The treacherous, unforgiving winter months finally are coming to an end here in the States, and who the fuck am I kidding? In Pittsburgh, where winter used to be brutal, it snowed like twice. We barely get that season here any longer. The climate is just fine, though. All a liberal communist socialist hoax! I think it only snows in California now. Though Minnesota was grandfathered into winter permanently.

Anyway, at hand is the arrival of “Saturnian Bloodstorm,” the new record from black metal power Lamp of Murmuur and one of the most frigid records you’re bound to hear this year. Even as the temperatures stay in a holding pattern of kind of cold and not quite warm, this six-track destroyer maintains its power and can freeze you over like you’re in the middle of a Nordic forest. Sole creator M. digs into a similar vein as classic Immortal by sending gigantic gusts of metallic winds that chap your face and make your lips bleed, but you won’t mind the pain because you’ll be overwhelmed by the grandiosity of this thing. It’s also a great sounding album, which is not to trash his previous more lo-fi recordings at all. They remain awesome records. But this one of playing on a different level altogether. It’s massive and fun.

“Conqueror Beyond the Frenzied Fog” opens with a melodic surge, feeling grim and frostbitten, the growls crushing everything. The energy melts the thick ice, spacious synth clouds freeze nerves, and the howls crumble, the playing soaring. The soloing goes off, the pace rages heavily, and everything burns to a finish. “Hymns of Death, Rays of Might” is huge when it opens, sweeping you along with its might, the guitars and synth blending and jolting nervous systems. The power ignites as creaky growls chew on bone, murky mist clouding your vision. The guitars jar and freezing strangeness runs down your back, ghostly keys illuminate the trail, and the final bursts smash into oblivion. “Seal of the Dominator” invades with riffs, ramping up the pace and increasing the electricity. Hazy leads combine with unforgiving electricity, later getting slurry and disorienting as gothic-style drama increases. The pace drills, commanding riffs do their thing, and the final notes are mashed deep in the snow.

“Descending From the Aurora” is a quick interlude with noises surrounding and synth sending a beam of light through the night sky. Warmth glows as the heat helps tear through ice blocks and into “In Communion With the Wintermoon” where guitars jostle, and howls crackle into the night. The playing congeals and thrashes, splashing various colors into the mix, the leads blistering as the elements strike. The keys glisten as a heavy fog envelopes, and then guitars explode into the atmosphere, bringing with it wintry glory exhaling. The intensity begins to pull back as the winds gets colder, dissolving into angelic synth. The closing title track delivers rupturing drums, guitars dripping, and the metallic fury whipping through and sending everything flying. Melodic waves and thunderous growls deal quaking power, and the playing is striking and urgent, picking up the speed. Devastation reigns as the guitars hit the gas pedal and plaster, slowly giving its way over to an infectious synth vortex.

“Saturnian Bloodstorm” is the most energetic and slashing of the Lamp of Murmuur catalog, a record that M. seemed to be hinting at musically and finally delivering now. The hugeness of the record fills hearts and minds of those who have dined at black metal’s lofty halls for centuries and wanted more of that goodness that dawned three decades ago. It’s an album that gets your blood rushing even if you’re in the midst of frigid terrain.

For more on the band, go here: https://lampofmurmuur.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://lampofmurmuur.bandcamp.com/album/saturnian-bloodstorm

Or here: https://wolvesofhades.myshopify.com/

The internet is vast and littered with people with bad opinions, so the next comment I get on a story from a right-wing chud won’t be the first. But I’ve heard before from these people about how heavy metal does not have progressive politics and flies in the face of it, almost like they’ve never heard a single song from Sabbath, Black. You can’t teach everyone.

Metal has been a strong base for protest music since the start (again, reference Sabbath, Black), and Spectral Lore and its sole creator Ayloss never have been shy about their mission to support social justice and progressive goals. The project’s latest is an EP called “11 Days,” named that for the length it time it takes people to travel the refugee sea route to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. That trek has resulted in the deaths of about 26,000 people between 2014 and 2022 (according to the Missing Migrants Project), an incomprehensible toll for people just trying to find a better life. Not take yours. They’re trying to survive, and politics have helped cause this body count. Ayloss composed four tracks that run about 44 minutes, two of which are in the traditional black metal style while the other two play more with electronics and ambiance. Joining Ayloss here are Nate Collins (synths, electronics, vocals), Odile Aurora Strik (synth and field recordings), a member of the Yovel collective (vocals), V. and K. from VOAK (vocals, a guitar solo on Adro Onzi”), and Aris “Sadistik” Thanasoulas (vocals). All proceeds from the digital edition and an important part of later physical editions will be donated to organizations and collectives that offer direct aid and rescue refugees in distress in the Mediterranean.

“Moloch” starts things, an 11:05-long adventure that head into spiraling guitars and an immersive storm, growls scraping at vulnerable flesh. Things speed up as the drums maul, beastly wails driving the hammer, and a gothy underbelly with synth and dripping darkness immerse you in darkness. Things get thundering again as the riffs mangle, guttural stomping bruises, and the guitars loop into a shadowy darkness that zaps out and into “Fortitude/Sunrise.” This spacey, mostly instrumental piece centers on psychedelic wonders as sounds rush, and the keys make the room spin, beaming through clouds and feeling a little Pink Floyd-esque. Everything whirs as the chills increase, beats churn, and everything pulsates, spilling into 13:45-long “Adro Onzi” that tears itself apart immediately. Savagery crushes as the warped tones play with your mind, howls crush, and speedy black metal tramples. Things get uglier as the tempo increases, the storming gets more oppressive, and sounds cascading into a foggy darkness. Growls slither as the playing gets disorienting, and then monstrous howls strike, the blistering pace making balance tough to conquer, speeding and devastating into a soundscape. Closer “Tremor/Kalunga Line” starts with sounds knocking through a haze, sheets of synth raining down, and a detached voice asking, “What did you dream about?” Noise swims into calming winds, stimulating your mind and sending chills down your spine, the intensity once again rupturing and fading into the waves.

“11 Days” isn’t just an extra-large Spectral Lore EP; it’s a collection of music trying to raise awareness of something larger than heavy metal. It shows compassion for people who are trying to find a better life and lashing back against the myriad forces trying to stop safe passage. Musically, it’s one of the most daring and spacious music Ayloss has created yet, and it’s an incredible piece that hopefully can help do some good in the world.   

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/spectral.lorebm/

To buy the album, go here: https://spectrallore.bandcamp.com/album/11-days

Every day is a battle it seems. There are so many things circulating in our lives that have an impact on who we are and our path and the way we interact, that trying to make sense of it all and make progress toward our difficulties can crush us. That story is the same with everyone, whether we’re good, bad, or something in between, there comes a time for all of us when the pressure seems too much.

“Silhouettes of Disgust,” the sixth album from German crushers Downfall of Gaia, tackles these very issues in a concept piece comprised of eight songs about eight different characters. The issues are universal and common such as pain, loss, loneliness, addiction, societal and work pressure, and many others weaving the tales of the people who live in a fictional metropolis. The band—vocalist/guitarist Dominik Goncalves dos Reis, guitarist/vocalist Peter Wolff, bassist/vocalist Anton Lisovoj, drummer Michael Kadnar—weaves atmospheric black metal, sludge, and plenty of other volatile elements into this record that’s one of their most imaginable and easy to mentally invest.

“Existence of Awe” ruptures and cascades, howls wrenching and leading toward anguish, driving the drama before things become even tempered. Wild cries rain down with somber waves and abject heaviness, guest vocalist Lulu Black’s singing adding to the thick shadows and disappearing into the mists. “The Whir of Flies” starts off feeling properly mechanical as the gears tighten, wrenching chaos following as vicious howls devastate and lead you into a brief bout of serenity. The playing gets moody and spacey as the fog thickens, and the chaos blasts out of that, raspy yells leave welts on flesh, and the finish feels like your psyche being locked into a vice. “While Bloodsprings Become Rivers” begins with the drums erupting, lurching growls meeting with the spiraling playing, guitars enveloping everything. The attack rumbles the earth as the pace rushes harder, feeling active and throttling. Somber gazing takes over, pushing the melodies into the sky, pulsating with alien blood. “Bodies as Driftwood” has a post-metal ambiance as it starts, liquified playing melting, and then the track is shredded, bringing violent storms. The tempo is pulled from cool serenity to volcanic misery, the playing ramps up, and the crushing madness becomes a major factor, flowing away toward the horizon.

“Eyes to Burning Skies” is eerie and haunting, Black’s singing adding to the coldness that makes your flesh ice over. The ominous darkness unloads, feeling both thrashing and gazey, jabbing at your ribs. Trudging playing goes into spacious skies before the track ruptures anew, raging and letting fires crush until they fade away. “Final Vows” will make you think whatever device on which you’re listening is shorting out the first time you hear it. I definitely was fooled by the start/stop that stutters over the beginning, and then the punches are thrown as shrieks and growls wrestle for control, melodic fury increasing the barometric pressure. Shrieks instill fear until a strange aura arrives, melting your mental capacities as strange noises slip into space.  “Unredeemable” drills in, letting the energy wash over everything, and then things kick into high gear. The track goes from punishing to soothing over the course of the track, the guitars liquifying into a silver river. The punishment returns as the shadows thicken, causing your anxiety to spike as everything burns off. Closer “Optograms of Disgust” lets the steam rise as guitars hang in the air, and disorientation turns up the volume. Crazed shrieks belt and leave welts behind, and the pace drops the hammer, whirring synth making you question your security. The track returns to being a crushing force, melodies flood and smash, and everything suddenly fades, soaring off into the clouds.

Downfall of Gaia always have been an inventive and thought-provoking band, yet “Silhouettes of Disgust” takes that even further than before. These eight tracks, and the characters and plights woven into them, are not alien concepts to most of us as we face our own struggles and battles, looking for ways to just stay above water. This is volcanic, emotional, and dreamy, an experience that aligns with our chaotic world and tries to find sense within the carnage.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/DownfallofGaia

To buy the album, go here: https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords

For more on the label, go here: https://www.metalblade.com/us/

Heavy metal has become so many different things, and the emotions it conjures is so varied that the experiences one can have with the music runs the gamut. Many of the artists who created the foundations did so with music that drive energy through your body and temporarily made you feel invincible. Or at least it increased that sense of adventure in which you could get lost.

Ardent Nova might be a newer name to many listeners, but their journey to their self-titled debut record is two decades in the making. Originally formed as Pagan Thunder, the band—vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Mike Pardi, drummer Ryan Gallagher—later morphed into this current version/name Ardent Nova that could unite Amon Amarth and Bathory fans in a beer hall with swords raised. The nine tracks on this record are fiery and rousing, feeling like anthems here to light the fires of metallic glory in your heart just like Maiden, Priest, and Dio did decades earlier.

“Intro” feels like the first strains toward storming a castle, synth glazing, the suspicion an army of orcs might be around the corner, and then it’s into “Rise From the Ashes” that just unloads. Vicious howls  and melodic fire gasp, the choruses rush by with dramatic power and wrenching madness. The energy never quits as the guitars fire away , the playing sprawls, and you’re left gasping for air. “Pagan Thunder” charges and pumps blood, raucous energy exploding and racing toward the battle. The chorus is simple but effective, and later when the band gang shouts, “Hey!” it feels like you want to grab your sword and do some damage. “Stronger Than Time” trudges through devastation, bleeding power and bringing the fire with it. “Warriors, we ride! Rise! Rise!” Pardi howls as the playing gets more electric, and the smoke from the carnage coats your lungs. “Sound the Horns” has synth rising, and then the lid rips open, the track catching incredible spirit that carries it along. The chorus easily can raise your blood pressure, and from there the blistering playing and infectious melodies drive this thing home.

“Chieftain” starts off like an Iron Maiden song, the playing galloping hard on the plains with reckless abandon. The growls are gnarly as the guitars speed along, the chorus making things more reflective but still heavy as hell. The riffs continue the race, and the final moments add to the adrenaline surge. “In Darkest Ages” punches open as the playing hits hard, storming and creating a mass of chaos. The band hits on all cylinders here, the soloing blazing with multiple colors, the chugging insanity digging deep into your chest, surging blood as everything comes to a fiery end. “Ardent Nova,” the band’s instrumental anthem, jumps in with rushing guitars, a thrashing feel, and the leads knifing through the center point. The power continues to amplify its strength, and the final moments explode with the proper amount of savagery and glory. “Eternal Liberty” is listed as a bonus track, and you should get whatever version this song is on because it’s awesome. Strong riffs and glistening synth unite, Pardi wailing, “Raise the pillars of tomorrow!” Vicious and catchy, the soloing burns through worlds, the playing crushes, and the record ends on a devastating note.

Two decades in the making, Ardent Nova’s debut full-length offering finally seeing the light of day is another boost to those who want high-energy death and thrash metal. These songs sound huge, and live they could whip up a fervor in their audience that could be really fun and infectious. This is awesome stuff, and hopefully Ardent Nova get another serving up to us sooner than later.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087978697755

To buy the album, go here: https://wisebloodrecords.8merch.us/

For more on the label, go here: https://wisebloodrecords.com/

A lot of times I talk about records being experiences, and if you’re sick of that angle, I guess I apologize. Not every album has to be this way, mind you, but when it happens, it elevates the music to a different level, as well as my mentality. When this happens, though, it make the experience that much more intense, that much psychologically heavier.

Heolstor, the sole creator of At the Altar of the Horned God who handles vocals, guitars, bass, synths, drums, djembe, and tambourine, sinks deep into your psyche on the project’s second record “Heart of Silence.” Also the sole member of Mystagos, Heolstor covers a ton of ground here, and it’s not just metal. A lot of it is, but if you try on the gothy sides and the alluringly dark melodies, you’ll find a record that’s plenty heavy enough but also explores corners a lot of metal artists don’t visit.

“Guardian of the Threshold” thunders with noise as the keys layer in, the djembe playing feeling like spirits are on the rise. The atmosphere lures you into a vortex, synth waves feel like light beams off of clouds, and drawling singing and vicious growls leave your brains scrambled. “Anointed with Fire” bludgeons and lurches, and guitars layer in drama and wildness, shrieks maiming psyches. Animalistic carnage overflows, pounding with menace, twisting with agony and madness that burrows into your brain. “God Is in the Rain” is a cover of the Suicide Commando song, and it’s done with acidic sharpness, strangling with keys and mutilating with a strange electronic vibe that feels dark as its core. Closer “Severing Light” is noisy at the outset, unloading and using glazing melodies to keep your brain iced over. “A powerful shadow rests upon me, and I hear the sound of light,” Heolstor howls as thorny playing draws blood, the pace jostles, and raucous energy trudges and slowly fades away.

“Listen” opens the record and turns into one of the most rhythmically infectious songs of the entire year so far, a piece that slowly builds in intensity and power, Heolstor continually chanting, “Stone, leaf, bone, shadow, listen to the trees, listen to the hollow.” The playing churns, swirling around your head, making you grip for balance, echoing and leaving you gripping the walls. “Closing Circle” is murky as the drumming pierces, clean calls mixing with guttural growls. Things turn gothy and engorge, the singing is a repetitive (in a good way) cadence, and the atmosphere buzzes as guitars churn. “Heart of Silence” rushes in with black metal-style melodies and warping shrieks, clean bellowing balancing the carnage. Ugliness flattens as the tempo hypnotizes and bolts, bring alluring darkness that gets into your bloodstream and rips out your guts. “Chthonic Summoning” has a driving pace with numbing singing teaming with lurching growls, a spiritual feeling glimmering and creating brightness. The pace splatters as spoken passages haunt, melting as the hammers drop.

Psychedelically striking and ritualistic at its core, “Heart of Silence” is one of those records you won’t forget for some time after it’s over, and that’s a massive compliment to Heolstor and his At the Altar of the Horned God project. It took me a while with this to really open my mind and understand what’s going on here, and my journey with the album will continue and likely evolve. That’s an exciting path to be on, and every trip with this record has been rewarding and riveting.    

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/atthealtarofthehornedgod/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/

Or here (Europe): https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/

Pain and anguish are two things no one wants to experience, and when you’re in the midst of it, it feels like that state will last forever. When you couple those elements with stormy conditions in personal relationships or the frustrations of everyday life, everything can be amplified, and being able to release all of that tension can become paramount.

Digging into an Isole record usually means delving in the shadows and wallowing in agony, and their excellent seventh record “Anesidora” definitely doesn’t hold back and lets out that suffering. Yet as the album and its seven song navigate choppy waters and push through bruising emotions that can scar for life, their music finds a way to soar amid so much gloom. It’s one of the melodic doom metal band’s most adventurous albums, one that’ll hook you from moment one, and the band—vocalist/guitarist Daniel Brynste, guitarist/backing vocalist Crister Olsson, bassist/vocalist (harsh) Jimmy Mattsson, drummer Victor Parri—goes all in, pouring their hearts and psyches into this collection that is powerful and impactful.

“The Songs of the Whales” opens with agitated guitars and soaring singing driving the energy. The guitars are layered with melodic darkness, rushing and making your blood surge as Brynste calls, “Listen to the songs of the whales,” later noting, “They will tell you a story from the sea.” “Forgive Me” is murky and sorrowful, feeling dank and hopeless, the playing enveloping your senses. “I tried to heal these wounds, wounds that cannot be healed,” Brynste calls as guitars rush, the emotion jars, and the begs of forgiveness are surrounded by fires melting hearts. “Monotonic Scream” swims in self-loathing, the singing bellowing, the playing slowly infecting your bloodstream. “I feed on guilt, I hate myself,” Brynste admits as organs sprawl, the goth shadows becoming more intimidating. Harsh growls mix in, burning with acidic terror and jetting off into the night.

“Twisted Games” dawns with riffs trickling and the pain multiplying, Brynste wailing, “I had a dream where we coexist.” That hope is fleeting as Brynste later admits, “You hid your dark side well,” following with, “I have to flee from you,” as Mattsson howls, “And your twisted games!” It’s wrenching and a little too raw for any comfort. “In Abundance” chugs as foggy riffs spread their wings, keys swell, and burly growls add to the ugliness. The chorus sweeps, the guitars fire up, and the playing scorches flesh, getting to a cleaner path where Mattsson growls, “There is no turning back,” as the track blasts away. “Open Your Mind” starts with clean acoustics, layered singing, and the common theme of guilt and grief layered into the story. Guitars spiral as the pace picks up, and Brynste wails, “It’s time to stop wallowing in the mire and raise yourself up and make a stand,” a boisterous declaration that ripples your chest with power. Closer “Vanity” drips with dark waters as the singing hypnotizes, organs gush, and the solemnity keeps getting heavier. The seas darken with melancholic storming, and the playing slowly dissolves, its essence sinking to the bottom of the world.

Isole’s majesty remains as strong as ever on “Anesidora,” a gem of a doom metal record that thrives with its honest human emotions, emotional failures, and guilt associated with those feelings. The album itself, even when you remove the wrenching themes, absolutely fills your chest with sadness and glory at the same time, reminding that they have still have a heavy hand for making sounds that grip your heart. This is powerful and impossible to shake, a record that storms liberally and impactfully and leaves you devastated inside.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Isoleofficial

To buy the album, go here: https://hammerheartstore.com/collections/vendors?q=Isole

For more on the label, go here: https://www.hammerheart.com/

Heavy music largely is known for dwelling in the morose, the thorniest of elements, the sea of negativity. That’s not every artist/band, mind you, but it’s the bulk of it, and it makes for a great companion when we are feeling the same darkness. But today we have something that approaches things a little differently. It’s in many ways a love letter delivered with a sledgehammer.

Hardcore/powerviolence unit Zulu can be as heavy and devastating as they come, but their debut full-length “A New Tomorrow” is something that stands apart from so many other heavy records in a good way. On their past work, the band has focused on the poor treatment of Black individuals around the world, but on this album, they’re in celebration mode. The band—vocalist Anaiah Lei (also of DARE), guitarists Dez Yusuf and Braxton Marcellous (guitar), bassist Satchel Brown, drummer Christine Cadette—directs its art to highlight the love and creativity in Black culture, the things that do not get the proper recognition by society at large. It’s an incredible record—15 tracks that crash down in under a half hour—that mixes driving heaviness, sultry melodies, and ruminations on their experiences in a world where they still are marginalized.

“Africa” is an imaginative, wondrous starting piece by Aisha Burns and Precious Tucker that opens the storybook and sets the stage, moving into “For Sista Humphrey,” where the fires being to rage. Guitars get a dose of adrenaline, jarring and trudging, growls menacing before melting into a dream. “Our Day Is Now” rampages as growls blast and shrieks up the ante, making your blood boil. The menace actually opens the possibilities of love and light as Lei calls, “It takes one, everyone.” “Music To Driveby” bludgeons with thick, mucky playing, the thrashing increasing dangerously, turning everything to a boil before a sample of Curtis Mayfield’s “We People Who Are Darker Than Blue,” washes over the bring a sense of unity. “Where I’m From” features Pierce Jordan from Soul Glo and Obioma Ugonna from Playytime, and it brings thick crushing, growls and shrieks coming together to add layers of power, and the howl of, “We’ve been here, and we ain’t going nowhere,” registering as a battle cry, charging as sounds zap and eventually disappear into space. “Fakin’ Tha Funk” (You Get Did)” wrecks and slays, the vocals streamlining energy, the guitars scratching at festering wounds and drawing blood. “Shine Eternally” is one of the longer tracks, running 3:02 and taking the form of a jazzy, smooth instrumental that makes it feel like numbing sensations are climbing through your body, glowing with velvety tones.

“Must I Only Share My Pain” is a quick interlude where myriad voices ask, “Must I only share my pain?” as the tornadic effect heads into “Lyfe Az A Shorty Shun B So Ruff” where raucous guitars take over, chunky tempos rupture the ground, and the growls gut. The playing then comes unglued as Lei wails, “This won’t be forever!” pushing the negativity to the back, grasping at a positive future. “From Tha Gods To Earth” is doomy and thick when it starts, guitars splattering, melodies corroding, and the energetic core creating a deep impact that crumbles chest cavities. “Créme De Cassis” is a spoken piece by Aleisia Miller and Tucker that reminds me a bit of “Blackcurrant” from “My People … Hold On,” as over piano music the words about living as a Black person in America and constantly having to struggle to reshape the narrative. “I grow weary of repeating our plight while never highlighting the beauty of us,” Miller says. “So often forgotten in conversation is our perseverance and triumph.” It’s a beautiful piece that’s poignant and yearning to be truly heard. “We’re More Than This” explodes with power, the lines rapped, spat even, Yusuf landing with, “I hide my ghetto from whites not because I’m embarrassed of, they just don’t deserve my essence to use for they character, then turn around treat me like I’m the caricature.” “52 Fatal Strikes” features Paris Roberts from Truth Cult, and it delivers a molten fury, guitars heating up, lashing with proper attitude. “Put to death, just like that, justified, that’s what you’re thinking,” Lei jars as the guitars heat up with menace, the final moments boiling in noise. “Divine Intervention” is spoken interlude track with sounds snarling, and the disgust over Black culture being co-opted by people who are willing to steal the spirit as long as they don’t have to look Black striking a very sobering note. Closer “Who Jah Bless No One Curse” is the longest track, running 4:14 and entering to drum blasts and thrashy goodness, Lei howling, “They will always try, it’s violence in their eyes, Babylon surprised, ghetto youth pon di rise.” Lighter melodies arrive, heartfelt guitars and hand drumming fading out and returning to group calls of Bob Marley’s “Small Axe.”

Records such as “A New Tomorrow” are crucial in the heavy music world not only because it’s incredibly powerful musically but for the message and shakeup our world so badly needs. America is growing increasingly more hostile, and seeing this band stand up and celebrate who they are, their culture, and their struggles makes for mandatory listening and education. I’m sure I don’t listen as well as I should, and I’m trying to change that. Every track and word on here crushes and also is a reminder that I’ve always had it pretty good, and absorbing other voices and experiences is vital to growth.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/blackpowerviolence/

To buy the album, go here: https://flatspotrecords.com/collections/zulu

For more on the label, go here: https://flatspotrecords.com/