Michael
Loves Tolkien, black metal, and dungeon synth. Has been writing for Black Metal Zine since 2024.
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 6)
Tolkien and Black Metal, Part 6: Black metal wanted Sauron's vocabulary, not Bilbo's. On irony, Satanism and corruption. Read more in Part 7
Review: Warmoon Lord - Deófol-Cræft EP (2026)
Warmoon Lord - Deófol-Cræft EP (8/10). Black Metal from Finland. Vrajitor strips the grandeur for something darker, dirtier and more immediate.
Interview: Witcher
Interview with WitcheR on atmospheric BM, classical adaptations, Schubert covers, and the three-year making of Öröklét. Read more!
Review: Wizards Alter - Delusions in Fire (2026)
Wizards Alter - Delusions in Fire (6/10). US solo raw BM with real riffs and tight writing, undercut by a distractingly thin mix. Read more!
Review: Ghül - Shadow of Grief (2026)
Ghül - Shadow of Grief (8/10). UK one-man raw BM channeling Tolkien's darkest tale, The Children of Húrin, with Burzum-esque grimness. Read more!
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 5)
Tolkien and Black Metal Part 5 explores Tolkien-themed BM beyond Summoning, from naming conventions to deeper Silmarillion lore. Read more!
Review: Noir Sire - Upon the Svlfvr Path (2026)
Noir Sire - Upon the Svlfvr Path (7/10). French one-man melodic black metal with second-wave worship and early Dissection vibes. Read more!
The Infernal Records: Short Reviews (Volume 1)
Infernal Records: Short Reviews. Verikaste, Peste Negra, Svorght, Paradogmata, and Tabernakel — five underground gems in short form. Read more!
Review: Gravplåga - Veneration of Chaos (2026)
Gravplåga - Veneration of Chaos (7.5/10). Swedish solo project kneeling before the second wave with cold, raw, unhurried conviction. Read more!
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 4)
Tolkien and Black Metal Part 4: Summoning's golden age, from Stronghold to With Doom We Come, and the bands they inspired. Read more!
Interview: Abghül (Ghül/Imladris)
Interview with Abghül (Ghül/Imladris) on Tolkien's legendarium, Summoning worship, and the UK black metal scene. Read more...
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 3)
Tolkien and Black Metal (Part 3) examines how Summoning became the single most important Tolkien-themed black metal entity.
Interview: Niveous
Interview with Niveous from the United States on debut Cult of the Void Star, crafting cosmic sci-fi lore, USBM, and second-wave black metal influences.
Review: Hulder - Verbolgen (2026)
Hulder - Verbolgen (8.5/10) Atmospheric Black Metal from the US. A wrathful, medieval-infused third album blending tremolo fury with old-world dread.
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 2)
Tolkien and Black Metal (Part 2) examines how 90s second-wave Norwegian bands like Burzum, Gorgoroth, and Isengard mined Middle-earth lore.
Tolkien and Black Metal: A History (Part 1)
Tolkien and Black Metal: A History (Part 1) explores the origins and deep links between Middle-earth's darkness and black metal's worldview.
Review: Pusta Noc - Funus Vampyri (2026)
Pusta Noc – Funus Vampyri (7.5/10) Atmospheric Black Metal from Poland. A bleak, mid-tempo offering steeped in Slavic folklore and dread.
10 Atmospheric Black Metal Albums you need to hear.
Explore 10 essential atmospheric black metal albums you need to hear, featuring classics from Burzum, Summoning, Agalloch, Drudkh, and more.
Review: Grabunhold - Frostheim (2026)
Grabunhold - Frostheim (9/0) Tolkienian Black Metal from Germany. With Frostheim, Grabunhold solidifies their status alongside One of Nine at the absolute vanguard of modern Tolkienian black metal. A freezing, brilliantly paced descent into the tragic ruins of Angmar. Read more!
Review: Imladris - Kings of Forgotten Lore (2026)
Imladris - Kings of Forgotten Lore (9.5/10) Atmospheric Black Metal from the United Kingdom. Imladris sees Abghul (Ghül) step away from the blast-driven rawness of Ghül, into the cinematic, synth-driven world of the likes of Summoning. Read more!