Cloak – Cloak [US, Black / Rock] (2016)

Boris Records | 6-20-16

Cloak is special to me. I first encountered the band at Blood of the Wolf Festival in the middle of three days of death, black, and everything between bands in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Cloak fit the bill with their harsh vocals but stood out in not only their instrumentation but just the way they carried themselves. Instead of a full out frenzy, the band donned a mantle of rock and roll swagger which made their already dark imagery something special. This was party music for the recently deceased.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Iskandr – Heilig Land [Netherlands, Black] (2016)

Haeresis Noviomagi |6-5-16

I love it when band names are autocorrected in search engines so finding them is even more of an adventure. No worries as I think myself and Iskandr have already met, or atleast have been introduced between friends. Iskandr is a tortured soul from the Netherlands who also does duties in Lubbert Das and Turia both excellent bands with excellent releases in 2015. Where Both previous bands were multiple in nature, the man known as “O” breaks out for a hellish ride through grief and suffering.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Haunter – Thrinodίa [US, Black / Death / Progressive] (2016)

Self Released | 5-30-16

There are sometimes when an album or even a band can baffle you to the point of taking a while to process. There are sometimes when a band’s sound is so untraceable that it develops a type of charm in its mystery. This is what the Texas based band Haunter is doing. This is what Haunter is doing. While the style of cryptic black/death has been well explored, this Texas based band is riding through the cavernous sound on a rickety progressive rollercoaster. Unlike even other bands who do the same thing, Haunter’s dedication or addiction to lo-fi production and destruction makes this release a treat or complete fucking puzzle for some people.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

L.O.R.E. – Demo [US, Black] (2016)

Self Released | 5-8-16

I make jokes about the black metal stock market in that you feel good when you find a band before everyone else does. The joke goes that you can buy low and then sell at a profit. I obviously have a very limited knowledge of stock trading but I feel pretty confident on finding out of the way black metal. I know nothing about L.O.R.E other than their Bandcamp Page and a few tags on Facebook. This is all surprising because their demo which appeared out of nowhere looks like it is designated for greatness.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Vidargängr – A World That Has To Be Opposed [Germany, Black] (2016)

War Anthem Records | 4-29-15

Oh Lord, listen to that sound. If the cover art by fellow German metal musician Alexander Kavtea was not enough indication, A World That Has To Be Opposed is really about that one violent push back against, well, everything. situated in violent brushstrokes, the entire cover plus logo, is painted giving the design a raw and unnerving disposition. Cover art is important ass it is the first impression for most listeners. By this notion, Vidargängr is literally spitting on people who get too close.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Prisoner Of War – Rot [New Zealand, Death] (2016)

Iron Bonehead | 4 – 18 – 16

Paging through new metal releases, there is a certain through process behind what to discard and what to put to the side for furthur investigation. Seeing the tags “New Zealand,” “Death,” and “Iron Bonehead” together made for an interesting proposals which was immediately followed by a fulfillment of all expectations. If the gross cover was not enough indication, New Zealand’s Prisoner of War is going to come to your house and fuck everything up.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Utzalu – Drowning in Sanguine Screams [US, Black] (2016)

Vrasubatlat | 3-31-16

This demo is recommended in the hopes that people eventually stumble upon the nest that is Vrasubatlat. Vrasubatlat is the nucleus of “R” and his many connected black, death, punk, and mixed bands including Urzeit, Uškumgallu, Serum Dreg, Triumvir Foul, Dagger Lust, and finally Ash Borer. R and collected company have put out 8 releases since June 2015 ranging from demos, EPs, splits and full lengths all within the category of damn good to amazing. I have reviewed these other bands before and the same is true for each releases — these demos are fantastic on their own and become near unholy when taken as a collective force of destructive violence.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Death Fortress – Deathless March of the Unyielding [US, Black] (2016)

Fallen Empire Records | 4-4-16

Death Fortress will always have a special place in my heart. I not only discovered them on a cassette mix but through that same compilation, I found the wonderful Fallen Empire. “Master-Deceiver” which was provided on the SVN OKKLT mix was a harrowing introduction to a grinding black metal band from New Jersey. Now more than 3 years later this band continues toiling in the hellish landscapes of the afterworld, intent on bringing this existence to its foreseen close.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Into Coffin – Into a Pyramid of Doom [Germany, Black / Death / Doom] (2016)

Caligari Records | 4-8-16

Look. At. That. Fucking. Cover. There is a certain feeling one gets when they find a style that clicks with their personality. Into a Pyramid of Doom has everything from occultic obsessions to comic book styled horror. I do not know exactly what it is about Lovecratian monsters looming over Ancient Egypt, but I know Into Coffin knows exactly how I feel.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Eichenwald – Eichenwald [US, Black / Ambient] (2016)

Self Released | 3 – 27- 16

I have made jokes in the past about black metal’s obsession with nature sounds and landscape arrangements. This sort of joke never gets old as long as bands keep putting in field music into their records. Case in point, Eichenwald’s debut demo/album opens with an honest to goodness, all hands on deck, wind/rainscape that extends into a 12 minute meditation. I feel the desire to lampoon things like this would be so much greater if the artist was more well known as well as if things like Eichenwald’s debut were anything less than exquisite and interesting.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.