February 2024, In Review
Post-black metal. Lotsa post-black metal.
February was a busy month for black metal. Overall, USBM dominated the release calendar with a surprising lead over death metal.
However, it doesn’t appear that the current fixation with melodic death has diminished at all, as it is currently one of the most common subgenres1. Close behind it is hardcore and its ilk. Hardcore being distinct from metal, all the bands here wouldn’t necessarily qualify has hardcore per sé, but instead as forms of metal with hardcore influence, such as deathcore, metalcore, and all the various types of grind e.g. pornogrind, deathgrind, noisegrind, etc.
Unfortunately, deathcore is still a thing, being the most popular form of hardcore-inspired metal. At the very least, grind seems to have outpaced the broader category of metalcore. A lot of grind bands have death influence, so it’s likely that the representation of death elements is being spurred along by the popularity of deathgrind and its ilk. However, these are lesser genres that we won’t dive further into now (but maybe in a later article.) Back to black metal.
While black metal is at an all-time high in popularity, it is still heavily rivaled by death and hardcore. Thankfully, very few elements of these rival genres are bleeding into black metal, with raw black metal being the most common form.
Unsurprisingly, atmospheric and ambient black metal are still heavily represented. Surging among them is post-black metal. This lines up with my own anecdotal observations, and it’s certainly represented in this month’s list of recommendations. The presence of black metal with hardcore elements should be noted too. This is likely attributable to the popularity of hardcore overall.
So of these bands, which are worth your time? Let’s dive in.
Morvigor - De Speigel
Yet another entry into the halls of Dutch post-black metal…
As noted prior, there is no shortage of post-black metal these days. Nonetheless, this is a great demo, and worth your time if you enjoy the likes of Fluisteraars, Mgła, or Agriculture.
Hamble - Den Teufel an die Wand Malen
The ever-less-rare example of a “one-woman act”, this album is as raw as they come. For that, it may not be for everyone. However, for those who do like raw black metal, it will be evident that this is a project worth keeping an eye on.
Departure Chandelier - Satan Soldier of Fortune
Speaking of raw black metal, Departure Chandelier is back. Little has changed this go around, and I’d mark that a good thing. Departure Chandelier has always leaned heavily towards traditional approaches to black metal, and this release is no different. Fans of their past work will likely enjoy this entry in their discography, and those looking to try out raw black metal will likely enjoy this more than the Hamble release.
Dispersion - Monochrome
This is a distinctly different take on post-black than what Morvigor brings to the table. Dispersion instead veers the direction of more avant-garde acts like Entropia or Oranssi Pazuzu. Catchy-yet-off-kilter rhythms and haunting melodies throughout, Monochrome is a fantastic addition to the Italian band’s catalog.
Dark Goat - Sicut Lupi Inter Oves
Speaking of Italian bands, I’d be amiss to not call out the demo released by Dark Goat this month. Dark Goat has proven to be worth keeping an eye on in their two-year career. Their sound shifts around a lot, but manages to hit all of the best parts of black, death, and grind. Strangely, the ferocity of their music doesn’t diminish how catchy it can be. While I very much enjoyed their last full-length, Mystery of a Black Mass, they’ve released enough demos and EPs since to comprise multiple full-lengths. With all the growth in their sound since, I’m very curious what their next album has in store.
Otras - Čas Karhať
I’m not going to ruin this album by describing it more than this glorious cover already has.
Darkspace - Dark Space -II
I was three out of four tracks into this album before I paused thought, “Wow, this is moving awfully fast for a Darkspace album.” It was at this moment that I noticed the 47-minute runtime on the fourth and only track; all the prior three tracks were purely singles sliced from the sole track, Dark -2 -2. There’s the Darkspace I know. This single track album is great and never spends too long in a spacey lull before returning to powerful, head-nod-inducing industrial riffage. However, all the ambient self-indulgence is there, so maybe reserve this one for background music.
Aelvica - Aelvica IV: The Curse
As you may have gathered already, I’m not easily impressed by melodic death or melodic black metal, mostly for the subgenres being saturated with mediocrity. Aelvica is far from mediocre. If I’m recommending a melodic blackened death album, you can be sure that it’s worth your time.
Lvme - Of Sinful Nature
I can’t turn up much on Lvme - they’re denoted as of international origins on Encyclopaedia Metallum, and no information is given to indicate who the members are. This release, Of Sinful Nature, is being distributed by the French label Norma Evangelium Diaboli, which puts Lvme in league with titans of the genre like Funeral Mist or Deathspell Omega. Fans of the high-octane approach to black metal championed by up-and-comers like Misþyrming or Misotheist will likely enjoy the sound being put forward by Lvme as well.
…And that’s all I’ve got for now. As mentioned earlier, there were a lot of black metal releases this month - so many that I could not feasibly get to them all. If you know of a good one to share, feel free to leave a link in the comments.
And boring. Most melodic death is extremely boring. Please stop making melodic death metal bands. I’m highly skeptical that your band has a refreshing take on this extremely played-out genre.