By: Old Sorcery

Date: January 26, 2026

Format used: digital

Rating: 3/5

Not until after I wrote up this review did I come to understand that Old Sorcery’s The Outsider is part of a trilogy that started with the Escapist. Normally, for better critical cohesion I would revisit a trilogy in anticipation of a release if possible, but this time I was blindsided and for that reason a dozen acolytes will be strung up on saint andrew’s crosses in my basement. Rest assured, Orcus the Vile will not make such a mistake again. But now on to the review. The Outsider is distinctly darker than its predecessor, both in terms of art and in terms of subject-matter. Unfortunately, the music itself does not have this same dark edge to it. Rather, the music is simply more sorrowful and atmospheric with the occasional glimpses of insanity through wailing ambient passages and moments of tension that are resolved in the most eerie way possible. The majority of the darkness on this album comes from this dissonance technique and from the themes itself. But you cannot carry musical darkness through imagery alone. It is the exact reason why Death SS is considered child’s play by today’s standards. The album does carry the hallmark of all good dungeon synth – it feels like a desolate melancholic eulogy performed in a dismal dungeon. But fundamentally, the use of guitars that are surprisingly acoustic this time around – as well as the tendency for more mellow sounds – makes the music a little less potent than you would expect.

One thing I should bring up is the individual tracks themselves are usually good enough as shorter numbers, but the 20 minute “Magickal triumph” is to blame for a lot of the album feeling mundane. It drags on for longer than it should have and delivers less inspired music than if we were to combine the other tracks into one song. I understand we say that one track should just be one song – but for the love of the Great Duke Abrasax – don’t be afraid to vary it up. Orcus the Vile would need to cast a spell of temporal warp and only then will the song go at the same level of quality as the others. We could perhaps shorten “Magickal Triumph” or make this work an EP instead of a full length album if need be. However, if you can focus on just this music or use it as study music you absolutely will not be distracted I guarantee you that. Although in the former case, you will need to enter a trance to sustain your focus.

By: Venom

Date: May 1, 2026

Format used: Digital

Rating: 3/5

As can be expected for a long delayed comeback by a classic band, Venom’s return Into Oblivion is marked by their trademark sound, more nostalgia than is good, and surprisingly, more fresh and creative ideas than you would expect for the men who wrote the textbook for the first wave black metal movement. But that was then, this is now, the old is new, and the dead are stirring in their graves. Seriously, I nearly cancelled my Order’s Beltane sacrifice just to listen to this album. Luckily. after the second century of death you tend to realize your impulses are just as futile as everything else.

Futility does not, however, describe this album. Futility would be creative stagnation. And we do have some new lyrical territory equally evil and sometimes even as dark as their usual forays into devil worship. With songs of dragons, myths, and folklore, there is yet some poetic codices to be unearthed at the temple of Venom. And I will say, as somebody who have heard every single minstrel tread this territory back in the olden days – and having impaled the worst of them as public spectacle – Venom will be honored guests at Orcus the Vile’s feasts for years to come. But do not expect any Power Metal leaning bardic shams from Venom, there is nothing but raw aggressive Metal here – and curiously, without the punk sensibilities this time. Now make no mistake – Venom was always a Metal band first – but in my undead opinion, their early music would be inseparable from punk both in ethos and in terms of musical approach. And while in the past they have been criticized for simplicity, it must be said all the robes and incense in my compound makes a fiend yearn for just that simplicity. What we have found instead is, merely well tested and battle hardened classic Metal riffs. Unfortunately, due to the simplicity and raw attack of the music, Venom have failed to make the riffs take on a life of their own. I don’t mind those riffs, and at a certain point all Metal riffs have their backbones in something that came before, but we need to consider how we lend voice to these foundational Metal licks. It has a classic sound, but Venom needs to either add a little complexity and layering just to give it their own voice, or bring in some of that hardcore punk sound and lean more fully in the direction of something resembling the Thrash Metal they helped influence (without losing their own identity of course).

It was a dangerous tightrope and Venom navigated it well enough considering how easy it could have been to just recycle old music and lyrical tropes specific to their brand (you’re a band of musicians not a company right oh champions of the old guard?). Well – strictly speaking, they do recycle their most impactful song culturally, “Black Metal”, with the very derivative “Lay Down Your Soul” which is a nice song to be true, but if it were not for greater tracks, it would not exist on its own virtue. Luckily, that is about the extent of the pandering, the problem is just how Venom struggle to find a voice, and how they lean too heavily on pre-existing Metal riffs without innovation. Lyrically, in terms of ideas, and in terms of translating their no-frills aggression into a modern album – this is quite the well executed release. There are just a few hiccups technically speaking that hold this album back from being the enduring classic the rest of their catalogue was upon release.

Who are we kidding though? Venom is grunt music. Can you expect the salt of the Earth hellraisers who wrote songs entitled “Aaaaaarrghh” or “Women, Leather and Hell” to care about criticism any more than notoriously critic-proof footballers and part-time musicians Iron Maiden? I think not. But I have said my piece and I will now offer a benediction unto Venom. Carry on Venom. Keep showing that you only need a few good ideas, passion, instruments, and some friends to make something the legions of hell can march to war to.

This is a good return for Venom, but I hope not the end of the line for them. Even if there may have been murmurings of the sort. Murmur is a lesser demon anyway, abjure him with all the names of the godhead says I! If you enjoyed this review be sure to return in two days for my next review.

By: Cnoc an Tursa

Release Date: April 24th, 2026

Format Used: Digital

Rating: 3.5/5

Ah yes, the Scots, an unruly bunch bunch of Mountain Celts who felt that a single hillfort would not suffice to protect them from the invaders besieging them since the Romans was thoroughly cowed by the ginger maniacs and built a wall to keep them in. How unfortunate that the English were not so easily beaten back. Yes the plight of the Scots is indeed sad, and it is therefore appropriate that Cnoc an Tursa’s latest release has a sorrowful, melancholic sound that permeates every song. We also see the clean female vocals – because apparently we need that beauty and the beast vocal gimmick here – in addition to the slight metalcore leaning rasps that has marked Cnoc an Tursa’s debut album as well.

Every song on this release is long. I have personally find it dragging in places and I am a certified alumi of mage college! The songs have enough variety and creativity but the sections of the song tend to plod a little bit as we sit on the opposite end of our seats awaiting the next lead or vocal section. The atmosphere is more than decent, and it reminds me a lot of Saor, another band with “scottish sensibilities” – so to speak.

One strong element of the album is that we do have keyboards and other musical ornamentation clearly audible in the mix. And this is no small feat mind you, as some Folk Metal bands – who do this as their forte – do not always have all the little embellishments pop up. I do find the clean vocals thrown in to add to the overall experience, even if I feel like the contrast isn’t as stark as you would have with say even more guttural death metal vocals.

Their lyrics have less swaggering nationalistic pride this time around, and there are some interesting forays into mythology and folklore. I’m not sure how to feel about “Am Fear Llath Mór” – have the Scots finally discovered I open portals into the mists of their highlands to abduct the frail and the weak? I would need my acolytes to look into this, but at least from the song it appears that they have not yet guessed at my nefarious purposes yet. Regardless, the eerie subject-matter and more lamenting tone of the obligatory pride songs make this album feel much fresher than it would otherwise.

Between this album and their debut, I feel Giants of Auld is still stronger. I will be looking at their sophomore effort next just because this album is good enough to make you want to see if the last part of the trinity also holds up. If you like atmospheric Black Metal, give this release a listen.

By: Wolfchant

Release Date: February 13, 2026

Format used: Digital

Rating: 3.5/5

There are many words you could use to describe Wolfchant’s latest album. Epic, melodic and catchy are three. Shiny, overproduced, and bombastic are three others. Nay, Orcus the Vile has never particularly gravitated towards Wolfchant. To be sure, they’ve written some amazing albums. Bloody Tales of Disgraced Lands stirred Orcus to furore. And I have rallied my hordes to songs off A Pagan Storm. It’s simply that the early material – while good – did not have the staying power of other bands. And their newer releases are real crowd pleasers in the same way that Powerwolf’s releases are.

Especially on this album we have some real catchy poetry. “Dem Sturme Vorause” is just real treat isn’t it? Just makes you want to belt that Germanic opera right at the top of your lungs until your gut collapses inwards and gives you a forced gastric bypass (what do you mean that doesn’t happen? I’ve gotten a hernia that way in 1906!).

Honestly, the second half of the album really makes the rest of it worth the effort in terms of raw aggression and evil undertones. I just don’t know why we preface it with all these shiny symphonies and electronic tomfoolery. I hope Wolfchant doesn’t think their audience would lack the attention span to stay throughout the entire album. Because that would be too cynical – and I am saying that as a notorious eater of cynics (and they did taste like dogs in the olden days).

Yet while the second half of the album is still more presentable and sounds less like a weird Power Metal-Melodeath fusion, Wolfchant still doesn’t offer us anything less shiny – and their addiction to symphony orchestras makes us wonder why they didn’t just get a full-time quartet to beef up their admittedly impressive keyboard plinking.

That’s Echoes of a Time Long Past. In terms of symphonic metal and melodeath you can do worse, but you can also do much better. And while I will definitely revisit some tracks in the future, this album will most likely fail to make a long-term impression. Either that or it will become a slow-burn guilty pleasure that takes time to sink in. Only time will tell if this album becomes a mere echo of a time long past.

By: Manilla Road

Original Date: March 20th, 1980

Format used: CD

Rating: 4/5

Manilla Road’s debut suffers from a feeling of freshman awkwardness. The beard is patchy, the lunch is spilled in the cafeteria, the whole shebang. But nobody can deny the swaggering and confident lad is phony. And he has passion and a realness that is endearing.

That is the essence of Invasion. The biggest problem, if it can be called that, is Manilla Road are still refining their craft. This album is jam heavy – with lots of guitar tricks – if you didn’t tell me no keyboards were used except on the intro of “street jammer”, I would assume that a lot of the ambient wailing was done through synths. And while there’s good control of the nascent guitar sounds, we do see Manilla Road somewhat struggling to find their sound. There’s a lot of space rock, lots of what would otherwise be be called doom fuzz, and a healthy dose of hard rock. This album can be called straight up rock as much as it can be called Metal at this point in Manilla Road’s career. And that is part of the charm, the ambition and the journey to accomplish it.

This album will not be for everyone, it is too foot deep in 70s convention, and basement-jam experimentation, the lyrics are a little hit or miss too – but if you can forgive that – Invasion is a solid listen that gives us insights into what is to come from Manilla Road. I would recommend this album moreso for the fans who want to hear the full sonic history of Manilla Road as well as for fans of straight up old timey rock.

By: Enslaved and Storm Weather Shanty Choir

Date: March 27, 2026

Format used: Digital

Rating 4/5

Enslaved has ceased to be the black metal beast it once was for a very long time. With an increasing amount of folk influence in their once more progressive music, it comes as no surprise that Enslaved would embrace one of the most authentic Norwegian folk adjacent outfits out there.

Storm Weather Shanty Choir strikes me as among the initiated, after all, they have the sense to describe themselves in their spotify bio as “rockers” singing Shanties as opposed to aligning themselves outright with Metal. Their dark, slightly somber shanties are spiritually aligned with the music of Enslaved.

What we have is a creative and innovative collab, with the first track receiving the stamp of Enslaved and being transformed from both its original format and from the typical music as Enslaved while not going too far off the mark. In short, the essence of “natural progression”. The second track is more clearly the work of the Storm Weather Shanty Choir but there are some musical nodes that bleed Enslaved. Both of the tracks are so unique I guarantee you if you compared them to every other cover of Fire Morengo and Anna Lovinda, you would be able to pick these out in a crowd. And that is what makes a good cover, this imprinting with your own musical stamp.

If Enslaved continues dropping a single every year or so, and deliver this caliber of song consistently, I for one am okay with that sort of output. Because this content is familiar enough not to be jarring, and new enough to not to be alienating. And the two artists coming together is the collaboration nobody knew they wanted, and I’m sure now that the waters have been braved – we will, in fact, be wanting more.

I would recommend this song to fans of any sort of folk music, as well as fans of Enslaved and Storm Weather Shanty choir. This isn’t a release that has a niche in the existing audience.