BEST OF THE MONTH Vampire, The Oath, Adamus Exul

Vampire - Vampire

The Oath - The Oath

Adamus Exul - Arsenic Idols

30. Emptiness Soul - Life = Pain

LABEL
Rio Vermelho Recs
AVDIO
Youtube
GRADE
91%

Lets finish up the week with some gluttonous depressive black metal from Mother Russia. Its an feist of wandering piano melodies of solitude, screams of desperation and guitars that echos loneliness.

Its an album full of atmosphere that displays the loining for death in a creepy under your skin way. The album shows of how deadly but so beautiful things can be created by a single twisted mind. 

29. Doctor Livingstone - Contemptus Saeculi

LABEL
Osmose Productions
AVDIO
Youtube
GRADE
83%

Todays band are the french "black metal" band Doctor Livingstone which have its background in the punk/hardcore scene, which you still clearly hear in their music, with the aggressive screams and in your face music, occasionally it commutes to almost crust. But then you get fucked up the ass and they put in some electronic effects and a fucking classical choir that could as well have been lifted from a Ludvig Van piece.

So what the fuck are they playing? I'm almost tempted to put them in the avant-garde tray, but thats just my opinion. Anyways, its great, check them out!

28. Barrowlands - Thane

LABEL
Self-released
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
89%

Todays band is yet another black metal band, but this ain't your common out-in-the-forest BM, no its far more complex than so. It may sound like just any band on the surface, but if you dig under the rotten roots you'll find some great musicality and deafening progressive music that flows like a rippling stream.

It speaks to both parts of the mind that want atmosphere and a higher consciousness to the music. And the use of cello in the music, its like a mood setting gift from down below to the music. 

27. Rauhnåcht - Urzeitgeist

LABEL
Hammerheart Records
AVDIO
Youtube
GRADE
88%

The Austrian one man black metal project Rauhnåcht are not ashamed about showing of where he takes his inspiration musically from. Psst Burzum anyone?!? Yeah its quite obvious in the music, he even included a Burzum track to top it all off.

But is it any good then?!? Hell fucking yeah!!! Its much more cleaner and more synthesizer based than the source of inspiration, but the great structure of the songs, the feeling of ice blistering mountains and maddening solitude are all here and delivered in a excellent way, even if it turns kind of plastic once in a while...uhhhh.

26. Entartung - Peccata Mortalia

LABEL
World Terror Committee
AVDIO
Decibel Magazine
GRADE
90%

Here we have some real quality black metal from Germania. It both has the infernal power behind the music, the carnal melodies and the right structure to bring chaos and demise, which brings me joy.

Its a solid release all in all that doesn't bring anything especially new to the table, but do everything så perfectly right that it's almost sickening. 

25. The Socks - The Socks

LABEL
Small Stone Recordings
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
89%

Todays release offers up some good ol seventies psychedelic hard rock with stoner influences. Its an quite mysterious and occult creation that both delivers atmosphere and catchy tunes.

Im a sucker for organ and wowo effects and this great album delivers both so Im in fucking psychedelic ecstasy here!!! Light up some good ol pot and put this record on and you'll be in a different universe soon too!!!

24. Winter Of Sin - Violence Reigns Supreme

LABEL
Cyclone Empire
AVDIO
Youtube
GRADE
78%

Are you in the mood for some melodic black metal that have a foul smell of the late nineties, then the latest release from Winter of Sin will fit you perfectly. They even offers up some great death metal influences in the music that fits thus violent creation well.

It may not be the most grim and infernal evil record you ever have heard, but if you're into something thats easy to take in at a first listening, then here you have it, give it a shot!!!

23. Tellusian - Collision

LABEL
Pillowscars
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
90%

Are you in the mood from something complex and mind bending? If so, the debut album from the swedish progressive what-the-fuck-you-call-it quartet will feed your desire. Its technical and so fucking mind boggling that my brain almost comes to a total meltdown.

Its a short journey lasting only 25 minutes, but its such an extremely intense, brilljant and motley way that the ears and mind are as pleased as they can get when the last track takes its final complicated basslines.

22. The Great He-Goat - Last Rites for a Generation

LABEL
Self-released
AVDIO
ReverbNation
GRADE
81%

Feel the wrath of the great He-Goat!!! And the beast delivers with the opening and best track "Hollow Victory". It shows of what the whole album has to offer in a great way. And the album offers up a quite varied experience with its black metal that holds a lot of influences from both folk to heavy metal.

Its kind of catchy and captivating occasionally and always relays on the foundation of BM, even if a synthesizer once in a while shows its ugly head.

21. Ancient Ascendant - Echoes and Cinder

LABEL
Candlelight Records
AVDIO
ReverbNation
GRADE
85%

Todays band are that somewhat hyped up band Ancient Ascendant. They play this kind of melodic slow death metal that sometimes takes a step into both black and doom metal, you can even hear some hardcore elements here and there.

Its a really competent and mature concoction that makes me think of bands like Kvelertak and Satyricon for some sick reason. It may not be abyssal deep, but its easy to take in and enjoy.

20. Waldgeflüster - Meine Fesseln

LABEL
Black Blood Records
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
87%

Todays band are yet another one of those one-man-black metal projects, this particular band hailing from Germany. But this ain't your run of the mill bm release, it stands out in its way as a matter of fact. It really succeeds to create this autumn forest feeling that so many bands are struggling to accomplish.

It has create melodies of solitude that feels like a chilling breeze down your neck and a constant presence of the grim ways of the nature. The feeling of that everything days and rots to create a new beginning. Well worth your time. 

19. The Graviators - Motherload

LABEL
Napalm Records
AVDIO
SoundCloud
GRADE
81%

With heavy psychedelic clouds are we entering the occult realms of the swedish stoner band The Graviators.  Its heavy, slow and groovy, all with an enclosing mystic fog, all called from a witches coven.

Its all pleasing to the ears and the pulsating blood in my body. Its brings a warmth, calling from deep in to listen just more and more. Both great background music and definitely good for just listening and digging for hours on. 

18. Skogmark - Sworn to Paganism

LABEL
Self-released
AVDIO
SoundCloud
GRADE
83%

The russian black metal band Skogmark plays a logical evolvement of what Burzum onces did create. Yeah, its much cleaner and the supernatural mood aren't in the same class of course. But they deliver a great atmospheric record in their own way with some great walking in a massive pine forest atmosphere.

Its a great soundtrack for some forest hiking or you just want some time of your own, thinking and reminiscing of the old days.

17. Reactory - High on Radiation

LABEL
Iron Shield Records
AVDIO
ReverbNation
GRADE
91%

This is how fuckin thrash metal should be done!!! Its fast as a tomahawk missile, sharp as the edges of a bayonet and explosive as a million atom bombs!!! The countrymen and colleagues Sodom and Kreator would be proud of their heritage living on like this.

With fast ass ripping riffs and lyrics about war, radiation and fallout delivers the band Reactory a release that you can't go wrong with, either you are on a battlefield or on your bloody couch with a grog.

16. Decomposed - Devouring

LABEL
Memento Mori
AVDIO
SoundCloud
GRADE
90%

Today we bring you the latest release from the masterful swedish band Decomposed. The name may be as cliche as it gets, but their music ain't nothing like a carbon paper, quite the opposite. They have this kind of dark flow to it, like a rotten branch that grows and spreads its filth though every song and sticks its foul smelling vile in your ear channels.

It may not be the most brutal and ass grinding record you ever have heard, but its not there they shine. Its in the great preformance, song construction and melodies that feels awfully pleasant to my bleeding ears.

15. Outlaw Wyvern - Sun Floats Along The Flat World

LABEL
Self-released
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
81%

Todays band are quite hard to explain and are something that should be experienced instead. But okay, I will try to put it in simple human words. They play this kind of dreamy almost coma like music with a wide range of influences. They play music in the style of black metal, post-rock, jazz, ambiance all mixed together in a sedate psychosis.

Its a opus that takes time to digest and really understand what the fuck you were listening to. But give it the time it deserves and you find something very unique and highly enjoyable.  

14. Sioux - The One and the Many

LABEL
Self-released
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
83%

You will be thrown between reality and illusion with the mystical first full-length release from the stoner/sludge metal quartet Sioux. Its heavy as bunker bombs and slow and grinding like a psychosis at the postal office, and its bloody fucking great!!!

It has this galactic sound to it that are both catchy and immersing. Its both varied and thoughtful and grand in its way. 

13. Skeletal Augury - Bless of Destroyed, Raped, Dismembered Flesh

LABEL
Pest Productions
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
90%

Todays band are something as unusual as a chinese black metal band, thats additionally totally fucking grave defiling great!!! Its a raw composition without any bullshitting, just dirty fucking bm with some thrash metal influences that adds an extra aggressivity to it.

Its sharp, blood pumping and straightforward with an great catchiness to it that makes every nerve in my body go wild. A must for fans of both black- and thrash metal!!!

12. The Oath - The Oath

LABEL
Rise Above Records
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
95%

Ohh this makes me think of  like Angel Witch and Mercyful Fate with its kind of eighties occult heavy metal sound. Top that with the excellent vocals from Johanna and I have some chilling fucking goosebumps on my back.

The whole album are so indescribable fucking good!!! I find new favorite tracks everytime I listen to it. It just grows and grows for every fantastic riff and divinely written and performed vocal line. Occult heavy metal with female vocals doesn't get much better than this. As a matter of fact, heavy metal at all doesn't get better than this!!!

11. Graveborne - Through the Window of the Night

LABEL
Séance Records
AVDIO
Terrorizer
GRADE
94%

The latest release from the briljant black metal band Graveborne are an uncontrollable behemoth. It has an massive energy to it, a force that crushes through anything in its way and leaves a trail of ashes.

It oozes with fire and a creativity that makes all the carnal senses go wild. It an album that speaks to the primitive and most essential parts of your consciousness. A fast and razor wire sharp album that always are right for any occasion.  

10. Vampire - Vampire

LABEL
Century Media
AVDIO
Sound Cloud
GRADE
96%

You have probably been laying stone fucking dead if you haven't heard the first full-length release from the hyped Swedish death metal band Vampire. Its all well deserved that they have gotten all this attention because they are bloody fucking awesome!!!

Their goal is to play old school death metal in the best fucking way as possible, and what a fucking great result it generated. Every bloody song on this record are a great testament of horror and decay!!! Its death metal in its purest and best form, must be consumed at once!!!

9. Dread Sovereign - All Hell's Martyrs

LABEL
Ván Records
AVDIO
The Obelisk
GRADE
87%

We find Dread Sovereign music beneath thick opium mists, rituals and witch burnings. This Irish occult Doom Metal band delivers 10 excellent nightsky dark tales of the devil, magic and sorcery.

Its an lead heavy bass ridden opus with an thick winsome  atmosphere and interesting song structure that captivates through the whole listening. It may be a little bit quietly and sneaky, but oh so fucking dreadfully beautiful it is!!! A must for all doom metal listeners!!!

8. Morbid Flesh - Embedded in the Ossuary

LABEL
Unholy Prophecies
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
88%

Old school Death Metal from Spain that are extremely starring. Its darker than a bottomless abyss and more captivating than a dancing skeleton platoon.

It all feels very genuine and true to the DM formula and succussed to stand interesting and kind of catchy even though it has been done a thousand times. But not as fucking good as this!!! Great melodies, tempo and mood. Deadly recommended!!!

7. Adamus Exul - Arsenic Idols

LABEL
ATMF
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
93%

Orthodox Black Metal from Australia that burns strong with the black flame. It boasts an abnormal strong force that penetrates every orifice of your body and mind. A really strong release that hold to the end and that stays interesting murky path the whole way.

It have every element to create black metal successfully and it succeeds in every way of it. It dark, wondrous and dreadful in its scale. Recommended for people that appreciate bands like Watain and Ofermod.

Thy Worshiper - Czarna dzika czerwień

LABEL
Pagan Records
AVDIO
Bandcamp
GRADE
β

Here we have a CD that I have been holding on to for a while. Not because any lack of time, but for the reason that this album are hard to judge. Its so complex, having so many layers and influences from different genres. It takes a lot of elements from folk metal in general and mixes in some death metal to create this soundtrack for battle!!!

You can hear music from the middle east, tribal music and even some celtic stuff in this Ireland/Poland collaboration. It sounds very authentic and believable, much thanks to the fantastic female vocals from Anna Malarz. She creates an beautiful and dreadful atmosphere with her chanting and yoiks. Together with an array of instruments from around the world like the jew harp, djembe and didgeridoo.

Its like stepping into a different time, right after a big pagan battle have taken place on a foggy bloodstained meadow with the bodies laying there, penetrated by spears and axes. Feeling the calm after the battle and the warmth from the funeral pyre burning strong with an orchestra messing and dancing in the flickering flames. Thats pretty much what this album makes me feel and its a bloody good feeling. Well worth a listening or two!!!