Album Reviews

The Swedish masters of gothic metal Tribulation have been depicting their musical works in such an opulent manner with their gloomy trait as they have created a legacy in the canon of dark gothic music. The truth is, I have never doubted their artistic genius not even when the band announced the departure of guitarist Jonathan Hultén. One of the founders of the band passing the torch to guitarist Joseph Tholl (ex-Enforcer) who makes his first appearance on the latest EP “Hamartia” released on April 7th, 2023, via Century Media Records.
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Having their lead singer and guitarist relocated from Canada to the equally cold climate of Finland, did not in any way stop Smoulder’s rise to the top of the new wave of epic heavy metal. ‘Violent Creed of Vengeance’ is their second full length after the debut 'Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring'.
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Vargrav’s latest EP outing “Encircle the Spectral Dimension” was released on April 16th, 2023, via Werewolf Records. This time V-Khaoz Stormrage keyboardist strengthens himself with prominent vocalist Graf Werwolf von Armageddon (Satanic Warmaster, Orlok, Grieve, etc…..). The notion of expanding the band into a two-piece, the other instruments are handled by two guest session members such as bassist and guitarist Trollhorn of the Black Harvest and drummer Baron M. Tarwonen.
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Dutch progressive avant-garde death/doom metal septet Phlebotomized is well-endowed with the passion of experimenting with different styles. Their fourth album 'Clouds of Confusion' released on May 26th via Hammerheart Records is truly a grandeur piece, full of bombast. Although the band’s music has changed over the years, my first acquaintance with the Dutch band was during the late 1990s, in particular the band's first studio album 'Immense Intense Suspense' which cemented a unique style for being utterly eerie, atmospheric and somewhat doomy.
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Norway’s black metal elite act Tsjuder returns after eight long years only to craft a masterpiece, the sixth album “Helvegr” was released by Season of Mist on June 23rd, 2023. Unfurling under the banner of true Norwegian black metal since 1993, Tsjuder became widely known for their hellish intensity, the two founding members Nag (vocalist, bassist), Draugluin (guitarist and backing vocals), with the guest session drummer of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats Jon “The Charn” Rice proves to be the perfect replacement for the ex-drummer AntiChristian.
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The second album “En Gildere Død” from Trondheim, Norway’s Enevelde, a solo project helmed by B. Kråbøl (Misotheist). Though it appears that the new offering is a natural continuation to cement the sound into a memorable Norse atmosphere that has the blueprint of dark and raw grim black metal. While Trondheim has been a home for many Norwegian bands such as Mare, Whoredom Rife, and Keep of Kalessin to name a few, the multi-instrumentalist depicts an obscure and majestic brand this time.
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Thrash metal has been on revival for at least two decades now, and some prominent bands were leading the movement, like Power Trip. The sudden passing of vocalist Riley Gale in 2020 was unfortunate for the thrash metal genre as a whole and put Power Trip on an extended pause. Virginia’s thrash metal/crossover powerhouse Enforced is the next in line to carry the torch, this is simply because their music is aggressive, fast, and unrelentingly brutal. “War Remains” is the follow-up to the band’s second full-length album “Kill Grid” and was released via Century Media Records on April 28th, 2023.
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One of the biggest surprises of the year in the genre of death metal comes from the Atlanta, Georgia progressive technical death metal band Lunar Chamber. The debut EP “Shambhallic Vibrations” was released on April 28th via 20 Buck Spin, which can be described as enlightenment through the practice of zen meditation and the experience of the music itself is mind-boggling and full of earworm hooks.
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Long-running Italian melodic black/death gothic metal act Graveworm returns from a long hiatus of eight years. Being one of the early bands in the dark gothic metal style? they took influence from their contemporaries like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth. The tenth album 'Killing Innocence' released on AFM Records on April 28th, 2023, sees the Italians do what they do best. The founding members Stefan Unterpertinger (guitars, keyboards) and Stefan Fiori (vocals) alongside Eric Righi (guitars), Florian Reiner (bass) and Moe Harringer (drums) have leaned towards beautiful connotations of symphonic gothic melodies.
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One decade since its inception Atlanta, Georgia-based gothic/black metal act Cloak realized it was time to create its magnum opus. 'Black Flame Eternal', the third studio album, offers impressive sonic standards. Cloak has not forgotten its roots. Therefore, the songs are laden with crafty rhythms and swaggering guitars, instantly being catchy.
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