(Daniel Barkasi is back with us from chilly West Virginia, presenting another monthly roundup of reviews and recommendations, this time focusing on releases from January of this year.)
Howdy, and hope everyone had a great holiday season! If you had some quality downtime, the envy is immense. We finished our move a few days before Christmas, which made for a hectic time. We’re settled now, thankfully. I go more into it on my year-end list, so we’ll avoid repetition – hope you all checked it out and found something good that you may have missed.
With all of that considered, we have finally returned.
The decision was made in late December to not do a rundown for that month, and the only reason for that was time, or the lack of it, to be specific. Completing my year-end became the priority, so that had to be sacrificed. Not for a lack of excellent releases, though – besides what was covered in my list, bands such as Unfyros, Hierophany, Astral Spear, and Nemorous put out albums well worth a listen to cap off 2025. There, you can’t say we didn’t give you anything to check out!
After finishing said list, we perused some others both here and around other reliable locales, and there was so much good that dropped in 2025. Definitely had some alignment on a few things with some others here at NCS, and that’s good to see some overlap, as truly great bands are getting plenty of oxygen in these parts. Listened to a few podcasts and there was some similarity there, as well – great minds and all that.
I promise to not complain about the cold too much, but sub-zero degrees Farenheit temperatures were not on this guy’s bingo card. I had to order snow pants. Me, who lived in Florida for a decade, now owns bloody snow pants. What a cruel twist of fate that is. When I go outside to take the dogs out or care for the outside pets, we’re reaching George Costanza-level scary cold. I can barely turn around in my ensemble, either, and our livestock guardian dog Dolly (she’s new here and absolutely precious) can rocket herself into me, and she bounces right off.
January is typically a slow starter for new releases – many coming back from extended time away, still reflecting on and exploring the previous year’s albums to find anything of note you may have missed (we definitely found a few things), etc. This year, however, has given us more than expected, leaving these ears busy to take in the very best we could muster. Hey, an exciting musical start to the year is an easy sell, so here are some of the releases that particularly captured my attention. Drop your favorites in the comments, but not until we’re done here. Let’s roll.
Fuath – III
Release Date: January 2, 2026
Andy Marshall is Scotland’s most preeminent exporter of atmospheric black metal, and while his main body of work in Saor garners the most focus, his project Fuath is nothing to sneeze at. While Saor offers majestic, swirling soundscapes, Fuath is perhaps a more stripped-down, candid affront that embraces a bleaker aura. Five years separated debut I in 2016 and II in 2021, and a similar gap now exists with 2026’s III.
What’s different, you ask? Truth be told, there aren’t many surprises, but that’s beside the point – seething atmosphere-laden black metal with an edge is what you’re receiving, reminiscent of that chilling ’90s sound that many (yours truly included) continuously seek. Furthermore, Marshall simply possesses the knack of capturing that morose, frigid feeling, and Fuath is that in primal, vehement form.
Opener “The Cailleach” wastes no time luring the listener into this curated world by way of melodic but ripping tremolos and an overarching dark cloud that envelopes profoundly. A record that’s assuredly best taken in full instead of singly by one of its four tracks, III guides you naturally through its iced-over peaks and valleys.
“Embers of the Fading Age” perhaps stands as the most downtrodden piece, highlighted by sublime lead guitar work twisted with timely acoustic passages, creating a mood-filled air. On the other side of the proverbial coin is “Possessed by Starlight” to invoke Fuath’s ability to harness outright explosiveness in order to up the cadence and change the purview to the right degree, keeping the listener engaged fully.
“The Slaugh” completes the album with a nuanced flurry, standing as one of Fuath and Marshall’s more intriguing compositions. For such intricate and longer-running individual songs, III seems to briskly pass by, never once overstaying its welcome, and finishing a hair over forty minutes in total. Anyone who enjoys crisp, unequivocal black metal with plenty of that nostalgic atmosphere owes it to themselves to indulge in Fuath’s latest and allow one of black metal’s most prolific creators to enthrall you once more.
The Ruins of Beverast – Tempelschlaf
Release Date: January 9, 2026
A band who shouldn’t be foreign to readers of this site and connoisseurs of the good stuff, The Ruins of Beverast have been a staple since bursting onto the scene in 2003 with the now classic, raw and purposeful Unlock the Shrine. Single composer Alexander von Meilenwald hasn’t once sat still, with each subsequent release being its own amalgamation that stands firmly on its own merit. Considering that, his works are relatively difficult to predict, and many have their favorites – Blood Vaults has left a permanent indent in my general musical expectations, and Exuvia is a legendary achievement – while most can agree that his concoctions stand as a symbol for unrestrained creativity.
With that, we have his latest opus in the formation of Tempelschlaf. Predecessor The Thule Grimoires diverted into more gothic spaces amongst the palette of black/doom that’s always central, and the beginning of this record has echoes of that direction; the title track opener is a lush, dreary piece with deep, hypnotic clean voicings and dazzling clean guitars, prominently driven by deft-yet-powerful drum work. This song sets up what’s to come; Tempelschlaf is an exercise in tension and build that rewards the patient with immense releases.
“Day of the Poacher” begins with a bounciness whilst also initially being quite trippy, before descending into darker and grittier territory as the track advances. Drums are so central to the band’s spine, and that characteristic shines throughout Tempelschlaf, with a prime example being the middle bridge of this track changing the pace just when it’s needed, in not only multiple instances on this piece alone, but on the whole album.
The narrative twists towards more desolate spaces as the album moves forward – “Cathedral of Bleeding Statues” unfurls thumping, colossal doom to the forefront, whereas “Alpha Fluids” dials up the urgency; visceral and untethered. The final three tracks provide the most defining moments for these ears, with blackened tonality oozing to the forefront on “Babel, You Scarlet Queen!” and the immediately following one-two knockout punch of the winding “Theatre of the Sea” and the monumental, carefully exhibited monstrosity that is “The Carrion Cocoon” to absolutely stick the landing with one of the best single cuts from The Ruins of Beverast’s exalted discography.
Where this album may rank when pitted against the rest is of course in the eye of the beholder. While my own viewpoint could certainly change with time, expecting Exuvia to be topped is a fool’s errand; however, Tempelschlaf does come close in many facets to what may still be von Meilenwald’s most iconic release. No matter, one also must take a record on its own standing and not what came before, and Tempelschlaf is unquestionably a remarkable album that only could come from The Ruins of Beverast. Join us by soaking in all of this beauty’s nuances and little crevices to reap the bounty available, for this is unsurprisingly another substantial achievement by a true artist.
Malignant Aura – Where All of Worth Comes to Wither
Release Date: January 26, 2026
From the psychedelic to the all-out punishing, Malignant Aura provides exactly as their name describes. The Australian’s interpretation of death/doom is filthy, menacing, and profoundly powerful, and their second full-length Where All of Worth Comes to Wither is a barbarous pile of savagery that represents these beasts at their very best.
There’s little doubt that Malignant Aura is here to eviscerate with their fiendish creations, and little time is wasted with “The Pathetic Festival” setting an ominous, virulent tone of utter destruction. The riffs are muscular and foul all at once, while the songwriting is clever and forthright, leaving the listener bruised and unaware of what lies on the next turn or tempo shift.
Vocalist Tim Smith’s gnarled, gristly roars are vicious and robust, being a consistent source of dreadful malice. Pete Robertson leaves a certain percussive stamp – “Languishing in the Perpetual Mire” is a mighty flex, both in variety and all-out thumping enormity – and the bass work of low-end partner Jonathan Ennis adds the strength these songs require. The guitars are central, and Chris Clark knows when to unleash rhythmic fury and, perhaps most critically, when to pull back in the form of haunting leads that permeate the listener’s cranium – “Beneath a Crown of Anguish” highlights these skills especially, though prevalent from beginning to end.
A cohesiveness is ever present to meld the barbarity and abrasiveness with the subtleties, making Where All of Worth Comes to Wither much more memorable than the standard. Further elevating the record, besides the obvious technical execution, is the compositional quality taking a step up; more refined yet also more unhinged. Malignant Aura has an uncontainable, gloriously disturbing record in Where All of Worth Comes to Wither to bestow upon us hapless souls, and you’d be wise to let it run amok.
Circular Ruin – A Sermon in Tongues
Release Date: January 30, 2026
From some more established acts to a band on their debut full-length, Sweden’s Circular Ruin has quite a conjuration to unleash in A Sermon in Tongues. They play black metal with the occasional stomp of death metal, and they accomplish this stylization like a veteran band in the midst of their prime.
From the onset, the pedal is slammed to the floor by way of “The Altering Altar” to establish their foul intent. Riffs that land their mark and squealing, cutting solos are a hallmark of Circular Ruin’s ethos, and the axe-wielding duo of Daniel Johansson and Henrik Löfgren deliver in spades to realize their collective vision. “Perisher” exemplifies this thought, keeping the pace quick and steady, while opening up enough room for a few melodic leads to bubble to the surface to add some push-and-pull to proceedings.
“The Storm I Keep Within” adds underlying doom elements in the center to bring differing dynamics to the predominantly strident black metal attack, being a precursor to more of this quantity taking over via the unsettling “Ropes to Salvation.” Oscar Tornborg’s vocals twist in a multitude of fashions throughout A Sermon in Tongues, with subtle and not-so-subtle variations of his mid-ranged snarl providing additional seasoning onto an already flavorful dish.
Circular Ruin no doubt has something delectable in A Sermon in Tongues, and you’d be wise to dive in early, as there’s plenty to satisfy one’s appetite on this pulverizing, articulately assembled record. A focused introduction that leaves a conclusive impression, we’re excited to see what’s in store for the talented folks in Circular Ruin.
Stabbing – Eon of Obscenity
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Those who intricately know my musical tastes well are aware of my general aversion to brutal death metal, in that it doesn’t always hit that right note for me – too repetitious, the vocals aren’t my style, etc. Exceptions do exist, of course, and a stark example is the exceedingly ferocious Stabbing. Their first full-length Extirpated Mortal Process has gotten a ton of plays in the rotation since its release, and the anticipation for the follow-up was eager indeed. Needless to say, they’ve stepped up again – Eon of Obscenity is a diabolical, piercing chunk of brutal death done oh so right.
There’s more than enough meat on these bones, as the guitars are thick as molasses and the riffage plunges into the depths of one’s skull with frightening precision. The crushing thump of “Masticate the Subdued” and the technical-yet-grotesque groove of “Reborn to Kill Once More” will leave many fatal impressions among even the most seasoned of observers. Marvin Ruiz’s guitar work is the kind of approach we wish would be more prevalent in brutal death metal, reaching that difficult to attain balance of pure chunky brutality, and tight, precision execution.
Vocally, Bridget Lynch invokes ruminations of a possesed, murderous force – the deep growls on tracks such as “Inhuman Torture Chamber” and “Their Melted Remains” are forceful and tonally cut to the bone, while “Symphony of Absurdity” is a mangled, otherwordly delight. Her performance on all of Eon of Obscenity is as guttural, intense, and hard-hitting as we’ve heard from the genre in quite some time.
There’s plenty of brutal death stomp to be had on Eon of Obscenity, but there’s also much more to uncover as you hack and slash deeper into their compositions, with plenty of instrumental bliss and creative craft to immerse into. Stabbing is here to stay, and Eon of Obscenity stands as a definitive statement to all lovers of grisly, gory death metal.
Udręka – Nieistnienie
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Within the unknown is where sometimes the most interesting music is found. Thus is the case with relative newcomers Udręka. A black metal act from Poland surely isn’t unusual, but Udręka aren’t bending to established traditions. Their core is fiery black metal, yes, but mixed with plentiful helpings of hardcore punk, both in sheer aggression and defiant attitude. After an EP to their name in Zgnij, the band have bestowed their impressive first album upon us with Nieistnienie, which translates to “Non-existence” in English.
Beginning without hesitation via “Do bólu” puts the record into overdrive, with hardcore stomps and blackened aesthetics running rampant. Punishing and pacey, this cut rages forth with vitriol; a song that’s got enough heft and get-up-and-go to get the listener’s blood pumping. Udręka isn’t a one-trick pony, however, quickly giving a doom-inspired composition in “Rozkład” that maintains their punk edge, but from a differing vantage point. Variety is the spice of life, and all that.
That said, there’s plenty of Polish black metal fury on offer – the title track is a whiplash of speedy and direct blackened furor, with “Zniszczyć Zbudować Powtórzyć” being amongst the heavier and cutting offerings on Nieistnienie. Differingly, “Maski” offers vocal tradeoffs that conjure that hardcore vibe, but with a thick, blackened aesthetic, where “ANTY” oozes a black/punk vibrance that’s absolutely infectious.
Concluding track “Światło” is the most ambitious entry in both length (nearly nine minutes, which is more than double the next lengthiest track) and scope, giving bits of death metal/hardcore riffing, mid-to-fast pacing that swings the pendulum between black/death/doom, and a maniacal black metal presence wrapped in a wisely written arrangement that never lets up. When all of these elements come together so cathartically, Udręka is at their pinnacle.
Nieistnienie draws influence from contrasting directions and influences, grinds them together, and a black metal record with a great many twists emerges on the other side. Udręka’s manifestations are intimidating, thoughtful, relentless, and altogether rousing.