February 2025 Music Recs
Metal recommendations meeting the darkness face first falling
While January may have been a moment of quickened change, a high on catharsis, with utter focus on the beauty in darkness, February was meeting the darkness face first falling. The music slowed down in quantity—luckily never quality—and brought to mind more reminiscent favorites than the former month.
I feel like I refer to my favorite cult bands (Cult of Luna and Cult Leader) often enough on here that people notice…
Just as it can be a comfort to rewatch a television show, it can be helpful to relisten to music that one has heard before. Only I have this condition where I still cannot help but find new music and so I—without realizing it—went to those that reminded me of the big ones from childhood. And my childhood discoveries started with nu-metal, grunge, and hardcore punk which transitioned into post-hardcore and sludge and so on. But first there were my familial influences of musicals, classical music, and jazz.
It helped take me out of my dissociative revelry with its wonderfully disjointed, playful sound.
And so this was nostalgia without the longing for actual childhood; connecting to that sadness as an adult who can understand it better and delve into play in a way I could not before.
February Music Recs
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Cross Bringer – Healismus Aeternus – “Desolation Hypnosis” (February 21, 2025)
hardcore black metal crust
This is the kind of music that tears at that broken cavern inside my chest. It further rips away at all the stone with utter chaos and bypasses everything that is held down but does not belong.
Chaotic, melodic, dark, and cathartic. A perfect elixir of blackened post-hardcore. Healismus Aeternus is the second album by Cross Bringer after 5 years. (Written 2025 February 3)
Grey Aura – Zwart vierkant: Slotstuk – “Opgehangen afgrond” (March 28, 2025)
avant-garde black metal noise
Grey Aura‘s single “Opgehangen afgrond” had me going to their first album right away because I was drawn in so quick. I love how fun, jazzy punk their music gets. I have listened to their newest song and last album on repeat this week. It helped take me out of my dissociative revelry with its wonderfully disjointed, playful sound. Truly excited to hear the rest of their newest album, Zwart vierkant: Slotstuk. They are avant-garde black metal noise. (Written 2025 February 9)
Noctambulist – Noctambulist II: De Droom – “Lang Leve de Droom” (February 7, 2025)
post-hardcore melodic black metal gaze wave
Post-hardcore melodic black metal, shoegaze, new wave, and more. Noctambulist is definitely on my radar now after finding their newest album which was released February 7. I love the gaze/wave elements they combine for this album that makes for heartfelt reflections. (Written 2025 February 9)
Wells Valley – Achamoth – “Intercession And Invocation” (September 29, 2023)
atmospheric avant-garde blackened post-metal
I only discovered Wells Valley a few days ago when I stumbled upon their 10th anniversary album of their debut Matter As Regent. This is the first time in a long time that I have listened to a band’s music in chronological order.
I love hearing all the influence of music from bands like Neurosis, and even Ulcerate or Cult of Luna at times. Wells Valley leans more avant-garde and are very atmospheric sludge/doom post-metal. Other than the anniversary edition of their debut, their most recent release is Achamoth (2023) which brings out the sirens and sludge more so than their first two albums. I am looking forward to hearing more from them. (Written 2025 February 14)
Last Forest Rain – Last Forest Rain -“Silver Bridge Sunset” (January 17, 2025)
post-hardcore/black metal/gaze
Last Forest Rain is a new favorite. I could tell they were a favorite 30 seconds in. Their debut self-titled LP came out in January and is full of post-, -gaze love. They have so many influences across genres, at times it seems even that small space where post-hardcore punk meets sludge slips in. Last Forest Rain are mainly a combination of post-hardcore, post-black metal, and -gaze. (Written 2025 February 19)
K L P S (KOLLAPS\E) – K L P S – “UNDERTOW” (March 7, 2025)
post-hardcore sludge metal
I feel like I refer to my favorite cult bands (Cult of Luna and Cult Leader) often enough on here that people notice…but it is because I really love them and they are prime examples of what I enjoy most.
K L P S sounds a lot like Cult of Luna and Cult Leader in the sense that their music sounds like a frozen river, singing and streaming through broken ice…or glass. Each moment a submersion and reversion.
Some of my favorite parts of these two songs are the transitions. Something I have found myself looking for in post-hardcore/sludge bands is the melodic piece and connectors, and they have this down beautifully. (Written 2025 February 25)
February 2025 Playlist
2025 February Music Recs YouTube Playlist
