Odious Devotion - Ilmestys (2021)

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Here's a recent release from Finland. The album cover might confirm a few deductions right off the bat for you if you're the type of person who likes to read into things—Ilmestys is a well articulated barrage of cold, atmospheric black metal with a penchant for the raw, albeit not crude, soundscapes typical to its ilk. 

I am glad the Fins still know how to take a promo shot, too. 

The bulk of this album is constructed off the traditionally black metal sound typical to the Finnish exploration of the genre but splintered throughout this album are some excellent explorations that either bolster its heft and contribution to the black metal sound in a multitude of ways and I'm fully on board. Get on board and let me know what you think on your way out!

Odious Devotion - Ilmestys (bandcamp)

Skáphe & Wormlust - Kosmískur Hryllingur (2019)

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An apt follow up to the Mannveira post is this collaboration album Skáphe and Wormlust put out back in 2019 through Mystískaos and its a cosmic heavy hitter by two enigmatic giants in the genre of forward-thinking metal. If you were to look at the roster that is backing up every sonic decision on this album you would quickly glean that this union might be among the undergrounds most prolific and accomplished assemblage of members—Being comprised by a venerable cast including Misþyrming, Chaos Moon, Naðra, Triumvir Foul, Martoð, Ljáin, Dagger Lust, Almyrkvi, Sinmara, Guðveiki, Momentum (Ask any musician in Iceland and they will remember this band), this is only naming a few…

I'm still amazed this album exists, I can only imagine the writing process was something strange considering members don't all live in the same country let alone city. This is a monolithic two-track album of downward spiralling black/death metal heavy on ambient soundscapes of cosmic psychedelia and the esoteric. A musical equivalent to a family vacation on the abyssal plains. 

"Name your price" on Bandcamp, you can't really go wrong here.

Skáphe & Wormlust - Kosmískur Hryllingur (bandcamp)

Fyrnask - VII: Kenoma (2021)

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Fyrnask is a band that was turned on to me back in 2013 following their smouldering release 'Eldir Nótt', which much like this new offering, was uncompromisingly good. Fyrnask are something of an anomaly these days in the sense that they are able to blend the floating lurch found within ambient soundscapes with the cavernous heft found within doom metal and then transmute that sound into a break neck gallop found in second wave black metal and then further pair that with other nuances and flourishes found within the ranks of the genre wheel… All without succumbing to that infectious defect of gussying up the sound to be more palatable to the masses. Fuck all of that.

You won't find any such placating here on VII: Kenoma, instead Fyrnask use their raw energy as a means to build upon layers of atmosphere, which takes on many shapes throughout the dips and swells of each sizeable track ranging from cacophonous and feral to thought-provoking and poignant. Imagine mixing equal parts early Ash Borer with Misþyrming and Altar of Plagues, and then interspersing flecks of Morne and Bölzer.

This comes highly recommended!

Fyrnask - VII:Kenoma (bandcamp)

Akhlys - Melinoë (2020)

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I've been following most things affiliated with Naas Alcameth, the main song-writer behind Akhlys and force behind the likes of Bestia Arcana, Nightbringer and Aoratos, since the essence that permeates everything he touches is smeared in some cosmic ferocity. Akhlys has been on my radar since I heard The Dreaming I, a feral amalgamation of black metal and dark ambience is the backbone behind the barrage of double-bass and whirring tremolo picking.

From the teaser tracks, it's more of the same. A meat and potatoes barrage of black metal with passages and sequences dipping heavily into ambient territory, and it's equally plummeting and challenging to get through, in the sense of auditory fatigue, but I still find myself hitting the play button. KNEEL has released my favourite take on black metal this year so far, so everything else comes second. 

Melinoë (bandcamp)

Failure Ritual - Apathy (2015)

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Everything that has been put out under the umbrella of Failure Ritual has been great, hypnotizing and plodding ambient black metal that utilizes space and repetition to drive the listener into a state of hypnosis or induced psychosis. It's drone is long and consistent and sounds like a sonic form of mania through a winding channel of muffled screams against a wall of dense mollifying guitars as war drums beat in the distance. It's hefty and haunting but somehow manages to be catchy in its rhythmic way, and it often feels as though you have turned the same corner over and over with only the faintest difference to set it apart.

And to add even more layers to its already enigmatic presence, It's mostly unknown as to who is behind Failure Ritual, but I have read speculations that it might be Adam Kalmbach of Jute Gyte. I have nothing in common with somebody who can't get behind this, as the Swedish people say, PURE FUCKING ARMAGEDDON!

Apathy (bandcamp)

Lunar Aurora - Findling

Here's the thing, I have been listening to a lot of Lunar Aurora's latest release Hoagascht, and as good as it is, in the short time I have had with this eerie offering of ambient black metal it has caused me to have to go back and listen to Andacht. More in particular the song "findling".

Why? Because this song, in my opinion (the only one that matters) is one of the greatest examples of ambient black metal we have. Comprised with one of the eeriest sounding choruses I have ever heard, interludes of boys being slashed by dull axes, loops of ambient decadence, and overall a grim sound that is fucking beautiful. Listen to it, often.

PS: I jog to this song, there is nothing better.

PPS: Fuck you.

Lunar Aurora - Hoagascht (2012)

I hope my absence has been duly noted, because I have been abroad in the great city of Montreal for the past week hanging out eating copious amounts of Poutine and smoked meat. I am minutes away from before boarding a shitty bus without the luxuries of wi-fi so I will give you guys Lunar Aurora's latest effort Hoagascht. I have yet to even listen to this yet, so I can offer you no words.

Hoagascht

Smorzando - Smrad (2008)

Here is a demo definitely worth checking out, especially if you dig ambient black metal acts like Lunar Aurora. At first, everything about this tells me I won't like it: Obscure name that makes me feel like a complete dicksmith for saying out loud (turns out it's a technical music term), terrible logo accompanied by a slightly oddball photo that does appear to be eerie but the approach is all wrong! I know, none of this shit really matters when it comes to the actual sound of the music, I'm just critical about the overall aesthetic, and I hope I remain to be.

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Moving on, get the fuck on this if you dig lo-fi ambient black metal with an overflowing amount of whispy shrieks and howls buried underneath layers of melodic passages weighed down in a morose forlorn atmosphere.

Grab if you like: Lunar Aurora, De Silence et d'Ombre, Paysage D'Hiver

Lied

Paysage d'Hiver - Demo (2011)

Those who do not like black metal, real black metal, would listen to this, cringe and probably ask something along the lines of 'how can anybody listen to this?'. Fuck those people and everything about those people. Here we have Paysage d'Hiver's 2000 demo that spans for 52 minutes of solid ambient black metal. The aural palette will be enveloped in a whirring, almost dizzy atmosphere created through repetitive riffing and noise.

Grab if you like: Lunar Aurora, Urfaust, Darkspace

Winter Landscape