Every month, I will recap the music I discovered on Bandcamp that spoke to me. I find music through word of mouth recommendations, recommendations from artists on their profile, Bandcamp editorial lists, and, occasionally, the site’s recommendation tools. These albums may or may not have been released in the month in which I am reviewing. The criteria is simply that I found them during that month. I will give each release a brief review and share the Bandcamp link. At the end of the article, a Spotify playlist of my favorite tracks from each release will be embedded. As always, you are welcome to follow the playlist, but I highly encourage you to purchase music from artists on Bandcamp.

After months of treading the same ground, I was ready to find new music in November. The new wave of traditional heavy metal that dominated my summer listening gave way to bleaker, colder records. This list skews towards black metal, but there’s something here for most fans of heavy music.

Yellow Eyes – Master’s Murmur

Released on October 27th, 2023

A complete reimagining of the form, Master’s Murmur is a tour de force for black metal stalwarts Yellow Eyes. Devoid of nearly all traditional heavy music instrumentation, the band retains all of the coldness you expect but achieves this through its use of sparse and almost cinematic soundscapes and motifs. After one listen, I immediately preordered the tape.

https://yelloweyes.bandcamp.com/album/masters-murmur

Infant Island – Obsidian Wreath

Releases on January 12th, 2024

Infant Island is a band I’ve loved for years at this point, and their previous LP, Beneath, is one of my favorite screamo records. Only one track from Obsidian Wreath is currently available for your listening pleasure, but, if “Another Cycle” is a clear indication of the direction of the record, Infant Island has continued along the blackened screamo path they paved for themselves. Again, this was an immediate tape preorder.

https://infantisland.bandcamp.com/album/obsidian-wreath

MARTHE – Further in Evil

Released on October 20th, 2023

MARTHE’s Further in Evil is an exercise in patience. The opening track, “I Ride Alone,” clocks in at an imposing eleven minutes and contains more musical ideas than most records. The most endearing element of the LP is that it evolves throughout and rewards your patience. Rather than a representation of a singular sound, Further in Evil feels like a journey from “I Ride Alone” to “Sin in My Heart” as if MARTHE is incorporating new ideas as the album unfolds. If you are only going to listen to one album from this list, listen to this one.

https://marthesl.bandcamp.com/album/further-in-evil

Spiritiste – Spiritiste

Released on November 8th, 2023

Spiritiste’s debut EP is what every debut should be: clear and concise. Right out of the gate, “in memory of occultural engineers” calls back to Moss Icon with its propulsive groove and vocals that start as spoken word and fittingly arrive at a vocal cord shredding shriek. With the longest track coming in at a brisk two minutes and eighteen seconds and only three tracks on the EP, Spiritiste is quick listen that leaves you wanting more chaotic emo/screamo from the Baton Rouge quartet.

https://spiritiste.bandcamp.com/album/spiritiste

Intercourse – Halo Castration Institute

Released on May 5th, 2023

Intercourse describes themselves as “MUSIC FOR ALIENS MADE BY MUTANTS,” and, honestly, that’s accurate. Halo Castration Institute is an absolutely filthy record that is equal parts noise rock, hardcore, and grind. The Chat Pile comparisons are both obvious and what drew me to the record initially, but Intercourse’s riffs and nihilism brought me back for repeat listens. Bonus points for the most fun song titles in this list. “I Need Saturday Off So I Can Play a Teenager’s Basement” is an all-time great title.

https://intercourse.bandcamp.com/album/halo-castration-institute

Nameless Mist – lifeless

Released on February 10th, 2023

My black metal fandom is in its infancy, and I am lucky enough to have a wonderful friend guide my listening with recommendations. Nameless Mist was one of those recommendations, and I purchased the band’s entire discography in November. lifeless, the newest release from the solo project from Raleigh, builds on the grunge infused black metal of the first two records to create something I find immensely enjoyable. Nameless Mists’ propensity to riff in a way other black metal projects do not is the reason for the season with this one.

https://namelessmist.bandcamp.com/album/lifeless

Spotify Playlist

Meant to be listened to in order.