Review by Fernando on September 8, 2025.

I’ve been listening to extreme metal for a whole decade by now, and the older I get, the more I start to appreciate genuine and sincere expression over “originality”. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate unique bands or sounds, but the funny thing about metal is that while there’s definitely a glut of copyists with nothing to say, there are also those select few who still carry the torch of extreme metal and deliver quality metal that highlights the best aspects of the underground as a whole.

And so, Pestilential Shadows are one of the hardest working and most prolific Australian black metal bands going today, with an extensive back catalogue of virtually no real misses, all the while maintaining an unwavering underground spirit that’s perfectly heard on record with each of their albums. And in 2025, just over a year from their last record, they brought Wretch, their 8th LP, through Northern Silence Productions.

As stated, Pestilential Shadows are a very hardworking and prolific band, and for the last 20 years they’ve carved their own path and niche in black metal, while maintaining a defined yet ever-changing sound that combines sombre atmospherics with relentless aggression. While the band’s first LP featured a very raw and necrotic production sound, all their following LP’s saw a boost in sound quality that, in my opinion, has reached a perfect transition with this newest LP. Wretch is not just the band’s most polished and professionally sounding record, it is also their most fully realized and distilled record yet.

Continuing the sound they’ve developed since 2021’s Revenant, the band’s mix of atmosphere and aggression has reached a new height, and the current lineup of founder, vocalist, and frequent guitar and bass player Balam, alongside long-time drummer Basilysk, and newest guitarist Drekavac and bassist Lithuz truly ushered the band’s newest evolution. While some bands tend to have some diminishing returns when they feature an ever-shifting lineup, Balam’s leadership and great eye when recruiting compatriots have successfully kept the band vitalized, and each record plays to the strengths of each member.

The most interesting aspect of this record is how the band incorporates elements that aren’t from black metal. While I wouldn’t call this record prog in any way, it does feature moments where the compositions are more complex and technical with dynamic drum rhythms and more mid-paced sections, occasional synth flourishes, and harmonic interplay between the strings, and especially the soloing featured here has that classic metal melodicism that, when done right, truly elevates black metal. Furthermore, the band has truly mastered their atmospheric leanings, perfectly incorporating them into their music and even enhancing their more hard-hitting moments like the aforementioned solos.

The production is also worth highlighting, as mentioned before, the band has had a progressively upward increase in their production quality, and for the better. The sound of Wretch is intense and engrossing, every instrument has space, and in unison the band sounds powerful, and every section is enhanced for greater impact, particularly their aggressive and atmospheric parts.

Overall, Pestilential Shadows continue their streak of excellent modern black metal, and they accomplish this by not only enhancing and improving their production but also their songwriting as well, as they successfully pull off making engaging and well-thought-out songs that are elaborate and impactful without overstaying their welcome.

Rating: 9 out of 10