This is Halloween – and in a frightening turn of events, Spear, the ancient Keeper of Lists, went mad and jumped off his tower, whereupon his duties fell to us. So we ventured into the dark alone, slogging through a scary slew of bands, wrestling wretched tunes from their clawing hands. Then we had some marshmallows by the campfire and told spoopy stories about some of them. It was pretty cool. Taste the treats we picked for you (no hidden razor blades, I swear) and lie to us in the comments about how circus peanuts are superior to all of them.

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Inconcessus Lux Lucis – The Crowning Quietus (I, Voidhanger/Invictus Productions) [Black Metal]
Stream

I’m glad these guys were mentioned in a recent review here, because I can’t remember the last time black metal was this much fun. Leaning more on first wave traditions (even if the sound was cleaned up somewhat since Crux Lupus Corona), they take liberties with the genre that stauncher bands wish they could pull off. Blast beats are there, sure, but there’re also riffs that would not be out of place on a heavy metal release, and guitar solos played with verve and skill. Everything is pervaded by an air of evilness that seems almost corny at times – I mean, look at that album art – but that’s part of what makes this so great. And if you like the old school principles here but would like said evilness replaced by folk-ish reverie of nature, I recommend to check Malokarpatan from the list below. 10/31/17 (Hans)

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Bloodway – A Fragile Riddle Crypting Clues (I, Voidhanger) [Progressive Black Metal]
Stream

This is an album that really deserves a long-form review, but I just wanna get the word out, so that’s what’s going to happen. Bloodway combine many sounds and styles together in a way that’s difficult to describe, but not particularly inaccessible, as contradictory as that might sound. They might be known more as a progressive/psychadelic black metal band, and that wouldn’t be wrong, but there’s definitely a lot more going on than even that might imply. The song “Midnight Scout”, for instance, begins with an odd, sludgey Mastodon-esque riff before the singer’s throaty howls of distress come in and you find yourself suddenly transported to the middle of a black metal maelstrom. Then you find the eye of the storm and the music calms, while the vocals become distant shout. The intensity ebbs and flows this way for some time, but somehow by the end of the track, you’re headbanging to what feels like the thrashier side of traditional heavy metal. That’s just 1/8th of the album. The 2nd track even briefly reminds me of Hammers of Misfortune in spots. There’s a ton of variety, but the consistently melancholy mood and some great songwriting somehow merge all these seemingly disparate elements into something cohesive and easily enjoyable. This one’s a must-have for me. 11/3/17 (Dumpster Lung)

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Friendship – Hatred (Southern Lord) [Grindcore]
Listen to “Tortures”, “Life Sentence”

Alright, it’s a reissue, but given that it was only released in Japan before, I’m glad Southern Lord picked this one up. Listening to Friendship, it’s actually no wonder that they did – these guys fit right in with stuff like Nails and Dead in the Dirt. The sound might be a bit more murky, but no less meaty, and relentless blasting takes turns with pummeling slower bits where a definite hardcore influence shows through. It’s Gym Grind, perfect to get rid of all those calories you’re bound to put on in the course of this season. Get sweatin’! 11/3/17 (Hans)

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Acid Witch – Evil Sound Screamers (Hells Headbangers) [Sludge]
Stream

Admirion – Et Liber Eris (Indie Recordings) [Prog]
Listen to “Stainless”

Almanac – Kingslayer (Nuclear Blast) [Symphonic/Power Metal]
Listen to “Losing My Mind”

Annihilator – For The Dememented (Silver Lining Music) [Thrash/Speed]
Listen to “Twisted Lobotomy”

As Flesh Decays – The Horror of it All (Independent) [Death Metal]

The Aquarius – Страшные сказки (Soundage Productions) [Symphnonic Power Metal]
Stream

Autumns Eyes – Ending Life Slowly (Independent) [Melodeath]
Stream

Beast In Black – Berserker (Nuclear Blast) [Power Metal]
Listen to “Beast in Black”

Behead/War Därmen – Summoning the Void (split) (Machalia) [Death/Thrash]
Listen to “Suicidal Mind” (Behead)

Bergrizen – Der Unsterbliche Geist (Purity Through Fire) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Ankunft der Winterdämmerung II”

Beyond Forgiveness – The Great Wall (Independent) [Symphonic/Gothic Metal]
Listen to “Sanctuary”

Black Capricorn – Omega (Stone Stallion Rex) [Doom]
Listen to “Hordes of Lucifer”

Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness (Agonia Records) [Black Metal]
Preview

Blood Freak – Total Destruction of the Human Form (Horror Pain Gore Death) [Goregrind]
Stream

Boson – Domain of Ember (Anxious & Angry Records) [Sludge]
Listen to “Shadowlands” & “Mass of the Phoenix”

Cannibal Corpse – Red Before Black (Metal Blade) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Code of the Slashers”

Celestia – Aetherra (Drakkar Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Discernement Des Justes”

Clouds Taste Satanic – The Glitter of Infinite Hell (Independent) [Doom]
Listen to “Greed”

Code – Under the Subgleam (Apocalyptic Witchcraft) [Progressive Black Metal]
Listen to “Plot of Skinned Heavens”

Converge – The Dusk in Us (Epitaph Records) [Metallic Hardcore]
Listen to “Under Duress”, “I Can Tell You About Pain”, & “Reptillian”

Cruciamentum – Paradise Envenomed (Profound Lore) [Death Metal]

Darklaid – Between Two Skies (Independent) [Melodic Black Metal]
Listen to “Goddess of Thulean Rime”

Dead Quiet – Grand Rites (Artoffact Records) [Doom/Stoner]
Listen to “Fucking Oath” and “Spiritual Abuse”

Deadthrones – Soothsayer (Bellmaker Records) [Doom]
Listen to “Church Lane”, “Stoker”

Devlsy – Private Suite (ATMF) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Corridors”

Disabuse – Death Machines (Raw Skull Recordz) [Crossover Thrash]
Listen to “Grease the Guillotine”

Doomortalis – Splendor… Then Gloominess (Chaos Records) [Death/Doom]
Listen to “Paradise When Pain Reigns”

Dracena – Cursed to the Night (Infernö Records) [Thrash/Death]
Listen to “Cursed to the Night”

Egonaut – The Omega (Mighty Music) [Heavy Metal/Hard Rock]
Listen to “Offerings”, “The Pledge”

Eliza – Battle Field (Independent) [Heavy Metal]

Erica Goes To America – s/t (Independent) [Deathcore]
Listen to “Welcome to Dystopia”, “Impaled Heads on the Battlefield”

Evil Knight – Donde Yacen Los Falsos Profetas (Independent) [Thrash]
Listen to “Real Satan”

F.K.Ü. – 1981 (Despotz Records) [Thrash]
Listen to “Hell Night,” “Friday the 13th Part 2,” & “Nightmares in a Damaged Brain”

Feral – Forever Resonating in Blood (Horror Pain Gore Death) [Black Metal]
Listen to “While Flowers Die”

Flukt – Fortapelse (Stench From Below) [Black Metal]
Stream

Folk Stone – Ossidiana (FolkStone Productions) [Folk Metal]
Listen to “Pelle nera e rum”

Fragarak – A Spectral Oblivion (Transcending Obscurity) [Tech Death]
Stream, Toilet Feature

Goat of Mendes – Hagzussa – Riding the Fence (Witches Brew) [Heavy/Pagan Metal]
Stream

Gort – A Morte Ad Mortem (Lupus Niger Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Nigra Imperatrix”

Great Vast Forest – From the Dark Times to the Black Metal Legions (Independent) [Black Metal]
Stream

Greifenstein/Mirkwood – Stillstand (split) (Independent) [Black Metal]
Preview

High Reeper – High Reeper (Independent/Self-Released) [Doom]
Listen to “Die Slow” and “Soul Taker”

Hobosexual – Monolith (Independent) [Blues Rock]
Listen to “Trans Am Sunday”

Homerik – Homerik (Independent) [Symphonic Death Metal]
Stream

Isolert/Insanity Cult – Towards the Great Dissolution (split) (Narcoleptica Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Thorns Of Solitude” (Insanity Cult), “I Hide My Soul Inside The Trees” (Isolert)

Ixion – Return (Finisterian Dead End) [Doom]
Listen to “Into Her Light”

Kawir – Exilasmos (Iron Bonehead Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Agamemnon”, “Orestes”

Kill Athena – Glorious Begins (Sickness Productions) [Tech Death]
Listen to “Eradication Doom”

La Torture Des Ténèbres – IV – Memoirs Of A Machine Girl (Independent) [Black Metal/Ambient]
Listen to “Love Pumps Through My Veins As Quickly As You Kiss Me Goodbye”

Lark – Lark (Independent/Self-Released) [Sludge/Progressive]
Listen to “Too Far Gone”

Lepra – Whom Aeons Tore Apart (Drakkar Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Wrecked on the Ruins of Time”, “Aureole of Flies”

Like Moths to Flames – Dark Divine (Rise Records) [*rolls eyes*]
Listen to “Dark Divine”

Lóstregos – Lendas Baixo O Luar (Darkwoods) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Tebras de Montaña”

Luctus/Haeiresis/Sisyphean/Living Altar/Karkasas/Pogrom – Nekrokatarsis (split) (Nekrokatarsis) [Black/Thrash/Ambient]
Stream

Lustre – Still Innocence (Norvis) [Ambient Black Metal]
Listen to “Dreaded Still”

Madam X – Monstrocity (Ellefson Music Productions) [GLAM]
Preview

Malokarpatan – Nordkarpatenland (Invictus Productions) [Black Metal]
Stream

Mandragora – Waves of Steel (Infernö Records) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “Siren”

Metamorphosis – The Secret Art (The Devils Ground) [Black/Death Metal]
Stream

Moonspell – 1755 (Napalm Records) [Gothic Metal]
Listen “Todos Os Santos”

Morbosidad – Corona De Epidemia (Nuclear War Now!) [Black/Death Metal]
Listen to “Corona De Epidemia”

Motherslug – The Electric Dunes of Titan (Independent) [Stoner/Doom]
Stream

Nemere – Vérmező (Independent) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Infernal Barrens”, “My Last Journey”

Night of Suicide – Broken (Solitude Productions) [Doom]
Listen to “Broken”

Niviane – The Druid King (Pitch Black Records) [Power Metal]
Listen to “The Berserker”

No Point In Living – The Cold Night (Independent) [DSBM]
Listen to “Impatience”

Opium Warlords – Droner (Svart Records) [Drone/Doom]
Listen to “Year of 584 Days”

Otehi – Garden of God (Independent) [Stoner/Doom]
Listen to “Naked God”, “Verbena”

Paramnesia/Ultha – split (Vendetta Records/Les Acteurs de l’Ombre/Tartarus Records) [Black Metal]
Stream Paramnesia’s track, Ultha’s track

Pink Mass – Necrosexual (Independent) [Grindcore]
Listen to “Bestial Sodomizers”

Polaris – The Mortal Coil (Resist Records) [Djentcore]
Listen to “The Remedy”, “Consume”

Primitve Race – Soul Pretender (Metropolis Records) [Industrial Rock]
Listen to “Take it All”

Procession – Doom Decimation (High Roller) [Doom]
Listen to “Lonely are the Ways of the Stranger”

Ram – Rod (Metal Blade) [Heavy/Speed Metal]
Listen to “On Wings of No Return”

Ravenholm – Niedergang (Independent) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Ein Ruf aus fremder Dimension”

Red Scalp – Lost Ghosts (Independent) [Stoner/Doom]
Listen to “Faces”

Sawhill Sacrifice – Pimeyteen ja Kuolemaan (Wolfspell Records) [Black Metal]
Stream

Scour – Red (Housecore Records) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Red”, “Piles”

Shadowcastor – Coffins by the Sea (Independent) [Rock]
Stream

Signs of the Swarm – The Disfigurement of Existence (Unique Leader Records) [Deathcore]
Listen to “Cesspool of Ignorance”

Sisyphean – Illusions of Eternity (Drakkar Productions) [Black Metal]
Stream, Toilet Feature

Sleeping Romance – Alba (Napalm Records) [Symphonic Metal]
Listen to “Where the Light is Bleeding”, “Lost in my Eyes”

Souldrinker – War is Coming (El Puerto Records) [Heavy/Groove Metal]
Listen to “Let the King Bleed”

Soulgate – Slaves (Independent) [Death/Thrash]
Listen to “Mythomaniac”, “Enslaved”

Stahlsarg – Mechanisms of Misanthropy (Non Serviam Records) [Black Metal]
Stream, Toilet Feature

Stworz – Wołosożary (Werewolf Promotion) [Pagan Metal]
Listen to “Wołosożary”

Talv – Entering a Timeless Winter (ATMF) [DSBM]
Listen to “Dreaming a Funeral in Another Life”

Ten Ton Slug – Blood and Slime (Independent) [Sludge]
Listen to “Matriarch of Slime”

Tetragrammacide – Primal Incinerators of Moral Matrix (Iron Bonehead) [Black/Death]
Listen to “Cyberserking Strategic Kalpa”

Throne of Heresy – Decameron (The Sign Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Pax Mongolica” and “Siege of Caffa”

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – s/t (Spinefarm) [Stoner?]
Listen to “Heartland”

Until the Sky Dies – The Year Zero Blueprint (Cimmerian Shade Recordings) [Avant-Garde]
Listen to “I”

Vaultwraith – Death is Proof of Satan’s Power (Hells Headbangers) [Black/Heavy Metal]
Stream

Vessel of Light – Vessel of Light (Argonauta Records) [Doom/Hard Rock]
Listen to “Dead Flesh and Bones”

Vihamieli – Kuolevain Veri Uinuu Ikuisuuteen (Hidden Marly Production) [Black Metal]
Stream

The Wakedead Gathering/Ecferus – split (I, Voidhanger) [Death Metal/Black Metal]
Stream

Weed Priest – Consummate Darkness (Cursed Monk Records) [Stoner/Doom]
Listen to “Vampyr”

Wreck-Defy – Fragments of Anger (Alone Records) [Thrash]
Listen to “Eternal Lie”