Ivan Tibos.

I am not going to sum up all Quebecois bands and projects I do like, because it would be a waste of time for everyone involved (you as reader, and I as writer), but I did mention it a thousand times before: the Black Metal scene out there is TOP! Métal Noir, as one might call it… And one of the most outstanding projects is called Sombres Forêts, a solo-outfit by a guy called Annatar. This guy had a side-project a while ago, called Miserere Luminis, in collaboration with both members of Gris.

The Hesperia-project is run by multi-instrumentalist Hesperus, once member of Sulphuria. He started this solo-outfit somewhere during the nineties, in order to pay tribute to the ancient, and mystical / mythological / mythical glory of a rich ‘pre-Italian’ past. At the beginning of this century, Hesperus and his Hesperia-project started working on a four-part conceptual masterwork, based on Virgilio’s Eneide aka Aeneidos.

Exmortus are a very heavy formation from California. After some self-released EP’s, the band released two full lengths via Heavy Artillery Records, In Hatred’s Flame (2008) and Beyond The Fall Of Time (2011). Recently Exmortus signed to Prosthetic’s roster in order to release their third full studio album, Slave To The Sword, which lasts for fifty minutes.

Greek band Disharmony was originally formed in the capital city of Athens in 1997. They self-released two demos (Harmony Realms and When Purity Withers), but due to internal and personal issues, the band split up after the release of the second demo, in 2000.

French act Dirge is about to celebrate its twentieth anniversary (!). A first result of this upcoming party is the release of the band’s sixth album, Hyperion, which was recorded and mixed by original member Marc T., and mastered by Nicolas Dick (known as well from Kill The Thrill, and collaborating on this album as guest too, by the way, besides Lycia’s Tara Vanflower and Milena Rousseau of Miroda-fame).

It has been released more than four months ago in mean time, this vinyl-effort, but since I did receive this stuff only recently, and for this material is oh-so jummie… Besides, it’s stuff provided via Invictus Productions, and who am I to ignore this superior label…

The Extreme Metal scene from Singapore might not be that ‘huge’ (or better: it isn’t that well-known within our western territories), but believe me if I say that this country houses tens of sublime acts. Of course you do know top-act Impiety, and you might have heard of Kekal, Psycho, As Sahar, Netherealm, or Wormrot too.

In the (recent) past, I expressed my passion for the Canadian Black Metal scene, with positively-evaluated reviews for bands like Csejthe, Finnr’s Cane, Ov Hollowness, Insidious Omen or Sepulchral-signed acts like Neige Éternelle or Monarque, amongst others.

Californian Satanic horde Enbilulugugal was formed in 2000. In mean time, they released some thousands of recordings, especially as demonstrational material, or as split. When it comes to the splits, they did work with same-minded sick-heads like Darkosis, Static Goat, Gromkult, Pyfyxfyru, Skeld or Necrobestiality, mainly projects or bands some Enbilulugugal-members were, or are, involved with as well.

San Francisco-based project Vastum, with former and current members of e.g. Acephalix, Necrot and Hammers Of Misfortune, did surely impress undersigned, and undoubtably tens of millions of others, with 2011’s Carnal Law. The sophomore record Patricidal Lust was recorded at the famous Earhammer Studio and goes on in the very same vein, yet with a heavier and more dense and darkened / darkening core.