Botanist - VII - Beast of Arpocalyx (2024)

I think the use of a lot of clean vocals on the previous Botanist album was a convincing success, but if you regretted it you'll be pleased to read that it nearly disappeared on the latest one VII - Beast of Arpocalyx, only aggressive screamed vocals remaining (except for a few clean backing vocals). This and maybe a bit more blast beats make the overall mood of Beast of Arpocalyx darker and more aggro, even if the hammered dulcimer parts are still mostly melodic (if you don't know Botanist yet, it's a one-man band with a drummer, and it's only drumming and hammered dulcimer and vocals, no guitars). The album has been released last year, but was recorded back in 2016, so it's literary a return but a rawer past of Botanist (and probably not indicating which direction he'll be taking next). Probably also explains why two albums in 2024. Anyway what doesn't change with Botanist be it 2016 or 2024 is the high musicianship level and songwriting skill, and obviously uniqueness, so it's another worthy additions to its awesome discography. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Botanist - Paleobotany (2024)

Paleobotany is the twelfth album from Botanist, in which the post-black metal one-man band playing hammered dulcimer instead of guitars and singing about plants move further away from black metal, with a totally convincing result. On Paleobotany the focus was on creating memorable songs, and it sounds like there have been a lot of work dedicated to the clean singing parts, which is now the most important part of the singing. And the work paid off, those clean vocals are great. The extreme metal vocals are still present, rare but more impacting thanks to the contrast. The blast beats are also still there, and the drumming as good as usual. Maybe my favourite Botanist album so far, I really recommend it!

The Bandcamp page.

 

White Ward - False Light (2022)

False Light is the Third album from Ukrainian band White Ward, they deliver again a unique kind of post/progressive atmospheric black metal with saxophone and some clean vocals, the saxophone being used at times for added "epicness" and at times for quiet moments. Totally not "true", but definitely smart. Recommended (as well as their two previous awesome albums)!

The Bandcamp page.

 

Deathspell Omega - The Long Defeat (2022)

Deathspell Omega is a French black metal band known for its innovative take on the genre and for its mystical flame. On their new album The Long Defeat, the innovative elements (choirs, post-metal instrumental parts, dissonance, etc.) are the ones we found on previous album, it brings some diversity on the album, even if it is mostly present on the first track (too long and too post-metal). So the mystical flame is not what it used to be, but there is still a strong epic feel on the most traditional black metal parts (with ferocious blast beats and everything), and they still do that expertly. Definitely not a major album for Deathspell Omega, but still head and shoulders above the vast majority of black metal albums.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Wreche - All My Dreams Came True (2021)

Wreche is a duo playing a music that is post... definitely post, but not so easy to say post what. Post black metal? Yes. Post hardcore? Also. But it's much more than that. Their second album All My Dreams Came True released last year is really unique and good. The vocals are a mix of SDBM and screamo and the drummer is doing blast beats, that's for the "normal" part, because the rest is no guitars, only classical piano and synths parts that are somewhere between futuristic and symphonic black metal. The main melodic element is the classical piano, while the synths are adding different atmospheres. It's refreshing and welcome to hear musicians exploring a different kind of intensity.   

 

The Bandcamp page.