“Gaqtaqaiaq” EP by Ifernach

Raw Black Metal from Québec, Canada.

Released March 2018.

When it comes to the Québécois Black Metal scene, Ifernach is a strong new solo project that shouldn’t go amiss. I first heard and listened Ifernach thanks to Corde Raide Productions when in 2016 it released a batch of 50 tapes of  the first EP Laments of Ériu and I was sold at first hearing.

The brain and soul behind Ifernach, is Finian Patraic who writes all lyrics in French covering subjects and tales of native ancestry, forgotten ancient souls, cults and old rituals from the Gaspé Peninsula in Canada (a province of Quebec). And hence, he describes his music as Gaspesian black metal.

Soundwise, expect a rough and raw production with fierce fast riffing and chaotic black metal with some thrash and punk influence, interwoven with traditional mid paced and additional atmospheric elements of ambient and acoustic to channel your mind into lands of ancient Gaspesian native past. 

Gaqtaqaiaq is his new (3rd) EP released this spring via Nekrart on CD format, containing a beautiful booklet with lyrics and images in full colour and also in tape format via Les Productions Heretiques.

Tapes: www.lesproductionsheretiques.com

CDs: www.nekrart.com

I believe there are still a few tapes available for Vestige Gaspesien, the Ifernach/Victime Quelconque Split by the way via Corde Raide Productions.

http://corderaideproductions.com/product/ifernach-laments-eriu/

IFERNACH:
https://ifernach.bandcamp.com/album/iv-gaqtaqaiaq
https://www.facebook.com/gespegewagi/

"La grande noirceur" by Brume d'Automne

Black Metal from Québec, Canada.

Released April 2018.

Brume d'Automne is one of the leading and pioneering bands of the Black Metal Québécois, mixing raw and melodic black metal heavily influenced by the Quebec traditional music.

Their 3rd album "La grande noirceur", came out in the spring through Darker than Black Records
embracing the traditions, myths and legends of Quebec since 2003, Brume d’Automne, lead by Nordet's on the vocals, guitars and writing has not lost his spirit offering once more a grande album!

Digital (Brume d'Automne, Bandcamp)
https://brumedautomne1.bandcamp.com/album/la-grande-noirceur

CD (Darker than Black Records)
https://black-metal.shop/product_info.php?products_id=3374

https://www.facebook.com/BrumeDAutomne/

"Romances Factieuses & Élégies de l'Ost" by Herlequin & Ascète

Black Metal from France.

Released 18 January 2018.

Excellent split featuring Herlequin and Ascète, that fans of Peste Noir will enjoy. Bile and rancid raw black metal with some medieval feel in parts and acoustic guitar passages where legacy, traditions and legends is the main theme in their lyric content.

Digital (Ascète and Herlequin/Bandcamp)
https://ascete.bandcamp.com/album/romances-factieuses-l-gies-de-lost
https://herlequin.bandcamp.com/releases

Ascete:
https://www.facebook.com/AscetePerigordNoir/

About:
Ascète is Black Metal band from terroir of Périgord Noir (France) and Belgium.
It was founded by L'Cul Terreux-Torve de Périgord-Nègre with Patrie Moine in 2015.

Band Members:
L'Cul-Terreux Torve de Périgord-Nègre : Chant, textes, batterie prog, mix
Patrie Moine : Guitares
Olematus : Bass
Ange - Female Vocals

Herlequin:
https://www.facebook.com/herlequinblackmetal/

About:
One man band of Cornu, where he takes pleasure in disguising his bile in the face of foul "Nouvelle France".

Band Member:
Cornu - Vocals, Guitars, Guitars (acoustic), Drum programming, Bass and Lyrics.
L'Cul-Terreux Torve: Tambour & Tambourine.
ANGE : Chorus.

"Abeloth" EP by Snøgg

Black Metal from Slovenia.

Released December 2017.

We've added to our playlist Snøgg, a two member act from Slovenia that plays a very peculiar style of experimental black metal, with a very distinctive dark and powerful sound that stands out from the generic traditional bands. They inject lots of different elements with and orthodox feel and improvised dynamic composition style that captivates the listener with their dissonant and harrowing sound.  Great obscure mid tempo atmospheres accompanied by violin, guitar solos and narrations. The album is based on Star Wars legend and later mixed with the dark poetry of Georg Trakl.

The Creation and recording of Abeloth is comprised by a series of performances at Brno and in Ljubljana in October 2016, and in Maribor in November of the same year. Originally performed without drums as Mørk could not make it but it was the first performance that included guests on stage.

Aninø Üfo Letherbee, a renowned classical orchestral and solo violinist joined Ulv (guitars, vocals, keyboards), Køzhl (bass) and Neo-Cymex formerly known as Ampulex Dementor (noisescapes, special fx) for the experiment. On the second and third performances, Mørke returned and Azbuka (noise, field recordings) joined the team. As expected, each edition of Abeloth sounded different and after November, the band never played the whole song again, rather played some kind of derivatives of the song, little pieces or a song with no name, unofficially called Abeloth 2. Vrag (vocals) also joined in on many of those implementations.

In May 2017, the team went to the studio and recorded the tracks for the EP. It was done in the same way as the concerts, a total improvisation. The latest addition to the roster was Zeench, who recorded guitar solos for The Servant – The Mother, and after months of editing and mixing, the Abeloth EP was born and available for purchase through Bandcamp. 

LINE UP:

Ulv - guitars, Keyboards, Vocals, Rituals

Mørke - Drumms, Spells

Additional Musicians:

Aninø Üfo Letherbee - Violin

Køzhl - Bass 

Vrag - Vocals

Azbuka - Noise, field Recordings

Neo-Cymex formerly known as Ampulex Dementor - Narration

Zeench - Guitar Solo 

https://www.facebook.com/Snoggband

https://snogg.bandcamp.com

"Skuggorna Kallar" by Skogen

Atmospheric Pagan Black Metal from Sweden.

Released 25 May 2018.

Skogen is a four member band that pays homage to the beautiful and mysterious nature that surrounds them, Sweden. Their fifth album "Skuggorna Kallar" came out in the spring through Nordvis Produktion on CD and 12" Vinyl.

"...Possessed by the mysteries of nature and dedicated to paying homage to its majesty, both in light and darkness, Skogen will offer your avid ears a polarity of sounds felt in their music as subtly beautiful melodies and clean vocals are woven into the more pervasive darker tones that saturate Skuggorna Kallar, like the blanket of night, heavy with dew. Joakim and Mathias, accompanied by Jonathan Jansson on the guitar and L. Larsson on drums, as well as an array of fantastic guest musicians, deliver their most complete and darkest work to date in their new album, a must-have for fans of the cold and austere sounds of the North..." https://theheadbangingmoose.wordpress.com/2018/07/25/album-review-skogen-skuggorna-kallar-2018/

Band Members:-
Joakim Svensson - Bass, Guitars and Vocals
Mathias Nilsson - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards and Vocals
L. Larsson - Drums
Jonathan Jansson - Guitars

Digital, CD, Vynil (Skogen/Bandcamp)
https://skogensweden.bandcamp.com/album/skuggorna-kallar
https://nordvis.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/skogensweden/

"Black Celestial Orbs" by Veiled

Atmospheric Black Metal from US.

Released 16 March 2018.

This is a good colossal atmospheric beast that will put you into an almost trance state.
“Black Celestial Orbs” came out in March on CD through Iron Bonehead Productions.

Veiled is an icy atmospheric project formed by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Niðafjöll teamed up with Grá's ferocious drummer Dimman and with Swedish producer and engineer Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral, Grá, Cursed 13), recording this album in "The Grey Studios" in Stockholm.

"Black Celestial Orbs" was released with the addition of Valdovas, Drekavac, and Psithuros, starting to carve it's sigil into the foundation of the underground scene with live manifestations.

The shadow grows further beyond the veil!

Digital, LP and CD (Veiled, Iron Bonehead Productions/Bandcamp)
https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/veiled-black-celestial-orbs


Band Members:
Niðafjöll: Vocals, Guitar
Dimman: Drums (Studio)
Valdovas: Lead Guitar
Drekavac: Bass
Psithuros: Drums

https://www.facebook.com/VeiledOfficialPage/

"Occulta religiO" by Abhor (Italy)

Black Metal from Italy.

Released May 2018.

Abhor are a veritable institution of Italian occult and esoteric black metal with an unmistakable ritual feel.

Formed in 1995 by Domine Saevum Graven and Ulfhedhnir in the northeast of Italy, the band began with a passion for black metal music and the study of esoteric arts. Less like a band and more like a congregation, they represent a form of global art that embraces all its elements (musical, visual and literal art).

Their first release came in 1998, with the first demo tape "In Tuo Honori Prepartum". From there on, Abhor released six full length albums with a number of labels, doing honorable underground work.

Their new offering "Occulta religiO",  is available through Iron Bonehead Productions, releasing this month Abhor's highly anticipated seventh album on CD, vinyl LP and cassette format.

'Occulta religiO" conjures the usual stylistic brand of sinister melodies, heavy and very dark riffing, demonic screams, keyboard notes and recitations in clean vocals alongside concepts of occult, esotericism, alchemy, witchcraft, Satanism and dark folklore.

TRACK STREAM:
http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/abhor-fons-malorum/s-HCurw

MORE INFO:
http://www.facebook.com/abhor666
http://www.legioneocculta.com
http://www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions
http://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com