In May’s best metal albums, Pelican turn back the clock, Drouth ascend to black/death glory, and Obsidian Tongue relish the early Agalloch-ian teachings.
May delivers an embarrassment of riches, from established veterans in …And Oceans and Pelican, to upcoming acts like Blood Monolith and Zeicrydeus. Some acts are leaping from newcomers to becoming pivotal. I see you, Neptunian Maximalism. That and much more, so dig in! – Spyros Stasis
Best Metal
- … And Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary (Season of Mist)
- Blood Monolith – The Calling of Fire (Profound Lore)
- Cadaver Shrine – Into the Horrible Depths (Chaos)
- Coltsblood – Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk (Translation Loss)
- Drouth – The Teeth of Time (Eternal Warfare)
- Enterré Vivant – Akuzaï (Antiq)
- Genune – Infinite Presence (Consouling Sounds)
- Jade – Mysteries of a Flowered Dream (Pulverised)
- Namebearer – Industries of the Fading Sun (Independent)
- Nechochwen – spelewithiipi (Nordvis)
- Nekrodeus – Ruaß (FDA)
- Neptunian Maximalism – Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu (I, Voidhanger)
- Obsidian Tongue – Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn (Profound Lore)
- Ondfødt – Dimsvall (Eisenwald)
- Pelican – Flickering Resonance (Run For Cover)
- Solfatare – Asservis Par L’Espoire (Signal Rex)
- Tonguecutter – Minnow (Learning Curve)
- Weeping Sores – The Convalescence Agonies (I, Voidhanger)
- Zeicrydeus – La Grande Heresie (The Stygian Oath)
… And Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary (Season of Mist)
The trajectory from black metal to industrial and electronica is one that many symphonic black metal acts have made, from the days of Samael to the likes of the Kovenant. Now, …And Oceans might have made the same journey, but they are returning to their symphonic black metal origin. It began with 2020’s Cosmic World Mother and the excellent As in Gardens, So in Tombs.
The trifecta is complete with The Regeneration Itinerary, setting its melodic hooks from the abrasive start of “Inertiae”. The core lies in the drama and moving quality of symphonic implementations in extreme metal (“The Fire In Which We Burn”), and a sweeter version of the Emperor-esque theatrical visions (“The Ways of Sulphur”) via way of more mainstream-minded acts (“Prophetical Mercury Implement”).
Yet, while …And Oceans transitioned away from electronic and industrial, they have not completely abandoned these concepts. Multiple interludes are scattered across The Regeneration Itinerary, dropping the black metal riffs for introspective electronica (“The Form and the Formless”). It also augments their rhythmic backbone, shown firstly in their abrasive drumming arrangements, but also in the incorporation of industrial machinations within the rhythmic backbone (“Chromium Lungs, Bronze Optics”).
It complements their native extreme metal heritage, with the lead work pointing toward the very early days of Amorphis and Sentenced, while also unearthing the mysteries of the Hellenic black metal scene (that spoken word part over “I Am Coin, I Am Two”). Overall, it is a complete and well-thought-out record. However, I preferred them in their days as Havoc Unit (check out their sole record, h.IV+ (Hoarse Industrial Viremia)) as there was something more abrasively experimental about them. – Spyros Stasis
Blood Monolith – The Calling of Fire (Profound Lore)
The fantastic cover by Rudimentary Peni’s Nick Blinko is the first thing that drags you in. An abstracted oddity of eyeless faces, removed teeth, and unspeakable nightmares stares at you. A dystopian future awaits just around the corner. This is the essence of Blood Monolith, and as soon as the grinding blasts of “Trepanation Worm” settle in, everything clicks. Formed by veterans from Ulthar, Genocidal Pact, Brain Tourniquet, and Undeath, it is clear that these individuals are not taking their music lightly. No, they go straight for the jugular, with an unstoppable energy centred around a death metal foundation.
The hardcore and punk lineage is evident, as the brutal demeanour of “Prayer to Crom” draws parallels to the likes of Nails. It becomes more egregious when they drop the pace and descend to the mid-tempo stampedes of “Cleansing”. Slight black metal incorporations add a bit of dissonance (“Viscera Vobiscum”) while dazed riffs call upon a thrash origin (“Slaughter Garden”). Still, the brutality prevails, a guttural and mystical essence founded by Azagthoth-ian death metal and carried down the ages by acts like Dead Congregation. The Calling of Fire relishes this tradition, as it becomes its next brutal chapter. – Spyros Stasis
Cadaver Shrine – Into the Horrible Depths (Chaos)
Maurice de Jong, also known as Mories, is a Netherlands-based musician primarily recognized for his avant-garde interpretations of industrial and black metal, as showcased through projects such as Gnaw Their Tongues and De Magia Veterum. As it turns out, de Jong also possesses a terrifying knack for crafting stupefyingly raw and heavy music. Established in 2022, Cadaver Shrine are one of de Jong’s newer outfits, which deals precisely with such a primitive, caveman-like, and oh-so-filthy take on death metal.
Listeners shouldn’t expect much respite or hope here. Instead, the eight concise pieces unleash a torrent of ugliness, rot, and bile, assaulting the senses with the relentless intensity of a fist meeting a face. Even when the music briefly incorporates black metal melodicism, as can be heard on “The Horrible Depths”, the overall impression remains merciless and overwhelming. It’s a disgustingly enjoyable experience. – Antonio Poscic
Coltsblood – Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk (Translation Loss)
The extreme doom sound field relies on glacial pacing, which in some instances might transcend the auditory dimension and enter the time dimension. In other words, eight years is a long time, but happily enough, Coltsblood return to their excruciating doom form with Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk. And it feels like time froze, as the vast drone space opens up with “Until The Eidolon Falls”. Roaring feedback and subtle cymbal work take over, plunging you into a state of existential dread. For Coltsblood, this is familiar territory, and they expand it further with the grand cosmic motifs of the title track.
Still, some alterations slowly take form within this torturous procedure. The melancholic underpinnings rise from the abyss, evoking the early days of My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost through expressive lead work. The descent to extreme doom/death ensues, as the Thergothon majesty awakens, particularly in “Transcending The Immortal Gateway”. It is a bitter essence, with the crystalline melodies giving rise to a quasi-psychedelic quality that channels the spirit of Esoteric, albeit in a downplayed manner.
Further breaking norms, Coltsblood pick up the pace subtly through the drums, gaining momentum over the drone abstractions in “Waning of the Wolf Moon” to fully blossom into a pseudo-death metal stampede. Obscured Into Nebulous Dusk might appear straightforward and easy to pin down at first, but nuance is hidden beneath the doom of it all. – Spyros Stasis
Drouth – The Teeth of Time (Eternal Warfare)
Now, here is a band that operates on levels! Portland’s Drouth has been flying under the radar for close to a decade now, and their third full-length, The Teeth of Time, is another work of far-reaching extreme metal. What greets you is the pull of the Swedish black metal scene, as “Hurl Your Thunderbolt Even Unto Death” brings to mind Slaughtersun. This is where Drouth lay the foundations, and they become even more graphic and triumphant, moving closer to Sacramentum and even taking on some of Mörk Gryning’s weirdness.
It is here that the morphings begin, as they contort their melodic sound toward something polemical. The black/death gravity defines “False Grail”, the exhilarating pace taking over, but that is only the start. The descent toward post-black metal ensues, with the latter-day Altar of Plagues’ schizoid applications taking hold, before the slow pace approach evokes something akin to Weakling.
It is further established through the slithering, decadent start to “Exult, Ye Flagellant”. Taking a sweep through early to mid-day, Enslaved, they awaken a sense of mystery and grandeur through the emotive tones of “Through a Glass”. An excellent release that spans great depth with meticulous attention to detail. – Spyros Stasis
Enterré Vivant – Akuzaï (Antiq)
In 2024, I was pleasantly surprised by Tour D’Ivoire’s debut EP, which I consider a solid minimal take on atmospheric black metal. So when I saw that Enterré Vivant is the collaboration between TDI bassist Erroiak and Japanese vocalist Sakrifiss, I latched onto the record. Enterré Vivant exist in the same general space as TDI, but they take a more graphic approach. The narrative follows the lived experience of the Japanese population through the horrors of World War II. And it is aptly broken down into ten parts, each named after a Buddhist sin.
The plunge into darkness is immediate as the acoustic guitar and flute washes of “Chûtô” unfold, a powerful technique that Enterré Vivant returns to. It can be done through subtle parts, as the piano lines in “Jain”, but it can also embolden the heavier moments (“Sesshô”), which brings to mind Summoning. Regardless of the case, this allows for a complete and rich scenery, filled with wonder (“Don’yoku”) or agony (“Kigo”).
From there, Enterré Vivant pass through various emotions, but the pillar is of depressive disposition. There is something heartbreaking about the pacing of “Chûtô”, but simultaneously, it allows them to cover more ground. “Jain” begins with an epic and, dare I say, triumphant quality, and then concludes with a strong, emotive response that evokes beauty. The symphonic component is tastefully added here. The duo knows how not to overdo things, finding a fine balance through “Shin’i”. Overall, Akuzaï is a strong record that will appeal to fans of Summoning and maybe Moonsorrow who are looking for something more ragged. – Spyros Stasis
Genune – Infinite Presence (Consouling Sounds)
There was a point during the post-Deafheaven and Alcest era that felt as if every other new band were trying to mine whatever was left of the depleted source of atmospheric, shoegaze-inflected black metal. The style has more or less gone out of vogue since, but thanks to the cyclical nature of all art, a new crop of outfits, like Romania’s Genune, are coming back to it with renewed zest and invention.
Although they’ve been around since the early 2010s, Genune still feel like a relatively fresh appearance on the scene, with their latest album following 2018’s Cern sol and 2021’s Inert & Unerring. As its precursors, Infinite Presence turns the affecting, pristinely pretty elements of blackgaze and embeds them into second-wave black metal, allowing the music to expand and contract from song to song.
On opener “The Sun Will Always Shine”, a dense melodic attack abates into a fragile dirge, while pieces like “I Want You Here” embrace free-flowing, melancholy black metal reminiscent of Agalloch circa Pale Folklore. For all the erudite musicianship and genre-hopping on display, it’s the overarching emotional impact that seals the deal, leaving behind a sensation of beautiful, strangely comforting music – Antonio Poscic
Jade – Mysteries of a Flowered Dream (Pulverised)
Jade’s 2022 debut, The Pacification of Death, is an excellent example of balancing death metal prowess with atmospheric tendencies. An exercise that the Catalan act is eager to repeat with their sophomore record, Mysteries of a Flowery Dream. As was the case before, Jade encompass a space reminiscent of Sulphur Aeon’s debut. “The Star’s Shelter” sees them contorting the eerie, quasi-melodic guitar work and applying a slower pacing to conjure a thick ambiance. What they do very well here is incorporate a more melodic quality to the dark structures, which in turn can provide a fervent (“Light’s Blood”) or sweeter (“Shores of Otherness”) sentiment.
While the dissonant death metal pull and its atmospheric manifestation tug quite hard on Jade, the group also unearth some similar sonic qualities from the doom/death domain. “The Stars’ Shelter (II)” shows a vivid affinity for the Ruins of Beverast and their otherworldly explorations (minus the black metal pedigree).
It’s an influence further mutated through a progressive-minded implementation, much like this year’s Felgrave release, Otherlike Darknesses. It is something that shines through the melodic lead work, as well as the detailed and meticulously structured compositions of the final triptych (“9th Episode”, “Darkness In Movement”, and “A Flowery Dream”). Mysteries of a Flowery Dream is a solid work, but I would like to see Jade tap more heavily into the more bitter elements of both dissonant death metal and doom/death. – Spyros Stasis
Namebearer – Industries of the Fading Sun (Independent)
The Obsidian Tongue guys are sure busy, not only releasing their latest full-length this month, but also releasing Namebearer’s debut record. However, the duo of Brendan Hayter and Brian Tenison take a different approach here, stepping away from the Cascadian sound and diving into a more bitter path. The impact is immediate as the wall of guitars suffocates all light with the title track’s arrival.
There is a distinct coldness about this overwhelming approach, something that draws inspiration from Blut Aus Nord and their twisted machinations. It carries with “Lumivyöry” in an even more over-the-top fashion, as quasi-industrial concepts come into play.
There is a certain bitterness about Industries of the Fading Sun, best invoked through more traditional applications, primarily “Black Vein, Atom Drum”, and its graphic nature evokes Abigor. There is also an old-school approach, exemplified by “Jäätyneen Järven Uumenissa”, with its sovereign quality. Yet, there is a push toward the strange here. The clean vocals provide the first inclination toward this ideal, channeling a less buoyant ICS Vortex (minus the crazed crescendos) characteristic.
It fits the descent to psychedelic depths, which can happen subtly, but also results in full-blown kosmische musik moments (“Crystals Distil to New Earth”). So, do not brush them off as being “just the side project to Obsidian Tongue” because they are much more than that. – Spyros Stasis
Nechochwen – spelewithiipi (Nordvis)
I find it charming that Nechochwen’s debut, Agonkian Mythos, came out the same year as Panopticon’s self-titled debut. While Austin Lunn’s band made most of the noise first, especially with 2012’s Kentucky, Nechochwen would also release a seminal work of black metal via folk Americana in 2015’s Heart of Akamon. Their pacing has since been a bit more deliberate, with Kanawha Black coming out in 2022. Still, they seem to be riding this momentum as they release their acoustic record in spelewithiipi.
Devoid of most distorted applications, spelewithiipi journeys through the dark and desolate, as the folk element of the title track suggests. What initially appears as a more stripped-down and solitary passage soon becomes enriched through additional instrumentation (“lenawe’owiin”), which provides a richer sonic tapestry. This augmentation also crosses over to the sonic collage domain when rain starts falling (“othaškwa’alowethi behme”) as we move through these dark forests.
The structures here owe a great deal to the European scene and can be traced back to Ulver’s Kveldssanger, and then on to the US implementation by the likes of Agalloch. However, there is a more profound sense of Americana that pulses through the structures (“tpwiiwe”), and it is further augmented through the clean guitar vastness of the second half of the record (“Precipice of Stone” and “Primordial Passage”). spelewithiipi is an excellent interlude for Nechochwen, and it makes you wonder what their distorted self may uncover within its mysteries. – Spyros Stasis
Nekrodeus – Ruaß (FDA)
It’s a rare pleasure these days to discover new music via a concert experience first, and even rarer for the band to then live up to the energy and sparkling tension of their shows on record. The third full-length by death metal group Nekrodeus accomplishes just that. I write death metal, but the Graz-based outfit veers far beyond the basics of the genre, encasing their riffs in crust and hardcore, propelling their songs at black metal speeds, and submerging everything in the abyssal tunings of doom metal and sludge.
There’s significant variety across the 11 tracks—”Trümmerjugend” clashes D-beat with black metal, “Volkscancer” reaches grindcore levels of insanity—but they are all held together by an overarching sentiment, a genuine belief in antifascist values, as screamed and growled by Stefan Rindler (“We bare our teeth / To bite the hand that holds the leash / Not here to please”) and supported by the roar and clatter of his bandmates’ instruments. Stunning stuff and a candidate for (death) metal album of the year. – Antonio Poscic
Neptunian Maximalism – Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu (I, Voidhanger)
Belgian musician Guillaume Cazalet returns to the studio with Neptunian Maximalism for the first time since 2020, delivering another sprawling, three-CD-spanning symphony that combines black and doom metal, psychedelia, 1970s free jazz, dub, drone, krautrock, and Indian classical music. Featuring a completely revamped cast of musicians, Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu draws particularly heavily from the latter two sources of influence, often locking into motorik, layering intricate, repeating rhythms over raga-like patterns, before launching into sections of meandering avant-metal, complete with screeching tremolos and blast beats.
This approach gives the music an earthy and fleshy feel, rather than a cosmic one—the collective sounds more like Can than Sun Ra, in other words—but maintains the sense of wonder and dynamic, relentless forward drive that made its predecessor so appealing. Of the three pieces, each divided into smaller movements, “At Dusk” is the most clearly metallic one, with large stretches of dense instrumentation evoking the suffocating drone of Khanate and Sunn O))) and expanding into orchestral surges reminiscent of Morton Feldman or Giacinto Scelsi.
In contrast, “Arcana XX” is sonically lighter, more interested in patiently developing a lattice of labyrinthine rhythms, and “At Dawn” moves from one extreme to the other, borrowing percussion and reed elements from African folk traditions along the way. Leaving the discussion of appropriation in Neptunian Maximalism’s music for some other occasion, Cazalet clearly managed to do what seemed impossible by matching, if not quite eclipsing, his lauded 2020 opus Éons. Bravo. – Antonio Poscic
Obsidian Tongue – Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn (Profound Lore)
There is a challenge entering a scene defined by the likes of Agalloch and early Wolves in the Throne Room. But, looking back at Obsidian Tongue’s discography, they are definitely up to the task. Case in point, their fourth full-length, Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn. A record baptised in the wandering spirit of folk-infused, melodic black metal with the aforementioned points of reference playing a significant role. Invoking a rich tradition, Obsidian Tongue still add their twist. They leave behind the martial tone and fearlessly add flourishes to “…And Still They Dream…” as they explore a sweet, more psychedelic space with “To Forgive Oneself”.
On their black metal side, the apparent connection remains Wolves in the Throne Room, particularly evident in the expressive anger of the title track. Still, they also tap into the strong melodic inclinations of Panopticon, especially with the ending of “Theatre of Smoke & Wind”, and awaken some of the original pioneers. The ghost of Ulver always hovers over the proceedings, and it might be the instigator for the quasi-psychedelic touches that Obsidian Tongue’s synthesizer produces (“Orphaned Spiritual Warrior”).
Then they also breathe in the mid-era Enslaved, circa Isa and Ruun, rocking tonality (being careful to leave behind the intrinsic dissonance), which results in some of the best hooks of the record in the opening track and especially “Snakeskin Tunnel Colony”. Some flirtations with post-metal, Neurosis-like riffs are smuggled into the folk and black metal core, completing a picture of Obsidian Tongue’s finest moment. – Spyros Stasis
Ondfødt – Dimsvall (Eisenwald)
Many melodic black metal bands fixate on the melodic prefix and then forget they’re supposed to let some of that ferocious black metal spirit through as well. Not Finland’s Ondfødt, though. On their sixth full-length, Dimsvall, the Pietarsaari, Pohjanmaa-based four-piece conjure a torrent of black metal that’s primarily vicious and venomously biting, but that just so happens to be melodic too.
Cuts like “Födärvis Tid” and “Futuria” blaze into existence and never stop from there on. “Tuonela” finds an arsenal of bending, swirling attacks à la Nile. “Grymhejtins Ansikt” snakes down folksy leads. Meanwhile, closer “Stormin” slows things down just a notch, still maintaining the sense of thrill and dynamism found in all previous cuts. Top-notch stuff. – Antonio Poscic
Pelican – Flickering Resonance (Run For Cover)
In more than one way, Flickering Resonance sees Chicago instrumental post-rock outfit Pelican step back to move forward. Joined by guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, who hadn’t played with the band since the excellent 2009 LP What We All Come to Need, the quartet softens the harder post-metal edge of their more recent albums by drawing from a range of 2000s coded styles, from indie and post-hardcore to emo and space rock.
The resulting collection of eight gorgeous instrumentals is at times wistfully melodic, reminiscent of Karate and June of 44 (“Evergreen”), at others liberating rather than oppressive in their heaviness (“Indelible”) and cosmic headiness (“Wandering Mind”). The second half of the album is particularly delightful in its airy and light quality, as if the songs had finally decided to drift away, reaching for the stars. Listened front to back, the album feels like falling, eternally, into an ocean of celestial energy. – Antonio Poscic
Solfatare – Asservis Par L’Espoire (Signal Rex)
The pull of dissonance in black metal is still strong, as highlighted by Solfatare’s debut record, Asservis Par L’Espoir. In a ferocious start with “Des Monarques Anhedoniques”, Solfatare employ an in-your-face approach that results in an absolute rampage. This frantic style carries an Antaeus influence, as seen in “De Deuil Affaire”, where the impeccable drumming leads the procession with abundant resolve and grit. The same brew highlights the abrasive guitar, a feature especially evident in “Quand Ton Cerveau Te Surne Le Crâne”, where the frenzied playing cuts holes in the fabric of reality.
There are some variations on this theme, where Solfatare leave aside the Deathspell Omega playbook and take a different path. The spirit of Ved Buens Ende still prevails, especially in the atmospheric interludes. It lets on a twisted, yet sweeter, quality that offers respite from the more aggressive moments. Another interesting inclusion is the influence of noise rock in “Sous Des Cieux Absents”, where the timbre and rhythmic progression complement the black metal essence. Solfatare’s first attempt showcases a great understanding of dissonant black metal, making Asservis Par L’Espoir an enjoyable listen. However, they still need to find their niche in a saturated scene. – Spyros Stasis
Tonguecutter – Minnow (Learning Curve)
One of the best things that the democratization of music-making brought to the metal scene is groups who, freed from gatekeepers, can create genre hybrids that would have been considered anathema in the past. Take Muskegon, Michigan’s Tonguecutter, for example—a trio whose music makes an unlikely connection between grunge on one side and thrash, progressive rock, and riot grrrl punk on the other.
Although their grunge tendencies are rooted in the most metallized of the genre’s variants—namely, the Alice in Chains sort—its meld with bouts of harrowing noise rock (“Urgency”), D-beat (“Dust Collector”), and even sludge (“Minnow”) is at once deliciously idiosyncratic and bizarrely fun, helped in large part by self-assured and convincing delivery of vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske. Add to that the fact that they can really write a tune and have the right feminist attitude to boot—”It’s my body, you’re nobody” they roar on “Big Ol’ Tree”—and it becomes clear that the trio have got a winner on their hands. – Antonio Poscic
Weeping Sores – The Convalescence Agonies (I, Voidhanger)
Both death and doom metal are closely associated with the sort of deep pain and sorrow that Baruch Spinoza would classify as tristitia affects. For the most part, the manifestation of these emotions in music remains performative and abstract: expressions built on aesthetic grounds rather than lived experiences. The distinction becomes clear as day when a truly harrowing album like The Convalescence Agonies by Doug Moore (Pyrrhon, Scarcity, Seputus) and Stephen Schwegler (Pyrrhon, Seputus) comes along.
While born out of Moore’s struggles with rehabilitation after an injury to his shoulder that prevented him from playing for a year, the album is interspersed with a broader sort of pain, an agonizing Weltschmerz infused in each riff, growl, and drum line. Although the music itself could easily buckle under all this emotional heaviness, The Convalescence Agonies thrives because of it, meticulously forging death-doom tropes into skeins of melody, atmosphere, and palpable melancholy. “This is the way of things: any season can be cruel,” Moore growls on “Arctic Summer”, accompanied by a swarming mass of death metal and Annie Blythe’s tugging cello lines.
Throughout the album, doom and death metal intertwine and pull apart, landing in funeral doom territories on “Empty Vessel Hymn” then flickering back to life with fervor on “Sprawl in the City of Sorrow”, before culminating in the stunning, 14-minutes-long closer “The Convalescence Agonies”, which takes in all of the album’s pain and grace. Not quite a catharsis, but nonetheless a hopeful step forward. – Antonio Poscic
Zeicrydeus – La Grande Heresie (The Stygian Oath)
Rehashing a style is one thing. Comprehending it is another. Philippe Tougas (Atramentus, Chthe;ilist) with his new project, Zeicrydeus, belongs to the second category. In La Grande Heresie, Tougas draws inspiration from the Hellenic black metal scene, and it is easy to see it through the dialled-in groove and piercing bends in “Ten Thousand Spears…”.
The early Rotting Christ aura is everywhere, extending the scenery with its melodic inclination and epic sense. Zeicrydeus then crosses the fiery path, the descent plunging everything into darkness as the bass becomes prominent. “Profane Spells & Naked Swords…” further delves into the lineage of Magus and Baron Blood, while Tougas makes a sardonic twist employing some sweeter notions to that recipe in “Goldstell (Blood of the Third Sun)”.
On that level alone, La Grande Heresie is excellent, but what Tougas unearths is the secret core to the Hellenic black metal sound. It is its kinship and direct connection to heavy metal tropes. While the Scandinavian scene looked to distance itself from metallic tradition, the Greeks reforged it anew. The unhinged yet purposeful start to “Ten Thousand Spears…” speaks volumes through its poignant assault.
The mid-section of “Profane Spells & Naked Swords…” revels in Running Wild’s galloping spirit, and the playful guitar work that greets “Sous L’Ombre” descends into doom depths only to triumphantly rise again. Everything is as it should be in La Grande Heresie; a case in point is the seamless transition to the “Thou Art Lord” cover (“The Era of Satan Rising”). I’m confident I found the record that completes my Onyx, Gods of War – At War infinite repeat playlist. – Spyros Stasis