Greetings, Decibel readers!
It’s raining as I write this article. In fact, it’s basically been raining here all week, making the music in this week’s edition particularly fitting. A lot of the albums here will be very pleasing to listeners looking for heavy, dark, atmospheric metal of one kind or another. And there’s a new Candlemass release as well. It’s all one big vibe as the cool kids like to say.
Enjoy-
—
Candlemass – Black Star
I’m not sure there’s any band that better embodies the ideal of aging gracefully than Candlemass. Sweden’s doom-metal elder statesmen have returned once again to grace us with their presence, this time with two new tracks and two very fitting covers. It takes a certain level of legitimacy to cover Black Sabbath, but Candlemass has the strongest claim of anyone around.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Escarnium – Inexorable Entropy
Dark, cavernous death metal from Brazil. Being that this is the band’s fourth album and I’d never heard of them before, Escarnium must be one of death metal’s best-kept secrets at the moment. If you like your death metal with an ominous, almost orchestral energy (like I do), then you need to get up-to-speed on this band.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Jade – Mysteries of a Flowery Dream
Oh, and you’d probably really like this too, then. Jade has an interesting take on atmospheric blackened death metal in how they incorporate clean vocals. It’s a deeply thought-provoking and expansive sound that feels like a nightmare, but one that makes the dreamer reflect: “Well, this is really scary, but also fascinating!” And then you scream.
—
Mütterlein – Amidst the Flames, May Our Organs Resound
And now for something completely different. Well, not in mood or feeling, but definitely in approach. Black metal thrown into the electronic abyss.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Skaphos – Cult of Uzura
This is the only type of metal I want to hear that involves sea monsters. Skaphos has a firm grasp of song composition that gives the music a powerful impact while providing the listener with rich layers of drama and catastrophe. Did I mention sea monsters?
Stream: Apple Music
