home.social

#misotheist — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #misotheist, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Misotheist – De Pinte Review By Grin Reaper

    Ever shrouded in mystery, the enigmatic collective Misotheist emerges from their icy realm to deliver succor to fans of metals black and arcane. De Pinte, the band’s fourth release, roughly translates from Norwegian to ‘The Tormented’ or ‘They Tormented,’1 a fitting appellation given the Trondheim troupe’s fondness for tortured topics and twisted themes.2 At their core, Misotheist takes the oppressive atmosphere of Selbst and merges it with Mayhem’s pummeling impudence, then strategically adorns that union with subtle melodies and naked emotions that remind me of Decline of the I. Mostly, though, Misotheist sounds like Misotheist, and given Doom_et_al’s brazen glazin’ of their last couple albums, that’s not a bad path to walk. Right?

    As with prior albums, Misotheist continues exploring the band’s sonic landscape within the context they’ve defined for themselves. Second-wave tempests reign supreme, broken up by leaden crawls and punctuated with antagonistic bouts of dissonance and harmony. Fans of the band won’t be surprised at De Pinte’s mix, once again donning the lo-fi trappings Misotheist is known for and imbuing the songs with buzz and crunch. With four tracks on De Pinte compared to the typical three, Misotheist manages their most accessible album to date by keeping the opening trio trim (for them, anyway) and comprising a tightly written side A. Overall, the refinement on De Pinte signals a keen band that understands the path to greater success is one of degrees.

    The first three tracks on De Pinte may be Misotheist’s best material yet, spewing counterbalanced discord and melody over varied paces in concise doses. The guitar twangs in “Unanswered Thrice” drop a wistful anchor of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings over furious riffing and a bludgeoning drum performance, and “Blinded and Revealed” rumbles at an unhinged gait similar to Panzerfaust, injecting spidery leads over the blackened tumult beneath. It’s “Kjetterdom,” though, that stands out amongst on the A-side of the album, decelerating the momentum to an agonizing plod while the bass plays a pivotal melodic role that offsets serpentine guitar jangles. Throughout, the vocals cut and gut with what sounds like broken glass being ground in the back of someone’s throat, engendering an uncomfortable brutality that works seamlessly with the music. In all, the front half of De Pinte is loaded with great moments and potent songwriting, setting the stage for Misotheist’s longest song to date.

    Though the heights of De Pinte surpass its predecessors, Misotheist hits a snag during the album’s last leg. The key to De Pinte comes down to tension, and where the front of the album excels here, “De Pinte” doesn’t quite stick the landing. Swirling, hypnotic trems play over rigidly metered bass drum blasts, and odd cymbal splashes jar proceedings out of orbit and into an exciting, dangerous crash course. The musical dynamics expertly weave to and fro, adventurously shifting the song’s velocity over a twenty-minute run that always shocks me with how fast it slips by. Misotheist’s dedication to atmosphere and tension throughout “De Pinte” is magnificent, and it’s baffling when so much time gets spent forging tension to have De Pinte just… end. There’s no big release. No catharsis. It might have been easier to look past if Misotheist hadn’t committed the same sin at the end of Vessels by Which the Devil Is Made Flesh, too. Despite how great the rest of the album is, the lack of fulfillment leaves me hollow, and the impact is outsized since this is a listener’s final impression.

    Make no mistake, Misotheist brings the goods with De Pinte, and any fan of metal should find plenty to like on it. Though I’m disappointed with the lack of a fulfilling climax, I regularly find myself looking for forty minutes to sneak in another listen. Unquestionably great moments permeate the album, and while I’m disappointed with its final, crucial juncture, Misotheist’s latest is a must-listen in a month flush with quality releases. Don’t miss it, or the choice could come back to torment you.

    

    Rating: Very Good!
    DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: Bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #BlackMetal #DePinte #DeclineOfTheI #Feb26 #Mayhem #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #Selbst #TerraturPossessions
  2. Misotheist – De Pinte Review By Grin Reaper

    Ever shrouded in mystery, the enigmatic collective Misotheist emerges from their icy realm to deliver succor to fans of metals black and arcane. De Pinte, the band’s fourth release, roughly translates from Norwegian to ‘The Tormented’ or ‘They Tormented,’1 a fitting appellation given the Trondheim troupe’s fondness for tortured topics and twisted themes.2 At their core, Misotheist takes the oppressive atmosphere of Selbst and merges it with Mayhem’s pummeling impudence, then strategically adorns that union with subtle melodies and naked emotions that remind me of Decline of the I. Mostly, though, Misotheist sounds like Misotheist, and given Doom_et_al’s brazen glazin’ of their last couple albums, that’s not a bad path to walk. Right?

    As with prior albums, Misotheist continues exploring the band’s sonic landscape within the context they’ve defined for themselves. Second-wave tempests reign supreme, broken up by leaden crawls and punctuated with antagonistic bouts of dissonance and harmony. Fans of the band won’t be surprised at De Pinte’s mix, once again donning the lo-fi trappings Misotheist is known for and imbuing the songs with buzz and crunch. With four tracks on De Pinte compared to the typical three, Misotheist manages their most accessible album to date by keeping the opening trio trim (for them, anyway) and comprising a tightly written side A. Overall, the refinement on De Pinte signals a keen band that understands the path to greater success is one of degrees.

    The first three tracks on De Pinte may be Misotheist’s best material yet, spewing counterbalanced discord and melody over varied paces in concise doses. The guitar twangs in “Unanswered Thrice” drop a wistful anchor of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings over furious riffing and a bludgeoning drum performance, and “Blinded and Revealed” rumbles at an unhinged gait similar to Panzerfaust, injecting spidery leads over the blackened tumult beneath. It’s “Kjetterdom,” though, that stands out amongst on the A-side of the album, decelerating the momentum to an agonizing plod while the bass plays a pivotal melodic role that offsets serpentine guitar jangles. Throughout, the vocals cut and gut with what sounds like broken glass being ground in the back of someone’s throat, engendering an uncomfortable brutality that works seamlessly with the music. In all, the front half of De Pinte is loaded with great moments and potent songwriting, setting the stage for Misotheist’s longest song to date.

    Though the heights of De Pinte surpass its predecessors, Misotheist hits a snag during the album’s last leg. The key to De Pinte comes down to tension, and where the front of the album excels here, “De Pinte” doesn’t quite stick the landing. Swirling, hypnotic trems play over rigidly metered bass drum blasts, and odd cymbal splashes jar proceedings out of orbit and into an exciting, dangerous crash course. The musical dynamics expertly weave to and fro, adventurously shifting the song’s velocity over a twenty-minute run that always shocks me with how fast it slips by. Misotheist’s dedication to atmosphere and tension throughout “De Pinte” is magnificent, and it’s baffling when so much time gets spent forging tension to have De Pinte just… end. There’s no big release. No catharsis. It might have been easier to look past if Misotheist hadn’t committed the same sin at the end of Vessels by Which the Devil Is Made Flesh, too. Despite how great the rest of the album is, the lack of fulfillment leaves me hollow, and the impact is outsized since this is a listener’s final impression.

    Make no mistake, Misotheist brings the goods with De Pinte, and any fan of metal should find plenty to like on it. Though I’m disappointed with the lack of a fulfilling climax, I regularly find myself looking for forty minutes to sneak in another listen. Unquestionably great moments permeate the album, and while I’m disappointed with its final, crucial juncture, Misotheist’s latest is a must-listen in a month flush with quality releases. Don’t miss it, or the choice could come back to torment you.

    

    Rating: Very Good!
    DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: Bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #BlackMetal #DePinte #DeclineOfTheI #Feb26 #Mayhem #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #Selbst #TerraturPossessions
  3. Misotheist – De Pinte Review By Grin Reaper

    Ever shrouded in mystery, the enigmatic collective Misotheist emerges from their icy realm to deliver succor to fans of metals black and arcane. De Pinte, the band’s fourth release, roughly translates from Norwegian to ‘The Tormented’ or ‘They Tormented,’1 a fitting appellation given the Trondheim troupe’s fondness for tortured topics and twisted themes.2 At their core, Misotheist takes the oppressive atmosphere of Selbst and merges it with Mayhem’s pummeling impudence, then strategically adorns that union with subtle melodies and naked emotions that remind me of Decline of the I. Mostly, though, Misotheist sounds like Misotheist, and given Doom_et_al’s brazen glazin’ of their last couple albums, that’s not a bad path to walk. Right?

    As with prior albums, Misotheist continues exploring the band’s sonic landscape within the context they’ve defined for themselves. Second-wave tempests reign supreme, broken up by leaden crawls and punctuated with antagonistic bouts of dissonance and harmony. Fans of the band won’t be surprised at De Pinte’s mix, once again donning the lo-fi trappings Misotheist is known for and imbuing the songs with buzz and crunch. With four tracks on De Pinte compared to the typical three, Misotheist manages their most accessible album to date by keeping the opening trio trim (for them, anyway) and comprising a tightly written side A. Overall, the refinement on De Pinte signals a keen band that understands the path to greater success is one of degrees.

    The first three tracks on De Pinte may be Misotheist’s best material yet, spewing counterbalanced discord and melody over varied paces in concise doses. The guitar twangs in “Unanswered Thrice” drop a wistful anchor of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings over furious riffing and a bludgeoning drum performance, and “Blinded and Revealed” rumbles at an unhinged gait similar to Panzerfaust, injecting spidery leads over the blackened tumult beneath. It’s “Kjetterdom,” though, that stands out amongst on the A-side of the album, decelerating the momentum to an agonizing plod while the bass plays a pivotal melodic role that offsets serpentine guitar jangles. Throughout, the vocals cut and gut with what sounds like broken glass being ground in the back of someone’s throat, engendering an uncomfortable brutality that works seamlessly with the music. In all, the front half of De Pinte is loaded with great moments and potent songwriting, setting the stage for Misotheist’s longest song to date.

    Though the heights of De Pinte surpass its predecessors, Misotheist hits a snag during the album’s last leg. The key to De Pinte comes down to tension, and where the front of the album excels here, “De Pinte” doesn’t quite stick the landing. Swirling, hypnotic trems play over rigidly metered bass drum blasts, and odd cymbal splashes jar proceedings out of orbit and into an exciting, dangerous crash course. The musical dynamics expertly weave to and fro, adventurously shifting the song’s velocity over a twenty-minute run that always shocks me with how fast it slips by. Misotheist’s dedication to atmosphere and tension throughout “De Pinte” is magnificent, and it’s baffling when so much time gets spent forging tension to have De Pinte just… end. There’s no big release. No catharsis. It might have been easier to look past if Misotheist hadn’t committed the same sin at the end of Vessels by Which the Devil Is Made Flesh, too. Despite how great the rest of the album is, the lack of fulfillment leaves me hollow, and the impact is outsized since this is a listener’s final impression.

    Make no mistake, Misotheist brings the goods with De Pinte, and any fan of metal should find plenty to like on it. Though I’m disappointed with the lack of a fulfilling climax, I regularly find myself looking for forty minutes to sneak in another listen. Unquestionably great moments permeate the album, and while I’m disappointed with its final, crucial juncture, Misotheist’s latest is a must-listen in a month flush with quality releases. Don’t miss it, or the choice could come back to torment you.

    

    Rating: Very Good!
    DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: Bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #BlackMetal #DePinte #DeclineOfTheI #Feb26 #Mayhem #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #Selbst #TerraturPossessions
  4. Misotheist – De Pinte Review By Grin Reaper

    Ever shrouded in mystery, the enigmatic collective Misotheist emerges from their icy realm to deliver succor to fans of metals black and arcane. De Pinte, the band’s fourth release, roughly translates from Norwegian to ‘The Tormented’ or ‘They Tormented,’1 a fitting appellation given the Trondheim troupe’s fondness for tortured topics and twisted themes.2 At their core, Misotheist takes the oppressive atmosphere of Selbst and merges it with Mayhem’s pummeling impudence, then strategically adorns that union with subtle melodies and naked emotions that remind me of Decline of the I. Mostly, though, Misotheist sounds like Misotheist, and given Doom_et_al’s brazen glazin’ of their last couple albums, that’s not a bad path to walk. Right?

    As with prior albums, Misotheist continues exploring the band’s sonic landscape within the context they’ve defined for themselves. Second-wave tempests reign supreme, broken up by leaden crawls and punctuated with antagonistic bouts of dissonance and harmony. Fans of the band won’t be surprised at De Pinte’s mix, once again donning the lo-fi trappings Misotheist is known for and imbuing the songs with buzz and crunch. With four tracks on De Pinte compared to the typical three, Misotheist manages their most accessible album to date by keeping the opening trio trim (for them, anyway) and comprising a tightly written side A. Overall, the refinement on De Pinte signals a keen band that understands the path to greater success is one of degrees.

    The first three tracks on De Pinte may be Misotheist’s best material yet, spewing counterbalanced discord and melody over varied paces in concise doses. The guitar twangs in “Unanswered Thrice” drop a wistful anchor of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings over furious riffing and a bludgeoning drum performance, and “Blinded and Revealed” rumbles at an unhinged gait similar to Panzerfaust, injecting spidery leads over the blackened tumult beneath. It’s “Kjetterdom,” though, that stands out amongst on the A-side of the album, decelerating the momentum to an agonizing plod while the bass plays a pivotal melodic role that offsets serpentine guitar jangles. Throughout, the vocals cut and gut with what sounds like broken glass being ground in the back of someone’s throat, engendering an uncomfortable brutality that works seamlessly with the music. In all, the front half of De Pinte is loaded with great moments and potent songwriting, setting the stage for Misotheist’s longest song to date.

    Though the heights of De Pinte surpass its predecessors, Misotheist hits a snag during the album’s last leg. The key to De Pinte comes down to tension, and where the front of the album excels here, “De Pinte” doesn’t quite stick the landing. Swirling, hypnotic trems play over rigidly metered bass drum blasts, and odd cymbal splashes jar proceedings out of orbit and into an exciting, dangerous crash course. The musical dynamics expertly weave to and fro, adventurously shifting the song’s velocity over a twenty-minute run that always shocks me with how fast it slips by. Misotheist’s dedication to atmosphere and tension throughout “De Pinte” is magnificent, and it’s baffling when so much time gets spent forging tension to have De Pinte just… end. There’s no big release. No catharsis. It might have been easier to look past if Misotheist hadn’t committed the same sin at the end of Vessels by Which the Devil Is Made Flesh, too. Despite how great the rest of the album is, the lack of fulfillment leaves me hollow, and the impact is outsized since this is a listener’s final impression.

    Make no mistake, Misotheist brings the goods with De Pinte, and any fan of metal should find plenty to like on it. Though I’m disappointed with the lack of a fulfilling climax, I regularly find myself looking for forty minutes to sneak in another listen. Unquestionably great moments permeate the album, and while I’m disappointed with its final, crucial juncture, Misotheist’s latest is a must-listen in a month flush with quality releases. Don’t miss it, or the choice could come back to torment you.

    

    Rating: Very Good!
    DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: Bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #BlackMetal #DePinte #DeclineOfTheI #Feb26 #Mayhem #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #Selbst #TerraturPossessions
  5. Misotheist – De Pinte Review By Grin Reaper

    Ever shrouded in mystery, the enigmatic collective Misotheist emerges from their icy realm to deliver succor to fans of metals black and arcane. De Pinte, the band’s fourth release, roughly translates from Norwegian to ‘The Tormented’ or ‘They Tormented,’1 a fitting appellation given the Trondheim troupe’s fondness for tortured topics and twisted themes.2 At their core, Misotheist takes the oppressive atmosphere of Selbst and merges it with Mayhem’s pummeling impudence, then strategically adorns that union with subtle melodies and naked emotions that remind me of Decline of the I. Mostly, though, Misotheist sounds like Misotheist, and given Doom_et_al’s brazen glazin’ of their last couple albums, that’s not a bad path to walk. Right?

    As with prior albums, Misotheist continues exploring the band’s sonic landscape within the context they’ve defined for themselves. Second-wave tempests reign supreme, broken up by leaden crawls and punctuated with antagonistic bouts of dissonance and harmony. Fans of the band won’t be surprised at De Pinte’s mix, once again donning the lo-fi trappings Misotheist is known for and imbuing the songs with buzz and crunch. With four tracks on De Pinte compared to the typical three, Misotheist manages their most accessible album to date by keeping the opening trio trim (for them, anyway) and comprising a tightly written side A. Overall, the refinement on De Pinte signals a keen band that understands the path to greater success is one of degrees.

    The first three tracks on De Pinte may be Misotheist’s best material yet, spewing counterbalanced discord and melody over varied paces in concise doses. The guitar twangs in “Unanswered Thrice” drop a wistful anchor of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings over furious riffing and a bludgeoning drum performance, and “Blinded and Revealed” rumbles at an unhinged gait similar to Panzerfaust, injecting spidery leads over the blackened tumult beneath. It’s “Kjetterdom,” though, that stands out amongst on the A-side of the album, decelerating the momentum to an agonizing plod while the bass plays a pivotal melodic role that offsets serpentine guitar jangles. Throughout, the vocals cut and gut with what sounds like broken glass being ground in the back of someone’s throat, engendering an uncomfortable brutality that works seamlessly with the music. In all, the front half of De Pinte is loaded with great moments and potent songwriting, setting the stage for Misotheist’s longest song to date.

    Though the heights of De Pinte surpass its predecessors, Misotheist hits a snag during the album’s last leg. The key to De Pinte comes down to tension, and where the front of the album excels here, “De Pinte” doesn’t quite stick the landing. Swirling, hypnotic trems play over rigidly metered bass drum blasts, and odd cymbal splashes jar proceedings out of orbit and into an exciting, dangerous crash course. The musical dynamics expertly weave to and fro, adventurously shifting the song’s velocity over a twenty-minute run that always shocks me with how fast it slips by. Misotheist’s dedication to atmosphere and tension throughout “De Pinte” is magnificent, and it’s baffling when so much time gets spent forging tension to have De Pinte just… end. There’s no big release. No catharsis. It might have been easier to look past if Misotheist hadn’t committed the same sin at the end of Vessels by Which the Devil Is Made Flesh, too. Despite how great the rest of the album is, the lack of fulfillment leaves me hollow, and the impact is outsized since this is a listener’s final impression.

    Make no mistake, Misotheist brings the goods with De Pinte, and any fan of metal should find plenty to like on it. Though I’m disappointed with the lack of a fulfilling climax, I regularly find myself looking for forty minutes to sneak in another listen. Unquestionably great moments permeate the album, and while I’m disappointed with its final, crucial juncture, Misotheist’s latest is a must-listen in a month flush with quality releases. Don’t miss it, or the choice could come back to torment you.

    

    Rating: Very Good!
    DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: Bandcamp
    Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #BlackMetal #DePinte #DeclineOfTheI #Feb26 #Mayhem #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #Panzerfaust #Review #Reviews #Selbst #TerraturPossessions
  6. Life is hard. There’s a new extreme metal festival in the Netherlands and we survived that one too. #noxoccultum took place over 2 days, we attended most of the second day in #tilburg at the #halloffame Everything we have seen was good, our favorite acts were #badomen #necrowretch #misotheist and #Tormentor Let’s hope this festival goes from strength to strength over the next few years.

  7. Enevelde – Pandemonium Review

    By Dear Hollow

    There’s something to be said for simplicity in black metal. You don’t need an onslaught of atmospherics and technical skill to make it work – and in most cases, it’s discouraged. Sometimes you just need an effective chord progression, the right distortion, basically any vocal style that you can put through a reverb filter, and drums that hold a beat. Norway’s Enevelde knows this. Honing a distinctly cavernous approach to the Nidrosian black metal scene, the one-man act may not blow you away with its riffage, ferocity, or darkness, but third full-length Pandemonium aims for its most cohesive and sinister album yet.1

    Enevelde is a project of B. Kråbøl, best known as vocalist of Misotheist and constituent of the second-wave Addams Family band Kråbøl, and at one time serving as drummer of the melodeath act Hypermass. While his projects are largely known for their intensity, Misotheist bringing the terror back to black metal and Kråbøl enacting traditional second-wave frigidity, Enevelde has always dealt in a more subtle and more evocative breed. Drums verge on DSBM in their restraint, rarely exploding into blastbeats, and guitars rely on droning tremolo picking rather than the sharp and vicious tinnitus with which we are accustomed. Vocals are guttural roars rather than sinister shrieks, lending a cavernous quality that adds depth and weight across the board. Following up 2020’s densely atmospheric self-titled debut and 2023’s more cruel and intense En Gildere Død, Pandemonium’s aim is subtlety, a creeping quality that suggests chaos rather than weaponizing it.

    Subtlety is the emphasis for Enevelde, crafting subtly atmospheric tracks that rely on chord progressions, . Reminiscent of acts like Harakiri for the Sky or Gaerea, Kråbøl paints an unmistakably evocative picture with diminished chord progressions enriched by reverb-y roars and subtle synth flourishes (“Nigromantia,” “Helvete Reiser Seg”), haunted leads guiding grave, intensely dark, and nearly doomy weight (title track, “Eksilfyrste”), and fury and reaching the surface with tasteful blastbeats and dense bass (“Offer,” “Rasende Flammer”). The guitar tone throughout blends second-wave’s more barbed maceration (the raw misdirect opener “Gapende Grav) and a more modern doomish density (“Rasende Flammer”). Utilizing a style that kicks the gut-punch intensity down a few notches in favor of that creeping feeling, it’s a dreary piece of work in the most pleasant way.

    While the best of black metal’s upper echelon features a smart blend of highlights and mood, Enevelde is very comfortable in its emphasis of the latter. Granted, you won’t come upon a black metal band that dwells in more cavernous tones often, but that’s about all that Enevelde does. It’s spooky blackened music with a somewhat unique vocal attack,2 a style that will please fans of the style, but there’s little else to be found aboard Pandemonium. Its slower dirge-like pacing is more akin to DSBM in the emotional gravitas attached to each plod, but if you’re not in the mood to be taken into the place that Kråbøl’s riffs and roars create, there’s nothing hooking you either. While effective, Enevelde is remarkably straightforward and one-note, its layers and richness devoted to the feeling in every movement. In short, there are no hooks aboard Pandemonium – just mood and reverie.

    Enevelde has a good thing going, but its audience remains starkly limited. It will not change your mind on black metal, but its humble and straightforward execution, an atmosphere without the need for over-the-top theatrics, is a strong asset. It rarely rises above haunting and creepy, but it recognizes that it doesn’t need to. Pandemonium is far less an all-out chaos attack, and more demons are looming in the wings, utilizing punishment and insanity only when necessary. Enevelde offers a neat little black metal album – nothing more, nothing less.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
    Label: Terratur Possessions
    Website: 2 kvlt 4 u
    Releases Worldwide: April 9th, 2025

    #2025 #30 #Apr25 #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BlackMetal #Enevelde #Firtan #Gaerea #HarakiriForTheSky #Hypermass #Kråbøl #Misotheist #NorwegianMetal #pandemonium #Review #Reviews #TerraturPossessions

  8. Throat – Blood Exaltation Review

    By Dear Hollow

    I’m gonna sound like an absolute madman when I say this, but Blood Exaltation is what I wanted Ad Nauseam’s Imperative Imperceptible Impulse to be. Poland’s Throat is neither dissonant nor death metal, and their aesthetic resides in tired and trve approaches of blackened occultism and evil in the shadow of religious alienation. However, there is a distinct and tantalizing array of clattering and creaking, a dusty and organic quality that settles like hard night on an old church, the tension of ancient voices crackling through haunted halls. The promo makes comparisons to Cultes des Ghoules, Necromantia, and early Samael in this unholy union of second-wave intensity with ancient occultism. Throat creaks and rattles and vomits its blackened witchery across Blood Exaltation in a surprisingly effective, if imperfect, second-wave experience.

    Poland’s Throat takes cues from black metal’s unhallowed halls, perhaps unsurprisingly, and the chaos instilled in Blood Exaltation borders the Signal Rex-core blackened edginess of acts like Irae or Ancient Burial. However, the sound is described as “catacombed, ancient, unsettling,” and the existential occult dread that courses through every fiber is palpable. Blood Exaltation could technically be considered an EP, with opening songs “Chuć” and “Klątwa”1 preceding a re-release of their 2020 demo material, the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar.” While the sound quality between the two halves is stark and impacts the quality of Blood Exaltation, the songwriting is undeniably solid, lending itself to Throat’s limitless potential.

    Black metal, particularly its raw inbred cousin, has a stereotype for kvlt aesthetic overcompensation and makes its corpse-painted ilk difficult to take seriously. Throat feels dangerous in ways that few can hold a candle to, such as the aforementioned Cultes des Ghoules or more recent output by Misotheist or Leviathan: fiery and intense but willing to dwell in its existential devastation. Both halves of Blood Exaltation feel fresh, frantic and intense but fluid in jaggedness and discomfort. “Chuć” embraces the unhinged vocal quality of Amnutseba in a feral combination of shrieks, shouts, moans, and howls alongside the shifting sands of raw chords and punk beats that slow down for the satisfying doom-influenced conclusion, while more atmospheric pulses and room noise saturate the negative spaces of “Klątwa” alongside a satisfying groove. While much rawer, the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar” feel like apt conclusions to the newer tracks, with more aggressive percussion and vicious death growls dominating alongside epic and victorious chord progressions with sinister melodic flourishes. Throat do what they can to ensure that the two disparate soundscapes are reconciled through a progression that encompasses the whole album.

    The most glaring issue with Blood Exaltation is that, despite their best efforts, the two halves are jarringly disparate in sound. “Chuć” and “Klątwa” are darker and cleaner, with wild vocals and bass more pronounced, while raw black tropes dominate the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar” alongside a more traditional blackened screech with sparse death growls. While the songwriting attempts to smoothen this divide, Throat can do very little to remedy it without a solid rerecording of the New Flesh Nectar demo. As it stands, it nearly singlehandedly keeps Blood Exaltation from excellence despite the more dynamic songwriting of the “New Flesh Nectar” duo. On a more nitpicking level, some passages of “Chuć” are repeated too long, while the intro of “Klątwa” denotes the track as atmospheric before slapping you with a blazing riff. As is the case for this style of ugly music, and even more so for this creaking and groaning interpretation of black metal, it will not be for everyone. Blood Exaltation is caustic and unforgiving, eerie and dense, and requires myriad listens to breach the veil.

    Throat ultimately makes one hell of an impression with Blood Exaltation, creating a breed of black metal that remains neatly within the lanes of the style while also twisting it into a terrifying, ancient sound. Its excellence is derailed by the soundscape differences between the new tracks and the inclusion of the New Flesh Nectar demo, but nevertheless feels raw, punishing, and amorphous in ways that recall the genre greats as well as other styles, including Ad Nauseam. Black metal ought to be terrifying again, and Throat makes a fantastic case for it.

    Rating: 3.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Primitive Reaction
    Websites: tøø kvlt før yøv
    Releases Worldwide: February 9th, 2024

    #2024 #35 #AdNauseam #Amnutseba #AncientBurial #BlackMetal #BloodExaltation #CultesDesGhoules #Feb24 #Irae #Leviathan #Misotheist #Necromantia #PolishMetal #PrimitiveReaction #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #Samael #Throat

  9. Throat – Blood Exaltation Review

    By Dear Hollow

    I’m gonna sound like an absolute madman when I say this, but Blood Exaltation is what I wanted Ad Nauseam’s Imperative Imperceptible Impulse to be. Poland’s Throat is neither dissonant nor death metal, and their aesthetic resides in tired and trve approaches of blackened occultism and evil in the shadow of religious alienation. However, there is a distinct and tantalizing array of clattering and creaking, a dusty and organic quality that settles like hard night on an old church, the tension of ancient voices crackling through haunted halls. The promo makes comparisons to Cultes des Ghoules, Necromantia, and early Samael in this unholy union of second-wave intensity with ancient occultism. Throat creaks and rattles and vomits its blackened witchery across Blood Exaltation in a surprisingly effective, if imperfect, second-wave experience.

    Poland’s Throat takes cues from black metal’s unhallowed halls, perhaps unsurprisingly, and the chaos instilled in Blood Exaltation borders the Signal Rex-core blackened edginess of acts like Irae or Ancient Burial. However, the sound is described as “catacombed, ancient, unsettling,” and the existential occult dread that courses through every fiber is palpable. Blood Exaltation could technically be considered an EP, with opening songs “Chuć” and “Klątwa”1 preceding a re-release of their 2020 demo material, the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar.” While the sound quality between the two halves is stark and impacts the quality of Blood Exaltation, the songwriting is undeniably solid, lending itself to Throat’s limitless potential.

    Black metal, particularly its raw inbred cousin, has a stereotype for kvlt aesthetic overcompensation and makes its corpse-painted ilk difficult to take seriously. Throat feels dangerous in ways that few can hold a candle to, such as the aforementioned Cultes des Ghoules or more recent output by Misotheist or Leviathan: fiery and intense but willing to dwell in its existential devastation. Both halves of Blood Exaltation feel fresh, frantic and intense but fluid in jaggedness and discomfort. “Chuć” embraces the unhinged vocal quality of Amnutseba in a feral combination of shrieks, shouts, moans, and howls alongside the shifting sands of raw chords and punk beats that slow down for the satisfying doom-influenced conclusion, while more atmospheric pulses and room noise saturate the negative spaces of “Klątwa” alongside a satisfying groove. While much rawer, the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar” feel like apt conclusions to the newer tracks, with more aggressive percussion and vicious death growls dominating alongside epic and victorious chord progressions with sinister melodic flourishes. Throat do what they can to ensure that the two disparate soundscapes are reconciled through a progression that encompasses the whole album.

    The most glaring issue with Blood Exaltation is that, despite their best efforts, the two halves are jarringly disparate in sound. “Chuć” and “Klątwa” are darker and cleaner, with wild vocals and bass more pronounced, while raw black tropes dominate the two parts of “New Flesh Nectar” alongside a more traditional blackened screech with sparse death growls. While the songwriting attempts to smoothen this divide, Throat can do very little to remedy it without a solid rerecording of the New Flesh Nectar demo. As it stands, it nearly singlehandedly keeps Blood Exaltation from excellence despite the more dynamic songwriting of the “New Flesh Nectar” duo. On a more nitpicking level, some passages of “Chuć” are repeated too long, while the intro of “Klątwa” denotes the track as atmospheric before slapping you with a blazing riff. As is the case for this style of ugly music, and even more so for this creaking and groaning interpretation of black metal, it will not be for everyone. Blood Exaltation is caustic and unforgiving, eerie and dense, and requires myriad listens to breach the veil.

    Throat ultimately makes one hell of an impression with Blood Exaltation, creating a breed of black metal that remains neatly within the lanes of the style while also twisting it into a terrifying, ancient sound. Its excellence is derailed by the soundscape differences between the new tracks and the inclusion of the New Flesh Nectar demo, but nevertheless feels raw, punishing, and amorphous in ways that recall the genre greats as well as other styles, including Ad Nauseam. Black metal ought to be terrifying again, and Throat makes a fantastic case for it.

    Rating: 3.5/5.0
    DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Primitive Reaction
    Websites: tøø kvlt før yøv
    Releases Worldwide: February 9th, 2024

    #2024 #35 #AdNauseam #Amnutseba #AncientBurial #BlackMetal #BloodExaltation #CultesDesGhoules #Feb24 #Irae #Leviathan #Misotheist #Necromantia #PolishMetal #PrimitiveReaction #RawBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #Samael #Throat