Order – The Gospel

Artist: OrderCountry: NorwayLabel: Listenable RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2021 A superficial glance at the band Order shows an entity that was founded in Norway in 2013. It also reveals that their 2021 album ‘The Gospel’ is their second album, following a 2016…

Askeregn – Brennende Åkres Grøde

Artist: AskeregnCountry: NorwayLabel: Terratur PossessionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Some years ago, it felt like a true achievement to obtain Terratur Possessions releases. Not because they were limited in quantities or because they lacked distribution. Simply because…

Mimorium – The Route of Haeresis

Artist: MimoriumCountry: FinlandLabel: Korpituli Productions / Spread Evil ProductionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 In 2022, the Finnish band Mimorium was ready to unleash it’s third opus unto the world. The second album, ‘Blood of Qayin’, received quite…

Blodt​å​r – Blodt​å​r [EP]

Artist: Blodt​å​rCountry: SwedenLabel: Nordvis ProduktionFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2021 Around the turn of the year, the Swedish Black Metal band Blodt​å​r released their self-titled debut EP, with the CD version by the very end of last year and…

Alburnum – Buitenlucht

Artist: AlburnumCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Babylon Doom Cult RecordsFormats: Cassette CD / CD EPYear: 2022 The Dutch band Alburnum is a relatively new act from the ever-fertile Black Metal scene of the city of Utrecht. Like many (very) local scenes, a…

Nocturnis – Unsegen

Artist: Nocturnis Country: Greece Label: Black Sunset Formats: CD Year: 2022 After an independently released EP in 2020, the young German band Nocturnis returns with a full-length album released through Black Sunset, a division of the German MDD Records label.…

Orphique – Consécration Cadavérique

Artist: OrphiqueCountry: CanadaLabel: Sepulchral ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2022 The Black Metal scene in Québec, Canada, has grown out to be one of the most respected, high quality scenes to spawn across the globe. Owing its name to a Forteresse album, the…

Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses

Artist: Blut Aus NordCountry: FranceLabel: Debemur Morti ProductionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 One of the longest running French Black Metal bands definitely is Blut Aus Nord. Having its roots way back in 1993, then initially formed as Vlad and released two really…

Orlok – The Dark Knell

Artist: OrlokCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2021 Werewolf Records presents the second album of the band Orlok entitled ‘The Dark Knell’. Formed in Lappeenranta, Finland in 2008, the band is a solo-project by none other than Grav Werwolf. You may…

Protector – Excessive Outburst Of Depravity

Artist: Protector Country: Germany Label: High Roller Records Formats: LP / Cassette Tape / CD Year: 2022 The history of Protector is a rather messy one, with lots of band members getting in and out of the band and also…

Krolok – Flying Above Ancient Ruins [Reissue]

Artist: KrolokCountry: SlovakiaLabel: Osmose ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 I remember the artwork for ‘Flying Above Ancient Ruins’ catching my eye in one of the distros that I regularly check. As if that wasn’t enough, finding out that the band…

Krolok – At the End of a New Age [Reissue]

Artist: KrolokCountry: SlovakiaLabel: Osmose ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 With the signing of the Slovakian band Krolok to Osmose Productions for their new album ‘Funeral Winds & Crimson Sky’, both parties also decided to re-release a large part of the…

Nightfall – In The Temple Of Ishtar [EP]

Artist: Nightfall Country: Greece Label: Season Of Mist Formats: Digital EP Year: 2022 Last summer the Greek Melodic Black/Death Metal band released this digital 2-track EP which they recorded live at the Gagarin Club in Athens in November 2021. Both…

Nightfall – At Night We Prey

Artist: Nightfall Country: Greece Label: Season Of Mist Formats: LP / CD Year: 2021 Within the enigmatic Greek Black Metal scene Nightfall has always been a little of an outcast, both in terms of personnel as in the way they…

Hate Forest – Innermost

Artist: Hate ForestCountry: UkraineLabel: Osmose ProductionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Out of nowhere, Hate Forest returned from the dead in 2020 with ‘Hour of the Centaur’, another showcase of the typical untamed Black Metal aggression bottled up…

Agathodaimon – The Seven

Artist: AgathodaimonCountry: GermanyLabel: Napalm RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 From the mid 90’s to the first few years of the new millennium, the German Melodic (or Symphonic, if you prefer) Black Metal band released some decent albums, of which especially…

Grafjammer – De Zoute Kwel

Artist: GrafjammerCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Black Tapes / Folter Records / RabauwFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2020 Sometimes things get lost. But some things that are too old and too cold should not be forgotten… no, I’m not talking…

Stormruler – Sacred Rites & Black Magick

Artist: Stormruler Country: USA Label: Napalm Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 While I will forever respect Napalm Records for their amazing pioneering work for the development of (extreme) metal, I also regularly scratch the back of my head…

Grymmstalt – Endlichkeit [Demo]

Artist: Grymmstalt Country: Chile / Ecuador Label: Mahamvantara Arts Formats: Demo tape Year: 2022 Grymmstalt is yet another band of the ever-prolific Lord Valtgryftåke. This time the Chilean multi-instrumentalist teamed up with Ecuadorian vocalist Wampyric Strigoi, who also tends to…

Grymmstalt – Anthems Of Mournful Despondency

Artist: Grymmstalt Country: Chile / Ecuador Label: Signal Rex Formats: LP / Cassette tape / CD Year: 2022 Not too longer after the release of the band’s single demo tape, they are presenting their first full-length album through Signal Rex.…

Geistlicht – Fading Light

Artist: GeistlichtCountry: GermanyLabel: Self-releasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2022 In September of 2022, Geistlicht’s debut release ‘Hidden in the Mists’ pleasantly surprised me with beautiful artwork but most of all, a great album filled with atmospheric Black Metal. Possibly equally surprising, the band…

Hell Militia – Hollow Void

Artist: Hell Militia Country: France Label: Season Of Mist Underground Activists Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 No less than ten years have passed since Hell Militia’s last album, the rather underappreciated and often misunderstood ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ from 2012. As…

Dawn – Sorgh på Svarte Vingar Fløgh [Reissue]

Artist: DawnCountry: SwedenLabel: Cosmic Key CreationsFormats: 10″ EPYear: 2022 The creation of the Swedish band Dawn dates back to 1986, when guitar player Fredrik Söderberg formed the band as a solo project. When he moved to another city and recruited…

Theudho – Voorbij De Nevelen Des Tijds

Artist: TheudhoCountry: BelgiumLabel: Heidens Hart RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 Founded as early as 2002, Theudho is currently one of the longest running Belgian Black Metal bands, and with its rather impressive output, the (now) one-man project left quite a mark on…

Lucifericon – The Warlock Of Da’ath

Artist: Lucifericon Country: The Netherlands Label: Invictus Productions Formats: LP / Cassette Tape / CD Year: 2022 After releasing three EP’s and one full-length album, the Dutch Black/Death Metal combo Lucifericon is ready to strike again with a new full-length…

Tchornobog / Abyssal – Tchornobog / Abyssal [Split]

Artist: Tchornobog / AbyssalCountry: USA / United KingdomLabel: Lupus Lounge / Vigor DeconstructFormats: Split LP / Split tape / Split CDYear: 2022 Lupus Lounge is presenting a very interesting split LP (also released on CD and on cassette tape by…

Gurthang – Hearts Of The Hollow

Artist: Gurthang Country: Poland Label: Immortal Frost Productions Formats: LP / CD Year: 2021 When I got this album to spend a few words on, I assumed the Belgium Gurthang had arisen from its grave. Which was not a strange…

Black Crucifixion – Triginta [Compilation]

Artist: Black CrucifixionCountry: FinlandLabel: Fallen Pages Productions / Séance RecordsFormats: Cassette tape / CDYear: 2021 When talking about early Finnish Black Metal, the same names invariably come up: Impaled Nazarene, Beherit, Barathrum and Archgoat. The latter only released two demos…

Liber Null – For Whom Is The Night

Artist: Liber Null Country: Italy / The Netherlands Label: Immortal Frost Productions Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 Liber Null, for those who are not familiar with the band, is another band that has one of Black Metal’s most prolific…

Black Communion – Miasmic Monstrosity

Artist: Black CommunionCountry: ColombiaLabel: Dunkelheit ProduktionenFormats: LP / CDYear: 2020 From Colombia came this Black/Death band, which folded not too long after releasing ‘Miasmic Monstrosity’. With current and ex-band members sporting names like Necro Pervertor, Blasphemer Goatpriest of Virgin’s Impalement, Sadistik Offender and A.C.M Six…

Depressive Witches – Distant Kingdoms

Artist: Depressive WitchesCountry: FranceLabel: WormHoleDeathFormats: CDYear: 2022 After the release of the band’s debut album ‘Bad Flask’ and after getting somewhat used to the band not taking themselves very seriously, we should be ready for Depressive Witches’ second album. Again…

Depressive Witches – Bad Flask

Artist: Depressive WitchesCountry: FranceLabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: CDYear: 2021 Anyone here who has been around a bit longer and knows the Black Metal scene of the 90’s will remember the video clips of the likes of Immortal and Hecate Enthroned. Where the…

Denouncement Pyre – Forever Burning

Artist: Denouncement PyreCountry: AustraliaLabel: Agonia RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 With Denouncement Pyre’s 20th anniversary approaching and a brand new album under its belt, this is a perfect time to give this underrated band some well-deserved praise. Because although the band has…

Lichtblick – Abkehr

Artist: Lichtblick Country: Austria Label: Immortal Frost Productions Formats: CD Year: 2022 Lichtblick is German for ‘bright spot’, a symbol for hope, a brighter future. This is in stark contrast to the title of this second full-length from the Austrian…

Ancient North – Altior Philosophia

Artist: Ancient NorthCountry: USALabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2022 After having released two albums and an EP earlier this year, Forlorn, the sole initiator and driving force of the entity that is Ancient North, decided to close off the year with another…

Anael – Mare

Artist: AnaelCountry: GermanyLabel: Darkness Shall Rise Productions / Into Endless Chaos RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette tapeYear: 2021 Anael has always been a massively overlooked band in the German Black Metal scene. Not only were they able to bring something else…

Wargeist – Altar Of Genocide

Artist: WargeistCountry: GermanyLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2022 Not much is known about this new band called Wargeist, except the fact that they are from Germany and recently digitally released their first EP, ‘Altar Of Genocide’. So, instead of digging into…

Nocturnal Sorcery – The Holy Law In Total Ruin

Artist: Nocturnal Sorcery Country: Finland Label: Kvlt Formats: CD Year: 2022 After the release of two demos and a split with fellow Finnish Daemonblut, Nocturnal Sorcery treats us with their debut album, ‘The Holy Law In Total Ruin’, brought to…

Varathron – Glorification Under The Latin Moon

Artist: VarathronCountry: GreeceLabel: Agonia RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2020 In its very lengthy career, Greek forebearers of the so much beloved Hellenic Black Metal sound, Varathron, never released a live album before. So, when the band embarked on a trip…

Septicflesh – Modern Primitve

Artist: Septicflesh Country: Greece Label: Chaos Reigns / Nuclear Blast / Shinigami Records / Ward Records Formats: LP / Cassette Tape / CD Year: 2022 When the band fell apart in 2003 and arose again four years later, they not…

Zemial – To Slay With Silent Dagger [EP]

Artist: ZemialCountry: GreeceLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2022 Archon Vorskaath has led his brainchild Zemial through many years of musical transitions and past many great releases. On many occasions, the enigmatic act has managed to surprise fans and critics alike. Looking…