From the majestic scenery of Northern Arizona has arisen a black metal artist who immediately captured my attention upon first listen – Majesty. Musically, majestic is one word that could be used to describe it, lending itself to an atmospheric and melodic approach to the genre.

Lammoth is a fantastic new black metal artist with thematic elements surrounding Tolkienism, particularly hobbits. With their first EP titled ‘Tales of Treachery’ set to be released on July the 12th, this is the beginning of a black metal act that I’m really excited about.

Out from the ashes and memories of the dark, conflicted history of the land arose Fellwarden (founded by the vocalist of Fen), a black metal project that embodies everything we love about fantasy and legend.

Hesychast, a black metal band based in the U.S., has been lost in silence the past 8 years after their sole album was released titled ‘Ageless’. Blacforje was able to catch up with the band to ask about their hiatus and what lies ahead.

From New Jersey to the Netherlands and back, Dawnbreaker is a black metal act that has been incredibly consistent. With ‘Banisher of Unlight’, their 6th album releasing on May 17th of this year, it will make 6 albums in 6 years. Brilliant.

After an 8-year hiatus, Slechtvalk is back! We had the honor of interviewing Shamgar of Slechtvalk, where we dove into the band’s 8-year break, what’s on the horizon, and who the guys are outside of music.

Sometimes, a band will come along that you have a hard time describing, both melodically and rhythmically. Blatant/Unashamed, an artist out of North Carolina, is such an artist who embodies so many different elements.

The first album from Oscillation of Void titled ‘In Night’s Embrace, The Woods We Shun’ is a masterful instrumental work. The album emphasizes storytelling while leaving lyrical content absent from the sonic picture being painted.

Epic black metal with mystery, fantasy, and heroism befits the French artist Belore, a black metal act that embodies those characteristics in a way that surpasses most striving for such recognition.

The Pacific Northwest is one of the most beautiful parts of the U.S., filled with mountains and forests that embody a magic unto themselves. It’s a fitting setting for an atmospheric black metal band that is centered around the natural world.

What do black metal, Finland, weightlifting, and prose have in common? Well, the mind behind Apodictia is one such common denominator. The Finnish artist is quite an enigmatic character, as you will see here.

I heard Rutile’s first release titled Virtuous Season shortly after its release. Despite the black metal influences, there is quite a bit of post-black/blackgaze mixed in to the three-song EP, slowing the pace with a serenity and beauty.

Have you ever listened to a black metal band and thought, “This would be so much better without the vocals?” Well, Podvizhnik has provided such a beautiful outlet for metalheads who sometimes want music sans vox.

Following their Summer 2023 release Synaxis of the Frostbitten, Troparion has received attention for their ability to make brutal and uplifting black metal that is balm for a weary soul. Black metal is evolving. We’re here for it and so is Troparion.

It’s really hard to label Eternal Gaze in a one-dimensional sense. There are so many different stylistic approaches in this album that you simply have to stop guessing and just enjoy the experience.

Trébuchet SDG is quite possibly the best black metal artist to arrive in 2023. Bold a statement as it may be, it very well may be true. The music is well-crafted, beautiful, and quite harsh all in unison. That is simply black metal done right.

It seems as if there is an influx of newcomers to the underground black metal scene, specifically when it comes to quality artists. One such artist is Kärv out of Sweden, a raw black metal outfit that has hit the ground running at a rabid pace.

You say black metal, I say blackened death metal. Regardless of what side of the subgenre aisle you find yourself after listening to A Hill To Die Upon, anyone with ears to hear cannot deny the musical genius that the band embodies.

Black Birch out of Sweden is a project that came onto the scene in January of this year. Their brand of post-black metal blends elements of both heartbreak and hopefulness in a distinct and mysterious way.

Arguably one of the most compelling atmospheric black metal acts around is Vials of Wrath, an artist who captures themes about nature, faith, and eternity within the confines of melodic metal.