Sanctuaire – Le Sang sur l’Acier [Canada, Black / Ambient] (2016)

Les Productions Hérétiques | 5-28-16

I feel that putting Ambient and Atmospheric on top of an album as a description can be akin to pushing it in certain direction that may not be appropriate. Le Sang sur l’Acier is not ambient in the same way as lets say Darkspace but it is not atmospheric in the same way as the thousands of other bands that share that style. There is a small knoll of earth reserved for bands that not only love atmosphere but also rotting vocals, organs, and perhaps some woodsy chants. For all of that, this space of earth is perfect for Sanctuaire.

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.

Isolert – No Hope, No Light...Only Death [Greece, Black] (2016)

Ogmios Underground |5-1-16

Yeah I know, I am not that enthusiastic about the artwork either. It is not the digital painting depicting a hanging corpse in the middle of a grim forest is bad rather it doesn’t really match the precision of the band’s grey logo. I feel comfortable point this out, at the beginning of the review, because my deflated attitude towards the cover is only dwarfed by my enthusiasm for the music contained within. There is always something that you can point out with a record that is pretty damn great.

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.

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.

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.

Ad Baculum – Opening the Abyss [Brazil, Black] (2016)

Hammer of Damnation | 3-15-16

Oh Lord look at that cover. I wonder if Gustave Dore knew his legacy would be enshrined in the work of so many heavy metal album covers. What is on the cover of Ad Baculum’s third cover is a picture of “The Suicides” from Dore’s extensive illustration of Dante’s Divine Comedy. What was meant to be perhaps spiritually horrifying educating wayward Christians to a brighter path has turned into being an ominous cover for a cool as fuck metal band. Its a fair trade off.

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.

明日の叙景 – 過誤の鳥 [Japan, Post Black / Hardcore] (2016)

Post black is difficult to discuss because no one can really agree on what it is. Supposedly an extension on black metal it has come to be an umbrella term for blackgaze, atmospheric black with heavy post rock elements, and just straight up experimental black. If one was to really pin down the style with a few descriptions it would be starting around black metal and then traveling to far off places usually ending up with unconventional themes and imagery. Aside from a few social media pages, there is little about 明日の叙景(Asunojokei)aside from being a hardcore/post-something band from Tokyo. If one was to really pin down the band with a few descriptions it would be energetic with a well of potential.

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.

Hairst – Bròn [Scotland, Black / Ambient] (2016)

Self Released | 2-6-16

Sometimes hitting an aesthetic is a wonderful thing. Hairst is a Scottish one man black metal act whose demos and EPs are being celebrated by the very few. All of the covers for this artist are black and white or lightly destaturated. The music is a shrilly approach to making bedroom black metal complete with atmospheric and battle effects wrapped around each of the songs. There is even an acoustic and ambient interlude/intro hiding in the very short EP. If that sort of thing does not interest you, then there are other things you can do with your time. If you enjoy everything I just said and wouldn’t mind the music to be interesting and exciting, then Hairst could be the coolest thing today.

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.