Full Length Review: Thronium Vrondor "Drowning in the Distorted Light" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Thronium Vrondor

Country: Belgium

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Drowning in the Distorted Light

Format: Digital, jewel case CD, vinyl (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: April 25, 2025

Sven Houfflijn, aka SvN, has been an active vocalist since 1991, fronting Ascend-ency, Anesthesy, Wounds of Old, Fleshmould, Dodengod, and others. His bands have performed with obscure and well-known acts, and he has recently begun exploring composition on keyboards with his project This Scorching SvN. With his extensive experience, he seems comfortable delving into dark sound and unleashing hell from his gut, experimenting with the vocal textures emerging from his throat. His vocal work on Thronium Vrondor’s latest album “Drowning in the Distorted Light” highlights his passion for live performance and what he calls the creative process.

In an interview with Daniel Ryan a few years ago, SvN added Danzig, Dead Can Dance, and Neurosis to his list of influences. While “Drowning in the Distorted Light” presents Thronium Vrondor as stripped down to their abrasive, dissonant core, elements of doom, ambient, atmospheric, and post-metal styles are slowly becoming integral to their sound. This is evident not only in SvN’s experimentation but in the unsettling hubbub that permeates much of the material, especially in the guitar and bass.

From the opening section of “A Solemn Vigil,” an ominous mood sets in, like fog drifting into a darkened environment. Hypnotic rhythms and sharp guitar harmonics give way to controlled fury, threatening to descend into chaos at any moment. Inventive tremolo picking propels the chord-heavy composition forward. The menacing atmosphere introduced at the start reappears throughout the album, enveloping the listener in blackness. Moments like the brief intro of “Gruwlijke Leegte” lend a chilling realism; the relentless triplet rhythm resonates with gloomy harmonics and an underlying dank atmosphere, giving much meaning to the album’s title.

For an album with tendencies of calling back Mayhem’s “Wolf’s Lair Abyss” and Marduk’s “Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered,” “Drowning in the Distorted Light” fuses avant garde climate with profanatory severity so closely you can tell Thronium Vrondor have had a lot of practice channeling both into their songwriting. The way they deliver rawness with atmosphere is an ideal backdrop for the way SvN makes his nuanced vocals flow and overlap, almost as if multiple vocalists were hired for the recording sessions. The echo added to the vocal tracks match the contrast between the guitar and bass lines.

“Drowning in the Distorted Light” sometimes evokes the raw intensity of Mayhem’s “Wolf’s Lair Abyss” and Marduk’s “Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered,” blending avant-garde climates with profane severity. Thronium Vrondor’s experience in how seamlessly they combine these elements into their songwriting is evident, as rawness is fused closely with atmospheric layers. This creates a fitting backdrop for SvN’s nuanced flowing, overlapping vocals as if multiple vocalists were hired for the recording sessions. The echo added to the vocals enhances the contrast between the haunting contrasts between many of the guitar and bass lines.

In my opinion, the most promising track illustrating the band’s direction is near its end: “To Burn the Absolute,” featuring a guest appearance by Ars Veneficium bassist/vocalist S. This is the coldest, most dissonant track, with sharper tremolo picking, more menacing effects and relentless blast beats, and dual vocals making it the most immersive song here. "Skulptur Aus Fleisch" serves as a kind of epilogue to the carnage you've experienced, reserved for when your mind has been completely eroded. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

SvN: Vocals

Vrondor: Guitars, bass

Crygh: Drums

Track list:

1. A Solemn Vigil

2. Drowning in the Distorted Light

3. Gruwlijke Leegte

4. Cursed Salvation

5. All Spears Point Towards the Hunter's Moon

6. Zalvende Haat

7. To Burn the Absolute (ft. S. / Ars Veneficium)

8. Skulptur Aus Fleisch

Review of "Dies Tenebrosa Sicut Nox" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Daniel Ryan

Full Length Review: Emily Rach Beisel "Sumptuous Branching" (Amalgam) by Dave Wolff

Artist: Emily Rach Beisel

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Country: USA

Genre: Experimental

Full Length: Sumptuous Branching

Format: Digital album, limited edition 12” vinyl

Label: Amalgam (Chicago, IL, USA)

Release date: April 10, 2026

It’s not metal, it’s not rock, it’s not synth-electronica, though in the case of the latter, Emily Rach Beisel’s use of electronics, wind instruments, her own voice, and what’s called “extended techniques” creates soundscapes that cleverly blend electronic, organic and atmospheric elements. She seems to give birth to resurrected demons, unleashing them from an endless sea of cyber-hallucinogenic water that exists only in memory, with sounds never before heard in recorded history.

In what nameless, bottomless subterranean hell did these demons reside before they were brought into existence? We may never know for certain, as Beisel’s compositions stem from fleeting moments of inspiration lost in time, with no clear place in the grand scheme. Her second full-length album, “Sumptuous Branching,” begins with the haunting, ethereal mantra “You won’t find me…,” suggesting her ideas originate in a secret place known only to her, only to dissolve again into the ether.

Practically speaking, Beisel’s inspiration draws from the writings of Sun Ra, Homer, Guillaume de Machaut, and Mark Z. Danielewski. Co-produced with Bill Harris, the album particularly echoes Danielewski’s 2000 horror novel “House of Leaves,” which is described as immersive and disorienting. The novel is a metafictional journey featuring layered, intricate ideas about a labyrinth discovered inside a family’s home. Its multi-perspective theme seems to have influenced Beisel’s songwriting, not as a mirror to the soul, but as a door or window into a world that’s both realistic and surreal.

Balancing imagination, ambiguity and personal interpretation, “Sumptuous Branching” offers chant throughout its ever-changing musical landscapes. The album shifts from one section of the labyrinth to another, refusing to define itself with any single theme. This approach keeps listeners uncertain of what path they’ll take next, where they’ll end up, or what entities might be waiting around the corner, smiling sweetly and inviting you onward.

The promotional video Beisel created for “Catilovers” showcases the natural beauty of her work on a broader scale. Filmed in a single take, it captures the ambiance of being there, every sound recorded as if you were present during filming, surrounded by strategically placed, otherworldly lighting. Strange camera angles evoke “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits,” while the instruments seem to come at you from all sides, plunging you inescapably into Beisel’s world. –Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Introit

2. To Rise In Arms

3. Cantilevers

4. Hollow Ships

5. Her Still Singing Limbs

6. We Who Behold the Bright Surface

7. Sumptuous Branching

Single/Video Review: Mindlapse "Rage of Masses" (Ragebreed Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Mindlapse

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Melodic death metal

Single/video: Rage of Masses

Format: Streaming

Label: Ragebreed Records

Release date: January 18, 2026

Besides her involvement with Lake of Dreams, Karina Sher is the frontwoman of Mindlapse and builds on their melodic death metal roots by blending gritty vocals with increased melody and fluent hardcore/rap metal elements. Their website bio cites Angela Gossow, Cristina Scabbia, and Tairie B as vocalists relatable to her. Active since 1996, a time when underground metal was beginning to reach new heights of originality, Mindlapse has had ample opportunity to incorporate progressive and gothic metal elements for atmosphere, technical proficiency, and a spooky edge, finding a direction to explore freely.

Sher’s commanding presence in Lake of Dreams’ video, “Hold Me,” showcases beauty within darkness and order within disorder. A duality reflected in Mindlapse’s stage performances, energizing their shows with an emotional balance between existential dread and inner catharsis. Their promotional videos for “Visions,” “Haunted,” “The Prophecy,” “Love My Hate,” and “Risen” visually represent each song in story form, exemplifying why critics across rock, goth, and metal communities regard their long period of experimentation as noteworthy.

Unlike “Hold Me,” which uses nature imagery to depict its story, Mindlapse’s videos feature nightmarish images of violence and trauma, images seemingly buried in the unconscious but suddenly dragged into the light. “Rage of Masses” has thematic ties to Sher’s upcoming film project (which I discussed while reviewing “Hold Me”), with the druidess lead character undergoing a transformative journey to hell, not as damnation but as a rite of passage. It parallels the idea of confronting challenges and undergoing profound change, a central theme in the film.

In hell, she witnesses the souls of fallen soldiers engaged in a battle with demons, where the stakes are either redemption or eternal damnation. As life, death, and salvation intertwine into a single concept, she uncovers the secret of redemption through spirit guides and spiritual warriors who came to comprehend and master darkness without losing their core essence. This is a pivotal moment in Sher's story, serving as a crucible that prepares her for future conflicts in the realm of the living.

Through this ordeal, she learns to become a more resilient healer. The chaos of her environment, her rite of passage, and her unwavering commitment to her true self are embodied in her songwriting (performed by John Mitchell), which merges powerful guitars, raw and ethereal vocals, and subtle piano melodies to symbolize her external terror and inner resolve. The song soars to great heights and plunges into the darkest depths of the underworld, with immersive qualities that evoke a visceral desire to experience the druidess's journey as vividly as possible. Transcending music and film, this project could be a significant step in metal’s evolution. –Dave Wolff

Single/Video Review: Lake of Dreams "Hold Me" (Ragebreed Records) by Dave Wolff

Project: Lake of Dreams

Location: Leicester

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Folk

Video/single: Hold Me

Format: Streaming

Label: Ragebreed Records (distributed through Earache Records)

Release date: December 29, 2025

Karina Sher, frontwoman of the UK melodic death/groove metal band Mindlapse and founder of Ragebreed Records, launched Lake of Dreams as a visionary project. As the vocalist of Mindlapse, her style is reminiscent of bands like Otep, Arch Enemy, and The Agonist, but she has also explored deeper, more personal facets of her artistry. Her motivation for creating Lake of Dreams was to develop a conceptual fantasy project that transcends traditional music and film by merging haunting melodies with cinematic storytelling.

Since 2022, Sher has released a self-titled EP and four promotional videos. Her latest, “Hold Me,” uses music and film to explore the ephemeral and spiritual aspects of nature, mysticism, and existence. It demonstrates her ability to intertwine sound and imagery into a cohesive tapestry. “Hold Me” is a short film that reflects both the light and dark sides of her personality, relying on her voice and folk music composed by John Mitchell. The film breaks the fourth wall through compelling visuals and emotional intimacy.

The opening scene’s tranquil, mystical setting is enhanced by serene guitars, which quickly shift to tension and apprehension. The story introduces two characters on opposite sides of a conflict, a druidess and a king’s knight tasked with killing her, infusing a fairy-tale-like narrative. Unlike traditional fairy tales that only hint at the villain’s danger, “Hold Me” presents well-rounded characters, offering multiple perspectives. The carefully crafted guitars and vocals convey the compassion and doubt experienced by both characters. The theme centers on unresolved longing, lingering long after the story ends.

Based on Sher’s bio, it seems this ending is intentional, as the four videos form part of a larger narrative that will include a full-length film and a screenplay. The film will expand on the story told in the videos, incorporating spoken word passages, dream imagery, and symbolism to complement the deeply spiritual folk music that forms the foundation of her video singles. Sher and Mitchell’s musical and visual work has piqued my interest in how the final film will turn out. Since they are in the earliest stages, this project holds the potential to evolve into something truly profound. –Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Corrosion of Conformity "Good God, Baad Man" (Nuclear Blast Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Corrosion of Conformity

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Country: USA

Genre: Doom rock, southern rock

Full length: Good God, Baad Man

Format: Digipak CD, vinyl, digital

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release date: April 3, 2026

I've been a fan of Corrosion of Conformity since their socially and politically charged era; “Eye for an Eye,” “Animosity,” “Six Songs with Mike Singing” and “Technocracy.” These releases established their sound and helped lay the groundwork for hardcore punk in the 80s. In the 90s, they shifted toward a traditional doom rock style, finding their niche and beginning a long process of reinvention.

When I heard their longstanding lineup; drummer Reed Mullin, bassist Mike Dean, and guitarist Woody Weatherman; was ending their late 2000s hiatus to perform live and record again, and that they were considering reforming as a four-piece with guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan, my interest was reignited. After they released “Corrosion of Conformity,” “IX” and “No Cross, No Crown” (featuring Keenan), Mullin passed away in 2020, and Dean left the band in 2024. Weatherman and Keenan began writing with a new lineup to do Mullin’s memory justice.

Realizing they’d accumulated a diverse collection of songs, more than could fit on a single album, they decided the best path forward was a conceptual double album. Thus, “Good God, Baad Man” was born. Each song, crafted with patient delivery and gritty production, was written in casual circumstances that reflected the mood of the band at the time.

Drawing from Beatles-like psychedelia, Black Sabbath-style doom, stoner metal, southern rock, rhythm and blues, post-punk and something entirely new for them, the album is unified by the raw sound engineered by Warren Riker, who has experience producing Cathedral, Down, and Fugees.

The band’s improvisational approach, sometimes improvising between songs, gives the album a lived-in, edgy and infectious feel. Several writers pointed out songs that spoke to them on different levels. For me, one was "Run for Your Life," one of the album’s longer songs. Evolving organically from doom rock, it bore similarities to Jimi Hendrix, Ted Nugent, Pink Floyd, The Obsessed, Bongzilla, and Cathedral. Difficult to categorize, it showcased the band’s potential for continued evolution.

Another experimental track, "Asleep on the Killing Floor," also resonated with similarities to Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Butthole Surfers, and Black Sabbath. "Surviving the Amplified" featured unexpected turns, hypnotic melodies, and background vocals inspired by soul music, evoking Saint Vitus at times. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Pepper Keenan: Guitar, vocals

Woody Weatherman: Guitar

Bobby Landgraf: Bass

Stanton Moore: Drums

Track list:

1. Good God?/Final Dawn

2. You Or Me

3. Gimme Some Moore

4. The Handler

5. Bedouin's Hand

6. Run For Your Life

7. Baad Man

8. Lose Yourself

9. Mandra Sonos

10. Asleep On The Killing Floor

11. Handcuff County

12. Swallowing The Anchor

13. Brickman

14. Forever Amplified

Review of single/video "Fire and Water" (Nuclear Blast Records) by Dave Wolff

Mini Album Review: Cryfemal "Puro Carbón" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Cryfemal

Country: Spain

Genre: Black metal

Mini album: Puro Carbón

Format: Jewel case CD, vinyl, digital (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: February 28, 2025

"Puro Carbón" is Cryfemal’s latest release, following their 2023 full-length album, "La Gran Victoria Del Mal." If you’ve heard that album, you may recall its profound depth and atmospheric richness, evoking sensations of descending into hell’s deepest recesses, immersed in a tempest of searing heat and unquenchable flames. Minimal songwriting deviations created a massive layered sound reflecting Spanish occultism, which involves hidden traditions, Catholic superstition, medieval legends, and European paganism.

The lower-tuned seven-string guitars enhanced the portrayal of eternal damnation, subjecting you to an unending fall while infernal fire and tormented screams intensified and converged, reaching an agonizing crescendo. The lower scales conveyed unfathomable darkness; tremolo picking resembled flames licking and melting flesh from bone; the thick atmosphere depicted furious winds relentlessly buffeting you; and the shrieking vocals rose from the depths, promising endless torture at the inevitable terminus.

With their new outing, Cryfemal pushes themselves to surpass the chaos they crafted previously. However, if you’re expecting an exact copy of their last album, your expectations may be subverted. If "La Gran Victoria Del Mal" was like paying a visit to hell and back, then "Puro Carbón" is being irrevocably possessed by all the devils of hell, embarking on a spree of calculated violence.

"Puro Carbón" features less atmosphere and shorter track durations, with a slightly refined sound and streamlined, precise musicianship. The energy and focus they previously channeled into creating a vast atmosphere are now redirected into fitting greater violent intensity into the shorter tracks. The push toward chaos needed to represent this is as tangible as the sensations of being roasted, flayed, and suffocated in that realm below the ground, but Cryfemal makes it easy to discern the form of their tremolo picking and the manner in which they shape their arrangements.

The raspy vocals, instead of being high-pitched, carry a harrowing edge, searing into your mind like countless condemned souls loosed to take control, urging you to vomit forth fire as the volcano erupts. The lyrics, poetic, conveyed through those rasping, harrowing vocals, evoke a solitary, isolated mood, leaving it open to interpretation whether the narrator is experiencing a delusional psychotic break or truly connecting with occult secrets, such as those linked to the Spanish occultism mentioned earlier.

This is just my personal interpretation, but for me, it amplified the psychotic qualities that accompany the occult-themed lyrics, creating a sense of uncertainty about what’s truly happening as you listen to the album. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Ebola: Vocals, guitar, bass

Guayota: Drums

Track list:

1. Atlantico Caos

2. Guadana Alzada

3. La Muerte Masturbada

4. Sonambulo Profanador

5. Satan Autista

6. Panteon Mental

7. Sangre De Deceso

8. Karma Invertido

9. Nobrac Orup

Single Review: Kommunion "Rebel Thing" (Xenomorph Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Kommunion

Country: USA

Genre: Experimental

Single: Rebel Thing

Format: Digital

Label: Xenomorph Productions

Release date: July 19, 2025

Kommunion merges a quasi-futuristic goth aesthetic with an arena-sized sound, offering new perspectives on sexuality through music, defying preconceived ideas of what dark music can be.

Their ambitious debut single “Rebel Thing,” created by vocalist Azul Far and musician/producer Sebastian Komor, was designed to be grand. Not only in scope and cross-genre appeal but with massive venues and high attendance in mind, comparable to the likes of Kiss and Rammstein. Their combined experience in The True Union and Komor Kommando, respectively, goes beyond blending styles; it pushes the boundaries of imagination and accessibility.

The guitar-driven electro of the track, adding industrial, EDM, metal, pop, German electro-pop, dancehall, and trip-hop, supports raw, dark vocals with pop diva presence and confidence. Komor remains in the background while Far embodies the visual direction they pursue together. Her future-noir aesthetic, showcased in the cover art, is somewhere between Blade Runner, Hellraiser, and The Fifth Element. However, this visual style makes only a modest statement compared to her contribution to the single.

Her cadence in the verses and choruses steadily partners the diverse beats and atmospheric layers, radiating primal woman power. A sensual desire lies beneath, suddenly erupting with brief rasping vocals and quickly shifting back to seductive melody. This unpredictable style is a vehicle for open-ended lyrics blurring the lines between love, desire, and masochism, with notable religious undertones referencing the serpent in Eden.

Enhancing the canorous, stringent songwriting, Far simultaneously explores themes of fulfillment and shame, inviting listeners to interpret their dichotomy. As Komor’s instruments thrum and pulse like a cybernetic heart pumping fluid through an organic body, the lyrics craft an edgy narrative. It guides you through a initial act of rebellion, submission to inner desires, the duality of heaven and hell, a gradual descent into mortification, and ultimately, a final surrender to forbidden evil.

Following the single is an instrumental version that offers a different kind of edginess. Where Komor’s parts previously rose and fell like waves around Far’s vocals, this version shifts the focus to the electronic and atmospheric sounds, highlighting their nuances and rich variety of textures.

The trip hop elements in the original version function as effectively as straightforward electro and EDM in the instrumental. This demonstrates considerable potential for the band, as two versions of the same track can sound so radically different, highlighting their versatility and range. -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Azul Far: Vocals and lyrics

Sebastian Komor: Music and production

Track list:

1. Rebel Thing

2. Rebel Thing (Instrumental)

Full Length Review: Mara "Sword of Vengeance" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Mara

Country: Sweden

Genre: Pagan black metal

Full length: Sword of Vengeance

Format: Digital album, digipak CD, vinyl (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: June 27, 2025

Three years after “Loka Mær,” Swedish black metallers Mara revive the old crypts and uncover what lies within on “Sword of Vengeance.” The band maintains their raw approach, recording lead vocals live in the studio to craft a deliberately underproduced sound that heightens its gritty atmosphere, evoking the agony of a reanimated mind trapped in a stiffening, rigor mortis-ridden body.

In my review of “RÖK,” I observed how modern recording technology, when used skillfully, can authentically capture rawness and even make it presentable. The eight tracks on Sword of Vengeance initially required multiple listens to fully sink in, but now they convincingly evoke the lo-fi aesthetic of early black metal, from a time when bands had limited budgets and resources to work with, relying on rawness they produced as their defining trait. The enduring popularity and inspiration of this approach are evident, as Mara’s sophisticated simplicity continues to evolve toward greater darkness and decay.

There's palpable atmosphere functioning as a backdrop to the pervasive rawness. Hints of Swedish black metal reinforce the rot and decay, subtly supporting the overall sense of physical deterioration portrayed here. The material’s writing, performance, and recording evoke a visceral sense of cold as the crypt door swings open, the stench of centuries of rot, and the corpse that calls this crypt home. You can feel it, smell it, see it, even feel his physical and mental pain as his movements are hindered by the effects of time on a dead body.

The layers are organically crafted through the searing harmony of power chords and tremolo picking, the relentless combined drive of bass and drums, and the anguished, agonized quality of the vocals, all of which deepen the album’s dehumanizing atmosphere. One reviewer compared Mara to Czech black metal bands like Maniac Butcher, which makes sense since their obscurity allowed them to push their raw quality to the extreme in the mid-90s. However, despite the prominence of Mara’s raw sound, their recent albums demonstrate that it's not a limitation on them.

There are quite a few moments when they show how capable they are of transcending their rawness when needed. The band cleverly leverage the intensity of their blast, crafting guitar parts as soporific as they’re sharply incisive. This allows Mara to captivate the listener like modern-day snake charmers, amplifying their tortured visceral qualities with narcotic ingenuity. -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Vindsval: Vocals, guitars, bass

J: Guitars

P: Drums

Track list:

1. Primordial Son

2. Nidingr

3. Elite

4. Lokabrenna

5. Élivágar

6. Blakkr Heart

7. Urkraft

8. Surtaloga

EP Review: Fulci "Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse!" (20 Buck Spin) by Dave Wolff

Band: Fulci

Country: Italy

Genre: Death metal

EP: Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse!

Format: Digital, 12” vinyl

Label: 20 Buck Spin

Release date: March 20, 2026, May 1, 2026 (vinyl)

In 2024 the Italian giallo death metal band Fulci continued their tradition of homaging Italian cult horror with “Duck Face Killings,” a loose tribute to director Lucio Fulci’s classic “The New York Ripper.” Released in 1982 as a low-budget exploration of madness and murder, some of its graphic murder scenes were not too well-presented but had an impact on independent cinema and helped to shape Italian horror, gore, and splatter.

At the time, having an indie horror film banned outside Italy for being too provocative was a mark of distinction. The increased sexual and violent content of “The New York Ripper” led to its ban in the UK until 2002. Inspired by the raw, primal, stripped-down style evident in most of Fulci’s films, the band sought to tap into that energy. Despite limited budgets, fans recognized how much art Fulci created with scarce resources, helping to redefine cinema.

Having homaged “City of the Living Dead,” “Zombie,” and “Voices From Beyond,” and recorded an anthology at Florida’s Morrisound Studios to establish their presence in the birthplace of US death metal, they made an album some say surpasses the movie in its detailed murder scenes, vividly capturing the killings and the killer’s state of mind. To build their reputation, the band launched Fulcicon to highlight Fulci’s status as a visionary among his Italian fans and horror and death metal enthusiasts worldwide, in 2025.

This year the band will premiere the trailer for “Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse!,” an indie short directed by Domenico Montixi for which they wrote a soundtrack. Drawing from “City of the Living Dead” and the obscure 1975 Fulci film “The Four of the Apocalypse,” the short is a spaghetti Western involving paranormal themes. Set in Dunwich, England, in 1980, the teaser evokes a cold, harsh, foreboding Quentin Tarantino-like atmosphere, creating timeless dread as two people stumble upon something they probably shouldn’t. Despite its half-minute runtime, it leaves an impression making viewers eager to see what’s found.

In the soundtrack the band aims to capture not just the sound but the essence of Fulci’s movies. The scores by Fabio Frizzi and Francesco De Masi, though crude, rough-hewn, and under produced, dug into the malevolence and psychosis Fulci brought to the screen, bringing out the dark depths from which they emerged. The three songs on Fulci’s EP made me want to watch those moves again, as they return that otherworldliness to life for a new generation of metal and horror fans more than forty years later.

The eerie atmosphere, the sense of confinement, the foreboding feeling of impending doom, the hint of unleashed evil… everything conveyed on screen is reflected in how the songs were composed. They sound like they were crafted by a band deeply immersed in those themes of Fulci’s films, intuitively capturing the mood and emotional intensity. The full production creates a rich, immersive atmosphere, with a clear sound that emphasizes the pervasive presence of evil lingering in the air, lurking beneath the ground and hiding in the deepest mysteries.

A suffocating sense of dread permeates everything from the intro through the next track, which begins with an ominous tri-tone reminiscent of Black Sabbath and continues with crushing riffs, guttural vocals, and unsettling lead guitars. The band also covers “Apoteosi del Mistero” from the “City of the Living Dead” soundtrack, reworking it to fit the EP’s sound and adding lyrics to showcase the potential they recognized in the original piece from their first viewing of the film. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Jason Dahlke: Vocals

Fiore Stravino: Vocals

Dom Diego: Lead guitar, synthesizer

Ando Ferraiuolo: Acoustic and rhythm guitar

Klem Diglio: Bass

Edo Nicoloso: Drums

Track list:

1. Risorsero dDlla Tomba e Fu… L’apocalisse!

2. Paura che Uccide

3. Apoteosi Del Mistero

Review of "Eye Full Of Maggots" by Dave Wolff

Review of "Tropical Sun" (Time To Kill Records) by Kelly Tee

Review of Fulci/Talpah "Cyberflesh" (Time To Kill Records) by Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Neurosis "An Undying Love for a Burning World" (Neurot Recordings) by Dave Wolff

Band: Neurosis

Location: Oakland, California

Country: USA

Genre: Post metal, sludge

Full length: An Undying Love for a Burning World

Format: Digital album

Label: Neurot Recordings

Release date: March 20, 2026

It’s been a decade since we last heard from Neurosis. After the release of “Fires Within Fires,” certain sensitive issues involving their former frontman Scott Kelly surfaced and the band took an extended hiatus. I won’t go into details, but said issues were so serious that Kelly was asked to leave the band and retired as a vocalist and musician.

As sudden as their departure, their re-emergence was marked by a new vocalist, a new album, and a scheduled appearance at the Fire in the Mountains festival in Montana this July. From what I’ve read so far, the band is being welcomed back enthusiastically. “An Undying Love for a Burning World” aims to speak to listeners at the center of their being, demonstrating Neurosis’ ongoing relevance to post-metal and sludge.

The album introduces Aaron Turner, head of Hydra Head Records, who was the frontman of the post-metal band Isis and has worked with Sumac, House of Low Culture and Old Man Gloom and made guest appearances with the Japanese experimental band Boris. According to the band, past albums like “Enemy of the Sun,” “Through Silver in Blood,” “A Sun That Never Sets” and “The Eye of Every Storm” were made to be emotionally charged, serving as a cathartic outlet to purge tensions felt more personally than usual.

For many, they offer a form of catharsis from sensory overload from an increasingly insane society that seems more out of control. With all his experience, Turner brings a level of energy that matches the energy generated by the band, which has steadily increased in terms of the angst and frustration channeled into their work. There’s more than ever a desire to experience the sensation of sanity slipping away, wearing away, and to examine its causes more closely.

The evolution toward de-evolution and a breakdown of conventional songwriting mark a step forward for Neurosis’ revamped lineup. The band has always been adept at using cover artwork to hint at what awaits inside. This time the ever-expanding black hole on the cover, a portal into complete mental and emotional oblivion, primes you for the chaos and disorder that grips you from the outset, only to grow and intensify.

The heightened levels of distortion, dissonance, diatribes of division fostered upon humans shouted until throats are raw and hoarse, abrupt transitions to atmospheric passages, jarring shifts to nightmarish keyboard sections, strange noises and a barely restrained unraveling of structure defines Neurosis’ music more powerfully than I remember from them. Even so, there’s a strange sense of compelling beauty that accompanies all that chaos, as if the loss of sanity is a transformative journey, a trial by fire from which you emerge with a sense of inner peace and acceptance, having separated yourself from the overwhelming pressures that pushed you toward mental collapse.

As the band has described, the writing and recording process acted as a form of purging and purification, a means to reclaim some semblance of sanity after the hellish realization of how much of yourself you had lost beforehand. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Aaron Turner: Guitars, vocals

Steve Von Till: Guitars, vocals

Noah Landis: Synthesizers, backing vocals

Dave Edwardson: Bass, backing vocals

Jason Roeder: Drums

Track list:

1. We Are Torn Wide Open

2. Mirror Deep

3. First Red Rays

4. Blind

5. Seething and Scattered

6. Untethered

7. In the Waiting Hours

8. Last Light

Full Length Review: Sidious "Malefic Necropolis" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Sidious

Location: London

Country: England

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Malefic Necropolis

Format: Digital, digipack CD, vinyl (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: January 30, 2026

Since they formed in 2012, Sidious has released an EP and four full-length albums; “Malefic Necropolis,” released this past January, is their latest.

This is black metal delivered with occasional atmospheric sections, spacey and somewhat industrial in nature. My first impressions of the music were of billions upon billions of microbes massing in Earth's orbit, preparing for a mass invasion of a scale beyond imagination. It evoked something like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” only the microbes descend to Earth through the air itself and turn the human race while they’re awake.

Of course, this is not what Sidious had in mind while writing and recording the album, but with their lyrical ideas, something unspeakably malevolent is descending on earth and the utter destruction of the human race seems inevitable all the same, until all that remains are corpses and the maggots eating them, then going on to feast on the corpse of the earth.

Although some comparisons were drawn to Cradle of Filth and Hecate Enthroned, I was somewhat reminded of Mayhem, Watain, Marduk, and Carpathian Forest. Originating in the UK, Sidious has been refining their black metal with a distinctive British flair, earning acclaim for their 2022 full-length, “Blackest Insurrection.”

Their style is intricate, complex, and enigmatic, yet accessible and not prone to be mired in misanthropy grandiosity Instead they envelope their ability in an aura of occult mystery that invites listeners to dive deeper. As much as their songwriting, their atmospheric pieces I was talking about, more like interludes, show that Sidious is far from a stagnant paint-by-numbers black metal band. They’re one of those bands that skillfully adjust their abilities to suit each song’s needs. The differences are subtle but make all the difference in the big picture, adding depth and nuance to the overall experience.

In most cases, the energy they establish at a song’s outset builds and intensifies through subtle variations, ultimately culminating in a sense of suffocation where life itself is extinguished Reflecting on the mood they evoked while composing the album, imagine that gradual sensation of suffocation spreading across the world, inexorably pressing down until all life everywhere is extinguished.

Featuring guitars that blend complex dissonance with thrash and groove, astringent vocals balanced by haunting background vocals and spoken word passages, drums that adapt to the evolving moods of the songs, and bass that anchors everything with enough prominence to evoke the presence of a massive cosmic serpent enveloping the world, “Malefic Necropolis” portrays the apocalypse from fresh angles, offering perspectives that reinforce the ever-changing corpse-painted face of black metal. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Isfeth: Vocals

Indomitus: Guitars, backing vocals

Baalrath: Bass

Valdr: Drums

Track list:

1. Shears of Atropos

2. Rotborn Terror (ft. Völniir)

3. Inversion and Collapse

4. Cosmossuary

5. Grave

6. Crows Atop the Gallows

7. Vortex of Boundless Unlight

8. Sanguineous Art

9. Bloodlust Command Infinite

Full Length Review: Osmium Gate "Cannibal Galaxy" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Band: Osmium Gate

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Country: USA

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Cannibal Galaxy

Format: Digital album

Label: Independent

Release date: March 13, 2026

Osmium Gate from Salt Lake City, Utah offers a fresh perspective on black metal, composing instrumental pieces with raw, atmospheric, melodic, and symphonic elements. The songs on their debut full-length album “Cannibal Galaxy” are instrumentals that tell stories without lyrics or vocals, relying on guitars, bass, and drums to communicate with the listener. This approach to black metal lifts its limitations, allowing them to express themselves and embellish their ideas.

When guitarist/bassist Drew Ehrgott began writing for this album, he had concepts in mind he felt could be expressed rather than lyricized. In an interview the band did for Off Shelf, he said he channeled emotion into the material through a stream-of-consciousness process, adding that this gave him more inspiration than he would have had otherwise and helped him complete the album with expedience.

What most makes his project stand out is that Ehrgott essentially does the work of three or four band members, filling roles as guitarists, bassist, and frontman. Handling lead and rhythm guitars, he works overtime to fill the void left by the absence of vocals and lyrics. The appeal of “Cannibal Galaxy” lies in the fact that the material was born from sudden inspiration, without overthinking or overplanning.

Such was the strength of what he created that he felt he only needed a competent drummer to complete the recording, rather than a full band. Relying on each other in relative isolation and sharing a common vision helped them reach into the infinite within themselves.

Ehrgott plays an almost unlimited amount of lead passages in these songs, often overlapping parts within a single part. There’s a real sense of traveling through the cosmos with nothing but your own consciousness to keep you company, feeling your awareness expand ever outward, perpetually opening and reaching out until it becomes one with the infinite. If this could be expressed in novel or movie form, the closest analogy would be what David Bowman experienced in “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

As the drummer, Rene Gomez plays a crucial role and goes all out to keep pace with Ehrgott. You can hear him playing harder and louder to give the material additional push, working harder than usual to complement Ehrgott’s intricate, complex songwriting. His blast beats and drumming are written and arranged around the guitar riffs, and he’s given free reign to accentuate his playing and help make the music sound more epic with as many fills as he deems appropriate.

It's unclear whether “Cannibal Galaxy” will ultimately revolutionize extreme metal, but at the least it’s opening doors for bands to experiment. It’s likewise apparent that Osmium Gate has only scratched the surface of what they’re capable of. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Drew Ehrgott: Guitar, bass

Rene Gomez: Drums

Track list:

1. Waters of Natron

2. Sailing Stone

3. Booming Dunes

4. Whale Fall

5. Nacreous

6. Blood Rain

7. Cannibal Galaxy

8. Lights Over Hessdalen

Full Length Review: Monstrosity "Screams from Beneath the Surface" (Metal Blade) by Dave Wolff

Band: Monstrosity

Location: Florida

Country: USA

Genre: Death metal

Full length: Screams from Beneath the Surface

Format: Digital, vinyl (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Metal Blade

Release date: March 13, 2026

Since their formation in 1990, Floridian death metal pioneers Monstrosity have remained dedicated to their craft, demonstrating resilience and growth.

As part of the original DM scene, they had the distinction of being fronted by vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher who later joined Cannibal Corpse after Chris Barnes’ departure. Although most of the original members left since they began, introducing new members has revitalized them exponentially.

After seven years of inactivity, “Screams from Beneath the Surface” shows massive growth on their part with shades of thrash, prog and symphonic metal. Rather than making efforts to out-brutal noted DM pioneers with the same longevity they take other sub-genres of metal, attach them to their traditional formula, brutalize them and forge their own evolutionary path.

The band underwent a meticulous process of recording and producing at different studios with Jim Morris (Savatage, Iced Earth) and Jason Suecof (Deicide, The Black Dahlia Murder). The lines between those subgenres disappear as if Monstrosity had always been a prog-death-thrash band.

Understanding the importance of developing song structure, band and producers paid special attention to balancing fury and finesse. The brutality is there, but this time it’s not their be-all-end-all; it less regimented as people might think as it naturally allows for more melody and dexterity to enter the picture, especially where the symphonic flavored solos.

The techniques of DM, thrash and classic metal are so tightly fused together it almost sounds like a new subgenre is being pioneered here. I’d go so far as to say “Screams from Beneath the Surface” compares as much to Testament and Kreator as to DM mainstays, and as such takes another leap toward validating DM’s capacity for advancement.

The band’s maturity comes from their giving each other equal room to contribute to the material, as much as the band and those who worked on the production. The bass tracks, mixed just enough to contribute color to the material, enhance the guitars with the notes they hit. The percussion, reminding us of the band’s DM roots, likewise allows license for the band to elaborate and expand. By accident or on purpose, the close knit method by which everyone worked together gives the material something present in greater quantities than you would have expected: heavy emotion.

Before joining Monstrosity as vocalist in 2021, Ed Webb worked with Massacre, Diabolic, and Fleshreaper, Here he emphasizes his years of experience in DM and death-thrash vocals, projecting an old school tone from the gut to deliver clipped lines and sustained growls, employing his vocal cords to articulate each phrase. This technique, occasionally flavored with high-pitched howls, establishes presence over the complex instrumentation behind him.

Taking its own direction without following any guidelines, “Screams from Beneath the Surface” is a push for Monstrosity to be given credit for their role in US death metal and validated the band’s determination to stay in the game. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Ed Webb: Vocals

Matt Barnes: Guitars

Justin Walker: Guitars

Mark van Erp: Bass

Lee Harrison: Drums

Track list:

1. Banished to the Skies

2. The Colossal Rage

3. The Atrophied

4. Spiral

5. Fortunes Engraved in Blood

6. Vapors

7. The Thorns

8. Blood Works

9. The Dark Aura

10. Veil of Disillusion

Full Length Review: Darsombra "Syzygy" (Pnictogen Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Darsombra

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Country: USA

Genre: Electronic, ambient, experimental

Full length: Syzygy

Format: Digital, vinyl, CD

Label: Pnictogen Records

Release date: March 6, 2026

Darsombra’s latest “Syzygy” was released immediately after they hosted the festival “Darsombra Presents: Transmission – A Celebration for Ann Everton,” an event organized to honor their late bandmate who passed away last October, just as they were embarking on a new tour.

Held last February and March, the fest featured Gridfailure, Ala Muerte, Stinking Lizaveta, Acoustic War On Women, Consumer Culture, Moth Broth, 50’ ♀ & The Worms Holy Fingers, Celebration, and several others. Believing Everton would have wanted a gathering that brought together fans of diverse genres during the dead of winter, Darsombra dedicated “Syzygy” to her memory upon its release.

The album is compiled from a wealth of recordings completed during the COVID lockdowns, most of which remain unreleased apart from a couple select outings. While some of this material contributed to their double album “Dumesday Book” and maxi EP “Call The Doctor/Nightgarden,” “Syzygy” features a handful of tracks as experimental as they are minimalist, in some ways reflecting a tumultuous time. In its idea stage it was intended to be the last of a trilogy of releases.

Their 2019 album “Transmission” and their 2023 double album “Dumesday Book” ended up being the first and second of this trilogy, and the band considers this one the trilogy’s loose conclusion “Syzygy” features a handful of tracks as experimental as they are minimalist, reflecting in some ways the tumultuous period preceding its release.

Originally conceived as the final installment of a trilogy, it follows Transmission (2019) and Dumesday Book (2023), which constitute the first and second parts. The band considers “Syzygy” a loose conclusion to this trilogy, bringing it to a reflective close. The six tracks selected for inclusion are rooted in minimalist keyboard and synth rhythms. Though produced to evoke electronic and atmospheric sounds, they are more multilayered and less frigid than you'd expect, especially if you’re accustomed to the colder tendencies of traditional electronic and ambient music.

During their time in lockdown amid COVID, the band conducted live internet streams and practiced incessantly, freely exploring and elaborating on their ideas until they amassed enough material for multiple albums. After this they still had time to refine their recordings and produce videos for several of them. At the time, they believed they were working while the world outside was ending, but in retrospect they realized they were undergoing a magical, transformative process.

Filled with trial and error, this period ultimately revealed the full extent of their creativity. The depth and innovation of their work on this album and their previous releases, clearly reflect that journey. “Syzygy” sounds like Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd if they’d spent a year collaborating. It has qualities you could describe as ambient, experimental, avant-garde, space rock, krautrock, prog, psychedelic, soundscape, and even trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock.

While it exhibits elements from all these genres, at its essence it represents a genre all its own, one that remains unnamed and near impossible to define. The true beauty of this album is in its open-ended nature, inviting listeners to decide for themselves what their music is. –Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Bummer Solstice For Starwalkers

2. Fill Up The Glass (2025 remix)

3. Owttamyed

4. Black Willow (Close To The Edge Of Some Desolate Shit)

5. Bend Overture

6. Brood X

Full Length Review: Yelena Eckemoff "Rosendals Garden" (Avant Music News)

Artist: Yelena Eckemoff

Location: Manhattan, New York

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive jazz fusion

Full length: Rosendals Garden

Format: CD, digital

Label: Avant Music News

Release date: March 27, 2026

Russian-born pianist Yelena Eckemoff demonstrated an uncanny talent at a very young age and was studying at notable music schools as early as seven. Following her graduation, she joined a jazz-rock band, studying, teaching, and composing with several different instruments. By her early twenties, she relocated to the United States and spent years experimenting with synthesizers and MIDI sequencers.

In the 2000s, she independently released works across various genres, eventually establishing herself as a jazz recording artist a few years later. Her extensive catalog of jazz albums has received acclaim for developing an experimental, improvisational approach to progressive jazz and chamber music.

Eckemoff’s most recent album “Rosendals Garden,” recorded at Sweden’s RMV Studio, showcases her improvisational jazz with a deeply personal, expressive approach, more a narrative than a mere exercise in executing flawless notes and precise measures. Each track is thoughtfully crafted to evoke the landscapes, rural scenery, and cultural history of where she stayed to record. The stories conveyed form a grand, sweeping epic capturing the enchanting qualities and poetic spirit of her surroundings.

As I mentioned, Eckemoff is less concerned on flawless technical precision and more intent to communicate on a subjective, soul-stirring level. Her music is a shining example of substance over style. While her dexterity and her grasp on jazz theory is there, it’s not merely about presenting images but enkindling entire worlds, making them feel as tangible and immersive as possible.

In the past Eckemoff has composed albums with medieval themes, biblical stories, Arabian influences, concepts exploring the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. and shades of her former life in Russia, where familiar sounds from her childhood are recreated through various instruments.

Her deep well of imagination and keen sensitivity to her environment at any given moment manifest in the early autumn sensations on “Rosendals Garden,” the feeling of the air changing as summer ends and the wind starts to grow slightly colder. You feel the chill in the air, the wind blowing leaves that turn red, yellow, and brown as nature prepares for its end-of-the-year slumber.

The transition from one season to the next is immediately palpable as the keyboards and piano of the opening track begin. Each location is vividly portrayed, revealing deep historical and cultural significance. Through intertwined piano and bass lines, nuanced percussion and strings, and subtle shifts in mood, meter, and tempo, Eckemoff and her ensemble evoke the unique character of each setting.

These layers create a realistic tapestry that immerses you in the sensation of autumn’s arrival, making you feel its presence around you in every place you visit through this album. At the very least, *Rosendals Garden* will ignite your curiosity about the Swedish locations she explored, inspiring you to learn more about their history and essence. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Yelena Eckemoff: Piano, keyboards, composition

Svante Henryson: Cello, electric and double bass

Morgan Ågren: Drums, percussion

Track list:

1. ABBA Museum

2. Rosendals Garden

3. Gamla Stan

4. Country Orchard Café

5. Öresund Bridge

6. Skansen Park

7. Sunrise in Rimbo

8. Ruins of Älvsborg

9. Storanden Nature Reserve

10. Strandvägen Pier

11. Gripsholm Castle

Full Length Review: Necrofier "Transcend into Oblivion" (Metal Blade) by Dave Wolff

Band: Necrofier

Location: Houston, Texas

Country: USA

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Transcend into Oblivion

Format: Digital, vinyl (see Bandcamp link for more information)

Label: Metal Blade

Release date: February 27, 2026

Founded in Houston, Texas in 2018, Necrofier has played a role in the evolution U.S. black metal has taken since the 2010s, drawing inspiration from the timeless spirit Scandinavian bands brought to black metal in the 1990s.

Black metal’s exploration of ancient pagan themes during that time provided numerous opportunities for bands to reinvent and redefine black metal’s boundaries. Despite its saturation and the ongoing debates about what constitutes "trve" or "kvlt" black metal, it remains one of the most expressive, innovative and unrestricted musical styles, remaining open to any interpretation bands choose to pursue.

Following the release of an EP and three full-lengths, Necrofier is helping shape a new phase in black metal’s evolution with Uada, Hulder, Lamp of Murmuur and Blackbraid. "Transcend into Oblivion" embodies a profound awakening that feels transformative and inevitable. A nameless, unknown force stirring within and gradually overtaking consciousness, a new beginning burning deep in your soul.

This album is somewhere between a metal opera and a theatrical narrative, its characteristics gradually merging in a relentless visceral process, pouring energy into a journey through mystery and hidden secrets toward becoming lord and master of one’s own universe. The experience grows increasingly immersive with each track, unfolding with a frightening sense of inevitablity. Necrofier’s U.S. black metal leans closer to its punk and thrash influences with reduced emphasis on shoegaze and post-rock.

Scraping, cutting guitars with some effects added forge a dense wall of sound comparable to Marduk and Dark Funeral. This tapestry leaves ample room for expressive lead guitar passages and vigorous tremolo picking akin to Emperor, Ihsahn and Gorgoroth, a compelling contrast that enriches their sound. The vocals evoke charging through this journey, fueled by steady snare hits, dynamic fills, and thunderous double kick drums spawning black n’ roll earthquakes, energizing the vitality.

The lyrics evoke the act of leaving reality behind, summoning dark forces to forge a new state of existence within oneself. A Luciferian vibe emerges as the grip of mundane physical life loosens, as if this new state is being willed into existence solely through the power of words alone. As "Transcend into Oblivion" becomes increasingly vast and compelling with increased ambiance and dissonant guitars, intensifying your drive to reach the end, infrequent breaks in the ferocity emerge, causing your proverbial hairs to stiffen as the intensity builds.

From the violin melody closing "Fires of the Apocalypse, Light My Path I," to the background keyboards and subtly haunting vocals, to the gothic piano, keyboard, and choral pieces in "Behold, the Birth of Acsension," the sounds become increasingly richer and more prominent, enveloping you in a dance of light and darkness, symbolizing physical decay as you draw nearer to ultimate light and ultimate oblivion.

The light of oblivion burns and consumes from within, as salvation and damnation converge, embodying the unity of human nature’s duality. By the moment of final immersion into the destination sought from the start, all notions of time, space, and reality fade away. In this new realm, the ultimate secrets of death and rebirth are unveiled, revealing truths far beyond human understanding.

This conclusion, arrived at after so long an arduous struggle, irrevocably changes your world view, ultimately allowing you to see everything from a broader perspective of good and evil. As guitarist/vocalist Bakka puts it, "you have been transformed; you are not who you were before. You see the world differently and you take what is yours." –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Bakka: Vocals, guitar

Semir ÖzerkanL Guitar

Mat Aleman: Bass

Dobber Beverly: Drums

Track list:

1. Fires of the Apocalypse, Light My Path I

2. Fires of the Apocalypse, Light My Path II

3. Fires of the Apocalypse, Light My Path III

4. Behold, the Birth of Ascension

5. Servants of Darkness, Guide My Way I

6. Servants of Darkness, Guide My Way II

7. Servants of Darkness, Guide My Way III

8. Mystical Creation of Enlightenment

9. Horns of Destruction, Lift My Blade I

10. Horns of Destruction, Lift My Blade II

11. Horns of Destruction, Lift My Blade III

12. Toward the Necrofier

Full Length Review: Frostmoon Eclipse "As Time Retreats" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Dave Wolff

Band: Frostmoon Eclipse

Country: Italy

Genre: Black metal

Full length: As Time Retreats

Format: CD, digital

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: September 26, 2025

The longest-active black metal band from Italy returns again with a profound dive into the distinctive sound they started years ago, which has persistently showcased potential.

With the release of their 2001 full-length album “Gathering the Dark”, they began honing the classic black metal formula of razor-sharp guitars, robust bass, and relentless blast beats. Frostmoon Eclipse was one of the first to draw inspiration from outside extreme metal, incorporating deeply resonant influences and shaping their songwriting with much-needed depth.

An additional effort to avoid oversaturation was by emphasizing a humanistic touch more pronounced than most bands of that time. Attentively highlighting that human element enhanced their growth even more than genre expansion, as they sought to evolve with authenticity. On the albums following their debut, it became evident that no musical style was too disparate, from ambient and gothic metal to progressive rock, psychedelia, folk, and classical; whatever contributed to serving the emotional impact they desired was added.

For their latest album, it’s liberally infused with elements of classic rock and classic metal, with shades of post-black and death-doom metal. According to what works, many more nuances are arranged in a way that’s raw, haunting, and soaring, both melodic and dissonant, with most of it sounding written in minor keys. Downtuned tremolo picking, dissonance, and blast beats are the foundation for the nuanced aspects brought to this album.

At times, there are dual guitars and underlying acoustic guitars creating gloomy, depressive harmonies with folk metal vibes sounding similar to Enslaved and Ophthalamia. Other times, there are classic rock elements that enhance depressive moods reminiscent of Katatonia and Paradise Lost. These moods have even more emotional depth than most DSBM bands, merging bittersweet introspection with a creative flair that can be compared to Queen, David Bowie, Rush, Uriah Heep, and old Fleetwood Mac.

The vocals display the most diversity, alternating from high-pitched rasping to a more goth metal style; complementing this are occasional choral vocals and spoken word parts. The whole, created by the sum of its parts, feels like mourning for a time long dead and vanished, deeply felt inside, as if the songs are vehicles to project that sense of emptiness into you, especially “Out in the Grey Light,” “Universe Black Vacuum,” and “No Place Left to Leave.”

As a representation of the band’s view of the world in general, “As Time Retreats” is poignant, incisive, personal, and extremely fitting, considering how much the world is changing and how bands like Frostmoon Eclipse have more opportunities to express existential journeys like this album. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Lorenzo Sassi: Vocals, lyrics

Claudio Alcara: Guitars, songwriting

Davide Gorrini: Bass

Gionata Potenti: Drums

Track list:

1. Transient

2. Truth of the World

3. Out in the Grey Light

4. Universe Black Vacuum

5. Spectral

6. No Place Left to Leave

7. Char These Bones to Coal

8. Eschaton

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