March 2024, So Far
The onslaught begins
Typically, I try to wait until the end of the month before giving recommendations. This month, that has been upset by the sheer number of albums releasing. Hell, on March 8th alone, there were over eighty releases. Historically, this isn’t surprising. Since around 2015, March has become one of the most popular months for releases (October reigning supreme).
To keep the list of March recommendations easily digestible, here’s an early peek at the albums from March 2024 that are worth your time.
Witch Club Satan — Self-Titled
Witch Club Satan is an all-female, politically-forward act that I couldn’t be more thrilled about. While women have been a part of the metal scene for most of its duration, the typical all-female metal act tends to come steeped in an air of “HEY LOOK, WE’RE WOMEN — ISN’T THAT KAAAH-RAYZEEEE??”1, resulting in something that feels more like a novelty than a legitimate band. Unfortunately, the common alternative is to be so politically focused that the music takes a backseat. (I’m looking at you, punk bands.) I greatly enjoy when a good band has an equally good message, but I’m not going to listen to a mediocre band just because I agree with the lyrics.
Witch Club Satan is great music with a good message. For all the political overtones, the music feels paramount here. Their aesthetic ranges from extreme to ridiculous, and the vox and instrumentation are fierce throughout. This is undoubtedly trve kvlt Norwegian black metal, and that just makes their message land even more.
Better yet, the album is still overflowing with unapologetic femininity, so it’s not as if Witch Club Satan is falling in line with the standards of their male progenitors of the genre. The elements they do borrow are the ones you’d want: intense instrumentation, occultic ritualism, and over-the-top debauchery. Acts like Witch Club Satan are exactly what will give women a stronger place in this still-very-male-dominated scene.2 I can’t wait to see where they go from here.
Misotheist — Vessels by which the Devil is Made Flesh
I’ve been keeping a close eye on Misotheist, and this album certainly validates my effort. There’s nothing that unique about Misotheist. Stylistically, it’s just Norwegian black metal. What sets this album apart is the highly melodic delivery through relentless instrumentation. Though the tremolo picking is incessant, the riffing is still discernably intricate. It’s the type of album that plays well in the background, but also holds up to attentive listening. The guest vocals from IX of the late Urfaust are a nice addition as well.
Motherwood — A Fading Elegy
When I saw that Motherwood was pitching itself as “melancholic black metal”, I almost moved on. The world has an overabundance of sad boy black metal thanks to the DSBM and blackgaze explosions of the last decade, so I was admittedly averse towards spending my dwindling time listening to the same ol’ atmospheric riffing, tortured shrieks, and plinking piano keys. Unfortunately for me, a lot of people have not grown as tired of the sound, so I’m stuck sloughing through the resulting bands near daily.
I sorely misjudged Motherwood. Sure, the melancholy tones are there, but Motherwood opts for a much heavier and much groovier take on the sound. Instead of the tortured high-pitch shrieks of DSBM, the vocals have a haunting bass timbre. The overall result is an album that’s as energetic as it is bleak.
Irönwitch — Self-Titled
Self-described as “artillerous blackened deaththrash”3, this is another album I almost didn’t spend any time with. It’s not like there haven’t been thousands of bands touting similar styles. I’m glad I ignored my instincts. Irönwitch is a relentless ride from start-to-finish, and leans more into the thrash side of their claimed style. Being the debut album for the act, Irönwitch have asserted themselves early.
Dystopia — Geen Weg Uit (2020)
Note: this album actually released in 2020, but my scripts floated it up to me now. Dystopia will be releasing an album later next month, so keep an eye out. Thanks to our follower on IG who pointed this out - you know who you are.
There’s a certain quality to Geen Weg Uit that is hard to pin down. The overall aesthetic is a nice fusion of blackgaze with dark jazz elements, a la White Ward. The brass instrumentation sure is a nice touch, but it never becomes the reason the album is good. At times, it veers surprisingly progressive by whipping out blues-inspired guitar solos that’d sound at home on a 70’s prog rock album.
The rhythms are catchy and solidly executed; the production thoughtfully done as well. Again — none of these elements distinctly make this album great. It’s how perfectly blended these components are, hallmarking impressive compositional abilities. Nothing sounds out of place. This is an act to keep an eye on.
Midnight — Hellish Expectations
Don’t make me explain why this is worth your time. It’s fucking Midnight. I’ll let the music video for this album’s single do the talking.
Svoid — Neptunian
Svoid’s Neptunian is the latest in a new breed of blackened post-punk. Post-punk and black metal have courted many times before, but mostly through rhythms. When Neptunian is held up alongside releases like Laster’s Andermans Mijne or Sunrise Patriot Motion’s Black Fellflower Stream, it’s easy to see a new trend emerging. At times, Neptunian is comparable to the surprisingly-solid-if-a-bit-cringeworthy album released by Le Mer last year insofar that it feels decidedly similar to the styles of the Aughts more than the 80’s. Thankfully, none of Le Mer’s butt rock elements are present.4
Seven albums seems like a good stopping point for now. With the rate new releases are cropping up, having these recommendations dolled out over multiple posts hopefully will float more of these great releases to the surface. Enjoy!
The all-female tribute band is a particularly awful trend that has persisted far too long. For that matter, all tribute bands could fall off of the face of the earth for all I care.
If you enjoy Witch Club Satan, I’d highly recommend Upon Shadows as well.
Roughly translates as “Brah, we’re sooo fuggin’ heavy”.
For my dignity, that is. I still haven’t forgiven myself for enjoying Tetrahedra as much as I did.