Tales From The Underground
Tales From The Underground
Artist: Warmoon Lord Country: Finland Label: Werewolf Records Formats: LP / Cassette tape / CD Year: 2025 While debut album ‘Burning Banners of the Funereal War’ certainly gained some traction in the underground, it was arguably their sophomore record ‘Battlespells’…
Artist: Septicflesh Country: Greece Label: Nuclear Blast Formats: 12″ EP Year: 2025 In the running up to Septicflesh’s new album, that should appear somewhere in the next couple of months, the Greek masters of bombastic metal presents us with an…
Artist: The Chamberlain Country: Finland Label: Out of the Dungeon Formats: CD Year: 2025 ‘Dominus Noctis’ was a pretty decent first release for Finnish Black Metal outfit The Chamberlain, taking their experience in other bands into a symphonic Black Metal…
Artist: Salacious GodsCountry: The NetherlandsLabel: WolfKult ReligionFormats: Demo TapeYear: 2025 After an extended period without releases, Salacious Gods has turned the tide completely. There was the long-awaited full-length ‘Oaelevluuk’ and the band returned to the stages in 2023. Last year…
Artist: Heathendom Country: USA Label: Sonorous Night Formats: Cassette Tape Year: 2025 ‘The Nightspirit Symphony’ is the debut 2-track demo tape from an anonymous duo from the United States. With a title like this, it might not surprise that the…
Artist: DeimhalCountry: FinlandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2024 Last year we saw the appearance of Deimhal on the symphonic Black Metal stage, launching into the scene with their EP ‘The Grand Gathering’. Featuring multiple members of the band Catamenia, the first…
Artist: Sear Bliss Country: Hungary Label: Hammerheart Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2024 In the more melodic and atmospheric Black Metal constellation from roughly half of the 90’s to the mid 00’s, Sear Bliss played a significant role. Maybe…
Although Korpituli had already put out some good quality releases, it was with the recently released ‘Pohjola’ that things got really interesting. Whereas the first two albums consisted of fairly well-executed, but perhaps a bit on the safe side Melodic…
Artist: ACODCountry: FranceLabel: Hammerheart RecordsFormats: LP / CD Year: 2024 A mix of Swedish melodic Death Metal with atmospheric Black Metal into something that could be described as a much heavier and more Black Metal version of more modern Dark Tranquillity, that’s how…
Formed in 2021, Hekseblad have used their first few years to flesh out and further perfect their musical formula of melodic and even symphonic Black Metal. While perhaps not all initial recordings have turned out equally well, it is clear…
Artist: Nights Horn Country: France Label: Self-Released Formats: Digital Year: 2024 Nights Horn is the brainchild of Thomas Lhairaud, a French multi-instrumentalist and ‘Divina Obscura’ is the work that follows up on the ‘Blood Soul’-demo tape that was released last…
Artist: Deathcode Society Country: France Label: Osmose Productions Formats: LP / CD Year: 2023 While the French Black Metal scene will be mostly remembered for its crude and harsh sound that was brought to our ears by the likes of…
Artist: VargravCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: CD, DigitalYear: 2023 There’s a strong argument to be made that Vargrav was one of the initiators of the blossoming Symphonic Black Metal revival that has been going on the past few years. Certainly, the…
Artist: Moonlight Sorcery Country: Finland Label: Avantgarde Music Formats: 12″ EP / CD EP Year: 2023 Admittedly, after the amazing ‘Piercing Through The Frozen Eternity’ EP from early 2022 my expectation were extremely high on any material that would serve…
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…
Artist: The ChamberlainCountry: FinlandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2023 With experience in several acts including Aesthus, Malum and Norrhem, it’s no wonder that new Finnish band The Chamberlain sounds far from rookies to the scene. On their first EP ‘Dominus Noctis’…
Artist: Chamber of MirrorsCountry: USALabel: Drakkar ProductionsFormats: LP / Tape / CDYear: 2023 On their second album, US-based Chamber of Mirrors presents a well-crafted mix between raw and symphonic Black Metal. Consisting of the sole member Mortem, ‘Moonlight Decay’ follows…
Artist: Moonlight Sorcery Country: Finland Label: Avantgarde Music Formats: 7″ EP Year: 2023 Admittedly, I felt a little let down by Moonlight Sorcery’s second EP, ‘Nightwind: The Conqueror From The Stars’ from December 2022. Although having largely the same ingredients…
Artist: DeimhalCountry: FinlandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Digital EPYear: 2023 In a time where melodic Dissection-inspired Black Metal and symphonic Black Metal were at the height of their popularity, bands like the Finnish Catamenia fit right in. Perhaps never the most original or…
Artist: The KryptikCountry: BrazilLabel: Purity Through FireFormats: CDYear: 2023 In a genre where nostalgia reign supreme, bold statements can set things off on the wrong foot. It’s at the very least a striking claim to suggest an album might be…
Artist: VargravCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: CD, DigitalYear: 2023 2023 will see the release of the new Vargrav album, baptized ‘The Nighthold’. This third album follows the critically acclaimed debut album ‘Netherstorm’ from 2018 and ‘Reign in Supreme Darkness’ from 2019.…
Artist: Argenthorns Country: Finland Label: Avantgarde Music Formats: LP / CD Year: 2023 Symphonic Black Metal has been on the rise for a few years now, and Finland has certainly made some big contributions to its revival. One of the…
Artist: Keep Of KalessinCountry: NorwayLabel: Back On BlackFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2023 Keep Of Kalessin caused a bit of a stir with the release of their 2006 album ‘Armada’. Even though their origins dated back to 1993…
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: Fourth Monarchy Country: Italy Label: Self-Released Formats: Digital Year: 2023 The history of this Italian Black Metal band dates back all the way to 2002, when the band was founded. In the very first years of their existence they…
Artist: Empire of TharaphitaCountry: FinlandLabel: Out Of The DungeonFormats: LPYear: 2022 Before Mooncitadel there was Empire Of Tharaphita. From 2007 until 2014, Finnish instrumentalist and vocalist Stormheit operated under this band name, releasing two demos and a split with Drowning…
Artist: NorrhemCountry: FinlandLabel: Spread Evil ProductionsFormats: CDYear: 2022 Formed in 2017 in Turku, Finland, the then two-piece of Valthor and MA started their journey which led to their first demo. When T also joined the band, Norrhem swiftly finished their…
Artist: Diabolique Nocturne MagickaCountry: USALabel: Self-ReleasedFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2022 One-man Black Metal band Diabolique Nocturne Magicka is run by the anonymous figure of Graf Kaalveg S. A. Starnesii, who self-released his project’s first offering, the ‘Aufklärung’ EP on a nice…
Artist: …and OceansCountry: FinlandLabel: Season of MistFormats: LP / Cassette tape / CDYear: 2023 The musical legacy of …and Oceans has hardly been one of conformity. From the very earliest album, the band has always given their own distinct and…
Artist: Morbikon Country: USA Label: Tankcrimes Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 That music in general and metal more specifically is something that can bring together the most unlikely people. There are so many great examples of implausible collaborations,…
Artist: Pestilent HexCountry: FinlandLabel: Debemur Morti ProductionsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 The debut album of Finland’s Pestilent Hex has been in the works for some years. In 2017, Convocation, Desolate Shrine and Ordinance multi-instrumentalist L.L. and Corpsessed, Profetus and Tyranny…
Artist: Mystic Circle Country: Germany Label: Atomic Fire Formats: LP Year: 2023 Time is a wonderful thing, it tends to heal wounds and make one think more mildly of things that happened in the past. When we listen to today’s…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Artist: Moonlight Sorcery Country: Finland Label: Avantgarde Music Formats: 12″ EP / Cassette EP / CD EP Year: 2022 At the beginning of this year I was completely blown away by the debut EP from Finnish newcomers Moonlight Sorcery. Just…
Artist: VintertodtCountry: USALabel: Fólkvangr Records / Forest SummonerFormats: Cassette tape / CDYear: 2022 From New York, USA, hails the Black Metal band Vintertodt. Formed in 2018, the band soon recorded their first demo which was released in 2019. ‘Pure Fucking…
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: YmirCountry: FinlandLabel: Werewolf RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 A long, long time ago there was nothing but a deep and wide chasm called Ginnungagap that separated the cold and wild of Niflheim from the heat and fire of Muspelheim.…
Artist: I Am The NightCountry: FinlandLabel: Svart RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2022 In the mid 90’s, Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum) and Janne Markkanen (ex-Omnium Gatherum) dreamt of once starting a melodic Black Metal project. In the end, that never…
A few weeks ago I came across this band from Thailand, Amorphous Dominion. Their first demo, simply named ‘Demo 2022’ is a pretty good example that on all corners of the world great Symphonic Black Metal is being made. Surprisingly…
Artist: WizardkeepCountry: USALabel: Canti Eretici / Spellcaster RecordsFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2022 Not too long ago I reviewed an album by a band named Daedric Armour and I had no idea what the band name actually meant, so I turned to…
Artist: White RuneCountry: FinlandLabel: Hammer Of Hate RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 At the same time as the release of White Rune’s debut album, Hammer Of Hate also releases this compilation containing both demo tapes from 2021 (both originally released by Cycle…
Artist: White RuneCountry: FinlandLabel: Hammer Of Hate RecordsFormats: CDYear: 2022 From the ever impressive Finnish Black Metal scene comes this new band, formed in 2021. With two demos under their belt, their first full-length album has now been released via…
Artist: Olio Tähtien TakanaCountry: FinlandLabel: Avantgarde MusicFormats: LP / CDYear: 2021 The first band that people are most likely to recognize from the list of acts that v-KhaoZ features in is Vargrav, whose stellar debut `Netherstorm’ caused quite a stir upon release (not in the…
Artist: Amorphous DominionCountry: ThailandLabel: Self-releasedFormats: Demo tapeYear: 2022 This Bangkok, Thailand based Black Metal band Amorphous Dominion started in 2018 from the spirited soul of ‘Sunrize Eclipse’, who after some time realised that he could only realise his black visions…
Artist: StormkeepCountry: USALabel: Ván RecordsFormats: LP / CDYear: 2021 In the wake of the popular `Galdrum’ EP, Stormkeep released their first full length album `Tales of Othertime’ in late 2021. Members from amongst others Wayfarer, Blood Incantation, Lord Dahthar and…
Artist: Mystic Circle Country: Germany Label: Atomic Fire / Chaos Reigns Formats: LP / CD Year: 2022 It sometimes happens that even though you think you are prepared for everything, life surprises you. Who, for example, was thinking of a…