Black Aleph's debut album, Apsides, is a sonic journey that unfolds through layers of atmospheric weight and textural complexity. Consisting of Lachlan Dale (guitar, effects), Peter Hollo (cello, effects), and Timothy Johannsen (percussion), the Australian trio masterfully blends elements of post-metal, ambient, and experimental rock, weaving together influences from the likes of Neurosis, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sunn O))), and Earth.

Opening with "Descent," the track immediately sets the tone with a dark, brooding atmosphere that feels almost claustrophobic and ritualistic. The haunting combination of dissonant guitar riffs, throbbing cello lines, hypnotic beats and dark chants instantly draws the listener into a world that feels heavy and foreboding. The use of effects adds an additional layer of menace, making this track a powerful introduction to the album's thematic exploration of space, tension, and inner conflict.

However, as the album progresses, Black Aleph begins to shift gears, leaving behind the almost claustrophobic intensity of "Descent" for a more expansive and contemplative sound. The influences of Arabic music become more apparent, especially in tracks like "Ascension," where the intricate, almost hypnotic rhythms blend seamlessly with the ethereal, echoing sounds of the cello. This shift in tone creates a dynamic contrast, allowing the music to breathe and open up, transforming from moments of tension into waves of introspective calm.

This album is a bold and adventurous exploration of sound, texture, and atmosphere. The lack of traditional song structures gives Apsides a fluid, organic quality, but also a sense of unpredictability. It's a journey through sonic landscapes that feel at once alien and familiar, with every moment offering something new to discover. For fans of dark, atmospheric music with a profound emotional depth, Apsides is an essential listen. (8/10)

Jason Hicks

Band info: https://blackaleph.bandcamp.com

Label Info: https://www.artascatharsis.com

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For someone proclaiming to be a flag-bearer for the new wave of British death-metal, Celestial Sanctuary churn out some generic and sterile old-school flavoured death-metal. 

The band's debut full-length album "Soul Diminished" now available via Church of Road and Redefining Darkness is getting a lot of attention in the underground lately and I can't really understand the hype, not that it's a really bad record per se, but in my opinion it pales in comparison to other robust releases unleashed by Venom Prison and Cryptic Shift. 

For most of the nine tracks of "Soul Diminished", fast and brutal riffs are intertwined with some uninspired and bland mid-paced riffs that owns more to crossover and hardcore rather than death-metal. Try to imagine any run of the mill groovy metal act from the 90's trying to give some leftover songs a filthy and old-school death-metal twist, there's even the occasional breakdown thrown into the equation. Few tracks deviate from this formula,  with some dull and tedious riffs that  never sound nearly as dangerous or threatening as it should be and a bare minimum of lead work.  

There are however some good moments here, "Relentless Savagery" just like the title indicates shows the four-piece distilling a vicious and ferocious death-metal and "Suffer Your Sentience" that recaptures that decadent, moribund riffing of Obituary and Asphyx. But unfortunately it is not enough to offset the negatives and in the long run "Soul Diminished" won't spearhead any resurgence of the British death-metal scene, better leave that effort to Grave Miasma, Cryptic Shift or Venom Prison, who are all doing a much better job. (5/10)

Jason Hicks

Band info: www.facebook.com/CelestialSanctuaryDeathMetal

Label info: www.redefiningdarkness.com | www.churchroadrecords.limitedrun.com

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