MetalMatters: The Best Metal Albums of August 2026
In best metal, Vengeance Arsenal rely on tradition for extreme metal, Static Abyss produce hallucinogenic death/doom, and Hanternoz strip away folk for melody.
black metal
Inferno’s ‘The Anthropic Sophisms’ Is Exciting and Well-Structured
Inferno’s The Anthropic Sophisms further tips the scales toward the psychedelic and atmospheric. Everything is subordinated to the ritual.
Emptiness Reinforce the Sense of Dread on ‘Nowhere Speaks’
Emptiness’ Nowhere Speaks carries the same bleakness, a dread that the ominous, towering vocal delivery interprets fantastically.
Witches Hammer’s ‘Final Storm’ Is How They Should Go Out
Final Storm‘s cleaner production casts Witches Hammer’s songwriting in a different light, bringing melodic and traditional heavy metal strains into focus.
Mortem’s ‘Mørketid’ Reconciles Black Metal’s Exhilarating Force
Mortem’s intricate songwriting and their balanced approach to traditional and majestic black metal have a clear goal.
Brånd’s ‘Tåg & Nåcht’ Offers Boundless Exploration
Brånd’s Tåg & Nåcht offers boundless exploration, touching on everything from post-punk and neofolk to electronica and krautrock with a black metal underpinning.
Death. Void. Terror’s Gruelling Ascent Toward the ‘Monolith’
Death. Void. Terror. unleash “( — — ) Ametahna” from To the Great Monolith 2.5, a first taste of what will soon arrive with III.
Scimitar Reach New Heights with ‘Scimitarium II’
Beneath all the cacophony and chaos in Scimitarium II, Scimitar are always in control, harnessing these expressions rather than being consumed by them.
Spirit Adrift Blur Boundaries on ‘Infinite Illumination’
Spirit Adrift’s heavy metal core is set, unchanging, and fundamental, but around this origin point, the doom and thrash satellites can still orbit.
Blood Countess Create a Generic Black Metal Masterpiece
Blood Countess’ Imperatrix Sanguinis is cold and sadistic fun; a reminder of why the black metal genre thrived in the first place.
Evil Warriors Travel the Entire Spectrum of Extreme Metal
The raison d’être for Evil Warriors is no longer to pay tribute to one particular expression of extreme metal, but multiple. Their new album does just that.
Deafheaven Are Loudly Beautiful on ‘Lonely People With Power’
Deafheaven are going to make Lonely People With Power. They’re going to melt your face off. However, you have to wait for it. It’s magic.