As frontman of black metal icons Immortal Abbath certainly gained a fundamental role in the Norwegian black metal scene and back in 2016 his eponymous debut album as a solo artist generated massive interest. Now the time has come to impress the audience even more with the menacing new offering “Outstrider” which promises the expected blackened fury as accompanied by solid musicians Abbath presents to the world his intriguing music vision. 

The softly gelid acoustic harmonies of “Calm In Ire ( Of Hurricane)” foreshadow an utterly dark sonic realm in fact Abbath’s vocals sound absolutely ominous accompanied by a killer mixture of somber melodic guitar licks and hints of pure black metal fury but certainly the classic heavy metal blasts and groovy rock elements render everything quite catchy. 

The rambunctious rhythm of “The Artifex” comes from the obvious blackened roots and the groovy rock dynamics effortlessly generated by bold drums and fierce guitar riffs are enriched by the tenebrous aura of the vocals but the song gets even more interesting when guitars add bewitching melodic phrases and flamboyant soloing. 

“Harvest Pyre” is an addictive track due to the monumental blackened grooves courtesy of the perfectly frostbitten guitar tonalities sometimes embellished by nostalgic vibes within the galloping rhythmic section while of course Abbath’s signature croaking growls always convey an irresistible sinister mood. 

The title track might surprise you with a major melancholic mood naturally expressed by the laid back arpeggios in the intro and the finale but the rest of the song offers plenty of heavier and utterly darkened rhythmic dynamics keeping a robust black ‘n roll framework. 

“Hecate” rightfully continues to rely on a savage series of blackened rock grooves maintaining a catchy flow with loads of chunky guitar riffs but definitely benefits from the addition of sumptuous epic arrangements and dramatic atmospheric nuances. 

The world of “Outstrider” is a perennial winter that somehow makes you feel comfortable as in the midst of a blackened blizzard Abbath clearly pays homage to the glorious old school metal but confidently follows his own sonic evolution to ultimately create an entertaining opus. 

Swedish enigmatic band This Gift Is A Curse shares with the world a malignant blackened sonic manifesto that will leave you breathless and shattered within the visionary realm of the third album “A Throne Of Ash”. 

It’s not surprising to hear how vicious “Blood Is My Harvest” can sound with a cohesive series of ruthless rhythmic patterns mixing black and sludge elements with thick guitar riffs and menacing growls following the drumming breakneck speed through a pitchblack atmosphere.  

The impending doom of “Monuments For Dead Gods” leads to introvert guitar melodies and even if the rhythmic segments often follow a slower dramatic tempo the whole instrumental work maintains an impenetrable darkness amplified by the utterly desperate growls. 

The asphyxiating atmosphere of “Wolvking” introduces a violent sonic assault as the brutally fast rhythmic approach demands chaotic guitar riffs, crushing drums and borderline experimental noise elements. 

“In Your Black Halo (Mass 317)” is full of creepy dissonant sounds creating a suspenseful mood but all the noisy feedback foreshadows the beginning of an occult ritual and the band proceeds to offer immensely darkened guitar riffs marching through the aggressive rhythmic maze and the occasional calmer yet intensely ominous segments. 

The arcane aura of “Wormwood Star” is naturally generated by dense atmospheric layers reminiscent of familiar post metal dynamics that become a crucial element consequently guitars put aside the usual  frantic approach to focus on foreboding melodic textures that lead to an alluring hymn to darkness. 

This Gift Is A Curse are clearly devoted to absolute darkness in fact “A Throne Of Ash” dwells within a limbo between a physical and an astral plane and can sound immensely ferocious with an unstoppable extra heavy approach mainly fueled by the band’s major classic black metal roots.

For twenty five years Belgian legends Enthroned have created acclaimed hymns to darkness and their signature ominous black metal style once again emerges from the darkest depths on the eleventh album “Cold Black Suns”.

With a ritualistic mood “Ophiusa” opens the album focusing on extremely ominous atmospheres surrounding the sparse bold guitar riffs and the brooding melodic passages that create a suspenseful mood. 

“Oneiros” feels like an arcane sonic journey as the hazy atmospheric layers foreshadow the arrival of darkness in fact the melodic guitar work evokes mournful vibes often following a slower tempo that emphasizes the inner desolation without sacrificing the more aggressive rhythmic patterns dictated by particularly thunderous drums. 

Through the nightmarish atmospheres of “Vapula Omega” hostile rhythmic blasts successfully channel the immense fury of classic black metal amplified by the tormented growls while the fiery guitar solo has the ability to add somber melodic depth maintaining a savage approach. 

On “Silent Redemption” the gloomy atmospheric arrangements hold a prominent role building a tension that will be ultimately released through the massive blackened rhythmic segments filled with uncompromising darkness and rage while the enthralling melodic guitars create refined sorrowful moments. 

A mysterious aura surrounds “Son Of Man” which showcases an elaborate structure effortlessly blending contemplative melodic waves with loads of mesmerizing gelid guitar tonalities and intense blackened grooves with a merciless rhythmic section while vocals can sound absolutely diabolical with ritualistic chants but can also successfully channel an epic momentum with a dramatic delivery. 

Just like the title suggests the sonic realm of “Cold Black Suns” is pitchblack and probably hopeless as driven by a primordial obscure force Enthroned craft bleak melodic textures and unleash all the crushing black metal dynamics that fans are eager to listen to. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG9Q5NRBYvM

With a forty years career Saint Vitus are still considered the godfathers of American doom metal and in fact the latest eponymous full length aims to reconfirm such status representing the band’s classic music style with the return of vocalist Scott Reagers.

“Remains” stays true to the band’s signature doom style as guitars hold an essential role with monolithic riffs following a dramatic slow rhythm section that also allows the vivid vocal delivery and the eclectic guitar solo to stand out.

“Bloodshed” begins with enigmatic bass lines followed by powerful guitar driven grooves that feel more energetic despite the somber weight of the doom tonalities while the guitar leads always add acidic dynamics.

“12 Years In The Tomb” delivers another round of cohesive and even catchy grooves filled with doom laden guitar riffs yet everything changes with the experimental approach of the extra fuzzy guitar solo that could even make you feel dizzy.

Undoubtedly the main guitar riffs of “Hour Glass” properly symbolize the band’s doom legacy leading to heavy grooves that don’t need any special effect to grab your attention and the passionate vocals match the general crestfallen mood.

The soundscape of “Last Breath” almost feels nightmarish due to the insanely heavy & obscure nature of the monumental guitar riffs and the haunting vocals further emphasize such darker tonalities yet the massive rhythmic section will deliver some groovy moments around the spacey guitar soloing.

A band like Saint Vitus has no interest to adapt to any current trends and even after so many years the strength of their music still relies on the authentic doom metal approach that you can immediately perceive listening to this new self-titled album.

Renowned prolific black metal vocalist & composer Gaahl has created the new anticipated debut album “GastiR – Ghosts Invited” under the moniker Gaahls WYRD which certainly showcases distinct black metal roots but deliberately goes beyond such genre following an experimental and theatrical vision.

“Ek Erilar” is drenched in undiluted darkness as dense atmospheric layers add mystical depth to the asphyxiating blackened rhythmic patterns but there are also some epic moments well expressed by the sober distant chants and grave melodic guitars that amplify the mysterious vibes.

“Ghosts Invited” sometimes sounds less extreme stepping out of the traditional black metal formula but still maintaining a thunderous blackened force and in the end the dramatic clean vocals and the gloomy guitar progressions become more intriguing.

On “Carving The Voices” the darkened aesthetics acquire contemplative vibes through the sophisticated guitar melodies and the solemn vocal delivery that certainly evokes a multitude of grim feelings well supported by the primal rhythmic dynamics lurking in the dark.  

With faster menacing rhythmic bursts “Veiztu Hve” returns to a more aggressive approach filled with steady monochromatic guitar riffs and mournful melodic accents surrounded by massive sinister chants and haunting atmospheres.

The obscure allure of “Within The Voice Of Existence” is constantly generated by ghastly whispers accompanied by the slow hypnotizing guitar progressions that will eventually evolve into a series of arcane rhythmic crescendos within an impenetrable darkness.

“GastiR – Ghosts invited” focuses on cryptic nuances and contrasting tonalities rather than a full blown black metal assault and ultimately Gaahls WYRD craft an extremely dark opus that is bound to trigger curiosity in the underground metal scene.

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

Canadian post black metallers Numenorean worked hard for three years to craft the sophomore album “Adore” which has the potential to conquer the listeners with cathartic instrumental passages and fiery blackened force.

The melancholic nuances evoked by soft soulful guitar melodies on “Portrait Of Pieces” showcase evident shoegaze inspiration and are certainly essential throughout the entire song while angered feelings are fully expressed by the blackened rhythmic crescendos and ravenous growls.

On “Horizon” the black metal energy of the album is confidently unleashed since the very beginning through a fast merciless rhythmic assault but such aggressive approach doesn’t sacrifice the melodic aspects that will later emerge through emotive harmonious guitar phrases.

“Stay” is a brief track that emphasizes the melodic essence and the dreamy shoegaze elements of the album as hazy atmospheres surround mellow darkened guitar melodies and emotional clean vocals.  

The daydreaming mood of “Coma” allows poignant guitar melodies to take the center stage before embracing a fierce increasingly darker soundscape fueled by relentless blackened guitar riffs and obscure tonalities.

The title track successfully maintains the balance between contrasting tonalities offering loads of dramatic melancholia infused instrumental passages and lovely contemplative arpeggios executed in proper modern post-metal fashion while the mighty rhythmic section leads to moments of sheer blackened fury.

Even if Numenorean are still relatively new in the current metal scene they already have the ability to express their own personalities through music and words embarking on a sonic evolution that becomes increasingly powerful on “Adore”.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbv4okiAcAE

Vltimas will be inevitably categorized as a supergroup since this new band features Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (ex-MAYHEM, AURA NOIR), David Vincent (ex-MORBID ANGEL) and Flo Mounier (CRYPTOPSY) that joined forces to create crushing hymns to darkness on the anticipated debut album “Something Wicked Marches In”.

The title track symbolizes the exquisite dark music pathway chosen by Vltimas with ominous melodic accents that introduce a massive killer combo of fierce drumming and belligerent guitar riffs certainly inspired by traditional death metal dynamics amplified by David’s signature obscure growls and spiced up by tasteful guitar licks.

The primordial darkness of “Praevalidus” comes to life through a brutal approach generated by relentless rhythmic blasts that hit you in the face yet within such hellish sonic realm guitar leads have the opportunity to craft intense darkened melodies.

“Monolilith” is still drenched in darkness and the rhythmic patterns can slow down significantly to emphasize the dramatic grim vocal delivery and the refined sinister guitar phrases that add a sense of impending doom and gothic grandeur to the classic death metal backbone.

Darkly inspired atmospheres & arpeggios open “Last Ones Alive Win Nothing” leading to compelling dismal soundscapes while a series of opulent guitar melodies inevitably evokes a whirlwind of tormented feelings easily matched by David’s menacing growls.

On “Marching On” darkness continues to be triumphant as abrasive guitar riffs and monumental drums generate anthemic death metal segments within an asphyxiating sonic realm while once again the lead guitar work stands out crafting sophisticated melodies.

The fact that Vltimas is the joint effort of brilliant musicians foreshadows the uncompromising strength and the serious effort incarnated by “Something Wicked Marches In” which will definitely satisfy all acolytes of extreme metal with its palpable diabolical charm.  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9QIJXun8rk