Polish extreme metal icons Hate are back with the tenth full length “Tremendum” which comes with a renewed energy featuring the signature black/death style that has always gained attention in the underground metal scene.

On “Asuric Being” Hate consistently builds solemn momentums with battle ready marching rhythms and relentless blackened guitar riffing but also crafts the necessary somber melodic breaks and glistening guitar solos.

“Svarog’s Mountain” conveys uneasy gloomy vibes and carefully slows down to make space for understated dark themes while the killer crispy melodic guitar solo certainly can’t go unnoticed.

“Numinosum” still offers plenty of raw blackened fury with intensely fierce growls and primordial grandeur embedded in the steady sinister guitar dynamics.

“Ghostforce” unleashes visceral majestic growls and another generous dose of crushing unstoppable riffing & drumming while some grave melodic guitars briefly emerge through a thick wall of a sound.

“Walk Through Fire” closes the album with the expected vicious blackened energy but it’s not just random chaotic fury as crucial melodic passages and guitar leads enrich the song’s structure and texture.

“Tremendum” never slows down keeping the listeners quite satisfied from beginning to end and demands to be played loud in order to fully enjoy its inner ominous power.

Kentish band Galley Beggar’s music style is often categorized as folk rock but the newest fourth album “Heathen Hymns” demonstrates a rather eclectic soul effortlessly combining multifaceted elements to deliver a soothing yet dizzying collection of songs.

“Salome” is truly a magical music piece with addictively enchanting atmospheres that convey the harmonious feelings of sunbathing on a bed of delicate flowers. The entire instrumentation carries distinctive vintage nuances, guitar melodies craft subtle hypnotic melodies and vocalist Maria O’Donnell leads the listeners through elegant sonic layers.

“Four Birds” features a more adventurous rhythmic approach that still holds incredibly enchanting melodic themes gracefully enriched by Maria’s seductive vocal delivery while guitars amp up slightly darkened retro vibes.

“The Girl I Left Behind Me” starts with folk influenced enthralling acoustic guitars and inspired violins that channel a wistful emotional palette while the intricate melodic dynamics of the spacey retro rock guitar solo certainly deserve sincere attention.

“Lorelei” crafts genuine ethereal melodic vibes with minimalist acoustic guitar passages and mesmerizing violins while gentle vocals match the overall natural melancholy.

“Let No Man Steal Your Thyme” offers great instrumental fluidity blending mysterious atmospheres with loads of  hypnotic rock rhythmic segments while the psychedelic trippy warmth of the brilliant passionate guitar solo intensifies the song’s irresistible vintage mood.

With fragile melodies as well as charismatic psychedelic rock galore “Heathen Hymns” feels often relaxing like a spiritual & magical experience and Galley Beggar never fails to impress the listeners with compelling songwriting diversity.

British quartet Ancient Ascendant has surprised the metal scene with a multifaceted songwriting style featuring black/death aspects as well as classic rock/metal elements and the third album “Raise The Torch” stays true to this ambitious music pathway.

“Our Way” features plenty of somber guitar melodies and leads that soon evolve into blackened riffing galore at a faster pace while venomous growls further amplify the underlying aggressive themes.

“Scaling The Gods” delivers vibrant rock dynamics with fierce unstoppable groovy guitar riffing, again the brutal growls contribute to keep alive the extreme metal sonic assault while guitars successfully craft catchy compelling melodies.

“Foreign Skies” slows down the rhythm channeling emotional vibes with well structured rich melancholic melodies that will remain the main focus even if crunchy heavier guitar riffs will occasionally step in.

“To The Cold” might evoke gloomy atmospheres but is also filled with intense guitar driven energetic grooves while a series of charismatic melodic guitar solo can be easily appreciated by a wider audience.

Despite the extensive use of furious growls and recognizable extreme metal elements, “Raise The Torch” actually holds a quite accessible melodic rock soul and focuses on an enjoyable exploration of familiar music territories.

Liverpool based doom band Coltsblood proudly releases the latest dismal effort “Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness” which might be the darkest and most introvert music endeavor of the year.

The title track obviously focuses on immense ‘shimmering darkness’ as super heavy doom rhythmic layers support a series of extremely gloomy guitar melodies. Monolithic heavy guitar riffs dominate the rest of this lengthy track creating an asphyxiating soundscape with the addition of ferociously raw black metal rhythms.

“The Legend Of Abhartach” has an ominous mood with guttural growls and massive recurring heavy guitar riffs while atmospheric orchestrations conjure a sense of impenetrable obscurity.

“The Final Winter” is a funeral march, a tribute to the end of everything with painfully slow paced drums and desperate distant growls while at times cathartic minimalist guitar melodies bring a pale light that might not last long enough as the overwhelming cold desolation will inevitably conquer the world.

If you are looking for an utterly mournful and impossibly desolate soundtrack for long cold nights you might need to check out “Ascending Into Shimmering Darkness” as Coltsblood could have not sounded more depressing.

Italian band Shores Of Null returns with the latest effort “Black Drapes For Tomorrow”, a gothic/doom oriented wistful and sorrowful collection of songs that aims to leave a memorable mark in the chaotic music scene.

“Donau” combines an ensemble of strong guitar riffs and somber melodies bearing familiar gothic accents, the rhythmic section builds a nice catchy groove particularly enriched by solemn baritone vocals.

“Tide Against Us” features emotionally charged vocals lingering over highly melodic guitars and culminating in the addictive chorus but there is also space for heavier soaring blackened riffing even if it tends to stay too much in the background.

The title track amplifies a gloomy mood again perfectly expressed by the dramatic vocals supported by a well balanced mix of soothing dark melodies and powerful guitar riffs.

“Carry On, My Tiny Hope” stands out for the overdose of elegantly darkened guitar melodies that continue to follow contemplative themes enhanced by truly strong and passionate vocal delivery effortlessly shifting from clean to intense growls.

“The Kolyma Route” showcases impressive vocal diversity and has a more aggressive approach with a cohesive thunderous crescendo of guitar riffs but still holds a pure darkened melodic soul with poignant guitar melodies that evoke feelings of despair and desolation.

An immense sense of melancholy dominates the expected doom/death metal themes of “Black Drapes For Tomorrow” and Shores Of Null certainly put a lot of effort in the songwriting for this album demonstrating their genuine commitment and passion for music.

Finnish prog rockers Return To Void have worked hard to craft the self titled debut album which particularly shines for the talented musicianship and crispy bright sound.

“Throughout The Ages” features upbeat rhythms and energetic grooves following a classic hard rock recipe but the highlight can be found in the variegated prog oriented guitar & bass segments.

Additional fancy prog rock dynamics can be found in the excellent guitar work on “Vail Of Confusion” which also features catchy 90s vibes especially in the radio friendly chorus.

“Sight Of Immortal Sea” carries deep melancholy borderline ballad style with plenty of easy melodies, soothing choirs and retro rock elements.

“All The Darkness” mostly has a happy sound with consistent vibrato vocals and loads of well executed melodic guitar riffs and leads that draw inspiration from classic rock/metal bands.

The eponymous track “Return To Void” features epic vibes and atmospheric accents that bear a touch of melancholy, again lead guitars take a dominant role to deliver compelling melodic solos.

Overall, Return To Void will need more time to create a more unique sound but delivers a sincere cohesive debut effort suitable not only for prog rock lovers but also a wider audience.

French extreme metal band Necrowretch furiously unleashes the latest effort “Satanic Slavery” a blasphemous anthem that draws inspiration and strength mainly from old school death metal.

There is no sunshine in the realm of Necrowretch and “Sprawl Of Sin” revolves around putrid stench and brutal guitar driven rhythms that just seem unstoppable except for brief slower more listenable guitar leads.

The title track comes with immense fury to deliver traditional fast drumming and guitar riffing that built a simply asphyxiating soundscape while raw enraged vocals perfectly match the crucial blackened mood.

“Evil Names” continues to follow the ancestral madness but there are hints of healthy doom in the slow and heavy guitar passages and almost crispy and melodic guitar solo.

“Verses From The Depths” tries to be as fast as possible with crushing guitar riffs and matching malevolent growls that seem to emerge from the depths of hell but a “calmer” breakdown gives way to a nice guitar solo.

Even if Necrowretch manages to place some variations in the middle of breakneck speed rhythms “Satanic Slavery” is truly a dreadful beast that would appeal mostly to death metal faithful fans in need of a quick brutal fix.

Canadian trio Völur is ready to release the sophomore full length “Ancestors” which features strong doom roots as well as enchanting folk elements immersed in a darkened spiritual miasma. Bassist/vocalist Lucas Gadke of Blood Ceremony, violinist/vocalist Laura C. Bates of Fresh Snow and drummer James Payment of Do Make Say Think are certainly experienced musicians who have a clear conceptual vision and a genuine desire to carefully craft unique magnetic harmonies.

“Breaker Of Silence” is telling a story that focuses on darkly cinematic atmospheres as ethereal solace embrace vivid melodic textures. The organic slow and pensive instrumentation is adorned by otherworldly chants while simply irresistible and utterly mesmerizing violin melodies deliver grandiose beauty through darker rhythmic layers.

“Breaker Of Skulls” challenges the graceful darkness with intense growls that channel primordial and heavier blackened themes while bone chilling violin phrases earn again the deserved spotlight delivering majestic melodies as well as profound arcane vibes.

On “Breaker Of Oath” stunning dramatic classical violin evoke a transcendent scenario but this track also offers a particularly ominous side well supported by powerful bass dynamics. The melodic contemplative aspects of this song embodied by exceptionally captivating violin solos deserve to be listened thoroughly in order to fully and consciously embrace the depth of Völur’s enthralling music journey.

“Ancestors” is not your average metal album as Völur has created a magical work of music that sinuously dwells in the darkest artsy realms and draws cathartic strength from lavish hypnotizing melodies.

 

Guitarist/vocalist/composer/producer Ryan Duke is ready to proudly release the self titled debut album of his passionate melodic progressive metal project Fortis Amor.

Right from the start Fortis Amor showcases meticulous attention for details, a big sound and compelling songwriting variety.

“Particles” begins with elegantly melancholic acoustic guitars but soon gains intense depth with multichromatic complex guitar melodies and eclectic tempo variations in proper prog fashion.

“Holding On To Nothing” has a brief graceful acoustic intro but proceeds to combine heavier guitar riffing and luminous proggy guitar driven harmonies and solo, a duality expressed also in the contrasting vocal styles.

“Renewal” features a rather heavy sonic assault with super crunchy modern guitar riffing but the flamboyant versatility and creative force of the guitar solos will inevitably steal the spotlight and demand full attention.

“Bring This Petition To The Castle” favors prog influenced style and melodic themes as glossy guitars craft an overload of inspired harmonies while acoustic moments channel dreamlike emotional vibes.

“Outpouring” focuses on a catchy ensemble of crispy polished guitar melodies and radio friendly chorus, nevertheless the lead guitar work continues to concoct interesting and variegated passages.

Considering the amazingly multifaceted influences and intricate instrumentation is quite remarkable that, aside from few guest solos, Fortis Amor is a one man progressive project. Even if at times the modern metal approach seems too trendy and doesn’t necessarily match the fluidity of the overall musicianship this debut album will certainly impress the listeners.

Emerging Italian horror punk quartet Raging Dead has released the first full length album entitled “When The Night Falls” which revolves around rebellious grooves with some horror show style elements that remind of the legendary Italian band Death SS.

“Streets Of Rage” stays true to the title as tight enraged guitar driven rhythms packs a series of aggressive riffs amplified by scratchy furious vocals with an overall cinematic 90s horror movie theme that will continue to be quite dominant throughout the album.

The title track showcases another killer round of simple yet high impact guitar riffs and heavy bass lines but there is also a good dose of creepy melodies culminating into a pleasantly catchy chorus.

“Army Of The Restless” increases the atmospheric dark mood with slower paced rhythms, classic melodic guitar solo and scattered vintage rock accents.

“Nightstalker” features fun nightmarish grooves that channel multiple influences including glam rock while a smooth metallic guitar solo bears the melodic signature style of classic heavy metal.

“Crimson Garden” puts aside the immediate fury of wild punk dynamics to focus on a well structured crescendo of accessible darkly melodic themes and less frenetic rhythmic sections.

“When The Night Falls” doesn’t necessarily offer otherworldly music innovations nevertheless it is an absolutely and genuinely entertaining album full of super catchy rocking grooves that will make you stomp until dawn.