For the last drop of 2022, black metal sneaks in like a malevolent shade to bring some gloom to the new year celebrations. Perhaps appealing to the typical mood of the day after.
Abysmal Lord – Bestiary of Immortal Hunger
Genre: Death/black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is some properly ramshackle demonic stuff. The instrumental performances present themselves more as scare tactics than anything else, as do the vocals; gurgles, roars and snarls that all sound like they’re spat out of the pits of hell. It’s a little too messy to offer any proper immersion, but fun for the right audience.
Chabtan – Compelle Intrare
Genre: Melodic death/groove metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Here comes some fast-paced, modern melodeath out of France to show you a few tricks. It’s clear from the start that this is a band not content with sticking to the formula, while also not interested in going too far down the progressive path. Instead there are elements of thrash and groove to spice things up. There are, however, a few parts where the rhythm stumbles and the vocals don’t quite deliver, which slows everything down a bit.
Hades Descent – The Solitary Path to Armageddon
Genre: Experimental/progressive death/black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A playful mix of death, black, heavy and progressive metal with subtle style hints to the likes of Dark Tranquillity. The performances are good, not great, but there’s an enthusiasm behind it all that promises well, and the orchestral sections add a welcome grandeur.
Nocturnal Departure – Clandestine Theurgy
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Sinister and lightly unsettling black metal from Canada, or some godforsaken, depths below it, judging by the sound. It’s murky and jagged, as if hacked directly from the frozen earth. The vocals shift between screeching snarls and haunted banshee howls, and the tremolo brings on a familiar, frigid tone. While not the most precise of well-defined you’ll ever hear, the rhythm work is prevalent in a bone rattle-y kind of way that fits very well in with the overall mood. An unholy treat for a long, dark evening.
Trollcave – Rotted Remnants Dripping from the Void
Genre: Death/funeral doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Some distinctly low-fi death doom to close the year off. This one has a real kicking-you-while-you’re-down feel to it, heaping it on with a depressive tone and sinew-y riffs. It’s not all slow though, and not too monotone – offering up spooky atmospheric sections and galloping riff assaults. One to leave you feeling a bit uneasy.
Satanic Warmaster – Aamongandr
Genre: Melodic black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Some fairly traditional, semi-melodic black metal telling tales of death and damnation. If you’re in the mood for that sort of thing, then you’re getting an enthusiastic serving here. The atmosphere is fairly lofty, and the tempo high up until the last song.
Urns – Empyre
Genre: Doom/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A sort of feel-good doom record with some positive gallops interrupting the slower, dragging sections. There’s plenty on interesting heavy metal instrumental antics, as well as some surprisingly aggressive turns, to keep you entertained, and an even pretend-pessimistic tone to tie it all together.
Voyage in Solitude – The Isle of Death and Rebirth
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
The band name says it all for this one – it’s an expansive journey detailing sadness and a stern, austere majesty of the passing surroundings. The atmosphere reaches up and out of the darkness, and even as there’s only ever more of the same, the intent is certainly there. The gothic melodies play a beautiful melancholy on top that is backed perfectly by icy tremolo and rocked by moments of turbulent blast beats. The theme feels medieval, but not in a tacky way, and orchestral elements lifts it out of the realm of traditional black metal conventions.
Highlights: “Miasma” and “And Meditate Through the Clouds”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
The Metal Dispatch 