German black metallers Helrunar proudly invite you to join their obscure music journey with the latest album “Vanitas Vanitatvm” with an elegant title that refers to a famous ode by 17th century poet Andreas Gryphius.

“Saturnus” instantly evokes a gloomy grandeur diligently crafted by a grim melodic ensemble that will ultimately embrace a traditional blackened framework with ferocious guitar and drums dynamics leading the way to bottomless obscurity while the mood will become particularly dramatic during the gentle acoustic breakdown.

Since the very beginning “Lotophagoi” sounds more brutal focusing on savage blackened rhythmic sections with fluent tremolo picking and uncompromising speed and certainly the resulting ominous tonalities are further amplified by diabolical growls while lead guitars are ready to add slower hypnotizing melodies.

Simply put “Nachzehrer” is a stunning song where the whole instrumental ensemble is fueled by profound sinister vibes and immense darkness delivering constant fascinating gelid guitar melodies that follow a painfully slow tempo and an inevitable impending doom is enhanced by a mesmerizing series of absolutely dramatic narratives.

“Als die Welt zur Nacht sich wandt” returns to a heavier blackened rhythmic galore offering relentless guitar riffing and viciously fast drumming which lead to asphyxiating feelings until the instrumentation slows down dramatically favoring a brief yet meaningful calmer melodic momentum.

Still dwelling within a realm of impossible darkness “Necropolis” puts the spotlight on captivating melodic guitars that introduce a groovy round of riffs that will eventually morph into a harsher blackened entity but lead guitars also create plenty of delightful slower mournful melodies. The song’s finale naturally fades into the pure melancholy of the enchanting outro “Der Tag an dem das Meer seine Toten freigibt” where delicate yet incredibly intense baroque strings feel like a sincere ode to darkness.  

Conceptually addressing different forms of vanity and narcissism “Vanitas Vanitatvm” revolves around misanthropic themes and undiluted darkness therefore Helrunar rightfully draw inspiration from their prominent black and doom metal roots to successfully convey poetic splendor and total decadence.  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byZoNqtJx68

The music style of Oberon is classified as Gnostic rock as with this project Norwegian singer/songwriter Bard Oberon has been exploring the inner process of human destiny and the brand new release “Aeon Chaser” continues to have a strong philosophical nature.

“Omega” opens the album with a clever mixture of triumphant arrangements and dreamy atmospheric layers while crispy vocals naturally flow through the intricate proggy rhythmic patterns.

“Walk In Twilight” has a darker mood often amplified by crunchy guitar riffs while the leads are always ready to spice up the cohesive rhythmic core with brighter melodies.

“To Live To Die” feels like a sorrowful ballad following a softer rhythm with loads of minimalist acoustic guitars and mellow keyboards arrangements until a groovy momentum takes the center stage with classic prog oriented dynamics.

Darkened emotions linger on “Black Aura” favoring a heartfelt vocal delivery and melancholic melodies yet the song will drastically change pace and mood with experimental electro arrangements and heavily distorted guitar tonalities that lead to a spacey atmospheric ensemble.

“The Secret Fire” offers fluent rock grooves with vintage vibes and bold riffage yet the lead guitar work features crystalline tones generating interesting proggy melodies.  

“Surrender” focuses on atmospheric soundscapes often characterized by futuristic electro accents but later gives way to fiery bass lines and heavier guitar riffs to deliver catchy prog grooves.

Oberon’s sonic approach always feels widely accessible and drawing inspiration from a multitude of genres the composition of “Aeon Chaser” certainly relies on intricate textures and a profound spiritual aura.  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gWpE6ysgYk

British avantgarde black metal collective A Forest Of Stars takes William Blake’s proverb “Exuberance is beauty” as its principle to create an intricate ensemble of atmospheric textures and blackened force on the brand new effort “Grave Mounds And Grave Mistakes”.

“Precipice Pirouette” immediately showcases the unpredictable nature of the entire record with histrionic vocal delivery telling a dark story that follows the extremely frantic tremolo picked riffing and consequent fast obscure rhythmic crescendos until a sudden sense of peace generate somber atmospheres and melodic moments.

“Tombward Bound” is not just a song but rather a theatrical piece where the intense dramatic narratives and tormented melodic phrases are surrounded by an eclectic ensemble of modern electro textures, bleak atmospheric layers and blackened dynamics that will always surprise the listeners.

Bittersweet emotions are extremely amplified on “Taken By The Sea” as ethereal atmospheres and graceful vocals hold a crucial role adorned by refined violin melodies with evident dreamy folk vibes and gothic inspiration.

At the same time “Scripturally Transmitted Disease” channels Victorian grandeur and traditional black metal around frenetic or simply crazy theatrical vocals and loads of brooding melodies but this song will become even darker towards the end with peaceful minimalist harmonies.

“Decomposing Deity Dance Hall” can be immensely dramatic in so many unexpected ways as lovely acoustic passages and violin craft classical melodic themes imbued with profound melancholy and traditional folk vibes yet the band manages to add variety with shimmering electro arrangements and uncompromising blackened grooves.  

At times “Grave Mounds And Grave Mistakes” can be a challenging album, confidently and constantly evolving into a unique sonic entity that certainly holds dear its inner blackened roots but with complete creative freedom A Forest Of Stars often pushes genre boundaries.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wkY1SUzXPk

Bald Anders is the band that allows former Lunar Aurora musicians Benjamin and Constantin König absolute artistic freedom and the result of their ongoing music exploration is the sophomore album “Spiel”.

“Das Achte Haus” takes you to the middle of a forgotten dark forest where anything can happen as the instrumental passages spontaneously shift from peaceful melodies and subtle atmospheric layers to harsher guitar driven moments depicting the contrasting nuances that characterize the whole album.

“3 Wunsche” might sound more dramatic with solemn vocals leading the way to a world of passion and imagination relying on darkly atmospheric arrangements until the rhythmic section delivers bursts of blackened energy.

“Taugenichts” offers a faster pace with consequent stomping guitar riffs and fierce screams yet mystical organ melodies and calm atmospheres will hold a crucial role creating surreal soundscapes.

On “Verhext” the instrumental segments become darker fueled by wicked guitar riffs yet folk oriented violins will often bring profound melancholia and softer melodies.

The guitar riffing rampage and wild soloing on “Le Fuet” favors darkly feverish rhythms amplified by an underlying blackened force but the song will often morph into a peaceful melodic entity with enigmatic arrangements.

The sonic realm of “Spiel” is made of fairytales and nightmares adorned by folk themes and raw blackened elements as the music pathway chosen by Bald Anders seems full of surprises.

Avant-garde collective Eye Of Nix is ready to put a spell on you with the gloomy artistic vision of the album “Black Somnia” reissued by Prophecy Productions.

“Wound And Scar” would sound quite hostile to the average listener as the band focuses on an enigmatic ensemble of dark melodic echoes, tormented screams and aggressive guitar riffs marching fiercely in blackened fashion through surreal ominous atmospheric soundscapes.

On “Fear’s Ascent” extremely dramatic clean vocals flow through shapeshifting layers of anguished gothic style melodies, mournful atmospheres and steady menacing rhythmic segments featuring occasional faster drum pace.

“Lull” has calmer yet profoundly mysterious tonalities amplified by bewitching vocals yet will later acquire psychedelic vintage vibes through intriguing guitar progressions and consequent rhythmic crescendo.  

“A Hideous Visage” showcases hints of doom and heavier roots as guitars deliver cold energetic bursts through massive darkened atmospheric arrangements within a nightmarish soundscape that naturally conveys the band’s beautiful and harsh music vision.

From a realm of eternal darkness Eye Of Nix emerges as a unique sinister force that on “Black Somnia” naturally generates the unusual macabre blend of atmospheric nuances and blackened momentum.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns9yOBLlBvE

Duncan Evans, former guitarist for A Forest Of Stars, began his solo career in 2013 and the new album “Prayers For An Absentee” holds a strong dark folk spirit but also showcases an interesting multifaceted songwriting approach.

The uptempo rhythm of “Bring Your Shoulder” relies on recurring acidic & groovy guitar tonalities while the softer arpeggios and the soulful vocal delivery fully express somber emotions.

“Us And Them And You And Me” delivers unusual melodies always fueled by underlying feelings of sadness yet the rhythmic structure is far from monotone as the whole instrumentation embraces eclectic variations with psychedelic accents that lead to a more chaotic borderline dissonant groove.

“Trembling” immediately feels passionate and profoundly melancholic as hazy atmospheres surround the moody guitar melodies and the graceful nostalgic piano phrases, a solid instrumental combo that spontaneously shifts from fragile harmonies to more urgent rhythmic segments.

On “Christabel” there is a bittersweet mood that influences deeply the instrumental work from beginning to end resulting in an elegant blend of darkened guitar melodies and atmospheric vintage organ harmonies.

The closing track “Time” focuses on the pure melancholia evoked by peaceful acoustic arpeggios that allow Duncan’s heartfelt vocal performance to take the spotlight and convey an emotional whirlwind.

Continuing a personal music journey with an evident poetic approach Duncan Evans performs eight prayers transformed into the songs of “Prayers For An Absentee” with an open heart and a taste for minimalist melodies.

It might be difficult to categorize the music style of Nochnoy Dozor, featuring guitarist Manos Georgakopoulos of doom eccentrics Universe217, yet you can easily appreciate the intriguing soundscapes of the self titled debut EP.

There is magic on “Black Hand” as sultry vocals guide the listeners through a sophisticated sonic realm where peaceful piano melodies spontaneously lead to somber atmospheres and melancholia infused guitar harmonies that contribute to build a dreamy mood.

The minimalist approach on “Stains” certainly favors the enchanting vocals accompanied by the right dose of soothing guitar melodies that will eventually lead to a more energetic rhythmic crescendo.

“Closer” focuses on darker enigmatic dynamics as guitar melodies seem to echo through nocturnal soundscapes and vocals feel particularly bewitching fiercely cutting through the grim atmospheric layers.

The final track “Ben-Hur” begins with ethereal arrangements and soft vocals creating a suspenseful mood, soon heavier doom influenced guitar riffs will drastically amplify dismal tonalities and macabre vibes yet the band also maintains a constant surreal mood with loads of ambient atmospheres.

What Nochnoy Dozor has crafted is absolutely captivating and this debut EP has what it takes to attract the audience and trigger curiosity about what the band has in mind for the next music endeavor.

What enigmatic British project Nhor has concocted during last year is quite unique as four separate “Wildflowers” cassette tapes were released in very limited quantities, each depicting one of the four seasons. Now Prophecy Productions/Lupus Lounge have compiled “Spring”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and “Winter” together with an additional unreleased track for each season for a total of 100 minutes of music available on vinyl.

“Wildflowers” could not sound more poetic and emotional as the poignant piano melodies, bearing a refined classical inspiration and crystalline nuances, on these songs are performed with a rare spontaneity. Stripped of any special effects or loud distortions “Wildflowers” blooms in a drifting ethereal sonic world where everything flows like a dream, at times channeling immense melancholy or decadent romanticism or even luminous hopefulness, often chasing shadows in the night and always capturing images and feelings that otherwise might become fading memories.

Far from being an average album and dedicated to an open minded audience willing to enter the fragile dreamy world that Nhor has created,“Wildflowers” represents a different music experience best enjoyed under the moonlight watching the stars.  

Schwadorf and Helm of Empyrium always work on new music ideas and this time their project Noekk returns with the mythical acoustic tonalities of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock”, a limited 7-inch single in advance of their fourth album which will be released in 2019.

“A Loss” gives you a brief yet absolutely intense blast of melancholia with calm piano melodies, airy atmospheres and whispered vocals.

“Pan” is full of darkened atmospheres and a series of gentle arpeggios that follow odd tempo signatures leading to eclectic prog textures with a slightly folk mood while vocals become increasingly dramatic.

“A Vision” is another short tune that offers dreamy autumnal vibes with laid back magical acoustic phrases and hazy atmospheres.

“Archaic Tune” fully embodies the magical atmospheric mystique of the whole album yet the acoustic guitar passages become more intricate with extra prog dynamics and solemn vocals naturally evoke ethereal poetic vibes.

The fascinating acoustic nuances of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock” will warm your heart and leave you wondering about the future music endeavors of Noekk.

German bands Farsot and ColdWorld joined forces to dedicate the new split album ”Toteninsel” to the Austrian Symbolist Arnold Böcklin’s most famous and mysterious painting Toteninsel (“isle of the dead”).

On “Erde I” Farsot hypnotizes the audience with the peaceful feelings channeled by darkly gentle arpeggios floating through dreamy atmospheres yet this soothing calm will often fade into a blackened sonic void where desperate growls and distorted guitar riffs become the main focus.

“Erde II” maintains a dark mysterious aura yet Farsot choose to focus exclusively on the minimalist beauty of soft acoustic guitar phrases and refined atmospheric crescendos.

On “Wasser I” ColdWorld creates elegant harmonies and subtle atmospheres that constantly evoke ethereal seaside soundscapes yet there is also a darker momentum featuring melancholic distorted guitar riffs.

“Wasser II” becomes harsh and notably heavier as blackened guitar riffs take the spotlight and the atmosphere inevitably acquires gelid tonalities which match the arcane old school black metal mood yet ColdWorld still delivers some contemplative melodic segments.

“Toteninsel” dwells in a rather dark sonic realm where Farsot and ColdWorld comfortably express monochromatic emotions and naturally follow their signature music pathway.