#auranoir — Public Fediverse posts

Graveripper – From Welkin to Tundra Review

By Tyme

Hoosier hellraisers Graveripper have been spewing their brand of blackened thrash on the streets and in the back alleys of Indianapolis since 2019. Their 2023 debut album, Seasons Dreaming Death, was covered favorably here by our dear friend Holdeneye, and while it didn’t receive one of Holdy’s famous 4.0s, it did put a ‘big, dumb smile’ on his face nonetheless, proving Graveripper had potential. Divested of all his Seasons Dreaming Death bandmates, guitarist and vocalist Corey Parks partnered with new bassist Steve Garcia and drummer Nick James to soldier on as a trio. And so, with their stable label partner, Wise Blood Records, still in tow, Graveripper prepare to release their sophomore effort, From Welkin to Tundra. Parks’ decision to wipe Graveripper’s slate clean and bring in fresh blood so soon was a bold move, but it made me curious what impact it would have on their sound. Is From Welkin to Tundra the ‘truly savage’ thing Holdeneye felt Graveripper capable of, or will this new iteration require further gestation?

As evidenced by the wickedly bleak Adam Burke cover art and Carpathian Forestry of instrumental intro “Welkin, Now Tundra,” it’s clear Graveripper leaned further into the black. Still, there’s plenty of straightforward thrashery afoot, as Parks fires off a plethora of furiously fast riffs, his vocal barks, shouts, growls, and rasps sounding as vicious as ever. Beneath the surface, Steve Garcia’s bass rumbles and runs as Nick James straight d-beats his way through most of From Welkin to Tundra’s thirty-three minutes, capably corralling the craziness. Midwest mates Midnight and Wraith still hold as valid comparators (“Death’s Cold Embrace”), however, darkened mists of Aura Noir (“New Gods, New Masters”) blended with punky clouds of Darkthrone and shades of dissonant Dissection (“…And Now It’s Dark”) serve to complete the black metal side of Graveripper’s blackened thrash equation, as they manage to merge the two elements of their songwriting more cohesively than on the debut, lending From Welkin to Tundra a better sense of balance and consistency.

What Graveripper’s From Welkin to Tundra lacks in complexity is made up for in execution. ‘Simple is as simple does’ is the motto that carries the day for early highlights “Bring Upon Pain” and “Hexenhammer,” the former’s rapid-fire riffing and old-school Kreator vibe, combining with the latter’s blackened tremolos, harmonic leads, and vicious vocals, creating the basis for success. Yet, for my money, it’s the very Megadethic melodicism of the leads and speeds of “Bullet Laden Crown,” in tandem with the absolutely blistering riff-fest that is “Burning Barren Plains,” that not only end the record on a high note but are two of my favorite tracks on the album. Niko Albanese and Joe Causey provide vastly improved mixing and mastering, respectively, enhancing the consonance among tracks, improving the flow, and alleviating many of the production woes that impacted Seasons Dreaming Death.

As improved a unit as Graveripper presents here, especially considering the near-complete scrubbing of its membership, there were a couple of things on From Welkin to Dusk that left me wanting. First, and this is a minor issue of pacing, is the lull I continuously experienced in the run of songs from “Death’s Cold Embrace” to “Hounds of Hell,” each track adhering to a straight thrash riff-riff-run-and-done approach that bleeds the three tracks together before returning to more blackened climes on “New Gods, New Masters.” Second, there’s a dearth of shred on offer that I definitely would have liked to hear more of. Parks’ broadening solo skills shine bright on the horizons of “Bring Upon Pain” and “Burning Barren Plains,” but aside from a very brief foray on “Hounds of Hell,” From Welkin to Dusk is void of solo work, an element that, if effectively incorporated, could push Graveripper to the next level.

It’s nice to highlight that there’s more to Indiana than corn and The 500, as Graveripper, alongside bands like Wraith, Wolftooth, and others, continue to shine in a solid Hoosier metal scene. From Welkin to Dusk is a formidable step in the right direction for Graveripper. I’m hopeful this lineup will maintain its continuity, as I am sure, with a little more high-tone shred poured in, they’re capable of loftier levels of lethality. For now, I encourage you to take From Welkin to Dusk for a spin and don’t stop at my numerical score because this thing is, in fact, good!

Score: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Wise Blood Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #AuraNoir #BlackMetal #CarpathianForest #Darkthrone #FromWelkinToDusk #GraveRipper #Midnight #Oct25 #Review #ThrashMetal #WiseBloodRecords #Wraith

Graveripper – From Welkin to Tundra Review

By Tyme

Hoosier hellraisers Graveripper have been spewing their brand of blackened thrash on the streets and in the back alleys of Indianapolis since 2019. Their 2023 debut album, Seasons Dreaming Death, was covered favorably here by our dear friend Holdeneye, and while it didn’t receive one of Holdy’s famous 4.0s, it did put a ‘big, dumb smile’ on his face nonetheless, proving Graveripper had potential. Divested of all his Seasons Dreaming Death bandmates, guitarist and vocalist Corey Parks partnered with new bassist Steve Garcia and drummer Nick James to soldier on as a trio. And so, with their stable label partner, Wise Blood Records, still in tow, Graveripper prepare to release their sophomore effort, From Welkin to Tundra. Parks’ decision to wipe Graveripper’s slate clean and bring in fresh blood so soon was a bold move, but it made me curious what impact it would have on their sound. Is From Welkin to Tundra the ‘truly savage’ thing Holdeneye felt Graveripper capable of, or will this new iteration require further gestation?

As evidenced by the wickedly bleak Adam Burke cover art and Carpathian Forestry of instrumental intro “Welkin, Now Tundra,” it’s clear Graveripper leaned further into the black. Still, there’s plenty of straightforward thrashery afoot, as Parks fires off a plethora of furiously fast riffs, his vocal barks, shouts, growls, and rasps sounding as vicious as ever. Beneath the surface, Steve Garcia’s bass rumbles and runs as Nick James straight d-beats his way through most of From Welkin to Tundra’s thirty-three minutes, capably corralling the craziness. Midwest mates Midnight and Wraith still hold as valid comparators (“Death’s Cold Embrace”), however, darkened mists of Aura Noir (“New Gods, New Masters”) blended with punky clouds of Darkthrone and shades of dissonant Dissection (“…And Now It’s Dark”) serve to complete the black metal side of Graveripper’s blackened thrash equation, as they manage to merge the two elements of their songwriting more cohesively than on the debut, lending From Welkin to Tundra a better sense of balance and consistency.

What Graveripper’s From Welkin to Tundra lacks in complexity is made up for in execution. ‘Simple is as simple does’ is the motto that carries the day for early highlights “Bring Upon Pain” and “Hexenhammer,” the former’s rapid-fire riffing and old-school Kreator vibe, combining with the latter’s blackened tremolos, harmonic leads, and vicious vocals, creating the basis for success. Yet, for my money, it’s the very Megadethic melodicism of the leads and speeds of “Bullet Laden Crown,” in tandem with the absolutely blistering riff-fest that is “Burning Barren Plains,” that not only end the record on a high note but are two of my favorite tracks on the album. Niko Albanese and Joe Causey provide vastly improved mixing and mastering, respectively, enhancing the consonance among tracks, improving the flow, and alleviating many of the production woes that impacted Seasons Dreaming Death.

As improved a unit as Graveripper presents here, especially considering the near-complete scrubbing of its membership, there were a couple of things on From Welkin to Dusk that left me wanting. First, and this is a minor issue of pacing, is the lull I continuously experienced in the run of songs from “Death’s Cold Embrace” to “Hounds of Hell,” each track adhering to a straight thrash riff-riff-run-and-done approach that bleeds the three tracks together before returning to more blackened climes on “New Gods, New Masters.” Second, there’s a dearth of shred on offer that I definitely would have liked to hear more of. Parks’ broadening solo skills shine bright on the horizons of “Bring Upon Pain” and “Burning Barren Plains,” but aside from a very brief foray on “Hounds of Hell,” From Welkin to Dusk is void of solo work, an element that, if effectively incorporated, could push Graveripper to the next level.

It’s nice to highlight that there’s more to Indiana than corn and The 500, as Graveripper, alongside bands like Wraith, Wolftooth, and others, continue to shine in a solid Hoosier metal scene. From Welkin to Dusk is a formidable step in the right direction for Graveripper. I’m hopeful this lineup will maintain its continuity, as I am sure, with a little more high-tone shred poured in, they’re capable of loftier levels of lethality. For now, I encourage you to take From Welkin to Dusk for a spin and don’t stop at my numerical score because this thing is, in fact, good!

Score: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Wise Blood Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #AuraNoir #BlackMetal #CarpathianForest #Darkthrone #FromWelkinToDusk #GraveRipper #Midnight #Oct25 #Review #ThrashMetal #WiseBloodRecords #Wraith

Ahoi seamaids and -men,
this thursday we‘ll play at SWR Fest in Barroselas, Portugal. On stage at 19:25. Merch will be up from around 17:30 to 21:30. Looking forward to chat with y‘all after our show!
Yours truly 🦑🪼🐋
#Doommetal #SWRfest #Barroselas #Portugal #AHABdoom #Festival #dodheimsgard #repulsion #merrimack #auranoir

Urn – Demon Steel Review

By Mark Z.

As a U.S. government employee, I’ve spent way too much time lately thinking about RIFs and not enough time thinking about riffs. Fortunately, Finland’s Urn is here to change that. Helmed by vocalist, bassist, and former guitarist Jarno Hämäläinen (a.k.a. “Sulphur”), this black/thrash troupe raised hell throughout the 2000s via albums like 666 Megatons and Dawn of the Devastation, both of which blasted with reckless abandon and hit with all the subtlety of a hand grenade. After years of silence following 2008’s Soul Destroyers, the group returned with a revamped lineup and more melodic sound on 2017’s The Burning, resulting in a rousing collection of blackened thrash anthems that was bogged down a bit by songwriting that often felt too cut-and-paste. With 2019’s Iron Will of Power, another revamped lineup helped Sulphur better combine the group’s newfound melodic tendencies and more raucous sensibilities, making for a career-high that sounded like the forgotten little brother of Deströyer 666. On their sixth album, Demon Steel, Urn returns after six years to continue down that same path, mixing the black/thrash of yore with melodies even a folk metal fan could enjoy. But have they taken things too far?

FUKK NO! Rather, Demon Steel is one of those rare late-career albums that shows an extreme band maturing into something more complex, interesting, and catchy, all while still remaining vicious enough to satisfy those poser-crushers in our midst. The basic sound here largely remains the same: frantic and rushing guitars combined with fast and pummeling drums, tossed together with snarled vocals and a sense of epic fury. The soaring melodies that often appeared in the choruses of Iron Will remain; yet here, the addition of a second guitarist has allowed Urn to craft compositions that are more intricate than ever. Early highlight “Are You Friends With Your Demons” proves that it needs neither a question mark nor a decent title to succeed, commanding attention with the layered guitars of its chorus and the supreme melody that appears after that refrain’s second and third iteration.

And fortunately, plenty of the other nine tracks are just as strong. “Heir of Tyrants,” “Burning Blood’s Curse,” and “Ruthless Paranoia” offer perhaps the best example of Urn’s heightened maturity, as each song combines fierce riffing worthy of Aura Noir with sugary lead guitars that could have appeared on a Children of Bodom album. Turning the throttle further into overdrive, “Iron Star” and “Turbulence of Misanthropy” charge forward on bouts of galloping, heavy-as-fuck riffs that sound like Iron Maiden dipped in molten steel, with the latter even offering some melodic black metal moments that recall Dissection. Even the album’s introduction, “Retribution of the Dead,” is a winner, creating an effective buildup with immense chords, pounding drums, and snarls of “Rise!”

Overall, there’s little to complain about here. In addition to delivering plenty of swirling solos, returning guitarist “Axeleratörr” works alongside new axeman “Pestilent Slaughter” to absolutely stuff these 44 minutes with great ideas, resulting in a record that probably contains more unique leads and riffs than the band’s first two albums combined. Sulphur once again sounds venomous and commanding, though perhaps a bit more croaky and aged than before. That doesn’t stop him from pushing himself, however, by embellishing songs like “Wings of Inferno” and “Heir of Tyrants” with powerful clean wails that make things feel extra mighty. The only real downside is that, with every track trying to be a big epic fist-raiser, things get a tad tiresome eventually. The closer, “Predator of Spiritforms,” feels a bit overshadowed by its predecessors, and while the mid-paced stomp of “Wings of Inferno” offers a bit of late-album variety, I’d still love to have just one straight-ahead rager in the second half. Fortunately, the production is great, with a clear, balanced, and powerful sound that emphasizes the crystalline leads while giving the riffs plenty of bite.

It’s been exciting to watch Urn grow from a pretty basic black/thrash band to one of the few older groups left in the style still producing worthwhile music. While I’ll always love the hammering and explosive sound of their early stuff, Demon Steel shows the band crafting songs that are more exciting, memorable, and well-written than anything they’ve done before. The result is a truly fantastic release that’s sure to please everyone from diehard Desaster fans to casual blogreaders just looking for some good fukkin music to distract themselves from all the bullshit out there today. Push play, crank that volume, and BANG YOUR FUKKIN HEADS!

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Osmose Productions | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/urnofficial | instagram.com/urnmetal
Releases Worldwide: March 28th, 2025

#2025 #40 #AuraNoir #BlackMetal #ChildrenOfBodom #DemonSteel #Desaster #Destroyer666 #Dissection #FinnishMetal #IronMaiden #Mar25 #OsmoseProductions #Review #Reviews #ThrashMetal #Urn

Hellbutcher absolutely insist you do everything at 1000mph on #ThrashThursday

Full album link on Bandcamp: https://hellbutcherband.bandcamp.com/album/hellbutcher

FFO #Nifelheim #Bathory #Hellripper and #AuraNoir

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#MetalInjection
Album Review: COFFIN STORM Arcana Rising
"With minimal (but not too minimal) production values, and a clear DIY vibe, Coffin Storm is exactly what you think it should be."

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-coffin-storm-arcana-rising

#CoffinStorm #ArcanaRising #Apollyon #OlavKnutsen #BestialTormentor #Fenriz #Darkthrone #LamentedSouls #AuraNoir #NorwegianMetal #DoomMetal #ThrashMetal #DIY #UndergroundMetal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Album Review: COFFIN STORM Arcana Rising
"With minimal (but not too minimal) production values, and a clear DIY vibe, Coffin Storm is exactly what you think it should be."

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-coffin-storm-arcana-rising

#CoffinStorm #ArcanaRising #Apollyon #OlavKnutsen #BestialTormentor #Fenriz #Darkthrone #LamentedSouls #AuraNoir #NorwegianMetal #DoomMetal #ThrashMetal #DIY #UndergroundMetal