Ippocalyptica
I slept on Prison of Mirrors, but I eventually make my way to everything touched by Stephen Lockhart, and as expected, this debut (!) full-length is absolutely phenomenal, and one of 2020’s best black metal albums. Technical yet subtle, the hypnotically immersive and dissonant melodies are matched by powerful and trance-inducing drumming, the whole affair bolstered by an utterly possessed vocal performance and occult vibe. If you like Deathspell Omega and Svartidaudi, you know what to do.
Favorite track: Ascending Through the Majesty of the Dark Towers.