Progenie Terrestre Pura - oltreLuna

By Calen Henry. Oltreluna is Italian Sci-Fi metallers Progenie Terrestre Pura's second album. Progenie Terrestre Pura mix black metal, synths and electronica, similar to Mesarthim (though they predate the Australian duo by a few years), but the result is very different.

By Calen Henry.


oltreLuna is Italian Sci-Fi metallers Progenie Terrestre Pura's second album. Progenie Terrestre Pura mix black metal, synths and electronica, similar to Mesarthim (though they predate the Australian duo by a few years), but the result is very different.

Many "cosmic black metal" bands focus on evoking the vastness, wonder and loneliness of space. Mesarthim, in particular; their hugely dynamic mix with distant sounding guitars and vocals supported by synths at home in a 70's documentary evokes a particular cosmic atmosphere. Rather than evoking space, Progenie Terrestre Pura specifically evoke modern epic science fiction by taking a decidedly modern approach to their synth-ey metal.

The metal side of the coin features very distorted guitars and vocals, almost to the point of industrial metal and the electronic parts feature harsher sounds, favouring sawtooth synths and dubstep pulsing. This is complemented by an array of ethnic instruments and percussion as well as some chanting, rounding out the sound. Like Mesarthim, though, everything cohesively fits together.

Though lumped into "atmospheric black metal" they lean much more on melody and riffs than many of their genre comrades. Most of the metal parts are guitar led with soaring melodies underpinned by frenetic percussion. Though the overall sound of the band is great, the commitment to melody is what really sells it for me. It anchors the whole record in a way that can be lacking in atmospheric music.

The downside to the otherwise excellent record is the production. oltreLuna is very dynamically compressed muddying the detail in the metal sections in particular. There are some amazing passages with a fantastic guitar lead over top of interesting rhythm guitar, supported by synths and excellent drumming, but the mix creates a much less distinct separation than there should be for the band's epic scope.

Despite the production complaints Progenie Terrestre Pura are a truly unique metal band and well worth checking out.

Saule - Saule

By Justin C. If you're familiar at all with the vague-but-popular "post-metal" and "post-rock" tags, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from an album labeled that way. The vocals will be sparse (or absent completely)

By Justin C.


If you're familiar at all with the vague-but-popular "post-metal" and "post-rock" tags, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from an album labeled that way. The vocals will be sparse (or absent completely), there will be alternating passages of calm and heavy, song lengths will be long, and, in many cases, nothing about the music will stick in your head. There are exceptions, of course. Planks did it very well (and their final album, Perished Bodies was probably their best). Russian Circles continue to do it brilliantly. To this list, I'm going to add the Polish band Saule, who have just released their self-titled debut. It doesn't hurt that they have a secret weapon that lifts them above the pack, but I'll come back to that.

Saule fits pretty well with my genre description. There are lush and solemn passages interspersed with explosions, with clean guitars and distorted riffs competing for attention. The ebb and flow works nearly perfectly. I'll get my one gripe about the album out of the way--the closing song, "O," is a decompression/drone-type track that adds very little to the proceedings. But aside from that minor misstep, I found myself drawn along with this album, and it really is a whole-album experience. I think "III" and "V" are standout tracks, but in general, I'd be surprised if anybody jumped into their car after work and said, "I've had 'II' stuck in my head all day, and now I'm going to blast it!" It's not that kind of music.

I don't know if there's a mathematical formula for balancing out the soft and loud so that this kind of album holds your attention, but if there is, I think Saule's got a damn good estimation of it. On top of that, Saule has that secret weapon I hinted at before: the vocals. They may have done themselves a disservice by burying the vocals in the background for most of the opening track, but when they kick in, they're fantastic. The timbre of the singer's voice is very reminiscent of a lower, gruffer Roger Daltrey, and I'm loving it. I'd be surprised if it were intentional--I think it's just how this individual's voice works--but that semi-familiar, gravelly rasp is spine tingling, especially for a fan of The Who. It's potent and expressive, and the vocal lines in "III" even put me in mind of "Love, Rain O'er Me" from Quadrophenia. I can't back that up with a harmonic analysis, but they both have a beautiful, yearning quality to them. And of course, we all finally get to hear what Roger Daltrey's black metal rasps and death metal growls might have sounded like if The Who had gone a very different direction in their later years. Saule's vocalist sticks mainly to his "clean(er)" register, but I can’t imagine anyone complaining about his voice being too saccharine or pretty for metal.

I found myself drawn to this album immediately, in large part becuase of the vocals, but I think for some folks, it will take some time to warm up to. I urge you to give the first few tracks a chance before you hop on to the next thing. You'll be happy you did.

Angela Martyr - The November Harvest

By Justin C. When I see band with a "for fans of" list that includes Godflesh, Slowdive, and Alice in Chains, I really have no choice but to check it out. That's how Angela Martyr's debut, The November Harvest, was described in promo materials. I'll give you my bias up front: Alice in Chains is probably one of my favorite bands, so this review will no doubt be colored by that fact

By Justin C.


When I see band with a "for fans of" list that includes Godflesh, Slowdive, and Alice in Chains, I really have no choice but to check it out. That's how Angela Martyr's debut, The November Harvest, was described in promo materials. I'll give you my bias up front: Alice in Chains is probably one of my favorite bands, so this review will no doubt be colored by that fact. Most bands trying to pull off that influence would get a stern talking to from me when they failed to do AIC justice, but I'm happy to report that Angela doesn't have to get a tongue lashing.

Morgan Bellini is the main man behind Angela Martyr, but listening to his previous project, Vanessa Van Basten (see here and here, for example), will do very little to give you a sense of Angela Martyr. As far as the "for fans of..." statement goes, it's actually a decent summing up, if a bit reductive. The vocals immediately call Layne Staley to mind. Check out "Georgina," for example, and tell me there's not a hefty dose of Alice in Chains, both vocally and musically there. There are plenty of other spots where their unmistakable sound is an influence, but luckily, Angela Martyr isn't just a retread.

I'm not sure about the Godflesh part of the description--I probably would have cited Jesu instead, as the music tends to have that glacially heavy undertow of Justin Broadrick's early Jesu work--but reasonable people can disagree about which Broadrick project they hear the most. If forced to be mathematical about it, I probably would write the equation AIC + Jesu = Angela Martyr, but as I hinted at before, bands that can be that easily reduced aren't usually very interesting ones, and Angela Martyr is deceptively complex.

Mood-wise, The November Harvest carries you along on a wave of Alice in Chains-style darkness, but without delving into the utter bleakness that band often conjured. Melancholy, and maybe a bit druggy at times, sure, but the bottom never really drops out. The electronic instrumentation--call it Jesu influenced or Slowdive shoegazy or some combination of both--helps buoy the sound as well, giving the whole thing an almost-poppy feel at times. I think the combination of those two elements is what makes this such an engaging listen, rather than something that could have easily just become a grunge throwback. There's not a huge variety over the tracks, but letting it wash over you as a single musical statement isn't a bad way at all to spend 47 minutes.

The 13-plus-minute closer and title track is a bit of an odd duck. It more or follows what's come before, with the exception of a long interlude in the middle that kind of sounds like...slow carousel music? The soundtrack to fairies cavorting in the woods? On first listen, I confess, I kind of hated it, but I sort of learned to surrender to it on repeat listens. Intellectually, I can't really tell you what it's doing there or why, but it's an interesting twist in an album otherwise so consistent.

So what would my "for fans of" statement for this album read? I kind of hate those because they're usually a disappointment, but if you're looking for something that conjures that psychedelic but still metal sound--a place Alice in Chains dwelt--but without trying to be as crushing and dissonant as the music we usually review here, you'd do well to check Angela Martyr out.

Short and to the point 2

By Steven Leslie. Now this is how you combine ambient/atmospheric music with black metal. Titaan appeared out of nowhere earlier this year and dropped easily one of the most impressive debut albums I have heard in years.

By Steven Leslie.


Now this is how you combine ambient/atmospheric music with black metal. Titaan appeared out of nowhere earlier this year and dropped easily one of the most impressive debut albums I have heard in years. What is most impressive is the organic way in which Titaan’s sole member Lalartu is able to organically weave in dark ambient sections and even silence in between absolutely feral blasts of black metal, both building suspense and heightening the intensity of the album’s ferocious moments. This is one that you will want to listen to as a whole and truly immerse yourself in as it careens between utterly oppressive aural onslaughts and engrossing atmospheric sections. The multi-layered vocals also deserve a mention as they blur the line between brutal death grunts and savage blackened shrieks. If you like your occult black metal to take you on a spiritual journey into the heart of darkness, look no further.

Cover art by Morkh

Released in late 2015, Serpents Athirst Heralding Ceremonial Mass Obliteration is another gem of black/death metal out of Sri Lanka. Following in the footsteps of the mighty Genocide Shrines, but bringing enough of their own flavor to the mix, this is one fans of rabid and vicious metal will not want to miss. Eschewing the cavernous death metal sound that is so prolific right now in favor of something far more visceral and intense, Serpents Athirst have made a bold statement with this three-song assault. Utilizing razor sharp riffs that will rend flesh from bone and an absolutely filthy vocal assault puts many black and death metal vocalist’s to shame Heralding will leave you battered, broken and terrified in just under 12 minutes. Can’t wait to hear a full length from these hellraisers.

Artwork by Boris Haimov

Israel isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when you think of Luciferian black metal, but that is going to change if Mortuus Umbra has their way. Released towards the tail end of 2015, this excellent EP has sadly slipped under most people’s radars despite its undeniable quality. Catechism manages to achieve the same dissonant and enveloping atmosphere Deathspell Omega are masters of without ever entering into copycat territory. Add to that some truly memorable riffs, expressive and varied screams and an excellent production job, hitting that perfect balance that Watain did on albums like Sworn to the Dark, and you have an occult black metal release that is more than worthy of your dollars and your time.

Artwork by Noir Soufre

This is Virvel av Morkerhatet’s first release since their 2010 debut, but it was definitely worth the six-year wait. Virvel aren’t afraid to show off their technical proficiency on this slab of forward thinking black metal. In fact, it is their ability to utilize various time signatures and angular riffs to create an alien atmosphere that really helps this Ukrainian band stand apart from the overpopulated black metal scene. Even more impressive is the band’s ability to balance their precise riffs with quality songwriting, easily avoiding the technical wankery trap bands this proficient often fall into. This is one that will give you a lot of replay value, as there is lots of variety and nuance to discover as you delve deeper and deeper into it’s 50 minute run time. Not quite as a much of a mind-fuck as Dodheimsgard’s latest, but just as engrossing, give this one a shot if you prefer your black metal shooting for the stars as opposed to the basement.

Darkspace - Dark Space III I & Mare Cognitum - Phobos Monolith

Written by Kaptain Carbon // Space Pilot from the Year 5000.


This is how the universe collapses. Darkspace's legacy is rooted in their interesting exploration of ambient black metal, as well as one of their guitarist’s work in the seminal side project Paysage D’ Hiver. It also helps that the band has an air of mystery, with their releases becoming increasingly more sparse. Darkspace’s previous record Dark Space III was released in 2008, and for the past four odd years fans have been awaiting the arrival of whatever the fourth installment would be called. In thematic fashion, the band’s announcement of their new record came in cryptic transmissions, with the full album being released almost immediately. I think I would have been happy with anything, but this is something else entirely.

Darkspace makes music that are pieces to a whole. Since their first release Dark Space I, and even their 2002 demo Dark Space -I, the band has released sequentially numbered tracks that vary in length but seem to be a part of the same cold universe. To add to this, the band seldom releases lyrics, save for dialogue and quotes from literature, philosophy, and film texts. The band’s dedication to the exploration of the coldest recesses of space is extraordinary, as sometimes the most horrifying things can dwell in the limitless expanses of darkness. Darkspace has kept this mystique strong for more than ten years and the fact that their records keep getting more and more interesting gives me hope for a century of darkness over this galaxy.

Throughout their timeline, the Darkspace albums have become more and more dynamic with their production. Dark Space III cemented the full range this band was capable of with heavy guitar tones and a dynamic range of atmosphere. Rather than the high end swirls that marked their first two albums, Dark Space III was lower and deeper in a contrast that makes the whole experience immersive. For this reason, Dark Space III I steps into its place as one of the most effective records of the band’s career, with a heavier drum machine and even more panoramic horror. Split into three tracks ranging from 18 to 27 minutes, the landscapes in “4.18,” “4.19” and “4.20” are something fitting of deep cosmic terror — one that could only be achieved by a band who is probably not of this earth.

If this review sounds like it was written by a fan, it is because Darkspace has achieved a non traditional thematic scope that is backed by outstanding releases. The presentation of this record, combined with their stellar past releases, make it an event that is either on a trajectory into deep space or something coming back from its depths. Given that the records are getting increasingly clearer in their sound, I imagine Dark Space X to be even more horrifying when it is released in 3022.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Cover art by Luciana Nedelea

Part of me finds the cover for Mare Cognitum’s third full length odd, while the other half is convincing the former that it is all part of a new realm of black metal. Mare Cognitum is a one man black metal outfit who seems to be completely obsessed with the darkness that dwells in space. I have been familiar and friendly with Mare Cognitum since his 2011 debut The Sea Which Has Become Known. It has been a few years since then, and I am pleased to realize that his new album, Phobos Monolith, is perhaps the best work from this creator and probably one of the more enjoyable atmospheric black metal records of 2014.

Space is a vast theme with multiple angles. Unlike Darkspace, Mare Cognitum retains some starry eyed wonder for the mysteries held between the darkness. Unlike his previous two records, the cover for Phobos Monolith is bright and iridescent with violets and whites. Additionally, Mare Cognitum's music is starting to embrace multi layered flourishes, such as the guitar cascade on “Weaving the Thread of Transcendence” or the half tempo acoustic accents on “Noumenon.” These changes in the music, along with a continual maturing of his abstract and transcendent lyrics, allows Phobos Monolith to step out as a solid record that can be embraced by crowds outside of atmospheric black metal.

I have made mention before how atmospheric black is flooded with bands that can easily mimic the sound. Phobos Monolith is a special case, as it allows this style of music to fully embrace its thematic focus and makes those style choices interesting. Why not have a record dedicated to the majesty of deep space filled with wandering atmosphere? There has been a lot of atmospheric black metal records in the past decade, but Mare Cognitum will never cease to be interesting or entertaining with his records.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Kaptain Carbon is the proprietor of Tape Wyrm -- a site site dedicated to cassette releases and underground metal reviews. In his free time, Kaptain Carbon reviews sword and sorcery films for Hollywood Metal, moderates Reddits r/metal, and spends way too much time playing Magic the Gathering.

Abigor - Leytmotif Luzifer

Written by Craig Hayes.


There’s one glaring problem in deciding who is the evilest black metal band in the land; namely, most of the bands from the sub-genre are just circus performers at best. Of course, talking about authenticity in the world of performing arts is obviously fraught with philosophic potholes anyway, and that’s not to say that all the unholy theatrics embedded in black metal aren't endlessly enjoyable.

I’m all in favor of stoking the pyre with plenty of inflammatory material, but black metal bands that actually get under your skin are rare. Funeral Mist are a great example of a band that does that well, because the band shreds the nerves, and fellow black metal terrorizers Abigor are another band that sounds seriously and genuinely diabolic. Abigor are most famed for a series of villainous and sacrilegious releases in the 90's, and the band's vocalist during those early years was none other than Silenius, who exited the band and went on to a much-lauded role in Summoning. Silenius is back on board for Abigor’s latest album, Leytmotif Luzifer – although he is listed as a guest, rather than formally joining the ranks – and along with the band’s long-time multi-instrumentalists, T.T and P.K, the trio have crafted Abigor’s best release since their prime.

The essence of pure evil distilled on Leytmotif Luzifer is impressively discomforting. Each song on the album is prefaced with the "Temptation-” tag, should you be in any doubt about the iniquity on offer, and Abigor sound more energized and angry than they have in years. Album opener, "Temptation I - Ego", bursts from the gate with frantic guitars, blast beats galore, and a fiendish vocal line that crawls right up the spine, and on it goes. Sonic chaos is piled on top of thematic horror. Right through to the 11-minute blood-curdling finale, "Temptation VII - Excessus”.

The key to Abigor’s sound has always been in the band’s layering of guitars, and they’re stacked high on Leytmotif Luzifer. It’s all a pyramid of dastardly sounds, with Silenius’ vocals (chanted, spat, croaked and growled) adding to a singular wall of demonic aggression. Even when those walls of noise fall away on Leytmotif Luzifer, and riffs and vocals are less fevered, the album is still deeply unnerving in its overall malevolent mania. Much like the aforementioned Funeral Mist, it’s that sense of black-hearted insanity that pervades all that ensures Abigor remain a credible force for evil.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Darkspace - Dark Space III

Darkspace - Dark Space III is ambient black metal, a musical journey through the void of outer space. Layered guitars create a massive wall of sound, occasionally huge chunky riffs escape from the wall. Tones and moods are set by the keyboards and the alien sounding vocals, deeply buried in the mix. Darkspace uses a drum machine to great effect, it enhances the distant feeling of their music:

As the drums blast away in the background and the guitars and keyboards envelop you with their majestic dark sounds, you truly feel as if you are hurtling through the deepest depths of space, overwhelmed with awe and fear at the same time

The quote is from this Last Rites review. Here are two more of them, one from Metal Storm, and one from Chronicles of Chaos.

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