Best Of MMXV ( With X. From Human Serpent )

This year was full of great releases from all over the world and I'm very proud from the albums that came out from Greece making sure to everyone that we have a hell of a scene with true devoted musicians. I do not have any hopes or goals yet, for the next year, that will come when it's time to come. Live your life as best as you can and fuck the word!
There is no particular order here, just some, because of course I'm sure I forgot a couple, of the best releases this year had to offer.

Ι.      Nigredo - Facets Of Death
ΙΙ.     Human Serpent - Inhumane Minimalism
ΙΙΙ.    Vorum - Current Mouth EP
ΙV.    Creeping - Revenant
V.     Devouring Star - Through Lung and Heart
VI.    Nadirwrath - Circle Of Pest
VII.   Chapel Of Disease - The Mysterious Ways Of Repetitive Art
VIII.  Mgla - Excercises In Futility
IX.     Outre - Ghost Chants
X.      Malthusian - Below The Hengiform
XI.     Awe - Providentia
XII.   Devathorn - Vritra
XIII.  Bastard Grave - What Lies Beyond
XIV.  Balmog - Svmma Fide
XV.   Vermingod - Whisperer Of The Abysmal Wisdom

And this is the list of my friend and mastermind behind Human Serpent, X.

I.       Motorhead - Bad Magic
II.     Drowning The Light - From The Abyss
III.    Necropole - Ostara (Demo)
IV.    Deathhammer - Evil Power
V.     Sentimen Beltza - Atatxa EP
VI.   Cosmic Church - Vigilia EP
VII.  Sacrificium Carmen - Ikuisen Tulen Kammiosa
VIII. My Dying Bride - Feel The Misery
IX.    Marduk - Frontschwein
X.     Drudkh - A Furrow Cut Short
XI.    Sepulchral Zeal - Open  (Demo)

A Guide To Devilish Music Pt II - The Rotten Sounds Of Occult Death Metal

The second part of my guide, now I'm focusing more on Death Metal bands, that have a more raw approach to their music and their theme evolves around Occultism and everything around it.
I'm not going to mention infamous bands of that style such as Kaamos, Repugnant etc because there is no point to it. Everyone who is a fan of this style knows them and respects them.

Invidious - In Death (EP) :
A side project with no informations about their current status with members from In Solitude, Degial and Ensnared. This EP is a really obscure release, that has the raw and raspy production that makes it very unlistenable to someone who is not familiar with this kind of stuff but for those who spent hours on underground blogs searching for underground death/thrash/black metal bands this is a black diamond.
The album contains 4 devilish relentless tracks of pure death. Not going into much details here, if you want your music sharp like a rusty infected razor this is defenitely something worth your time and money. The artwork which is quite explainable for what you will experience through the listening session is made by Erik Danielsson of Watain.

Denouncement Pyre - Almighty Arcanum :
Australian madness from the pulpits of horrors.
Great album, not so much lo fi production going on in here, reminds me a bit of Funeral Mist's Maranatha in some parts which is a good sign.
The line up consinsts of well known australian musicians in the death/black metal scene, Order Of Orias, Nocturnal Grave etc.
Moving on, I had a blast listening to this record, heavy but melodic when needed, with lots of black metal elements, the guitars and the vocals especially.
The lyrics also are written with passion and knowledge above all, offensive yes, but philosophical also, something I find very appealing to any release that may cross my path.
The music is well written, surely not boring but instead there are plenty of interesting riffs here, take for example the song Circle Of Serpents, with that glorious intro building up the anticipation to the listener just like a magician prepares the temple for his work and the crescento almost at the end, such splendour!
Check them out as soon as possible.

Vorum - Poisoned Void :I'm a huge fan of Vorum and their latest EP (Current Mouth) is certainly going on the best records of this year list but I wanted to talk about their previous work, Poisoned Void.
This album is an old school black/death/thrash metal record, or whatever you call it, the point is that it has all the things I like. It has power, it's unforgiving and it's just molesting the listener's softness.
A mix of old Morbid Angel with Sodom and Bathory and ideas of destruction, Satanism and everything that made this genre evil are here in great amounts plus the blasphemy and the torture of your ears.
Aesthically it impresses me also with a wonderfull artwork by Alxander L. Brown (Witchrist, his band)
Needless to say, this album stroke me like a shovel the first time I heard it, and still doesn't feel quite welcoming.

Suspiria - Dawn Of Kezef :
Finally, a demo from a Spanish band called Suspiria which came out this year, called Dawn Of Kezef. The EP/Demo contains only 2 tracks, Devoured Hearts and Dawn Of Kezef.  The tracks are a mix of death/black metal in the vains of Incantation, Morbid Insulter and possibly Teitanblood, with that barbaric feeling going on. Unstoppable monolithic tremolo picking riffs, huge walls of sound like a ready-to-crush elevator, the vocals sound like they have been recorded in a dark, leaching cave and the result is not at all dissapointing. I'm looking forward for their debut album. And make sure you check them out, and if you like them enough buy their Demo.

A Guide To Devilish Music - Die With Your Boots On Pt. I

Rock n roll to me has that special connection to the other side,  thus creating possibilities for spiritual liberation.
With that being said, lots of artists, not just in black metal, have put out records that are liberating, filled with devilish sparks and flames. Haunted vibes and mesmerizing melodies that can put the listener in a state of trance of make him feel like  he is in the deepest vault of Hell.
I will show you some of the records that did this to me over the years. Of course there are some I may forgot to mention.

Watain - Lawless Darkness:For me this is one the best black metal records ever recorded. It is full of great music. Enchanting melodies straight from the Mahapralaya rituals, songs invoking anticosmic primal forces yet many of the listeners have no idea what they hearing when they put the record on.
The lyrics are possibly the most well thought lyrics in black metal, they have a certain feeling that matches excellent with that of the music.
Some songs have a more human aspect to them, more earthly ones if you like, some are celebrating the Gods that put their burning touch in the souls of the musicians to make this happen and some of course glorify Death in a spiritual way that prepares you to say farewell to this mundane existence. And yes, it works like magick.

In Solitude - Sister:Many of you already know this, but for those that are not familiar with In Solitude, this is not a black metal record. Although if you take the feeling and the atmosphere this album offers to the listener it beats a lot of black metal records.
This a really honest piece of art. With the almost forgotten post punk vibe going on doing its magic,
it feels like we're in a trip, through the gothic horror scenes of a 60's horror movie, like Black Sunday, from which the cover art drew its inspiration from. (Barbara Steele)
Lyrically, it has a sinister theme, revolving around Magic and Occultism, but with a more romantic twist sometimes that may suprise a hardcore black metal fan looking for Satan in shallow ways. Amazing music right there.

The Devil's Blood - The Time Of No Time Evermore:
A magnificent occult rock album.
Truly devoted musicians that put their soul and blood into this. Selim has been a huge inspiration for me personally and I admire everything he has done music wise and other wise.
This album contains songs that are catchy as fuck but with a deep meaning laying in the lyrics and the symbolism used. From the sigil in the front cover to that bitter but glorious goodbye in the song The Yonder Beckons, the album is a manifestation of great ideals and the outlaw way of living.
A huge welcome to the Anticosmic Gods and a huge fuck you to the world. Something that all these records mentioned above have common.

Saturnalia Temple - To The Other:
This is heavy, sludgy and dark as the eyes of the Drakon might be.
They have changed a bit since their first record, which I really dig too, but this, this is what a bad trip on DMT might look and sound like. Imagine yourself slipping in a giant spiral, going deeper and deeper while the voices of madness are tearing up your Ego.
After the record is done, you will feel like a huge stone has been lifted off of you. Not kidding.
These band of occultists has made a brilliant record, which is not welcoming the audience in any way. Only those who seek something in their music will find it appealing and love it.
I will not go into details simply because my experience with this release has been very intimate and I absorbed the whole thing as One, so, it's up to you what will you make out of it.

Art As A Vessel Of Liberation

The concept of religion and faith in general has always fascinated me in Black Metal.
I am really interested in the effects Music has upon me especially when the music coming from the artist has been made in order for the listener to achieve a higher connection with the opus.
Religion, is something more than just a large amount of people worshiping a God or many Gods. Religion or Faith, is the basic motive of people for making art sometimes, whether this is painting, like W. Blake, whether it is literature or music, the results quite often are magnificent simply because they represent that complex relationship between the creator and his Gods.
It is not made for any of the earthly desires that most of the artists seek. Not fame, not money, not recognition.
It is the most profound way of showing them their appreciation, love or to be thankful through something that has a physical substance and it's easier, I suppose, for them and the listener, who might have no idea about the purpose of the specific music or painting, to connect with it.
 
Let's talk about black metal as something more than music. More like a vessel or a nexus that has the potential of creating an awaking to those who are able, mentally of course, to go deeper into the music itself, rather than trying to understand what kind of amps or guitar models the band uses.
And of course, the ability of the listener to approach the lyrical themes and shape them into symbols and images beyond the common understanding.


Spirituality in general, is something we come across a lot in many genres. That's because people, need to express their inner self.
This uncontrolable urge to put into words, or images or notes what you hold dear deep inside, this flame of inspiration that keeps you going when the world around us is trying its best to destroy every last bit of spiritualism.
This is the reason why honest and profound art still exists.
Because what many may call a God, or True Self, or Inner Flame gives people the strength and the courage they may lack, in order to find inspiration from the inside not another band or anything.
Pure divine inspiration.
That which may have call the Luciferian Flame, this spark of divinity that awaits in our souls to spread its flames in exstatic ways.

Art is a way of gaining true liberation. To tear the bars of the cosmic prison.
To spread the madness of purity and love for the unknown, for what lays not in light.
To delineate the gift of Life and Death.

Nigredo - Facets Of Death Review

Nigredo is a great black/death metal band from Athens. The main members are two, Maelstrom who handles the drums and does an excellent work, the guy is like a human machine and A. who does vocals, guitars and bass plus he is an ex member of Exarsis, a well known greek thrash band. Facets Of Death which came out through Odium Records is the band's debut, the EP contains 4 tracks straight out of the most obscure corner in Hell.
The band does a great job combining elements of old school black/death metal in the style of Swedish bands like Malign, Watain etc and more recent ones from the avant garde French scene, like Deathspell Omega (they have influenced a lot of bands, sorry for keep mentioning them) with more ethereal riffs but still keeping their foot to the raw nature of the genre.
Lyrically the theme is all about Death, most of the time, speaking about the importance and worship of Death in a holy way which I find very interesting.
The riffs are everything but boring. They are fast with quick changes, harsh and devilish.
Also the vocals are really well done, raspy and angry with smooth parts here and there, exactly how I prefer them.
Usually I point out my favourite tracks, but since this release contains only 4, yet stunning tracks, I will leave that to you.
Last but not least, a big shout out to Milovan Novacovic who did the awesome artwork.

9/10
You can listen the album or download it through the band's bandcamb here: https://nigredogr.bandcamp.com/

EPs From Hell - Including Monstraat, Nightmare City, The 135

We start with Monstraat's latest EP named the Eternal One. Monstraat is a Swedish based primitive black metal band with all the essential criterias for a meaningful release. Filled with Devil-worshiping lyrics, blasphemy and the whole old school aesthetics witch I really like in a band.
This EP contains 4 tracks, The One Eternal, Unchained, Voidlike Sky and Dead Eyes See.
Nothing new to the genre, they stick to the basics, and hell, they are good at it.
Melodies come and go between the wicked riffs and raspy vocals in the veins of Malign, Morbid Insulter and more.
Plus, really good work on the cover too.

8
Listen Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QggmYuIJ-Lk


Second band, is Nightmare City, a heavy metal/punk band from Sweden also. They released this year their first EP called Nightmare City through Electric Assault Records. It contains 6 tracks, not that long but catchy and hellish. It has an old school vibe that I love, reminds me a bit of Venom, but more clean in a way. Moving on, there are a lot of melodies coming straight from their NWOBHM influences, their style also can be a hint to that. The vocals are not that clean, they have more of a first wave of Black Metal approach, that's why the Venom reffrence above.
A very artistic and punk-ish I must add selection on the cover, and I'm looking forward for their debut LP, which I hope it won't take too long.

7
Listen Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0_uAwzMHX0

Last band is The 135, a really interesting release from France, playing a form of Avant-Garde Black Metal in a French way, kinda like Deathspell Omega and maybe Aosoth, and since I'm a fan and have huge respect for those bands I couldn't help myself from reviewing this quite good piece of Art.
The EP is titled Lumen Per Lumen, raughly translated as The Light From The Light I think, contains only 3 tracks, with the first one Drakon Manifesto - The Death Of The I, having a 2-minute intro workng as an introduction to the band.
As you may have realised the lyrical concept is about Occultism in a serious way, the musicianship in here is absolutely stunning. Chaotic melodies, influenced by Deathspell Omega, sometimes really nostalgic ones, acoustic passages, but also some are like a wall of nails closing in, causing the listener to go through a lot of emotional changes until the song absorbs him/her in the great vasts of darkness.
The vocals also are a bit of a suprise, mainly because there are a lot of clean singing parts before it goes into the typical yet beautiful growl-ish black metal vocals much like Mgla sounds.
I highly recomend it, to anyone who is interested in the French Black Metal scene, and to everyone who wants their black metal Satanic and Philosophical.

8,5
Listen Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl6PR8OMWck

Hypothermia - Svartkonst Review

Hypothermia is a black metal band hailing from Sweden and it's the child, so to speak, of Kim Carlsson mostly known as the vocalist in Lifelover and other musical expressions such as Horns Emerging and Kall.
Now this album, Svartkonst, meaning black art or sorcery, correct me if I'm wrong, came out earlier this year following the well praised Skogens Hjarta.
One of the things that I enjoyed mostly in this release is the production. Very clean, etherial and you can hear every instrument at the same time without the guitars for example swallowing each other or the drums, something that in their earlier albums was a problem to me.
To those that don't know about the musical past of Hypothermia, their previous albums had more of a depressing or negative feeling, drowning a lot of elements from depressive black metal and post rock/metal.
In this one though, there are no vocals, the post rock influences are more present, which I find very possitive, and the albums as a whole can work perfectly with meditation or a walk through the forest.
It's a form of magick in my opinion, repeatitive riffs, thus creating a trance like feeling to the listener, the compositions are very tight, not anything too technical but instead everything is simple, and so easy to absorb that anyone I believe can find something worth in this record about himself.
It's a soundtrack of retrospection.
I won't talk about the highlights of the record because I think you have to listen to the whole damn thing to realise what it's all about.

9/10

Nadiwrath - Circle Of Pest Review

Nadiwrath is a great black metal band from Athens, Greece with members from other well known bands in the Greek black metal scene such as, Thy Darkned Shade, Dodsferd and more.
Circle Of Pest is their second full length album which came out this June following their praised debut album Nihilistic Stench.
In this release it sounds like they put aside most of their punk influences, although you can still hear some fragments of it. One of the reasons might be their signing to a label and honestly I'm not really bothered. I enjoyed their first album a lot, and with this one, the black metal elements and vibe is more solid and asphyxiating than ever. It's obvious they put a lot of effort in the making of this record, the production is cleaner, which is not a bad thing in this context, the riffs are tight creating a very thick wall of sound but leaving room for depressive feelings as well.
Also the artwork from Khaos Diktator Design is fucking amazing.
Lyrically is all about nihilism and misanthropy, something any black metal fan can appreciate and most important the lyrical theme really go side to side with the music. Highlights of the album, Inner Commitment, Heading Towards Absolute Darkness, No Pity For Your Kind
Great release and it's going for sure in the best albums of the year list.
8/10
Support the honest art.
Listen or Download from the band here: https://drakkar-productions-official.bandcamp.com/album/nadiwrath-circle-of-pest

Human Serpent's Inhumane Minimalism Review

This time, I'm going to talk about one album at a time.
Here we have the second full lenght album of a Greek Black metal band from Lamia, Human Serpent titled Inhumane Minimalism. I must say I didn't expect the hellstorm that came out of this chaotic piece of music. The band really made progress in their songwritting skills from the first LP which was really cool too, titled The Gradual Immersion in Nihilism. In this album, everything I want in black metal is here. It's misanthropic as fuck, relentless vocals, really, it feels like the vocalist is screaming to stay alive at some parts, it's full of energy but at the same time is draining the listener and drags him in the abyss. The songs are not that long, but still it feels like when they are about to finish hell will break loose.Also, the riffs are as good as they can get. Even at the opening track when you think the album is gonna start really smooth while going towards an escalation, the riff grabs your guts and rips them off. Every track is just a powerfull, full of hate and grief, mix of extreme musical reflection and expression. I suggest you better listen to those fuckers cus that's a top class black metal record. Hail misanthropy.
Highlights of the album, in my opinion, are the songs The World in Coffins, Starving Void upon Earth and Mother of Depression.
10/10
Listen or download from the band here: https://humanserpent.bandcamp.com/

Music Vibes For The Brain Dead Masses vol.1

Λίστα με δίσκους που άκουσα πρόσφατα και μου πρόσφεραν αρκετή ευχαρίστηση.
Όχι απαραίτητα φετινοί δίσκοι.

Αρχικά ο φετινός δίσκος των Σουηδών Shining,  IX - Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends.
O τίτλος ήδη λέει πολλά. Πολύ καλύτερο λυρικά και συνθετικά από τον προκάτοχο του, Redefining Darkness, εδώ ο παρανοϊκός τροβαδούρος Νίκλας δεν κάνει πολλούς πειραματισμούς με την μουσική, πέρα από κάποια ακουστικά περάσματα.
Τα κομμάτια είναι πέρα από ικανοποιητικά, προσφέρουν μια γλυκιά αίσθηση μελαγχολίας, αγωνίας και θλίψης όπως ακούμε στο κομμάτι Inga Broar Kvar Att Bränna, το οποίο δεν έχει την αίσθηση ενός ξυλοδαρμού, στοιχείο πολύ συνηθισμένο στους Shining, υπάρχει όμως στο κομμάτι  Vilja & Dröm. Με ένα εξαιρετικά γραφικό και επιθετικό βίντεο κλιπ να το συνοδεύει, ίσως είναι απ΄τα highlights του δίσκου. Επιθετική ατμόσφαιρα, η φωνή του Νίκλας δίνει ρέστα καθώς μοιάζει με γροθιές στο στομάχι σε κάθε στίχο που φτύνει στα μούτρα των ακροατών.
Στο δίσκο επίσης δεν λείπει το instrumental κομμάτι, χαρακτηριστικό των κυκλοφοριών τους, εδώ όμως βρίσκεται στο opening track. Σίγουρα ένα πολύ όμορφο μουσικό δείγμα, κάτι σαν την ηρεμία πριν την αστραπή καθώς μετά ο δίσκος σε πιάνει απ'τα αρχίδια για περίπου 35 λεπτά.
Πολύ καλή κυκλοφορία για μένα, περίμενα καιρό κάτι αξιόλογο μετά το φιάσκο του Redefining Darkness.
 8/10
Ακούστε τον εδώ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOvgSW_Glpw


Στη συνέχεια έχουμε τον δίσκο των Ισλανδών post rockers Solstafir με την ονομασία Ótta.
Να πω πώς ήταν ο πρώτος δίσκος που άκουσα απο την μπάντα, μεγάλο λάθος, όποτε δεν έχω πλήρης εικόνα της τέχνης τους και θα είμαι κάπως σύντομος.
Ο δίσκος είναι ένα γαμημένο αριστούργημα. Πραγματικά, από το πρώτο κιόλας κομμάτι, το Lagnaetti, έχεις καταλάβει ότι πρόκειται για δίσκο διαμάντι.
Αιθέριες ατμόσφαιρες, φοβερές μελωδίες, τα φωνητικά για μένα είναι εξαίσια, όλα μου ακούγονται όπως πρέπει να είναι.
Γνωρίζοντας παράλληλα την στροφή που έκαναν στον ήχο τους, πηγαίνοντας από black metal σε post ηχοτοπία, έχω να πω, πώς καλά έκαναν.
Αξίζει σίγουρα την ακρόαση σας, αλλά και την αγορά του δίσκου σε cd/βινύλιο καθώς έχει και εκπληκτικό artwork.
10/10
Ακούστε το εδώ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_noCeiuGFQk&list=PLArAJlC1y559WpK1f9Hr08XGkn_GH0vXJ


Τρίτος δίσκος, είναι ίσως ο πιο διαφορετικός στη λίστα. Είναι ο δίσκος των Phuture Doom με τον ίδιο τίτλο, μία μπάντα που συνδυάζει ηλεκτρονική μουσική του στυλ dubstep, breakcore με black metal ριφ.
Δεν είναι για όλους φυσικά, ακραία προσέγγιση, δίνουν αρκετή έμφαση στα βίντεο κλιπ τα όποια, όπως και οι στίχοι, έχουν σαν θέμα την θεωρία περι singularity και transhumanism, κάνοντας έτσι μια προπαγάνδα, κάτι που βρίσκω αρκετά ενδιαφέρον ξέροντας ότι δεν βλέπουν τη μουσική απλά σαν μία μορφή διασκέδασης της μάζας.
Σίγουρα οπαδοί των Goretech/Αnaal Nathrakh θα τους βρείτε μουσικά πολύ ελκυστικούς.
Τα κομμάτια που ξεχωρίζουν στον δίσκο κατά την άποψη μου είναι τα, Burn The Knowledge (εξαιρετικό βίντεο επίσης), Doom Terror Cops, Han Breaks
7/10
Ακούστε το εδώ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giwihqnVzbY&list=PLfdkz2eiSC3aTRmHHeTLwhtaJKUcSVVVv