Linnea Hjertén doesn’t just create music. Every note is hand crafted to create an intimate experience that is at times vulnerable and at others full of personal strength. The many layered vocals all a distinct voice that tie the experience of those who came before with her own, the traditional given a unique expression that is harmonious and deeply moving, it is a minimalism full of diverse instrumentation. The latest release ‘’Steg för steg” and is a continual evolution of

Firtan are a relentless creative force that in the space of just five albums have ascertained themselves a special place within extreme music. It is a combination of Black and Death metal along with an ear for the classical and experimental that is visceral, exciting and commanding in its presence. Laden with atmosphere and authority, the new album is the stunning Helios that charts the brutal path to enlightenment: not as escape, but as conquest. An evolution of the essence

One cannot understate the impact and influence of Armoured Angel on the extreme metal scene not only in Australia but globally. Famous for being a three piece from their beginnings in 1982, founder Lucy (bass) has led and pioneered a sound and style that evolved from speed metal through thrash into a death metal force build around huge rhythms and crushing riffs that were a statement of commitment and delivered without compromise. Despite a slew of Demos and Eps (1992’s Stig

Farago – vocals, guitars is part of Germanys Servant, that since 2021 have terrorized the underground their own brand of melodious yet furious black metal. It is a sound that honours the past yet is full of progression that pushes the extreme genre forward into heavier more memorable depths. Every album is a celebration and Servant’s fourth album is the gloriously uncompromising ‘’Lux Ex Inferis’’ The definitive statement of Servant? Farago ‘Hello, and thanks a lot to begin

Faustian – Parable Of The Sewer 9/10 There are those who claim to be blasphemous and there are those who embody it. Australia’s Faustian is one such act, a supergroup if you will (featuring members of Werewolves) that represent the utter nihilism within. Their second release is the utterly defiant Parable Of The Sewer A sacrilegious interpretation of the parable of the Sower (the trade of the soul for knowledge or power) the exchange in this instance is the convergence of t

Valkyrie’s Fire - Out of Darkness 9/10 Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee one of the unlikeliest locations for Symphonic Power Metal is Valkyrie’s Fire. with several singles and an Ep under their belt their debut album is the truly Epic Out of Darkness. Strap self in, Out of Darkness is colossal, truly colossal, thirteen tracks at over seventy-two minutes, it is grandiose, cinematic, and majestic with its wonder and alluring charm. It is also incredibly metal with some of the

Skjult – A Perfect Devouring Light 8/10 From 2015 Cuban Conspirator (vocals/ all instruments) has led Skjult with such an uncompromising vision that its intensity is felt throughout his interpretation of modern black metal. Its fast frenetic yet multilayered and the fifth full length release ‘A Perfect Devouring Light’ is a deconstruction of ideals where light is not the revelation but a violent penetrative force. Musically excellent, this is a feverish rejection of the acc

Myrkviðr – Harmur 8.5/10 Myrkviðr (Black Forest) are an Icelandic Conglomerate that explore the darkest corners of faith, violence, and the human condition. Their debut release is the raw and chaotic Harmur (Sorrow) four tracks performed in the native Icelandic that encapsulates the bans steadfast vision, that is intense and uncompromising. Harmur is blessed with an atmosphere that is so deeply imbedded it is a natural part of their style. When it does explode it is a lit

Firtan Helios 9.7/10 The fifth album from Germanys Firtan is a masterwork of atmospheric black/ death metal that incorporates the classical to create a truly uncompromising, steadfast piece of art. Much Like its namesake Helios it is a conquest over darkness, the shining sun over brutal enslavement to create the strongest personification of self. After the melancholic intro of "Himsa" and its beautiful strings every Firtan album is blessed with an incredible opening riff a

Exitium Sui is the sole creation of E.S (vocals- Instrumentation) and the result is a profoundly personal experience that reflects the self and that of experience. It is a cathartic release that explores and then destroys the simple genre tags of funeral doom and black metal that combined with subtle orchestration creates a sonic release that is disturbing yet also alluring. It is a darkness that is explained musically and profoundly. The new album is Unravelling, and it is s

Kurayami (vocals & all instruments) ‘’Allarys officially took shape in 2025, but its roots go much further back. Some of the earliest ideas were written around 2019 during one of the most difficult periods of my life. At the time, I never intended to create a band or even release an album. They were simply fragments of emotions that I could not express in any other way. ‘’For years, those unfinished songs remained untouched. Returning to them was not about reliving the past,

’Vicissitude represents death, darkness and decay. We surface to the listener within the realms of Black and Death Metal. Vile, corrupt and horrific to the masses that they openly scorn. C.S and Vicissitude (NZ) are the epitome of brutal cavernous death metal, that is savage, barbaric and steadfast in their belief and ideal to create music that represents their mayhem. ‘’Vicissitude was forged within the abyssic waste of Wellington in 2016, amidst my previous endeavours wit

Aaron Tuck (Guitars, Keyboards, orchestration)’’ It all started back around 2018 with conversations between Gregor and me. Many hours of discussions happened before any music was written. We had both been inactive musically for at least 5 years and decided to make black metal with a set aesthetic and sound in mind. The initial concept was simple - black metal influenced by the second wave artists from Norway and Sweden especially, while also looking to the Australian scene an

Exitium Sui- Unravelling 9/10 The third full length release from Exitium Sui is Unravelling, an album that explores the disturbing reflection of experience. Its sole creator E.S. has delivered a masterclass of atmospheric doom-laden black metal. At times Unravelling feels like a nightmare of epic proportions, its tormented howls punctuated by frantic screams that is a cathartic release of anxieties and nightmares. Its atmosphere is dense and cloying, at times inescapable, a

Tir – Vengeance/ Possessed 8.5/10 Tir is the creation of solo instrumentalist Oytun Bektas. A progener of the modern dungeon synth movement. With over fifteen releases in ten years, it is an accomplished body of work that is rich and sweeping with its textures that is vivid and emotive. Tir’s latest release are the Vengeance and Possessed singles. Vengeance is a slowly building crescendo born of dread and darkness, its horn like

Hulder – Verbolgen 9/10 Pennsylvania’s Hulder have developed a formidable reputation for not only their uncompromising black metal, but their underground heritage and ability to surprise with every new release. No longer a solo act, Hulder (Vocals /guitars /keys) has welcomed Necreon (Bass /vocals) into her inner circle as a creative partner. Verbolgen is the result of this partnership, their third full-length release (Separate from the collectable Eps and

Argul - Soledad and Orgullo 8.5/10 Formed in Peru in 2014 by guitarist Mauricio Guerrero and drummer Jose María Venturi, the road to their debut album has been a long one. Soledad and Orgullo is that debut and it is a celebration of the undeniable power of traditional doom merged with flourishes of psychedelia and stoner. From the opening note with its dual guitar passages Soledad and Orgullo is an ode to Traditional doom, the style purely emotional without any of the mo

Blodtar – Monark 8.5/10 The Stockholm based duo that is Blodtar have returned with their third release, the incredible Monark. An album created in tragedy and the urgency to create and release it, yet without a sense of optimism and hope. Created in darkness yet yearning for light. The self-titled Blodtar reflects the urgency of this album’s creation. It is melodic yet quintessentially black metal, carrying a vitality and a tangibility this is undeniab

‘’Léan is my debut as a composer. The idea of a separate project for my music came to me back in 2018, while I was bored during a hospital stay, though the very first song I wrote there won't be featured on the upcoming album. ‘’Originally, Léan was conceived around the theme of flora, but I decided to give the project more creative freedom, and that idea became secondary. Lorelei Ether is the composer, clean vocalist, keyboardist, and the leader of the duo known as Léan. A

Photo Aitana Fernández. ‘’The Fold” is not just an album but an experience. The second album from Teresa Marraco’s solo Piano based project of Antinoe is a sumptuous and intimate exploration of romance and emotion. It is uncompromising in its honesty and raw purity, recognizing grief and hope, darkness and light whilst being wildly expressive. The Fold is a wonderful accomplishment. 'Hello, Sparky, and thank you! It’s good to speak again, I remember our first conversation fo

‘’The band started as two members wanting to create deep meaningful raw second wave black metal. As we progressed, we added our drummer & bassist from there we slowly began conjuring a unique sound that each member brings to the table. ‘’Our ritual is not only about summoning a feeling but also creating an experience for the listener when they see us live. We want to invoke an intense, dark, and abysmal atmosphere. Unholy Altar is a creation born of chaos and darkness, music

A Grave Ascent - Lumen Ad Mortem 9/10 Hailing from what is undeniably the extreme metal state of South Australia Is Lumen Ad Morten. Following up from their debut 2023 release ‘Upon the Edge of Darkness’ is ‘A Grave Ascent’, an album of atmospheric black metal that is so utterly uncompromising displaying their immense musical capabilities and depth. A Grave Ascent is an album of contrasts. Its overwhelming sense of melancholy is marked by extreme tremolo and temp

Dying to Live is the debut album from Michigan’s Mothertomb. It is a sound that is as fresh as it is classic. Epic soundscapes that carry the swagger of the doom metal greats yet blessed with a modern ethereal sensibility and a spirituality that is sensual and alluring. It is a powerful debut that has a progressive improvisation driven by a huge rhythm section and some fantastic riffing. It is band that that was born from tragedy and mother nature’s wrath. Alice Gawlinski (vo

Photo credit: Jillian Grace Benham (@celesticos on instagram) Rick Martel and Lauren Crosser are Chainlacing. A Duo that has created a sound that is a fuzz infused Synaesthesia of emotion, depth and an almost kinaesthetic wonder. After teasing several singles, the debut album Messuage is finally available, and it is a revelation of sound that has roots in urban shoegaze but is blessed with a dreamy ethereal wonder that surprises with every listen. It is an intelligent organ

Finsterforst- Still 9/10 For those uninitiated, the sixth full length album by Germanys Finsterforst is a celebration of their black forest metal and the crossing of genre boundaries. Dynamic and steeped in tradition, the result is an album that celebrates life and exemplary musicianship. From some simply beautifully clean guitar sections to the simply huge riff that is ‘Obduktion’’, the pacing is tempered and sparse to allow everything to fully overwhelm the senses with a s

Valfurlogi – Gneisti af eldi Guðs 8.5/10 Gneisti af eldi Guðs (A spark of God's fire) is the second album from Iceland’s Valfurlogi. It is a masterclass in modern melodic black metal that is as experimental as it is uncompromising and extreme. Gneisti af eldi Guðs reeks of a maturity that comes for compositions created over a twenty-year period. For all the chaos of the title track there is a methodical almost mathematical urgency to the riff that threatens to spin out of c

Duir- Catarsi 7.5 /10 The Second album from the faceless collective that is Italy’s Duir, Catarsi is an ambitious WWI concept record exploring the psychological despair of a soldier, the result is desolate and haunting expressed through raw folk infused black metal. From the opener of Manifesto and its grim settings the hurdy gurdy and guitar stand at equal footing, and the result is a sound that is recognizable yet also unique, it is a vast cinematic infused style that capt

Fyrnask – Íosir 9/10 For their fifth album the collective of Fyrnask from Lübeck, Eitorf (Germany) have embraced the rage and the terror of inevitability that is the conceptual “’Iosir”. Described as a ‘’album that follows a single consciousness through the realm of the dead — across burning gates, wrathful and luminous forces, and a final dissolution.” It is an all-encompassing plunge into the depths of the utterly uncompromising black metal. Fyrnask has created an alum tha

Tsar Stangra – Hymns of the Broken Worlds 8.5/10 Bulgarian Black/Folk metal band/collective Цар Стангра (Tsar Stangra) are an enigma within the extreme metal underground. Their music is truly of a cultural view that combines the harshness of modern black metal with pure Belgium tradition. Химните на разрушените светове (Hymns of the Broken Worlds) is their second full length release that continues the odyssey. Hymns of the Broken Worlds is an album that is ting

Illwind – The Unfolding at the End of Light 8/10 Hailing from Peru is Illwind. Their debut album is The Unfolding at the End of Light, a doom-infused piece of art that takes its inspiration from any source. It is as dreamlike as it is bone crushingly heavy, a modern form of doom that is also richly indebted to the masters of it across its epic five tracks. The clean vocals make for a refreshing change compared to the more prevalent funeral Doom at present. It has a moder

Sojourner doesn’t just make records but experiences. Their music is a spellbinding journey that is challenging and rewarding in equal measure, haunting and beautiful combining both the traditional and the modern. From their formation in 2014 Mike Lamb (Guitars) and Emilio Crespo (vocals) have created atmospheric extreme music that is as haunting as it is memorable. Gateways is their superb new album that further explores the realms of heaviness and reflective emotion that to

Grimveil – Beneath the Veil of Silent Woods 8.5/10 Beneath the Veil of Silent Woods is the debut album by Swedish /German duo Revenant (Order of Nosferat) and Simon (Tårfödd), it an atmospheric black /folk metal release that is a truly epic adventure across its eight tracks and sixty-two-minute running time. This is a richly dark album that is as beautiful as it is bleak and confronting. The overlaying melody line of opener’ ’Where the Path Fades to Nothing’ is literally fa

Moonspell - Far from God 8/10 Lisbon, Portugal Icons Moonspell return with their twelfth full length offering Far from God. This is Dark metal at its most pure, a gothic slow burn of an album that cements their status after a five-year break from the sounds of Hermitage in 2021. Far from God is a lavish beautifully recorded album, that captures the essence of pure gothic rock and, tinged with a sense of 80’ sensibility , there are echoes of Sisters and Field of the Nephil

Haemoth – Black Dust 8.5/10 Shrouded in mystery, the duo of Haemoth and Syht, began in 1999. The French black metallers return from their slumber after almost fifteen years with their latest masterwork, the oppressive and nightmarish Black Dust. Not so much an album as a haunting, hellish journey through the underworld. “When The Dust Finally Settles” is the perfect example, its frenetic, breakneck black metal, that dips into pure second wave excell

Sojourner – Gateways 9/10 After what seems like an interminable wait, The international collective of Sojourner has returned after six years with their new album, the simply incredible Gateways. Featuring a revamped line-up that now includes the formidable vocals skills of Heike Langhans, she is the juxtaposition to the fury of Emilio Crespo, their skills combining to create a rich tapestry of vocal ability that weaves in and out of the music th

Cristina:’’ As with Of the Muses, and perhaps to an even deeper extent this time around, My Lover the Morning Star is once again a solo endeavour. I established it right after announcing the end of my previous project, already with the intention of doing something entirely removed and experimenting with different sounds. ‘’I would say, most of all, this project was born out of a desire to make things easier for myself, by creating more freely, expressing myself in a way that

TÅKEVANDRER emerged from the Austrian Mountains in 2025 and in short order have forged their own individual path that is extreme black metal steadfast in the ideology of profanity and the lunar experience. The three piece create music that surprises and is part of the journey for something that is unique, and reflects the individual in its art. Taranis (Guitars) ‘’It was about expressing feelings and thoughts through a particular art form. Some of the music was already writt

Windswept - Howling in Baptismal Filth 9/10 Not so much a band but a force of nature. Howling in Baptismal Filth is the debut album from Winswept, a group of musicians from different backgrounds in extreme music that have coalesced into a coherent music force of sheer black metal terror. Very rarely does an album catch the fury of a live show but Howling in Baptismal Filth does exactly that. It is physical, tough, and violent, soaked in sweat and fluids repre

My Lover the Morning Star 8.5/10 Cristina Rombi returns with a brand-new project My Lover the Morning Star that is different from her other works, yet it contains the same spirit of individuality and a deep emotional connection through music. At only two tracks it a beautiful introduction to the seductive dreamlike qualities of the music Steeped in Darkwave and dreampop with a hint of the post punk Diy aesthetic and rebellious spirit.’’ la fleur de sa peau’’ ensnar

EVEALE – Enter The Woodland Realm 8/10 The US, UK Collective known as Eveale offer their debut album of multilayered black metal to the powers of the nature, steeped in mythology and passion. Simply Put Enter the Woodland Realm is a celebration of black metal by two accomplished musicians (known simply as the The North East Wizard Tyrant and Monarch of the Hillside ) and reflects their deep profound love for the genre whether it be the acoustic atmosphere of “The B

Meschera - White Captivity 9/10 Russia’s ever prolific Meschera return with their latest single, White Captivity. A song that intertwines the past and the present, the bounty of love and the agony of revenge, a captivity that is forever white. Meschera’s music is instantly recognizable from the level of talent involved and their innate ability to create atmospheric soundscapes that conjure the traditional pagan vast lands and the ferocity of modern black metal From the fi

‘’Couple years ago, Steve (our drummer) got in contact with me and asked if I wanted to do vocals in a black metal band, then slowly he started to weave together the lineup that we've got today. We're all from different musical backgrounds, scenes and have varying levels of experience playing live, so we each bring something special to Windswept. Rachel (Vocals) is the force of nature out front for New Zealand's Windswept. Their live shows are a visceral display of madness t

A.K (Vocals)‘’ I had always wanted to do a death metal band, so I pitched the idea to a few friends and we eventually got to writing and rehearsing material. ‘’ I remember first hearing Slayer's Reign in Blood album when I was getting into metal and it immediately sparked a desire to find the next level (and beyond) from that. Basically, led me on a journey of trying to find the most extreme examples of music and of course I landed on black/death metal relatively quickly. New

Graveir -The Festering Triad 9/10 The third full-length album by Australian black metal band Graveir is The Festering Triad. It is not just an album but a damning account on the accepted. The Brisbane five piece have tormented the masses since 2014 and have released a vicious piece of modern confrontive black metal. Graveir create music that is though provoking, dynamic and ever surprising, their violences is bought about by awareness and the unwillingness to

Dimmu Borgir – Grand Serpent Rising. 8.5/10 Their first album in eight long years Norway’s grand masters of Symphonic Black metal have returned with their eleventh studio album Grand Serpent Rising, an album that marks not only their long awaited retuned but welcomes new guitarist Kjell Åge "Damage" Karlsen into the ceremonies. Taking a step back from the complete OTT blast that was Eonian, Dimmu Borgir returns to the fierce, devoted intensity of their earlier albums

Emerging from the Australian underground in in 2023 is Warpseer. A project that began celebrating true Black metal that has evolved into something more grandiose, yet no less bestial. It is raw powerful music that celebrates its own narrative of horror and conflict. Witchhammer (lead guitar and founder) I created Warpseer not long after I finished high school, and in the beginning, it was me handling all the instruments and a school mate of mine on vocals. The demos we made

“Maria of Copper Mountains is a musical project that was born in Chelyabinsk. I created it out of a desire to write dark, immersive music and apply my folk vocal skills and knowledge of folklore mythology. I came up with this idea with my musical partner Nikita (we had previously written other music) and we decided that black metal was a good medium for expressing the right mood and atmosphere. So, it was never an end in itself, but rather a good tool. Founded by Maria Azanov

Heike Langhans is the multitalented creator and driving force that is LOR3L3I. LOR3L3I is a long running solo project that differs greatly from her other vocal performances that include Ison, Remina, Light Field Reverie and of course her time in Draconian. Her rich warm, unmistakeable vocals are set against an electronic back drop that is gentle yet powerful. The debut album Peace by Proxy is a beautiful, wonderfully addictive tapestry of an album that juxtaposes the darkness

‘’Graveir was formed with the desire to make black metal on our own terms, to create bleak music that holds a mirror up to the world and asks us to reckon with the monsters we see reflected back, knowing that they are us. Gloom (Vocals) is part of the superb Brisbane collective that is Graveir, from 2014 they have terrorized the underground with their brand of ultra-aggressive yet melodic black metal, that is reflected in their live intensity and a violent, intelligent contem

Doodswens- Doodswens 9.5/10 After their incredible debut Lichtvrees in 2021, and the live release Het nieuwe licht in 2024 the Netherlands trio of Doodswens (death wish) return with their sophomore full length self-titled album. Album number two is intense, raw and simply awe inspiring. It is stripped all the way back to the intensity, emotion and the purity that that is extreme black metal. It is an uncomplicated sonic minimalistic ritual that revels in the shadows of d