Fen "Winter"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Atmospheric Progressive Black Metal, Post Metal
Label: Code666/Aural Music
Format: digital, vinyl
Release date: March 10, 2017
Tracklist: 
1. I (Pathway)   
2. II (Penance)   
3. III (Fear)   
4. IV (Interment)   
5. V (Death)   
6. VI (sight)

Line-up: 
The Watcher - vocals, guitar
Derwydd - drums
Frank "Grungyn" Allain - bass, vocals

Description/Reviews: 

These songs are richly textured and layered with all manner of nuance and subtlety. Post-rock and progressive stylings merge effortlessly into blackened aggression and dark atmospheres. These transitions are seamless, when they occur at all; frequently they are merged together wholesale, so there’s no transition as such, just one holistic approach to blackened music.

Read the full review at wonderboxmetal.com

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Ashenspire "Speak Not of the Laudanum Quandary"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Avant Garde Progressive Black Metal
Label: Code 666/Aural Music
Format: CD, digital
Release date: January 20, 2017
Tracklist: 
1. Restless Giants (9:21)
2. The Wretched Mills (8:47)
3. Mariners At Perdition's Lighthouse (7:44)
4. Grievous Bodily Harmonies (7:12)
5. A Beggar's Belief (2:56)
6. Fever Sheds (10:33)
7. Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary (12:45)

Total time 59:18

Line-up: 
Alasdair Dunn
Petri Simonen
Fraser Gordon
James Johnson

Description/Reviews: 

Musically, the album is definitely more avant-garde than it is black metal, which would make sense for a band that lists Dødheimsgard as an influence. In fact, more than anything they remind me of progressive metallers Ne Obliviscaris, particularly in the way that the violin is used to carry the melody in a lot of the songs. There’s also more than a little My Dying Bride in the way they incorporate piano into several of the songs. For the most part, the music acts as the scenery and tableau for Dunn’s vocal performance – it’s well-arranged and skillfully performed, giving the album as a whole the air of a Victorian drama. That’s not to say that there aren’t standout moments, though; the clean guitar and piano in the opening section of “Grievous Bodily Harmonies” are absolutely lovely, and the taut riffing of “The Wretched Mills” adds to the overall dramatic tension of the piece.

Read the full review at indymetalvault.com

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Aenaon "Hypnosophy"

Country: Greece
Genre(s): Avant Garde Progressive Black Metal
Label: code666
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: November 25, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. Oneirodynia (7:49)
2. Fire Walk With Me (7:00)
3. Earth Tomb (6:59)
4. Void (6:02)
5. Tunnel (4:45)
6. Thus Ocean Swells (6:58)
7. Phronesis - Psychomagic (15:16)

Total time 54:49

Line-up: 
Astrous - vocals
Achilleas C. - guitars
Anax (J.M) - guitars
Orestis Z. - saxophone
Nycriz - drums

Description/Reviews: 

Aenaon take fairly established ideas that aren’t that original, but combine them in outlandish ways to create a unique mix. The journey of listening to Hyponsophy goes as such: At the base of the framework sits a foundation of typical black metal – trem picked riffs, fast drumming and chords that alternate between being melodic and dissonant. Then begins a deviation from that standard. The vocals are akin to Dødheimsgard with a “blackened theatrical” feel, blending screams and shrieks with dramatic yelling and other overtly emotive sounds.
But that’s not where the vocal experimentation ends, as singer Astrous incorporates singing that is borderline power metal. The guitar work starts to follow the experimentation of the vocals as it strays into territories that border on blackjazz ... but in the more popular understanding of the genre rather than the fusion-based strain that normally permeates metal. This all results in a mix that can be described as enjoyable, cheesy, serious, simple, complex and other similarly juxtaposed adjectives. Again: there’s no way this should work, but it totally does, as the band embrace their dichotomy to the fullest and make the most of it instead of trying to use it as a crutch.

Read the full review by Noyan at heavyblogisheavy.com

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Fen "Carrion Skies"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Post Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal
Label: Code666
Format: CD, vinyl
Release date: November 22, 2014
Tracklist: 
1. Our Names Written in Embers Part 1 (Beacons of War)
2. Our Names Written in Embers Part 2 (Beacons of Sorrow)
3. The Dying Stars
4. Sentinels
5. Menhir- Supplicant
6. Gathering of the Stones
7. Coffin Soil (Exlusive bonus track on vinyl and Wood Box editions)
8. Trilithon (Exclusive bonus track on Wood Box edition)
9. Twilight Descends (Rare bonus track on Wood Box edition)

Line-up: 
The Watcher - vocals, guitar
Derwydd - drums
Frank "Grungyn" Allain - bass, vocals

Description/Reviews: 

To my ears, I’ve noticed that some subtle progression in their musicianship from the Epoch album, which was built further with the release of Dustwalker in 2013 – an album that added further dynamics to their often hypnotic black metal brew. Firstly, they aim with a double pronged attack – kicking off with ‘Our Names Written in Embers Part One'; beginning with acoustic chords then aiming for a sudden crisp and charging attack. This sounds somewhat deeper and more powerful than previously heard songs with rousing melodic chord changes, clean vocals and a mix of quieter passages that we’d normally expect from Fen. Fading guitar squeals lead dramatically into ‘Our Names Written in Embers Part Two’, filled with interesting melodious chord changes and a distinct driving bass pattern, that adds a level of power that I’ve not heard as prominent compared to previous albums; sounding as emotive and dramatic as ever.

Read the full review by Mark Steele at echoesanddust.com

Media/Samples 
Menhir-Supplicant

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Hail Spirit Noir "Oi Magoi"

Country: Greece
Sub Genre: Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic
Label: Code666 Records
Release date: January 20, 2014
Tracklist: 
1. Blood Guru (6:17)
2. Demon for a Day (6:00)
3. Satan Is Time (7:03)
4. Satyriko Orgio (Satyrs' Orgy) (6:32)
5. The Mermaid (11:28)
6. Hunters (6:44)
7. Oi Magoi (5:18)

Line-up: 
Haris: synths
Theoharis: guitars, vocals
Dim: bass, acoustic guitars
        With
Ioannis Giahoudis: drums
Dimitris Dimitrakopoulos: additional vocals

Description/Reviews: 

This album can move all those who love listening to psychoprog/folk/black albums, which can be described by on word: Artistic. It’s not just the atmospheres behind the black metal marks on guitars, on vocals, on drumming that remind of Darkthrone in the age of “Panzerfaust” or Enslaved. It’s also the successful painting of the ’70s sound, just as it begun with “Pneuma” and in “Oi Magoi” goes on, touching the top.

Read the full review by Dr.Feelgood at metalfields.wordpress.com

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Satan is Time

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Aenaon "Extance"

Country: Greece
Sub Genre: Progressive Black Metal
Label: Code666/ Aural Music
Release date: January 20, 2014
Tracklist: 
1- The First Art
2- Deathtrip Chronicle
3- Grau Diva
4- A Treatise on the Madness of God
5- Der Mude Tod
6- Pornocrates
7- Closer to Scaffold
8- Land of no Water
9- Algernon’s Decadence
10- Funeral Blues
11- Palindrome

Line-up: 
Astrous - vocals
Achilleas C. - guitars
Anax (J.M) - guitars
Thyragon - guitars
Nycriz - drums

Description/Reviews: 

Greek outfit Aenaon is a fantastically varied outfit rooted in black metal and offering an early strong release for 2014. Although more of an experimental album than many bands in the genre would be comfortable releasing, “Extance” remains hugely guitar focused, so it doesn’t ever lose its bearings in all the style mashing.
The dual guitar assault is easily one of the album’s high points, allowing any given song be both melodic and energetic at the same time. On several tracks, the two guitars split off in different directions – one keeping up the tempo in the back and the other taking the melody into the forefront – and it really gives off an Opeth vibe, if Opeth went black metal. The audible bass, jazzy compositions, and wobbly ‘70s keyboards don’t hurt either.

 Read the full review by at metalunderground.com

Media/Samples 
Grau Diva

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Todtgelichter "Apnoe"

Country: Germany
Sub Genre: Avant Prog, Doom, Post Metal
Label: Code666/Aural Music
Release date: April 15, 2013
Tracklist: 
01. Embers
02. Lights Of Highways
03. Expectations
04. Kollision
05. Beyond Silence (feat. Daniel Brennare of Lake Of Tears)
06. Soil
07. Odem
08. Until It All Begins
09. Tiefer Fall (feat. Allen B. Konstanz of The Vision Bleak)(Bonus Track on Digi pack and Ultra special edition)
10. Torn

Line-up: 
Christoph Wonerow - Bass
Frederic - Guitars, Vocals
Tentakel Parkinson - Drums, Keyboards
Marta - Organ, Vocals
Claudio - Guitars
Tobias - Vocals

Description/Reviews: 

Apnoe is much more into what they are currently labeled as: Avant-garde Black Metal. You will not find the usual aggressiveness and heaviness of previous albums (even though Angst from 2010 was already less Black Metalish). This is an extremely emotive album, very powerful, very intense. Some bands want desperately to get into the trendy post metal and post rock and post this and that trend (sadly, for some that is only a trend), but some others do it naturally and it actually works out well. And this second case is the case of Todtgelichter. This is a very good piece, very strong tunes, amazing melodies, all instruments working for the same, there is no space for doubts about what they are doing here. 

Read the full review by Lachryma Christi at lachrymachristizine.blogspot.com

Media/Samples 
Progstreaming

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The Prophecy "Salvation"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Progressive Metal, Doom
Label: Code666
Release date: February 4, 2013
Tracklist: 
1. Salvation
2. Released
3. Reflections
4. In Silence
5. Redemption

Line-up: 
- John Bennett / Drums
- Greg O'Shea / Guitars
- Matt Lawson / Vocals
- Gavin Parkinson / Bass

Description/Reviews: 

Before anyone gets too excited, it would be good to clarify first that the death metal elements on Salvation are not really all that heavy, and often takes a back seat compared to the excellent doom metal that is on  the album. But the music here is rather atmospheric and soothing, with the sound of calming wind and waves greeting the listener on opening title track Salvation. The opening notes on the clean guitar, along with the strings brings in a sense of melancholy amidst the calmness, setting down the mood and emotion for the rest of the album to come. And as the song progresses there are some slight similarities to the prog rock material of Opeth, especially as vocalist Matt starts singing, with the way he sings being rather reminiscent to Mikael Akerfeldt like the way he chooses to drag out certain words and his vocal progression, though the music here is certainly more doom-paced and slower compared to the aforementioned.

Read the whole review at heavymetaltribune.com 

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Fen "Dustwalker"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Post Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal
Label: Code666
Release date: January 21, 2013
Tracklist: 
01. Consequence
02. Hands Of Dust
03. Spectre
04. Reflections
05. Wolf Sun
06. The Black Sound
07. Walking The Crowpath
08. Epilogue [special edition bonus]

Line-up: 
The Watcher - vocals, guitar
Derwydd - drums
Frank "Grungyn" Allain - bass, vocals

Description/Reviews: 

Stylistically speaking it isnt very different from the atmospheric black metal with heavy post-rock influences they have played on their first two albums. Soothing melodies, vocals ranging from screams to clean wailings and interesting bass-lines, again are all present, but the overall delivery seems much more urgent and engaging now. This is due to the increase of aggression in their playing and the heavier production. Now, due to the increased aggression, the dynamics and variety are also elevated as the contrasts between these parts and the calmer and soothing parts is enhanced. The album therefore keeps your attention more easily and is even more engaging because of this. Overall, Dustwalker is an excellent post-black metal album by one of the frontrunners of this style. (lordsofmetal.nl)

Media/Samples 
Consequence

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