I’ve had a good time.

Unfortunately, last week, legal action was threatened against this blog. It was nothing too terrible; WordPress worked co-operatively with me to remove the infringing content and there will be no repercussions. Nevertheless, it would seem that my blog has started to receive attention from the wrong places. Any more of these legal notices would result in this blog being suspended indefinitely.

Therefore, I have decided to say good-bye. Not indefinitely; for blogging has become an incredibly fulfilling hobby of mine. Instead, it is good-bye to “dream of a dead sun”. This blog has run its course. Sometime in the near future, a couple months perhaps, I will start a new blog with a different host, and continue what I have started here.

I sincerely hope that people found this blog a useful source of information on recently released black metal. I hope that artists benefited by having more people learning about their music. But most of all I hope that everyone who read this blog continues to be a part of this underground scene that has produced such an amazing quantity of breathtaking music.

See you soon.

Artist: Unholy Ritual
Album: Finis Origine Pendet (EP)
Year: 2010
Style(s): Melodic, Symphonic
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: The first seconds of this EP had me worried that the orchestral elements of Unholy Ritual’s sound would overshadow the other instruments. My worries were quickly alleviated, however, as the well written and aggressive black metal riffing took hold. The forced breakdown in “Distinct Inception” sounds corny and out of place, but it is a small blight when taken as a whole. This is a solid slab of Greek symphonic black metal that most fans of that particular niche should find most pleasing. Recommended.

Track list:

1. Chalice of Aquarius   [6:05]
2. Ignes Fauti   [4:28]
3. Distinct Inception   [5:51]
4. Death Before Dishonor (Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa)   [6:58]

Total Length: 23:22

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Artist: Carnyx
Album: Leaving Reason
Year: 2010
Style(s): Traditional
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: There are some good moments on this record, including the entrancing intro track and the major sounding melodies of “1000 Days of Rain”, but most of these interesting sections come early in the album and by the last 20 minutes the album starts to wear out its welcome. Recommended if you can stomach a fair amount of filler, for there is certainly something to be enjoyed here.

Track list:

1. Scorn   [2:41]
2. Decline   [5:28]
3. 1000 Days of Rain   [4:50]
4. Pestilence   [5:41]
5. Sweet Coffin   [4:40]
6. Lethal Orgasm   [2:57]
7. Failure   [9:38]
8. Final Breath   [2:39]
9. Happiness Among Your Bones   [5:43]
10. Poisoned Soul   [7:26]
11. E.V.P.   [6:47]

Total Length: 58:30

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Artist: Enthral
Album: Spiteful Dirges (EP)
Year: 2010
Style(s): Traditional
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: This is a solid, entertaining EP that will leave listeners wanting for more. The riffs are interesting and structured in a fairly complex manner that sets the music apart from many of the band’s peers. Worth adding to your library!

Track list:

1. Death to You All   [5:06]
2. Celebration of Agony   [8:32]
3. A Spiteful Dirge   [4:59]

Total Length: 18:37

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Artist: Lamentations of the Ashen
Album: In Distance (Implorations Unto the Wind)
Year: 2010
Style(s): Atmospheric, Depressive
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: Limited to 38 copies, this album was originally released in 2008, but wasn’t made widely available until 2010. The re-release is good news; for this is an album worth listening to. In Distance is comprised of three long form pieces that all create a very depressive atmosphere that’s worth getting sucked into. The production is shit and it occasionally loses focus, but it’s still worth hearing.

Track list:

1. To Walk Inside Empty Places   [10:05]
2. A Memoir of Departure   [17:56]
3. Their Sleep I Covet   [17:14]

Total Length: 45:15

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Artist: Impiety
Album: Worshippers of the Seventh Tyranny
Year: 2011
Style(s): Thrash, Traditional
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: Worshippers of the Seventh Tyranny is an average (though ambitious) release by blackened thrash vetrans Impiety. The structure and pacing of the album is strong, but the riffs often fail to deliver the expected excitement. An excellent guitar solo would grab my attention on occasion, but for the most part this album didn’t strike me as particularly engaging. Only worth a listen if you’re a huge fan of this booming subgenre.

Track list:

1. Worshippers of the Seventh Tyranny   [38:30]

Total Length: 38:30

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Artist: Belphegor
Album: Blood Magick Necromance
Year: 2011
Style(s): Blackened Death
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: Seeing as blackened death metal has a large black metal influence, I occasionally post albums from the genre on this blog. Blood Magick Necromance is probably the first notable release of 2011 from the genre. Some of the songs are interesting, but overall I wasn’t very impressed and it struck me as a rather average release. Probably worth a listen if you’re a huge fan of blackened death, but otherwise I would pass on this one.

Track list:

1. In Blood – Devour This Sanctity   [5:31]
2. Rise to Fall and Fall to Rise   [6:01]
3. Blood Magick Necromance   [7:00]
4. Discipline Through Punishment   [4:05]
5. Angeli Mortis De Profundis   [3:00]
6. Impaled Upon the Tongue of Sathan   [5:42]
7. Possessed Burning Eyes   [5:33]
8. Sado Messiah   [3:50]

Total Length: 40:42

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Artist: Inquisition
Album: Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm
Year: 2010
Style(s): Traditional
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: One of 2010′s most anticipated black metal releases, Ominous Doctrines shows Inquisition once again delivering another slab of well written and unique black metal. This Columbian band has impressed black metal audiences the world over, and while the production isn’t quite as fitting as I would have hoped, and the compositions don’t always deliver their full potential, it’s still an impressive album that’s worth a listen.

Track list:

1. Astral Path to Supreme Majesties   [4:32]
2. Command of the Dark Crown   [3:50]
3. Desolate Funeral Chant   [7:03]
4. Cosmic Invocation Rites   [4:39]
5. Conjuration   [0:56]
6. Upon the Fire Winged Demon   [3:08]
7. Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm   [5:24]
8. Crepuscular Battle Hymn   [4:15]
9. Hymn for a Dead Star   [3:13]
10. Across the Abyss Ancient Horns Bray   [4:50]

Total Length: 41:50

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Artist: Dark Fury
Album: Saligia
Year: 2010
Style(s): NSBM, Traditional
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: This one was a tough one to rate, because there were quite a few moments on this relatively short album that were certainly entertaining to headbang along to. On the other hand, most of it was just average, uninspired black metal riffing that we’ve heard a thousand times before. I went on the more conservative side and rated it “average”, but the album definitely has its moments.

Track list:

1. Superbia   [5:04]
2. Avaritia   [4:15]
3. Luxuria   [5:35]
4. Invidia   [4:55]
5. Guia   [5:43]
6. Ira   [4:11]
7. Acedia   [3:29]

Total Length: 33:29

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Disclaimer: The politics and beliefs of the band Dark Fury in no way reflect the views of the author of this blog.