SHADES OF BLACK: PESTILENTIAL SHADOWS, SEA MOSQUITO, PROFANE ELEGY, CRUENTATION, BEANNACHD LEIBH, MORTE TRIUNFANTE, ROUGAROU

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Jul 062025
 


Pestilential Shadows

(written by Islander)

I’ve been distracted by the tragic flooding in Central Texas, where I grew up. I still have a brother and sister-in-law in that area. Their property has been hit hard, but they are alive and whole, unlike a lot of other people. The rains continue, and so will the death count.

Nothing much I can do about this up here in the Pacific Northwest other than worry and grieve. The music provides a temporary distraction, and even some moments of catharsis. I hope what I picked today will do you some good too. The collection includes five individual songs, an EP, and an album. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: CAGED BASTARD, OBŠAR, SANGUISUGABOGG, IGORRR

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Jun 292025
 

(written by Islander)

Between signing off on yesterday’s roundup and starting this one, various events conspired to prevent me from making this one as substantial as yesterday’s. One of them involved a surfeit of gin, another a forgetfulness about something I agreed to do today with my spouse; possibly the two are connected.

A rash of new musical discoveries over the last 24 hours was also a contributing factor. They complicated the making of choices at a time when time has become short.

Well, enough about all that, I’d better get started or this collection will turn out to be even briefer than brief. Be forewarned: Nothing in here today resembles conventional black metal, or even black metal at all in some cases. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: AKVAN, ESKAPISM, PIT OF DESPAIR, IDOLOS

 Album Reviews, SHADES OF BLACK  1 Response »
Jun 222025
 

(written by Islander)

I got a call last night from an anxiety-prone Millennial family member asking whether I thought World War III had just begun. He said he couldn’t bear to read very much about what had just happened but knew that I would have done so quickly.

I did my best to calm him down, tried to explain why I thought this won’t turn into WWIII and to assure him we’re all safe in Seattle (I didn’t mention the funding cuts to programs that combat domestic terrorism or the 22-year-old intern who was put in charge of the main DHS hub for that).

But yes, I’ve been reading a lot. I can’t help it, even though I know it’s pointless, even though no one really knows where this is headed but every pundit has an opinion (the smart ones tick off discouraging possibilities but then acknowledge that no one knows). It seems like an odd time to be thinking about music, but as usual on days like this the music becomes something of a refuge (NCS as a sanctuary city!). And so, on we go… but where to begin? Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: STYGIAN, OSMIUM, DEATHWINDS

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Jun 152025
 

(written by Islander)

Sad to say, this Sunday’s column is much shorter than usual. I got a late start on it, but the bigger explanation is that early tomorrow I’m flying to my former stomping grounds in Texas to be at a Tuesday memorial service for a close friend and vital mentor, with an even earlier flight back to Seattle the next day. That means I need to get a head-start today on premieres I had agreed to host over the next three days before my old friend’s passing following a long illness. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: UKHU PACHA, VAITARANA, IANTHIN, SUMERIAN TOMBS, LYUAOIEN, JORDFÄST

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Jun 082025
 

(written by Islander)

Welcome to another Sunday column focused (mainly) on black metal. This one goes pretty deep underground, with music from four debut releases, leavened with songs from two bands whose discography is more extensive.

I’m going to start with reviews of an album and an EP, to make sure I have time to say what I want to say about them, and then turn to a group of individual songs and videos. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: SIGH, AMIENSUS, HELHEIM, THOMAS BEL, VARHARA, ÙNA

 Album Reviews, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET  6 Responses »
Jun 012025
 

(written by Islander)

I’m no Cinderella but on days like this I do turn into a pumpkin (charred black).

After missing two Sundays due to festival-ing in May I had grand plans to partially make up for those absences in a larger-than-usual column today. But I forgot about plans my spouse had made for us this morning that will take me away from home and computer.

So the grand plan has been trashed. Rather than rack my brain trying to figure out what to save, I decided instead just to start and to keep going until time runs out (and I turn into a pumpkin). Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: A DEAD POEM, THE SUN’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE NIGHT, IRGA, GLYPH

 SHADES OF BLACK  1 Response »
May 042025
 

(written by Islander)

Today’s blackening of the sabbath will be shorter than usual. After finishing yesterday’s Seen and Heard column I did chores, then conversed for hours with a visitor to our home (a good friend from across the water in Seattle), then spent the late afternoon and evening watching a great baseball game at the local sports bar, then slept for 9 1/2 hours. And now I’ve got to leave home soon for another activity with friends.

So there’s the excuses. I know you didn’t need them. A shrink would make good money trying to diagnose why I feel the need to make them, and more money trying to figure out why I feel equally compelled to do these columns instead of fucking off like a normal un-churched person on Sunday mornings. Enjoy! Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: SIGNERI, AMBULACRUM, LÁSTIMA, OLESIN, MÜTTERLEIN

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Apr 202025
 

(written by Islander)

I didn’t think I would do this column today. First, because yesterday I agreed to an emergency request for a premiere today in celebration of the high holiday. And second, because I didn’t go to sleep until 2 am this morning due to an alcohol-fueled reunion with old friends last night.

But so far I haven’t received what I agreed to premiere, and though my brain is very fuzzy I’m thinking some blackish music might clear away the fuzz. So, blaze and praise, here we go. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: NASCITURUS, SVART VINTER, NIGHTMARE BODY, ALUKTA, NVAGE, DERHEAD

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Apr 132025
 

(written by Islander)

Biting off more than you can chew: I came real close to doing that yesterday. All the songs by those 14 bands tasted so good, I had to bite into them, though I don’t know how many other people listened to them all, much less read all the words I frantically spilled out.

I guess my mental jaws were sore this morning because, after starting to get caffeinated, I stared at what I’d planned to do for today’s black roundup and backed off. I hadn’t planned an extravaganza on the scale of yesterday’s sonic storm, but it still seemed like a lot, or at least a lot more than I could manage without spinning like a top again, so I pulled out the paring knife and started shaving it down. (Man, that’s a lot of metaphors already and I’m still just in the intro!).

A painful process it was, deciding what to go with and what to leave behind. I hope the pain you’re about to experience below is only the kind of pain you seek. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: AEONYZHAR, VEIA, FØSPHENE

 SHADES OF BLACK  1 Response »
Apr 062025
 

(written by Islander)

I spent yesterday marching and rallying. It felt good. I spent last night (way deep into the night) consuming a gallon of good whisky with friends who were like a hybrid of rabbits and wolverines, cautious and nimble but also fanged and fierce. This morning I woke up feeling like a crippled turtle.

I thought about not doing anything for this column, just leaving a gap between yesterday and tomorrow. But what might people think? Stroke? Heart attack? Pneumonia? Burst appendix? Going off the road and into a pylon? Is he dead, injured, sick, or what?

Reading what I just wrote, that sure sounds egotistical. More likely, few people would give even a passing thought to why this column never arrived. But more than momentarily, I’d feel like I’d fallen down on the job, in addition to being barely able to stand up this morning. Better something than nothing, so here are three very good somethings. Continue reading »

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