Astrofaes (UKR) – Dying Emotions Domain LP

Black Metal

Originally released as cassette by Mahamvantara Arts Records earlier this year, RÜNDGARD’s first public recording is one literally out of time. Mainman Lord Valtgryftåk is a prolific veteran of Chile’s increasingly potent black metal underground, concurrently handling the likes of Pyreficativm, 13th Temple, Gryftigæn, and Winterstorm among others. And while a number of those bands and satellite entities belonging to the Pure Raw Underground Black Metal Plague are indeed the rawest of the raw, with RÜNDGARD does he delve into ancient times, medieval majesty, and grim splendor somewhere between the earliest Nordic works and contemporaneous Polish ones.

Recorded during two periods over the course of MMXX/MMXXI and now featuring a mix & master by Rudrah Studios, Stronghold of Majestic Ruins suitably evokes its namesake both sonically and thematically. Empirically, the recording evokes the ancient passages and memories of a distant land submerged in mist and an interesting story behind ruins. As Lord Valtgryftåk explains, “Originally, this entity is directly related to those archaic dimensional Valdivian forces that still inhabit our realms, those forces from the past written in blood and guarded by solemn towers and fortresses that still remain alive.” And truly, that past comes alive across the album’s succinct-yet-expansive 25-minute runtime, maintaining a faithful respect for the old traditions and the sound of glorious times with an interesting melodic register at the same time very organic. No record-collector-nerd “raw black metal” here: only authentic ancient vintage!

For those nostalgic for forgotten realms and archaic ages, RÜNDGARD returns from a deep slumber with the fortifying Stronghold of Majestic Ruins!

Black Metal

By now, IRAE should require little introduction. Since the dawn of this cursed millennium, mainman Vulturius has prolifically pursued a singular vision of RAW BLACK METAL that includes four full-lengths and countless split releases with likeminded comrades. As such, IRAE have almost singlehandedly invigorated Portugal’s black metal scene, particularly the rawer iteration of it, and more recently find themselves aligned with the elite Black Circle, alongside MONS VENERIS, VETALA, Decrepitude, and Rainha Cólera. Fans since the beginning, SIGNAL REX are honored to be aligned with Vulturius for IRAE’s long-awaited fifth album.

Black Metal

Building upon that grand fortress is a four-song/22-minute mini-album likewise truly titled: The Oath of the Black Wolf. Here, ORGREL have gone a-hunting, their ’90s black metal classicism stalking and striking with a hunger only hinted at previously. Still, fueled by this fire they may be, the Italians across this mini manage to maximize their epic side, with the predecessor’s flat-yet-full soundfield now becoming slightly more chromatic in the process. Lead lines portend dark truths, ever building in tension and then grandeur, but the record’s swift-yet-satisfying runtime reveals the darkest, most intrinsic truth: black metal doesn’t need to “become” anything when it already IS. Hail The Oath of the Black Wolf!

Black Metal

RUTTOKOSMOS are one of the great “what if?”s of Finnish black metal. The band formed sometime in 2003 and released the five-song Ja minä näin kuoleman demo in 2006 and then the six-song Kärsimys demo a year later. Afterward, nothing was heard from RUTTOKOSMOS ever again. Only one member concurrently played in Divina Inferis, and the other two members either disappeared and played pseudonymously in other bands.

Black Metal

Emerging from the void of black devotion, Vampirska, The U.S.-based Raw Black Metal entity offers two of it’s most decrepit hymns yet. Walls of overwhelming chaos and depravity with the essence of mysterious and punishing raw black metal that emits an enchanting hypnoticism. The bombardment of devastation is met with another familiar entity of the grotesque and disgusting chambers; Wampyric Rites, the Ecuadorian spectre of the Black Metal Plague Circle. A two-part deliverance of malevolance and agony that call forth an intense massacre of total hatred and suffering. The conspiracy of these two entities brings four summonings to be unleashed onto the hordes.

Black Metal

Four songs of folk/pagan metal from Gelderland in the vein of Isengard, Storm, Grimm, Bergthron.

Limited to 250 handnumbered copies.