Showing posts with label Obscurant Visions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obscurant Visions. Show all posts

Friday, January 23, 2026

Geheimnisvoll--Pale Triumph of the Hidden Flame (LP) {2026 Obscurant Visions}


Geheimnisvoll plays black metal in the ancient Norwegian and Finnish styles, with darkly melodic riffs over relentless drumming and bass work. Sargeist and Gorgoroth come to mind as comparable artists, but obviously this band has its own personality and isn't a clone of anything. There are just similarities. The production is just raw enough to give it some personality. Vocally, this is typical black metal fare, but cavernous-sounding, all full of echo and atmosphere. Tremolo-picked riffs are the primary form of guitar expression here, as suits the style. The song titles are evocative and descriptive, with my favorite being "Wraith's Ascent Through Ashen Skies." If the raw end of black metal is where your deviant loyalties lie, you could do worse than going and finding this record. 




Thursday, January 22, 2026

Vlad Spirit--Ashes of the Crimson Kingdom (LP) {Obscurant Visions}


This is the first full length and only release from this Grecian act. It is clearly their intention to create black metal that hearkens back to the early Norwegian scene and the sound emanating from it. Their riffs are ice cold yet somehow melancholic in a way, yet they have no shortage of blastbeats on the record. The riffs are also grandiose and epic, evoking sweeping vistas and frozen tundras. The singer croaks his vocals, almost, and sounds rather unique. This is remarkably melodic stuff, and dense. I would need the lyrics to truly dissect the arrangements. While it's not an instant classic that immediately blew me away, it is indeed good, and succeeds in its mission to evoke the feel of old black metal. The production is well-suited to this, with a rawness that helps give the album an ancient sound. It's definitely worth checking out, even if only digitally.