V/A: Schwarzdorn Label Compilation Pt. I Release year: 2021Label: Schwarzdorn Production It is no mean feat for a label to have been active for 20 years, even if they never rise to become major players in their field. I suppose … Continue reading 20 years of blackened thorns
ARCHGOAT: Worship The Eternal Darkness Release year: 2021Label: Debemur Morti Productions Finnish Archgoat are – as surely just about everyone reading this knows – one of the iconic names of Finnish black metal, and one of those hugely influential bands … Continue reading Worship the eternal arch goat
SVPREMACIST: Meaningless Death Release year: 2021Label: Repose Records/Iron, Blood And Death Corporation Hailing from Israel, Svpremacist ask us the ultimate question with their debut album: is even death real? Do the makers of this website of questionable repute have to … Continue reading Is even death real?
UNANIMATED: Victory In Blood Release year: 2021Label: Century Media Unanimated belong to the original breed of Swedish death metal: having formed already in 1988, they were certainly among the earlier purveyors of the genre. Whilst they definitely have a following, … Continue reading Victories in blood
GOTMOOR: Zonderlingen Release year: 2021Label: Headbangers Records Belgian Gotmoor are one of those bands with a long history, but little in terms of discography to show for it: originally formed in 1996, they released a bunch demos, a demo compilation … Continue reading Odd men of Gotmoor
ZWIESPALT: Distanz Release year: 2021Label: self-released Slightly over a year after their debut album (reviewed here), German trio Zwiespalt are back with their second album, Distanz. In what I consider a pretty clever and inventive move, the cover art for … Continue reading Zwiespalt back from the distance
ZGARD: Place Of Power Release year: 2021Label: Schwarzdorn Production I must admit that pagan black metal has never been a genre I’ve been particularly into. I do like some of the cornerstones of the genre, such as old albums by … Continue reading Places of power
INCESSANT: Perennial Umbra Release year: 2021Label: self-released Sometimes I just have to wonder if the people writing promo sheets have actually listened to the same record as I do when I’m reviewing it. Irish Incessant‘s debut mini-album Perennial Umbra is … Continue reading Incessant spectral rites
MAYHEM: Atavistic Black Disorder/Kommando Release year: 2021Label: Century Media Norwegian legend Mayhem‘s 2019 album Daemon (reviewed here) was a surprisinly strong album after several that at best were fair to middlin’ quality for almost two decades. Looking back, nothing since … Continue reading Hey ho, let’s mysteriis dom Sathanas
AULD: …Of Petrichor And I Release year: 2021Label: Eschatonic Records Well, I just had to make that joke, didn’t I? And I bet you this isn’t the first time someone’s made it about this Australian quartet. But pick a name … Continue reading Auld Lang Syne
Only Death Is Real 