Nostalgic in its unusual format, brilliantly refreshing and reframing in its execution, navigating dislocation in all kinds of curious ways, Cat Power Sings Dylan is also, yes, musically enjoyable fun.

New angles from which to view the monolith, new translations of the ancient text.

Necktwitching riffs don’t let up for the seven tracks of the Quebec band’s second full-length.

The record continually balances the tastefully decorative and extremely destructive throughout.

Quebec collaboration between two of the scene’s biggest names, Athros of Forteresse, and Monarque join together in Sacrenoir for a homage to black metal’s thrashy, trashy first wave origins. 

Long Walk of the Navajo really really sounds like Yawning Man being great at sounding even more like Yawning Man than ever. Really.

Orbweaving is a great demonstration of the range but also the specific atmosphere conjured by these artists.

Like a 20-second soundtrack to a ‘slow hazy waking-up’ scene in a movie expanded to forty minutes.

Close is an eclectic, omnivorous, deep and heavy leap forward from Messa.

Great new record Triumvirat by Québec’s Ossuaire: fast, aggressive, but with the backdrop of harmonic grandeur you can generally expect in black metal from that province.

Distinctive but complementary halves which each feel like they’re self-contained but benefit from being heard in the vicinity of their companion. Highly recommended.

Like stained glass glints stabbing through the heavy black drapes of murky droning riff cycles.

It’s still Skepticism, which means the songs and the sound are impeccably judged in their creation, delivery and recording, and that sound is still ominous yet grand yet melancholy yet crushing.

35 minutes of epic but gritty, tightly wound but flowing black metal.

It’s everything you want from a new release, keeping all that was unique and powerful from previous records but expanding the scope and pushing the limits in places.

Forked Tongues is a furious, refreshing extreme blast.

Part 1 of our Roadburn Redux coverage. “It got far, far closer to that magic than I imagined possible for a digitally distanced event. A fantastic achievement from all involved.”

The highs offered by Yawning Sons’ Sky Island get pretty high.

The Swiss black metal trio’s new record Tinnitus explores post-metal textures while conveying atmospheric iciness.

Guaranteed to make your brain fizz.

In a world without live music Owen Coggins was lucky enough to see back-to-back gigs by Tuskar – one live, the other livestream – in an autumnal double-header at the Black Heart.