ASH MAGICK – Rituals of Anathematic East
Release Date: 29th August 2025
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Occult Black Metal.
FFO: Paysage d’Hiver, Darkthrone, Tsjuder, Marduk, 1349, Taake.
Review By: Rick Farley
The term black metal means a lot of different things to several types of fans. There’s melodic black metal, atmospheric, symphonic, DSBM and post, just to name a few. Each of which are perfectly fine on their own, and I personally listen to all of these subgenres in some form or another. But there was a time when black metal really only meant one thing, disgustingly primitive, minimalistic, and purposely raw nastiness coming through your speakers like cold waves of noisy malevolence filled with vitriol and hate. Understandably not for everyone, but to some including myself, it was a pure form of rebellious expression. If you could truly summon evil upon this earth, not that you should, this is basically how it was going to sound. Like death itself.
“Hailing from the depths of Istanbul’s ancient shadows, Ash Magick is a raw and unfiltered black metal project founded in 2022 by Necrosanctus and Graveyard Slut. Born from firsthand occult experience, the band channels themes of spiritual decay, cursed devotion, and forbidden knowledge into ritualistic sonic expressions.
Drawing on eastern Mysticism, ancestral lore, and demonic narratives, Ash Magick conjures haunting atmosphere steeped in esotericism and ancient rites, black metal in its most feral, feminine, and arcane form.”
Rituals of Anathematic East being released via Apocalyptic Witchcraft August 29th, 2025, is an abrasive listen. Fair warning, if you’re a production snob in any way, stay far away. It’s not about that. This is dismal, noisy, wretched black metal that conjures atmospheric witchery from hell itself. The caustic guitars are hard to decipher and grate at your skull like rubbing your exposed flesh on broken glass, while the vocals range from reverb soaked gutturals to horrifying shrieks from a mythological creature. The bass is non-existent, and the drums often sound washed out. To the right ears, its raw harshness sounds amazing. It becomes a gateway to whatever ungodly, wickedness, you wish to experience. Its iniquitousness is its allure, organically sinister, and resonates as a truly harmful listening experience.
The Knelling Wretch is a cacophony of blast beats and a grinding wall of guitar mangling. Distortion filled discordance comes in waves of sinuous weaving. After a few listens, the layers of filth become a little easier to decipher. There are melodies here, as well as structure, but you have to be patient. It will reveal its veiled dark magic despite its grotesque semblance. The track ends with what is almost an industrial, tribalistic ritual with synths and a spellbinding spoken word.
Baptistery starts profoundly disturbed sounding with cinematic synths and swelling intensity. The track is more stalking than attacking, at least at first. As it gets a little further in, the chaos takes over while the vultures patiently circle the carcass until the fear of death throes are gone. It feasts on your flesh with no remorse.
Every track on Rituals of Anathematic East feels like its own spiritually charged act of divination. It’s soaked in mysticism while being utterly haunting in the most instant way. It’s not hiding behind anything waiting to jump out, it’s in your face with its malevolence. Ash Magick has created a vile black metal record that demands to be heard. Look past the rawness and be consumed by its dark sorcery.
(4 / 5)
