Lapageria Rosea & Macáes - "Pureza Y Chaos"

A split release of black metal varieties from Argentina and Chile thanks to Macáes and Lapageria Rosea, respectively. A very post-rock and shoegaze vibe is employed throughout the entire release, more so on the Macáes offerings, and the hybrid works pretty well despite the Macáes efforts being the least well produced of the two.

The real stand out moments on this split are from Lapageria Rosea, who deliver the most expertly executed post black metal offerings I've heard in a month or two. The melody and guitar work are absolutely beautiful, the vocals are deep and gurgly, layered at times, and rest within the mix so comfortably that they almost become another instrument themselves - as should be the case for this type of outing. Nice electronic elements employed at just the right moments, the whole is super emotive for both but especially so for Lapageria Rosea.

Highly recommended for the last 3 tracks alone, but the 6 together are a nice experience to be certain.

Lapageria Rosea & Macáes - "Pureza Y Chaos"

- DCKR

La Ville des Rêves - "Demo"

Single track demo from La Ville des Rêves out of Sioux Falls, SD, of all places, with some really wonderful shoegaze influenced post black metal. Swirling and sailing guitars of lush atmosphere and melancholic mood. Great musicality on this one, whereas so many artists attempting this sound go overboard in places or entirely miss the point. Epic, emotional, deep, dark - with just a hint of silver lining.

La Ville des Rêves - "Demo"

- DCKR

December Apparition - "Sea Crypt"

Staten Island, NY isn't the first place that comes to mind when thinking of ambient/black/post metal varieties. The act calling itself December Apparition, though, proves that location isn't everything and that brilliance in any genre of music can be found well outside the geographic location most associated with it. Strange, too, for the metal scene, is the lack of an entry on the ever incredible Encyclopaedia Metallum Metal Archives website - but you won't find one there for this band.

5 tracks of brief yet haunting sort of ambient post black metal for free on their Bandcamp page is all you get, beside a Myspace page that looks to not have been updated in over a year and which shows the band only having 18 friends. Kind of fitting, really, I suppose. These short insights into the mind(s) behind December Apparition are a solid outing, though, and absolutely essential for those long haired smokers who like shit spacious yet heavy, fuzzy yet melodic, hidden yet accessible.

December Apparition - "Sea Crypt"

- DCKR

Nameless Coyote - "Devoured By The Swirling Night"

Fuckin' epic "blackgaze", the kids are calling it. Essentially it's like shoegaze and black metal fornicated in the back of your favorite headshop upon a stack of burning bibles and beneath a blanket of awesome. Shit, I'd like to fornicate in the back of my favorite headshop upon a stack of burning bibles and beneath a blanket of awesome while listening to this; it'd be straight out of a corny 80s tween lovestory movie that was a little more "hard" and cool. Choice.

Nameless Coyote - "Devoured By The Swirling Light"

- DCKR