Wazzara |Arbor |Self-release

Release Date February 13^th, 2026
Format Full-length
Genre Atmospheric Black/Doom Metal, Blackgaze
Country Switzerland

Wazzara started burning their path in 2015 as the solo project of Swiss singer and composer Barbara Brawand. After dropping the "Zessa" EP in 2019, the lineup expanded. George Necola brought his low-end rumbling and production skills to the fold in 2020. They gathered a full live crew and spent the next few years spreading their chaotic, hypnotic noise across stages. Now we get "Arbor", their fourth release and an absolute collision of atmospheric black metal, crushing doom, and massive blackgaze walls of sound. This release summons ancient forces, bringing out untamed aggression masked in sheer beauty.

The musicianship on "Arbor" rips through the speakers with serious hostility, fusing absolute darkness with strange, ethereal beauty. We get heavy, dragging doom riffs crashing into vast, echoing tremolo picking. Andrei Jumuga sits behind the kit to provide a massive rhythmic foundation, blasting through the fast sections and slowing down to a monstrous, agonizing crawl when required. The guitar work from Tom Kuzmic and Masi Stettler shreds out huge, melancholic melodies that drift above the crushing rhythm section. The production job gives the harsh elements plenty of teeth to rip your face off, ensuring the massive soundscapes echo straight into the void.

Barbara’s vocal delivery dictates the entire massacre, echoing like ancient spirits rising from the dirt. She switches between haunting, spectral singing and absolutely vicious shrieks, anchoring the extreme shifts happening in the music. Tracks like "9 Confines" and "Nova" display this dynamic assault, hitting you with pure aggression before pulling back into huge, sorrowful valleys of sound. The band even dragged an older song, "Zessa (Reborn)", into the studio to give it a massive overhaul, completely thrashing the 2019 version and bringing it up to their current, devastating standard.

This album delivers a serious, heavy beating layered with beautiful, agonizing melancholy. The score reflects the killer riffs and crushing atmospheres all over the place, even if a couple of the transitions between the black metal blasting and the slow doom sections drag on a fraction too long. It is a massive, bone-crushing release that truly holds up under maximum volume. Wazzara forged an alloy of sheer, untamed aggression and soaring melodies for extreme metal maniacs who want their eardrums annihilated.

Score: 7.8

www.wazzara.com

www.facebook.com/wazzaraofficial

www.instagram.com/wazzara_official

www.wazzara.bandcamp.com

www.youtube.com/@wazzara

Adorn | Adorn | Northern Silence Productions

Release Date: 7 November 2025

Format: CD/Digital/LP

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal, Blackgaze

Country: UK

Adorn began as an artistic union shaped around nostalgia, longing and a wish to revive older forms of beauty in a modern landscape. Coeur Loyale guides the project with songwriting, vocals, guitar, bass and the production duties. His writing leans into romantic imagery and a world that feels suspended somewhere between dream and memory. Valliant Desire shapes the band’s emotional tone through violin, piano and choirs, giving the music the quality of a faded painting brought back to life. Bon Valour anchors the sound with drumming that supports the atmosphere without pulling it toward extremity for its own sake.

Their vision is dedicated to an older spirit, one that lingers in ruined halls, gardens at dusk and stories told in low voices. Their music focuses on longing, sorrow and a quiet glow that never fully disappears. “Adorn” follows their early work “Grace” from 2014 and arrives as a carefully crafted return after many years of silence.

“Adorn” moves with a steady emotional current that suits its themes of romanticism and fading grandeur. The band leans into graceful melodies and smooth transitions between harsh energy and softer colours. Instead of aiming for loud shock or aggressive edges, the album invites the listener into a world made of dim candlelight and slow turning memories. 

Coeur Loyale’s vocals have a weathered tone that fits the music’s wistful character. His guitar work builds patient layers, never rushing the journey. The melodic lines are shaped in a way that feels personal and reflective. Valliant Desire’s violin and piano give the songs warmth, almost like old letters written in careful calligraphy. These elements add charm without turning the material fragile. Bon Valour’s drums keep the flow steady and grounded, allowing the music to drift into luminous territory while still holding structure.

The album stands strongest when the romantic and blackened elements rise together. “Secrets Of The Heart” opens with smooth motion and emotional brightness. “Tudor Garden” stretches into a more narrative space, as if walking through an abandoned estate where every corner has a memory attached to it. “Your Majesty” reaches the deepest emotional point, carried by steady pacing and patient melodic growth. The closer “Midsummer” offers a calmer farewell, with a soft glow that lingers after the final note.

“Adorn” commits to atmosphere, gentle sorrow and restrained grandeur from the first moment and holds that path with consistency. The result is an album that’s like a long exhale after years of silence from the band, an elegant return shaped with care. It is a work that will speak clearly to listeners who want romantic beauty inside atmospheric black metal. Its focus remains on emotion through melody rather than force. The music invites repeated listens by building a world that unfolds at its own pace, calm, wistful and quietly radiant.

The album shines through melodic elegance and devotion to atmosphere. It works best when the violin and guitar lines carry the emotional weight together, creating a soft glow around the harsher elements. “Adorn” stands as a calm, thoughtful release that enriches its genre without turning loud or dramatic. Listeners who enjoy blackgaze with a romantic heart will find this a rewarding place to linger, a gentle lantern in a dim corridor of memory.

Score: 7.5

Links:

https://adornmusic.bandcamp.com

https://adorn-northernsilence.bandcamp.com/album/adorn

https://instagram.com/adornmusicuk

Jord | Emellan Träden | Hammerheart Records

 

In the fall of 2020, Swedish musician Jörgen “Jurg” Ström (ex-Skineater, ex-Omnicidal, ex-Rimfrost) set out to create a project that would embrace both the ferocity of black metal and the beauty of atmospheric soundscapes. Inspired by long walks in the forests of northern Sweden and guided by influences such as Alcest, Dissection, and Katatonia, Jord was born. What began as a solo journey quickly grew into a fully realized band. After the debut “Sol” (2021) and its follow-up “Måne” (2022), Jord expanded with guitarist Sebastian “Hravn” Svedlund (Rimfrost, Omnicidal, Sister Sin) and drummer Stefan “Jansson” Jansson (Omnicidal, ex-Devilicious). Their third release “Tundra” (2023), recorded at Studio Soundport with producer Micke Andersson, received international acclaim and established Jord as one of the most exciting new names in the Scandinavian scene. And now in 2025, Jord present their fourth chapter “Emellan Träden”.

“Emellan Träden” carries forward the elements that have defined Jord’s sound – the piercing intensity of black metal, sweeping blackgaze atmospheres, and a deep connection to northern landscapes. The album unfolds with force and serenity, weaving aggressive tremolo riffs, cold melodic passages, and moments where folk-inspired melodies open a path toward something more contemplative. The balance between harsh and soaring vocals, supported by rich layers of guitars and commanding drumming, makes the songs feel like vast soundscapes, each reflecting the shifting seasons and moods of the forest.

Producer Micke Andersson once again plays a vital role in shaping the sonic character of the album. The sound is expansive, keeping the raw intensity intact. The interplay between the icy aggression and the reflective, almost post-rock touches is especially striking, creating an album that feels both massive and intimate. Tracks like “Hon Kallar” and “The Grave And Chain” bring forth the band’s heavier edge, while others like “Dimma” and “Vid Muren” reveal the atmospheric depth and melodic sensibility that Jord have become known for.

At its heart, “Emellan Träden” feels like a journey into northern solitude – an exploration of light and shadow, silence and storm. It expands on the foundations Jord have been building since their formation, presenting an album that captures the essence of Scandinavian black metal while embracing a more modern, emotional dimension. For fans of Alcest, Vintersorg, Falkenbach, Katatonia, Anathema, and Russian Circles, this release offers a rewarding experience that lingers long after the final note fades.

Score: 8.5

Follow Jord:
https://www.instagram.com/jord_bandofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/jordsounds/
https://www.tiktok.com/@jord2645
https://www.youtube.com/@jord5799