Initially formed as Talvikuu, Havukruunu were formed somewhere in the middle of this century’s first decade. However, the earlier years were quite tranquil when it came to releasing material. The first demos by this coniferous crown (which is the English translation for ‘havukruunu’) were released in 2013/2014, the first full-length (Havulinnaan) in 2015. Two more albums did follow, i.e.
It would be too easy to call Withered Land a side-project of Bleeding Malice, but take notice that this Belarussian act was formed very recently by a member of Bleeding Malice, bassist / keyboardist / lyricist / composer / visual artist Olga Kann (she’s also the woman behind the intriguing Space / Drone / Noise / Ambient project Cryo Depth). For this project, she has been assisted by Bleeding Malice colleague and vocalist Alexander Rabets.
Solitvdo are an Italian one-man act which I hadn’t heard of before. Apparently there was one single demo before, and Immerso In Un Bosco Di Querce is the first full recording. The material was released on tape in September 2014 via Eremita Produzioni, and on CD (digipack) in December 2014 via Naturmacht Productions. And for sure this material fits to the label’s roster, known for integrity and introspection, nature and purity, translated into a black-edged aural square.
Temple Of Void are a new band from Detroit, Michigan, with e.g. Acid Witch’s Mike in the ranks.
Texas-based act Krigsgrav were formed by David ‘Vortigern’ Sikora (not to be confused with Arizona’s Vortigern aka Rubeus), and the band nowadays also consists of some colleagues from other bands David is involved with (like Heimar, Valsgarde or Of Oak).
Despite the Finnish album-titles, Lebensnacht hail not from the Land of a Thousand Lakes, but they are a project from Germany. Lebensnacht were formed in 2008 by Robert Brockmann, who recently joined Sado Sathanas’ line-up by the way, and who is one of the guys behind NordanVindar / Tann Im Nebel too.
Germany’s Black Autumn were formed by M. Krall in 1995. The first years this solo-project did not release anything official, yet as from this century on, Black Autumn turned out to be a rather productive entity.
Skygge were formed a couple of years ago in the mighty city of Bergen, Norway, by multi-instrumentalist and composer Kuldegys (of Viðr-fame) and vocalist / lyricist Dáublódir (think: Doedsstraff or Gandreid). They released a first demo in 2012, called Heksekunst, which drew attention of Naturmacht Productions.
Mortis Mutilati are a young French project by Macabre (formerly of Skog and Decrepitude, and actually active in e.g. Septentrion, Moonreich, Charogne -which actually is another solo-outfit by him- or Gratzug amongst others), formed in 2011.
Stoic Dissention are a band from Colorado, formed in 2010 by former and / or current members from e.g. defunct Acheronian Dirge and Centimani. The five-piece had two independently released recordings, the EP Senium in 2011, and the debut full length Relinquished (A Crumbling Monument Witnessed By None) in 2012. Now Stoic Dissention return with Autochthon.
