#emperor- — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #emperor-, aggregated by home.social.
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Plot twist behind Sydney restaurant Emperor’s Garden shock closure – News + Articles https://www.allforgardening.com/1916741/plot-twist-behind-sydney-restaurant-emperors-garden-shock-closure-news-articles/ #chinatown #closure #CreamPuffs #EatOut #Emperor'sGardenEmperor'sPuffs #garden #haymarket #Restaurant
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Plot twist behind Sydney restaurant Emperor’s Garden shock closure – News + Articles https://www.allforgardening.com/1916741/plot-twist-behind-sydney-restaurant-emperors-garden-shock-closure-news-articles/ #chinatown #closure #CreamPuffs #EatOut #Emperor'sGardenEmperor'sPuffs #garden #haymarket #Restaurant
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… hab mir diese feine Scheibe von Neseblod mitgenommen -die dritte #emperor 🖤🔥
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… hab mir diese feine Scheibe von Neseblood mitgenommen -die dritte #emperor 🖤🔥
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O joy! What an honor and privilege to have witnessed so much! Day four of #beyondthegatesfestival started with a high for us thanks to the always excellent #gaahlswyrd #arcturus and #alcest We expected #emperor to close the festival in style but frankly we were not prepared to be awed so much. Majestic, powerful, sometimes going for the jugular, this was Emperor at its very best, #blackmetal royalty showing what it’s all about from the early days to the more progressive parts of its catalogue. Seeing Faust and Mortiis on stage made the whole thing even more brilliant. We left #grieghallen whistling tunes and smiling like idiots.
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Nach fünf Tagen in Norwegen fühle ich mich nun bereit für die einzig trve Musik des Landes: Black Metal! Und so lasse ich die Spiele beginnen mit den majestätischen Emperor 🖤🔥 #blackmetal #emperor
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Nach fünf Tagen in Norwegen fühle ich mich nun bereit für die einzig trve Musik des Landes: Black Metal! Und so lasse ich die Spiele beginnen mit den majestätischen Emperor 🖤🔥 #blackmetal #emperor
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Japan changes royal rules; but not enough for Princess Aiko to wear the crown https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/japan-imperial-house-law-male-only-succession-princess-aiko-xtu08mxm?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Japan #PrincessAiko #ImperialFamily #RoyalFamily #Emperor
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🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix
Emperor:
🎵 I Am the Black Wizardshttps://thepauldaniels.bandcamp.com/track/emperor-i-am-the-black-wizards-cover-interlude
https://open.spotify.com/track/4jjlYfhduOrGY4mySof5C3
🎶 show playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6G4PaS9BNkIuGqMo44rbfZ🎶 KEXP playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VNALrOa3gWbk794YuIrwg -
🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #VarietyMix
Emperor:
🎵 I Am the Black Wizardshttps://thepauldaniels.bandcamp.com/track/emperor-i-am-the-black-wizards-cover-interlude
https://open.spotify.com/track/4jjlYfhduOrGY4mySof5C3
🎶 show playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6G4PaS9BNkIuGqMo44rbfZ🎶 KEXP playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VNALrOa3gWbk794YuIrwg -
Mortem – Mørketid Review By Andy-War-HallNow here’s a band with pedigree! Norway’s black metal squad Mortem have been around since 1987, right at the forefront of the infamous second wave. Though their heyday produced only the Slow Death demo and their debut record, Ravnsvart, took until 2019 to release, their individual band members have kept themselves busy. Consisting of guitarist/keyboardist Steinar Sverd Johnsen, vocalist Marius Vold, drummer Jan “Hellhammer” Blomberg, and newcomer bassist Tor Stavenes, Mortem’s genealogy traces lines through the likes of Mayhem, Arcturus, Thorns, 1349, Emperor, and way too many other bands. Now, almost forty years since their inception, Mortem are unleashing their sophomore album Mørketid, promising in their promo “eight tracks of savage, eerie, and often epic black metal.” Will Mortem’s collective experience translate to top-shelf black metal, or will Mørketid’s time under the sun be short-lived?
“Mørketid” is the Norwegian word for polar night, where the sun stays below the horizon for weeks during the winter months. It’s an eerie time that Mortem capture well on Mørketid. Between the persistent tremolos and rasps across Mørketid, an unsettling and understated melody gives the project an uncanny feel. Mortem’s keyboard presence does a lot for Mørketid’s texture, bestowing a creepy music box melody to “Aftermath” and a beefy Dimmu Borgir symphonic gothicness to “Ditt Ødes Ære.” But overall, if you’ve heard Mayhem’s early stuff, you know what to expect from Mortem. Buzzsaw guitars, phlegmy rasps, and drawn-out staggering through the dark are the name of the game here, highlighted on songs like “The Mighty Odious” and “Mørkets Ormebol.” Mortem have been around long enough to get these fundamentals down pat.
Though Mortem clearly put in the work, there are yet few standout performances on Mørketid. Outside of some surprisingly shreddy solos across Mørketid’s back end (“Den Sanne Gud,” “Aftermath”), Johnsen’s riffs are murky and standard-issue black metal, and while I appreciate Stavenes’ pronounced bass presence and the punchiness that comes with it (“Skyggeånd”), it nonetheless stays too firmly in the pocket. Similarly, Vold’s rasps are thick and gritty but rarely venture off from his slow-n-low mode, making his vocal presence seep into the background. Johnsen’s keyboards and Hellhammer’s drumming deserve note, however, as spidery key runs on “Mørketid” and “Mørkets Ormebol” do the heavy lifting in building mood and identity on their tracks, and shifting grooves and blasts all across Mørketid are its most varied and exciting asset. Mortem’s songwriting approach likely contributes to the muted performances: they’re hellbent for murk. But Mortem have ludicrous talent in their ranks, and I think a few more standout moments would’ve easily elevated Mørketid.
And therein lies Mørketid’s biggest issue: memorability. Besides “Blodvassen Grunn,” where Mortem open the blinds a smidge for a touch of lightness in their style, Mørketid is monotonously dark. Over-repetition plagues many of Mørketid’s tracks, watering down the vitality of songs like “Mørkets Ormebol” and “Skyggeånd” while inflating Mørketid’s runtime. None of Mortem’s songs are extraordinarily long, sitting around four to six minutes on average, but I often found myself checking the time halfway through each song anyway. Production owns some of the blame here; though everything’s clearly audible, everything sounds crushed and undynamic, wearing on both the ears and mind. There are times when Mortem flirt with variety, like the darkly groovy second half of “Aftermath” and the time “Den Sanne Gud” gets quiet and threatens to veer into an Iron Maiden epic,1 but these are few and far between on Mørketid. I don’t think I can give high marks to something I can’t remember after many listens.
It’s crazy to think that a band whose line-up is as storied as Mortem’s could struggle with a sophomore slump this far into their career, but here we are. Mørketid isn’t a bad record, but one that’s played too safely to truly stand out. Production issues and monotonous songwriting knock it down a notch further. Mortem occupy a space in metal’s history where a subpar record isn’t going to blemish their legacy. They were instrumental in founding one of its most iconic sub-genres. But Mørketid wasn’t released in 1987, and so has to stand up against the scores of other black metal releases from the decades since then. Sadly, it doesn’t.
Rating: Disappointing
#1349 #20 #2026 #Arcturus #BlackMetal #DimmuBorgir #Emperor #IronMaiden #Jul26 #Mayhem #Mortem #Mørketid #NorwegianMetal #PeacevilleRecords #Review #Reviews #Thorns
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps MP3
Label: Peaceville Records
Websites: facebook.com/mortemnorway | bandcamp.com/album/morketid
Releases Worldwide: July 3rd, 2026 -
Mortem – Mørketid Review By Andy-War-HallNow here’s a band with pedigree! Norway’s black metal squad Mortem have been around since 1987, right at the forefront of the infamous second wave. Though their heyday produced only the Slow Death demo and their debut record, Ravnsvart, took until 2019 to release, their individual band members have kept themselves busy. Consisting of guitarist/keyboardist Steinar Sverd Johnsen, vocalist Marius Vold, drummer Jan “Hellhammer” Blomberg, and newcomer bassist Tor Stavenes, Mortem’s genealogy traces lines through the likes of Mayhem, Arcturus, Thorns, 1349, Emperor, and way too many other bands. Now, almost forty years since their inception, Mortem are unleashing their sophomore album Mørketid, promising in their promo “eight tracks of savage, eerie, and often epic black metal.” Will Mortem’s collective experience translate to top-shelf black metal, or will Mørketid’s time under the sun be short-lived?
“Mørketid” is the Norwegian word for polar night, where the sun stays below the horizon for weeks during the winter months. It’s an eerie time that Mortem capture well on Mørketid. Between the persistent tremolos and rasps across Mørketid, an unsettling and understated melody gives the project an uncanny feel. Mortem’s keyboard presence does a lot for Mørketid’s texture, bestowing a creepy music box melody to “Aftermath” and a beefy Dimmu Borgir symphonic gothicness to “Ditt Ødes Ære.” But overall, if you’ve heard Mayhem’s early stuff, you know what to expect from Mortem. Buzzsaw guitars, phlegmy rasps, and drawn-out staggering through the dark are the name of the game here, highlighted on songs like “The Mighty Odious” and “Mørkets Ormebol.” Mortem have been around long enough to get these fundamentals down pat.
Though Mortem clearly put in the work, there are yet few standout performances on Mørketid. Outside of some surprisingly shreddy solos across Mørketid’s back end (“Den Sanne Gud,” “Aftermath”), Johnsen’s riffs are murky and standard-issue black metal, and while I appreciate Stavenes’ pronounced bass presence and the punchiness that comes with it (“Skyggeånd”), it nonetheless stays too firmly in the pocket. Similarly, Vold’s rasps are thick and gritty but rarely venture off from his slow-n-low mode, making his vocal presence seep into the background. Johnsen’s keyboards and Hellhammer’s drumming deserve note, however, as spidery key runs on “Mørketid” and “Mørkets Ormebol” do the heavy lifting in building mood and identity on their tracks, and shifting grooves and blasts all across Mørketid are its most varied and exciting asset. Mortem’s songwriting approach likely contributes to the muted performances: they’re hellbent for murk. But Mortem have ludicrous talent in their ranks, and I think a few more standout moments would’ve easily elevated Mørketid.
And therein lies Mørketid’s biggest issue: memorability. Besides “Blodvassen Grunn,” where Mortem open the blinds a smidge for a touch of lightness in their style, Mørketid is monotonously dark. Over-repetition plagues many of Mørketid’s tracks, watering down the vitality of songs like “Mørkets Ormebol” and “Skyggeånd” while inflating Mørketid’s runtime. None of Mortem’s songs are extraordinarily long, sitting around four to six minutes on average, but I often found myself checking the time halfway through each song anyway. Production owns some of the blame here; though everything’s clearly audible, everything sounds crushed and undynamic, wearing on both the ears and mind. There are times when Mortem flirt with variety, like the darkly groovy second half of “Aftermath” and the time “Den Sanne Gud” gets quiet and threatens to veer into an Iron Maiden epic,1 but these are few and far between on Mørketid. I don’t think I can give high marks to something I can’t remember after many listens.
It’s crazy to think that a band whose line-up is as storied as Mortem’s could struggle with a sophomore slump this far into their career, but here we are. Mørketid isn’t a bad record, but one that’s played too safely to truly stand out. Production issues and monotonous songwriting knock it down a notch further. Mortem occupy a space in metal’s history where a subpar record isn’t going to blemish their legacy. They were instrumental in founding one of its most iconic sub-genres. But Mørketid wasn’t released in 1987, and so has to stand up against the scores of other black metal releases from the decades since then. Sadly, it doesn’t.
Rating: Disappointing
#1349 #20 #2026 #Arcturus #BlackMetal #DimmuBorgir #Emperor #IronMaiden #Jul26 #Mayhem #Mortem #Mørketid #NorwegianMetal #PeacevilleRecords #Review #Reviews #Thorns
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps MP3
Label: Peaceville Records
Websites: facebook.com/mortemnorway | bandcamp.com/album/morketid
Releases Worldwide: July 3rd, 2026 -
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Crocell – Swarm of Insects Review By Kenstrosity
Spawned in 2007, Danish quintet Crocell started life as a humble, but prolifically productive melodic death metal troupe, churning out five LPs in a relatively brief decade. Six years passed between their fifth and sixth outings, but only two years span the difference between that and the new Swarm of Insects, distributed by Emanzipation Records. Throughout all of that history, Crocell have gotten progressively more blackened in their riff-centered, deathly dealings, but otherwise remained remarkably stable both in sound and lineup. This begs a question of curiosity: What six-legged horrors await me here?
While it’s still true that Crocell haven’t made great shifts in sound or style over the last few records, Swarm of Insects is a more epic and sprawling affair than, say, the relentlessly aggressive Relics. This puts it more in line with black-metal forward predecessor Of Frost, Of Flame, Of Flesh, which saw Crocell leaning more heavily into sweeping songwriting arcs highly reminiscent of Limbo-era Gaerea by way of Sulphur Aeon, with a twist of Emperor. That said, some of the Dormant Ordeal-but-slower death of Relics returns on Swarm. This reprisal of crushing heft, in turn, affords Swarm a more threatening nature without becoming wholly oppressive or undoing its grand storytelling voice.
If that description gives you pause or causes concern that Crocell lost their edge, one spin of the title track should provide ample reassurance. Its scorching tremolo-forward riffs and spectacular energy bring heat to the blood and buzz to the saw. “Traitor’s Blood,” “Shredded Banners,” and “Wolfen Man” double down on that attack, and the extra 90 seconds Crocell invested into what used to be their standard mid-three-mid-four-minute template suits them well. Using that extra time to fortify serrated riffs built to shred and terrify with ominous bridges soaked in shadow and mist brought a new vocabulary to Crocell’s musical lexicon. Not entirely unexpected from a band of this advanced experience, but also not entirely dissimilar to the welcome progression of songwriting sophistication that Sulphur Aeon displayed across their discography, Crocell’s expansion of scope allows the five-plus minutes of “Labyrinthian Tunnels” and even the somewhat weaker “Volcano” to feel justified and satisfying.
As much as Crocell excel in Swarm of Insects’ more patient songwriting, so too do they leave behind some of the more exciting characteristics of past efforts. Always the show-stealer, undercelebrated drummer Andreas Posselt is more restrained here across the board, and I miss the jaw-dropping acrobatics and scalpel-sharp accuracy of his tom-and-cymbal play displayed on past efforts. His performance is still enviable, of course. However, opener “Sarcophagus” is somewhat forgettable in relation to Swarm’s later offerings, in part due to its more reserved writing and lack of that percussive showmanship that I look for from Crocell. Concurrently, Tommy Christensen and Mads Gath traded some of their riff quota for great, towering arcs of trem-picked melodies and protracted chord work. This allows big moments from “Sculptor of Nations” and “Wolfen Man” to hit with tectonic impact—and also serves as a vehicle to bring audibility to Onkel Kusse’s oft-buried bass burble—but may alienate listeners who hoped for another nonstop barnstormer from these Danes. Asbjörn Steffensen, on the other hand, strikes a great balance between deathly roars, hoarse rasps, and pained chants that feel impassioned without losing control entirely. His technique here might be cribbed directly from the tomes of Sulphur Aeon, resulting in a most minor case of identity theft, but it’s a great technique for this sound regardless.
41 minutes pass, the locusts that once blinded my vision now only dot the horizon and straggle before my feet. Wings gently flutter on either side of my ears, and I’m left standing aghast at what just transpired. Crocell, as I anticipated, brought enough heat to spike my adrenaline with concerning ease. This Swarm of Insects may not pose as mortal a danger as previous attacks, but it nonetheless offered its own kind of excitement. In another world, I might be thankful that this wave was easier to weather. But I can’t deny that I miss the intensity and the terror of experiences past. I won’t begrudge Crocell for this more “pleasant” plague, as it was a fine plague all the same. I just hope, one day soon, to fear for my life again.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #Crocell #DanishMetalMetal #DeathMetal #DormantOrdeal #EmanzipationRecords #Emperor #Gaerea #May26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #SulphurAeon #SwarmOfInsects
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026 -
Crocell – Swarm of Insects Review By Kenstrosity
Spawned in 2007, Danish quintet Crocell started life as a humble, but prolifically productive melodic death metal troupe, churning out five LPs in a relatively brief decade. Six years passed between their fifth and sixth outings, but only two years span the difference between that and the new Swarm of Insects, distributed by Emanzipation Records. Throughout all of that history, Crocell have gotten progressively more blackened in their riff-centered, deathly dealings, but otherwise remained remarkably stable both in sound and lineup. This begs a question of curiosity: What six-legged horrors await me here?
While it’s still true that Crocell haven’t made great shifts in sound or style over the last few records, Swarm of Insects is a more epic and sprawling affair than, say, the relentlessly aggressive Relics. This puts it more in line with black-metal forward predecessor Of Frost, Of Flame, Of Flesh, which saw Crocell leaning more heavily into sweeping songwriting arcs highly reminiscent of Limbo-era Gaerea by way of Sulphur Aeon, with a twist of Emperor. That said, some of the Dormant Ordeal-but-slower death of Relics returns on Swarm. This reprisal of crushing heft, in turn, affords Swarm a more threatening nature without becoming wholly oppressive or undoing its grand storytelling voice.
If that description gives you pause or causes concern that Crocell lost their edge, one spin of the title track should provide ample reassurance. Its scorching tremolo-forward riffs and spectacular energy bring heat to the blood and buzz to the saw. “Traitor’s Blood,” “Shredded Banners,” and “Wolfen Man” double down on that attack, and the extra 90 seconds Crocell invested into what used to be their standard mid-three-mid-four-minute template suits them well. Using that extra time to fortify serrated riffs built to shred and terrify with ominous bridges soaked in shadow and mist brought a new vocabulary to Crocell’s musical lexicon. Not entirely unexpected from a band of this advanced experience, but also not entirely dissimilar to the welcome progression of songwriting sophistication that Sulphur Aeon displayed across their discography, Crocell’s expansion of scope allows the five-plus minutes of “Labyrinthian Tunnels” and even the somewhat weaker “Volcano” to feel justified and satisfying.
As much as Crocell excel in Swarm of Insects’ more patient songwriting, so too do they leave behind some of the more exciting characteristics of past efforts. Always the show-stealer, undercelebrated drummer Andreas Posselt is more restrained here across the board, and I miss the jaw-dropping acrobatics and scalpel-sharp accuracy of his tom-and-cymbal play displayed on past efforts. His performance is still enviable, of course. However, opener “Sarcophagus” is somewhat forgettable in relation to Swarm’s later offerings, in part due to its more reserved writing and lack of that percussive showmanship that I look for from Crocell. Concurrently, Tommy Christensen and Mads Gath traded some of their riff quota for great, towering arcs of trem-picked melodies and protracted chord work. This allows big moments from “Sculptor of Nations” and “Wolfen Man” to hit with tectonic impact—and also serves as a vehicle to bring audibility to Onkel Kusse’s oft-buried bass burble—but may alienate listeners who hoped for another nonstop barnstormer from these Danes. Asbjörn Steffensen, on the other hand, strikes a great balance between deathly roars, hoarse rasps, and pained chants that feel impassioned without losing control entirely. His technique here might be cribbed directly from the tomes of Sulphur Aeon, resulting in a most minor case of identity theft, but it’s a great technique for this sound regardless.
41 minutes pass, the locusts that once blinded my vision now only dot the horizon and straggle before my feet. Wings gently flutter on either side of my ears, and I’m left standing aghast at what just transpired. Crocell, as I anticipated, brought enough heat to spike my adrenaline with concerning ease. This Swarm of Insects may not pose as mortal a danger as previous attacks, but it nonetheless offered its own kind of excitement. In another world, I might be thankful that this wave was easier to weather. But I can’t deny that I miss the intensity and the terror of experiences past. I won’t begrudge Crocell for this more “pleasant” plague, as it was a fine plague all the same. I just hope, one day soon, to fear for my life again.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #Crocell #DanishMetalMetal #DeathMetal #DormantOrdeal #EmanzipationRecords #Emperor #Gaerea #May26 #MelodicDeathMetal #Review #Reviews #SulphurAeon #SwarmOfInsects
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Official | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026 -
Astral Alchemy – Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds Review By Andy-War-Hall
Like those programmers who insist on rebuilding every line of code in Python, New York’s black metal woodland-walkers Astral Alchemy envision a universe unraveled down to its last atom. That process is captured in their debut record, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. With five tracks and just shy of forty minutes of music, that’s a lot of ground to cover in little time. From the duo of guitarist/bassist/vocalist He Who Walks under the Bloodmoon and drummer/guitarist He Who Wields Twin Scepters of Malice, Astral Alchemy invites you to “Let the power of the stars guide you and the atmospheric universe coalesce the accounts of dreamworlds becoming reality.” But black metal bands are always talking big on how mystical and esoteric they are. Does Astral Alchemy have the magic, or is the only thing cold about Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds how it leaves me in the end?
Astral Alchemy aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they sure get it spinning on Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. Evoking the grandeur of Emperor and the riffing belligerence of Dissection, Astral Alchemy wields second-wave sorcery through darkly atmospheric soundscapes. Particularly in early cuts like “Tria Prima Offering to the Great Serpent” and “Bathing in the Sap of the Moonflower,” Dreamworlds plays it straight in entwining blast beat-downs with synthesized choirs and symphonics, shifting between creeping, distorted arpeggios and furious tremolos. Where Astral Alchemy stand out is in execution: Dreamworlds is a living, angry beast. Astral Alchemy’s guitar tone is thick, burly, and good for turning their dense, high-octane riffs into weapons of cosmic warfare. Drumming on Dreamworlds is scathing and thunderous, but just as menacing in its slower moments like the Mayhemic crawls of “Tria Prima…” or the crushing back half of “Stars of Ruin.” Topped off with intricately layered synths and husky, ravenous rasps, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds becomes a particularly engrossing listen.
Like earthly alchemy, Astral Alchemy take simple ingredients and transmute them in subliminal ways while Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. With midpoint “Stars of Ruin,” Dreamworlds takes an unexpected turn: it slams. Halfway through, Astral Alchemy turned my head with its melodic, borderline metalcore chug riff before stopping and breaking my neck with a groovy, ignorant death riff and ear-splitting Breeeeeeee. It’s nuts. Forwarding Astral Alchemy’s march towards weirdness, “Collapse of the Cosmos” bookends its tremolo madness with Hexrotting electronic glitches and atmospherics1 while the epic, SotY-contending “Eyes through the Speculum” punches bright, downright uplifting progressions into Dreamworld’s frigid mold and somehow makes it work. Songs on Dreamworlds just don’t sit still; “Eyes…” bounces between airy acoustics to thick post-metal riffing to ethereal synths while comparatively normal tracks like “Bathing in the Sap of the Moonflower” still find ways to inject variation in rhythm and dissonance in melody. Simply, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds sees Astral Alchemy operate within the established tropes of black metal without being beholden to them.
Authenticity isn’t something black metal is known for, but that’s exactly the impression I get from Astral Alchemy. Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworld’s lyricism is rooted in genuine alchemical philosophy (“Tria Prima Offering to the Great Serpent”), espousing the significance of transformation through destruction and synthesis. Everything about Astral Alchemy’s approach to songwriting—from the seamless melding of passages to the constant iterations on motifs to the dynamism of tone and energy—stands in accordance with these values. Astral Alchemy aren’t concerned with sounding “kvlt;” Dreamworlds’ mix and production sounds too crisp for that, despite its modest DR score. Instead, Astral Alchemy is very much guided by the pursuit of an esoteric soundscape of boundless creative and destructive energy. Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds isn’t perfect in this regard—the first two tracks lose some steam by the end and “Collapse of the Cosmos” is somewhat standard-issue outside of its electronics—but you also don’t get much better than it either.
Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds isn’t a great title—it doesn’t want to roll off the tongue at all—but it is apt. Abrasive, melodic, twisted, and just plain big, this first showing from Astral Alchemy honestly has me wondering if this duo is industry veterans in disguise. The confidence with which they carry themselves on Dreamworlds would be impressive for fresh musicians; it translates to impressive music in my headphones regardless. When much of black metal feels like a race to the bottom of the barrel, Astral Alchemy’s fresh take on the blackened arts is truly exciting. Weave on, Astral Alchemy!
Rating: Great!
#2026 #40 #AmericanMetal #AstralAlchemy #BlackMetal #Dissection #Emperor #Hexrot #Jun26 #Mayhem #NaturmachtProductions #Review #Reviews #WeavingChillingMagicalDreamworlds
DR: 6| Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Naturmacht Productions
Websites: astralalchemybm.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AstralAlchemyMusic
Releases Worldwide: June 25th, 2026 -
Astral Alchemy – Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds Review By Andy-War-Hall
Like those programmers who insist on rebuilding every line of code in Python, New York’s black metal woodland-walkers Astral Alchemy envision a universe unraveled down to its last atom. That process is captured in their debut record, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. With five tracks and just shy of forty minutes of music, that’s a lot of ground to cover in little time. From the duo of guitarist/bassist/vocalist He Who Walks under the Bloodmoon and drummer/guitarist He Who Wields Twin Scepters of Malice, Astral Alchemy invites you to “Let the power of the stars guide you and the atmospheric universe coalesce the accounts of dreamworlds becoming reality.” But black metal bands are always talking big on how mystical and esoteric they are. Does Astral Alchemy have the magic, or is the only thing cold about Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds how it leaves me in the end?
Astral Alchemy aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they sure get it spinning on Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. Evoking the grandeur of Emperor and the riffing belligerence of Dissection, Astral Alchemy wields second-wave sorcery through darkly atmospheric soundscapes. Particularly in early cuts like “Tria Prima Offering to the Great Serpent” and “Bathing in the Sap of the Moonflower,” Dreamworlds plays it straight in entwining blast beat-downs with synthesized choirs and symphonics, shifting between creeping, distorted arpeggios and furious tremolos. Where Astral Alchemy stand out is in execution: Dreamworlds is a living, angry beast. Astral Alchemy’s guitar tone is thick, burly, and good for turning their dense, high-octane riffs into weapons of cosmic warfare. Drumming on Dreamworlds is scathing and thunderous, but just as menacing in its slower moments like the Mayhemic crawls of “Tria Prima…” or the crushing back half of “Stars of Ruin.” Topped off with intricately layered synths and husky, ravenous rasps, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds becomes a particularly engrossing listen.
Like earthly alchemy, Astral Alchemy take simple ingredients and transmute them in subliminal ways while Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds. With midpoint “Stars of Ruin,” Dreamworlds takes an unexpected turn: it slams. Halfway through, Astral Alchemy turned my head with its melodic, borderline metalcore chug riff before stopping and breaking my neck with a groovy, ignorant death riff and ear-splitting Breeeeeeee. It’s nuts. Forwarding Astral Alchemy’s march towards weirdness, “Collapse of the Cosmos” bookends its tremolo madness with Hexrotting electronic glitches and atmospherics1 while the epic, SotY-contending “Eyes through the Speculum” punches bright, downright uplifting progressions into Dreamworld’s frigid mold and somehow makes it work. Songs on Dreamworlds just don’t sit still; “Eyes…” bounces between airy acoustics to thick post-metal riffing to ethereal synths while comparatively normal tracks like “Bathing in the Sap of the Moonflower” still find ways to inject variation in rhythm and dissonance in melody. Simply, Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds sees Astral Alchemy operate within the established tropes of black metal without being beholden to them.
Authenticity isn’t something black metal is known for, but that’s exactly the impression I get from Astral Alchemy. Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworld’s lyricism is rooted in genuine alchemical philosophy (“Tria Prima Offering to the Great Serpent”), espousing the significance of transformation through destruction and synthesis. Everything about Astral Alchemy’s approach to songwriting—from the seamless melding of passages to the constant iterations on motifs to the dynamism of tone and energy—stands in accordance with these values. Astral Alchemy aren’t concerned with sounding “kvlt;” Dreamworlds’ mix and production sounds too crisp for that, despite its modest DR score. Instead, Astral Alchemy is very much guided by the pursuit of an esoteric soundscape of boundless creative and destructive energy. Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds isn’t perfect in this regard—the first two tracks lose some steam by the end and “Collapse of the Cosmos” is somewhat standard-issue outside of its electronics—but you also don’t get much better than it either.
Weaving Chilling Magical Dreamworlds isn’t a great title—it doesn’t want to roll off the tongue at all—but it is apt. Abrasive, melodic, twisted, and just plain big, this first showing from Astral Alchemy honestly has me wondering if this duo is industry veterans in disguise. The confidence with which they carry themselves on Dreamworlds would be impressive for fresh musicians; it translates to impressive music in my headphones regardless. When much of black metal feels like a race to the bottom of the barrel, Astral Alchemy’s fresh take on the blackened arts is truly exciting. Weave on, Astral Alchemy!
Rating: Great!
#2026 #40 #AmericanMetal #AstralAlchemy #BlackMetal #Dissection #Emperor #Hexrot #Jun26 #Mayhem #NaturmachtProductions #Review #Reviews #WeavingChillingMagicalDreamworlds
DR: 6| Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Naturmacht Productions
Websites: astralalchemybm.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AstralAlchemyMusic
Releases Worldwide: June 25th, 2026 -
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Graveir – The Festering Triad Review By Saunders
Previously, I have banged on about my relationship with black metal being a slightly strange one, and rarely do I nab a black metal release from the promo sump. And though my interest in modern black metal is hit or miss, the timing seems ripe for the picking. Following some personal hardship and soul searching my listening habits have gravitated heavily towards the blackened arts, specifically binge listening of legendary acts such as Darkthrone, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, and Bathory. Embracing the past has led to this present-day slab of blackened extremity from the contrastingly sunny shores of Brisbane, Australia. Unheralded act Graveir return with their third LP, The Festering Triad, hellbent on transporting the listener through a bleak, ugly vortex of demented groove, bleak atmosphere, and unsettling stabs of dissonance. However, let us explore whether Graveir possess the songwriting chops to match their grimly effective ingredients.
Armed with a foreboding presence and feral streak, Graveir pull no punches, nor are they interested in adorning their abrasive and dread-soaked sound with any bells or whistles. The Festering Triad goes for the throat and refuses to relent across an appropriately lean and efficient thirty-seven-minute blast. Anguished croaks and ominous, measured tempos open proceedings on the ominously moody trudge of “Lords of Misrule.” While not catchy in a traditional sense, the arrangement has enough subtle and intriguing components to maintain interest, as the atmosphere effectively oozes bleak, depressive vibes.
Featuring a rugged backbone of pummeling percussion and dense, stormy riffage, the depressive stomp of “A Futile Exhortation” eventually turns its menacing plod into crackling bursts of speed, a climactic variation that pays off. Bolstered by its disso edge, crunching intensity, and grimly oppressive atmosphere, The Festering Triad simmers with tension, occasionally broken up with groovier, riffy beatdowns, such as the horns-up riffage on the title track. Later in proceedings, “By the Will of the Goat” injects a raw and nasty second wave bluster, adding welcome variety, hammering intensity, and punky edge. Despite the album’s relative brevity, the songwriting occasionally struggles to distinguish from song to song, and a sense of familiarity and monotony seeps through Graveir’s ragged exterior. Genuinely infectious and gripping moments are sparsely strewn across the album. And too often, the upfront drums overpower everything else, and the riffs don’t provide the noteworthy punch frequently enough.
Band performances are generally on point, though the production and mixing choices detract from the experience. The drums are busy and occasionally explosive when breaking free from the more stock and repetitive blasting; however, the mixing forcefully jams them distractingly up front, also blunting the edge of the guitars. Meanwhile, the overly loud, brick-walled mastering does the album no favors. It’s a damn shame these production and songwriting elements unseat some of The Festering Triad’s more appealing and aggressive attributes, resulting in an unsettling though mixed final product. Even the album’s efficient length feels overly long by the conclusion due to an unfortunate combination of ear fatigue and songwriting that bleeds through and fails to leave a lasting impression.
Overall, Graveir’s third LP is an effectively intense, gritty black metal platter, which fires more successfully when the tempos shift, and Graveir break the shackles and insert greater structural variation into their volatile attack. This shit no doubt would rip live, and mileage is likely to vary. Unfortunately, the songwriting cannot quite match Graveir’s seething delivery to keep the listener consistently engaged to warrant a wholehearted endorsement. While failing to land the knockout blow, Graveir possess the fundamental skills to unleash a more substantial, higher quality album, so I’m intrigued how they develop next time round.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
#25 #2026 #ApocalypticWitchcraft #AustralianMetal #Bathory #BlackMetal #Darkthrone #DimmuBorgir #Emperor #Graveir #Review #Reviews #TheFesteringTriad
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026 -
Graveir – The Festering Triad Review By Saunders
Previously, I have banged on about my relationship with black metal being a slightly strange one, and rarely do I nab a black metal release from the promo sump. And though my interest in modern black metal is hit or miss, the timing seems ripe for the picking. Following some personal hardship and soul searching my listening habits have gravitated heavily towards the blackened arts, specifically binge listening of legendary acts such as Darkthrone, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, and Bathory. Embracing the past has led to this present-day slab of blackened extremity from the contrastingly sunny shores of Brisbane, Australia. Unheralded act Graveir return with their third LP, The Festering Triad, hellbent on transporting the listener through a bleak, ugly vortex of demented groove, bleak atmosphere, and unsettling stabs of dissonance. However, let us explore whether Graveir possess the songwriting chops to match their grimly effective ingredients.
Armed with a foreboding presence and feral streak, Graveir pull no punches, nor are they interested in adorning their abrasive and dread-soaked sound with any bells or whistles. The Festering Triad goes for the throat and refuses to relent across an appropriately lean and efficient thirty-seven-minute blast. Anguished croaks and ominous, measured tempos open proceedings on the ominously moody trudge of “Lords of Misrule.” While not catchy in a traditional sense, the arrangement has enough subtle and intriguing components to maintain interest, as the atmosphere effectively oozes bleak, depressive vibes.
Featuring a rugged backbone of pummeling percussion and dense, stormy riffage, the depressive stomp of “A Futile Exhortation” eventually turns its menacing plod into crackling bursts of speed, a climactic variation that pays off. Bolstered by its disso edge, crunching intensity, and grimly oppressive atmosphere, The Festering Triad simmers with tension, occasionally broken up with groovier, riffy beatdowns, such as the horns-up riffage on the title track. Later in proceedings, “By the Will of the Goat” injects a raw and nasty second wave bluster, adding welcome variety, hammering intensity, and punky edge. Despite the album’s relative brevity, the songwriting occasionally struggles to distinguish from song to song, and a sense of familiarity and monotony seeps through Graveir’s ragged exterior. Genuinely infectious and gripping moments are sparsely strewn across the album. And too often, the upfront drums overpower everything else, and the riffs don’t provide the noteworthy punch frequently enough.
Band performances are generally on point, though the production and mixing choices detract from the experience. The drums are busy and occasionally explosive when breaking free from the more stock and repetitive blasting; however, the mixing forcefully jams them distractingly up front, also blunting the edge of the guitars. Meanwhile, the overly loud, brick-walled mastering does the album no favors. It’s a damn shame these production and songwriting elements unseat some of The Festering Triad’s more appealing and aggressive attributes, resulting in an unsettling though mixed final product. Even the album’s efficient length feels overly long by the conclusion due to an unfortunate combination of ear fatigue and songwriting that bleeds through and fails to leave a lasting impression.
Overall, Graveir’s third LP is an effectively intense, gritty black metal platter, which fires more successfully when the tempos shift, and Graveir break the shackles and insert greater structural variation into their volatile attack. This shit no doubt would rip live, and mileage is likely to vary. Unfortunately, the songwriting cannot quite match Graveir’s seething delivery to keep the listener consistently engaged to warrant a wholehearted endorsement. While failing to land the knockout blow, Graveir possess the fundamental skills to unleash a more substantial, higher quality album, so I’m intrigued how they develop next time round.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
#25 #2026 #ApocalypticWitchcraft #AustralianMetal #Bathory #BlackMetal #Darkthrone #DimmuBorgir #Emperor #Graveir #Review #Reviews #TheFesteringTriad
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026 -
ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.deviantart.com/poison-raika/art/Gomi-wa-Sumiyaka-ni-Komibako-e-1228640282
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.deviantart.com/poison-raika/art/Gomi-wa-Sumiyaka-ni-Komibako-e-1228640282
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.pixiv.net/novel/show.php?id=25557218
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#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.pixiv.net/novel/show.php?id=25557218
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://note.com/poison_raika/n/na213e1126b2a
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://note.com/poison_raika/n/na213e1126b2a
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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Hecate Enthroned – The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long Buried Review By Owlswald
Black metal veterans Hecate Enthroned have spent decades trying to step out of Cradle of Filth’s shadow—and not without reason. The two are widely credited with helping shape the UK black metal scene, sharing close stylistic similarities and even swapping a member or two at various points. In the late ’90s, they were nearly as inseparable as a pair of sultry vampiric twins until Cradle of Filth’s theatrical bombast launched them into the mainstream, landing their merch in Hot Topic stores and on the backs of angsty teenagers everywhere. Meanwhile, Hecate Enthroned remained largely underground. Over the course of six albums, they’ve largely stayed true to their sound, and while consistent, their discography has often felt average. 2019’s Embrace of the Godless Aeon was no different, receiving a modest rating from these hallowed halls. Their seventh effort, The Corpse of a Titan, A Lament Long Buried, harkens the return of these blackened aficionados after a seven-year break, and given these lads’ history, curiosity led me to snag Corpse from the promo bin.
Continuing the trajectory set by its predecessor, Corpse pushes Hecate Enthroned further into Emperor’s nocturnal, foreboding soundscapes rather than Cradle of Filth’s, injecting some fresh touches that come as a pleasant surprise. Tracks like “Steed of the Still Water,” “Spirits Stir Within Our Ancestors Tombs” and “The Arcane Golem” elicit solid songwriting and build on the same orchestral arrangements Lord Doom previously deemed gutless. This time, however, the symphonics feel more varied, robust, and commanding, often drawing my attention amid the group’s tight and confident performances. Corpse also ventures into atmo-black territory on songs like “Deathless in the Dryad Glade” and “Steed of the Still Water,” while vocalist Joe Stamps adds welcome variety to the classic Dani Filth-esque shrieks of albums past with a smattering of demonic growls and coarse shouts that lend a sharper edge previously missing.
Hecate Enthroned’s sharp performances, well-executed melodic passages, and occasional bursts of groove and heaviness reinforce that these are seasoned veterans who understand their craft. Throughout Corpse—especially in its first half—there are numerous moments that suggest a more focused version of the group is finally emerging. “The Arcane Golem” and “Spirits Stir Within Our Ancestors Tombs” pair incisive tremolos with hooky riffing and cinematic orchestral flourishes, while Stamps’ rasp and growl attack cuts through the mix with authority. Similarly, “Deathless in the Dryad Glade” and “Steed of the Still Water” highlight the sextet’s melodic instincts and sense of dynamics, weaving vulnerable, atmo-black-inspired intros into blazing tremolos, acoustic and violin textures, and piano accents that coalesce into some of the album’s best moments. The latter’s opening groove and added vocal heft make it one of the record’s most complete cuts, standing out clearly from the rest.
While Hecate Enthroned’s musicianship is rarely in doubt, the record’s high points constantly clash with its more persistent shortcomings. Long runtimes, abrupt transitions, and questionable structural choices—like the six‑minute interlude “Pwca,” which builds to nothing, or the jarring segue that kills the momentum of “A Gallery of Rotting Portraits”—are frustrating because they erode Corpse’s potential. And at 53-minutes, the album’s songwriting is often too bloated for the material it contains. Several tracks stretch past seven minutes despite having ideas suited for far shorter runtimes, resulting in repetition and stagnation. Mid-song atmospheric interludes also routinely overstay their welcome and muddled thematic and structural decisions only compound things. The outcome is a record where the standout moments feel like exceptions rather than the rule and where uneven, overextended songwriting undermines Hecate Enthroned’s skill.
The phrase “what you see is what you get” applies perfectly here, as Corpse largely walks the well-trodden path Hecate Enthroned have been treading for over twenty years. A great record has long eluded these Brits, and the streak continues with Corpse. I enjoyed several cuts on this record, and it was close to coalescing into something greater, but inconsistent songwriting, structural missteps, and homogeneity limit its upside. Corpse’s strengths prove Hecate Enthroned still have the technical ability and atmospheric instincts to craft compelling symphonic black metal, even if they appear too sporadically to define Corpse as a whole. Longtime fans will certainly find lots to be excited about here and likely appreciate how faithfully they’ve stayed true to their roots while pushing other aspects forward. For listeners like me, however, Hecate Enthroned remain adrift in a crowded black sea of similarly minded bands that are competent, occasionally compelling, but far from essential.
Rating: Mixed
#25 #2026 #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #CradleOfFilth #Emperor #HecateEnthroned #MTheory #May26 #Review #Reviews #TheCorpseOfATitanALamentLongBuried
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: M-Theory
Websites: Bandcamp | hecateenthroned.com | facebook.com/HecateEnthroned
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026 -
I see the #ChecksAndBalances of the #USian system are continuing to function as per the purpose of the system.
A #President is an elected #Emperor. Time to grow up, put away your childish things; the sad, obvious King Thirst, and get a proper Westminster-derived parliament.
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.deviantart.com/poison-raika/art/Gomi-wa-Sumiyaka-ni-Komibako-e-1228640282
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
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ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://www.pixiv.net/novel/show.php?id=25557218
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
-
ゴミは速やかにゴミ箱へ
Світе, швидко викидай своє сміття у смітник.
Інакше настане червона зима.https://note.com/poison_raika/n/na213e1126b2a
<>
#trash #immediately #priority #essential #include #people #specific #example #certain #Hanafuda #President #more #Emperor #mercy #currently #impose #death #sentence #Ukraine #world #blind #eye #contamination #touche #result
