Ensorcelor - Crucifuge

Ensorcelor's Crucifuge was recommended after downloading Æsahættr, and I'm glad for that! Two long tracks of blackened doom with warped vocals and very hypnotic riffing. Here are two reviews from Don't Count on it Reviews and Lurker's Path, who calls the epic title track reinvigorating and never boring. Give it a listen below.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

At their Bandcamp you can also hear an excerpt from a new track Into Urartic Mistral.

Tombs - Path of Totality

Mike Hill of Tombs. Photo by Carmelo Española.

Rounding up this series of Relapse Bandcamp favorites is Tombs - Path of Totality. This is an album you will see on many of the Best of 2011 lists proliferating now. It has been described as blackened sludge or atmospheric doom (and many other things). The Dan Obstkrieg review from Last Rites calls it mesmerizing gloom and says

while on its face the music seems simplistic, the band’s songs are impeccably constructed, and almost effortlessly flit through a number of tempo and stylistic changes before your reason ever catches up with your gut.

Here is another review from Don't Count on it Reviews.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Horseback - The Invisible Mountain

Another favorite from the Relapse Records Bandcamp is Horseback's The Invisible Mountain from 2010. It combines ambient drone with stoner riffing and tops it with harsh black metal vocals. All in all, a great balance of metal and non-metal influences. Here's a review from AllMusic.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]