Samoht was clearly somewhat inspired by dark Americana and country inspired music looking at his albums of the year 2023 list featuring artists like Dorthia Cottrell, Osi and the Jupiter, Wayfarer and The Coffinshakers, but also massive albums by bands like Frozen Soul, Serpent’s Oath, SLOW, OAK, Smoulder and Bell Witch!
Xavier apparently spent more time catching up with what he missed in 2022, than discovering new releases in a year that he seemed somewhat disappointed about what was coming out. He still picked out a handful of releases that stuck out for him with Nytt Land, Avatar, Gloryhammer, Kludde and Dymna Lotva!
US black metal act Hulder issues ‘Hearken The End’ video single in anticipation of the release of the new album ‘Verses In Oath’, set for release next month via 20 Buck Spin!
Berlin based post-black metal act Nidare has unleased a brand new live session video for ‘Aderlass’, a track from their EP ‘Naehe un Flackern’ released last year via Through Love Records!
Portuguese outfit Ponte Del Diavolo dance with the devil on ‘Covenant’, another spellbinding single and video from their upcoming self-titled album set for release next month via Season of Mist!
Our resident extreme metal reviewer Mazen has a selection of stellar (mostly) black and death metal releases as his favorite of the year with Sulphur Aeon, Varathron, Moonlight Sorcery, Cruciamentum, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Asphodelus, Marduk, …And Oceans, and Cirith Ungol!
Renowned French black metal entity Merrimack continues to unravel the enigmatic tapestry of their upcoming album ‘Of Grace and Gravity’ (out in March via Season of Mist) with the release of their second single ‘Dead and Distant Clamors’!
Australian dark folk/blackgaze act Suldusk announces upcoming new album ‘Anthesis’, set for release via Napalm Records in March, and share the title track now with an accompanying video! Fans of Myrkur, Oathbreaker and Chelsea Wolfe, don’t sit on this one!
One of the highlights of our adventures in the Finnish Autumn/Winter season, was most definitely the 3rd edition of Black Box Mikkeli, with on the 2nd day a celebration of Finnish metal with Lastout, I Am Your God, Balance Breach, Insomnium, the foreign black metal storm that is Gaerea, and of course an amazing set by Bloodred Hourglass, bringing their latest album in full!
Besides starting the new year properly looking to the future, this month we’re also still looking back at all the awesomeness that 2023 brought us. One of those awsome things was the already 3rd edition of the by Bloodred Hourglass curated festival Black Box Mikkeli. They were able to bring a killer line-up again on the 2nd day of their event with besides a fantastic show by themselves, Insomnium, Gaerea, Balance Breach, I Am Your God and Lastout!
