Show & Music Reviews

Gaahls WYRD – Braiding The Stories
Released June 6, 2025/ Season of Mist
This is not a black metal album. Even though Gaahl is most closely associated with that genre of music, from his involvement in the bands Gorgoroth and God Seed, he has branched out in recent years with his bands Trelldom and Gaahls WYRD. Not willing to be tethered to definitions of one musical style, Gaahl has infused elements of jazz, clean vocal harmonies, and instrumental musings in this release. Braiding The Stories is an atmospheric album with touches of Viking pagan metal, as on the songs “And the Now” and “Visions And Time,” along with symphonic guitar riffs. It is one of those albums that evoke dark, rainy, dreamy days letting your thoughts flow in all directions while the music washes over you. The songs are all linked together in a cohesive narrative about time, existence, and spiritual journeys. Immaculately produced and performed, I envision this album gaining a huge following outside the metal community. Experimental and highly Norwegian in scope and sound these songs could be a soundtrack to a movie or, as implied in the title, songs about one’s life.

Embrace of Thorns – Entropy Dynamics
Released October 10, 2022/ Nuclear Winter Records
From the moment the first notes play the brutal onslaught begins! The first song the Blackest Orthodoxy Perpetuated is Greek black metal at its finest with hints of Brazilian bands such as Sarcofago and Mystifier. Intense, dark, and heavy this song is not predictable and contains many musical changes. In fact, what makes this album so great is that the songs are varied with numerous chord and tempo changes and other stylistic differences that make it stand out. There are a few song intros that are reminiscent of early Beherit in that they evoke the eeriness of the dark. The entire album has a cohesiveness to it as if it were a concept album. This band has been around since 1999 and they know what they are doing and how to craft complex blackened death metal opuses.
Favorite track: I Wish You Burn in an Endless Funeral Pyre

Pestlegion  –  Sathanas Grand Victoria
Released September 30, 2022 / Osmose Productions
This album has definite classic black metal influences both within the sound and execution. Even though this band is from Germany they evoke Finnish black metal with the vocals and tone. There is a fierceness in all the songs on this album which begins with the anti-Christian anthem “We Deny Thy Name.”  The lyrics involve the usual black metal topics of death, world demise, and evils of organized religion, but the music portrays the lyrics in sonic landscapes. There are blast beats for sure, but they take a background to the guitars and production. The rock guitar riffs on the title track make the song more mainstream and accessible without sacrificing the overall dark message of the album. Favorite track: Ketzer Reim

Medieval Demon – Black Coven
Released September 16, 2022 / Hells Headbangers
I have to admit I do not like much symphonic black metal, but I like this band. The keyboards seem like they are mocking church organs, I don’t know if that is their intent, but that is how I hear it and why I can embrace them. I also enjoy how this album is dark, but it feels joyous at the same time. There are so many intricate things going on in each song and the vocals are one of my favorite parts. Dark, deep, rough, and intense the singer Sirokous brings each song to life. The title track of this album is extremely interesting with the addition of saxophone creating a sort of black metal jazz which is highly innovative. There are definite sounds of Rotting Christ influence on this album and given the bassist Mutilator is an ex-member of that band that might be the reason. I also hear some huge Sigh influence particularly in the song “Nocturnal Sacrilege.” Overall, I really enjoyed the creativity of this album even if it is not traditional black metal. Favorite track:  The Grave Dwellers

Abhor – Sex, Sex, Sex, Ceremonia Daemonis Anticristi
Released September 23, 2022 / Iron Bonehead Productions
This album is darkness and blasphemy incarnate. The Italian black metal masters bring forth the evil again! To me, this album is what black metal is all about. The album plays like a black mass of fire, darkness, and power. Every song had me entranced and I was excited to be along for the ride into the depths of hell. There are keyboards for sure, but they are used to evoke a ceremonial presence and imitation of secular religion for blasphemous purposes. I am a big fan of Abhor and this album didn’t disappoint!
Favorite track: At the Edge of the Circle (though it was hard to pick one)