#summoning

2026-02-10

I have been using this method of changing the duvet cover for several years now and have been trying to figure it out.

Finally, today, I succeeded:

1. Place duvet on top of the duvet cover
2. Roll into burrito
3. Stuff corners into the duvet opening
4. This summons from the depths of hell four¹ tenured professors of mathematics who have sold their souls to specialise in topology
5. They do their thing
6. Profit

youtu.be/ErmYJFuRwEo


¹ one for each corner, obviously

#LifeHack #Summoning

C. L. Nicholsclnichols
2026-01-17

storyangles.com/post/conjurati

Conjuration means “Swearing an oath or making a solemn appeal.” In the paranormal, it’s about making a connection with the supernatural world.

2025-12-19
Suotana – Ounas II [Things You Might Have Missed 2025] By Baguette of Bodom

Remember the Finnish melodic death and power metal fusion of the late ’90s and early ’00s? Bands like Children of Bodom,1 Kalmah, and Norther were all the rage for a short while. You even had stuff like Ensiferum for a folkier interpretation, or Catamenia2 for the blackened side of things. The truth is that it never really left.3 Suotana is one of the bands keeping this sound alive and well, and they have more history than one might think. They spawned in the mid-2000s but took until 2014 to start putting out material. Now, over a decade later, they’re on their fourth full-length, and Ounas II continues right where predecessor Ounas I left off two years ago. Judging them back-to-back, it seems the collective is only growing in strength.

Ounas II is chock full of great songwriting. Melodic death metal, power metal, and even bits of black metal collide in this crazy Finnish kitchen, with Children of Bodom remaining the clear number one influence. Founding members Ville Rautio and Pasi Portaankorva utilize the dual guitar attack in classic ’80s ways (“Winter Visions,” “Twilight Stream”), while Stratovarius sensibilities color their frantic touches of melodic power—both always positives in my book. The harsh vocals of Tuomo Marttinen are frosty and vicious, similar to their swamp brethren in Kalmah.4 Tommi Neitola’s keyboards are the cherry on top, adding a Bodomesque symphonic bombast layer that occasionally approaches Wintersun levels without going overboard (“The Crowned King of Ancient Forest,” “1473 Ounas”).

Ounas II by Suotana

Dealing with two-part concepts is always a challenging task, but Suotana came prepared. It feels like they’ve improved on all of Ounas I’s already strong qualities: the production has more breadth, the album’s layers delve deeper, and there’s more energy and variety in its songs (“Foreverland,” “Twilight Stream”). However, the most impressive thing about Ounas II is that it’s even denser than its sibling. The album clocks in at 39 minutes compared to the first part’s 41,5 which has the huge advantage of avoiding a bloated ‘B-sides’ feel so common with other double album concepts.6 And despite its tight runtime, the songwriting has plenty of room to flourish, as exemplified by “1473 Ounas.” Furthermore, to complement the Summoning cover that crowned the first part, Ounas II unleashes a cover of Children of Bodom’s “Hatebreeder” as its encore. Whether you imagine it as a proper track or a bonus, it’s a great way to end the record with a bang while honoring your influences.7

Suotana has had a long journey to get to this point, and it’s been more than worth it. Their songwriting is only getting faster and better, which further reinforces its catchy extremities. In many ways, Suotana feels like the melodeath-forward twin to Moonlight Sorcery’s excellent brand of power/black metal. Both bands dress to impress with big riffs, melodic violence, and keyboard bombast in all the right ways. Though the back-to-back experience is great, Ounas II is a package that works wonders on its lonesome too, and I think that’s another mark of success for the band. I’m excited to see what these self-aware wizards pictured above are going to summon from that lake next, Ounas or not.

Tracks to Check Out: “Winter Visions,” “Twilight Stream,” “The Crowned King of Ancient Forest,” and a special shout out to the excellent cover of “Hatebreeder.”

#2025 #Catamenia #ChildrenOfBodom #Ensiferum #FinnishMetal #Kalmah #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #MoonlightSorcery #Norther #OunasII #PowerMetal #ReaperEntertainment #Stratovarius #Summoning #Suotana #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2025 #TYMHM #Wintersun
WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-12-18

A quotation from Christopher Marlowe

FAUSTUS: Faustus, begin thine incantations
   And try if devils will obey thy hest,
   Seeing thou hast prayed and sacrificed to them.
   Within this circle is Jehovah’s name,
   Forward, and backward, anagrammatised:
   Th’abbreviated names of holy saints,
   Figures of every adjunct to the heavens,
   And characters of signs, and erring stars,
   By which the spirits are enforced to rise.
   Then fear not, Faustus, to be resolute
   And try the utmost magic can perform.
 
[Thunder]
 
Sint mihi Dei Acherontis propitii! Valeat numen triplex Jehovae! Ignei aerii, aquatani spiritus, salvete! Orientis princeps Beelzebub, inferni ardentis monarcha, et Demigorgon, propitiamus vos, ut appareat, et surgat Mephistophilis Dragon, quod tumeraris; per Jehovam, gehennam, et consecratam aquam quam nunc spargo; signumque crucis quod nunc facio, et per vota nostra, ipse nunc surgat nobis dicatus Mephistophilis!


[Enter a Devil]

Christopher "Kit" Marlowe (1564-1593) English dramatist and poet
The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, Act 1, sc. 3 (sc. 3), l. 231ff (1594; 1604 “A” text)

More info about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/marlowe-christopher/…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #christophermarlowe #kitmarlowe #devils #incantation #spell #summoning #magic

Birthday02/25Jenna 🦇The Succubusthesleepysuccubus.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy
2025-12-13

You summoned me? Fine, I hope you’re ready to seal the deal and give an offering #nsfw #succubus #thedeal #summoning #fantasy

Picture of Jenna the succubus with pink/flame ombré hair and a sexy harness lingerie set (with a little fun editing)
2025-11-30

Änterbila – Avart Review

By Grin Reaper

Billed as blackened folk metal and boasting a sound that will remind listeners of the aughts-era Darkthrone, Änterbila1 returns with sophomore album Avart. Three years removed from their self-titled debut, the foursome from Gävleborg County, Sweden, retains the core sonic principles of Änterbila and dunks them into the muck, invoking a darker, grimier aura. Where the plight of peasantry informed Änterbila’s sensibilities, Avart looks to national folklore for inspiration. Rather than interpreting that folklore through the eyes of those who passed the stories on, though, Avart revisits lore from the perspective of the other side, the witch to Grimms’ Hansel und Gretel, imparting a sinister edge to the music. Is Änterbila’s latest platter sharp enough to brandish, or does it need more time with the honing rod?

The marriage of black and folk metal can take different forms, with folk infusions coming from instrumentation, melodies, and/or folk and pagan themes. Änterbila offers all of them, but presented disparately as stark components rather than fused together as an interconnected whole. Bookend instrumentals “Låt till Far” and “Eklnundapolskan” feature strings, a bagpipe, and choral harmonies between them, not unlike Saor or Summoning. These tracks conjure rustic firesides with an air of excitement as strange tales are told around them. Avart’s other six tracks are categorically different, hovering between pagan-leaning, late-eighties Bathory (“Kniven”) and the punky pluck of early Vreid (“Jordfäst”). I even catch a whiff of Bizarrekult (“Årsgång”) in the midst. None of the flavors are bad on their own, but without more cohesion, they’re a bit confusing on the same plate.

Avart is a lively affair, with snappy licks, punky riffs, and burbling kick rolls that whisk listeners through half an hour of sprightly black metal. Bandleader and founder Jerff wields axe and vocal duties, with Raamt abetting in six-string antics. The guitars trem pick their way through Avart, embracing an unadorned style that takes a few simple melodies, interchanges them every now and then, and rides through four or five minutes. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this stripped-down approach, but without more distinctive hooks or emotive vocals, the songs bleed together. Drop me in the middle of any of the songs, and I’ll have a tough time naming which one it is unless Jerff repeats the title several times (“Kniven,” “Jordfäst”). Another issue Änterbila grapples with throughout Avart is repetition. Even with such a compact runtime, there’s not always enough substance to justify track lengths. “Jordfäst” could explore its ideas in two-thirds the time, for example, but instead pushes them past optimal duration. As it currently stands, there’s enough material for a solid EP, but relentless refrains without variations make shallow wells, and drawing from them too often becomes tedious.

Änterbila’s strengths lie in creating a dangerously charming atmosphere and not overstaying their welcome. Avart’s old school production underscores its low-fi mood, perfect for settings of yore where things lurking within shadows go bump in the night. Even though the mix isn’t polished, it ably captures Svaltunga’s punchy bass and drummer Monstrum’s quadrupedal onslaught. There flows an energy in the music that crackles with roguish vigor, and it’s here that Änterbila excels. It’s a shame lyrics weren’t included as part of the press kit since dark folklore provides such fertile ground for music. Understanding what the (presumed) native Swedish translates to could have heightened my appreciation for what secrets Avart holds. Still, the runtime is trim and helps deflect some of the monotony of simpler song structures, keeping the overall package easily digestible.

Änterbila possesses all the ingredients for a rollocking good time, but fumbles with the recipe. The folk metal tag is a bit misleading, and given that the folk elements are so well-executed in the intro and outro, it’s disappointing that Änterbila didn’t incorporate them throughout the entire album. Doing so could have thwarted the uniformity across the remaining songs, adding dynamism and a through-line that brings everything together with reinforced congruity. Every time I spin Avart, I hope to find something I’d missed previously, because I want to like it more than I do. Avart seethes with potential, and while I don’t regret any of the time I spent with the album, I don’t expect to return to it, either. Hopefully, the next iteration delivers on the promise Änterbila has established here.

Rating: Disappointing
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Nordvis Produktion
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: November 14th, 2025

#20 #2025 #anterbila #avart #bathory #bizarrekult #blackFolkMetal #blackMetal #darkthrone #folkMetal #metal #nordvisProduktion #nov25 #review #reviews #saor #summoning #swedish #vreid

2025-11-04

Hilltop Summoning - [Cloudy Commission]

Finally! Some fuckin' spooky ghosts in this joint! Minions of the round bat, subject too their evil bidding~

#cloudy #bat #ghosts #summoning

Cloudy, a rotund bat, stands on a hilltop, a glowing skull in one hand and a spear made of blood in the other. They laugh maniacally as a swarm of ghosts orbit around them.
2025-10-16

#NowPlaying 🎶

Not so long ago, on 16 October 1995, Minas Morgul was released by Summoning

bandcamp link:
summoning.bandcamp.com/album/m

album.link:
album.link/t/68007475

#Music #Metal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #Summoning

2025-10-16

On 16 October 1995, Austrian's Summoning released what many fans and the band themselves refer to as their true debut album, Minas Morgul.

Deviating significantly from the second wave orthodoxy, branching into what would soon be called atmospheric black metal.

"It was the most massive turning point and formed the sound as you know it today.
We lost a lot of old BM fans, but a whole new generation followed."

03. The Passing of the Grey Company

#Summoning #BlackMetal #DungeonSynth

2025-10-12

Morke – To Carry On Review

By Alekhines Gun

One of my favorite bits in the game Portal 2 comes near the very beginning, when the player is commanded to go stand in front of a piece of art. It’s an okay piece, depicting a lovely mountain overlooking a lakeside cabin where everything looks peaceful, somewhat colorful, and safe. By the end of our momentary study, we are assured we should now feel “mentally invigorated.” Such mental vim and vigor is sought out in more artistic albums, which don’t seek to liquify teeth as much as transport us to other realms and times, whether it be brimming with life and motion or a well-executed snapshot of a mood. Morke, a project spearheaded by sole member Eric Wing, have arrived with self-described “Atmospheric Castle Metal” on display for their fourth album To Carry On, and the question is, will you indeed keep it moving after indulging in its color schemes, or allow yourself to get swept away to times long forgotten?

On first listen, all I could think was “wow, this sounds exactly like Obsequiae.” Turns out my ears are very astute, as Tanner Anderson is credited in the promo as making contributions to the album. The precise degree of his participation isn’t specified, but if you’re a sucker for his band, then there’s plenty for you to feast your ears on here. To Carry On tries its hand at singing its own Palms of Sorrowed Kings while taking a much more streamlined and basic approach. Trimming down the more raw production of previous efforts, Morke spread out the tonal palette to allow leads, leads, and more leads (“Falling Leaves”, “Sublymed Respair”) to carry the bulk of the presentation, with enough clarity in the production for some tasty bass lines (“Ashes of Fuedalism”) to make their presence known.

Much like individual brush strokes coalesce into one whole, To Carry On places pretty much all its emphasis on atmosphere. The bulk of the album is mid-paced, with leads relaxing and guitar tones colorful. The drums are well placed as far as occasional double bass drops go to remind you that this is, in fact, still a metal album, even as the tempo and general vibe never approach anything truly heavy. The uniformity of the tonal palate is the larger philosophical struggle Morke presents: this painting of a flowers-and-fog-drenched castle is well crafted, but there are precious few touches that truly stand out. Mid-album tracks “Coup D’oeil” and “Viola Odorata” flow nicely together with some riffs of genuine memorability. However, bookending the album come tracks which end up starting to sound self-plagiarizing, with similar intervals and scales utilized, which never become boring, unto themselves, but do become familiar far too quickly.

Ultimately, the question of listener enjoyment will come down to expectations. To Carry On doesn’t have the vibrancy and depth of Summoning or the kinetic enthusiasm of Obsequiae. Those bands are atmospheric masters who manage to invoke life into their riffs, the latter with their energy and the former with their creative use of other instruments. What Morke offers up instead is a collection of tracks which play toward the greater whole, where the listener is enveloped in an atmospheric sense without necessarily latching on to any particular highs, lows, or fist-pumping “hell yeah” inducing moments one typically looks for. In fact, other than the aforementioned two-track run in the middle, To Carry On is relatively devoid of highs and lows, instead leaning in on complete and tonal consistency, for better and worse.

This makes administering an appropriate score more challenging than I’d expected. I have been fortunate enough to visit my share of art museums over the years, and no great painting can be appreciated at a mere glance. Color schemes, stroke methods, and materials used all warrant consideration when enjoying the greater whole of the painting before us. And yet, part of me insists that I don’t listen to albums for the same reason I look at paintings, and I feel that holds To Carry On back. If you are looking to get mentally swept up into the moods of knights and serfdom, mentally add an extra half point for yourself and hear an enthusiastic endorsement on the potency and excellence that the atmosphere summoned has to offer. For my own part, I can’t help but hope for more vibrancy and less “still life” going forward. Until then, you will hear a buzzer. When you hear the buzzer, you may stare at the art…

Score: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: True Cult Records |
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: October 10th, 2025

#25 #2025 #AmericanMetal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #Morke #Obsequiae #Oct25 #Review #Reviews #Summoning #ToCarryOn #TrueCultRecords

2025-08-06

Stuck in the Filter: May 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity


Every day we toil, rain or shine, to find you the semi-finest ore of the month. Lately, though, it’s been mostly rain. Leaks abound, uniforms are soaked to the bone, the chutes are slick and slippery. We must continue, however, to provide for the masses!

Unfortunately, we don’t have any resources to keep anything dry in this godforsaken place. I hope you like your Filter nuggets soggy!

Kenstrosity’s Meanest Meanies

Death Whore // Blood Washes Everything Away [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Hailing from Nancy, France, crust/death newcomers Death Whore unleashed what is surely one of the meanest records of the year so far. A debut capable of humbling some of the better releases by far more seasoned acts, Blood Washes Everything Away is a nonstop cavalcade of stank-face, bone-shattering riffs. From the onset of vicious onslaught “Inhaling the Dead,” to the stomp and swerve that is the massive “Infernal Terror Machine” and “None Are Forgotten,” to the blistering and evil “12 Worm Wounds,” Death Whore crafted 11 brutally addictive, but smart and lean cuts guaranteed to snap necks. They allow only the sharpest hooks to imbue accessibility to this killer material, but make no sacrifice to the filthy, crust-laden tones and textures determined to pummel and paste (“Noyé dans le sang,” “Motorthroat ’79,” “Savage Aesthetic Revenge”). Throw in a refreshing message criticizing late-stage capitalistic trends, worldwide misappropriation of wealth by the elite class, and the futility of hard work in the modern era for those struggling to meet their basic needs (“You Owe Me a Living”), and you’ve got a record after my heart. I can already tell that I’m going to regret not saving Blood Washes Everything Away from Filter relegation by the time this publishes, but don’t let my transgression in this matter stop you from enjoying of deep Death Whore.

Executionist // Sacrament of the Sick [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

West Virginian death thrashers Executionist were not on my radar. First off, I am, historically, very picky when it comes to thrash. It slaps when it slaps and leaves me cold when it doesn’t. Lately, though, I’ve been digging the style more and more, and Executionist’s particularly meaty take on Kreator WIOLENCE has my attention thoroughly affixed. With debut LP Sacrament of the Sick, Executionist bring on the riffs, but elevate them with blackened tremolos, rabid barks, and an immense bass tone. Opener proper “Edge of Annihilation” pulls no punches, but only hints at the quality held beyond. There’s an almost At the Gates-like sense of melody here, one which works in tandem with deadly riffs and blackened char instead of as a mere surface-level decoration (“Wheels of War,” “Divided We Stand… United We Fall”). While Sacrament of the Sick relies heavily on the long form for its song structures, creating a spot of bloat, there’s usually something memorable and interesting to keep me invested in the story from beginning to end (“Thy Kingdom Come,” “Sacrament of the Sick”). With just a little tightening of the screws, Executionist could easily become the next big name in thrash. Until then, rest easy knowing Sacrament of the Sick is a worthy contender on its own merits.

Thus Spoke’s Shiny Scraps

Ghost Bath // Rose Thorn Necklace [May 9th, 2025 – Nuclear Blast]

DSBM is a genre of necessity tied to a particular mood, and it’s not a happy one. In spite—or perhaps because—of this,1 it’s one I usually enjoy. Ghost Bath’s take on this particular type of misery music has fluctuated between more black metal and more post, and I personally found it never quite stuck. Rose Thorn Necklace, however, has kept me coming back for repeated mope sessions for weeks. It’s still recognisably Ghost Bath thanks to those same echoing howls that lurch into voiceless high-pitched wails (“Well, I Tried Drowning”), and a familiarity about the bitter refrains. But synths now play a prominent role in driving melody2 both dreamy (“Grotesque Display,” “Throat Cancer”) and uncomfortably upbeat (“Vodka Butterfly”), as things swing back in the direction of post-leaning DSBM. Layered strums lace into pessimistic chord swings and scream-resonant atmoblack (title, track, “Dandelion Tea,” “Stamen and Pistil”), sometimes recalling Harakiri for the Sky. It manages to be pretty, in that characteristically depressing way, as minor melodies bleed into blackened tantrums (“Well, I Tried Drowning”) or ride on synths as harrowing screams narrate (“Throat Cancer”). The snippets of coughing (“Dandelion Tea”), sobbing (“Vodka Butterfly”), and sirens (“Throat Cancer”) are par for the course, but still very effective, and the ending duo “Needles” and the horribly—but brilliantly—named “Throat Cancer” is kind of…genuinely lovely in a really gross, demoralising sense. I’m converted.

ClarkKent’s Bestial Beats

Animalize // Verminateur [May 23, 2025 – Dying Victims Productions]

While the album cover might not inspire confidence, make no mistake, Animalize is worthy of your attention. On their sophomore album, Verminateur, these Frenchmen bring youth and energy to the old school speed and traditional metal scene. They mix up mid-tempo tunes with high-octane thrash, and even throw in a lovely piano ballad for good measure (“Priere de Remords”). On tracks like “Chevel Astral” and “Au Jugement de Soi” you can hear influences ranging from Accept to Def Leppard, while the lightning-fast “Verminateur” sounds like a blast from Judas Priest’s Painkiller. Front man Coyote brings plenty of charm, ranging from excitedly shrill to cool-headed, all while executing some well-timed “oohs” and infectious laughter here and there. Fortunately, he doesn’t carry all of the weight. Jessman and RattleGab keep the riffs spicy throughout, ensuring Animalize never phones it in, while Lynx’s drumming adds some much-needed heft. The songwriting is nice and tight, allowing the album to clock in at a tidy 36 minutes. As good as each song is, the icing on the cake is “Envahisseurs,” which will end up as a strong candidate for song of the year. It brings a killer riff and thrilling energy that’s sure to get the Statue of Liberty to drop her torch and make some devil horns.

Owlswald’s Feathered Echoes

Pandemia // Darkened Devotion [May 16th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]

After a decade between releases, Czech death metal veterans Pandemia burst back onto the scene with their sixth full-length, Darkened Devotion. Still channeling the menacing souls of legends like Vader and Immolation, Darkened Devotion marks a significant yet successful pivot towards a more accessible sound for Pandemia. Delivering bone-crushingly heavy and succinct songs that are both memorable and easily palatable, Pandemia haven’t lost their edge—they’ve simply refined it. From “Nightmare Paradox’s” gut-punching, wicked riffing to “Catalepsy’s” gratifying, atmospheric thrash-inspired arpeggiations, every part of Darkened Devotion feels focused and tastefully executed. New drummer Jake Bayer (Cutterred Flesh) is an absolute beast, shaping Darkened Devotion’s mammoth backbone with thunderous rapid-fire double bass runs (“Blessed, Blessed Oblivion,” “Depths”), intricate tom fills (“The Pallor of Detest,” “The Wretched Dance”) and precision blasts (“Nighttime Paradox,” “A Sea to Breathe In”). Returning guitarist Alex Marek—last heard on 2005’s Riven—unleashes a barrage of infectious shredding that makes headbanging involuntary. Jaroslav “Jarda” Friedrich’s bass and Jikra Krš’s vocals complement Bayer and Marek’s authority with angry drawls and guttural, gravely growls. The album’s overall tone is immense, effortlessly engulfing listeners into its nocturnal anxieties with ease. With Darkened Devotion, Pandemia have forged a refined and brutal auditory feast that genuinely took me by surprise. Embrace the darkness.

Killjoy’s Dreamy Delights

Asthénie // Iridescence [May 5th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Iridescence is literally a colorful piece of music. Named after the naturally occurring phenomenon of an object appearing to change colors, Asthénie assigned a different color to each of these five songs. The guitars are the main focus here—whether with a glimmer (“Mélèze”) or a shimmer (“Indigo”), they brilliantly showcase the prettier side of post metal. Hardcore-tinged screams boldly accentuate the guitars’ vibrant hues, providing heft and urgency. Somewhat ironically, “Gris” (meaning grey) takes up the most time at 11 minutes and is the most developed contrast between the calm and furious. At only 35 minutes in total, Iridescence passes like a beautiful breeze with little fluff or filler. While by no means necessary, some clean vocals could potentially add even more color to a future release. Though this is not the first instance this year of a post-black record patterned after various wavelengths in the visible light spectrum, Iridescence is resplendent in its own right.

Au Clair de Lune // In the Wake of Dusk [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Moonlight and bodies of water share an intrinsic artistic bond. There’s something deeply enchanting about a celestial, ghostly source of illumination amidst a dark, murky setting. Leonard Sinaguglia’s blackgaze project Au Clair de Lune aurally combines these two aesthetics via dreamy, floaty guitars and synths akin to Autumn Nostalgie and, of course, Alcest’s Écailles de Lune. At times, the melodies are smooth and glassy like the surface of a lake (“Echoing Silhouettes,” “Neon Dusk”). Other times, they’re upbeat and catchy as a rip current (“Anaemoia,” “Distant Glow”). The principal vocal style is a mild rasp, more for flavor than heaviness, though Falyriae adds her airy singing voice on occasion. Although the track order and overall pacing usually find a good balance between the atmospheric parts and the punchy parts, the longer track lengths make In the Wake of Dusk feel a bit fluffy in places. But even so, Au Clair de Lune provides a satisfying and transportative experience to an unearthly realm.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Dusky Deposition

Slumbering Sun // Starmony [May 9th, 2025 – Self Release]

Music is the closest thing we have to magic in this world. When a great song or a great album graces your ears, it’s a clean sweep to any combo the head, heart, and gyrating body. Such was the case with Lone Star Doomsters Slumbering Sun and their debut release The Ever-Living Fire back in 2023. With a fragile heart in one hand and a fat riff in the other, their take on the kind of sadboi doom you’d hear in bands like Warning or early Pallbearer struck me deep. On Starmony, much of the same elements return: growling bass underpinning stadium-sized riffs, Ozzy-like vocals that bustle with a modern emotion and charisma, and a posty playfulness that allows long-form compositions to swell and soar. The only trouble is that it takes a couple songs for Starmony to settle into that same form of riffed-out hypnosis, with the one-two intro of “Together Forever” and “Keep It a Secret” sounding like the middle drive of a live set rather than the start of an introspective journey. But with the violin-assisted weeping catharsis of “Midsommar Night’s Dream” and “Wanderlust,” the waltzing melody of “Danse Macabre,” and the Thin Lizzy-styled dueling leads of “The Tower,” Slumbering Sun again finds a monstrous groove in hopeful and hammering songcraft. And, of course, if you get a chance to catch this act live like I did, just a few days before The Dolphlet emerged, you’ll fall extra prey to the kinds of doomy incantations that Slumbering Sun conjures with their mystic-minded compositions. In fat riffs we trust, and in sorrowful hearts we linger.

Tyme’s Tragic Tones

Enterré Vivant // 悪罪 (Akuzaï) [May 26th, 2025 – Antiq]

Comprised of French multi-instrumentalist Erroiak and vocalist Sakrifiss—whose 25-year residency in Japan heavily influences the music—depressive black metallers Enterré Vivant’s3 third album, Akuzaï, blew me away. My DSBM bar was set long ago by Shining‘s unfuckwithable V: Halmstad, and yet Akuzaï has come along to give it a run for its money. Centered around 10 Buddhist sins, Akuzaï relates the experiences of Japanese civilians and victims during the Second World War. From the emotionally charged cover photo depicting a mother breastfeeding her newborn shortly after the bombing of Nagasaki,4 to the haunting interludes and shimmering, melancholic melodies within, Akuzaï melds traditional, tremolo-picked guitars and icy vocals ala Summoning and Emperor (“Sesshô,” “Shin’i”) with Moonsorrow-esque keys, Japanese-influenced flutes and violins, along with ghostly moaning howls to create its depressive atmospheres. Transitioning from the twisted croaks of interlude “Waraguchi,” album highlight “Jain” begins with mournful pianos and a pensive, tremolo-picked lead before crashing forth in waves of crushingly cascading chords and Sakrifiss’ tortured screams, its eight and a half minutes awash in black metal sadness. By the time the wails of a suffering child floated in around the seven-and-a-half-minute mark, my arms had broken out in goosebumps, and my heart was fucking broken. Offering yet another lens through which to view the torturous horrors of war, Akuzaï is harrowing, relentless, and not to be missed.

#2025 #Accept #Alcest #AmericanMetal #Animalize #Asthénie #AtTheGates #AtmosphericBlackMetal #AuClaireDeLune #AutumnNostalgie #Blackgaze #BloodWashesEverythingAway #Crust #CutterredFlesh #CzechMetal #DarkenedDevotion #DeathMetal #DeathWhore #DefLeppard #DoomMetal #DSBM #DyingVictimsProductions #Emperor #EnterréVivant #Executionist #Falyriae #FrenchMetal #GhostBath #HammerheartRecords #HarakiriForTheSky #Hardcore #HeavyMetal #Immolation #InTheWakeOfDusk #Iridescence #ItalianMetal #JudasPriest #Kreator #May25 #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #Moonsorrow #NuclearBlast #Pallbearer #Pandemia #PostBlackMetal #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoseThornNecklace #SacramentOfTheSick #SelfRelease #Shining #SlumberingSun #Starmony #StuckInTheFilter #StuckInTheFilter2025 #Summoning #ThinLizzy #ThrashMetal #Vader #Verminateur #Warning #悪罪Akuzaï_

Maudelixmaudelix
2025-07-12

Our adventure of Dreams of Ice (2.4) started with coming to save oblivious from heretics. We entered the Snowcloak to face Iceheart and stop the of Shiva. However, we had to defeat this adorable . Unfortunately, Ysayle (Iceheart) delays us with a passionate speech about the greater good, prior to escaping using a . We also learned the war of succession is done and a new unpleasant emperor has been crowned.

A low-angle shot looking up at a woman with blond hair in fantasy style clothing, seemingly unconscious, surrounded by ice and stone. She wears a dark perforated mask covering her eyes, and goggles. Her clothes have intricate red designs. The environment appears to be a dark, icy cavern.A character wearing dark blue armor and wielding an ornate bow stands facing a large, white, furry monster with prominent tusks in a snowy, mountainous area. The scene is set in a cold, wintery environment with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and trees. Icy blue crystals are visible in the mid-ground. The overall atmosphere is cold and foreboding.  An eye-level view of two characters standing on what appears to be the surface of a frozen lake, with an icy cave setting in the background. The figure on the left is a character with long white hair, wearing a long blue coat-dress with a white undershirt. The character on the right is facing away, appearing to be clad in dark, ornate armor with accents of white and brighter blue, and is carrying a large, elaborate weapon that resembles a combination of a sword and a bow over their left shoulder. Behind them is a wall of ice, which slopes back and up. In the center is a massive structure which appears to be a large open gatewayA digital rendering depicts Kan-E-Senna, a pale-skinned woman with blond hair and green eyes. She wears a decorative headpiece and necklace. A speech bubble beside her states, "Kan-E-Senna. It is. A new emperor reigns in Garlemald." The background includes a waterfall and starry night sky.
Noam writesnoam@libranet.de
2025-06-08

The painted circle and sigils on the floor, the white candles, the incantation: the summoning went perfectly. He appeared with a flourish of wings within a bright light.

“You are the angel Malakhius?” I asked.

“I am. How did you summon me?” His voice was a beautiful melody dripping with honey.

“I replaced unholy symbols with holy ones, changed the curse to a blessing. I though it would be safer to summon an angel than a demon.”

“That is true. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I, wait— Can I ask you something? You must be thousands of years old, at least.”

“Yes, although I do not experience time as you do.”

“Why do bad things happen to good people? Is there a great plan, is it a test?”

“I cannot access that information.” Even his automaton style response was music.

“That sounds like a call centre response. Come on.”

“Angels cannot lie. To protect certain knowledge, we cannot access most of our memories when we leave... leave the place I came here from. I cannot even name or describe it here.”

“Hmm... Makes sense, I guess. Anyway... I want your help with love. See, there’s this woman I really like. Her name’s Kyra, and—”

“I cannot interfere with another’s free will. No love spells.”

“No, no... I didn’t mean that. Just, well, help me be more attractive to her. I’m not good at dating, and I don’t want to mess this up.”

He considered. “Let us start with making you a more considerate person.”

“You can see into Kyra’s heart? She thinks I’m inconsiderate?” I gulped.

He gazed straight into my eyes. “You have not asked me what you pulled me away from when summoning me.”

“Ah.”

#microfiction #angel #demon #summoning

2025-06-06

who do you think will be TIME magazine's Sorcerer of the Year for 2025?

lotta big names in the enchanting arts as always, but I think this could be the year of the conjurer

#wizard #wizards #wizardry #magic #sorcerer #witchcraft #necromancy #shaman #occult #sorcery #summoning

2025-05-22

@Serge_Longoulet Ha ouais dsl. Oui justement, j'ai l'habitude de devoir chercher sur tout les nouveaux groupes de #metal un peu sombre que j'écoute pour savoir si c'est des facho ou pas. Donc ça m'a surpris que pour une fois des personnes dans le metal l'affiche; ça me facilite la tâche.
Même si c'est bien possible que ça soit par fierté.

J'étais assez surpris que des gros groupes que j'attendais plus se positionnent contre les nazi (comme #summoning ) Donc peut-être que tout est pas perdu, même sur la scène du #blackmetal

Client Info

Server: https://mastodon.social
Version: 2025.07
Repository: https://github.com/cyevgeniy/lmst