
- Yeah, Norway still makes excellent black metal. Enough said.
64)Cultor Noctis- Demiurg
- A great little black metal EP that jumped out at me on Bandcamp, looking forward to more.
63)Krigsgrav- Leave No Path to Follow
- These Texas fellows are back with a somber, weighty black metal outing that'll trap you like a quagmire.
62)Lifted Traces- Akira
- Seeing this performed live with the film might have resulted in bias on my part, but tackling one of my favorite film soundtracks with a superb interpretation is just amazing, so full kudos to the fellows at Switched On.
61)Morgengrau- Blood Oracle
- Roaring Texas death metal titans return to crush your ears. And ribs. And face. And soul.
60)Tamerlan Empire- Age of Ascendancy
- Symphonic black metal mixed with Middle-Eastern musical elements, without the overdone death metal aspects so many bands insist on having when doing this kind of sound. In other words- Heck yes!
59)Erebos- Peste Kommer
- While I ultimately enjoyed Faded Into the Shadows from last year more, this is still a mighty good black metal release that perfectly achieves Burzum synth worship.
58)Tvaer- Old Gods Whom Chaos Knew
- Raw melancholic black metal that I'm really hoping there will be more of.
57) Anders Manga- Perfectly Stranger
- Just stumbled on this darkwave project this year, very glad I did. Absolutely top-notch.
56)Dispirit- Enantiodromian Birth
-I really hope I spelled that right. The album is great and so was their performance at Red River Family Fest.
55)Therion- Beloved Antichrist
- Because why not just make a massive rock opera? Their skill never ceases to amaze me.
54)Elderfrost- The Beautiful Voice of Shadow
-If more dungeon synth sounded like this I'd listen to more dungeon synth. I wish more dungeon synth sounded like this.
53)Nocturnus Santurnus- Nocturnus Santurnus
- Immortal worship of the highest caliber, with so many riffs.
52)Magoth- Zeitgeist: Dystopia
- This didn't quite catch me the way last year's album did, however it's still a very solid album with more sweet riffs.
51) Immortal- Northern Chaos Gods
- A return that did not disappoint in the least, this album could freeze Hell its so frigidly raw.
50)Mare- Ebony Tower
- This is dark and beautiful and sucks you in so well.
49)Iskandr-Euprosopon
- Its mellow, odd, cold, and wonderful black metal, and should be given a listen.
48)Sargeist- Unbound
-Unbound is a good title for this, like a raging black metal beast set loose.
47)Spite- Antimoshiach
-Speaking of raging black metal beasts, yeah, this one too.
46)Cultum Interitum-Temple of Triumphant Death
-Dark, roaring black metal that I was quite pleased with, and definitely want more of.
45)Judas Priest- Firepower
- Bow to the metal gods, because they definitely still rule.
Part 2 & 3 incoming.
Part 2
44)Infernarium- Kadotuksen Harmonia
-Ah, sweet, wonderful, nuclear Finnish black metal. Finnish black metal is on fire these days, and bands like this are why.
43)Sargeras- Satan's Terror
- "Welcome to Life, Cunt!" How can you not love these guys? Raw, unapologetic, borderline ridiculous, so awesome black metal.
42) Vargrav- Netherstorm
-Awesome symphonic black metal that worships the sound of old while still charting new territory.
41)Wiegedood- De Doden Hebben Het Goed III
- These guys have yet to release a bad album, and it was so exciting to get to see them. They're good, and I hope they get more recognition for it.
40)Keegan Ostrowski- Ilusen's Fallacy
- Some of the finest progressive death metal you will find, with stellar musicianship all around, and the precision and cohesion is glorious to witness. Let yourself drown in it.
39) The Damned- Evil Spirits
-Much like Judas Priest, here's another band still showing the youngsters how it's done. This album is just pure punk rock fun, and that's how it should be.
38) Hinayana- Order Divine
- These Texas melodic death metallers are definitely going to get bigger. A superb album, and they put on a superb live show too.
37)Solar Temple- Fertile Descent
- Fuzzy ambient black metal isn't always my thing, but this band is great, and they will absolutely bring the riffs.
36)VOID- Jettatura
- This French black n roll band will pummel you with riffs and rage and rythym.
35)Morgal- Morgal
- Even more rifftastic black metal, these fellows are a blast.
34)Kommandant- Blood Eel
- This is already awesome black metal, but the drumming, like all their releases, just pushes it to the next level for me.
33)UADA- Cult of a Dying Sun
-Their sound makes me calm, and tends to make me feel happy. Perhaps its having seen them three times in the span of a year, and each show was an enjoyable time, so maybe I'm just invoking nostalgia when I listen to them. In any case, they're a great band, this is a great album, and you should see them live three times in one year too.
32)Funeral Winds- Sinister Creed
- Raw, almost grimey, awesome black metal that grinds away your soul.
31)Blitzgeist- Ritual Magic
- I chose just one of the three releases from this year, this one is probably my favorite. The title suites the ritualistic, dirge-esque black metal wonderfully.
30)Deth Crux- Mutant Flesh
- This is fantastic Deathrock that evokes everything from Christian Death to more traditional goth rock like Bauhaus, and it pleases me so much.
29)OVÁTE- Ováte
- Again, Norway's still churning out awesome black metal, and this new project is promising.
28) Horror Vacui- New Wave of Fear
- More Deathrock- I really, really enjoy these guys. For me, they have just the perfect blend of goth and punk, and it's so catchy.
27)Panegyrist- Hierurgy
- I keep calling them a black metal Therion, and that's a big deal for me. This year I learned I really like my black metal avant-garde, and this band delivers.
26)BEHEMOTH!- I Loved You at Your Darkest
- While not on par with The Satanist for me, this follow up is still quite good. They've really mastered the creation of atmosphere, and I love it. Songs like "Bartzabel" really appeal to that taste for the avant-garde I mentioned.
25)Funker Vogt- Wasteland
- This is awesome. An absolute testament to why they're one of my favorite industrial bands. Perfect blend of rythym, harshness, and an ability to mellow out at just the right times.
24)Norrhem- Vaienneet Voittajat
- Its the riffs. I don't know what else to say, really. Just, RIFFS.
23)Plaguestorm- Eternal Throne
- High speed, zero fucks raw black metal with excellent guitar solos. Honestly I'm really happy to have such soaring solos in such fantastic black metal. It just makes it that much better.
22)Slavehouse- Taste in Pain
- Speaking of high speed, zero fucks raw black metal, but this one comes with some lovely punk tinges that pushes it just a little higher for me.
21)Blood Worship- Death's Omnipotence
-Do you like Swedish black metal? Yes? Then this band is for you. They specialize in melodic, catchy riffing in the vein of Watain, and they do it well.
Part 2. Almost there!