108th part of the short reviews.
ULVEHUNGER – Retaliation
Year: 2024
Label: Darkness Shall Rise Productions
Rating: 6,6 / 10
The magnificent German label Darkness Shall Rise, having risen on fantastically high-quality cassette reissues of various classics, last year decided to expand its activities and become a full-fledged publishing house. To be honest, so far, DSR's own signings are not particularly inspiring. For example, ULVEHUNGER: a band made up of veterans of the Norwegian scene (members of CADAVER and DISGUSTING), where Frost from SATYRICON himself plays the drums. On paper, it is powerful (to quote a bullshit (as always) press release, “in the tradition of CARPATHIAN FOREST, DARKTHRONE or GORGOROTH”), but in reality, it is not. "Retaliation" is most reminiscent of SATYRICON in its most boring and crappy iteration, that is, in 2000s. I guess it's more sincerely metallic, but the feeling is about the same. High-quality arrogant boredom.
WARMOON LORD / VULTYRIUM – Pure Cold Impurity
Year: 2020
Label: Werewolf Records
Rating: 7,9 / 10
A split of two Finnish bands with a very similar approach to Black Metal: grandiose, symphonic, pretentious, with a bias towards fantasy aesthetics. I remember that I found the WARMOON LORD album ”Battlespells" oversaturated, but on split everything turned out as it should: also intense, but not too much. When compared with comrades in style, WARMOON LORD sounds closer to VARGRAV, and VULTYRIUM to a mixture of old and modern SATANIC WARMASTER. Very good.
BLOODY APOSTLES – Bloody Apostles
Year: 2023
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Rating: essentially expendable
The band BLOODY APOSTLES was founded back in 1989 with a noble goal: to record a joint release with GG ALLIN. In the end, nothing worked out, and the band fell apart, but in the 2020s it was reborn again. For us, it is interesting because of the participation of Paul Ledney (PROFANATICA, HAVOHEJ) - he plays drums here. In form, this is hardcore punk, to which I am completely indifferent, but the release lasts 9 and a half minutes, so it's not getting boring and gives a certain dose of fun.
DEMONIO – Reaching for the Light
Year: 2023
Label: Helter Skelter Productions
Rating: heavy dose
I'm not sure how this release got into my digital promo folder - ost likely thanks to the boobs on the cover. For me, this is the only thing that is interesting about "Reaching for the Light". The classic Stoner Doom is so far from my area of interests that I can barely see it without a telescope. I give it my due, the album is outstanding in terms of sound. It works in very curious ways. As for the rest, it's pretty rocky and bright doom, almost devoid of any "infernality". Listenable stuff.
FLAGELADÖR – Culto aos Decibéis
Year: 2024
Label: Helldprod Records
Rating: 7,4 / 10
The previous FLAGELADÖR album may not have been the most outstanding, but it was an ancient metal, good for your soul and ear. On the new record, the band changed a bit, becoming louder and angrier. Because of this, it sometimes resembles MIDNIGHT, but, fortunately, such moments are always short. Otherwise, FLAGELADÖR is still drawn to classic Heavy Metal, which this time is manifested not only through guitar solos, but also through vocal parts. Armando Exekutor shouts less and sings more, sometimes even in falsetto. Again, like its predecessor, “Culto aos Decibéis” is far from the strongest album in the world, but it is pleasant and interesting to listen to it.
English (UK) 
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