Luring - Malevolent Lycanthropic Heresy

#FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black Metal

USA's Luring is a trio whose members are involved in similar and equally interesting projects, particularly Azathoth's Dream, which I strongly recommend if you enjoy old school atmospheric black metal. Since the release of its first album, Luring has released albums each year, improving and refining its sound, which is firmly rooted in the purest essence of the black metal genre. As is common with these underground projects, the change and evolution is not particularly significant as they strive to maintain their core sound unaltered, yet the listener will notice a progression in each album.

'Malevolent Lycanthrophic Heresy' is the name of Luring's newest effort, and from the moment you see the album cover, you can realize that the USA-based project remains loyal to its roots. The black and white tenebrous artwork is a fine portrait of what you will listen to. This new opus sounds as dark as the previous ones, combining the pure aggression of the genre and a murky atmosphere. The production is, as expected, raw and lugubrious, but still enjoyable, not reaching the annoying levels of certain projects that sound like a noise ball. The short and straightforward album opener "Ravaged By the Teeth of a Feral God" is a fine example of it, with its aggressive riffs and raspy vocals. Although, I particularly enjoy songs where the atmosphere is more present, like the longer composition "Born With the Devil's Marking". This song has some nice tempo changes, making the composition quite interesting and enjoyable. The other longer track, entitled "The Odious Gaze of Chronos," is also remarkably inspired, showing that Luring finds the best room to shine in these lengthy songs. In this case, the pace is much slower except for the final section, although the riffs are equally sharp and tasty. The final proper track, entitled "Dying Wolf Beneath the Stars," is another enjoyable piece of atmospheric black metal with a particularly raw atmosphere that Luring masterfully creates. The guitar lines are again the best thing here, as they have the hypnotic essence that is a trademark of the genre. There are no big complaints from my side if we solely focus on the aforementioned songs, but the album lacks something important due to its shorter length. The whole record lasts 36 minutes, which in theory is enough, but half of the compositions are ambient/instrumental tracks. Don’t get me wrong, to a certain degree I enjoy them, but as this is a black metal album, having half of the compositions in this vein is a bit disruptive and leaves you with a feeling of wanting more.

In conclusion, 'Malevolent Lycanthropic Heresy is a quite good album when it focuses on its pure atmospheric black metal side. However, having so many ambient tracks leads you to think that this is more an EP than an actual full-length album. I sincerely think that a couple more tracks would have improved the experience a lot more. (Alain González Artola)

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2024)
Score: 73

https://luring.bandcamp.com/album/malevolent-lycanthropic-heresy

Profanation - Skull Crushing Violence

#PER CHI AMA: Death/Grind

Ecco a voi il side project dei transalpini Regarde Les Hommes Tomber in compagnia di Deströyer 666 e Venefixion che, forse annoiati delle loro forme estreme musicali, hanno pensato di mettersi insieme e far uscire un qualcosa di ancor più violento. Ecco presentati a lor signori e signore i Profanation e il loro debut EP 'Skull Crushing Violence', edito dalla Iron Bonehead Productions. E quando c'è di mezzo l'etichetta tedesca, state sicuri che davanti ci troveremo un concentrato dinamitardo di black/death/thrash. Eccomi infatti accontentato con sei pezzi a cui non mancano certo le capacità di prenderci a scarpate nel culo (e qui anche parecchio nelle palle), con una prepotenza e arroganza degna dei maledettissimi primi Napalm Death e i loro soci Terrorizer, che ci sparano appunto in faccia un suono brutale, caustico, devastante. Il tutto potrebbe evocare anche gli albori degli Entombed, quando ancora si chiamavano Nihilist, e quindi coniugare ai suoni grind death, anche un feroce e selvaggio hardcore minimalista che si srotola attraverso tonnellate di violenza gratuita di cui "Profanation" e "Global Terror" ne sono gli esempi più simbolici. "Modern Sickness" (cosi come l'oscura chiusura strumentale affidata alla title track) partono più mid-tempo, per poi orientarsi verso una parata di devastanti deflagrazioni estreme, che riescono a trovare un certo mordente grooveggiante laddove srotolano ottimi assoli che rendono il tutto più gradevole e orecchiabile, in stile 'Clandestine' degli Entombed. Insomma, un altro bel tuffo nel passato, a riscoprire suoni che andavano di moda sul finire degli anni '80, qui riletti in una chiave più al passo con i tempi.

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2024)
Voto: 68

https://profanationband.bandcamp.com/album/skull-crushing-violence

Ancient Guard - Nightfall Enthroned

#FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black Metal

Ancient Guard is a new project coming from Australia, led by the musician known as Nightwolf. From his various projects, Runespell is, by far, the most well-known. The aforementioned project has a very solid discography with five very interesting albums firmly rooted in the black metal genre. Based on this, it was interesting to see what he can offer with his new creation, which has caught the attention of the respected Iron Bonehead Productions, which is always something remarkable.

With Ancient Guard, Nightwolf doesn’t stray too far from the realms explored with Runespell, but this project is definitely a different monster. Ancient Guard clearly sounds more atmospheric in this EP debut entitled 'Nightfall Enthroned'. This initial effort consists of four pieces, three songs clocking in around 7 and 11 minutes, and a short piece that serves as an outro. You always want more, but these three compositions have more than enough to please the fans of the subgenre. Nightwolf leaves no room for doubt with the eleven-minute first track entitled "Dominion of Primordial Darkness". The title is cool and very fitting for the genre he explores here. This is a very interesting composition with strong pace changes and a great contrast between the furious and more blackish sections and the strongly atmospheric sections that dominate. The created ambiance sounds captivating and also a bit melancholic thanks to hypnotic guitar work. The mid-tempo sections of this track are particularly inspired and enjoyable. Ancient Guard’s mastermind seems to be comfortable with the most atmospheric and mid-paced compositions, as he masterfully shows in the song "Sepulchral Damnation", with a simple yet totally addictive melody that mesmerizes the listener. "A Moonscape Abyss" sounds more powerful in contrast, with a more energetic pace, although nothing that contrasts abruptly from the previous compositions. The atmospheric keys are the base, where the tasteful guitar work and Nightwolf’s raspy vocals reign. The riffing is again excellent and creates melodies that will satisfy fans of the genre for sure.

Debuting with an EP, especially if it is good, leaves you wanting more, but 'Nightfall Enthroned' is undoubtedly a very solid first step in the career of Ancient Guard. The elements found here, make this project interesting in the atmospheric black metal genre, and I hope that, sooner or later, a full-length album will come to confirm the potential of Nightfall's new endeavor. (Alain González Artola)

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2024)
Score: 82

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-guard-nightfall-enthroned

Weregoat - Cunting Darkness

#PER CHI AMA: Black/Death

Della serie "più cattivi non si può", ecco arrivare gli statunitensi Weregoat con un nuovo brevissimo EP, dedito a un sanguinario black death thrash super old school, di quelli che ti prendono e catapultano indietro nel tempo di oltre 30 anni. La band di Portland, propone in questo 'Cunting Darkness', quattro nuove tracce che vanno ad arricchire una cospicua discografia fatta di EP, split, live e un solo full length. Rispetto al passato, mi sembra ci siano pochissime variazioni al tema: "Throttled by Demonic Force" parte tranquilla e malvagia, come se un demone si stesse impossessando dell'anima del suo ospite, in una sorta di cerimoniale satanico che esploderà in una convulsa porzione ritmica, tra acuminate linee di chitarra, vocals che vivono in bilico tra il growl e lo screaming, poi spazio a ottimi assoli che per certi versi mi hanno evocato anche un che dell'improvvisazione dei Nocturnus. Certo, scordatevi lo sci-fi della band floridiana, perchè a livello ritmico ci troviamo piuttosto di fronte a grandinate black death che andavano di moda a fine anni '80, primi '90 e quel coro "total war, total war" nella title track, non fanno altro che confermare l'obsolescenza della proposta dei nostri, tra caotiche parti ritmiche, assoli sghembi, voci infernali e ambientazioni da ultimo girone dantesco (basti ascoltare "Venerate Orgy for the Lord of Impurity" per avere una chiara idea della situazione). E la conclusiva "Cries of Possession", un delirante pezzo death che chiama in causa anche i Morbid Angel, i primissimi Sepultura e soci vari di quella prima ondata di band death metal, chiude in modo animalesco una release che farà certamente la gioia dei fans di vecchia data di questo genere di sonorità. (Francesco Scarci)

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2024)
Voto: 60

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/weregoat-cunting-darkness

Black Edifice - The Miasmic Trance

#PER CHI AMA: Epic Black Old School

Passati quasi in sordina sul finire del 2023, la one-man band norvegese dei Black Edifice, ha visto il suo debutto per la Iron Bonehead Productions. Un EP, questo 'The Miasmic Trance', atto a testimoniare la proposta di questo baldo musicista nordico, tal The Archfiend, membro peraltro di altre quattro sconosciutissime band. Il dischetto si compone di sei tracce, in realtà quattro se escludiamo intro e outro. I contenuti sono parecchio old fashioned, con quello sguardo al passato che punta dritto ai primi lavori dei Bathory, dove coesisteva un'anima putrescente black, ma dove si intravedevano pure le epiche potenzialità di Quorthon e compagni. E cosi, l'ascolto di "Creeping Mists of the Nethertomb" mi ha catapultato indietro nel tempo di oltre 30 anni, facendomi pensare a lavori come 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark' o 'Blood Fire Death' dei godz svedesi. Forti di una registrazione old school, e alfieri di un black mid-tempo dalle tinte cupe e sinistre, The Archfiend ogni tanto si lancia anche in scorribande più ferali (la prima metà della title track), offrendo un ascolto che mostra peculiarità intriganti; e dire che all'inizio non ci avrei scommesso nemmeno un euro. Ma è forte l'aura folklorica che avvolge l'EP, e le note iniziali di "Into Perennial Gloom" lo testimoniano, tra chitarre zanzarose, uno screaming mai fuori posto, delle pompose proto-orchestrazioni che conferiscono un certo valore a questa release che rischiava di cadere nel dimenticatoio più totale. Spazio infine addirittura a una parvenza di assolo nella seconda metà, a rendere il tutto ancora più credibile. Niente male. Certo, non un disco per tutti, viste le sonorità malefiche che permeano un lavoro che in alcuni tratti (le chitarre di "Citadel of the Doomsayer, Swathed in Dusk ") mi hanno evocato un che degli Isengard più epici di 'Vinterskugge', ma qui senza clean vocals. Quindi, amanti della fiamma nera fatevi sotto e date una chance al buon The Archfiend, potreste rimanere piacevolmente sorpresi. (Francesco Scarci)

(Iron Bonehead Records - 2023)
Voto: 70

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/black-edifice-the-miasmic-trance

Temple of the Beast - Geminian Arcana

#FOR FANS OF: Black/Death

Texas-based solo-project Temple of the Beast is a young entity created only two years ago by the quite active musician Alexander Macias, known as Blackthorn in this current project. All his projects have been closely related to the extreme metal scene, and Temple of the Beast is not an exception. It is quite remarkable that with only a demo and a single the project has captured the attention of a well-known label as Iron Bonehead Productions, which for sure made me feel curious about how good its music could be.

 

'Geminian Arcana' is the first effort by Temple of the Beast, which is an EP consisting of five songs. The style is unmistakably a combination of death and black elements, with a quite sinister sound. The production has a clear old-school touch, with a murky sound, particularly in the guitars. In any case, all the instruments are audible, which is always a good point. The vocals undoubtedly follow the classical patterns of the death metal genre. The sound is, truly cavernous and furious, which fits perfectly with the overall sound of this EP. Regarding the production, the compositions have a clear old school feeling, and they go quite straight to the bone. You won’t find here pompous structures or excessive technical stuff, but pure and uncompromised fury. The first track, "Temple I: Through the Trees", opens the EP with a sinister intro followed by the aforementioned combination of death/black metal. The pace is changing, with fast and relentless sections adequately combined with mid-tempo ones, where the riffing is particularly enjoying. The balance in the ups and downs shifts progressive towards an increasing speed until the fourth track, entitled "Temple IV: The Key & The Gate (Sitra Achra)", where speedy sections reign with almost no opposition. As a welcome contrast comes the closer track, where Temple of the Beast shows its calmer yet truly dark face. This is by far the slowest composition which ends in the same way as the EP begins, which an eerie ambience section.

 

'Geminian Arcana' is a solid beginning for Temple of the Beast. The compositions are well-accomplished and have an always enjoyable old-school touch. Apart from that, the project doesn’t offer anything particularly outstanding, and for this reason, I consider that Blackthorn should push a bit further the current boundaries of the project, if he wants to offer a truly worthy full-length debut. (Alain González Artola)

 

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2025)

Score: 70

 

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/temple-of-the-beast-geminian-arcana

Moon Incarnate - Hymns to the Moon

#FOR FANS OF: Death/Doom

The German trio Moon Incarnate, born in 2022, has recently released its debut, 'Hymn to the Moon', with the well-known label Iron Bonehead Productions. With just two years of existence, things have moved quite fast, which is not a big surprise considering how experienced are the musicians involved in this project. All the members have at least other two side-projects, a fact that clearly shows how active they are in the metal scene. This indicates that the musical vision behind Moon Incarnate was quite clear for them, which led them to rapidly focus their efforts on their first release, which is a pivotal moment for any project.

Moon Incarnate's sound is firmly rooted in the doom/metal subgenre, with a classical touch that I would mention. The influence of quintessential projects, especially from the mighty 90s, is clearly present and serves as a lighthouse for them. Their debut album, 'Hymns to the Moon,' also features old-school album artwork and consists of seven enjoyable pieces of pure doom with expected elements and enriching arrangements that are always welcome. The riffing plays a main role, as you can imagine, with a good dose of very competent riffs and appealing melodies. The vocals are harsh, but they don't exclude the use of clean ones, while the arrangements are used in a very good way and quantity. The guitar harmonies of the album opener "Hymn to the Moon" are a good taste of what to expect. This is pure doom with its slow pace accompanied by tasteful guitar riffing. Things become serious with the first track, "The Tempest." The somber riffing is complemented by deep and intimidating growls, while the pace is even slower compared to its predecessor. The atmospheric touch of this track gives an epic feeling and definitively enriches the composition. Some clean vocals are already included here, but just in the form of narrative voices. This is generally how these vocals are used, but we have a couple of good examples of a more relevant use, like for example in "Nemesis." The track has an interesting contrast between the mainly guitar-oriented structures and some atmospheric moments, where clean vocals are generously used, achieving an enjoyable combination. Furthermore, although this album's pace isn't particularly varied, a track like "Nemesis", offers a slightly faster rhythm with a good use of the double bass. The aforementioned atmospheric arrangements are used in moderate quantity, but they always work. It can be an introducing dark keynote, some vocal imitating synthesizers, or a similar resource, but they always give an extra point of richness and ambience to the composition. 'Hymns to the Moon' comes to its end with one of the best tracks, entitled "The Kraken". An album closer has the responsibility of ending the album on a high note, and this track achieves its duty. Here we can find another interesting use of clean vocals, in this case as the track opener. Once again, these soft vocals are used in a remarkably atmospheric section, which marks a great contrast to the following traditional/doom part, where growls and riffs command the song until its powerful finalization.

In conclusion, 'Hymns to the Moon' is a very solid first step in Moon Incarnate’s career. The listener will find here seven songs of trademark doom/death metal, appropriately enriched with different elements that give them their own personality. (Alain González Artola)

(Iron Bonehead Productions - 2024)
Score: 78

https://moonincarnate.bandcamp.com/album/hymns-to-the-moon