Michael
Loves Tolkien, black metal, and dungeon synth. Has been writing for Black Metal Zine since 2024.
Review: SRPNTS - Second Skin (2026)
SRPNTS - Second Skin (8/10). Occult Black Metal from Germany. Solve et coagula: destroy the old form. Catchy riffs, suffocating atmosphere.
Review: Imlad Morgul - Star of Glamdring (2026)
Imlad Morgul - Star of Glamdring (7.5/10) Tolkienian black metal from the United States.
Tolkien and Black Metal: (Part 7)
Tolkien and Black Metal, Part 7: No band ever reached for the Shire — until dungeon synth did. From Mortiis his trolls to Hole Dweller's hobbit.
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.