Review by Brian on January 14, 2014.

US black metal has always got a bad rap. I don't know if that's because they don't come from the frigid land of Norway, or if they're not "trve" or "kvlt' enough, or maybe some other reason entirely that some purest has to educate me on. However, over the past few years I have paid special attention to USBM and have found some really special albums. Nachtmystium's Black Meddle series, Krallice's self-titled debut and Social Disservices from Panopticon have found there way into my steady rotation. Let's not forget about Inquisition who have gained quite a following over the last several years. USBM is doing just fine and in fact is producing some of the more memorable bands of the genre lately.

This brings me to Helgardh. Hailing from the Appalachian Mountain town of Bluefield, West Virgina, comes another solid US black metal band. Their debut album The Black Flame Descent, although not groundbreaking, displays some well crafted, well produced black metal. This is not "post" or "gaze", but rather traditional black metal in the vein of modern Gorgoroth and At the Heart of Winter era Immortal. Plenty of tremolo picking, semi-melodic riffs, smooth double bass drums, and the gutteral, grim vocal stylings of frontman Famine make The Black Flame Descent listenable and quite enjoyable.

The sound here is the signature black metal sound. No gimmicks, no fluff and no need to add any other descriptions to describe the music. In a time where bands shy away from being just black metal, Helgardh wears the label with pride. They also wear corpse paint, leather and spikes and make no apologies for it. There really isn't much filler here and is pretty solid throughout it's ten tracks. "Blessings from the Funeral Pyre" begins with a riff that could have been leftover from Sons of Northern Darknes and moves into a Gorgoroth-esc melody. The vocals move from tradiotnal higher shrieks to lower growls. Famine delivers a near flawless vocal performance on the album. "Abomination" is another stand out track, beginning with a classic Mayhem vibe, then moving to blistering fast riff and culminating perfect mix of Immortal and Gorgoroth. "Etheral Dawn" is the albums best track. The references that I made above hold true. The classic black metal melodies and drums that you just can't help but bob your head to. The vocals here are very reminiscent of Gaahl's finer moments on Incipit Satan.

If you like traditional black metal, with great production than this album is for you. The production here is so thick and full. Every instrument is placed perfectly in the mix. The vocals are not buried so far beneath the music that you can barely hear them nor are they out in front that they bury the music. The drums pop and thump sounding absolutely amazing. The guitar tone is so rich and crisp. This great production helps to bring out the musical ability of the band. These guys can play and do it with heart. These mountain men create some cold and devastating black metal and put another notch on the belt of the current USBM scene.

Categorical Rating Brakedown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 10
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 8.2 out of 10



To purchase: CD or Digital

Review by Brian on January 14, 2014.

US black metal has always got a bad rap. I don't know if that's because they don't come from the frigid land of Norway, or if they're not "trve" or "kvlt' enough, or maybe some other reason entirely that some purest has to educate me on. However, over the past few years I have paid special attention to USBM and have found some really special albums. Nachtmystium's Black Meddle series, Krallice's self-titled debut and Social Disservices from Panopticon have found there way into my steady rotation. Let's not forget about Inquisition who have gained quite a following over the last several years. USBM is doing just fine and in fact is producing some of the more memorable bands of the genre lately.

This brings me to Helgardh. Hailing from the Appalachian Mountain town of Bluefield, West Virgina, comes another solid US black metal band. Their debut album The Black Flame Descent, although not groundbreaking, displays some well crafted, well produced black metal. This is not "post" or "gaze", but rather traditional black metal in the vein of modern Gorgoroth and At the Heart of Winter era Immortal. Plenty of tremolo picking, semi-melodic riffs, smooth double bass drums, and the gutteral, grim vocal stylings of frontman Famine make The Black Flame Descent listenable and quite enjoyable.

The sound here is the signature black metal sound. No gimmicks, no fluff and no need to add any other descriptions to describe the music. In a time where bands shy away from being just black metal, Helgardh wears the label with pride. They also wear corpse paint, leather and spikes and make no apologies for it. There really isn't much filler here and is pretty solid throughout it's ten tracks. "Blessings from the Funeral Pyre" begins with a riff that could have been leftover from Sons of Northern Darknes and moves into a Gorgoroth-esc melody. The vocals move from tradiotnal higher shrieks to lower growls. Famine delivers a near flawless vocal performance on the album. "Abomination" is another stand out track, beginning with a classic Mayhem vibe, then moving to blistering fast riff and culminating perfect mix of Immortal and Gorgoroth. "Etheral Dawn" is the albums best track. The references that I made above hold true. The classic black metal melodies and drums that you just can't help but bob your head to. The vocals here are very reminiscent of Gaahl's finer moments on Incipit Satan.

If you like traditional black metal, with great production than this album is for you. The production here is so thick and full. Every instrument is placed perfectly in the mix. The vocals are not buried so far beneath the music that you can barely hear them nor are they out in front that they bury the music. The drums pop and thump sounding absolutely amazing. The guitar tone is so rich and crisp. This great production helps to bring out the musical ability of the band. These guys can play and do it with heart. These mountain men create some cold and devastating black metal and put another notch on the belt of the current USBM scene.

Categorical Rating Brakedown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 10
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 8.2 out of 10



To purchase: CD or Digital

Review by Brian on January 14, 2014.

US black metal has always got a bad rap. I don't know if that's because they don't come from the frigid land of Norway, or if they're not "trve" or "kvlt' enough, or maybe some other reason entirely that some purest has to educate me on. However, over the past few years I have paid special attention to USBM and have found some really special albums. Nachtmystium's Black Meddle series, Krallice's self-titled debut and Social Disservices from Panopticon have found there way into my steady rotation. Let's not forget about Inquisition who have gained quite a following over the last several years. USBM is doing just fine and in fact is producing some of the more memorable bands of the genre lately.

This brings me to Helgardh. Hailing from the Appalachian Mountain town of Bluefield, West Virgina, comes another solid US black metal band. Their debut album The Black Flame Descent, although not groundbreaking, displays some well crafted, well produced black metal. This is not "post" or "gaze", but rather traditional black metal in the vein of modern Gorgoroth and At the Heart of Winter era Immortal. Plenty of tremolo picking, semi-melodic riffs, smooth double bass drums, and the gutteral, grim vocal stylings of frontman Famine make The Black Flame Descent listenable and quite enjoyable.

The sound here is the signature black metal sound. No gimmicks, no fluff and no need to add any other descriptions to describe the music. In a time where bands shy away from being just black metal, Helgardh wears the label with pride. They also wear corpse paint, leather and spikes and make no apologies for it. There really isn't much filler here and is pretty solid throughout it's ten tracks. "Blessings from the Funeral Pyre" begins with a riff that could have been leftover from Sons of Northern Darknes and moves into a Gorgoroth-esc melody. The vocals move from tradiotnal higher shrieks to lower growls. Famine delivers a near flawless vocal performance on the album. "Abomination" is another stand out track, beginning with a classic Mayhem vibe, then moving to blistering fast riff and culminating perfect mix of Immortal and Gorgoroth. "Etheral Dawn" is the albums best track. The references that I made above hold true. The classic black metal melodies and drums that you just can't help but bob your head to. The vocals here are very reminiscent of Gaahl's finer moments on Incipit Satan.

If you like traditional black metal, with great production than this album is for you. The production here is so thick and full. Every instrument is placed perfectly in the mix. The vocals are not buried so far beneath the music that you can barely hear them nor are they out in front that they bury the music. The drums pop and thump sounding absolutely amazing. The guitar tone is so rich and crisp. This great production helps to bring out the musical ability of the band. These guys can play and do it with heart. These mountain men create some cold and devastating black metal and put another notch on the belt of the current USBM scene.

Categorical Rating Brakedown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 10
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 8.2 out of 10



To purchase: CD or Digital

Review by Jeger on June 11, 2025.

It appears the Finns have done it again… What a celebratory year it has been thus far for Finnish Black Metal. We've had the pleasure of taking in top shelf records like Sargeist's "Flame Within Flame", "Chapel of Bones" by Beleth's Trumpet and Warmoon Lord's third LP, "Sacrosanct Demonopathy". What Suomi brings to the battle is conventional yet formidable steel: steeped in tradition, unwavering in its purity and unparalleled in its character. Quite simply put, the Land of a Thousand Lakes honorably boasts the greatest school of Black Metal on Earth. No major record labels, no bullshit, only underground music that bears the torch for true Black Metal. From Impaled Nazarene to Horna to the aforementioned Warmoon Lord, a scene with rich a history and with unyielding principles.

Finland's Warmoon Lord, born unto the mark of war back in 2019, is a new entity on the scene, but the respect they've earned in just six years has been enough to catapult the duo to the top of the underground alongside projects such as Satanic Warmaster and Sargeist. And they've earned it by releasing records akin to their latest, the aforementioned "Sacrosanct Demonopathy", which was unveiled on May 25 via Werewolf Records. Striding along during "Invoking The Retribution Eidolon" as if upon a mighty steed racing its way towards the battlefield; the clash of iron upon iron ringing with an ominous sort of glory. Lightning tremolos set to razor sharp blast-beats that carry over into galloping cadences. Victory just outside your grasp but most assuredly redeemable. The apex of Black Metal craftsmanship being displayed and its only the second track.

This is not your typical crusty recorded-in-a-dungeon type of underground Black Metal. There's a velvety plushness to the record's production quality and each phase rips through it authoritatively; creating a delightful offset. Mixed to perfection, but most certainly not sanitized and epic is the way here: Heroically epic and triumphant but in a stoic way. Nothing pretentious or gaudy, only the sound of true Finnish Black Metal to arouse your senses and to tantalize the Devil inside. During the halfway point of the album, you'll imbibe a sweet lulling elixir of sound in the intro to "Uncreation's Dragon". Following this soft touch, the tempo picks up; building into aggressive sonic currents until you find yourself right back in fury's grip. Shades of classic Borgir liven the atmosphere into a resuscitated state: elegant keyboard elements drift into the hollow of the environment. Godlike vocalizations bear over you like Odin over some feeble village.

The most impressive cut on the record comes by way of the intricately riffed "His Enigmatic Ways". An ode to the Lightbringer? Could be, and He would undoubtedly find himself in awe, in tune with the offered energy and soaring through the crepuscular morning luminance. The dagger comes in the form of "Torche Of Magickal Arte". "Sacrosanct Demonopathy" ends in the same fashion as it began; in victorious instrumental fashion. A beautiful closer to a perfect recording. Doesn't get better than this! This is by far Warmoon Lord's crowning achievement, and that speaks volumes, as the two preceding albums are just stellar. A soon-to-be institution is WL. Behold as they enter into the mid of the annual with such austerity and with such class. Damn, Black Metal record of the year material! Most definitely the finest album I've reviewed all year. Kudos… Here's to Black Metal perfection! Here's to Warmoon Lord…

Rating: 10 out of 10