Consecration--Exanimis CD&LPAnd CASSETTE{Nuclear Winter Rec.}

 

Consecration is  a  five man band coming out of the U.K that plays a good style of death doom metal.Exanimis  is the bands fourth full length featuring eight tracks of well composed and performed death doom metal.The guitars are performed with some slow to mid paced guitar passages that are well executed and delievered.Besides the heavy mid paced guitars there are also some very well performed acoustic guitars used in a few of the songs that add another layer to the bands sound.The vocals are heavy death metal growls that are crushing in their delievery.Their are also some raw gruff growls used in a few of the songs.If you are a fan of well composed death doom metal that even adds moments of atmosphere to their crushing sound and style i urge you to check this band out today.                            Consecration                                                                                                                                                https://consecration666.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                          https://www.facebook.com/Consecration666/#                                                                                            https://www.instagram.com/consecration666                                                                                            https://www.youtube.com/user/ConsecrationDoom666                                                                          Nuclear Winter Rec.                                                                                                                                      https://nuclearwinterrecords.com/shop/                                                                                                      https://nuclearwinterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/exanimis                                                                      https://www.facebook.com/martyrdoomproductions/                                                                                https://www.instagram.com/nuclearwinterrecords/                                                                                    https://www.youtube.com/@nuclearwinterrecords

Hoc Est Bellum--Filth Majesty CD&LP and Cassette{Time To Kill Rec.}

 

Hoc Est Bellum is a band that was  started in 2022 and plays  bestial black metal.After releasing one demo in 2023 the band will be releasing their debut full length Filth Majesty at the end of June.The guitars are razorsharp fast and chaotic in the delievery.The drums are played with hyperspeed blast beats that are crazed and destructive in the delievery.The vocals are grim,raw black metal screams and some deeper demonic growls.If you are looking for a barbaric band that blends the best of black,grind and death metal together then be sure to pick up a copy of Filth Majesty when it is released.                          Hoc Est Bellum                                                                                                                                          https://hocestbellum.bandcamp.com/merch                                                                                                https://www.instagram.com/hoc_est_bellum_black_noise/                                                                          Time To Kill Rec.                                                                                                                                      https://timetokillrecords.com/                                                                                                                    https://hocestbellum.bandcamp.com/album/filth-majesty                                                                          https://www.facebook.com/timetokillrecords/                                                                                            instagram.com/timetokillrecords/                                                                                                                https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCydoZxnJqGq4AeETKM6uO-A

Signs of the Evil--Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon (CS) {2026 Infernal Arts Productions}

 

Signs of the Evil was originally formed in Peru  but has since relocated to the U.S.And this is a review of the bands second full length  Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon the music is a great release of traditional black metal that is not all out speed and aggression like most of the bands these days.The  music is crafted with genuine musical ability and creativity.The guitars are performed with some well executed guitar passages and patterns.The guitars do speed up to a faster pace through some of the tracks but never go full force  with the over the top speeds.The vocals are a mix of demonic gruff growls and black metal screams and screeches are also used.Calling the Ancient Legions Under the Red Moon  is a great release of quality well delievered traditional black metal at it's finest.                            Signs of the Evil                                                                                                                                          https://signsoftheevil666.bandcamp.com/                                                                                                    https://www.facebook.com/signsoftheevil                                                                                                     https://www.instagram.com/signs_of_the_evil                                                                                             

Wampyric Rites/Noirsuaire--Consecration of Nocturnal Entities (CD) {2026 Inferna Profundis Records}

Wampyric Rites from Ecuador and Noirsuaire from France unite here under the banner of the Lithuanian label Inferna Profundis. Each band gives us three tracks apiece, all coming in around the five to six minute mark. Wampyric Rites play their usual raw black metal attack, being nicely recorded with a raw edge like all our favorite '90s acts. They clearly worship the Norwegian sound and sort of resemble early Emperor, especially the guitar sound. I like it quite a lot. Noirsuaire get compared to Sargeist and Mutiilation and I can see that in their sound a little. They use cold melody and their half of the split is a little more laid back because of that. I definitely like the Wampyric Rites material more as it's more in line with what I like in black metal - it's grandiose but not overly melodic and it has the required darkness and evil. This is a worthy split if you like black metal with zero frills, as it should be.

www.ipr666shop.com

Jehovah Lashing--Amongst the Cascades of Subterranean Inferno (Digital) {2026 Independent}

From somewhere deep in Pennsylvania comes Jehovah Lashing, a fairly unique-sounding black metal band. Their style of black metal is interesting - it combines deep echoing Archgoat-style vocals with an almost Finnish kind of melody on the guitars, all with a flowing rhythm section. The problem is this four-song EP is quite repetitive and all the songs blend together, as they're quite similar. The melodies used are so close to each other it's like one twenty-minute song with a few breaks of silence in it. I wish this was more diverse, because it's an interesting sound, one that I would explore further if this had been a better outing. Unfortunately I must recommend a pass on this one.

jehovahlashing.bandcamp.com

Grimheart--A Beast of Ancient Memory (Digital) {2026 Independent}

Here we have some forest-worshipping atmospheric black metal that seems to vacillate between metal and synth soundscapes, sometimes multiple times in the same song. It's pretty unique, I can't think of anything this band really sounds like, and that's a good thing. However, this just isn't black metal to me. It's so far away from the original intent of black metal as a vessel of rebellion in the face of the mainstream. The synths are overpowering, not just in the sonic sense, but in the sense that they dilute the metal and turn this into almost a classical music piece. There's no occult atmosphere, no lingering ghosts, no moldering corpses in the basement, just nature-worship and the saccharin sound of too many synths. Not for me, but your mileage may vary if you're more adventurous than I am.

agrimheart.bandcamp.com

Nazgash--Eternal Cycle of Death (Digital) {2026 Independent}

Nazgash come to us from Spain and this is their second full length of melodic black metal with plenty of synths. Now, I lived in the 1990s, so I was subject to the waves of melodic black metal coming out of Europe back then. Most of those bands are now forgotten. This record reminds me of that style and time, and seems like it's right out of that era of so-called black metal bands. I say so-called because there is something missing in this style that all good black metal has, and that's a dangerous atmosphere. This music seems too kind, too nice, to be proper black metal. See, black metal is more than a musical style. It's an attack on the mainstream, both musically and ideologically. There isn't anything about this album that screams "be afraid" or "run away." In fact, this isn't much more than extreme heavy metal marketed as black metal with harsh vocals. There's nothing wrong with it otherwise, other than the songs are a bit boring. I just want more from black metal than this. Your mileage may vary of course, if you're a sucker for melodicism. That's up to you to find out. The album cover is absolutely killer, though.

nazgash.bandcamp.com

Louder--Devil's Night (CD) {2026 Fighter Records}

Louder, from Colombia, come armed to the teeth with classic speed metal riffs and gruff Motorhead-like shouted vocals. Black thrash fans should pay attention to this one, as it's a decent entry into the canon of the genre, even if it does have a few issues, as we'll see later in the review. They do get the "song title that makes me laugh every time I see it" award for the song "Satan's Bitch." It's even funnier when they get to the chorus of the song and repeat the song title as part of it. This is not overly technical or polished - this is dirty, fast, rock and roll heavy metal and makes no apologies for what it is, and in that respect I like it. My only problem with the album is that it gets a bit repetitive after a while and the songs begin to run together quite a bit, over time becoming much the same. A little more variation in the riffs would help immensely. That said, I'll be interested to see what the band does next, because there's quite a bit of potential here for something awesome.

www.fighter-records.com

Haemoth--Black Dust (CD/LP) {2026 Agonia Records}

This is the first full-length album in fifteen years from this French terrorsquad. The production is loud, flat, and distorted, lending the music a hellish aspect. There is nothing clean here at all. The vocals especially are distorted, nearing white noise territory. This does not mean the production is bad - no, these were deliberate choices during recording. The noisy production is actually a virtue, as it gives the album a personality all its own, like the bands of old. All the instruments are audible, they're just very loud. The drumming really stands out as super tight and talented, with lightning fast fills and rolls and he makes the most of the way some of their songs alternate tempo between slow and fast. His drumming actually reminds me of the mighty Nemesis Divina by Satyricon. The riffs are quite varied, even when they're speeding along, and they make for quite enjoyable songs. Haemoth aren't afraid to be quite heavy at times, like in the song "When the Dust Finally Settles," with its thrash-inspired riffing. Haemoth, after all these years, still feels dangerous and dark, like all good black metal should, and this album is a welcome addition to their discography.

www.agoniarecords.com

Sahara--Self Titled {digital}{Independant}

 Coming out of Las Vegas Nevada  is the new band Sahara who play a great atyle of old school death and grind metal.The self titled debut is nine songs of intense and aggressive death grindcore at it's finest.The music is fast and chaotic but the musicians can play their instruments and do so very well.The guitars are crazed and fast paced with some well performed patterns.The guitarist even adds in a few solo's in a few of the songs.The vocals are a mix of old school death metal growls and some deeper growls are used in a few songs.The drumming is top notch with some insanely fast blast beats their are some slower more heavier mid paced drums also used through the release.The self titled debut is a must have for all those who love early to mid 90's death,grind bands.

Sahara

https://sahara-official.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled

https://www.facebook.com/SaharaDEATHMETAL

https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARA_death

Planet Retaliates--Black Iron Prision demo {digital}{Independant}

 

Black Iron Prision is the debut demo from Finland's Planet Retaliates who play crushing death,doom.The demo contains four tracks that are slow to mid paced heavy death doom metal.The guitars are played with a mix of slow to mid paced guitar patterns that are well executed.The guitarist does add some well performed passages in each of the songs.The drums are done in the same vein as the guitars with some crushing powerful mid paced drums that are devestating in the delievery.The vocals are raw gruff death metal growls.This is not a great demo but it still has some well played musicial passages and i look forward to hearing the bands future releases.If you like death/doom that is heavy then be sure to check the band out today.                                                                                                    Planet Retaliates                                                                                                                                             https://planeettakostaa.bandcamp.com/album/black-iron-prison                                                                  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Planet_Retaliates/3540582914                                                     

Mysteries Of Death--The Final Journey full-length{digital}{Independant}

 

Mysteries Of Death is a solo prject coming out of Belarus raw black metal scene and this is a review of the debut full length.The Final Journey  contains a intro and outro and six tracks of mid paced black metal.The intro starts off with a haunting short intro that is cold and eerie.Musicially Mysteries Of Death performs  mid paced raw black metal that is executed with some well performed guitars.The music does speed to a faster pace in a few of the songs but doesn't last too long.The vocals are grim,raw black metal screams and gruff screams.If you are into raw,mid paced black metal  then Mysteries Of Death is a good band to check out

Mysteries Of Death

https://mysteriesofdeath.bandcamp.com/music

Mesnada--Forgotten Pathways EP.{digital}{Independant}

 

Mesnada is a band that plays raw black metal with some atmospheric passages used throughout a few of the songs.Forgotten Pathways  is the newest EP. with four tracks of well delievered black metal the music is a nice mix of fast paced passages and some slower more controlled mid paced patterns.Not much is said about the band on their bandcamp but the music is really well executed and performed.The vocals are raw black metal screams.If you are a fan of raw,atmospheric black metal then be sure to check this release out today. 

Mesnada

https://tuireann.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mesnada.bm/

https://www.youtube.com/@MesnadaBM

Lord Of Horns--Beneath A Broken Cross Demo{digital}{independent}

 

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Coming out of New Jersey's  black metal scene is the solo band Lord Of Horns.Beneath A Broken Cross is the newest demo. featuring three tracks of traditional black metal.Up first  is the title track Beneath A Broken Cross is a fast paced song with fast guitars and programmed fast paced drums.Their are some slower mid paced guitar passages.The vocals are grim black metal screams and almost talking type of vocals.The second song is I conjured The Devil starts off with a dark mid paced musicial passage.The music does speed up with some blast beats amd guitars that are played with intensity.The vocals are high pitched black metal screams.The final song Exorcism Denied is another fast and furious song with extremely fast paced guitars and blasting drums.The vocals are raw black metal screams that fit the old school style of the band perfectly.If you are a fan of well delievered and performed old school black metal then i  defintly recomend checking out Lord Of Horns today.                                                          Lord Of Horns                                                                                                                                            https://lordofhorns.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-a-broken-cross-3                                                          https://www.facebook.com/lordofhorns                                                                                                         https://www.instagram.com/lordofhorns/                                                                                                      

Demon Spell--Blessed Be the Dark (CD/LP) {2026 Dying Victims Productions}

One band that deserves to have more worship bands is Mercyful Fate, and that's what Demon Spell from Italy are doing, and they're delivering quite excellent heavy metal while doing it. The lyrics are blissfully Satanic, as they should be, and they're delivered in an uncannily similar style to King Diamond. There's even plenty of reverb on the vocals to give it that old Mercyful Fate feel. I place this band on the pedestal with Attic as quality King Diamond and Mercyful Fate worship. The production is clear but has a raw edge to it, just as it should for this style, which is something I felt was lacking from the later Mercyful Fate records and King Diamond's output. This just bleeds old metal atmosphere and aesthetic, and I'm glad to have stumbled upon it while hunting for new things to review. There's really no more to say about this. If you're a Fate devotee, like me, you'll love this record. 

www.dying-victims.de