Darkest Corners - The Underground Vault
A collection of underground favorites
Songs marked in teal are obligatory favorites! Listen or forever drown in poserdom.
Reviews in purple are written by Rusty
4/26/2025
The most KVLT band in the underground and worthy of the first entry on this journey through endless caverns. Vortex of Nightmares compiles several years worth of mystique and chaos, but every one of their demos is worth a listen. If you like funky bass definitely check the first releases. I am in love with the aesthetics of this band and their sound is unmatched in regards to weirdness. Lucy Poems, mastermind behind the band, also has great Gothic Rock and Ambient material (check Vale of Pnath, which I've reviewed before).
Favorite Tracks: Burning Moon, Night of Black Judgement, On Come the Wolves
Genre: Gothic/Raw Black Metal
[Entry 2] Jade - Pacification of Death (2022, SPA)
More of a reach in terms of whether it's underground, but they're relatively underrated and I want to talk about them, especially now, because at the time of writing this I've found out that their sophomore album releases in a few weeks. I'm extremely excited for it, the cover art is incredible. As far as Pacification of Death goes, it's a modern take on Death Metal that doesn't completely suck like most. Usually if I hear "atmospheric" in front of anything modern I ignore it completely, but the cover art was too good to ignore this album, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. The songwriting is top-notch, with lots of leads reminiscent of Blut Aus Nord's Hallucinogen. Some things that stand out here are the production, which sounds heavy and full but not over-produced like a lot of modern Death Metal, and the clean vocals that often come in and howl, accentuating vocal inflections from the guttural vocals. There are so many catchy riffs on here, my favorites being the echoing leads on "Silk Ransoms" and the insanely powerful introduction to "The Saddest Night".
Favorite Tracks: Pacification of Death, Emanation of Decay, Silk Ransoms, The Saddest Night
Genre: Atmospheric Death Metal
[Entry 3] Dysanchely - Tears (1998, SVK)
I stumbled across this release 3 or 4 years ago, it's actually one of the first truly underground records I ever discovered, along with Crematory's Wrath From the Unknown and some others I'm probably forgetting. This was just a circumstantial case of sifting through random bands on the Metal Archives website. At the time of discovering it I was intrigued, but put off by the female vocals, and forgot about the album until a while later when I relistened and the first track blew me away. Even today, "Centuries of Inquisition" is one of the best Death Metal songs I've ever heard. The opening riffs give me chills every time, and the song concludes so beautifully. Make no mistake, the rest of the album follows it up very strongly. The female vocalists may require getting used to, but the composition is some of the most incredible you'll ever hear.
Favorite Tracks: Centuries of Inquisition, Eternal Sleep, Tears
Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal
[Entry 4] Helheim - Av Norron Aett (1997, NOR)
Many of Norwegian's Black Metal bands have reached legendary status from runs of a few or more albums; Darkthrone, Burzum, Gorgoroth, and Immortal for example. Darkthrone and Burzum I especially hold high as some of the greatest Black Metal bands there ever were, and I would easily put Helheim right up there with them for their late 90's run. I've heard up to their 2011 album, and they stay fairly consistent, but it's the first three albums and the EP that really knock it out of the park. My favorite is Av Norron Aett, specifically because of the third track, but a case for all three could be made. The third track is "Fra Ginnunga-gap Til Evig Tid", and it's one of my favorite Black Metal songs.
Favorite Tracks: Fra Ginnunga-gap Til Evig Tid, Apenbaringens Natt, Av Norron Aett
Genre: Black Metal
[Entry 5] Begushkin - King's Curse (2008, USA)
The first non-Metal entry! Here's an incredibly obscure fantastic album showcasing a very interesting style of Gothic/Alt-Country. I'm not very deep into Gothic Country as a whole yet, because most releases I've heard don't appeal to me anyway, but there are some standouts. This reminds me the most of Munly and the Lupercalians.
Favorite Tracks: Convict's Lament, Murderer, Joy Is Gone
Genre: Gothic Country, Psychedelic Folk
[Entry 6] Asgaroth - Trapped In the Depths of Eve... (1997, SPA)
Asgaroth are somewhat related to Jade through the guitarist, although very different in sound. Their 1996 EP The Quest For Eldenhor is the first release that stood out to me, but after hearing the full length I quickly became obsessed. The vocalist and even some of the progressions remind me of Summoning, but it's obvious their main influences extend back even further. Still, the synthwork is really unique, best describable as soft and airy - it gives you a floating feeling. Metal Archives labels this band as Black/Doom Metal, but I don't hear any Doom at all. The slowest sections are more comparable to Pagan Metal like Nokturnal Mortum's Weltanschauung.
Favorite Tracks: Victorious Men of Earth, The Dark Force, The Choirs of the Elemental Deities
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
[Entry 7] Halindir - The Nine Realms (2015, DEN)
When I first heard this release I was immediately taken back to days by the lake under a setting sun, it evokes such nostalgia in me. There's really nothing I've heard quite like it. It uses fantasy synths like those often found in Dungeon Synth, and they're implemented liberally around the guitar and flute melodies. There are drums and certain moments of crescendo, but they never venture into territory that breaks the calming atmosphere. I've slept to this album many times, and it's one of those that really absorbs me and puts me at ease no matter what.
Favorite Tracks: Asgardr, Vanaheimr, Jotunheimr
Genre: Folk Ambient
4/27/2025
[Entry 8] Morningstar - Heretic Metal (1996, FIN)
This is another band I discovered very early on, and is probably most of the reason I'm into Black Metal as much as I am now. For the longest time I had a Thrash Metal phase that I never broke out of until hearing adjacent bands like this. The start of the album has some interesting tracks that sound like a combination of Venom and the more Trad-influenced songs on Show No Mercy, but as the album goes on the franticness increases and merges into Black Metal territory, often in Pagan style. Their earlier works are harder to find but I like them just as well, especially As the Wolves Howl....
Favorite Tracks: Burning the Crucifix, War and Victory, Bloody Hammer
Genre: Black/Speed Metal
[Entry 9] Vicious Crusade - The Unbroken (1999, BLR)
This release is weird. It really shouldn't be as good as it is, but it is and it's very fun. None of the songs really seem to stick to a specific formula. It's really hard to pinpoint their sound, but they seem to take a lot of elements from the slower, chugging Trad/Thrash Metal like Metallica and Megadeth. The most standout thing is the operatic vocals which are done well here and sound pretty spectacular.
Favorite Tracks: The Unbroken, Land of Lakes, Theodore's Song
Genre: Pagan Metal
[Entry 10] Romuvos - Romuvan Dainas (2014, LTU)
Viking Metal; a pseudo-genre pioneered by the great Bathory through clever manipulation of Manowar songwriting. There's not a lot of true Viking Metal out there, which is why this release was a pleasant surprise to come across. I will say, when I heard this a few weeks ago, from the very first track I could have sworn I had heard this before, but I have no log of it if so. Maybe that chorus is so catchy that it triggered my Deja Vu.
Favorite Tracks: Under the Glaciers of the Baltijos, Beyond the Gates of Ouroboros, Poems for the Dead
Genre: Viking Metal/Folk
[Entry 11] Ulvhedin - Pagan Manifest (2004, NOR)
I can't remember how I found this album, but it's an obscure treasure. There are many traces of the original Norwegian scene throughout the album, but it takes on a much more Pagan sound. All throughout the album the riffing style reminds me a lot of Thy Serpent's, taking a lot of influence from Burzum, and they even implement various synths into the works.
Favorite Tracks: Element of Sorrow, Where the Spirits Gather, Echo of the Goddesses Voices
Genre: Black Metal
[Entry 12] Riitasointu - Pedon Leikki (2024, FIN)
A very recent album, released early last year and I was immediately blown away by it. I listened to this with a friend and the last three tracks sent us ascending to another realm. The tracks vary across the board, some being heavier and more menacing in sound, while some have a Punk kick and are more upbeat. This remains easily my favorite album of 2024 and one of my favorite modern Metal albums. The closing track is an instrumental based on a Finnish traditional poem, if I'm not mistaken, and it contains some of the best Metal composition I've ever heard. After a beautiful Folk interlude and an incredibly heavy introduction, the song's main riff plays through multiple variations, and what a riff it is. I could easily count "Impivaara" as one of my all time favorite Metal compositions.
Favorite Tracks: Uniemme Maa, Varjoissa Syvyyden, Impivaara
Genre: Pagan Metal/Folk
4/30/2025
[Entry 13] Infernal Regency - Thundering Words of Annihilation (2006, GER)
The last couple of days I haven't been listening to much on account of exams and such, but I remembered an oldie goldie that I could add here, and it fits perfectly for the thirteenth entry. Funnily enough I got way into this album from hearing it online first, and later acquired the CD for it by chance when I saw it on Drakkar (at least I think that's where I got it from). This album has a great atmosphere behind the amateur production, and each song has their share of catchy riffs, sort of in the style of Immortal. The drums are awesome too, especially the crashes that accentuate certain parts like whips. I've said this a lot throughout these entries, because I guess a lot of them happen to be from more obscure bands, but the album contains one of my favorite Black Metal songs; "Reprisal", the track that opens with a sample from the cult classic Rosemary's Baby. It has such a fantastic buildup, with a few riffs that remind me of Gontyna Kry's "Za Kraj, Za Krew", and the riff that comes in for the climactic end is to die for. The last track is an oddball from the rest of the album but its slower pace really makes for a neat closer after the behemoth that is "Reprisal".
Favorite Tracks: Redeemer of Souls, Reprisal, Thundering Words of Annihilation
Genre: Black Metal
[Entry 14] Athame - Conqueror (2017, HUN)
Here's another one I almost forgot. If the opening riff to the first track doesn't immediately lure you in then you've been misguided. A few years ago that riff was stuck in my head for months and I was practically killing myself to remember where it was from, and I'm glad I found it again. This release is cool, it takes melodies from stuff like French Black Metal and mixes it into a Death/Black Metal style. Besides the riffs being great, as is custom, the drummer goes ham on this album. The drummer is actually part of what looks like a more focused band called Ahriman which I haven't heard yet, but I will probably check out in the morning.
Favorite Tracks: Curse, Golden Age, The Stake Burns For You
Genre: Death/Black Metal
5/9/2025
[Entry 15] Sentient - Scarlet Afterglow (1997, NLD)
Over the past week I've found some new underground gems that I just haven't gotten around to writing about, but with today being the release of Jade's new album (which kicks ass, by the way) I got a spark of inspiration to write about some Death Metal. This album is an obscure demo and the sole release of Sentient. It's very Doom influenced and reminiscent of stuff like Morgion, Dysanchely, and Desire, even containing female vocals. For a demo, the production is pretty crisp, especially with the use of synthesizer and piano. Every instrument is clear and distinguishable from one another. I especially appreciate this release because at times it emits an atmosphere similar to old school Funeral Doom Metal releases. A lot of the synth work lays in respect to old school Death Metal as well, having some Phantasm-esque sequences much like Entombed have used before on Left Hand Path.
Favorite Tracks: Melting Beauty, Downtrodden Nehalennia, Infinity
Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal
[Entry 16] Elegy - Labyrinth of Dreams (1992, NLD)
Coincidentally another Netherlands band, however this one is completely unrelated to Sentient. This one is like early Queensrÿche meets Power Metal Helloween, and the vocalist is absolutely perfect for that combination. These were the right guys at the wrong time, now most of their stuff has seemed to slip under the radar, but the mark they did leave is incredible. Elegy's style is obviously rooted in the influences mentioned above, but it's not a direct derivation and many of the songs feel true to their own. The riffs have a lot of weight and never feel generic, even on the hard-rocker songs like "Over and Out", making it just an all-around fun listen and a must listen for early Queensrÿche nutz like me.
Favorite Tracks: The Grand Change, I'm No Fool, Trouble In Paradise
Genre: Progressive Heavy/Power Metal
[Entry 17] Morrigu - Forgotten Embrace (2003, CHE)
I originally was going to review Morrigu's demo The Flock of Crane, however I disliked the harsh Core vocals on it, although the instrumentation was good. I would rather review this album because I can say more positive things about it. The music has a slight Folk basis to it, and its very orchestral, setting it apart from the previous Death/Doom Metal releases mentioned. There's a plentiful amount of synthesizer, most of which follows the guitar melodies as a choir. The production sound is full and heavy, and the kick drums hit like a brick. On both this release and the demo, the clean male vocals are really standout and done amazingly. It's such a shame they went on to ditch the style in favor of the Core sound, but at least we have this hidden gem.
Favorite Tracks: Disgrace In Time, On the Way to Babylon, Morrigu
Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal
[Entry 18] Depraver - Necrocryptic Obliteration (2025, USA)
Time to review a new release! Necrocryptic Obliteration gives us a wild concoction of influences. Most of the album is comprised of old school Death Metal, but there are a number of other things going on. Namely, it delves into the territory of Technical Death Metal often, resulting in Demilich-style passages. We also hear some modern Black Metal elements akin to stuff like Spirit Possession, and this also checks out in the vocal performance. I personally hear a few Celtic Frost riffs in there too somewhere. The album is chaotic and unpredictable, and absolutely thrashes your face off. Overall this is a great example of modern extreme Metal that finds originality while respecting the classics and doesn't go over the top.
Favorite Tracks: Destruction as the Cause of Coming Into Being, Pro Patria Mori, Instinct of Self Preservation Reduced to Zero
Genre: Technical Death/Black Metal
[Entry 19] Death Of Folk - Neverending At His Neverending Journey (2002, HRV)
Diving back into obscurity, we have this spectacular demo and sole release by a band with a rather ironic name. This style of Pagan Metal is mainly driven by the Folk/Power Metal influenced leads, often accompanied by harmonizing leads and creating really catchy sequences. I'm not kidding, every song on this release is memorable from the first listen. There are so many unique and creative melodies, like the opening riff to "Riverdrowning of Perun", and they all build up with epic chord progressions to really beautiful climactic endings. The vocals here range from female cleans to male cleans to harshes, and they really just bring the whole thing together. The album closes with an exceptional Tiamat cover.
Favorite Tracks: Riverdrowning of Perun, Neverending At His Neverending Journey, Antichrist and Pagan
Genre: Pagan/Doom Metal
5/14/2025
[Entry 20] Drautran - Throne of the Depths (2007, GER)
This has been one of my favorites for a long time but I hadn't even thought of writing about it until today when the album came up in conversation. Throne of the Depths embodies the classic Germanic Black Metal sound, while implementing symphonic and folk elements giving it a thick and heavy atmosphere. The album is a complete riff barrage, from the opener that blasts straight into the spiraling chaotic track "Blot - Lohen der Opferung", to the last handful of tracks on the album that take up Summoning-style leads. There's a bit of everything here, and one of the reasons this album ranks so highly for me is because it retains its aggressive, face-melting power while simultaneously being beautiful and oftentimes inspiring in sound.
Favorite Tracks: Blot - Lohen der Opferung, Styrt ned i Maelstraumen, Dusk of the Fimbulwinter
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
5/15/2025
[Entry 21] Gauhaert - Ygwaet Gwyr Gwynn Novi (2005, NLD)
If the next few weeks spawn a bunch of underground Dutch bands, you can blame the Encyclopedia of Dutch Black Metal website for piquing my interest. Diving back into obscurity, we have a great album presenting both Celtic Folk-inspired Black Metal and medieval ambient akin to Daudi Baldrs. The production of the album is raw and the instrumentation is often sloppy, but it's not bad in the slightest and has a great charm to it. In a way similar to Cult of the Lizard God, the vocals echo from deep in the mix and have a ghostly vibe. That being said, vocals don't appear often on the album.
Favorite Tracks: Blaasbalg der Zwijnen, Bealach na' Marbh, Mae ym Bed Dy Yscwyt - Your Shield Is in the Grave
Genre: Pagan Black Metal/Ambient
5/29/2025
[Entry 22] Voyage - Embrace (1995, NLD)
A Metal album at heart, but most of its composition consists of Neoclassical Darkwave with underlying distortion guitar passages and hints of Progressive Electronic. A lot of the album takes on a medieval/folky tone much like Dungeon Synth. There is definitely a lot of Gothic/Doom Metal influence in the guitar work, but only a few tracks on the album actually contain Metal song structure. It's a case similar to Cedamus. The vocals range from harshes to male and female cleans, some spoken word, and they work very well in their respective parts. Calling the composition beautiful is an understatement. There are so many influences and ideas present throughout and every one of them contributes to a unique and gorgeous atmosphere, creating a soundtrack to an unwritten fantasy.
Favorite Tracks: Alisius' Fall, The Mirror, Frozen, Fauran Castle
Genre: Neoclassical Darkwave with Gothic Metal influences
6/29/2025
[Entry 23] Kraina Bez Wiatru / Perunwit - Lzy I Krew / Niechaj Przemowia Runy (1996, POL)
One of my favorite works of non-metal is a chance record by an unlikely band, or rather two bands, but Perunwit is the more interesting inclusion here because I don't regard any of their other works nearly as highly as this one. This is a split where both bands offer lo-fi, minimalistic compositions that are incredibly hypnotic and soothing. Perunwit's side are tracks that have obviously taken a bit of a beating through the tape recording, a bit distorted and out of tune (which may just be how the guitars are). I've stated before that I love cult tapes that have a wear to them, it adds to the authenticity and mysterious atmosphere of the projects, and this is no exception. The howling pagan wind, the dark/neofolk guitar riffs consisting of just a few chords, being played with the same feeling of something around a campfire on a woodland winter night, and the fuzzy synths that fade in and out as your senses find new magickal touches in the music with every listen. It's one of the absolute best and an instance of perfection in an unexpected release.
Favorite Tracks: Duch minionych epok, Wilczy zew, Niechaj przemowia runy, Rana
Genre: Dark Folk/Ambient
[Entry 24] Goblin - Suspiria (1977, ITA)
I wasn't a huge movie-goer as a pre-teen kid and I stuck to probably the same 10 select films as a result of my nitpicky nature, but lately I've been catching up on classic 70's and 80's horror, and Argento films are among some of my favorites for their unhinged plots, unique atmosphere and coloration, and especially the scores, most of which are done by the Progressive Rock band Goblin. Both Phenomena and Suspiria have incredible scores (Phenomena even includes some Metal hits in its soundtrack), but I'm focusing on Suspiria for this entry since it has more variation throughout as a whole. Also, on YouTube a while ago I found the "Progressive Rock version" of the soundtrack as an 8-track album, so I am counting this one more as an album release. Interestingly, the band implements some pretty gnarly harsh vocals on a few of the songs, which isn't to say it's full-on screams or belting; it's more like the gravelly whisper of a demon ghost or perhaps a witch. But it's very unorthodox for anything of it's time and is one of the earliest cases of legitimate harsh vocalizations in music that I'm aware of. Most of the tracks take on eerie progressions, of course, which is also cool because not a lot of Progressive Rock follows the horror synth suit. The main theme "Suspiria" is iconic, with its glockenspiel(?) melody and chanting, and it appears a gazillion times throughout the movie itself. There's also extensions of the tracks we hear during the maggot scene and dog scene, and honestly I think watching the movie before listening to the album gives a much better insight into the atmosphere and creepiness of the music. The album closes with "Death Valzer," a rendition of the piano piece we hear during the dance scene.
Favorite Tracks: Suspiria, Sighs, Black Forest
Genre: Progressive Rock/ Film Score
7/1/2025
[Entry 25] Klavitt, Klavitt... Skogen Evigt Eka - Urskogen (2024, SWE)
There should be umlauts over the a's in the name, but I can't be bothered to find special characters on this blog for it. Anyways, I was surprised to find out this album was so recent, as it emulates the old school Black-Metal-artist-turned-Ambient projects very well. The album opens with a short (7 minutes, but short relative to the whole 70 minute album) distortion guitar introduction, and after that tease we're left to the sounds of synth and nature (owls are a reoccurring theme in this album and I love it). The album bounces around between folk sections, medieval/neoclassical bits, Dungeon Synth, and pure ambient noise, giving us a bit of everything that surprisingly blends well and converges into one mighty journey through what I can best describe as a desolate bayou on a dark stormy night. I could imagine this album being really great for an old school video game soundtrack, or perhaps ambience for an RPG. It's hard to pick a favorite moment from the 70 minutes of ambience, but I do really like the samples used to give it that woodland/boggy feel.
Favorite Tracks: I Stammans Visdom, Vandra I Evig Skogsmystik, Den Fortrollande Evighetsmagin
Genre: Dungeon Synth/Neoclassical Darkwave/Ambient
7/29/2025
[Entry 26] Scald - Ancient Doom Metal (2024, RUS)
Well, another few weeks of busy summer and neglect for this blog page, but as it happens there have been some "unfortunate circumstances" that have caused me to lose 4000+ saved underground albums (they removed Musi from the App Store), so I did lose a bit of motivation to continue with anything underground. Until then, I'd like to review this pretty astounding release from last year that still makes my hairs stand on end when I listen to it. As far as the underground goes, Scald are a band who have stood out for their mysterious and magickal 1996 Epic Doom Metal release, Will of the Gods is Great Power, and much a surprise it was to me to see they reformed with a new vocalist (R.I.P. Agyl) and released a full length album nearly thirty years later. What an album it is. The biggest gripe I hear about this album is the production, that it's stale and overproduced and doesn't carry the same charm that the cult tape prod of Will of the Gods... has. As much as I love the cult tape sound, and I've said that before many times, the new album production is KILLER. It is perfect for carrying that gigantic punch that the riffs give, and rather than having a softer and more atmospheric approach like Will of the Gods..., we get a huge, totally in-your-face sound. This is an album meant to be blasted. Like I said, many tracks give me chills from the sheer power and epic progressions that convey the perfect imagery of being on a Viking ship riding through treacherous storms much like the artwork depicts. The title track is absolutely ascended when the chorus and post-chorus leads kick in with a perfect guitar tone, and "The Liberating Spells of Fire" has some of my favorite hooks and chants. Not a moment was wasted on this album and honestly I could talk forever about how much I love it, and I would not hesitate to say that, musically, it's as good as Will of the Gods... to me.
Favorite Tracks: Ancient Doom Metal, ALU (My Protection), The Liberating Spells of Fire
Genre: Epic Doom Metal
8/29/2025
[Entry 27] Actus - Egy Ut Az Ero Es A Rendszer Birodalmaba (1990, HUN)
First of all, I got Musi and all my music back. Second of all, Actus. I found these guys a while ago on a Darkwave kick and they're certainly some of the weirdest there is. It follows the same structure as The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud, with short and repetitive melodies usually following a medieval vibe. Lots of simple keyboard effects and instruments are used here, like viola, harp, cello and, oddly, saxophone. I guess you could say it gets jazzy at times, but there is still that classic industrial effort present as well. It's not as dark-sounding up front, but there certainly are dark undertones throughout the album, especially in the spoken word and chants and laughs that pop up from time to time. Something that Nurse With Wound also does very well. Experimental is the best word to describe it. I really have no idea what to compare this album to naturally, as its contents don't really seem to fit any certain theme except to be as weird and slightly unsettling as possible, and I think it just gets weirder as the album goes on. Perhaps a story is being told here, and even though I don't understand what is being said at all, the instrumentation is a story of its own.
Favorite Tracks: Kataklizma, Az Egyik Test Bomlasa, A Masik Test Szuletese, Alaszallas
Genre: Experimental Neoclassical Darkwave/Medieval Folk
[Entry 28] Viduus / Fellwinter - Viduus / Fellwinter (2021, USA)
Feeling like doing another entry tonight because I've been slacking lately. Fellwinter literally just released an album, I haven't heard it yet but it's always a gamble with that guy. Fellwinter is my favorite project of his, but my favorite release is the split with Viduus, and I absolutely adore the Viduus side. I know nothing about who Viduus is, where they came from, or how they got the split with Fellwinter (unless it's the same guy behind that, too), but the mysteriousness fits all so well with their style of music. The first half of the split is Viduus's half, and behind some gorgeous tape hiss they play entrancing ritualistic dark ambient, sounding like demons calling out from a storm in Carpathian woods. My type of ambient all the way through. Fellwinter picks it up for the second half, and thankfully they had what it took to perfectly transition the atmosphere. A quick acoustic intro goes straight into raw and furious Black Metal, played how it's meant to be played, and I honestly have no complaints about this era of Fellwinter. This collaboration was perfectly done.
Favorite Tracks: Desire Them Like Satan, Chamber of Cadaveric Shadows, The Grey Dawn
Genre: Dark Ambient/Black Metal
8/31/2025
[Entry 29] Asaradel - A Dance of Pure Triumph (1994, BRA)
The Bandcamp gods bestowed upon me something in the "almost Funeral Doom" category from the early 90's era of Doom Metal. We know between Thergothon, Mordor, Ysigim, Voj, etc that Funeral Doom Metal was shaping itself in many different parts of the world seemingly in succession, and I can now confidently add Asaradel to that list. Specifically their first demo, ...of Satanas is a landmark in Black/Doom Metal that is quite similar to Mordor in its hypnotic simplicity and evil nature. Later on the Funeral Doom Metal resemblance dims, but still occasionally shines through the composition in A Dance of Pure Triumph, which is probably my favorite release of theirs anyhow. It opens with an unlikely forest ambient track which we hear running water and birdsong, similar to what Celestiial would later do at a greater measure, before opening the Metal with some mystical leadwork. Asaradel is a beloved find for me because it's another band which has the kvlt "tape atmosphere" I love so much. It perfectly blends evil and darkness with strangeness and entrancement. As I said to my friend Empty Fragrance, obscurities like this with really worn down recordings and hypnotic acoustics and synth implemented over the distortion guitars is some of the best output in the Metal genre as a whole. Something CotLG, BlazeBirth Hall, Celestiial, Ysigim, and now Asaradel have proven to be masters at.
Favorite Tracks: Thelema Abbey, Poet of Grey Winter, Vae Solis
Genre: Black/Doom Metal
9/2/2025
[Entry 30] Unsilence - A Fire on the Sea (2014, UK)
A pretty good obscurity in Doom Metal, even if the progressions get a bit "gospel-y", for lack of a better term. But it fits with their style, as they make sure to implement enough classic riffing from similar preachy bands like Solstice or Warning. The vocals slightly remind me of Ashbury's vocalist (vocalists?). They're done very well. Not much more to say with this release but it is worth checking out for sure, not a flaw here.
Favorite Tracks: The Doorway, A Fire on the Sea, On Wild Fields
Genre: Doom Metal
9/5/2025
[Entry 31] Skon - At the End of a Journey (2011, SVK)
A short but sweet helping of middle-era Katatonia Gothic Death/Doom Metal, with a bit of Black Metal influence as well, blended really well with the atmospheric production to make the whole thing sound really dreamy. The third track is a cover of Katatonia's Cold Ways, and while I love that song, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like Skon's version better. It's actually significantly improved between the production and vocals (these vocals suit the song much better, and also provide vocal harmonies where the original does not). I thought I had written about this album before, but apparently not, so now is my chance to say listen to this kvlt masterpiece!
Favorite Tracks: Forever Lost, Cold Ways, At the End of a Journey
Genre: Gothic Blackened Death/Doom Metal
[Entry 32] Dornenreich - Her Von Welken Nachten (2001, AUT)
This album follows up another classic in Symphonic Black Metal, Bitter Ist's Dem Tod zu Dienen, and while both albums provide a wide range of influences and incredible symphonies, Her Von... is the one I want to talk about here as it's the most unique. They change their vocal style from the usual harshes and spoken word to a very whiney (almost sexual?), delicate, yet gravelly whisper. It somehow works and is unsettling enough to create a nice contrast in the atmosphere produced by the lively instrumentals. Both albums present a tad of folk, classical, and even jazz influence, however Her Von... really lays into the romantic atmospheres with a few sections of soft folk-y jazz. Another thing that the album does that I love are those harmonics, some of them are drawn out like what you'd hear on Bekhira's L'elu du Mal, and some of them just accent the end of riffs like on Nokturnal Mortum's Lunar Poetry demo. And I have to say... out of all of the gnarly riffs on this album, the main riff on "Schwarz Schaut Tiefster Lichterglanz" sticks out like no other. The main melody is super catchy, driven by a rhythm I can only think to describe as Thy Serpent on crack. Definitely a must-listen.
Favorite Tracks: Wer Hat Angst Vor Einsamkeit?, Schwarz Schaut Tiefster Lichterglanz, Trauerbrandung
Genre: Symphonic Folk/Black Metal
9/6/2025
[Entry 33] Druzhina - Kosmonoetika (2009, CHE/DEN)
Cosmic Folk/Black Metal, there's something very magical about it when done right. The other two Druzhina records sounded good, but I think the real gold is in this album, because it balances the folk elements with the cosmic ambience perfectly. Songs like Without Return set the vibe and build up nicely, while songs like Galloping Through Worlds give us brief glimpses through an astral storm of weirdness with an onslaught of disorienting riffage. And yes, it is Folk/Black Metal... there are flutes. If you can imagine flutes in space. But there's also piano and trumpet and choir and anything else you could imagine it having, so it's very impressive that it stays true to the space-like atmosphere.
Favorite Tracks: Without Return, Galloping Through Worlds, Threshold of Insomnia
Genre: Black Metal
9/17/2025
[Entry 34] Withered Beauty - Withered Beauty (1998, SWE)
A fantastic display of that classic Swedish Death Metal aggressiveness, with the occasional melodic Dissection riff shining through, keeping the Black Metal influences alive and well, as well as Gothic Metal influences from a couple of the members being in Isole. The first track Lies is the longest on the album but definitely the most iconic composition- the riffing is simply beautiful, and once the chorus part comes back in after the interlude you get chills. The last song on the album is an outlier, it's more of a traditional Gothic Doom Metal piece and sets a great atmosphere for the outro. Everything in between is straight up in-your-face, with no lulling moments.
Favorite Tracks: Lies, Veil of Nothing, Joust
Genre: Black/Death Metal
9/19/2025
[Entry 35] Theory In Practice - Third Eye Function (1997, SWE)
More Sveden..! One of these guys is the guitarist in Mekong Delta as well. I'm not even a huge fan of Technical Death Metal and haven't gotten that much into it, but this has to be one of the most captivating releases of the genre. Every song is a ripper of unpredictable riffing and progressive time signature without going deep into meaningless BS territory. As in, the songs actually have great structure, and despite being absolutely unhinged everything still falls into place. Of course, I'm not usually a fan of the low end "chugging in random intervals" style of Death Metal they do sometimes here, but that's pretty much a given in releases like this, and I think the more I listen to the album as a whole everything kind of aligns with the bigger picture and those kinds of riffs start to make sense. They're definitely not lost to filler. So many melodies and rhythms here are super catchy, akin to Nocturnus, with a generous portion of synthesizer and even acoustics to accompany them. This is a must for any Tech-Death fan.
Favorite Tracks: Submissive, Astral Eyes, Worlds Within Worlds (The Ethereal Withdrawal)
Genre: Technical Death Metal
3/6/2026
[Entry 36] Gernotshagen - Mare Aus Waldernen Hallen (2007, GER)
Long time no writing but I wanted to pick the blog up again, today I'm reviewing a really cool album I stumbled upon by this band called Gernotshagen. Their style might be best described as a cross between early Nokturnal Mortum and Norwegian Helheim, but their uniqueness comes from their leadwork which has a lot of really cool harmonizations and passages that sound more Finnish almost to me. The first song after the intro breaks into a section with some very enchanting flutes and leads, and cool pieces like this can be heard all throughout the album, giving it a pretty majestic feel. Especially in the track Widars Klagesturm where a recurring synth motif is heard that sounds incredible. All in all there are a wide variety of folk and synth influences to be heard in this album that make it a very worthwhile listen.
Favorite Tracks: Der alte Wald, Widars Klagesturm, Dragadhrond
Genre: Pagan/Symphonic Black Metal
3/18/2026
[Entry 37] Autumnia - By the Candles Obsequial (2006, UKR)
I found this tonight while looking for Funeral Doom bands, and while not entirely Funeral Doom, Autumnia packs a pretty big punch in both heaviness and atmosphere on this record. What particularly appeal to me are the occasional Suspiria-esque sections of proggy synth and wailing female vocals, as well as the My Dying Bride inspired clean vocals and passages with subtle clean guitar shadowing certain riffs. Else you can find very grand orchestrals, piano, and riffs typical of stuff like Officium Triste, Novembers Doom and other gothic bands, but even then Autumnia stand out with their songwriting and synth passages, of which every track offers something new & unique. The transitions from the harsh, droning sections with those powerful gutturals to the more melodic passages with cleans are done beautifully and a tasteful example of how to weave dark and heavenly atmospheres, all the while synth is maintaining the connection. My favorite track here is With Wailing and Lament, which starts as a ballad and picks up in progression, accumulating atmosphere as the song goes on. At 6 minutes it's a bit short for that kind of song but it still works perfectly, and I love songs like that. This release should be an easy classic for anybody who is into the style of late 90's Gothic Doom or even Funeral Doom heads like me.
Favorite Tracks: With Wailing and Lament, Bitterness of Loss, ...and the Life Dies Away...
Genre: Gothic Death/Doom Metal
4/4/2026
[Entry 38] Talvi - Completed Works '01-'22 (2023, FIN)
For some twenty years Talvi had been hidden only to reemerge in 2022 and sharing his early 2000's works with the world. This old school wintery dungeon synth is criminally underrated and could easily fit among the biggest names of the genre in the late 90's. The choice of synths and percussion reminiscent of Lunar Poetry gives a dark medieval, yet cold and frozen soundscape, a sound that Finland has known to do very well. Combined with the folky nature of the music gives a perfect atmosphere for winter trekking. Even when it is spring here right now I am still taken back to the snow-blanketed woods of my home, where the light of the sunset glistens through the canopy and patches of ice fall from the branches. Many songs presented in this compilation contain glowing synths that sound like the music of ice caves, a particular pleasure of mine, and it sounds very surreal and magical. Given the old school production, everything blends together perfectly in a sonically white dream, and tends to be very peaceful and relaxing. Talvi masterfully catches the beauty of winter and expels its magic in musical form.
Favorite Tracks: Kuurankajo pt. II, Kuurankajo pt. V, Lumiusva pt. V
Genre: Dungeon Synth/Winter Ambient
4/11/2026
[Entry 39] Fading Bliss - Journeys In Solitude (2018, BEL)
Early 2000's Doom Metal from Belgium is a goldmine, and here Fading Bliss continues that legacy with their sophomore full length album. With 36 minutes of original composition and a 10 minute long The Cure cover (which, honestly, could just as well pass as their own song at that point), the album hits every mark in originality and ascendancy. The album borders on Funeral Doom for a good portion, much slower sections presented here than in their previous works, which are also very good. They would seemingly go on to rectify this on a split with Dutch Funeral Doom legends FAAL. On this album in particular, not a riff goes wasted and each passage weaves perfectly with the others. The production is solid and heavy, full but not overdone, and the choice of synths and vocals really add a layer of mystic charm to the album. The vocals switch between typical guttural harshes and some not-so-typical female choirs which are so beautifully put into the mix where they add so much to the music. Especially in cases such as the choruses to Mountain and Ocean, which are very catchy and have had me singing them in my head ever since I first put the album on. They give the feeling of walking through golden halls in a dream, the angelic voices calling from the clouds above where a ceiling should be. This is easily one of my favorite finds this year and I eagerly await what Fading Bliss next releases.
Favorite Tracks: Desert, Mountain, Ocean
Genre: Gothic Death/Doom Metal
[Entry 40] Anthemon - Arcanes (2003, FRA)
I have meant to review this one for a while now, what a find. You can't resist when you see a cover art like that, one that you've never seen before but could easily fit in with the more well-known classics. And this album is a classic, easily, if just more hidden. Its sound is epic and grandiose, similar to Tristania or Tiamat with the heavy symphonic emphasis. It has a more traditional Doom vibe, but implements occasional harshes in intense moments. The main vocals are female vocals, once again proving to be absolutely beautiful and brilliant, I love them a lot. The riffs are just as great and interesting as the classics previously mentioned, and they add Katatonia-style leads to boot. Many passages in this album sound like a Funeral Doom record that was sped up, the energy is quite powerful.
Favorite Tracks: No Rest, No Peace, Another I, Parody of Man
Genre: Gothic Doom Metal
4/15/2026
[Entry 41] Lavra - Bluenothing (1995, FIN)
Not long after the introduction of Funeral Doom Metal, Lavra released Bluenothing, an album that is not entirely Funeral Doom itself but certainly has a lot of aspects from that area. It's a Gothic Doom Metal album at heart, with experimental hints and bits throughout, and you never really know what to expect as they integrate more and more unique instrumentation and effects. The guitar tone has a psychedelic feel, especially the leads, in a way I think is most comparable to Esoteric. The vocals are entirely male, ranging from whispers to monotonous moans, and mostly buried under the guitars such that they sound ghostly and cavernous. It's a super interesting album to sit through and the riffs really do speak for themselves.
Favorite Tracks: To Elide Something, Yesterday It Was Silent, From the Suction of Blue
Genre: Gothic Doom Metal
[Entry 42] MistGuide - Era (2013, FIN)
Don't let the Slipknot looking character fool you, this album is great. Early on MistGuide was doing some slightly Funeral Doom related stuff, with DSBM influences across the board, so this release is really interesting as the influences seem all over the place between Viking-era Bathory, Ambient, and Post-Rock. The first song after the intro comes right out of the gate with some Hammerheart riffing, and as the album goes on it merges into more somber and delicate chord progressions with beautiful passages of acoustics and ambience. The vocals are gnarly, contrasting that beauty very well, and it's very easy to drown in the production of it all. A great final album to a band that seems to have been forgotten.
Favorite Tracks: Behest, Pathways, Era Pt.2
Genre: Black/Doom Metal
[Entry 43] Pegasus - The Epic Quest (2006, GER)
When I first put on this album I was pretty impressed with the composition at first, but when the middle of the album hit, I was blown away. It's super high energy, triumphant, and kick-ass. There are tons of symphonic elements as well as proggy synths and even some techno(?) on The Challenge. Super catchy riffs all throughout, choruses worthy of singing over and over, great solos and melodic sections. Absolutely perfect and essential for power metal lovers. The old school production really sells it, the drum sound is super punchy and the guitars are thick. The synths and female vocals kind of linger in the back but still add so much to the insanity. The whole album is great, but like I said it's absolutely loaded towards the middle/end.
Favorite Tracks: Dragons of Hope, The Challenge, Dungeon Master
Genre: Symphonic Power Metal
4/30/2026
[Entry 44] Sharon Knight - Song of the Sea (2005, USA)
Well I missed the year anniversary of Darkest Corners to post something, but here is close enough. I've been listening to a lot of Sharon Knight today. Whenever I am in a folk mood I will always come back to this album and a lot of her other works. She is a criminally underrated artist, everything she has written is beautiful and her vocals are just absolutely heavenly. She has so many great, catchy hits and lots of cool atmospheric stuff as well. If you need some obscure Neofolk stuff, Sharon is worth your time I promise. Outside of the tracks listed below I recommend Fire in the Head and White Rose.
Favorite Tracks: Stars of the Sea, Phoenix From the Ashes, Siren Moon
Genre: Neofolk, Celtic Folk
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