It seems that these days Singapore’s Pulverized Records is a label committed to sign up every single band with a genuine and die-hard dedication to old-school death metal.

Just look at the label’s current rooster, killer acts like Morbus Chron, Bastard Priest, Crucifyre and Bone Gnawer all adore the fuzzy, rusty and putrid stench coming from the earlier endeavours of Entombed, Repulsion, Autopsy and so on.

One of the label’s newest artists, Spain’s Graveyard certainly fit the profile and will appeal to fans of the aforementioned acts.

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Expectations are high for this one. Not only Borkganar are going thru a very creative period in their long and prodigious career, which culminated in the remarkable “Universal” issued two years ago, they’ve also enlisted the services of the talented and unmistakable Simen Hestnæs aka ICS Vortex for bass and vocal duties. Hestnæs actually sung on “The Archaic Curse” and “Quintessence” albums, which are still ranked among the best efforts of Borknagar’s celebrated discography. As expected “Urd” doesn’t disappoint, in fact the Norwegians turn up with what may just be the album of their career.

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Sweden’s contribution to the doom metal scene is immeasurable, not only the forebears Candlemass had practically defined the style with their classic “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” album, bands like Count Raven, Memory Garden and Grand Magus among others have all helped to shape this style of music so miserable and singular.

Coming from Uppsala, Anguish are another fine contribution to style and their sorrowful, slow-dragging and downright miserable debut album “Through the Archdemons Head” would make forefathers Candlemass extremely proud of their legacy.

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Five albums in for this Florida-based quartet and “The Ultimate Deception” is the first time I have heard of them. Cannot say I’ve been missing a lot as I have mixed feelings about Wykked Wytch’s newest record. Although I admire the band’s effort to combine numerous influences instead of drawing exclusively from one source, sometimes the convergence of such disparate styles as black metal and deathcore doesn’t work in their favour and sounds a bit clumsy.

The album opens with “Birthing the Beast”, a fierce and dark theme that sees Wykked Wytch exploring the pompous and theatrical black metal popularized by acts like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

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For those of you who don't know Golden Dawn, I guess a brief introduction to this Austrian act is in order. Originally conceived as a one-man-project by mastermind Stefan Traunmüller aka Dreamlord, Golden Dawn has released two strong records in the late 90’s, including their seminal debut “The Art of Dreaming” which is still heralded as one of the strongest black metal released in that decade. Although the records were critically acclaimed, they never really attained the level of popularity of their Norse peers and following some hassles with record labels the group disbanded leaving Traunmüller on its own once again. In the ten years since their second album “Masquerade”, Traunmüller has been spending his time setting a recording studio and producing a variety of other projects like Wallachia and Bifröst. During this period he also had enough time to prepare a new album that is now released by Non Serviam Records.

Despite the long interregnum, “Return to Provenance” does not differ that much from its predecessor as Golden Dawn pick up right where they left off, composing a dynamic and majestic black metal record that feels like one dark, intriguing and malicious story is being narrated. The songs marvelously flow from feverishly paced vitriol into slower and compelling atmospheric moments, where Traunmüller is often willing to experiment with Eastern notes and grandiose melodies. Starting with the folksy and equally storming “Nameless”, the band shows they’re are completely capable of switching between harsh, dissonant moments and contemplative, dark harmonies within compositions without ever loosing the momentum. As such, “Return to Provenance” is highly successful record that any black metal enthusiast should check out. (8/10)

Alex Grimm

Band info: www.goldendawn.at

Label info: www.non-serviam-records.com

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Even though Norway has produced enough rudimentary and cult black metal bands to congest a wide Norse forest, it also has given birth to some of the most compelling and innovative music crafted over the last two decades. This year, The Konsortium are one of the most exciting outfits to fall under this bizarre pedigree of vanguard acts that goes from In the Woods to Kvelertak. While they do indulge in some fierce and devilish black-metal, they have also been able to incorporate some progressive and psychedelic aspects into their sound, coming off like later Satyricon mixed with King Crimson. Calling this “avant-garde” however would probably be far too stretched, because even though the songs possess a bizarre and sinister vibe to them, The Konsortium aren’t really as out-there and cryptic as Arcturus or Dodsmeigard as some press have led you to believe.

Alex Grimm

Read full review here.

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