metalcatto

Lightless – A Foreseen Loss

Pegah

“Yes, the day the world ended and nobody was innocent again. God, how swiftly it all fell down!” ― Arthur Miller, After the Fall.

Austere – The Stillness of Dissolution

Metalcatto

I was there when Austere released To Lay Like Old Ashes. It was my first experience with Atmospheric Black Metal. And though it wasn’t a perfect album, I recall it to this day. Long after, I’m here, ready to review The Stillness of Dissolution, ready to appreciate how much the band—and I—have changed in these almost twenty years. Austere has already taken radical steps in its style, but will this continue, or will we see a return to its origins? Stay put for your favorite flavor of depression.

Lenax – Infection

Metalcatto

Don’t you ever feel like you want to get involved in something gross yet compelling? (And no, don’t say what your dirty mind is thinking!) Well, Lenax is a Black Metal band that, despite its underground nature, is trying to remind us of Watain’s good old days. I know that can raise passions, but I consider myself a fan, and nothing would be nicer than returning to that kind of old-school vibe. Infection has a straightforward name and proposal, so at least we’re not getting scammed this time. You’d be surprised how many times that happens with promos. Let’s go!

Impureza – Alcázares

Metalcatto

It’s hard to keep a gimmick going for long, but if there’s one band that’s taken it to the next level, it’s Impureza. The French-Spanish band sings in Spanish about the fall of the Aztec Empire on La Caída de Tonatiuh (this has to be the musical equivalent of an Asian fusion restaurant). This time, though, it’s leaning even harder into its flamenco roots, and with Alcázares, the project seems determined to win over those who found Tonatiuh a bit too weird. But hey, this is Death Metal—how strange can it really get?

Rivers Of Nihil – Rivers Of Nihil

Stargazer Scholar

Believe it or not, I became a Rivers Of Nihil fan before Owls. Yes, yours truly is a Monarchy convert. The American Extreme Progressive Metal act started out in the atmospheric Tech-Death realm, yet the subsequent inclusion of saxophones and clean vocals made their third album, Where Owls Know My Name, blow up. And well-deserved. But my own relationship with the band began a few years prior, when I was taken aback by the sultry density of the sophomore. The musicians themselves may have gone on record lamenting the underwhelming reception of their second opus, but its importance for the band’s discovery of its own identity is hard to overlook. The Owls I have already referred to, and 2021’s The Work brought along further exploration, as the Rivers flowed into even more experimental waters. I hope you’re feeling as hyped for the 2025 self-titled album as me then, as you never really know what to expect with this talented bunch. Where to now? Was the band able to get over the departure of the lead vocalist? Will we get our sax again? Ah, so many questions.

True kvlt: Putrescent, Metal Charm, & Antiquus Scriptum

Metalcatto

It’s time again! Your submissions are starting to pile up, and I should take a look before my patience runs out and I click “delete all” in my inbox—but for now, one can only dream. Believe it or not, there’s no Black Metal this week. People are actually coming up with other things to show me. Anyway, let’s get to it!

Masseti – Odds and Ends

Metalcatto

As you know, nostalgia is part of the Metal life, but it’s usually more prevalent in Black and Death Metal. Power Metal doesn’t count because nothing has changed in 30 years. Masseti‘s Odds and Ends is offering retro-Prog Metal, and though the idea hits me right in the feels, since I used to be a huge fan of the style, I’m also concerned about how much of an ordeal it is to set up such a solo project. There’s an enormous risk of ending up in a cornfest, but we must have faith, right?

Releases that almost fell through the cracks

Metalcatto

Lately, I’ve felt in control of the mess release dates can become. However, great albums from the underground still escape my grasp here and there. In an attempt to do justice to bands that we were either too late or too busy to explore deeply, we’re back with this section where we try to make this unjust world a little fairer in our own low-budget way. Let’s check out this unique bunch, ok?

Pythia – V PT.1: Unhallowed

Vicky

If you are confused about the title, it is perfectly fine—I was too. A quick search for Pythia on Encyclopaedia Metallum revealed that Unhallowed is the band’s fifth album. However, it has decided to divide it into two (or perhaps more, it’s confusing!) parts. Before I share more about the album, I would like to clarify the actual definition of “unhallowed”: it means “unholy, not formally consecrated, wicked.”Now that you’ve been educated, let’s start!

Aexylium – Myth of Mankind

Vicky

Folk Metal is a genre that most people consider to be limited strictly to Eluveitie, Korpiklaani, Arkona, Feuerschwanz, and a few other titans. But that’s not really the case. There are also numerous underground groups that certainly deserve your attention. One of them is the Italian Folk Metal act Aexylium. And it’s not trying to mimic any of the praised bands I have mentioned earlier, but it walks on its own path. So far, this means combining traditional Folk Metal instruments with enchanting symphonies and feeling – one that you have probably encountered before in Power Metal. At times, they even incorporate Technical Death Metal elements into their work (especially on the track “In Sorrow”). You may also find things specific to Brutal Death Metal on the title track.