Waldgefluster/Knochengesange I/Knochengesange II/AOP Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Waldgefluster  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  double  album  "Knochengesange  I/Knochengesange  II"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  AOP  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with t he  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Nature  sounds  are  also  added  on  a  few  tracks  while  the  vocals  are  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post metal  style  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Clear  singing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  stringed  instruments.  Spoken  words  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  growls  onto  the  album,  some  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  more  of  an  acoustic  direction  and  the  second  disc  also  shows  the  music  also  adding  in  some  psychedelic  touches.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  what  we  leave  behind  when  we  leave  this  world.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Waldgefluster  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ba,berg,  20.  Juni"  "Knochengestang"  "Frankfurt,  19  Marz"  and  "In  lethes  Fluten".  8  out  of  10.

  www.waldgefluester.com 

www.facebook.com/BlackMetalWaldgefluester  

Nøkk/Heartless/Solistitum Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

   Nøkk  are  a  band  from  Columbus,  Ohio  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Heartless"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Solisttitum  Records.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a r aw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  being  influenced  by  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre,  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  nature  sounds.

  Nøkk  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  fast,  aggressive,  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  self-destruction  and  existentialism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nøkk  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Blind  Leading  The  Lost"  and  "The  Hanging  Tree".  8  out  of  10.

  Nøkk

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Storming/Celestial Clear Moonlight/Iron Bonehead Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Storming  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  very  old  school,  atmospheric    style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Celestial  Clear  Moonlight"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  angry   sounding  black  metal  screams   along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  recording  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  synths  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  a  brief  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  celestial  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  Storming  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  atmospheric  and  old  school  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cleaved  By  Heaven"  and  "From  The  Heart  of  Breath".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Storming/3540468035 

  

Haeresis/Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum/Vendetta Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Haeresis  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Si  Vis  Pacem  Pana  Bellum"  which  will  be  released  on  October  10th  by  Vendetta  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  cinematic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

 

 Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  few  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  post  metal  style  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  

  Haeresis  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive,  atmospheric  and  modern  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  introspective  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haeresis  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Echoes  Of  Ashes"  and  "Eradicate  Taciturnity".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/haeresisberlin

  

Dysthymian Interview

 

1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

Somber: We started the band out of great appreciation for the depressive black metal of the mid 2000s. On EX VITA ABIRE, that's what we intended to play. 

Solemn: The luminaries of this style nourished our souls for a lifetime; now we bear the same bitter fruit.

2. Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Somber: You just have to listen to the bands and albums in question. There's not much more to it, I think. The worship of that sound is the reason for DYSTHYMIAN. 

3. The band started working on the album in 2017 but waited until 2025 to release it, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait?

Solemn: Merely the vicissitudes of life.

Somber: Things get re-organized and prioritized different as time passes, and some projects and songs get put on the shelf for a while. DYSTHYMIAN has been one of those projects. The big second reason is that it's very difficult to write in the correct mood for DYSTHYMIAN. The music is extracted out of depression, and all of its implications. 

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

Somber: The lyrics have been inspired by Edgar A. Poe's poems, for the most part, outside of that – they're just lyrics that reflect the music appropriately, and vice versa. 

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dysthymian'?

Somber: The name DYSTHYMIAN refers to the mental health diagnosis Dysthymia, which is a form of chronic depression. 

Solemn: Our target audience. 

6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Somber: For us, the album cover resembles the cover of Nyktalgia's 'PEISITHANATOS' CD reissue 2013. Mentioned a lot, but it is one of the main inspirations for doing DYSTHYMIAN. 

Solemn: The artist is Arya Dwiva (Mortemraw Studio).

7. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

Somber: We have been communicating with other musicians a bit about becoming a trio. No additions to the band have yet been made. 

8. The album was released on 'Angerbada', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Somber: Ångerbåda is the label that I release several of my unsigned bands through. That is Ångerbåda's only purpose though. 

9. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of depressive black metal?

Somber: People seem to like it. Out of all the places that I've looked, there hasn't been anything negative yet. 

10. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Somber: We have our internal speculations about the next album and how to approach writing it. We both listen to a fair amount of classical music, Solemn definitely does. It might influence the next album. But time will tell. 

Solemn: We will continue to delve deeper into the sound that is DYSTHYMIAN.

11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Somber: The main bands that are influencing DYSTHYMIAN are Nyktalgia and Sterbend. As for music I've listened to recently, new music seldom gets played. But I have been enjoying 'Syning' by Syning. Also 'Conscious Darkness' by Blaze of Perdition, although that one isn't new to me. 

Solemn: Particularly Nyktalgia, as well as other great DSBM artists, such as Austere, ColdWorld, Thy Light and Woods of Desolation – but all music that we enjoy imparts some sort of useful reference. I've been listening to the new and old Extra Life albums a lot since they reformed with a new line-up a few years ago. Some other recent releases I've enjoyed were Un Monde de Glace et de Sang (2020) by Sorcier des Glaces, The Falling Tide (2022) by Woods of Desolation and the last two albums by Afsky, Ofte jeg drømmer mig død (2020) and Om hundrede år (2023).

12. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

https://youtu.be/EmIF_W5eNWw

V/Haze Miasma/Praise Me! Erase Me/Inertial Music/2025 Full Length Review

 

  V/Haze  Miasma  are  a band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Praise  Me!  Erase  Me"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Inertial  Music.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  clear  singing  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  melodic  post  metal  style.  When  the  album  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  keyboards  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  closing  track  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  V/Haze  Miasma  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  post  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Praise  Me!"  "Shadows"  and  "Erase  Me!".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/VHazeMiasma

  

  

Norkh/Under Teargas Fire/Bleeding Heart Nihilist Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Norkh  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Under  Teargas  Fire"  which  was  released  by  Bleeding  heart  Nihilist  Productions.

  A  very  fast,  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  tremolo  picking  in  the  fast  riffing  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffs  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  recording  progresses  some  of  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  first  wave  era  touch  as  well as  mixing  some  thrash  metal  elements.

  On  this  recording  Norkh  takes  the  modern  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  influences  of  the  first  wave  era  to  create  a  very  heavy,  raw  and  brutal  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  social  issues  and  apoacalyptic  scenarios.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Norkh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'Under  Teargas  Fire"  "The  Grey  Old  Ones"  and  "Asset  In  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

  https://bleedingheartnihilist.de/music/en/group/music-roster/b-norkh