Greetings, Decibel readers!
In the spirit of autumn apple picking, we have a bountiful harvest of metallic fruits ripe for the taking today. Not that this is the best metaphor, as the one time I remember apple picking was in high school when I went with my buddy and his family. They fought the entire way there and back. I’m not kidding, it was so stressful. He acted like it was nothing, but for then I’ll always associate apple picking with discord and yelling.
Ok, maybe it is a fitting metaphor considering the music below. So, enjoy! Please don’t get into arguments with your loved ones over these records.
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Daeva – Through Sheer Will and Black Magic
Rip-roaring blackened thrash metal from three of the dudes in Crypt Sermon, plus Eddie from Infernal Stronghold. Although Crypt Sermon is one of the most-loved names in doom metal, it must feel good to crank the tempos up and throw compression to the wind. More than anything else, Through Sheer Will and Black Magic is just fist-pounding fun. It’s music made for the studded battle vest.
Stream: Apple Music
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Gevurah – Gehinnom
A swirling tornado of disorienting darkness. The soundtrack to your next ritual that goes terribly wrong and summons too many spirits for you to control. (“It’s too late to retcon.” Says the DM. Dammit!)
Stream: Apple Music
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Imprecation – In Nomine Diaboli
The unrelenting, unholy beast has risen once again from it’s infernal lair to punish us all. Or to reward us all? I mean, if you dig Incantation, Immolation, Convulse and Gorement, I guess it’s more like a demon who rises up from hell to serve you breakfast. Does that make sense? Never mind. This album kicks ass, and brings some more structure and precision back into the mix after the more chaotic turn on Damnatio Ad Bestias.
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Sordid Blade – Every Battle Has Its Glory
New old-school metal with decidedly understated vocals that play more of a background role when set against the guitars. I also like how the cover art reminds me of Gehenna‘s First Spell.
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Stormruler – Sacred Rites & Black Magic
Yes, a second album in the same week with “black magic” in the title. I mean, it’s metal. I like metal. You’re here because you do too. Anyway, I’ve showered these warriors with praise before and am happy to do the same again. The band embodies the spirit the blackened melodic death metal that emerged out of Sweden in the mid-1990s and carries that legacy onward to 2022. On this album, the band continue to perfect their version of the style and make it very much their own. At this rate, Stormruler will become one of the most reliably awesome bands in metal, have already made some of the finest black metal two years in a row. Before you finish your end-of-year lists, you need to listen to this.
Stream: Apple Music
