Protrusion – Demo 2023

Artist: Protrusion Country: USA Label: Unholy Domain Records / Sevared Records / A Sangre Fría Records Formats: Demo Tape / Demo CD Year: 2023 Although Protrusion is a new band at the front, three of its four members have a…

Marduk – Memento Mori

Artist: MardukCountry: SwedenLabel: Century Media RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2023 Five years. There hasn’t been this much time between two Marduk studio albums in the 33 years of their existence. Not that the best rested idly in the intermediate period.…

DHG/Dødheimsgard – Black Medium Current

Artist: DHG/DødheimsgardCountry: NorwayLabel: Peaceville RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2023 That Dødheimsgard has been pushing the boundaries of Black Metal has been clear from the earliest works. Perhaps that’s why the influence of their classic albums ‘Kronet Til Konge’ and ‘Monumental…

Owl – Terug Naar De Kou

Artist: Owl Country: The Netherlands Label: Zwaertgevegt Formats: Cassette Tape Year: 2023 Although The Netherlands is a small country, it still hosts an interesting Black Metal scene that manifests itself in the most unexpected places. Take for instance the very…

Urfaust – Untergang

Artist: Urfaust Country: The Netherlands Label: Ván Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2023 Ever since their inception in 2003, Urfaust has been the most unique entity within the Dutch Black Metal scene – which, on its own, can already…

Riutuja – Kuolonkerjuu

Artist: RiutujaCountry: FinlandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2023 Full of melody and harmony, ‘Kuolonkerjuu’ is the debut album for Riutuja. Sorrowful Black Metal with Varg-like vocal outcries, intensely varying drums and dominant layers of guitar melodies, even within a realm of music…

Nidvinter – Winter Wars [EP]

Artist: NidvinterCountry: NorwayLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2023 ‘Winter Wars’ is the first EP of the band Nidvinter, an Oslo-based band that arose from the ashes of Hexenkeit in early 2023. It follows an earlier released demo on which the band…

Tempest – Unending Torment [EP]

Artist: Tempest Country: Mexico Label: Self-Released Formats: Digital EP Year: 2023 Under the moniker Tempest, this trio, admittedly with modest experience in extreme metal, puts out a thoroughly enjoyable first EP. ‘Unending Torment’, a self-released 4-tracker with a total length…

Triclavian – Pierced By The Spear [EP]

Artist: Triclavian Country: Canada Label: Serpents Head Reprisal Formats: Cassette EP Year: 2023 While this trio from Canada may be a somewhat arcane entity, with all three members appearing only by their initials, the fact that this demo (or EP,…

Dikasterion – Chaos As a New World

Artist: DikasterionCountry: BelgiumLabel: Amor Fati ProductionsFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2023 Dikasterion’s ‘Demo MMXVIII’ left an immediate mark once I first heard it; a raw fist from the Belgian Underground with its chaos-embodying Black Metal in the spirit of…

Chamber Of Unlight – One with the One [Single]

Artist: Chamber Of UnlightCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: CD singleYear: 2023 The 2021 debut album of Chamber of Unlight was quite a hammer blow. The Finnish band was started by Necrosis (Ajatarra, Deathchain, Chaosweaver) and later shaped into a trio by…

Cruel Force – Dawn of the Axe

Artist: Cruel ForceCountry: GermanyLabel: Shadow Kingdom RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette / CDYear: 2023 If you hadn’t heard about Cruel Force before, chances are you missed out. Between 2010 and 2011 the band released two rather stellar albums with ‘The Rise…

Kalmankantaja – Unohdettu [EP]

Artist: KalmankantajaCountry: FinlandLabel: Wolfspell RecordsFormats: CD EPYear: 2023 With the release of ‘Unohdettu’, Kalmankantaja is up to their third release of 2023. After two full-length albums the latest addition to the discography is an EP, although with a total playing…