Symphonic black metal act Vesperian Sorrow is one of the fewer ones that doesn’t sound like any other U.S. black metal band. Their fifth studio album ‘Awaken the Greylight’ presents their modern symphonic clichés. Out on Black Lion Records.

The debut full-length album of Secrets, “Towards the Nightside”, captures the Norwegian black metal majesty in an unforgettable performance, the album comes highly recommended for fans of Emperor, Odium, and Limbonic Art. It is a fantastic album finely crafted by members of Gardsghastr, Chaos Moon and Ars Hmu, and offers a masterpiece of symphonic black metal, out now on Amor Fati Productions since January 23rd.

Our resident extreme metal reviewer Mazen has a selection of stellar (mostly) black and death metal releases as his favorite of the year with Sulphur Aeon, Varathron, Moonlight Sorcery, Cruciamentum, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Asphodelus, Marduk, …And Oceans, and Cirith Ungol!

Nem Agency’s Melancholy Mass Festival made Finland’s dark winter nights just a bit better by bringing us Septicflesh, …And Oceans, Vorna, Assemble The Chariots and Voidfallen on the stage in Tampere and Helsinki.

Finnish symphonic black metal collective Vargrav presents its third opus entitled “The Nigthold”, and resuscitates the principles of symphonic black metal with superior quality, out via Werewolf Records on December 15th.

Dimmu Borgir shared their take on Deep Purple’s ‘Perfect Strangers’, a track from their upcoming cover album ‘Imspiratio Profanus’, set for release next month via Nuclear Blast!

Zornheym announced the graphic novel version of their latest album ‘The Zornheim Sleep Experiment’ and a brand new acoustic EP ‘The Forgotten Inmates’, set for release in November via Noble Demon! Check a first track out with the acoustic rendition of ‘Keep The Devil Away’!

Right now they’re on tour through Europe (with a show tonight in Belgium), but at the end of last year, we had a chat with Matthias (vocals), Timo (guitars) and Pyry (bass) from …and Oceans about their new album ‘As in Gardens, So in Tombs’, released via Season of Mist earlier this year!

The Finnish veterans …And Oceans have delivered one of their best works to date ‘As in Gardens, So in Tombs’ which stands as their most accomplished album since their masterwork debut ‘The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts’. This is simply a feast for fans of symphonic and melodic black metal. Out via Season of Mist.

Mastermind V-Khaoz of Vargrav continues to carve his sonic art in the footsteps of the Norwegian masters Emperor, the new EP output “Encircle the Spectral Dimension” emphasizes the majestic art of symphonic black metal. Out via Werewolf Records.