Tag Archive
Azziard – 1916
Traditionally the French have been only slightly better at attack than they are at defence. Thankfully their society has enough decay within it to have incubated what is undoubtedly one of the best scenes in the underworld. Coming to my attention recently, Azziard have clawed their way into my top three bands from France. They manage to covertly pepper their music... More »
SejtanE – The Burning Cold
Italian Black Metal is quite often a bit of a hit and miss affair. Asides from a few really good bands who get it right the rest apparently suffer from attention deficit disorder! SejtanE are not one of those thankfully and have created a consistently good album with a couple of really belting songs to boot. The intro is a proper... More »
Palace of Worms – The Forgotten
It is amazing to think that five or six years back American Black Metal was nowhere and now we're receiving regular raids from them. This is yet another quality release from the USA in the shape of a one man band from San Francisco who's music is aimed more towards the mainstream than outfits like Arizmenda and Volahn, but with... More »
Inferius Torment – Your God Liar
It is widely accepted that Old Wainds are the pioneers of Russian Black Metal. They discovered the hideous verdant pastures of evil in their country and opened the way for grazing to commence below them. Since then, bands have come and gone but recently some have emerged to settle and prosper among the steppes. Enter Inferius Torment, a talented four... More »
Occult Crypt – Nebelwerfer
Grab your old SS uniforms, smack down those infantry helmets and slip into your paratrooper boots. Oh yeah, and don't forget your fucking Nebelwerfer! I've listened to tons of NSBM recently and to be totally honest 99% of it has been shite. Focusing on hate propaganda under the guise of extremely dire music it has offered me nothing. Until now.... More »
Ravenfrost – Ein Streifzug Am Abgrund Der Seele
Imagine another holocaust! One in which the Jews are not the quarry but one where the exterminees are German Black Metal bands. I would be the aggressor and those who survive a perilous train journey, brutal working conditions, dubious washing facilities and finally manage to squeeze under the electric fences and escape to freedom, would be few. Ravenfrost would be one... More »
Blooddawn – The Enlightenment
Coming from the same city as Black Metal founders Venom will always produce high expectations. Although Blooddawn's previous release was pretty chaotic this plants a heavily booted kick up its arse and marks a significant progression for the band ...and meets the expectations of the Black Metal public. Hostilities begin with a minute of electronic-sounding machine guns blazing, then a hefty... More »
Norns – In Fog They Appear
This is a re-release of their 2005 demo, remastered and professionally manufactured with new artwork. I don't pretend to know what the initial release was like but this is well produced with excellent monotone photography to give you a flavour of the cold atmosphere within before you even insert the disc into the player. German label Voldsom are responsible for... More »
Blasphemous Crucifixion – Crude Burial
Written and performed by a person calling himself 'Lurker' you just know this is going to be filthy Black Metal. Bits of soil cover the whole studio and recording equipment. In fact, this was probably recorded in a hole dug by his own hands at the side of a field somewhere! Get the picture? Not to be mistaken for super... More »
Evighet – Winter Twilight
Good quality American Black Metal bands are becoming less of a novelty these days. As the USA seems to be awakening from its Death Metal malaise, they are appearing with all the ruthless efficiency of a Stalinist production directive. With an underground elite now propping things up and setting the markers for others, these groups and the scene in the... More »
Sammath – Triumph in Hatred
In the early days of Death Metal, the Netherlands was one of the countries that dominated. Throughout the subsequent growth of Black Metal in Europe, Dutch bands haven't played such a leading role, but one band who are working hard to restore their country's former glory is Sammath. From start to finish, Triumph in Hatred blasts out seven tracks of fast,... More »
Temple of the Maggot
"We have good news: you are all gonna die very soon!" So say Temple of the Maggot, an intriguing and original duo originating from Mongolia. With an attention to harsh reality and the deprivation of mankind they play some of the craziest, weird and unique Black Metal I have ever heard. In their own words they draw influence from a massive... More »
Malefic Order – Raging Evil Desekration
Turkey's Malefic Order have made a serious mark on my playlist this month. As manufacturers of fast and angry Black Metal, their debut album, released through Satanic Propaganda Records, entitled 'Raging Evil Desekration' does exactly what it says on the tin! This is raging evil and it has enough about it to desecrate. Featuring hard screaming vocals, medium heavy guitars and... More »
Throne Below – Winter Eternal
Hailing from Bloemfontein in South Africa, Throne Below purvey raw Black Metal. Although it is probably the last country you'd think of to have artists influenced by Winter's icy grip there is a fledgling scene going on there right now. Some of it is geared to more mainstream audiences and some more experimental but this seven track self produced demo... More »
Blodfest Interview
Blodfest have been right near the top of my playlist since I recently unearthed their album Den Flyr Ej Ilden… Eager to learn more about their music I asked Valeskald to visit the Hell Furnace, unpick the stitches from his eyes and answer some questions. Like the music he co-creates, he provides some very interesting answers. For the benefit of those... More »
Diocletian – Doom Cult
Doom Cult is the first full-length album from New Zealand's Diocletian, who specialize in crushingly intense black metal with old underground death metal influences. The album opens with the title track, and it's a fucking beast. A distorted siren signals battle to commence, the drums kick in, then suddenly Diocletian's pounding artillery fire fills your head with a concentrated assault of... More »
Tenebrae in Perpetuum – L’Eterno Maligno Silenzio
L'Eterno Maligno Silenzio sees Italian underground black metal band Tenebrae in Perpetuum evolve from the harsh, cold sound of their previous releases. What they've added is an even stronger influence from early black metal classics which, combined with the band's talent for composition, is what makes this album particularly enjoyable. The two first tracks, 'Percepire La Luce Attraverso Il Sepolcro' and... More »
Khashm – Thy Legions Come
You may remember the Khashm interview from back in May. Well, after being sidetracked by a mountain of stuff to review, I tracked them down again to see what's new. A four track EP (an intro and three songs) is what you can get. I'm not sure if you can buy a hard copy yet because I couldn't find them... More »
Blooddawn – Funeral (For A Despised Icon)
This is brutal, chaotic Black Metal from the UK. Worth checking out for fans of Marduk and Anaal Nathrakh. Fast and angry, like a nuclear blast ripping through everything with a Balrog on vocals. Six tracks, one is a cover of Panzer Division Marduk. If you need to annihilate something get this slapped on at maximum volume, sit back and... More »
Kill – No Catharsis
The night sky pisses rain onto the ground. The damp earth rips open, and once again Kill rise up from their dark, steaming hole to deliver undead Black Metal to us all! Finally, the long-awaited No Catharsis is here... The opener, 'Rites of Bestiality' immediately sprays you with its stinking riffs, and you can almost hear the black vomit gurgling... More »
Dødsengel Interview
Regular HELL FURNACE readers may remember my review of Dødsengel's Visionary a few months ago. I stand by everything I said at the time - it's a stunning debut album, with hidden depths that become more apparent with each listen. With more of their intense anti-creation Black Metal due to be released very soon, Dødsengel's Kark and M.A. agreed to... More »
Pestilent Grave – Esoteric Blasphemy
This is another one man band purveying primitive raw black metal. Main man Vith makes no excuses. With the resurgence of cassette tapes booming in the underground, Esoteric Blasphemy was first recorded onto tape and then onto CD to enhance the necro atmosphere. Which it does effectively. Don't listen to this expecting to find anything other than grim and raw... More »
Whorethorn Interview
Reviewing Whorethorn's 2009 Split was a new experience for me. It left questions floating around in my mind and the urge to find out more about the ideas behind the music. We invoked the creator of this harshness and within seconds the disturbingly scornful and articulate Malphas materialised at the furnace core and spoke. What's the meaning in the name... More »
Blooddawn Interview
Black Metal, as we know it, was invented in the cold, grim Northeast of England. As if you didn't know Venom are responsible. Hailing from the city of Newcastle it remains their, my native region's and England's most treasured gift to the world. Since then no other band in this corner of England has thrived in the dank caves of... More »
Barbaros – Amalu N’ Zik
These days Black Metal attacks from all kinds of countries you'd never previously have thought of, places that you'd think you would get your hands chopped away for being blasphemous. Now, in Algeria, you can swap your wife for some hashish and a copy of Barbaros's debut album 'Amalu N' Zik' which is an accomplished piece of work if their... More »
Arckanum – ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ
After 17 years, it's no surprise that Shamaatae continues to experiment and develop Arckanum's style, and it's interesting to hear Black Metal artists who try to create something different. The problem is, despite the efforts and desires of some bands to evolve, the results are often shit. Arckanum are one band that has been successful in their evolution, but has... More »
Whorethorn – Split 2009
Whorethorn is the creation of Malphas. Hailing from Manchester in England and active since 2005 they've had six releases to the name already, three of them from this year! A full length came out through Salute Records at the beginning of the year (2009) followed by two demos. I'd heard the songs on Whorethorn's myspace before and enjoyed them but... More »
Egnum – Promo 09
Hailing from Thessaloniki in Greece, but also based in Amsterdam, Egnum unleash their annihilating two-track promo, and it's a killer! I was lucky to receive one of the 100 limited edition versions which are packaged in a black cloth, book-style digipack with the band's logo printed in bright silver on the front, which looks very impressive indeed. But it's the music... More »
Carrion Wraith – Carrion Wraith
If you were told you had one week to fully write and compose an album what would you think? The words shit!, fuck off! and no way! spring to mind. Well according to Canadian 3 piece Carrion Wraith that is how long it took them to write and record their noteworthy self titled debut album. Not from outside pressure or contractual... More »
End – III
Imagine the furious excitement, anticipation and satisfaction that Hitler was feeling as he pressed the 'on' button of the first Jew hoover and began to see his plans, however nefarious, take shape. I felt the same about this album upon learning of it early this year! The fact that I hadn't toiled to create the album or put my own... More »
Dødsengel – Visionary
Savage. Complex. Symphonic. Ugly. Hate. Pain. Just some of the sensations created by this immense masterpiece of Norwegian Black Metal. A solemn piano melody sets a scene of anticipation, and ends with almost silent mutterings. Intro-haters may wish to skip this first track, but I like the way it contrasts with the sharp, nasty riffing that whips you in the face... More »
Wrath Passion Interview
I reviewed the album just after Hellfurnace powered up, now, from the icy Lofoten islands of Norway the terrifying Daniel gave us permission to thaw him out and get an insight into one of the most fucked-up and wierd albums and songwriting minds of the last several years. Behold! What are the concepts behind Wrath Passion's music. Is it darkness and... More »
Malkuth – Sefirah Gevurah
As society continues to rot before me in a vulgar mass of intense gluttony and greed I constantly turn to music for purification. I feel it imperative that the music I listen to is as pure as possible and unsoiled by the current ills of mankind. More and more I'm indulging in the deepest chasms of the underground to find... More »
Khashm Interview
It is highly probable you won't have heard of Khashm. A one man band from the Russian Federation that I have been following for a couple of months now. With only 200 or so friends on their myspace page at time of writing. It's a kvlt thing you kvnts, so listen up as the main man Haoth spreads the... More »
Kill Interview
Fresh off the back of my review of Inverted Funeral I managed to track down Getaz and after much negotiating and the promise of multiple virgins to sacrifice he agreed to visit the Hellfurnace and face our interrorgation. It's been two years since Inverted Funeral came out. On your myspace page you say you have finished recording a new album for... More »
Nadiwrath Interview
Greece's Nadiwrath have been making some hefty waves in the scene for a while now. With their free to download demo well and truly burned into the hard drives of true fans worldwide and the upcoming release of their debut full length assault not far away, guitarist Nadir dropped by the Hellfurnace on his way to work to update us... More »
Obitus – March Of The Drones
So, March of the Drones begins. A quiet, tense intro passage.. No build-up... No sign of it ending... Fuck, this intro is long, and I'm getting impatient... Then, finally, Obitus go to war. The bunker roof caves in as Sacrificial Abolishment explodes with thick, fast, rhythmic blasting. Hard, dense and aggressive. This is a band who have not chosen to follow... More »
Throne of Katarsis: Helvete – Det Iskalde Mørket
This is the third offering from this Candelight-signed Norwegian duo. It's pretty much a continuation from their Unholy Holocaustwinds EP and debut album An Eternal Dark Horizon in so much as the sound and production are very similar if not identical. Usually that would be a bad thing but not here. Throne of Katarsis have achieved something that a ton of... More »
Archgoat – The Light Devouring Darkness
Right from the first notes The Light Devouring Darkness blasts away without mercy or compassion. I was expecting this all the way through the album but to my surprise, Archgoat have added some subtle touches to break up the blasts, which was a good move because it could have quickly become really boring without them. In parts it drops into Sabbath-style... More »
From the Depths...
Interesting Black Metal fragments we found.
Black Faith – Jubilate Diabolo
August 30, 2010 | 10:19
I admit I was more than a little sceptical when I got a request to review this Italian band. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a band that sounded more like some American gospel singers than satanic Black Metal! Thankfully after literally one second of listening my somewhat ridiculous assumptions were raped and pillaged [...]Rahu – Ride of the Eight Black Steeds
July 25, 2010 | 20:52
I only recently discovered Rahu, who purvey original and very replayable Finish Black Metal of the highest calibre. This is a demo from 2008 that has since been released as part of a best of featuring this and their other demo on one CD. Although there are only three tracks delivering a mere seventeen minutes [...]- More From the Depths... »