Today, Balkan black metallers CMPT stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Na utrini. Set for international release on December 27th via Osmose Productions, hear CMPT‘s Na utrini in its entirety here:
The second in the ambitious Balkan black metal trilogy, started with the debut album Na utrini, offers a conceptual prequel set before the events of the previous album begin to unfold. Utrina comes from the local vocabulary usually meaning a neglected, uncultivated land that no one pays attention to anymore. It is a desolate piece of land at the end of villages, between fields and forests, roads and marshlands, alienated and abandoned by common folk.
While Krv i pepeo carries the symbol of bloodlust, Na utrini paves its way in symbols of land, mud, and dirt and, as such, explores the world located on the northern wing of the Danube bank in the lower part of the Pannonian basin. These wet and muddy lands at the foot of the Carpathians were, for centuries, both home and the grave for numerous empires and civilizations, many of which still have their mark in local folklore, beliefs, and toponyms. It was here that the ancestors of the southern Slavs made their last stop before definitively settling on the Balkan Peninsula.
Once again following the night and the local “demon hour” (Serbian: “gluvo doba”), Na utrini is a record about the darkness of abandoned places, old ruins, cemeteries, wastelands, and liminal spaces that time has forgotten.
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for CMPT’s Na utrini
1. Na utrini [9:30] 2. Oppidum Panuka [4:57] 3. Mesečina [5:37] 4. Campus de Maxond [1:59] 5. Crna voda [3:47] 6. U raljama košave [5:35] 7. Kao srp u noći [9:26] 8. Δ ΙΣΤΡΟΥ [7:27]
oday, Darkness Shall Rise Productions announces February 27th, 2025 as the international release date for Tubal Cain‘s highly anticipated second album, Slime Abyss, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Husband-and-wife duo Alex and Kristine Drake forged the core of Tubal Cain from the compressed sediment of decades in metal: original and traditional metamorphic stories, enshrouded in the occult and fantasy. Echoing the heroes of early black metal, thrash, and classic metal, Tubal Cain embody their own style – the true spirit of raw-school street metal!
With Slime Abyss, Tubal Cain provide us with the perfect soundtrack for road trips on LSD or gatherings around bonfires praising the dark lord. The American band’s second album convinces with memorable songs that are addictively catchy yet unpolished and rough at the same time. Their curious brew should be checked out by anyone into well-written metal with a dark twist.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new title track “Slime Abyss” here:
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of Thomas Toye (Illogical Comics), and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Tubal Cain’s Slime Abyss
1. Slime Abyss 2. Tomb Of The Ancient King 3. Screams Of Crimson 4. Filth Be Damned 5. Daemon Star 6. Night Of The Hawkwitch 7. Ghost Tower 8. The Winds Of Limbo 9. Drifting To The Black Sun
Today, Eternal Death announces February 21st, 2025 as the international release date for Malacath‘s highly anticipated fifth album, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain, on CD format.
Born to recapture the mysticism found in listening to black metal in isolation, New Hampshire’s Malacath was formed in November of 2011 as the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Lykos. As a two-piece, having enlisted drummer Hiraeth for the band’s second album, No Sense in Self Worth, Malacath‘s musical composition style grew to draw inspiration from black metal’s outer corners, culminating in the impending fifth full-length, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain.
Composed around four monolithic tracks across 54 minutes, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain brings the listener through an arduous journey of triumph and tragedy. Malacath‘s sound hasn’t so much changed over that timespan as has Lykos’ ambition; sticking to a signature style is one thing, but subtly expanding it or tastefully embellishing it is another. Indeed, Eternal Roar roars with a dreary-yet-emotive power, canvassing a large swathe of sonic terrain whilst remaining focused on a central theme: from spacious, imperial funeral doom to mossy pagan black metal, murderous surges of speed to momentous grandiosity, bittersweet melody to mystical atmosphere, everything EPIC and a seemingly stretched-out catharsis after another – truly, Thunder and Rain. And the plaintive acoustic “Eleusis” is simply the quiet-yet-assertive closer to a journey worth returning to time and again.
Forged in dedication to the old ways of black metal, the undeniable strength of Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain will ensure that the flames of Malacath burn beyond the New England underground.
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Call of the Specter” here:
Cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Malacath’s Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain 1. Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain [16:18] 2. Call of the Specter [9:56] 3. A Hymn for the Harvest [11:08] 4. Blood of Our Fathers [13:44] 5. Eleusis [2:42]
Today, W.T.C. Productions sets February 12th, 2025 as the international release date for a brand-new mini-album from Germany’s Dysangelium, Exxekratus, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats.
Since their formation in 2009, Dysangelium have patiently unveiled their vision – each recording a tactical strike, a treatise building upon the last but always imparting ancient wisdoms. Indeed, the Germans’ sound throughout those many years has reinvigorated and refined the orthodox black metal idiom that took the underground by storm in the mid-2000s. But far from being blinkered to the past or some hackneyed nostalgia act, Dysangelium fortify the boundless abyss of arcane understanding central to true, classics-minded BLACK METAL.
And while they’ve been quiet on the recording front since 2019’s monumental Death Leading full-length, Dysangelium at last stir the cauldron of activity with a new mini-album titled Exxekratus. Totaling four tracks across 27 minutes, Exxekratus carries forward the plausible maturity found on that album predecessor: stark, strident, cleaner in tone but dirtier in content. With the same lineup in place, their iron-clad, surging-and-striking sound is largely unchanged, but for the increased clarity found here on Exxekratus comes an even-more-urgent aspect, their ceremonial melodicism instilling a palpitating tension that makes the three brand-new songs here especially haunting. Underlining the ties to their proud past is the muscular closer “Delirious Transcendence,” which was recorded in 2014 for Thánatos Áskesis but was cut due to that album’s vinyl length. And Exxekratus is but a mere foretaste for Dysangelium‘s forthcoming third album, which will spread its wings of doom soon enough…
In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Of the Burning Throne (Manifest I)” HERE:
Cover artwork, courtesy of Nether Temple Design, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Dysangelium’s Exxekratus 1. Of The Burning Throne (Manifest I) 2. Trachea 3. Whispering Knives (Manifest II) 4. Delirious Transcendence
n the windswept grandeur of Scotland’s towering peaks and mist-laden lochs, the mythic resonances of SAOR‘s sound rise once again. Today, the band shares their masterful playthrough for their newest single, Amidst the Ruins.
Amidst the Ruins draws inspiration from a bygone era, merging black metal’s raw intensity with Celtic folk’s heartfelt melodies. As echoes of forgotten paths and crumbling relics of history unfold before your eyes, this composition serves as a solemn reminder of heritage lost amidst the modern world’s clamor. Watch as the band eloquently intertwines guitar melodies, basslines with a heavy backdrop of iconic blast beats on Amidst the Ruins: https://youtu.be/wugVW7uwQsU
Amidst the Ruins is out February 7th, 2025 on Season of Mist.
SAOR will embark on a journey across lands, sharing their majestic serenades with fans far and wide. Mark your calendars for SAOR‘s Amidst the Ruins 2025 tour:
February 8, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – Classic Grand February 13, 2025 – Bristol, UK – The Exchange February 14, 2025 – Birmingham, UK – The Flapper February 15, 2025 – York, UK – Fulford Arms March 28, 2025 – Arnhem, NL – Willemeen March 29, 2025 – Den Haag, NL – Paard March 30, 2025 – Kassel, DE – Goldgrube April 17, 2025 – Weinheim, DE – Café Central April 18, 2025 – Graz, AT – Explosiv April 19, 2025 – Munchen, DE – Dark Easter Metal Meeting April 20, 2025 – Aarburg, CH – Musigburg April 21, 2025 – Praha, CZ – Futurum Music Bar April 22, 2025 – Poznan, PL – Klub 2progi April 23, 2025 – Leipzig, DE – Hellraiser April 24, 2025 – Lichtenfels, DE – Ragnarök Festival April 25, 2025 – Bochum, DE – Matrix April 26, 2025 – Paris, FR – Petit Bain April 27, 2025 – Lyon, FR – Le Marché Gare May 16, 2025 – Mirow, DE – Dat Unlandfier
Tracklist: 1. Amidst the Ruins (12:41) [WATCH] 2. Echoes of the Ancient Land (11:41) 3. Glen of Sorrow (12:05) 4. The Sylvan Embrace (8:19) 5. Rebirth (14:10) Full runtime: 58:57
Out of the mists, where lore whispers in the winds, SAOR, the heralds of Caledonia’s primeval beauty and ancient tales, rise once again to enrapture souls far and wide. Their newest offering, Amidst the Ruins, is an epic voyage set to rekindle the fires of heritage and resurrect the valor that courses through Scotland’s vast landscapes.
Since their emergence in 2013, SAOR has beckoned listeners to transcend the mortal plain, intertwining the ferocity of atmospheric black metal with the gentle, haunting melodies of Celtic fold. Andy Marshall, the sage bard and architect of SAOR‘s sound, continues his pilgrimage through the verdant glens and stark highlands, revealing sights both ethereal and eternal through his music.
Building upon the chronicles of old, the forthcoming album Amidst the Ruins stands proud, a timeless sentinel amidst the sands of time. For in this work, Marshall, the visionary, has deftly woven strands of modern-life dissonance into the rich tapestry of Scottish lore, enshrining the enigmatic contrast between the remnants of a glorious yore and the often-elusive grasp of the present day. This auditory saga resounds with the resonance of ruined structures and forgotten paths, its melodies steeped in the reverence for sacred ground and a lament for the disconnect wrought by modernity.
Delve deep and you shall find Echoes of the Ancient Land, a heartfelt tribute to Scotland’s timeless landscapes and their profound ancestral connections. Through The Sylvan Embrace, SAOR imparts a harmonious sanctuary, a sylvan retreat where solace is found, and spirits are soothed. With Rebirth, the cycle is complete, weaving an intricate spell of transformation and new dawns.
The band’s odyssey upon the stage is nothing less than transcendental, as audiences bear witness to the heart of their aural fables brought vividly to life. These live performances stand as sacred rituals, bridging the veil between epochs, inviting all to partake in the shared legacy of the Scottish Highlands.
In Amidst the Ruins, the warriors of SAOR cast a clarion call to awaken from the lethargy of modern existence, to reclaim the essence of a heritage laid asunder. From the vibrant resonance of ancient battles to the hushed despair of Glencoe’s betrayed souls, every note spills forth like blood of the fallen seeping into the heathered earth.
As we stand on the cusp of this new era, Amidst the Ruins, the latest chronicle unfolds. SAOR‘s watchful eye turns to the horizon, the whispering woods, the twilight skies, and the sleeping stones bearing seers’ dreams, evoking the indomitable spirit of the realm. In their hands, the past is resurrected; its tales to be retold for those who would heed the call—SAOR, remain the ceaseless bards of Caledonia unbroken.
Line-up: Andy Marshall – All Composition, Writing & Instrumentation
Live Line-up: Andy Marshall – Vocals, Bass Nicolas Bise – Guitar Martin Rennie – Guitar Ella Zlotos – Tin whistle, Low whistle, Uilleann pipes, Vocals Carlos Vivas – Drums
Guest Musicians: Ella Zlotos – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles, Uilleann Pipes Carlos Vivas – Drums Jo Quail – Cello & FX on “The Sylvan Embrace” Àngela Moya Serrat – Violin on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth” Miguel Izquierdo – Viola on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth” Samuel C. Ledesma – Cello on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth Miguel Izquierdo – Viola on “Amidst the Ruins”
Recording: Andy Marshall – Vocals, Guitars, Bass recorded at Fortriu Studios, Scotland Nikolaus Jira – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles and Uilleann Pipes recorded at NikolausRecordings Studio, Germany Jose Garrido and Daniel Sabugal – Drums recorded at NewLife Studios, Spain Mattias Eklund – Violin, Viola and Cello recorded at Farkosten Studios, Spain Chris Fielding – Mixing and Guitar reamping at Penylan Studio, Wales Tony Lindgren – Mastering at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden
Available Formats: Digital Download CD Digipak 2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black 2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear & Black Marbled 2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Green, White & Black Marbled 2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear, Red & Blue Marbled
Today, ascetic black metallers Barshasketh reveal the new track “Lebenswelt Below.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fifth album, Antinomian Asceticism, set for international release on January 9th, 2025 via W.T.C.Productions. Hear Barshasketh‘s “Lebenswelt Below” in its entirety here:
It’s been a long and winding road for Barshasketh – from their earliest days in 2007 as a solo project of Krigeist in his native New Zealand on to his relocation to Scotland and building an actual band, from breakout third album Ophidian Henosis in 2015 on to the even-mightier Barshasketh in 2019 – but even amidst all the lineup shuffles and geographical distance covered, one fact has remained firm: purest BLACK METAL, intentionally free of genre cross-pollination, chiseled and refined with patience and persistence. What stands upon that foundation after all these years is a monument to the boundless darkness and infinite imagination at the core of black metal, vital in 2024 as it would have been in 1994. Torches ablaze, hearts enflamed…eternal strife is the fuel.
Still, even with an iron-clad discography, Barshasketh are not ones to lazily rest on laurels even if considerable time passes between recordings. Witness Antinomian Asceticism, their first full-length in five years – and, eerily, fifth overall. Utterly refreshing upon pressing “play,” even with that time away, Barshasketh immediately explode into a jet-stream of velvety obsidian. It’s not inaccurate to call Antinomian Asceticism their most direct and concise record in many a year, but guiding that finely honed assault is their characteristic nightsky melodicism, which reaches a fever pitch here. Just like its all-too-considerable eponymous predecessor, Antinomian Asceticism‘s melding of mysticism and might evokes authentic, purple-blue visions of the late ’90s as soundly as it stands upon palatably modern ground. The difference here, perhaps, is that Barshasketh slice away some of the corridors of their usually labyrinthine songwriting and head straight toward the essence – austere, awe-inspiring, ASCETIC.
“Why Antinomian Asceticism?” asks guitarist / songwriter GM. “It’s important to disassociate this form of asceticism from Christian forms of asceticism, which are nihilistic (in the original, world-denying sense of the term) as well as the Socratic formulations of asceticism which anticipate St. Paul, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. We reject the moral law, and ascetic practices that might be undertaken in order to satisfy any such Morality. I capitalize Morality here to emphasize that we are not referring to a mere system of values that might be arrived at by rational means, but a type of absolute morality that is received from God as formulated by the Kantian ethical notion of the categorical imperative – in other words, an eternal moral standard that cannot be questioned and applies uniformly across time and space.
“Before we lay out our reasoning as to why an antinomian form of asceticism might be beneficial,” he continues, “we would firstly like to appeal to the Schopenhauerian notion of the metaphysical will, which is a kind of inner essence that resides in all things – an idea which builds on the Kantian ‘thing-in-itself.’ This metaphysical will has certain drives associated with it, most relevant of which in this context is the drive to maintain oneself, replicate oneself, assert oneself (Kant also touched on these and refers to them as ‘inclinations’); these are concepts that anticipate Darwin and something Nietzsche would later build on. Schopenhauer viewed ascetic resignation as a means to make the world good by reaching some kind of status in which we are removed and numbed from it – our sense of the idea is that we need to find some sort of Aristotelian ‘golden mean’ in which we are not led around by our inclinations and metaphysical will, which leads to a shallow, reactive way of living which does not permit deep insight, yet also not radically separated from ‘this world.'”
Concluding, GM states, “Ascetic practice in our conception isn’t a conscious weakening or the self (via fasting, for instance) in order to satisfy a moral obligation, nor is it to enable some vain self-righteousness, but instead, it is a means by which we temporarily withdraw within in order to access insights which then strengthen the liberated individual in the real and this-worldly realm.”
Hear the previously revealed “Radiant Aperture” HERE, also at W.T.C.‘s official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Rodrigo Pereira Salvatierra, and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Barshasketh’s Antinomian Asceticism I. Radiant Aperture II. Nitimur in Vetitum III. Lebenswelt Below IV. Charnel Quietism V. Phaneron Engulf VI. Antinomian Asceticism VII. Exultation of Ceaseless Defiance
Renowned as dark lords of the Swedish black metal scene, MÖRK GRYNING return with their newest opus, Fasornas Tid. This visceral journey into the depths of human psyche is set to shatter boundaries and invoke the raw essence of 90s black metal with a modern ferocity that cements their legacy.
Formed in the chilling embrace of the ’90s, MÖRK GRYNING has always carved their path, paying homage to their forebears while relentlessly pushing forward. Fasornas Tid (The Time of Horrors) delves into themes of inner turmoil, the eternal battle between good and evil, and the insatiable hunger for self-destruction. This album is a potent blend of melodic black metal with death metal ferocity, recorded, mixed, and mastered at Wing Studios by Sverker Widgren, featuring artwork by the enigmatic C-G.
Highlight tracks such as lead single Tornet, with guest vocals from C of AVSLUT, and the title-track Fasornas Tid, showcase apocalyptic harmonies that pierce the soul. With hauntingly beautiful melodies and ferocious riffs, each track paints a dystopian symphony reminiscent of their iconic Tusen år har gått… era, yet unmistakably a product of now—a battle cry for the forsaken.
The full album is streaming now here:
Tracklist: 1. Intro (1:13) 2. The Seer (4:03) 3. Tornet (3:59) [LISTEN] 4. Fasornas Tid (3:34) [WATCH] 5. Before The Crows Have Their Feast (4:26) 6. Savage Messiah (4:37) 7. An Ancient Ancestor Of The Autumn Moon (4:11) 8. Black Angel (3:38) [LISTEN] 9. Barren Paths (1:52) 10. The Serpent’s Kiss (4:19) 11. Det Svarta (3:19) 12. Age Of Fire (4:48) Total runtime: 44:04
Mörk Gryning was founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1993 by Goth Gorgon and Draakh Kimera. Two years later they released their debut album “Tusen År Har Gått” (1995), recorded and mixed at Unisound Studios, by legendary producer Dan Swanö and released by No Fashion. The album is one of the milestones of the ‘90s Swedish Black Metal scene.
The group returned to action in November 1996, working at Sunlight Studios together with Tomas Skogsberg and Dismember’s Fred Estby to craft the “Return Fire” album. Over the following years, three more albums were released, for example “Maelstrom Chaos” with new guitarist Avathar, a scene veteran, recorded at the legendary Grieghallen Studios Bergen, Norway.
Ever since the debut album, “Tusen år har gått…”, Mörk Gryning has refused to follow in the footsteps of others and walked their own paths – something which is made very clear on the 2003 release “Pieces of Primal Expressionism”, an experimental and heavy progressive release recorded at Dug Out, produced by Daniel Bergstrand. After a couple of years of touring and festival performances, the band was put on hold.
Returning to the scene again in 2017, the band performed an exclusive live show in Stockholm playing all the songs from the debut album and some other songs from the back catalogue. This ended in releasing the 4-song live record called “Live at Kraken”. During the pandemic the comeback album “Hinsides Vrede” was released to much critical acclaim with many of the songs today being the backbone of their live shows. A new album is scheduled for release in 2024 and the band is more active than ever.
Line-up: DRAAKH KIMERA – Lead Vocals, Guitar GOTH GORGON – Bass, Backing vocals, Lead Vocals on “Det Svarta” S-L – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals C-G – Drums AEON – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Recording Studio: Wing Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
Production Credits: Produced by Sverker Widgren & Mörk Gryning Mixed & Mastered at Wing Studios, Stockholm by Sverker Widgren
Guest Musician: C of AVSLUT on “Tornet” & “An Ancient Ancestor Of The Autumn Moon”
Today, Danish black metallers Perdition’s Mire stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second EP, Into a Dark Heartland. Set for international release on December 13th via Headkick Music, hear Perdition’s Mire‘s Into a Dark Heartland in its entirety here:
Perdition’s Mire was born from the restless souls of three individuals in Fredericia, Denmark, during the cursed year of 2020. The band’s goal was, and remains, simple: to channel personal darkness through the medium of black metal.
In early 2022, the EP The Doctrine of Losing Life was unleashed in digital and self-released MCD formats, containing six ice-cold hymns of darkness and death. The release was recorded at The Dark Room Studios and engineered, mixed, and mastered by Ralf Rendigs.
A considerable amount of time was then spent crafting new material with greater attention to detail. The culmination of these efforts was another six-track EP, titled Into a Dark Heartland, once again recorded at The Dark Room with Ralf Rendigs. Into a Dark Heartland spits forth the malicious venom of six varied black metal psalms in the old spirit, clocking in at 26 minutes. During this studio session, an exclusive song for a forthcoming Danish compilation LP was also recorded.
The new material presents Perdition’s Mire with sharpened talons and teeth, showcasing more aggressive, personal, and focused songwriting while maintaining a somber and pitch-black atmosphere. A deal was made with Danish label Headkick Music (run by old friend Ustumallagam of Denial of God fame) to unleash this beast on vinyl and CD format on Friday the 13th of December 2024.
No time is wasted, as the band is already hard at work on a full-length album, building on the style presented on Into a Dark Heartland. Silence is golden, and bleak is the future!
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Headkick Music is an independent label founded in 2020 by Ustumallagam, best known as the vocalist for Denial of God, The Rite, and Mindflesh. Originally established as a platform for the self-release of Mindflesh’s debut album, Vermin, on CD and LP, the label has gradually evolved, with a steady stream of releases reflecting its growing presence in the dark music scene.
Headkick Music is dedicated to releasing music that embodies a unique darkness. The label is not confined to any specific genre; instead, it seeks out authenticity and raw, unfiltered emotion with qualities that transcend fleeting trends.
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Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Perdition’s Mire’s Into a Dark Heartland 1. Pale Light And Settling Dust [4:10] 2. Embers [3:59] 3. Light Torn Asunder [5:36] 4. Abomination’s Boundless Rage [1:59] 5. Nothing Is, Nothing Becomes [5:27] 6. Into A Dark Heartland [4:45]
Today, pagan black metallers Asenheim stream the entirety of their highly anticipated ninth album, Wolkenbrecher. Set for international release on December 10th via Dominance of Darkness Records, hear Asenheim‘s Wolkenbrecher in its entirety here:
Hailing from Germany, Asenheim was founded in 2004 under the original name Sins of Desire. The founding members at the time included Tiwaz on rhythm guitar and vocals and Verdensanskuels on lead guitar and keyboard. Since the lyrical themes increasingly dealt with pagan themes, the name was changed to Asenheim in 2006. Sometime later, Norse Raider joined as bassist. Unfortunately, rehearsals together were far too rare, which is why Asenheim developed into a solo project for Tiwaz.
After numerous demo recordings, the first Asenheim album, simply self-titled Asenheim, and the mini-album Sehnsucht were created in 2012. Already, here it was clear in which direction the music should develop. The album was musically and lyrically permeated by fantasy elements and old legends. The mini-album, on the other hand, was a confrontation with bitter, cold reality and was also much harder musically. A drum machine was used on all releases at this point.
The stylistic elements of these two releases were combined for the second Asenheim album, wenn die Nacht…. To give the album a livelier sound, Tiwaz was looking for a drummer and came in contact with Valfor. Initially planned as a session drummer, he soon became an integral part of Asenheim and, in addition to playing the drums, took over a large part of the synthesizers and also the mixing of the albums. This was followed by six more albums, a single, and a mini-album.
Despite such a vast catalog, never has there been a dip in quality; Asenheim are nothing if not dependable. Put another way, Tiwaz and Valfor’s vision has always been focused and firm, and beholding it has become something of a rite of passage. The latest proof of that proud pagan brilliance comes in the form of Wolkenbrecher. Immediately sounding like classic Asenheim, Wolkenbrecher whisks the listener off to forgotten realms with a folkloric black metal sound securely steeped in the ancient 1990s. But more than being “regressive” or backwards-looking, the duo rather exude the true authenticity of those times and create a canvas for the imagination to roam far and free. As such, Wolkenbrecher tells its own story with every song that has shaped Asenheim over the last 20 years and made them what they are today.
From oldest Teutonic steel to the pagan vastlands of Eastern Europe and even south of Helvete in ancient Hellas, Asenheim‘s black metal is rich in its splendor and multifaceted in its approach. Wolkenbrecher is a 52-minute journey into their rarefied realm, and one you’ll want to remain in for time eternal.
Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Asenheim’s Wolkenbrecher
1. Einklang – Blut und Eisen 2. Der Harnischmacher 3. Im Zwielicht (Der Mantel der Dämmerung) 4. Mein Königreich 5. Ein letzter Gruß 6. Zu den Waffen 7. An der Tafel der Toten 8. Wolkenbrecher 9. Die kalte Festung 10. Himmelfahrtskommando 11. Räuberlied
Today, dark metallers A Dead Poem stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Abstract Existence. Set for international release on December 13th via Personal Records, hear A Dead Poem‘s Abstract Existence in its entirety here:
Hailing from Brazil, A Dead Poem was formed in 2023 by Marlon Combat, with the aim of rescuing the essence and atmosphere of doom / black metal as practiced by Katatonia, October Tide, Finland’s Rapture, and especially Paradise Lost and Rotting Christ during the early ’90s. Starting the compositions for the first record, he invited the experienced multi-instrumentalist Carlos Misanthropic to take over the vocals and other instruments, thus forming a duo with the same goals and with extreme musical harmony.
With that, A Dead Poem gathered enough material to produce the funereal and macabre debut single “Until the Seventh Day,” which is part of their debut EP Absence of Life, first released on digital platforms in November 2023 and then as a limited CD edition in early 2024 via Cold Art Industry Records. Thereafter, the band’s music gained interest from the eclectic Personal Records, who’s now set to release their debut album.
Aptly titled Abstract Existence, A Dead Poem‘s debut album is a tour de force of vintage vibes – the velvety, incense-choked essence of 1993, when gothic doom, black metal, and melodeath briefly comingled and crossed DNA. One could point to such classics as Paradise Lost’s Gothic, Katatonia’s Dance of December Souls, or indeed Rotting Christ’s later dark-horse A Dead Poem as the firm aesthetic foundation on which the duo build their darkly emotive anthems, but A Dead Poem the band keenly understand subtlety and restraint, allowing each of these seven hypnotic songs to slowly work their spell and drown the listener in a sorrow so deep, you can practically feel the era-authentic black turtleneck closing around you. No more but definitely no less, Abstract Existence is an exercise in purity, of offering tribute to and tastefully embellishing an exclusive canon: mighty times when the subgenre was experiencing the paths to choose, establishing its own dos and don’ts. Sealing that authenticity is the exquisitely mossy ‘n’ dingey production, wringing every last dour note for all its worth.
Personal Records stands for Darkening Metal, and none’s more “darkening” than A Dead Poem‘s Abstract Existence!
Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for A Dead Poem’s Abstract Existence
1. In Forgotten Dimensions 2. Abstract Existence 3. Before The Rising Sun 4. Dressed In Black 5. Obedience 6. Prayers To The Void 7. Silent Tears Fall
