Utopia Platafórmica

Lord Valtgryftake - “Buried Under the Carved Runes” (Inferna Profundus Records, 2022) I dare say this name is known to a large proportion of Black Metal fans, at least the ones that tackle with the rawer side of the genre. Besides being a known name, his work is also well known, which will not surprise anyone when I say this record is a very likeable example of a ferocious incarnation of Black Metal. Production wise, it is rotten enough to make me smile, and not too extreme to push me away. Does that make a difference? It might; some records are never supposed to sound good. It sounds odd, right? Maybe it does, but it is true. Take “Centuries of Glorious Wisdom”, and its guitar riffs, filled with melody, yet it still sounds unpleasant and dead.  You also have this Punk vein that runs transversal to all the tunes, except for the 2 interludes (“Opferblut I” and “Opferblut II”). Although it is not new, it is hard to obtain such a high level of quality in this "combo".  When

Opus Magorum - “Opus Magorum” (Inferna Profundus Records, 2022) This Greek duo, that has been around since 2001 - under this moniker - was totally unknown to me, and that is a shame. Normally Greek Black Metal has this characteristic sound to it. Nevertheless, not all bands sound the same, but you can sense that that band is Greek. One of the best things about Greek Black Metal is the fact that they still sound like the 90s. Well, maybe not the 90s exactly, but again… that thing to their sound. I could on and on about bands that crafted that sound, that helped push Greek Black Metal to where it is now, but if you are reading this, you are well versed on this amazing scene.  Fast forward to 2001, Opus Magorum is created, and only 3 years later a Demo is out. Now, a bigger fast forward to 2022 and we reach the band’s first Full-length, self-titled album. 5 songs and 1 intro, and that is all it takes to prove that no gimmicks are needed to craft the perfect soundtrack for Satan. Artis

Lunacy – Rainy Darken Feelings Another old one, this time Lunacy, a One-man project from Seattle. It is with great pleasure that I see that the genre is far from falling into oblivion and doldrums, and the last few years have been quite productive, all over the globe, in terms of Black Metal. How do you see all this "movement" around Black Metal?   Black Metal is certainly experiencing a bit of a renaissance worldwide. I think a large part of it has to do with the accessibility of consumer recording equipment. We like to think that the second wave bands were all DIY, but the truth is many of those classic albums were recorded in studios. Now that anyone can buy some microphones and an audio interface, anyone can record a demo.   Can Black Metal still be considered an Underground genre, or even those who try to "hide in the shadows" end up being part of the same reality?   I think it is still a pretty fringe genre, but thanks to the internet, these small pockets of

Abhor - “Sex Sex Sex (Ceremonia Daemonis Antichristi)” (Iron Bonehed Productions, 2022)   I have always considered Italian Black Metal to be a very faithful sound to the premises of a genre like this, to which most of the time a very characteristic melody was added, a bit like the Greek sound and that very particular sound texture. Bands like Mortuary Drape, while rougher than others, have some of that sound; Opera IX equal, and these Abhor even more. What draws me most to the sound of these Abhor is the detail of using the organ, making it an integral part of the sound. Close to what the Norwegians - essentially, perhaps - did with the keys (Emperor, Limbonic Art, etc.), the sound of the Italians also remains in the house of Black Metal, but with a more theatrical tune and worked in that sense. Death SS, which do not touch the spectrum of Black Metal, also remind me of this imaginary. It ends up being a little transversal to the Italian Black Metal of the 90s: Horror and the Occul