Ponte Del Diavolo - Fire Blades From the Tomb

Fire Blades From The Tomb is the debut from Ponte Del Diavolo. It's an interesting record to say the least, one that fuses doom metal with black metal along with clear influences from darkwave and other genres. The end result is not your typical blackened doom release, but rather an album that focuses on enchanting vocals, melodic bass lines and overarchingly occult vibes. This is a mystical and exciting release, an album that demands multiple listens and which eagerly dances from sonic peak to sonic peak, indulging listeners in something darker and transcendent. 

Ponte Del Diavolo have found a unique way to express their vision. It's a distinctive take on the genre and one that I think will serve the band well. I always find it interesting when artists are able to create something that takes a lot of familiar elements but executes on them in a unique way. There is a distinct sense of aplomb that drives Fire Blades From The Tomb, an audacious sense of vision that makes this a wonderfully exciting, relentlessly passionate album. They've distilled some of the core elements that make this such a compelling offering and thrill listeners by doubling down on an eerie, otherworldly vision. 

Distinctly Italian, wonderfully occult and distinctly evil, Ponte Del Diavolo are a group who I think people are going to gravitate towards for years to come. This is is a fresh take on black and doom metal that is truly exciting and I think will be able to get a whole swathe of new people digging into the genre and understanding its strange and varied intricacies. Indulge for yourself and walk down a path of evil. There's few albums out there like this one and watching this band evolve is going to be a delight. 

Pre-order the album!

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/PonteFireBlades

Cloud Of Souls - A Fate Decided

A Fate Decided is the ambitious debut album of Cloud Of Souls, the solo project of Lavaborne's Chris Latta. A record that leans into doom and black metal, augmented by a clear and very distinct vision, this record explores a side of the genre I wish got more attention. The album is bombastic and has a clear passion for trad doom elements, but is executed with a sort of old school aplomb and a vicious attack that can't help but  to enchant listeners as they head ever deeper down the rabbit hole of madness that has helped ot make Cloud of Souls such a distinct force. 

While certain aspects of this record still feel a bit rough and read (I'm looking at you Time For Slaughter) and the takes aren't always perfectly tight, that is in some ways part of the fun of the band. There is a real 80s demo magic about this record, where the genre was still being figured out and the passion was really allowed to shine out over all else. This is a big part of what makes Cloud of Souls so compelling, it's so earnest and well executed that it's easy to look past the shortcomings. The vision is what is going to entrance people here and Cloud Of Souls' ability to conjure up vintage underground magic gives things a very different flavor to most of what's propagating in the scene these days. 

Cloud Of Souls may not be reinventing the steel, but what they are doing is hearkening back to a different era in metal in a way that few of their peers would ever dare. A Fate Decided is blackened doom that is unafraid to lean into the vintage mysteries of the band and keeps listeners coming back, excited for more layers of the vision that entranced them initially. Some of my very favorite records are the ones that sound old and have a certain grandiosity - A Fate Decided pulls this off with aplomb, ensuring listeners stay in love with what has been done. 

Get the record!

https://cloudofsouls.bandcamp.com/album/a-fate-decided

Am Himmel - As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow

 

Now this is an interesting one. Am Himmel (Whose name means In The Sky in German) are a droney black metal band who benefit from gorgerous production and beautiful long form songs that draw listeners in and leave them in awe of all that is done within. There is a sense of eerie transcendence that drives their new record, As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow and it will leave you in awe. This is a record meant to turn on for a Sunday afternoon and vibe out too, to get lost in and to realize that these guys are completely special and in their own unique soundworld. 

This record is deep in its love for the esoteric. Am Himmel shines because of tracks like "The Virgin Wages Celestial War In The Seraphim". It's a burner, a track that leans into the droney elements and avoid the blasts of traditional black metal but instead goes a doomier root. The synths provide a fitting backdrop for this music and let you get swept into the magic. Meanwhile the crushing volume that defines so much of this record allows listeners to get fully ensconced, enamored with the work and left in awe of all that has been conjured up here. There is a meaningful power behind this release that few of the bands peers can really emulate and it's a delight to immerse yourself in the darkness. 

As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom Of Sorrow is a thriller any way you slice it. It's a record that emphasizes its most transcendent elements and which continually draws listeners deeper into the soundworld. I'm on my third listen and totally in love with the breadth of the production, it's the kind of record that offers endless gorgeous nooks and crannies for you to taste and fall in love with. The darkness within is tantalizing, and even the droniest moments find ways to inspire and delight. Join me in falling in love.

Pre-order the album!

https://burningworldrecords.bandcamp.com/album/as-eternal-as-the-starless-kingdom-of-sorrow

Culted - Nous

I clearly remember the release of Culted's last record, Oblique To All Paths in 2014. It was a stunning blackened doom offering that gleefully salted the wound of existence. Then there was 5 years of silence until 2019's Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union & Emptiness EP. It seemed to offer a taste of the crushing heaviness I was craving. Now the band is back with another full length, the absolutely devastating Nous, a record that crushes with its massive guitar sounds and punishing sonic blasphemies. It's the logical next step for these modern masters. 

Nous stuns not just with its emotional depth but also the dark and brooding soundscapes that come to define tracks like 'The Grid.' Yes there are big riffs that drag you to hell but there are also moments of harsh noise punishment that leave you questioning your very reality. It's a weird balance to figure out and the deeper you delve the more unclear it becomes. This is a devastating offering to say the least and the weird layers and tortured ululations really speak to the bands distinct ability to expose the listener to their own personal torment. There is a sense of despair here that hits home, that there is no hope and we're just stuck left to suffer. 

The point being - Culted are really good and Nous is a massive step forward for the band. This is a record that can't help but to leave you clawing at your eyes, but that's part of the demented charm. There's a lot of replayability here. Especially with regards to how the different elements interact. In some ways the bands ability to meld noise with crushing blackened doom is reminiscent of acts like Primitive Man. It leaves me wondering what is to come next from this international project. They've done something twisted and special, the next steps will be punishing. 

Pre-order the album!

https://culted.bandcamp.com/

Oldblood - Arms To The Sky

Now this is a nifty one. I think when we talk about blackened doom we frequently see bands that trend more towards the incredibly evil reveling in the murk and leaving listeners clawing at their faces trying to recapture lost sanity. Oldblood represent a different type of blackened doom, one where the frills of the black metal genre are more used to decorate stoner doom riffs. In some ways it reminds me of the band Glorior Belli and their southern fried black metal. The end result is their EP Arms To The Sky, a truly interesting listen. 

At times this combination of ideas, of stoner with black metal is fascinating, at others it feels forced. Then on tracks like 'Nuclear Blues' we hear examples of both on the same track. On the one hand I've got to love the arpeggiated picking and frostbitten ideas decoration the intros. On the other - I'm not entirely sure if I like fat bluesy stoner grooves going on underneath my black metal. It makes for a rather unorthodox approach that frequently has listeners wondering where they will go next. Both sets of ideas are certainly valid and Oldblood definitely have the capability to execute on either. Watching as they come to terms with this though has been very interesting. 

There are a lot of layers to pick apart here and it's a blast to spend time delving into and unpicking what exactly the band has been up too after all this time. Arms To The Sky is the portrait of a band on the verge, they have found some interesting ideas, now they just need to figure out how they are going to execute on them in a way that looks and feels truly remarkable. That next step is going to be quite the journey for these London doom merchants. 

Pre-order the album here!

https://voidcult.ffm.to/armstothesky.ofp

Culted - Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union And Emptiness

Culted are sort of a underground favorite in the world of sludgy and blackened doom metal. Their music is brooding and powerful, with an overtone of cruelty that makes it fascinating. This latest EP, Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union And Emptiness (Try saying that ten times fast!) is simply another step in their twelve year journey for doomed ascension. This is a potent record and one that truly plumbs the depths of the human soul. The artsy madness that defines this album is fascinating and continually pushes the listener to search deeper within themselves.

Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union And Emptiness fascinates because it takes a sort of depraved and unforgiving assault as the music takes form. Though the intro on the opening track, 'A Prayer For Union' is fairly long, it really helps to set the tone for whats to come. This is a record that wouldn't make sense unless it had a wonderfully dark and psychedelic introduction. As riffs start to emerge out of the primordial ooze, Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union And Emptiness begins to differentiate itself and shows that Culted are one of a kind. Their ability to conjure up nightmare hellscapes is fascinating.

This is a record that really encourages you to get lost in it. The cries to a forgotten god that dominate a track like 'Dirt Black Chalice' seem to only accentuate the sort of depraved beauty that makes Vespertina Synaxis - A Prayer For Union And Emptiness such an addictive listen. This is a band who execute at a wonderfully high level and who seem to continually be angling for bleaker futures. It's rare that a new album makes me want to dig back into a band at this level, but here we are. Culted have knocked it out of the park, it was worth the five year wait.


Find them on Facebook!
 www.facebook.com/Culted/

Inter Arma - Sulphur English

Y'know, back in 2012-2013 when Inter Arma first started to pop and I met them, I don't think I thought they were gonna be the ones to make a huge long term impact on the scene. I mean I always liked them and I remember being blown away by Sky Burial, but I don't know if I was mentally prepared for the triumphs to come. This latest record, Sulphur English is a sort of taking of the crown. All that the band has worked on for the past decade plus comes out here and it becomes obvious that these guys are the true modern masters.

Sulphur English sees the band tkaign their massive and finely honed sound to a whole new level. It's deeply emotive and finally starts to reveal all that these titans are capable of. Rather than just being doom metal overlords, Sulphur English proves that Inter Arma are really jsut a defining force in heavy music. There is an overarching sense of terror and chaos here as the band continues to embrace new influences. The black metal assault of the title track for example is pushing the band in ways that they had only hinted at before. It makes for compelling listening from a group who seem to fundamentally understand the glory of heavy sounds.

This is one of the most emotionally deep and powerful records I have heard in a long time. The band remains abrasive and potent. Unlike so many of their peers they haven't embraced a more conventional sound. Instead Sulphur English showcases some of Inter Arma's most punishing moments yet. It makes for compelling listening that is guaranteed to keep pulling you into the pit. It's a twisted reality and one that I won't soon forget. This record is terrifying when at its best and shows us there is no stopping this Richmond force.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/INTERARMA/

Werian - Animist

This is an interesting one, Eisenwald is one of my favorite labels and I'm obviously a huge blackened doom metal nerd. This being said, Werian have done something interesting with Animist and while the idas are certainly there, it sometimes feels like the execution is not. There is a really interesting duality here, and though a lot of things are done beautifully many other elements leave me a little frustrated. However, with art as compelling as this, it's hard to not want to at least spend SOME time with an album that seems to tick all my metal nerd boxes.

What I will say is that this record has a lot of cool twists and turns, there are touches of black metal, cool choirs and all sorts of unique elements that tie Werian into a lot of the more high falutin' European art doom scene. That being said - Werian also could have done a better of producing Animist. It feels like, while many of the ideas are good, there are too many of them. Animist is an album that frequently gets very close to greatness but ever seems to quite make the cut. I just can't get behind that overpowering, rattling bass guitar. This is a really unfortunate miss because the band is incredibly talented and seem prone to delivering a lot of good material over the next few years.

As is - this is a potent starting point and it boils down a lot of what the band has been working on in the demos, compilation and split that led up to this records release. The band is full of potential and seems to have a deep understanding of this type of music with a unique vision all to themselves. As they evolve and execute on the same level as their ideas then they are going to be a veritable force to be reckoned with. This record is an interesting take on the genre to say the least and leaves me excited for what comes next!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Werian6668

Abstracter - Cinereous Incarnate

A thrilling collab from some of my favorite labels including I, Voidhanger, Vendetta, Daymare, and Sentient Ruin is prone to being an essential black metal release. The latest addition to this blasphemous legacy is Abstracter's latest opus, Cinereous Incarnate. This is an album that isn't just stunningly bleak, it's got the sort of incredible balls and skull melting torment that makes for endless listening. There are few black metal albums that so perfectly sum up the inherent horror of black metal as a genre, this one goes beyond the pale, serving to rip us limb from limb and remind us why we got here in the first place.

The ominous trudge of Cinereous Incarnate is the result of years of honed efforts. This is the bands third full length and perhaps the most fully and elegantly conceived to date. Abstracter's ability to conjure up incredible and death defying atmospheres is impressive to say the least. Not only that though but there is something with the guitar tone that almost suffocates the listener. You find yourself drowning under a sea of volume and loving every oppressive minute of it. Yet despite how abstract this record can be and the familiarity with the scene needed to 'get it' there are some undeniable grooves that make it easy to sink in to what's been painted here.

Abstracter crawl forward, covered in their own filth and loving every minute of it. The magical devastation of a song like Wings Of Annihilation is not to be underestimated and is a clear indicator of the bands songwriting talent. Cinereous Incarnate is not just a masterful release - it's symbolic of all that black metal can be. It is mesmerizing and cruel, over the top and punishing, and this is why I can't help but to admire it. Alienating and wonderfully deep, I'm excited to delve once more into this rabbit hole.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/abstracter/

Bunkur/Mordor - Split

Man - this is one of the weirdest splits I've heard in a long time for so many reasons. First off of course it's always fascinating to listen to two of the worlds most longstanding extreme bands to come out with a split together, even stranger still when each side of the split is a cover. Toss in the fact that both tracks are intensely elongated versions of the originals with all sorts of reinterpretations and ideas thrown into the mix and you find yourself digging into something that is as fascinating as is it is demented.

There is an intensity to this record that I think few splits coming out these days reflect. It comes from both the passion of building on past achievements and walking where giants once stood. It also comes from the sheer dorkery and insanity of these reimaginings. Bunkur pretty much double the length of the original in their cover of Carnivore's "The Subhuman" and give it all sorts of twisted lamentations. Meanwhile Mordor turn Venom's "In League With Satan" from a punchy fucked up rocker to a tortured doom metal epic that will make you question your sanity, even going so far as to redub it "In League With Wotan".

This is a record that can feel like a slog to get through but also a record that rewards those who spend the time. Intentionally alienating and wonderfully dense it's a pleasure to really sit down and try to sink your teeth into what Bunkur and Mordor have unleashed here. This is a release for die hard fans who are going to really spend time with this record. For me this is a dream come true, a twisted masterpiece that seems to just keep getting better - take it as a challenge and see if you can ride this one out - it's a hell of a trip.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Bunkur: https://www.facebook.com/Bunkur13/

Mordor: https://www.facebook.com/mordor.swiss

Bereft - Lands

Man - Bereft have had a ton of potential for a very long time. They are a group who have always gone above and beyond, brought a little more to the table than many of their peers and constantly driven the music to bold new futures. Their latest offering Lands is the perfect capstone on all they have created and hits my inbox in the wake of the new Pallbearer, and while that may be an intimidating shadow to be in Bereft pull it off with their unique brand of blackened doom metal raging from first to last.

The balance between the ethereal beauty of the big chords and dreamy vocals of this band as opposed to the crustier black metal moments and skull crushing riffage is delicious. While at times it can feel a bit sectional the band seems to really find their rhythm on Lands. After six years of being a band and a three year wait since Leichenhaus it rapidly becomes clear that Bereft have moved a step beyond with Lands. They have elevated themselves from redundant doom in a crowded scene to a group who have top notch songwriting and brilliant orchestrations that can't help but to charm even the most jaded listener.

There is something totally engrossing about Bereft. The power of their swooping melodies and the lull of their domineering bass is delicious. You get lost in the oceanic rhythms and you allow yourself to truly let go. In a feat worthy of bands like Yob or Pallbearer the guys in Bereft have managed to touch on the deeply emotional and transcendent magic of the genre. They have gone a step beyond with Lands and proven that they have what it takes to be mainstays of a scene that could provide us all absolution.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/bereftdoom

Barbarian Swords - Worms

So it's been a minute since I've reviewed some proper blackened doom metal - and Barbarian Swords seem to take the genre tag quite literally. Their sound is defined by moments of twisted esoteric sounds, in the polemic of what we traditionally would call blackened doom, counterbalanced against blazing black metal fury reminiscent of acts like Destroyer 666. This creates a soundworld that might not appeal to everyone but certainly has me fascinated - enamored with the raging magic and power found on Worms.

The thing is - Barbarian Swords could be a marvelous doom band if they just stuck to that, the fact that they don't isn't always to their advantage, though it certainly adds musical interest. I'm glad that the last two tracks on the record, Requiem and Ultrasado Bloodbath are simply straight up doom, twisted and evil. That being said, the deliberate counterpoint between the punky Endstille-like rager Carnivorous Pussy and Requiem is tasty and Worms certainly wouldn't be quite as good without it's moments of black metal ferocity - I simply feel like it could be better executed. As is this is an album that touches on traditional extreme metal tropes and blasts forth with an obscene violence.

It's easy to get lost in the soaring chords and dragged into the depths by the raspy snarl of the vocals. This is an album that hints at a lot of potential and I think with a little more time invested in songwriting and production this is a group who could truly take things to the next level. There is something strangely surreal about the way you fall into the ethereal sounds found on Worms and it makes you want to come back to pick it apart time and time again. But what do I know - I'm writing about doom on Christmas!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BarbarianSwordsMetal/

Ende - The God's Rejects

Upon the shore, waves roll in a gentle and reassuring rhythm. Buried underneath the current, however, is a sentient and emergent something that should not be. With this, we're brought into the world of France's Ende on The God's Rejects, which itself was buried in 2008 and has only surfaced this week.

While Ende look back through several generations of black metal for their inspiration, the way they keep this four-song-twenty-minute-demo varied throughout shows a more well-rounded tool belt than their insular ancestors. After the aforementioned short intro, the first track, and a large portion of the album overall, draws its strength from a deliberately plodding pace rather than the relentless blast-beats of their contemporaries. Ende is slow in the same way Michael Myers is slow; they are in no rush, as your demise is assured.

Throughout, there's a push-pull dynamic with genre tropes that keeps this from being black metal by numbers without descending into falseness. While the production is what we've come to know and love, there are, among other things, tasteful/appropriate guitar solos, parts during which one could conceivably mosh, melodically clean bits, crushing doom, and moments of Portal-esque complexity so dizzying that this reviewer had to pause the album to make sure another song wasn't accidentally started elsewhere.

As rain falls to this planet, a factory-sized beast groans its protest as it returns to slumber, and, with that, Ende leaves us to wonder: if this is what The God has rejected, how great was what he found worthy?

Here's Ende on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ENDE.official

Bell Witch - Four Phantoms

Last night as I was falling asleep I started to consider my most anticipated records of 2015. One of the first to come to mind was Four Phantoms, so it was somewhat poetic that I would wake up to find the promo copy of Four Phantoms winking at me from my inbox. Rarely have I been simply blown away by a record as I have with this release, and sure, I expected it, this is a band I've loved since I was about 15 years old - but now Bell Witch have proved beyond a shadow of a doub that they are the true masters of doom.

From the initial overwhelming crush of Suffocation, A Burial I - Awoken (Breathing Teeth) you know that this album is a force to be reckoned with. The demonic cries and bellowing growls that define this album are only accentuated by a crushing bottom end featuring tone so good it could make a grown man cry. The lyrics too are a large part of what makes Four Phantoms so overwhelming. Though fairly sparsely placed - the band prefers to let the soundscapes speak for themselves - couplets like "The violence of being/The waves I'm breathing" convey a sense of esoterica and mysticism that make the music even more fascinating.

Bell Withc are oftentimes suffocatingly heavy, and this record has definitely moved me to tears. It is the product of a band who have - since their demo tape came out in 2011 - been able to break boundaries. This is a truly monolothic statement, balancing crushing towers of sound with more ethereal moments for an all encompassing sonic experience. Four Phantoms provides some very strong evidence that Bell Witch is going to be the best doom metal band of 2015 - watch out for them, your doom is soon to follow.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BellWitchDoom?fref=ts

Desolate Shrine - The Heart of the Netherworld

Well, time for the first review of 2015! On this first day of January in the year of our Lord 2015 I am proud to present you with a stunning black metal release from Desolate Shrine. The Heart of the Netherworld is almost oppressive at times and leaves the listener feeling battered and broken. Their is something wholly transcendent about this band. When you dig in to what they are all about it's impossible to hate the beautiful darkness that they invoke. Desolate Shrine are metal masters and there is no escaping their unholy chambers.

Desolate Shrine ply their trade in songs that are simply ungodly. The sense of cosmic brutality and almost perverted evil that reeks from tracks like Black Fires of God proves that their is something wonderfully fucked up about this band. Desolate Shrine use the harsh and magnificent soundscapes on The Heart of the Netherworld to capture the imagination and guide the listener on a deeply emotional journey. The touches of synths that come in here and there simply go to enhance the power of the tracks. As the band blasts their way through these unholy threnodies, it is impossible to not want to fall into the darkness and feel its purifying touch.

At the end of the day, Desolate Shrine are crafting black metal of a new breed. Sure it's oppressive and destructive as its ancestors were, but The Heart of the Netherworld brings something new, something wholly bleak and beautiful. Black metal for the gods of rock and roll to look at and fear. This is a new brand of hatred, the kind that is transcendent and will give you insight to the future of mankind. Full aware of its ability to liberate The Heart of the Netherworld will grind you down and carry you to the future.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/desolateshrine

Teeth

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I like music that makes me feel scared. Teeth are the kind of band that go for primal human emotions and leave you not only scared but also a little bit scarred. There sound isn't as polished as it should be, but that kind of adds to the sense of terror. The fact that this ungodly abomination of a band can leave me with such a feeling of pure horror and invoke such base instincts in me proves that they are masters of their craft. These songs lurch forward like some sort of Lovecraftian beast, there is not rhyme or reason to the terror within, it's just something you have to deal with on the unsteady march forward. As you inexorably wind your way through this record you are forced to face brutal truths about yourself and reflect on a much more profound and frankly terrifying inner darkness. Teeth could very well shatter your sanity, and I have to say I like it that way.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Teethofficial

Eye Of Solitude - Dear Insanity

Eye Of Solitude may have very well just put out one of the best ambient doom masterpieces of 2014. A nearly fifty minute long, one song affair, Dear Insanity has a crushing beauty to it that will capture the imagination and send you groveling to the deepest pits of tartarus. There is a terrifying majesty to this album that will keep you on your toes from start to finish, proof that the geniuses behind this band have a perfectly clear idea of what they want to do with their musical careers. They are rapidly rising gods of a genre god forgot, and they won't leave you disappointed.

The thing with this song is that not only is it epic, it is incredibly beautiful, there is a romantic sense of magic that defines a lot of it. As you navigate the unique soundscapes that Eye of Solitude have created it's hard not to have your heart strings plucked. The gentle synths, demonic growls and occasionally crushing guitar lines come in to leave you bent over, a slave to the almighty power of this band. What really gets me though are the gentler moments, the clean vocals, and the stripped down guitar parts. It perfectly contrasts the destructive and crushing power that this band can have, making Dear Insanity all the more satisfying.

In the end, we are left with a record that takes us full circle, from the cradle to the grave, as we try to navigate the madness that defines our lives we look north and search for truth. Yet truth is not always what we find, instead we are forced to bend our knees and pray that something, anything can keep the darkness at bay. It seems to me that in this bleak day and age doom metal may very well be our only recourse. So let this anthem of madness comfort you in a plagued world and allow you to find the hope we all need.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/eyeofsolitudeband

Thorr-Axe - Gates of Winter

Every once in a while a record finds its way into my inbox that is so purely good and sounds so utterly majestic that I can't ignore it Gates of Winter is one of those albums. Crushing doom metal from Indiana, the bands sophomore effort proves that they may very well be the kind of heavy metal lords that we need if we want this genre to continue and reign triumphant. With a sound that is mesmerizing and powerful you will loves yourself in the Gates of Winter and freeze to death trying to find a way out.

Simply put, there is something about this record that sounds extremely natural, as if it is a direct line to the souls of those who recorded it. These songs resonate with me, not just because they're well arranged and exciting, but because they roar out of your speakers and into your heart. They prove that crushing grooves and powerful drums are more than enough to make exciting sounding heavy metal. That being said, the vocal lines on Gates of Winter are a pleasure to listen too and fit in nicely with some of the more black metal-tinged passages. As you seep into the colder and more frostbitten soundscapes unveiled by Thorr-Axe it's hard to be left not wanting more.

This album is an early contender for best of 2015 and shows that blackened doom metal, as an art form, has a lot left to say. These are tracks that are going to rip your face off and leave your body torn apart, a twisted husk of its former self. Gates of Winter is solid proof that Thorr-Axe are one of the best and most exciting heavy acts out there today, and they're not going anywhere but up. These are the riffs that musical movements are built on, and soon Thor-Axe will be pioneering brave new worlds, showing that they are true metal masters.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/thorraxedoom