Nifelheim

Now this is how black metal should be done — raw enough that there’s feeling but not so raw that it all becomes a mess. With hints of thrash and death, not to mention a healthy admiration of guttural war metal, this Swedish group have always satisfied, and with the hilariously titled Envoy of Lucifer, they don’t disappoint. With a thin production sound, no triggers in sight and a single-minded focus on attacking and killing, this evokes Venom (who the band have toured with) more than Xasthur, which — be honest — is a good thing when it comes time to rock out. The songs all blur together into one big ball of maniacal noise, the drumming just on the edge of being unhinged, and there’s no shortage of satanic fun to be had.