Tales From The Underground
Tales From The Underground
Artist: CEPCountry: SwedenLabel: Pant Y MeddygonFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2023 It might not come as a total surprise, but ‘First Tape’ is actually this band’s first release. But while this might be the first offering of the band, at least one…
Artist: ArjenCountry: Bosnia and HerzegovinaLabel: Self-releasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2022 The Black Metal movement originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina called the Black Plague Circle largely owes its existence to the two prolific members O. and H.P. Together, they started the scene in…
Artist: Dark MillenniumCountry: GermanyLabel: Floga RecordsFormats: LPYear: 2023 In the later years of the first Death Metal peak, say, the early 90’s there were bands that were pushing the boundaries of the genre. Into different directions, really. Of course, there…
Artist: Kasturn Country: United Kingdom Label: Death Hymns Formats: Demo tape Year: 2023 Although it is not 1997 anymore, but I could’ve picked any other random bygone year, sometimes a good cover still does the trick. On my daily foray…
Artist: Incandescence Country: Canada Label: Profound Lore Productions Formats: CD Year: 2022 Incandescence, hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Canada hasn’t got much in common with the so-called ‘Metal Noir Quebecois’ movement that has been spawning one great band after another. But,…
Artist: PerfideCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: ZwaertgevegtFormats: LP / Cassette tapeYear: 2023 ‘De Republiek Der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden’ (which translates to ‘The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands’) was a confederation that existed from 1588 to 1795 and covered most of what…
Artist: ArzhaabatCountry: SwedenLabel: Pant Y MeddygonFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2023 Arzhaabat is a new musical vehicle of the ever-prolific MBN (Chevallier Skrog among other and the person behind the Pant Y Meddygon label). This time, he is once again all alone at the helm, bringing us…
Artist: Blau BlutCountry: SwedenLabel: Pant Y MeddygonFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2023 Blau Blut is a new band made up of musicians from several countries, including Sweden, Austria and Slovakia. This international company, in which we recognise at least MBN (of Chevallier…
Artist: DoomorderCountry: Finland / SpainLabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2022 After a short promo in 2016, which was released as a part of a split 7” (pressed on a clear lathe disc) in 2017 the duo behind Doomorder returns with a self-released digital full-length album. The…
Artist: TëmorCountry: FranceLabel: Croux RecordsFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2023 In the ever-emerging scene that combines the fury of the old early 80’s anarchist Punk with the depraved sort of bareboned Black Metal, comes this Parisian act Tëmor. It is not completely…
Artist: HersirCountry: SwedenLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital DemoYear: 2023 Five songs totalling nearly 21 minutes is what the Swedish band Hersir presents us on their second demo ‘Hateful Draugar’ that saw its release in March 2023. Musically the band’s Black Metal can…
Artist: Serement Country: Greece Label: Theogonia Records Formats: CD EP Year: 2023 ‘Deviation From God’ is the first effort by this new Greek Death Metal band and was self-released digitally at the end of last year, but now gets a…
Artist: Carpathian WrathCountry: Puerto RicoLabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: Digital demoYear: 2023 If Puerto Rican Carpathian Wrath have proved anything (besides their own musical prowess, of course), it is how elitist Metal Archives’ arbitrary regime is. Several attempts have apparently been made to include the band…
Artist: Maze Of Sothoth Country: Italy Label: Everlasting Spew Records Formats: Cassette Tape / CD Year: 2022 With ‘Extirpated Light’, this Italian foursome is on its second album. After a good demo and a successful debut album, expectations are high;…
Artist: Cult Of OrpistCountry: GreeceLabel: Theogonia RecordsFormats: CD EPYear: 2023 The combination of the band name of this EP and especially the cover art, I was allured into checking out this band from new metal band. Why? Because everybody loves…
Artist: DragonCountry: PolandLabel: Metal Mind ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2023 It must have been in the early 00’s that I snatched a batch of vinyl records of eBay (or something similar) and I also grabbed a copy of Dragon’s ‘Horda Goga’. I had never heard of…
Artist: Moloch / Wampyric RitesCountry: Ukraine / EcuadorLabel: Inferna Profundus Records / Signal RexFormats: Split LP / Split cassette tape / Split CDYear: 2023 ‘The Serpent Cult Of Darkness’ is the next chapter in the ongoing series of split releases…
Artist: Drowning The LightCountry: AustraliaLabel: Iron Bonehead ProductionsFormats: LPYear: 2023 Most bands start in a rather modest way, probing one’s own musical abilities, gaining experience in writing and recording. In short, demo time. The same, of course, applies to Drowning The Light. Although…
Artist: Drowning The LightCountry: AustraliaLabel: Iron Bonehead ProductionsFormats: LPYear: 2023 In a long series of vinyl reissues of the impressive Drowning The Light back catalogue, Iron Bonehead Productions also added ‘Oceans Of Eternity’ to its list. Originally released in 2013, ‘Oceans Of Eternity’…
Artist: CountessCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2023 One of the very oldest Dutch Black Metal bands is Countess, formed in 1992. There may no longer be any original band members in the current line-up and the band took a…
Artist: AstriferousCountry: Costa RicaLabel: Me Saco un Ojo Records / Pulverised Records / Seed of DoomFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2023 This is the fourth review to appear for Astriferous on our VM-Underground pages, not counting the interview, but for me personally, admittedly,…
Artist: CatacombCountry: FranceLabel: Xtreem MusicFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2023 When the French cult band Catacomb announced their return, I couldn’t help but being both enthusiastic and sceptic at the same time. Of course, it is great to have a band…
Artist: Venereal BaptismCountry: USALabel: Ascension RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2023 It has been about four years since this Laredo, Texas, USA based Blackened Death Metal band has released anything. The previous two albums already showed what this duo had in mind when…
Artist: Mystic Circle Country: Germany Label: Fireflash Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2023 Actually, only just recovered from the shock of Mystic Circle’s unexpected return and, subsequently, their first feat in sixteen years, the German duo is already back…
Artist: Critical ExtravasationCountry: RussiaLabel: Redefining Darkness RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 On the band’s previous EP, ‘Morbid Existence’, this Russian Death Metal band Critical Extravasation already introduced us to their brand of Technical Death Metal. Our own chief editor of…
Artist: VrenthCountry: USALabel: Rotted Life RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 On the band’s previous release, the split LP with Depraver, Vrenth surprised me with their take on Death Metal that both had a distinct oppressive sound as…
Artist: Mist Of Misery Country: Sweden Label: Non Serviam Records Formats: CD Year: 2022 This Swedish Melodic Black Metal band has been formed back in 2010 and has kept a steady working pace ever since their inception, with ‘Severance’ being…
Artist: AtomwinterCountry: GermanyLabel: Trollzorn RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2023 Ever since the band’s inception, the warmachine that is Atomwinter rolls on, now, in 2023, arriving at their fourth full-length album, ‘Sakrileg’. And just with every diesel-fuelled heavy piece of artillery, it starts slow but…
Artist: BlasfemiaCountry: ColombiaLabel: I Hate Records / To The Death RecordsFormats: LPYear: 2022 What we have here is a vinyl-only release that compiles the Blasfemia tracks from their 2015 release split CDR with Ramón as well as some tracks from…
Artist: Selvageria Country: Brazil Label: I Hate Records Formats: LP Year: 2023 That Brazilians can Thrash, of course, we have known for several decades. Usually, however, this is in combination with Death Metal or Black Metal, but the foursome that…
Artist: AzaxulCountry: GermanyLabel: Misanthrophia DiscosFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 Despite both bands having also existed simultaneously and side-by-side for a brief moment, Azaxul only really came to life when Moonblood was carried to its grave in 1999. Only then Azaxul…
Artist: Heáfodbán Country: International Label: Northern Doom Records Formats: Cassette tape Year: 2023 Heáfodbán hail from Seattle, Washington, USA and blend in some folk-induced burst of rage to a firmly chaotic sort of Black Metal. Just to be sure, adding…
Artist: VârcolacCountry: RomaniaLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital demoYear: 2023 ‘Demo II’ marks the return of this, seemingly, one-man Black Metal act from Romania, Vârcolac. Early 2022 saw the release of the band’s debut full-length album, which was digitally released by the band…
Artist: Kalmankantaja / Hadak Ura Country: Finland / USA Label: Death Hymns / Wolfspell Records Formats: Split Cassette / Split CD Year: 2022 Although Kalmankantaja beats Hadak Ura in terms of volume, both acts are quite prolific and dish out…
Artist: Until Death Overtakes MeCountry: BelgiumLabel: Self-releasedFormats: CDYear: 2023 Although Until Death Overtakes Me’s spiritual father, Stijn van Cauter is slowly creeping up the mindblowing amount of no less than 100 solo albums, I have kind of lost contact with…
Artist: WolflustCountry: BrazilLabel: Hammer Of DamnationFormats: Cassette EP / CD EPYear: 2022 The Brazilians of Wolflust have come out with their second EP, ‘Endless War’, which, with some 16 minutes of material, presents us with a modest bite of unbridled…
Artist: Hadak Ura Country: USA Label: Death Hymns Formats: LP Year: 2022 Hadak Ura, a one-man band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, which, before today, wasn’t featured on our VM-Underground pages but together with the more recent split release with Kalmankantaja…
Artist: Steingrab Country: Germany Label: Astral Nightmare Productions Formats: CD Year: 2022 ‘Fluch Der Ruhelosigkeit’ is Steingrab’s sixth album (not counting, the live and compilation album, nor the first demo), making this one-man quite a prolific one. Though it was…
Artist: Black KnifeCountry: USALabel: Morbid And Miserable RecordsFormats: Cassette tapeYear: 2023 I first picked up the music of Black Knife with the 2017 released split 7” EP with Abigail. That split collaboration already gave away a little what to expect…
Artist: UnohdusCountry: FinlandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2023 With two tracks spanning a total of 8 minutes, Finland’s Unohdus’ arrival on the Black Metal scene is short but sweet. The atmospheric Black Metal in these two songs shows the one-man band…
Artist: Ceremonial Crypt DesecrationCountry: AustraliaLabel: Banner Of BloodFormats: Digital demoYear: 2023 This Australian one-man Black Metal band has been featured on our VM-Underground pages a couple of times, it well seems this album will be the last one ever to…
Artist: KalmankantajaCountry: FinlandLabel: HammerbundFormats: CDYear: 2023 With the arrival of ‘Surun Saattomailla’, the second Kalmankantaja album of 2023 and 24th full-length in total sees its release. Often working with in particular different vocalists, this time we once again find Grim666 taking…
Artist: Necrotombs Country: Italy Label: Dark United Media Formats: Digital Year: 2022 With ‘Collectible Human Bodies’, Italian one-man band Necrotombs is already on its fourth full-length album. Musically, it brings little that is exciting, fairly standard and mid-tempo Old School…
Artist: ExpungedCountry: CanadaLabel: CDN RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 The ex-Hells Headbangers Records recording artists Expunged, hailing out of Ottawa, Canada, returns with a new album. This time released by their compatriots from CDN Records, who also released the split cassette tape/CD…
Artist: Death ReichCountry: SwedenLabel: Non Serviam RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 After a few demos/singles and two EP’s this Swedish Death Metal band, comprised out of past and current members of bands like Grief Of Emerald, Runemagick and Sacramentum, felt…
Artist: An Abstract IllusionCountry: SwedenLabel: Willowtip RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 Although ‘Woe’ is not the first album for these Swedes, it was only since this album that I really got hooked by them. Not that the debut album, or…
Artist: Vitriolic GloomCountry: UkraineLabel: Deepswarming BloodmagikFormats: Digital demoYear: 2023 The aptly titled ‘Transcending The Suffocative Light’-demo is the first offering from this one-man act from Kremenchuk, Ukraine. On this (so far) digital only demo Yehor “Gnom” Mutylin serves us with…
Artist: Cirith GorgorCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Heidens Hart Records / Ketzer RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 Almost like no other Black Metal band from the Dutch scene, Cirith Gorgor turned out to be the child of its time. When they put…