The Metal Scholar's Weekly Listening List (15th September 2020)

Starting To Balance My Circus Mind And Endeavours

It's been a mad few weeks of which you're all aware but I think I'm finally starting to manage it all and really utilise my time, which is doing wonders for my mood and motivation. It's also been humbling to have shares and feedback on my reviews recently, with my most recent review for stoner/doom metal band VVARP's First Levitations getting all the love from the band and their fans, so big up my Australian readers, thank you so much! Overall it's just been a mad couple of weeks and right now I am so overwhelmed with positivity that I don't know what to do with it apart from soak it all up. So, once again thank you all for your continued and passionate support! In other new, even though 2020 has been a bit of a damp squib, the later half of the year is ramping up in the music department. Starting to see so many good albums and singles dropping, I have high hopes that if and when we get gigs back, it is going to go off in 2021! I've been impressed so far but I think there is a lot more to come. Without any further ado, here is this week's lists.

Singles Of The Week

I. Theotoxin (🇦🇹) - Philosopher (AOP Records), Black/Death Metal

II.  Karg (🇦🇹) - Abbitte (AOP Records), Post-Black Metal

III. Howling Giant (🇺🇸) - Rooster (Magnetic Eye Recordings), Stoner/Doom/Psychedelic Rock/Metal

IV. Mörk Gryning (🇸🇪) - A Glimpse Of The Sky (Season Of Mist), Black Metal

V. Abduction (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - Astral Projection (Inferna Profundus Records), Black Metal

VI. Nocturnal Prayer (🇨🇦) - Leading The Tumbrels Of Affliction (Inferna Profundus Records), Black Metal

VII. Kaunis Kuolematon (🇫🇮) - Kylmä Maa (Noble Demon), Melodic Doom/Death Metal

VIII. Ovtrenoir (🇫🇷) - Phantom Pain (Consouling Sounds), Sludge/Post-Metal

IX. Serpent Omega (🇸🇪) - Rivers Of Reversed (Icons Creating Evil Art), Sludge/Doom Metal

X. Katavasia (🇬🇷) - Chthonic Oracle (Dry Clean Records), Melodic Black Metal

Albums Of The Week

I. Abduction (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)/Nocturnal Prayer (🇨🇦) - Intercontinental Death Conspiracy (Inferna Profundus Records), Black Metal 

II. Theotoxin (🇦🇹) - Fragment : Erhabenheit (AOP Records), Black/Death Metal

III. Serpent Omega (🇸🇪) - II (Icons Creating Evil Art), Sludge/Doom Metal

IV. Katavasia (🇬🇷) - Magnus Venator (Dry Clean Records), Melodic Black Metal

V. Martwa Aura (🇵🇱) - Morbus Animus (Under the Sign of Garazel Productions), Black Metal

Throwback Of The Week

This week's throwback is something a bit unusual, however it is just as dark and ambiguous as any black metal album I've listened to recently. Many Vikings fans would recognise the first track instantly and as I've been rewatching the series it's made me revisit this album multiple times. I think Fever Ray is an intriguing anomaly in the music world but in the best way possible. Not afraid to address issues and be up front I think her dark, brooding, unusual, weird and atmospheric songs are pretty metal. This album holds many memories for me as well, and has definitely influenced my music as far as creating interesting, mysterious and intriguing atmospheres. 

Fever Ray (🇸🇪) - Fever Ray (Rabid Records), Electropop/Ambient/Trip Hop

Weekly Listening Playlist