Tales From The Underground
Tales From The Underground
Artist: Cantique LépreuxCountry: CanadaLabel: EisenwaldFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2022 Our loyal readers have already seen many a Canadian Black Metal release pass by, it is a scene that is developing rapidly and producing a good number of, often exceptionally good, acts. In particular,…
Artist: Meslamtaea Country: The Netherlands Label: Babylon Doom Cult Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 Formed in 1998, Meslamtaea may be considered one of the longest-running Dutch Black Metal acts, but in that almost quarter-century of its existence, main…
Artist: Blood Of The WolfCountry: USALabel: Horror Pain Gore Death ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2022 The title of ‘IV: The Declaration Of War Eternal’ implies that there were (at least) three chapter preceding this latest album by American Death Metallers Blood Of The Wolf. And while I…
Artist: HelwettiCountry: FinlandLabel: Northern Heritage RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 It was quite a surprise that 2021 saw the release of the debut album of the Finnish band Helwetti. Outside some involvement in (live) activities of the cult band Warloghe, the members…
Artist: Necromaniac Country: United Kingdom Label: Invictus Productions Formats: Demo Tape Year: 2021 Originally released in 2015 by Me Saco Un Ojo Records (and already reissued a year later) Invictus Productions thought it was about time to give this demo…
Artist: HerugrimCountry: FinlandLabel: Escafismo RecordsFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2022 “This might be something for you to review”, said TWD’s own FelixS when he forwarded me the first demo of the Finnish band Herugrim. He’s right, if it’s Black Metal and comes…
Artist: AteiggärCountry: SwitzerlandLabel: EisenwaldFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 With the band’s first offering, the ‘Us d’r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt’ EP from 2019, Switzerland’s Ateiggär surprised us with a fiery brand of Black Metal with its roots firmly in the Norwegian scene from the mid…
Artist: A Different CloudCountry: PolandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: DigitalYear: 2022 A Different Cloud is the solo project of the Polish artist Demian, but other than that not much is known about the band. What is known is that with ‘Sult’, the first…
Artist: Departure ChandelierCountry: CanadaLabel: Nuclear War Now! Productions / Obliteration RecordsFormats: 10″ EP / CD EPYear: 2022 Originally an independently released demo, ‘Dripping Papal Blood’ got a proper CD release earlier this year through USA’s top purveyors of all things…
Artist: NyrakCountry: BelgiumLabel: Self-releasedFormats: CDYear: 2022 Featuring members that are involved in bands such as Gotmoor, Serpent’s Oath, Wound Collector and Scarificator, the Belgian band Nyrak formed in 2021. Within a year they were ready to release their first release,…
Artist: Abysmal LordCountry: USALabel: Blackseed Productions / Serpents Head ReprisalFormats: 7″ EP, Cassette EPYear: 2020 In 2019 we at VM-Underground reviewed Abysmal Lord’s second album, ‘Exaltation Of The Infernal Cabal’ and claimed that the band was able to stand shoulder…
Artist: MooncitadelCountry: FinlandLabel: Out Of The DungeonFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2021 Quite soon after the release of their debut album ‘Night’s Scarlet Symphonies’, the Finnish Black Metal band Mooncitadel were ready to strike again with a new release.…
Artist: MooncitadelCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: LPYear: 2020 The origins of Mooncitadel date back to 2007, when multi-intrumentalist and vocalist Stormheist formed the band Empire of Tharaphita. After two demos and a split with Drowning the Light, Stormheit decided to change…
Artist: Ritual DeathCountry: NorwayLabel: Shadow RecordsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 The first years of Ritual Death were quite productive. The band was formed in 2016 as yet another product of the phenomenal Trondheim Black Metal scene by…
Artist: DaevaCountry: USALabel: 20 Buck SpinFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Back in 2019, our chief-editor reviewed Daeva’s first EP, and although he appreciated the offering, it wasn’t all too special for him. Now, a few years ahead…
Artist: Der TrauerschwanCountry: SwedenLabel: Soulseller RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 When the Chilean band Hetroertzen relocated to the Swedish town of Västerås, they quickly recruited members from the local scene to complement their live line-up. One of the members that…
Artist: Deus MortemCountry: PolandLabel: Malignant Voices / Terratur PossessionsFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2020 Although both Malignant Voices and Terratur Possessions usually are pretty much the epitome of quality Black Metal, the Polish Deus Mortem had not quite fully…
Artist: Kawir Country: Greece Label: Pagan Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 When talking about Greek Black Metal, the conversations will most likely be first about Rotting Christ, Varathron, Septicflesh, Thou Art Lord and Necromantia, only then about the…
Artist: AdaestuoCountry: USALabel: W.T.C. ProductionsFormats: CD EPYear: 2022 Formed in 2014, this three-piece band with bandmembers living on different places on earth (Finland, Poland and the USA), surprised with their first EP in 2016 through W.T.C. Productions, which they followed…
Artist: DarvazaCountry: Italy / NorwayLabel: Terratur PossessionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Darvaza, formed back in 2015 by two elusive figures in the international Black Metal scene, released three critically acclaimed EP’s through Black Metal elitist label Terratur…
Artist: HelwettiCountry: FinlandLabel: Illuminating Void ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2021 Over the years, the Finnish Black Metal scene has created quite the name for itself, spreading their unique take on Black Metal to the far reaches of the world. However,…
Artist: Umbra ConscientiaCountry: Costa Rica / GermanyLabel: Cloven Hoof Brewing & Releasing / Terratur PossessionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Somewhat out of the blue came this international combo of Umbra Conscientia, releasing their debut album by the…
Artist: TheriomorphCountry: FinlandLabel: Terratur PossessionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 Finnish multi-instrumentalist Vainaya has been in several bands over the past two decades. Among them were underground stalwarts like Neutron Hammer and Horna, but he also had a…
Artist: Exordium MorsCountry: AustraliaLabel: Praetorian Sword RecordsFormats: LPYear: 2022 When New Zealand is mentioned many people think of those great mountain landscapes in which Peter Jackson filmed his Lord Of The Rings trilogy. But it also has a small but…
Artist: JammerskrikCountry: NorwayLabel: Nordkult Rituals / Terratur PossessionsFormats: LP / Cassette tapeYear: 2021 Anyone remotely interested in underground Black Metal must at least have stumbled once upon a band out of Norways Trondheim scene. They have been dominating the underground…
Artist: AkitsaCountry: CanadaLabel: Tour De GardeFormats: Cassette TapeYear: 2023 Akitsa is one of the longest running Black Metal bands from Canada, already formed in 1999 they have released a commendably large discography. They have spawned six full-length albums and about…
Artist: WarlogheCountry: FinlandLabel: Northern Heritage RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 Warloghe, whose name can be interpreted in several ways as an oathbreaker, is what you could call one of the cult bands that spawned in the blossoming Finnish Black Metal…
Artist: Ruach Raah Country: Portugal Label: Signal Rex Formats: Cassette EP Year: 2022 Ruach Raah, which translates to something ‘Spirit Of Evil’ from Hebrew, has been around for about a decade now and continues to release their stripped down Black…
Artist: Triumphal VengeanceCountry: Chile / GermanyLabel: Born For Burning Productions / Urtod VoidFormats: Cassette EPYear: 2022 This new one-man act, founded by an anonymous figure who goes under the name of Nebel, has its roots in Chile but now operates…
Artist: Corpus ChristiiCountry: PortugalLabel: Immortal Frost ProductionsFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 One of the longest running and active Black Metal acts from Portugal is Corpus Christii. Their almost quarter century in the Black Metal scene has taken…
Artist: Maliënkolder Country: The Netherlands Label: Self-Released Formats: Digital Demo Year: 2022 Maliënkolder, Dutch for habergeon, is a new band from The Netherlands, formed by a duo that goes under the names of Knevelaer and Geerling. I am not sure…
Artist: Hell Wehrwolf Country: Russia Label: Self-Released Formats: Digital Demo Year: 2022 ‘Under Moon’ is no less than the 14th demo from this Russian Raw Black Metal act. They also released a digital split with Kёtkh Trёamёrh, Hlidskjalf and Волот…
Artist: Unholy Vampyric Slaughter SectCountry: USALabel: Crown and Throne Ltd.Formats: LPYear: 2022 Despite presenting us with a new rendition of an earlier demo in February this year, it is notable that Unholy Vampyric Slaughter Sect has drastically slowed the pace…
Artist: WalghingeCountry: BelgiumLabel: GramschapFormats: Cassette tapeYear: 2022 That Belgian Black Metal is on the rise should be obvious. Our loyal readers have seen several highlights pass by in recent months/years, we were treated to fantastic releases by bands such as…
Artist: Licht Des UrteilsCountry: FinlandLabel: Purity Through FireFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 From Tampere, Finland hails the five-piece of Licht Des Urteils. The band was formed in 2018 and quickly released a self-titled demo in 2019, before starting to work…
Artist: Mara Country: Sweden Label: Immortal Frost Productions Formats: 12″ EP / CD EP Year: 2022 Formed in 2010, the Swedish Black Metal band Mara has already released three full-length albums prior this EP, released earlier year through Belgian Immortal…
Artist: GrieveCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 Grieve from Finland led a short but sweet life. After their formation in 2019, the four-piece released their first EP, a self-titled two-track recording (four if you include the vinyl bonus tracks) that…
Artist: Darkest MindCountry: BelgiumLabel: Immortal Frost ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2021 This Belgian Black Metal band consists out of three more or less seasoned musicians who also have had some experience in various other Belgian (Black) Metal bands such as Gotmoor, Theudo,…
Artist: TrinitasCountry: Germany / SwedenLabel: Ván RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 When I first stumbled upon the band Trinitas in a playlist, I just played the track, enjoyed what I superficially heard and added it to my list of albums to…
Artist: Angra MainyuCountry: SwedenLabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2022 The story of the Black Metal band Angra Mainyu from Sweden goes way back to the early 90’s, when they were around under the name of Ahriman. Ahriman was an ancient Persian…
Artist: Darkwoods My BetrothedCountry: FinlandLabel: Napalm RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2021 Although Darkwoods My Betrothed was one of the very first Finnish Black Metal bands, with their roots in the first half of the 90’s, first under the beautiful name…
Artist: Vampyric BloodCountry: FinlandLabel: Dark Adversary ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2022 About five years ago, hypes in the Black Metal scene were whipped up with great regularity via the Nuclear War Now! forums. These included internet battles to get copies of the…
Artist: Meyhnach Country: France Label: Osmose Productions Formats: LP Year: 2022 One of the most appealing and leading figures of the French Black Metal scene is undoubtedly Meyhnach (although I think his mother prefers to call him William). With his…
Artist: Lord BelialCountry: SwedenLabel: Iron Bonehead ProductionsFormats: LPYear: 2022 Earlier this year I spent a few words on Lord Belia’s latest album, ‘Rapture’ (Hammerheart Records), but that wasn’t the only release that was sent out to us that carried the…
Artist: WesenwilleCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Les Acteurs de l’Ombre ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 Once dubbed “The Svartidauði project” by the band members, the release of the sophomore album ‘II: A Material God’ saw the band Wesenwille take a large step…
Artist: WesenwilleCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Les Acteurs de l’Ombre ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2021 Even though the band born as a project meant to honour stalwarts of dissonant Black Metal, Wesenwille didn’t intend to end it there and remain a one-time…
Artist: WesenwilleCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: Les Acteurs de l’Ombre ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 I wonder how many bands are formed after a night with a few beers, friends listening to a record that then decide to play music in the…
Artist: Pyra Country: Italy Label: Immortal Frost Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 Founded in 2020, this Italian Black/Death Metal three-piece released a couple of digital singles in prelude to the official release of their self-titled debut EP through…
Artist: UlvhednerCountry: NorwayLabel: Cold Northern Breeze Records / Hellstain Productions / Screaming Skull RecordsFormats: Lp / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2020 When you chose to read this, I don’t need to explain to you that Norway was the hotspot of…
Artist: OfermodCountry: SwedenLabel: Shadow RecordsFormats: 12″ EP / CD EPYear: 2022 Not long ago on these pages, I reviewed Ofermod’s latest full-length album, ‘Mysterium Iniquitatis’. In it, I dwelled at length on the band’s history and the undeniable importance mastermind…