Chamber of Unlight – Avernus
Artist: Chamber Of Unlight Country: Finland Label: Werewolf Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2026 That a new Chamber of Unlight album was inbound comes as no surprise, as the band already teased a new track in 2023 in the…
The Whispering Darkness
Tales From The Underground
The Whispering Darkness
Tales From The Underground
Noctis Bellum – Promo 2026 [Demo]
Artist: Noctis Bellum Country: USA Label: Torture Palace Productions Formats: Demo Tape Year: 2026 I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it was Vargrav and Evilfeast who, with their respective ‘Netherstorm’ (2018) and ‘Elegies Of The Stellar Wind’ (2017) single-handedly put…
Vargrav – Dimension: Daemonium
Artist: Vargrav Country: Finland Label: Werewolf Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2026 Three years have passed since Vargrav released their third record ‘The Nighthold’. A time in which things have changed. For the band, who went from a fearsome…
White Rune – Eventide On Aurora
Artist: White Rune Country: Finland Label: Hammer Of Hate Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2025 With another gorgeous cover, it is hard to miss there’s a new White Rune album out. And in the current musical constellation that seems…
Morbikon – Lost Within The Astral Crypts
Artist: Morbikon Country: USA Label: Tankcrimes Records Formats: LP / CD Year: 2025 The downside of reviewing music is that you “have” to do that in a rather short amount of time and since we are being flooded with new…
Silent Millenia – Celestial Twilight (Beyond the Scarlet Veil)
Artist: Silent Millenia Country: Finland Label: Self-released Formats: Digital Year: 2025 If you came here because the artwork of ‘Celestial Twilight (Beyond the Scarlet Veil)’ reminded you of Odium and Limbonic Art, then I’m happy to tell you: you’ve come…
Mooncitadel – Stardawn Usurper
Artist: Mooncitadel Country: Finland Label: Out Of The Dungeon Formats: CD Year: 2025 Finland’s Mooncitadel has continued to impress me, from their earliest beginnings as Watcher’s Abyss and Empire of Tharaphita to their first recordings with Mooncitadel, and their most…
…and Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary
Artist: …and Oceans Country: Finland Label: Season of Mist Formats: LP / CD Year: 2025 When I first ran into …and Oceans, sometime around the turn of the millennium, I was completely blown away with the band’s debut album, ‘Dynamic…
Mystic Circle – Kriegsgötter MMXXV [EP / Re-Release]
Artist: Mystic Circle Country: Germany Label: Rock Of Angels Formats: LP / CD Year: 2025 Over the past few years German Black Metal outlaws Mystic Circle has been on a quest for rehabilitation. Not only with rapidly releasing two new…
Warmoon Lord – Sacrosanct Demonopathy
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’…
Septicflesh – Amphibians [EP]
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…
The Chamberlain – Draconian Magick
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…
Salacious Gods – The Slumbering Silence [Demo/ Re-release]
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…
Heathendom – The Nightspirit Symphony [Demo]
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…
Deimhal – The Diabolical Liberation [EP]
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…
Sear Bliss – Heavenly Down
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…
Korpituli – “Sorrow, stubborness, sauna, nature: a window into our minds and thoughts”
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…
ACOD – Versets Noirs
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…
Hekseblad – “We kind of took Moonlight Sorcery and Stormkeep as our aim”
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…
Nights Horn – Divina Obscura
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…
Deathcode Society – Unlightenment
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…
Vargrav – The Nighthold
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…
Moonlight Sorcery – Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle
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…
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…
The Chamberlain – Dominus Noctis [EP]
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’…
Chamber of Mirrors – Moonlight Decay
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…
Moonlight Sorcery – Burning Embrace [EP]
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…
Deimhal – The Grand Gathering [EP]
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…
The Kryptik – A Journey to the Darkest Kingdom
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…
Vargrav – Encircle the Astral Dimension [Single]
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.…
Argenthorns – The Ravening
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…
Keep Of Kalessin – Katharsis
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…
Mystic Circle – Erzdämon
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…
Fourth Monarchy – Nocturnal Odes Of A Wandering Spirit
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…
Empire Of Tharaphita – Distant Echoes through Blood Infinite [Compilation]
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…
Norrhem – Elonkehrä
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…
Diabolique Nocturne Magicka – Aufklärung [Demo]
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…
…and Oceans – As in Gardens, So in Tombs
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…
Morbikon – Ov Mournful Twilight
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,…
Pestilent Hex – The Ashen Abhorrence
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…
Mystic Circle – Drachenblut [Re-Release]
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…
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…
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…
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…
Moonlight Sorcery – Nightwind: The Conqueror From The Stars [EP]
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…
Vintertodt – Under Endless Invented Night
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…
Mooncitadel – Onyx Castles and Silver Keys [EP]
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.…
Mooncitadel – Night’s Scarlet Symphonies
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…
Ymir – Aeons Of Sorrow
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.…