Sgàile is the artistic endeavour of Scottish multi-instrumentalist Tony Dunn, of which Avantgarde Music released the overlooked, yet greatly crafted debut Ideals & Morality in december 2021. Two years later, the talented Scot is back with his sophomore opus, Traverse The Bealach, which he describes as follows.

“When I started the Sgàile project in 2018, and through the writing and recording of Ideals & Morality, I wasn’t sure that anyone would take to the style, or even care. This time around I knew I had a small audience that enjoyed what I was doing so I felt free to create from pure instinct. 

With that freedom came focus and direction, which led me to create a concept album, a venture that I had never previously attempted. What this did was create a driven narrative that brought a maturity to the Sgàile sound.

Through the recording process, there was a feeling of refinement, taking the lessons I learned from Ideals & Morality and carefully honing them to improve the overall production. Working with Mike Lamb (Sojourner, Remina) for a second time really helped to pin down the sonic quality that I was looking for. 

The story of Traverse The Bealach is that of a nomadic traveller in post-apocalyptic Scotland, trying to figure out his fate and facing the elements while travelling north, battling inner demons along the way. Thematically, the inspiration came from the events of the pandemic, our ongoing battle with climate change, and my fascination with long distance trekking.”

Handnumbered Digibook. Limited to 333 copies worldwide
 

Known for his massive productivity over the last few decades, this goes to show the well isn’t empty quite yet.

Two new releases in the by now well known KÊRES vein; Finnish Black Metal straight to the point of a freshly sharpened knife. Effective in its primitivity, these albums is a pure questionable delight in their harshness. For those who know what to expect: you get what you expect.

Known for his massive productivity over the last few decades, this goes to show the well isn’t empty quite yet.

Two new releases in the by now well known KÊRES vein; Finnish Black Metal straight to the point of a freshly sharpened knife. Effective in its primitivity, these albums is a pure questionable delight in their harshness. For those who know what to expect: you get what you expect.

AETERNUS was formed by Ares in 1993 in Bergen, Norway, and pioneered the genre known as Dark Metal; combining Black Metal and Death Metal with elements of classical and folk music. The band creates its trademark sound by layering superlative guitar playing and haunting, melodic interludes. Its current line-up comprises guitarist/vocalist Ares, guitarist Gorm, bassist Eld and drummer Phobos (amongst whom are present and former members of Gorgoroth, Immortal (live) and Gaahls Wyrd).

Compilation of the songs from the Split CDs with Oprich (2005) and Velimor (2006).

In 2020, NÔIDVA arrived with the full-length Windseller. A then-brand-new entity, the Finns featured members of labelmates SACRIFICIUM CARMEN and RIIVAUS. Although detectably Finnish black metal in sound and style, NÔIDVA uniquely focused on Laplandish shamanism - and now they return to further flesh out that vision.

Tellingly titled Lappish Shatanism, NÔIDVA's second album bears many of the same traits as its predecessor: a mysticism both magickal and more so folkloric, and a melodicism that stirs the more courageous side of one's spirit rather than immediate and irrevocable bloodlust. However, despite featuring the same four-piece lineup, Lappish Shatanism heads toward rougher, daresay-rowdier territory - more earth and dirt rather than the atmospheric undercurrents of Windseller - with that rowdiness rendering their folk affectations all the more austere and severe. Still, NÔIDVA reveal themselves to be astute practitioners of tradition, poignantly imparting a favorably late '90s aspect in form and feel; whether one wants to qualify it as "pagan" black metal matters not when faced with such stellar quality. Leads prominent but parceled out, Lappish Shatanism is thus a work of undeniable passion - never belabored, but refreshing as it is reverential. The past is still alive across Lapland!

This edition of Ulver’s Vargnatt marks 30 years since the original release of this classic 1993 demo. 

CD edition with audio sourced from the original DAT. 

Contains the bonus track Vargnatt, captured live at Bootleg TV in Oslo, 1993, and sourced from the original U-matic, courtesy of the National Library of Norway.

2nd album by this italian Horror Death Metal band with an ultra dense & heavy sound, for lovers of MORTICIAN, ROTTREVORE, MYTHIC...

First official Cd release for this absolute masterpiece of Swedish Melodic Black Metal. “Härskare Över Stjärnorna Och Mina Drömmar”, the only work in Vinterkrig's discography, was recorded at Peter Tägtgren’s The Abyss Studio and mixed by Mikael Hedlund back in 1997. Catchy melodies and gloomy atmospheres carved in ice to keep alive the pure essence of the 90s. Featuring Martin Lopez on drums and Martin Mendenz on guitars (Opeth). Available in limited edition Digipak Cd of 300 copies hand-numbered.

With an inception going back 13 years in time, German entity Moribund Mantras has summoned a poignant blend of Doom, Black, and Post-Metal throughout two full-length records and three EPs, ever refined in its expressive touch and ardor. Now, following the colossal opus entitled “Golden Void”, the German quintet stares back into the abyss with five new mantras of roaring occult force, a fiery extended play aptly branded “…of Fathomless Depths”. Diving into deep spheres, one faces penetrating layers of sound, chilling mammoth riffs carrying the weight of the world, whether through vicious heaviness or heart-stirring bursts of melody. Moribund Mantras enter the soul of the listener as it surrenders its spirit. “…of Fathomless Depths” marks the first time the group recorded and mixed its songs by themselves and the intensity of the awareness to the detail fully enhances Moribund Mantras’ vision. Varied, tense, and highly expressive, these sonic endeavors are manifested through one particularly organic and utterly dynamic rhythmic section which, with the complicity of the riffing electrical storm, casts an aura of dreamy solemnity. On top of such instrumental traits, a voice from the nether regions screams the pressure of human existence, the man’s search for his destiny, guided by his dreams, in eternal pursuit for enlightenment.