Darkwor - Foederati

Some well crafted mid-to-fast paced BM. You can see the corpse paint, spiked gauntlets, and bullet belts through the music. These New England fucks give off the aura of Marduk ass raping Emperor with a nine inch freshwater shark dick, while Mayhem watches and jacks off. This is good shit, well produced.

2010 - Foederati



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Ceremonial Castings - Salem 1692

Frankly, I'm shocked this band isn't somewhere on Attila. They've become somewhat big, or least drawn significant attention, and for good reason. When put down on paper, many attributes of Ceremonial Castings would piss me off: a very digital sounding guitar distortion/vocal effects, female vocals, cheesy synth and faux-orchestral stuff. And yet, Ceremonial Castings is fucking awesome. Yes it's fair to call CC symphonic black metal, but they're cut from the same strain that early Emperor was. Phenomenal guitarwork (interesting leads, riffs, catchy and atmospheric) powers each song as the drums rarely drop below super fast, keyboards are garnishing on the cake and the vocals are delightfully diverse (ranging from black metal shrieks, death metal growls, to mid range post produced tones).

Anyway, I'd hope that my personal vote would do something to persuade you as the only two symphonic bands i like are Emperor and Goat Horns Nokturnal Mortum. The opening track, "Where The Witches Waltz," "Obsidian Spells Of Hysteria," and "Onwards To Gallows Hill" amek the album worth it alone.

Ceremonial Castings - Salem 1692 - 2008

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Nokturnal Forest - Cleansed By The Evil Hand

This is a nice slice of Syrian black metal. Nokturnal Forest is a project of Demon of Darkness, the man behind Syria's first black metal band, Blackspell. Like Blackspell, the vocals can be overpowering at times, but they are mixed (as well as the rest of the instruments) a lot better than the previous Blackspell albums. Musically, its competent repetitive mid to fast paced black metal. Reinventing the wheel, no. Worth listening to and banging your fucking head. Of course.

2010 - Cleansed By The Evil Hand



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An Autumn for Crippled Children - Lost

We got here a new three member project from Netherlands:

''...An Autumn For Crippled Children combine raging, lo-fi black metal – all distorted, screamed vocals and raging, ultra-gained distorted riffage – with a more melancholic, atmospheric, ambient and layered sensibility...''

''...This is definitely not going to be a record for everyone. It comes across like a schizophrenic mix of Anaal Nathrakh’s black metal nailbomb, The Codex Necro, and Drudkh’s atmospheric, melancholy take on Eastern European folk-black, Blood In Our Wells. At times it also reminds me of Ukrainian one-metal folk-black act Raventale, while at others, I’m reminded of the relentless Lovecraftian horror of The Axis Of Perdition...''

By: Philip Whitehouse

Be sure you get this piece of work. Highly Recommended!

2010 - An Autumn for Crippled Children - Lost - Full-length

Tracklist:
-----------------------
1. To Set Sails to the Ends of the Earth - 05:42
2. Tragedy Bleeds All Over the Lost - 04:56
3. A Dire Faith - 08:10
4. In Moonlight Blood is Black - 04:05
5. Ghost Light - 04:34
6. An Autumn for Crippled Children - 06:20
7. I Beg Thee Not to Spare me - 04:57
8. Gaping Void of Silence - 04:52
9. Never Shall Be Again - 06:48
-------------------------------
Total playing time: 50:24

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Endless Dismal Moan - Curse of Underground

Final EDM album, released this year after a long delay. Chaotic nightmarish black metal in the vein of his older works, a bit too short but more then enough considering that this is a posthumous release. The last track is just the perfect ending.

2010 - Curse of Underground



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Nord / Boréal - Les Saisons Froides / Songe d'une Nuit d'Hivers

Interesting release from two projects fronted by the same guy; Nord is atmospheric black metal, mostly instrumental with the vocals rarely present, good stuff. Boréal is ambient / acoustic music that perfectly complements the black metal tracks.

2005 - Les Saisons Froides / Songe d\'une Nuit d\'Hivers



download [192kbps]:
part1 / part2

Disguster - Esoterrorism III

The final chapter of Disguster's Esoterrorism trilogy. One long mind raping track of hypnotic black noise. In my mind a perfect way to end these three EP's. When they make all three of these on cassette (which is coming very soon), I'll let you crazy fuckers know.

2010 - Esoterrorism III
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And now for something completely different...

Here is a little something I've been working on for a while. I wanted to make a totally Neo/Dark Folk Auspicium album for a while now. After some thought, I formed Field of Spears. If you enjoy DI6, Sol Invictus, Of the Wand and the Moon, and the like, check it out. Astute listeners will notice a few old Auspicium songs laced into this release. I hope you enjoy it

2010 - Field of Spears - The Drunk and the Endless


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In Human Form - Chapters I--IV

Ripping melodic (they managed to hold the cheese, thank fuck) black metal, that pays a huge debt to Evil Chuck (rip) and the later Death albums (hell, look at the name) . Great high pitched screams over cutting riffs that change to free flowing leads that sound like the bastard children of later Death and Leviathan. This is great and might unseat the new Hooded Menace lp (which if you death metal fans haven't heard, is the best release of the year so far of the genre) as my musical drug of choice as of late.

2008 - Chapters I-IV



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Akitsa / Total Genocide - Split Tape

While on the subject, here's Akitsa's split with Total Genocide from '08. Akitsa’s material is more in the vein of their older works, raw as fuck with absolutely unreal screams; Total Genocide is good fierce old school raw black metal. Killer release!!

2010 - Akitsa / Total Genocide - Split Tape



download [vbr v0]

Akitsa - Au crépuscule de l'espérance

"If you need a description, you don't need it."

2010 - Au crépuscule de l'espérance



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buy here / here

Nekros Menteia

Awesome atmospheric and somewhat experimental black metal from Australia, incredibly well made with interesting song structures that remind me a lot of Lurker of Chalice, all the releases are recommended, but I suggest starting with the debut (which, interestingly enough, features guest vocals from The Curator) or the Haunting Resonance split.

2007 - Disiecti Membra Poetae



download [vbr v2]



2008 - The Haunting Resonance (split w/ Moon & Nekrasov)



download [320kbps]



2009 - Spiritual Deconstruction (split w/ Erebus Enthroned)



download [320kbps]



2010 - Deus Otiosus



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Xasthur - Portal of Sorrow

I know this is on every other bm blog around but I'm posting it anyway because it's fucking awesome, among of the best (if not the best) albums he released!!

2010 - Portal of Sorrow



LINK REPORTED, will not re-upload

Funereal Moon - Beneath the cursed Light of a Spectral Moon [Reissue]

Classic debut released back in ’96 by Funereal Moon. Fucking awesome ambient black “metal” with a unique occult feel mixed with a healthy dose of straightforward songs all graced with some of the best vocals around!

1996 - Beneath the cursed Light of a Spectral Moon
Reissue w/ three bonus tracks



download [320kbps]

Hypothermia - Skogens Hjärta

Single, instrumental, 69 minute song showing a slightly "lighter" side of Hypothermia. This is self-released and made available for free, you can donate at the link below.

2010 - Skogens Hjärta


(this is not the official cover)

download [320kbps]

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Brulvahnatu - Uterine Acid Swishes

Nice, doomy, ambient black metal that isn't afraid to thrash when its needed. Long ass songs that build up and catch you in their nets before you know it. Complete reverb addiction.

2009 - Uterine Acid Swishes


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Echtra - A War for Wonder

A very enjoyable ep from Echtra, recorded in '04, the music shows a more melodic side of the band while still maintaining a similar atmosphere of the debut. The acoustic guitar dominates the recording while the black metal pounds in the background, the recording is almost entirely instrumental save for the brief vocal passage on the end of the second song. Like the debut, this requires multiple listens to really sink in but it is well worth the time!

download: [320kbps / FLAC 1|2]

buy here