Ulthar impressed me mightily with the release of Providence in 2020, an album that felt unhinged and slightly chaotic but that still kept the momentum up with plenty of ideas. Fast forward to the current year and Ulthar announces that they are releasing not one, but two follow-ups to their sophomore album. Was this bold decision worth the wait?
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Ulthar – Anthronomicon
Ulthar embrace chaos in their songwriting, which can manifest as a sound that’s creatively unhinged or a sound that’s flailing without direction – sometimes all at once. Anthronomicon follows the same path as its sister album Helionomicon, only in shorter segments.
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Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags Review
Hellripper’s got a new one out, and Cosmo is hoping that he doesn’t fulfill the plight of Icarus and crash into the sea with failed expectations. There’s always a certain level of expectation going into a new album from a beloved band. Let’s hope this doesn’t cause a case of premature eblackulation.
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Anachronism – Meanders Review
That Meanders is a quality record is pretty obvious from the start. Taking and weaving their influences into something cohesive and unique is no small feat. It hits me on an emotional level, but I admit that as a musician myself, there is an intellectual bias to an album like this. Want some Bacon with that?
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Conjureth – The Parasitic Chambers Review
Conjureth are certainly talented. The band deals in a type of auditory chaos that could just as well be considered sloppy but that adds to the experience here – an album so aggressive and wild, bursting at its seams, that the musicians can barely hold it together. Enter the chambers of Conjureth!
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Katatonia – Sky Void of Stars Review
“Austerity” opens the album with some rhythmic fuckery that is unlike Katatonia but it settles comfortably into their usual style. The following songs “Colossal Shade” and “Opaline” add some unusual groove and a kind of sad, almost Jazz-y sound. It makes the first half of the album flow by as a breeze.
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Thy Darkened Shade – Liber Lvcifer II: Mahaprala Review
Ritualistic Black Metal. An instant turn-on for some, an instant “eww, gross” from others. For me, it’s one of my favorite aspects of what Black Metal can be. Thy Darkened Shade has opened its doors once again (after 8 years of nothing save for some splits) with the second part of the grand trilogy Liber Lvcifer. Is it a worthy followup to its predecessor?
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Esoctrilihum – Funeral Review
Esoctrilihum, to Gator, has always been one of those bands that are intriguing but never fulfilling. Will Funeral change that, or will it result in a funeral for our friend?
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Sagen – Roots of Proctor Review
While Deathcore in expression and production, Roots of Proctor is more Death Metal in technique. This might not seem like much but this marks a crucial difference in that Sagen show that they are not one of the Deathcore bands that rely on breakdowns to save every song. So in the absence of many breakdowns, what makes it worth your time?
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Crypts of the Unknown: Bound and Gagged – Fornicate the Gutted
