Blood of the Black Owl - Light The Fires! (2012)

Country: USA

Genre: Black Metal/Doom/Dark Ambient

Label: Glass Throat Records

Chet Scott is a master at hypnotic, insular esoteric metal. All one has to do is look at his past recordings under the Blood of the Black Owl moniker. His latest release Light The Fires is no different in that it delivers spectacular drones which highlight inward emotions. This is music to get lost in. 

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Skagos - Anarchic (2012)

Country: Canada
Genre: Cascadian Black Metal
Label: Eternal Warfare

Anarchic is slated to be a three-side release, containing seven "movements" that comprise Skagos' second LP. The tracks have been trickling in thus far, with Side A being released earlier in the summer and Side B surfacing in the recent weeks. The final track, Side C, won't be available until the LP is actually released in early 2013. Regardless, here we have the first two tracks, which encompass realms Skagos really haven't been to yet. From the dreamy introduction to Side A to the pure atmospheric blasts of its second half to the very unique, almost folk-like singing and ambiance of Side B, this is diversification incarnate. While I honestly enjoy Side A a lot better than Side B, it is all worth a listen and will likely come to some sort of earth-shattering conclusion when Side C is unleashed upon us.

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Elysian Blaze - Blood Geometry (2012)

Country: Australia

Genre: Black Metal/Doom

Label: Osmose

To put it simply, Blood Geometry is one of the most unique and astounding listens you're going to find in 2012. By combining swaths of droning doom with a backbone of thick, atmospheric depressive black metal, one man project Elysian Blaze has created a stunning 3xLP that opens itself to repeat listens of sonic exploration. Hands down one of the best releases of the year in any genre.

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