The Metal Scholar's Weekly Listening List (26th January 2021)

As We Enter The 5th Century Of January 2021

I don't think I can remember a January as long as this one in all my 24 years on this earth. However, the joy that the falling snow brought was very much needed as the white reflected light burst through my windows on Sunday. The cold has been inspiring, and has lead me to resurrect my solo project Vanaheimr, which I will release more news on in due course, but as the cold bit I revisited my very early black metal roots and stripped it back to it's evil core. Felt good to be wrapped up in that fast, thrashing void of noise again, listening to Darkthrone and Bathory helped a lot with that as well to be fair. Anyway, January is in it's final throws and not long until I can drink beer again! Dry January has been absolute torture but very much needed after the frivolities and excessive drinking during a Lockdown Yule. I have plenty of craft tins and a drop of mead waiting for me to enjoy it while listening to some of the finest metal albums going! Despite that, January has been pretty big so far, as I now apply my social media skills for RAMzine and continue to write for Noizze, I'm feeling optimistic as my journey down the music journalism path is starting to become broader with ample opportunity! And it's all because of this here blog which is fast approaching it's 300th post! Anyway, more of that in a future Miscellaneous Goings On Of Tom. In the meantime, lets get on with some tunes.

Singles Of The Week

I. Disentomb (🇦🇺) - Broken Under Your Symbol Of Atonement (Unique Leader Records), Brutal Death Metal

II. Djevel (🇳🇴) - Englene Som Falt Ned I Min Seng, Skal Jeg Slippe Fri Med Brukne Vinger Og Torneglorier (Aftermath Music), Black Metal

III. Fuath (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿) - Prophecies (Season of Mist Underground Activists), Atmospheric Black Metal

IV. Wolfheart (🇫🇮) - Skull Soldiers (Napalm Records), Melodic Death Metal

V. Ellende (🇦🇹) - Weltennacht (AOP Records), Ambient Post-Black Metal

VI. Varmia (🇵🇱) - Upperan (M-Theory Audio), Black/Folk Metal

VII. Xeper (🇮🇹) - Riding The Spiral Of Lilith (Soulseller Record), Black Metal

VIII. Unbounded Terror (🇪🇸) - Infernal Judgement (Xtreem Music), Death Metal 

IX. Grima (🇷🇺) - Old Oak (Naturmacht Productions), Atmospheric Black Metal

X. Sacrocurse (🇲🇽) - Herethical Catharsis (Shadow Records), Black/Death Metal

Albums Of The Week

I. Wardruna (🇳🇴) - Kvitravn (By Norse Music/Fimbulljod Productions), Nordic Folk/Ambient

II. Asphyx (🇳🇱) - Necroceros (Century Media Records), Death/Doom

III. Grima (🇷🇺) - Rotten Garden (Naturmacht Productions), Atmospheric Black Metal

IV. Sacrocurse (🇲🇽) - Supreme Terror (Shadow Records), Black/Death Metal

V. Hulder (🇺🇸) - Godslastering: Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry (Iron Bonehead Productions)

Throwback Of The Week

As the snow came, I indulged in some of the old black metal albums that drew me to the genre in the very beginning. And the one that really brings back fond memories is infamous in the early Norweigan black metal scene. Also because Fenriz quickly became a hero of mine, and if that hasn't given it away, this week's throwback is;

Darkthrone (🇳🇴) - A Blaze In The Northern Sky (Peaceville Records), Black Metal

Favourite Song

Weekly Listening Playlist