Cardinal “Nocturne”

    Invoking the malevolent dark spiritual energy from 90’s symphonic black metal, Cardinal has emerged from the shadows of the Bay Area as an undeniably sinister force. The band’s debut album, “Nocturne,” demonstrates their profane creativity which draws heavily from certain old school black metal acts that incorporated haunting symphonic elements to give the music a vividly nightmarish aurora. 

    I have seen Cardinal live two times over the last couple of years, and from their live shows I could tell that these guys were not just another occult themed old school black metal act. There was definitely certain elements in their sound which stood out and I think having a keyboardist who was able to give the music that ghastly symphonic black metal atmosphere caught my attention right away. Also, unlike the bands who have incorporated keyboards and churned out more of a romantic post-black metal sound in an attempt to chase an obnoxious trend, Cardinal really conjures up some merciless compositions which completely decimates and defiles those clownish romantic black metal acts. In Cardinal's sound there are definitely elements of raw Finnish black metal mixed with more of the symphonic black metal influences, which fuses together harsh aggression with mesmerizing keyboard layers. 

    “Nocturne,” contains eight tracks of grim and hellish symphonic black metal, and features some extremely solid arrangements. The opening song, “As Silence Dies,” is a very intense sounding piece of music where the keyboard provides a spectral background whereas the drum parts and guitar riffs add a more abrasive quality to the composition. During the middle of the song the band transitions to a slower tempo featuring some really vivid chord progressions to match the sinister keyboard noises. After the first song ends, I would say that Cardinal keeps the peddle down and comes up with more captivating tracks. “Eternal Flames of Hate,” starts out with a more savage riff attack, but also has a moment during the song where the keyboard takes over before the guitarist throws on a ravenous sounding riff to return to the raw savagery heard at the beginning of the song. On the third track, “Infernal Worship,” I could definitely hear the influence of 90’s Norwegian black metal as the arrangements convey that very hateful and authentically unapologetic quality. 

    One song that took me by surprise was, “Beyond the Iron Gate,” because the song is an ambient instrumental that features some dissonant and sanity shredding noises as if they are coming from a demonic realm sealed off from the human world. Actually, the song turned out to be a decent break before the band launched into the next track, “Duskfang.” One area of this release that I believe deserves some recognition is the bass playing, which you don't hear often on black metal releases. I like how the bass parts add to the band’s overall sound by giving the a deafening boost when needed and on "Duskfang" I thought the bass riffs were very noticeable. 

     I think the keyboard plays an extremely important role in terms of Cardinal’s sonic footprint, and you can really hear it’s presence on song’s like, “Cardinal Sin” and “Northern Winds Blow.” Also, I really like the guitar riffs on “Northern Winds Blow,” and how the singer’s voice matches the brutal distorted chord arrangements. Now, I will say that the final song on the album, “The Deceiver's Mark,” was an interesting way to end to the album with more ambient noises as like an evil cinematic finale. However, I thought the track would have been more optimal as an intro track to a song, but I can understand the band wanting to finish on this note instead of ending with maybe "Northern Winds Blow," as the ambient noise do standout and present a unique atmosphere. 

    Right now, if you were to ask me what are some of the best up and coming extreme metal bands in the Bay Area, I think Cardinal is without question going to be one of my recommendations. Before even hearing, “Nocturne,” I was extremely interested in what this group of musicians was working on, and the debut album really showcases a band full of raw and sinister talent that should not go unnoticed if you are a fan of hellish symphonic black metal. These aren’t some schmucks wearing Party City vampire capes and taking photos rolling around in roses. Also, if this is what Cardinal is capable of delivering on their debut album, just wait until the next diabolical offering comes around! 

Checkout the full release below:

Cardinal Bandcamp:

https://c666.bandcamp.com/music

Empty Chalice “Majesty of Sin”

    For the fans of extreme metal music who are tired of seeing all this romantic black metal and experimental post-pussy nonsense coming out, the savage horde in Empty Chalice unleashes a deathly sounding strike to all those insanely atrocious and utterly ridiculous acts. The debut full-length album from Empty Chalice, “Majesty of Sin,” is without question one of the most intense and profanely devastating release to come out this year. 

    Hailing from the cold and shadowy parts of Victoria, British Columbia, the band seeks out those passionate fanatics of extreme metal music, especially those who desire to hear a style of raw and utterly punishing black metal with some primate death metal elements added into the mix. I have reviewed a couple of the band's demos in the past and I could tell that they were really crafting some insidious material, however, the songs of this new album come with an even fiercer and unforgiving edge. You can hear influences ranging from Bathory to Blasphemy as well as classic South American black metal. Personally, I thought the band really drew certain elements from Marduk, particularly the band's album,“Panzer Division,” because the music’s intensity is very profound and leaves an deniable impact. 

    The album contains 17 tracks, and even though most of them are rather short, the band hammers out plenty go merciless sounding riffs and unholy hymns of blasphemous celebration. “Upon the Throne,’ which is the first song off of the album, is a gruesome sounding intro into the starless black abyss where the low demonic vocals are accompanied by haunting guitar parts. On the second track, “Into a Dark Age,” the band maliciously opens up an aural assault with a burst of raw rhythmic intensity. The vocals paint a hellish picture as the band continues to deal out punishing arrangements with some ear crushing drum parts. There are some songs on this album like, “Slave Master,” where you can hear a mix of black metal vocals with more abrasive death metal like vocals, which I think gives the music an even more sinister feel at times.  

Another part of this album that really stood out and in my opinion and sort of helps Empty Chalice break away from a lot your modern extreme metal acts, was that there are some truly solid lead guitar parts throughout this album. Unlike some metal acts where the solos sound either out of place, or drag on for way too long, the leads on this album add a touch of agonizing explosiveness when needed. One of the best solos I thought was towards the end of the song, "Majesty of Sin,” where the lead really adds to the horrifying atmosphere. There are some songs that do slow down such as “From Thy Chalice,” and creates a very dark sounding atmosphere, which almost takes on Mercyful Fate vibe in terms of how the music is arranged to create a feeling of pure evil. Overall, the band really delivers in terms of the execution of their songs, and I would say that the production vividly captures the relentless aggression which Empty Chalice looks to convey on this release. From start to finish the album does not hold back and shows no lack of venomous creativity. 

In the end, I consider Empty Chalice, “Majesty of Sin,” to be one of the most deafening and purely sinister black metal releases to come out so far this year. The bestial bludgeoning that these musicians unleashed on each composition is truly impressive. I highly recommend this album for fans of extreme black metal and death metal, because unlike those generic bands who spend more time taking Instagram photos instead of practicing their instruments, Empty Chalice is truly dedicated to the dark musical arts. If anyone claims to be a fans of underground music, this album is a must listen, or else you must be one of them romantic black metal high heel wearing goofs who does black metal yoga and parties with Furries. 

Listen to the entire album below:

Empty Chalice Bandcamp:

https://emptychalicebm.bandcamp.com/

The True None "Supreme Dedication to the Craft Is Forever"

    After 11 years of vehement dedication and unyielding artistic creativity, The True One unleashes upon the world an offering titled, “Supreme Dedication to the Craft Is Forever.” Nicholas Mendiola, the heart and soul behind The True None, has been working on this since 2015 and over the years he has put together a very raw and emotionally driven release that transcends the pressuring confines of a falling into specific sub-genre of music. 

    The True None is not an act that seems to concern itself with labels, or is trying to chase a local musical trends. There is a very unique fusion of sounds that can be heard throughout this album with elements that pull out the raw and savage primitive aura of black metal with the spiritualistic tranquility of dark acoustic folk. Using an acoustic guitar to primarily hammer out his mix of captivating riffs, Nicholas seems to a be a keen composer who seems possessed when he shouts out his profound lyrics. 

    The album's opening song “Stories” begins with a haunting piano arrangement which Nicholas speaks over with an unapologetic and very serious tone. The acoustic guitar comes crashing into the sonic landscape just as his vocals become even more aggressive to match the rush of entropic emotion. Throughout the album I do believe listeners will notice how music constantly changes tone from very calm almost transcendental sounds to a more intense burst of raw expression. The second song “Desert Skyline” was a really good example of a track where at one moment I was really captivated by the vibrant acoustic chords being played to all of a sudden getting thrown into a chaotic surge of sounds. The vocal style he uses it very unique and fits the music extremely well. His words seem to highlight his inner ethos, which he presents with a profoundly passionate tone. 

    “Dusk Skies Over The Dreaming Forests,” is one song off of the album that I found to be very strong in terms of the main riff and how the music came relentlessly flowing out as if he was pouring every ounce of energy he could muster into striking the chords while confidently shouting over the cataclysmic noises. Another song which caught my attention was “Burial Transcendence,” which I think took a lot of elements from atmospheric black as well as the acoustic arrangement which be heard in some of Bathory’s music like on "Twilight of the Gods." The music felt almost cinematic at certain parts of the song and really created this awe-inspiring atmosphere. 

    When you look at the entire album and listen to each of the twelve songs, you can definitely feel that not one second was wasted and that each song is an important part of the overall vision. The title track for example, really dives into the primitive instrumental themes utilized throughout the album, but goes even deeper into the mindset which challenges the modern world's suffocating confinements and pushes this resilient mindset. Also, I think that some of the acoustic riffs on this album are extremely heavy in the sense that they provide a impactful punch to compliment the meaningful lyrical content. The way in which the acoustic guitar parts were recorded and how everything was mixed together is definitely an important reason as to why I think the songs on this album leave such an impact. 

    In the end, I would highly recommend people checkout "Supreme Dedication to the Craft Is Forever “ by The True None, especially if you want to hear an album that goes against the grain and features a plethora of raw acoustic riffs with even rawer vocals to highlight powerful words on each song. After years of commitment I think what Nicholas was able to accomplish is very impressive, but what stands out the most is how he does not compromise,  or deludes his musical vision. On each song I can confidently say that he is dedicated to his craft, so I hope people take the chance to hear what he has to offer. 

Check out the full album on Youtube below: 

The True None Bandcamp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyJusjPBpNA&t=2475s

Concert Review: Cardinal, Phantasmal Abyss, Varulf at The Caravan Lounge

    Downtown San Jose was buzzing last night with all the people in attendance for GalaxyCon along with the massive swarm of mini motorcycle riders tearing down S Market Street as if they were trying to recreate a scene from the iconic 1953 movie The Wild One starring Marlon Brando. However, the premier event was taking place at The Caravan Lounge featuring three ruthless and profanely savage bands. The line-up consisted of Cardinal, Phantasmal Abyss and Varulf, three Bay Area underground bands that know how to deliver some punishing cuts of sadistic brutality. 

     I was definitely looking forward to seeing Cardinal again after attending the show they played in Belmont with the mighty Empty Chalice from Canada. Actually, Varulf also played that show and I do remember the band putting on one intense set. Last night would be my first time seeing Phantasmal Abyss live, however I had heard some of their tracks before and looked forwarded to watching them unleash their vicious style of blackened death thrash. In regards to the venue, The Caravan Lounge is without question an iconic dive bar in Downtown San Jose that has been putting on underground music shows for years, which is definitely important given the limited amount of places for metal/punk bands to play these days. I will say that in terms of space, there is not a lot of room to move around, but you do get to experience that very intimate setting where you can be right up front getting your ears decimated by some utterly decimating riffs. 

Varulf 

    Opening up the show was the local black metal horde Varulf, and I must say that they were an optimal choice for the opening act. The energy that Varulf is able to conjure up is truly amazing to witness as the band plays with tremendous aggression and undeniable passion. Their drummer is perfectly locked in when laying down a cataclysmic beat that allows for the bassist and two guitar players to then hammer out some utterly catastrophic riffs. The vocalist is another key factor in adding to the band’s hellish sound and just like when I saw them performing in Belmont, he once again gave every ounce of energy he could muster up and unleashed these monstrous growls of pure pestilent disgust over the blackened abysmal sounding onslaught. Varulf really got the crowd into their performance and because of that they perfectly set the tone for the rest of the night. 

Phantasmal Abyss 

    After Varulf finished their set to a thunderous applause from the audience, Phantasmal Abyss started getting prepared for their set. I have to say before I start talking about their performance, I was really impressed by their professionalism as the band had their merch laid out and seemed to offer people a variety of items including beer koozies and tote bags. This trio from the East Bay offers up some utterly crushing riffs and can then transition into a more headbanging blackened thrash style. The band’s singer/guitarist Dara Santhai would scream into the mic with a fearsome look on her face while she conjured up some devastating riffs. Bassist Rafael Martinez played with great passion throughout the their set and his bass tone added a bombastically doomy touch to the overall mix. Towards the end the band’s set they had to restart a song, but the audience seemed to be forgiving and the band was able to not let it slow their momentum down. Then again, some of the people in the audience probably didn’t even notice as they were three sheets to the wind with a couple of them drunkenly bumping into me throughout the band's set. I had to breathe and count to ten a few times otherwise I might have gone full Jim Cornette at the Dairy Queen drive-thru mad (If you do not get the reference I recommend searching on Youtube as the video is epic...). 

Cardinal 

    The final band performing for the evening was Cardinal and let me tell you something, if you are a fan of raw and savage black metal with haunting atmospheres, then you need to check this band out right away. Cardinal is not just another generic black metal band putting on the corpse paint and playing cheap ass sounding tremolo style picking riffs to an audience full of apathetic metal hipsters wearing artisan beanies. They have such a strong malevolent sounding energy, and their songs really do remind me of the music from European black metal acts like Abigor, Nokturnal Mortum and Emperor. During their set I did feel that the band was working with less space than the last time I saw them before in Belmont, but they were able to make it work to where there was enough room to fit the keyboard, amps and drum kit. The band’s keyboardist provided a captivatingly spectral contrast to the harshly distorted riffs and fiendish drumming. I like how the band arranges their songs as the dynamic compositions really do keep you fully engaged and can instantly transition from a very dark slow tempo to a more intense sounding burst of bestial destruction. The audience was really into their music as well and you had plenty of people in the front banging their heads to the sinister riffs. Overall, I thought they played a really solid set and I am looking forward to them making a full-length album. 

    In the end, all of those in attendance for this diabolical gathering were dealt a might dose of blackened brutality from all three of these talented bands. If you have a chance to see them live I would highly recommend going without any hesitation. And to all those drunk people who kept bumping into me, I hope that you made it home safe and did not get run over by a gang of mini motorcycle riders, nor were harassed by some furries from GalaxyCon. You may think that you’re tough and kvlt, but those furries in numbers can be extremely dangerous. 

Cardinal Bandcamp:

https://c666.bandcamp.com/album/demonstration-2025

Phantasmal Abyss Bandcamp:

https://phantasmalabyss.bandcamp.com/music

Varulf "Fresh Blades for an Old Enemy (Single) 2024"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzSDnIml9JI

Concert Review: Empty Chalice, Bezaliel, Varulf, Cardinal and Nøkken at Chris' New Harbor Bar (May 31, 2025)

    On May 31st, 2025 darkness descended upon the Bay Area, specifically the city of Belmont, CA where an unholy gathering took place featuring five utterly malevolent bands. Empty Chalice, Cardinal, Bezaliel, Varulf and Nøkken, looked to unleash some cranial shattering riffs and unapologetically blasphemous songs for the fiendish audience in attendance to savor. 

    The show took place at Chris' New Harbor Bar located in Belmont, CA which for all of those unfamiliar with the Bay Area, is a city just south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula. So unlike going to a show in San Francisco, you don’t have to worry about stepping in human feces and there aren’t hipsters on bikes riding right in front of your goddamn car. Anyway, I have to say that the venue was a perfect place for this type of underground black metal show and I thought the intimate atmosphere inside ended up being a huge benefit during each band’s set. 

    Opening the show was, Nøkken, from the shadowy woods of Boulder Creek, CA. I thought that they did a tremendous job starting the show off by getting the audience to bang their heads to the monstrous riffs. Right from the beginning, the band’s guitarist was utterly possessed as he hammered away at his guitar and he played with such ferocity throughout their set. The drummer also provided some ear shattering rhythms from behind the kit and definitely kept the music fearsomely moving without missing a beat. Plus, the band’s singer really captured the early 90’s black metal aesthetic both in terms of his vocal style as well as his overall image. Seeing him screaming into the mic with the corpse paint on looking like a tortured soul from beyond, just perfectly complimented the band’s misanthropic lyrical content. For my first time seeing them live, I thought the sounded solid and would definitely be down to see them again. 

Nøkken

    The second band, Cardinal, was a band that I had heard of before after watching a video of them playing at an ice cream shop in San Jose. Yes, there was a black metal show at an ice cream shop, probably because the Vietnamese coffee shop in San Jose was hosting an illegal gambling party that night. Now, I think what makes this band standout compared to a lot of other up and coming raw black metal bands is that they have an actual keyboard player coming up with some haunting keyboard arrangements during their songs. I have to say that all four members sounded extremely tight and know how to play their instruments. Also, the malevolent sounds of the keyboard contrasting with the savage guitar riffs sounded great live. Their sound reminded me a bit of what you can hear on Nokturnal Mortum’s “Lunar Poetry,” where the keyboards lull you into this false sense of security and eventually you become overwhelmed by the insanely intense raw compositions flowing at you with this pure evil synergy. Cardinal is a band that I really hope gets around to making a full-length album, because with their creative mindset and sinister passion for black metal, I bet that they could craft some profoundly diabolical tracks.  

Cardinal

    After Cardinal finished their set, the third band, Varulf, from San Jose started setting up for their pulverizing black metal onslaught. At first the ear piercing sounds of feedback and technical challenges delayed them from launching into their first song, however, once they got everything going there was no stopping this band’s demonically brutal energy. Right away, the dual vocals provided by the band’s singer and the band's bassist/singer amplified the music as they each growled mercilessly over the chaotic arrangements. Both guitarists played with tremendously ravenous passion as they hammered out evil sounding chord progressions. Varulf did not let off the pedal once as they continuously dealt out cataclysmic song after song. I feel Varulf is a band highly worth checking out live, because they know how to put on a non-stop adrenaline pumping performance. 

Varulf

    The fourth band on the bill was, Bezaliel, an evil act trio from the Bay Area that played their set with candles, incense burning and red siren lights flashing to establish a very ritualistic atmosphere, which I do believe visually looked great. Also, the bassist was all decked out in chains and spikes, but I must admit unlike some black metal musicians who have the look down yet cannot play their instruments to save their lives, this guy could play like a maniac. There were a couple songs where the bass player laid down some wicked sounding bass parts to inject a juggernaut sized boost of low-end brutality. Also, Bezaliel conjured up some punishing riffs that started getting people moshing around, so I thought that even after three previous bands the crowd was still going strong if they were running around pumping into each other. 

Bezaliel

    The final band of the evening, Empty Chalice, traveled all the way down from Victoria B.C., Canada and this black metal horde is so insanely malevolent and down right badass that they gave Justin Trudeau such terrible nightmares that some say it was why Trudeau decided to resign. If you have been following this blog I have reviewed some of Empty Chalice’s demos in the past, so for me I was very excited to finally see them live, especially after the release of their new demo Violated Oaths. As the members launched into the first song I could tell that they were ready to raise some hell. The two guitar attack provided by the band’s two guitarists provided some deafening riffs as the band’s bassist would also follow along sadistically strike his bass. At one point the drummer from Empty Chalice was playing so fast that one of his drum sticks flew out of his hand and went right by my head, but he pulled out another one and kept feverishly drumming away. During their set the band’s singer did a great job interacting with the crowd between songs trying to get people to headbanging and even took off his noose which was around his neck and then put it on someone who was not banging their head. The band did a killer cover of Marduk’s “Baptism by Fire,” as that is off of one of my favorite Marduk albums, so it was cool that they incorporated into their set. Overall, Empty Chalice sounded brutal and gave the audience a wicked set, so hope that they can comeback to the Bay Area in the future. 

Empty Chalice

    In the end, I thought all the bands sounded extremely solid and the crowd always seemed to be engaged. Unlike some shows where people only go to see their friends play and then just leave, I thought the people in attendance who were passionate fans of extreme underground music stuck around to appreciate what these bands had to offer. I definitely look forward to seeing what these bands have in the works and would recommend checking them out. The Bay Area like a lot places across the US has definitely seen a decline in the availability of venues for extreme metal music, so shoutout to the people who put on this show and Chris' New Harbor Bar for hosting this event. Also, anytime there is a Bay Area metal show and I don't have to drive into SF is a huge win, because when a city has an app that tracks the areas where people poop on the street, that is a place that I like to avoid. 

Empty Chalice Bandcamp:

https://emptychalicebm.bandcamp.com/

Cardinal Bandcamp:

https://c666.bandcamp.com/music

Bezaliel Bandcamp:

https://bezaliel.bandcamp.com/

Nøkken Bandcamp:

https://nokkensemperviren.bandcamp.com/album/demo-1

Samiarus “Reign Destroyer”

 

    The debut EP from the sadistic SF Bay Area based black/death horde, Samiarus, is an inhumanely punishing release that seeks to land a profoundly devastating blow upon the world of extreme music. Titled, “Reign Destroyer,” the debut EP is a vile concoction containing some of the most profoundly extreme and down right unapologetic elements known to those within the underground music community.  

    Featuring members from Bay Area bands like Abstracter, Mentor, Doomsday, Abnutivum, Meth Sores, Flesh Dungeon and Slaughteruin, all of these accomplished extreme metal musicians in Samiarus really deliver a vicious decree of aural hostility. Right away I noticed the influence of war metal acts like Blasphemy and Archgoat, but I also could hear the anarchist punk/hardcore elements that seemed to fuel the band’s defiantly raw and savage vision. From the start of the EP, you are instantly hooked by the harsh surreal sounds of a world thrown into bleak entropic turmoil, which is eventually consumed by an utterly deafening riff onslaught. Songs like, “New Iron Age” and “Torment’s Spear,” feature plenty of bestial compositions as well as these horrifying vocals from the band's lead singer. I thought the vocals perfectly complimented the chaotic instrumental compositions by adding to the music’s agonizingly apocalyptic atmopshere. 

    Even though there are only seven tracks featured on the album, you feel as though you are constantly being overwhelmed by the band’s ferocious energy during each song. Also, unlike some of these modern black/death war metal bands that do nothing but mindlessly hammer away at recycled Blasphemy riffs, Samiarus really offers up something more with their sound and approach to writing songs. For example the song, “Throne Devoured,” is a monstrous piece of extreme music featuring some pulverizing rhythms, especially from the band’s fiendish drummer. The level of intensity from the beginning of the track until the end is almost unfathomable. “Crushed by Inferior,” is another solid track which once again contains some solid sinister guitar work while unleashing an aggressive sonic assault aimed at crippling the corrupt foundations working to oppress society. The album’s last track, “Exitium,” served as this more nightmarish industrial sendoff after all the decimating black/death metal riffs, and I thought the track was a clever way to finish off the album. 

    Overall, Samiarus did not waste one moment on this debut EP and they definitely left a ruthless everlasting mark when recording of this release. “Reign Destroyer,” is being released through Sentient Ruin on April 25th, so if you are a fan of extreme underground music then you better go get yourself a copy. I can honestly say that there are no half-ass compositions on this release, which is rare when you have so many extreme metal bands coming up with releases lacking substance, or just following trends to get noticed. Samiarus proves to be a band driven my uncompromising artistic ethos, which is why I would consider their debut EP to be one of the best extreme metal releases of this year so far. 

Check out the song "New Iron Age" below:

Link to Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

North “We Are, We Remain…”

    Polish black metal veterans, North, look to unleash a savage sounding black metal blizzard upon the extreme metal world with the release of their new EP. Titled, “We Are, We Remain…,” the upcoming release shall contain some new material, a re-recording of the classic song “Hymn to Winter,” as well as a cover of Bathory’s, “A Fine Day to Die.” 

    Along with fellow Polish black metal titans Graveland, Sacrilegium and Behemoth, North was part of that undeniably influential black metal scene which saw a plethora of killer releases coming from Poland. North’s 1998 release, “From the Dark Past,” is a truly vicious sounding black metal release featuring some utterly grim riffs and hauntingly ruthless vocal parts. Fans have waited since 2011 for new music from North, so there has been a fair amount of anticipation surrounding the release of this new EP, and I believe a lot of that has to do with North’s strong cult extreme music following. 

    Listening to the new material I can guarantee fans of merciless sounding black metal will not be disappointed. The riffs on some of the songs are down right scorching in terms of the distorted intensity which the band is able to conjure up. On the opening track, "Czas By Powstali / It's Time For Them Arise,” the band hammers out a deafening onslaught of pestilent guitar parts to create an ominous sounding atmosphere. Also, the vocals really standout on the song and are delivered with such an unapologetically savage black metal attitude. 

    The other two new tracks “Stulecia We Krwi / Centuries In Blood” and “Horda Duchów / Horde Of Ghosts,” are also a couple decimating pieces of black metal music with some death metal elements added as well. At times the riffs take on an unfathomable brutal sound, but then transition into a more frantic old school black metal style, which displays how talented this band is when coming up with destructive sounding arrangements. I thought the re-recorded version of, “Hymn to Winter,” was extremely impressive as well, because the band was able to maintain the song’s classic pagan black metal tone, but added an even more modern punch in terms of the production quality. I would even say that the drum sound on this new version of the song was very tight sounding and the drummer demonstrated a tremendous amount of talent from behind the kit by pounding out some intense rhythms. For their cover of Bathory’s, “A Fine Day to Die,” I thought they did a solid job covering a classic song which has been covered numerous times before by other black metal bands.  

    Overall, North’s new EP, “We Are, We Remain…,” is a malevolent black metal creation which maintains an old school black metal mentality in terms of the songwriting and the sound, while also adding some slight modern extreme metal touches. In recent years there have been some black metal bands that have made new albums and for some reason they sound egregiously overproduced and watered down. North’s utterly grim and brutally behemoth black metal sound seems to still be there, and I look forward to seeing if they can build off this album’s sound on future recordings as this is the type of extreme metal music that you desire to hear more of from bands. 

Link to where you can order the album :

https://www.pagan-records.com/pl/p/NORTH-We-Are%2C-We-Remain...-CD-PRE-ORDER/13742

North Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/kingdominblood/

Diabolic Oath “Oracular Hexations”

    Spawning from out of the twisted and hellish depths comes yet another inhumanely agonizing release from Portland, OR’s savage black/death metal trio Diabolic Oath. Titled, “Oracular Hexations,” this sophomore full-length release picks up right where the band left off on their debut album, “Profane Death Exodus,” yet ventures even further into the tumultuous musical void that shreds away at your sanity as you become engulfed in the abhorrent sounding extreme metal miasma. 

    Right away, I will acknowledge that this album is definitely a step into an even more sinister direction, which is hard to imagine given how much I thought their debut album was a monstrous release. However, the production on this new album along with the cataclysmic riffs seems to take on an even more aggressive and surrealistic sound. There is a truly haunting evolution that you hear on this album as the songs seem to further experiment with utterly bludgeoning unorthodox chord progressions and seismically devastating blast beats. I feel as though where most modern death metal and black metal bands take on a very repetitive formula and fail to really step outside box, Diabolic Oath really puts a tremendous amount of effort into this new album by structuring the songs to leave a profound and devastating impact. 

    Out of the six tracks featured on this album, I never thought that the band disappointed in terms of offering some dynamic extreme metal compositions. Plus, the titles for the songs on this album are also extremely descriptive with the opening song being titled, “Rusted Madness Tethering Misbegotten Haruspices.” The band wastes little time and dives right into a massive sounding arrangement featuring some bombastic riffs, grotesque growls and sickening rhythms. Throughout the album the band continues to deliver these unbelievably monumental sounding arrangements that really standout thanks to the solid production. Track number two, “Serpent Coils Suffocating the Mortal Wound,” is a dynamically fearsome sounding black/death metal onslaught which blends together different tempos as well as some frantic sounding blast beats. 

    There are tracks on this album that really explore the thresholds of extreme metal music by deviating from the same path like on, “Winged Ouroboros Mutating Unto Gold” and “Fragmented Hymns from the Globulous Cruciger.” There are some death doom elements at times which adds to the dark suffocating atmospheres, but then all of a sudden you can have an unexpected transition into an adrenaline pumping old school death metal beatdown of unapologetic aggression. One track that stood out on this release was the close to ten min song, “Gathering Hordes from the Outer Worlds.” From the opening riff you are thrown into a thunderous primordial sounding realm, while at the same time the vocalist delivers more demonic growls to complement the music’s putrid tone. In the end, you just cannot escape this band’s unapologetic ferocity as well as their savage musicianship that delivers until the final song. 


    Working with Sentient Ruin on the release of this album, Diabolic Oath will be releasing, “Oracular Hexations,” on April 5th, 2024. Looking back at the other releases I have reviewed from Diabolic Oath, most of which have been released through Sentient Ruin, I strongly believe that sonically this is their best release to date. The riffs on this album are extremely insidious and the overall execution on each arrangement instantly hooks you once you start listening. This is definitely one of those extreme metal releases you are going to want to check out, because there is simply no denying Diabolic Oath’s almost unworldly sinister extreme music making talents on this album. 

Check out the song "Winged Ouroboros Mutating Unto Gold" below:

Link to Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Link to Diabolic Oath Bandcamp:

https://diabolicoath.bandcamp.com/album/oracular-hexations

Marduk “Memento Mori”

    Swedish black metal titans, Marduk, continue to prove to the extreme metal world that they are one of the most vicious and unforgiving acts around with the release of their fifteenth full-length studio album, “Memento More.” Formed in 1990, Marduk has become one of the most influential and fearsome extreme metal bands around. From the early years where the band unleashed nightmarish raw sounding black metal on albums like, "Dark Endless" and "Those of the Unlight," to when they released one of the most intense and destructive albums ever recorded, “Panzer Division,” Marduk’s dedication to recording such hellacious releases is something that I believe deserves to be acknowledged. 

    It has been close to five years since Marduk released their last full-length album, “Viktoria,” which in my opinion was a solid album that demonstrated how skilled this band is at writing blistering black metal riffs, as well as dealing out some decimating blast beats. After waiting five years, I do think expectations for this new album were high and in the end Marduk delivered another strong extreme metal release. The tone of this album is a bit darker and the slower riffs sections on some tracks create a very morbid and bone chilling musical environment which was not something that the band emphasized as much of the previous couple full-length releases. I thought this album did a great job balancing the different types of riff structures, while still unleashing those deafening blitzkrieg like black metal riffs.

    The opening of the album instantly had me hooked and I liked how the band slowly built up the arrangement to create a very suspenseful sounding landscape. Morgan Håkansson’s sinister guitar tone rips through the sickening chaos, while the vocals provided by singer Mortuus paint a gruesome tale to compliment the hateful sounding riffs. Also, the feverish drum parts do a solid job maintaining the tempo and adding to the apocalyptic noises from the other instruments. The second track, “Heart of the Funeral,” is a strong piece of savage black metal, which is very reminiscent to what one would expect to hear from Marduk. On the third track, “Blood of the Funeral,” I thought the band really turned up the intensity, especially pertaining to some of the guitar leads Morgan thew into the recording to inject an extra boost of raw ferocity. Everything just really comes together on the song and this is something which continues throughout the rest of the album where the band sounds extremely tight as they deliver more catastrophic black metal music. 

    My favorite song off of the album is, “Shovel Beats Sceptre,” because the start of the track is just Mortuus growling out the lyrics while a bell eerily tolls in the background. Eventually the other instruments come feverishly crashing into the composition to unleash a very doom like sounding piece of music. Personally, I really enjoyed the slower more mid-tempo riffs on the album, because they do a great job drawing you into this brutally hypotonic sinister sounding realm. Other tracks such as, “Marching Bones” and “Year of the Maggot,” keep the black metal assault moving forward by hammering out more soul crushing riffs and ruthless sounding drum parts. Until the very end of the album you are unable to tear away from the sheer frantic insanity, which I attribute to the profoundly fiendish guitar playing. 

In the end, Marduk’s “Memento More,” is an album that I would highly recommend if you are a fan of black metal and want to hear something that is not poorly produced unlike some of the modern metal releases you might come across. Marduk has proven time after time to be one the most highly respect black metal acts around, which I would definitely credit to the band’s consistent and sinister creative mindset. Now, does this album stack up to some of their highly praised past releases? I think that is a tough call, and it will ultimately depend on your personal preferences. In my opinion, this album is a strong offering and one of the best black metal releases of this year that once again establishes Marduk as one the most malevolent forces within the global black metal community. 

Check out the song "Shovel Beats Sceptre" :

Marduk Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Mardukofficial/

Century Media Website :

https://centurymedia.store/dept/marduk

Decoherence "Order"

    Sentient Ruin’s extreme aural conquest continues to rage through the summer with yet another monstrous new album from one of the most devastating acts around. Based out of the UK, Decoherence  takes elements from industrial metal, black metal and death metal to achieve an unfathomably inhuman sound that tears down the walls of reality and traverses into truly nightmarish sounding landscapes. 

    The band’s third album, “Order,” continues where the band left on their previous full-length release, “Unitarity,” but also experiments with some even more surreal sounding industrial elements to create a bleak lifeless world where chaos has unraveled to a point you feel like everything around you is spinning out of control. I also recommend checking out the band’s compilation album, “System I,” which Sentient Ruin released back in 2021 that features an exceptional cover of Killing Joke's, "The Wait." 

    From the very beginning on this new album, Decoherence seeks to shake the foundations of extreme music by going against the grain with each composition. The first couple tracks on the new album, “Closed Timelike Curves” and “An Unconfined System,” are a couple maniacal offerings of deafening distorted creativity. You feel as though all these different noises are getting thrown into this monstrous machine, which then violently hammers out these explosive ear shattering rhythms. Something I noticed as well when listening to the beginning of this album was how cold and inhumane the atmospheres sounded, as if I was hearing the soundtrack to some horrifying dystopian futuristic science fiction film where humanity has been erased by malevolent artificial intelligence. 

    Throughout the album Decoherence’s harsh unapologetic mindset is what I believe fuels this album’s eye opening sound. A track such as, “With No Pre-Existing Direction,” features a plethora of agonizing riffs as well as these raw black metal vocals that echo over hateful sounding distortion from the guitars to achieve a pure hostile overall tone. “Quintessence Field,” is another pestilent mind altering track containing some dynamic and hypnotic sounding arrangements. Musically, everything just comes together so well that the album keeps you locked into this shattered mindset where you see reality slowly slipping away into the grim distorted thunderous musical landscape that pulls you further into the inevitable abyss.  

    Decoherence is a band that you are either going to embrace right away for their willingness to create unconventional sounding joineries into dark and twist soundscapes, or one that will have your brain melting from their insidiously entropic sounding arrangements. For fans of industrial metal, black metal and extreme music that wishes to shatter normal time signatures and hacks away at deviant sounding chord progressions, then you are going to want to check out this new album. Decoherence’s, “Order,” pushes the extreme music world further into the nightmarish oblivion to provide a sense of where humanity is headed as a majority of people blindly become enslaved to the materialistic world around them. 

Check out the song "Closed Timelike Curves" :

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp (Album comes out July 28th, so go pre-order now!):

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/order

Lucifixion "Trisect Joys of Pierced Hearts"

    US black metal savages, Lucifixion, hold nothing back on their debut full-length album, “Trisect Joys of Pierced Hearts,” by unleashing a merciless cataclysmic assault upon the extreme metal world. The band’s sound captures the chaotically raw and pestilent nature of classic 90’s black metal that makes you feel as though everything around you is being swallowed up into an abyss as a massive dark force is spreading across the land bringing about apocalyptic destruction. 

    I swear, from the bleak sounding guitar riffs to the ear shattering drums, this album is exactly what you want if you are looking to hear some pulverizing black metal similar to that of early Emperor, Gorgoroth, Satanic Warmaster, Darkthrone and Marduk. I would also say that even though the production quality on this album takes after the traditional cold blasphemous black metal sound, there were moments on this album where I actually liked how Lucifixion sort of added their own unique spin and came up with some creatively sinister sounding arrangements. Never once did I find myself feeling like this album would fall into the generic shitty black metal category that one can find on Youtube where all the members look like mountain men who failed at putting their corpse paint on, thus making themselves look like Juggalos. 

    The album begins as one would except from an insidious black metal band with plenty of hissing distortion and agonizing cries to usher in the deafening onslaught. “Hammer of Fevered Lights,” is a strong opening track featuring some decimating corpse shredding riffs as well as a massive amount of feverish drumming. Probably what I enjoyed most about this album was the very chaotically catchy blizzard like black metal tempos that instantly hooks you. Songs like, “Howl, Thy Desolate Sound” and “Feral Mass,” are a couple sadistic sounding tracks that throw you into this harsh sounding chaotic melee from beginning to end. 

    Also, the album’s shorter tracks contain a monolith sized amount of raw pestilent energy, which is why even though this style of black metal is nothing new to the extreme music world, you can really appreciate the utterly savage arrangements that Lucifixion conjures up. For example, track number five, “O, To Strike One Great and Final Wound On,” is a close to three minute blitzkrieg of bestial guitar riffs and adrenaline pumping primitive sounding rhythms. Plus, the intro to the song is extremely creative by having the sounds of wolves howling to setup the gruesome oncoming aural assault. Another track that caught my attention was, “Iron Outer Midnyghte,” which contains some intense tempos as well as these unbelievably sickening vocals that sound like a bloodthirsty ghoul crying out in a remote dark forest while feasting a human sacrifice.

    Overall, “Trisect Joys of Pierced Hearts,” is highly recommend for fans of insanely raw and unforgiving black metal. Lucifixion really captures the hateful spirit of what one would expect to hear from a ruthless black metal act, while also coming up with some extremely solid compositions. From start to finish there is little to nothing one can complain about this album, which is why once you start listening I don’t think you will be able to tear yourself about from the ritualistic sounding carnage. The album comes out June 30th via Sentient Ruin, so go pre-order now and secure a copy of this hellish offering before it sells out! 

Check out the song, “Howl, Thy Desolate Sound,” below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Satanic Warmaster "Aamongandr"

    Right before 2022 ended the extreme metal community was gifted with a brand new album from Satanic Warmaster. Although I had already created my Top Ten Albums of 2022 list, I strongly believed that this album would have made the list if I were to have heard it earlier. However, I will honestly state that this album would easily be number one if I were to redo my list. Also, I do find that this is one of the best sounding black metal releases to come out over the last couple years, which is saying something given the fact that there have been a decent amount of killer new black metal albums. 

    “Aamongandr,” marks the triumphant return of Satanic Warmaster with the band’s previous full-length studio release, “Fimbulwinter,” having come out around 2014. Over the years Satanic Warmaster has amassed a massive discography full of full-length releases, splits, demos and compilations. The dedication of founding member and black metal icon, Werewolf, has always been a main reason why Satanic Warmaster continues to thrive. The band is recognized amongst extreme music fans as one of the most profound black metal bands around and one that delivers consistent blasphemous black metal. Satanic Warmaster stays true to the traditional black metal formula, yet has been able to craft a distinct sound that is easily recognizable by fans. Even though a long list of bands have come along and tried to copy Satanic Warmaster, in the end we all know who truly reigns supreme. 

    While listening to the album, I noticed how the album feels like a strong culmination of the band’s releases, but also has a unique sound. There are bands that after a significant period of not releasing a full-length album tend to come back with a glorified nostalgia release where everything seems painfully recycled. Right away when listening to the first track, “Bafomet,” you are thrown into this black metal cyclone containing devastating skull crushing riffs along with some deafening drum parts. As the music conjures up a firestorm of pure evil, Werewolf’s vocals are simply unmistakable and provide an extra boost of savage aggression when needed. On the next track, “Duke’s Ride (…of the Spectral Hooves),” the music continues to deliver that blistering black metal sound, while the riffs become a bit more dynamic and there are more haunting tempo changes. 

    Throughout the album I also noticed how there were more atmospheric black metal elements incorporated into the tracks with my favorite example being, “Berserk Death.” During this one section towards the end of the track I was really impressed by the keyboard arrangement and how the music built-up this triumphant almost cinematic like sound. “The Eye of Satan,” is another solid track that features some utterly fearsome chord progressions and bombastic blast beats. You hear all the elements of classic Satanic Warmaster, however, this album to me sort of goes beyond what I might have expected at times before listening to it. Sonically, this is an extremely well produced release and the production from top to bottom is spectacular. 

    From the beginning of the album until the ruthless sounding last guitar riff on the final song, “Barbas X Aamon,” you will not be disappointed with this inhuman black metal assault. “Aamongandr,” once again demonstrates the band’s exceptional sinister talents when working  in the studio, and there are no weak moments on this entire album. Satanic Warmaster continues to establish a black metal empire of supreme sounding destruction and anyone who wishes to challenge this empire will be met by an army of black metal fanatics ready to tear you apart. 

Stream the album below:

Order the album here:

http://hellsheadbangers.com/

Savage Necromancy "Feathers Fall to Flames"

     Savage Necromancy perfectly captures the unapologetic and malevolent extreme metal spirit with their full-length release, “Father Fall to Flames.” These extreme metal maniacs from Phoenix, Arizona, really nail down the basic elements of what is needed to create an undeniably blasphemous album. Their sound combines the straightforward brutality of old school death metal with the pure hostile and vile mindset of sacrilegious black metal. If you are a fan of bands like Blasphemy, Bestial Warlust, Beherit and Archgoat, then you’ll definitely find this album to your liking. 

    The first track on the album, “Milenio De La Crucifixión,” begins with what sounds like a demonic incantation being read over this spine-chilling organ synth arrangement, giving the album a very horrifying cinematic vibe. Eventually the haunting cries fade away and this gruesome sounding riff cuts through the soundscape unleashing an onslaught of hateful distortion. After this first song and hearing the guitar tone, I was instantly sold and looked forward to the coming tracks. Although I’ve heard a decent amount of bands play this style of extreme music, I found the overall production and execution to be very impressive. Songs such as, “Baptized in the Cum of the Goat” and “Conquest of Nazareth,” are written in a very direct and brutal manner, which definitely leaves an impact when listening to the music. 

    Throughout the album I never felt that Savage Necromancy was recycling the same monotonous sounding riffs and the music vividly captures your attention by continuing to deliver that utterly savage sounding approach. When looking at this group, each member of this extreme war machine injects a certain amount of distinct abhorrent talent into songs, thus creating some very monstrous compositions. The vocals throughout the entire album delivered a tremendous amount of raw unapologetic energy with my favorite example being the vocal parts during, “Storming the Gates of Heaven.” As the guitarist frantically hammers out these agonizing bone crushing riffs, the vocals come roaring over the chaos unleashing a massive amount of unholy aggression. 

    Also, the drumming on this album was unfathomably deafening at times to the point where you started to wonder if your speakers might blow out. On the track, “Disgorging Christ’s Kingdom,” the drumming and guitar playing makes you feel like the world around you is collapsing into some black abyss. Again, the band is extremely consistent with their delivery, thus allowing you to become possessed by the primitive and bestial sounding assault. 

    Overall I would describe, “Feathers Fall to Flames,” as an album completely focused on dealing out punishing riffs and down right brutal rhythms. Also, I believe that the album’s strong production along with the band's tight sound, is what ultimately made this such an insidious sounding release. I highly recommend people check out Savage Necromancy if they are into this style of extreme metal music, especially if you are a fiendish headbanger who enjoys terrorizing their community by wearing demonic themed band shirts and playing their music at full volume as they go to the grocery store. 

Check out the entire album below:

Savage Necromancy Bandcamp:

https://savagenecromancy666.bandcamp.com/

Xenomorph "Nihilistic Rustbelt Black Metal II (Demo)"

    As a fan of the Alien movie franchise as well as a fan of black metal, I never thought that the two worlds would ever cross paths. So when I received this promo for a black metal band called Xenomorph, I was instantly interested in hearing this band. Based out of Cincinnati, OH, Xenomorph is a one-man black metal act that definitely captures the malvotmnt spirit of raw old school 90’s black metal. The band’s demo, “Nihilistic Rustbelt Black Metal II,” is an utterly harsh offering that takes listeners into an abhorrent sounding world where evil lurks around every corner. 

    I must say that the artist behind Xenomorph is fully committed to recording vicious sounding black metal and has a very strong creative vision, which can be heard throughout this demo. The opening track, “Die Kraft Arbeit,” explodes with a vile sounding tone just like a chestburster breaking through human flesh. Right away I could tell that the guitar riffs were going for that barbaric of school black metal style which feverishly hammers away following along to the intense drum rhythms. As the instruments create a landscape of pure chaos, the vocals add an acidic venomous touch to the nightmarish arrangements. 

    The demo’s second track, “Punition Qui Fair Mal,” is another putrid black metal onslaught with more haunting riffs and deafening drum parts. You can definitely catch moments during the song where Xenomorph was influenced by bands such as Emperor, Gorgoroth and Mayhem. Actually, the way that the drums were recorded along with the grim overall atmosphere, I could hear a lot of early Emperor influence, particularly from the “Wrath of the Tyrant” demo. On the third track, “Broken Paradigm of Worth,” I was mainly impressed by the drumming and how the riffs following along to the horrendous sounding rhythms. 

    Even though this style of extreme metal is nothing new and I have heard countless bands pay homage to the old school back metal blueprint, I really liked the execution and compositions on this demo, which made me want to keep listening. Also, the cover Xenomorph did of Gorgoroth’s, “Possessed,” sounded really solid and was a perfect choice since Xenomorph’s sound reminded me a bit of Gorgoroth at times.

    If you are looking for some raw straightforward old school black metal, then you should make sure to check out Xenomorph’s, “Nihilistic Rustbelt Black Metal II.” I have always had respect one-man bands as it takes a lot of dedication to create releases, especially when there is one person handling all the work. For a demo, this does a tremendous job getting people to check out the band and also will give people something to look forward to if they are into this style of black metal. Trust me, compared to what they have done with the Alien movie franchise as of late, this demo will not disappoint and make you feel like you’ve wasted your time. 

Check out the demo below: 

Xenomorph Bandcamp: 

https://xenomorph8472.bandcamp.com/album/nihilistic-rustbelt-black-metal-ii-demo

Sahmaataha "Harvesting Worlds (2022 Demo)"

    Pure cataclysmic sounding devastation is what Sahmaataha conjures up from the unholy depths with the release of their debut demo, “Harvesting Worlds.” These abhorrent extreme metal musicians do not hold anything back as they unleash an unbelievably barbaric extreme metal beatdown. 

    On each of the three tracks listeners will notice instantly that this band does not wish to reinvent the extreme music world, yet they also do not set out to write regurgitated and forgettable sounding riffs. The band’s sound is a morbidly sinister blend of bone crushing old school death metal, haunting black metal and merciless sounding thrash metal. In the end, these musicians are able to combine all their extreme metal skills in order to create one gruesome sounding assault. 

    The overall sound and production creates a very raw and abrasive environment, which I felt strengthened this band’s unforgiving creative musical vision. Take for example the opening track, “Absolute Enslavement,” where instead of giving listeners a chance to be prepared for the upcoming destruction, the band decides to instantly open up the apocalyptic gates by hammering out a fearsome sounding riff. Also, the drumming provided a monumental rush of hellish aggression to push the music into an even more terrifying direction. Adding to the overwhelming malevolent aural carnage, the band’s vocalist unleashes some profound demonic like growls to compliment the pulverizing riffs. 

    Whereas I felt the band did a great job balancing a variety of extreme metals elements on the first track, I noticed that on the second track, “That Which Once Was,” you could definitely hear more old school death metal influences during the song. Actually, I thought that during this song the band did a tremendous job capturing certain aspects of 90’s death metal, especially in terms of how they went about recording the instruments. I find that too many modern death metal bands sound down right atrocious due to the fact that the recording of the instruments ends up sounding completely cheap and lacks that vicious old school edge. The third track, “Harvesting Worlds,” is another nightmarish offering upon the extreme metal altar by throwing down more sickening riffs. During this track I felt that the guitar playing started to really catch my attention, and the lead parts were perfectly woven into the arrangements. 

    For only three tracks, “Harvesting Worlds,” is a very solid sounding demo release and Sahmaataha demonstrated that they are a band not trying to throw out generic sounding recordings. On future releases I definitely want to hear this band go furthering with their dynamic blend of extreme metal, while maintaining that insidious mindset which allows them to write such decimating pieces of music. I highly recommend people check out Sahmaataha and keep an eye out for what they having coming out in the future, because if this is just their demo, then I sure as hell cannot wait to hear what they will summon forth on their debut full-length. 

Check out the full demo below:

Sahmaataha Bandcamp:

https://sahmaataha.bandcamp.com/releases

Sahmaataha Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Sahmaataha

Goathammer & Empty Chalice "From the Chalice of the Goat"

    Canadian extreme metal bands, Goathammer and Empty Chalice, join forces to unleash a blasphemous assault of agonizing black metal upon the world with their brand new split, “From the Chalice of the Goat.” The songs on this split are inhumanely brutal and both bands prove to be fiendish forces with their sights set on crafting decimating compositions for listeners to become immersed in a sea of suffocating darkness. 

    Now, I am rather familiar with Empty Chalice having reviewed their debut EP, which I highly recommend people check out if they have not already. I think Empty Chalice does a tremendous job constructing raw old school sounding black metal, while also not becoming victims of that generic worship black metal sound which ends up becoming forgettable after a couple listens. With this split being my first introduction to Goathammer, I was really impressed by their sound and I liked the band’s savage old school approach to creating riffs. The band does an excellent job with their recordings by creating a vivid sounding ritualistic atmosphere. 

    Goathammer starts the split off with the song, “Sulphuric Breath of Astaroth,” which features a ferocious opening composition. The band’s drummer really unleashes a flurry of destructive sounding rhythms from behind the kit, thus sending a devastating shockwave across the musical landscape for the guitars to hammer out some sadistic sounding riffs. Also, the band’s vocalist delivers the lyrics with such malice and disgust that you cannot but relish in the hellish insanity that comes out of your speakers. The band also cover’s the song, “Disintegrator/Incinerator,” by Canadian death/thrash legends Slaughter (Not to be confused with that crappy hair metal band Slaughter that wrote some dumb song about flying with angels). I thought Goathammer did a solid job with the cover, especially in terms of how it complimented their overall sound as well as their malefic extreme metal mindset. 

    Empty Chalice contributes six tracks to the spilt with the first being, “Lamentations,” a very haunting introduction track that features a phenomenal acoustic guitar piece. From then on the band tears through short yet extremely unforgiving sounding tracks, all of which display the band’s terrifying talents. I would say that my favorite song from Empty Chalice was, “Poison (Venenum Est Numium),” primarily because of the ominous sounding introduction. You feel as though you are entering some primitive demonic dominion as the drums and bass unleash a hurricane of deafening destruction. Towards the end of the song I really liked the frantic sounding guitar solo, because unlike some guitarists who tend to get carried away with pointless shredding, Empty Chalice’s guitarist knows how to fit a lead part into an arrangement and actually leave an impact on the listener. Overall, Empty Chalice’s songs did not disappoint and their cover of Hellhammer’s, “Revelations Of Doom,” was a great choice to have as the final song on the spilt. 

    Both bands did a tremendous job on this split and I also thought that the two bands really complimented each other well in terms of their unforgiving and ruthless styles of songwriting. I can definitely see these two bands performing live and sending black metal hipsters fleeing for their lives as the music would prove to be too malevolent for those skinny jean wearing yoga obsessed humanoids who ride electric scooters listening to crap like Myrkur. In the end, I highly recommend people check out this split if they are into abhorrent sounding black metal that embraces the old school extreme metal mentality of unapologetic artistic expression. 

Check out the full split below : 

Goathammer Bandcamp:

https://goathammer.bandcamp.com/

Empty Chalice Bandcamp:

https://emptychalicebm.bandcamp.com/