Tar’d and death metal’d Turned my brain to shit, slapped my momma, and took my lunch money! ToV slays as always.

sonicsludge77 A definite change of pace for a band that has carved a path as death-doom veterans. Incorporating keys and more progressive elements were nice addition to an already stellar sound. Scaling down to a 4pc has not prevented Temple of Void from crafting a bigger, more dynamic sound. One of my favorite releases this year so far. Favorite track: Thy Mountain Eternal.

Funeral Fog Absolutely badass death-doom!!

Bart The mixture of unbridled anger and pure desperation just oozes from this entire album. Black metal which does play with some hardcore elements, but not enough to put off even the purists. Post-black metal without being too emo. 2026 has been a top tier year for music, and this is easily near the top for me. Favorite track: Famler i hatet.

Sean Phew! Heavy AF, tight AF, catchy AF, and dynamic AF. Well-produced, too! The record’s energy and quality musicianship remind me of Feversea’s 2025 album, Man Under Erasure (another Oslo band!). It is only April, but i will find it hard to believe if this isn’t still a top 10 2026 album for me come winter solstice.

Luke This is not quite a straight-down-the-line black metal album. But it’s not far off one. It opens gently before becoming harsh and abrasive, with a near-constant flurry of growls and blast beats for the duration. It is, fundamentally, a TRVE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL record. But Rosa Faenskap are keen to draw a sharp distinction – “declare war” in their words – between themselves and the typical peddlers of such sounds. This is an explicitly queer, “patricidal” project, biting the had that feeds it.

Frosty Bear What an absolutely gorgeous, amazing album. Beautiful and emotionally heavy while being uplifting. Favorite track: Les fleurs de l’exil.

Drew Music Genuinely atmospheric, top notch post-black metal without a weak or wasted moment to be heard. Immersive, crushing and somehow also inspiring, straight to the top of the AotY contender list. Favorite track: Aux bras des vagues & des vomissures.

Nocturnal Egg (Jordan) Quand le black metal défend la rupture avec Dieu, Miserere Luminis réintroduit l'existence du destin : l'étoile du berger qu'on suivait, avides, en 2009 était un prélude à la pluie de météores qui nous écrasera dans Sidera.
Le malheur y est inévitable : il se trouve dans le corps principal — les mélodies, toutes plus destructrices, les cris arrachés, la batterie partagée entre précision chirurgicale et chaos — et dans la traînée laissée par les violons. Sidera laisse en état de sidération... Favorite track: De cris & de cendres.