Now that the dust has settled from our 2022 recap, it's time for the boys to dive headfirst into the new year with a smattering of genre- and quality-varied records. This week's episode features a major black metal release and a funeral doom record from a friend of the show, but first up- an appetizer. Noisy Neighors' debut full-length truly blasts from stereo speakers with a ripping half hour of traditional yet tightly coiled grindcore- an easy recommendation for all lovers of d-beats and death growls. Six years after the release of the divisive "Stella Polaris," Goatmoon has returned with "What Once Was... Shall Be Again," a release that suggests a return to Goatmoon's core sound of stomping, punk- and folk-infused Finnblack. The band doesn't disappoint in its return to the traditional Goatmoon form, but how does this shake out after such a long departure from the style? TBMG and TDMG tease out the subtle structural differences between this and Goatmoon's classic works, attempting to answer a crucial question: what, exactly, will be Goatmoon's legacy? Should the jangly stomp of Goatmoon raise your spirits too much, The Howling Void is here to crush them once again. The funeral doom project of Ryan from Pneuma Hagion, Intestinal Disgorge, and many others, THV's newest record points to a minimal yet multifaceted take on the traditional style. Early Skepticism is brushed with the symphonic backing and scope of Summoning, and further by a haunting veil of mournful folk melody. It may be a new year, but it's still winter, and The Howling Void reminds the listener that it always comes back again. 0:00:00 - Intro 0:05:56 - Noisy Neighbors - Derailing the Hype Train (Grand Vomit Productions) 0:22:22 - Goatmoon - What Once Was… Shall Be Again (Werewolf Records) 1:23:19 - Interlude - The Offspring - “Elders” fr. The Offspring (Nemesis Records, 1989) 1:25:30 - The Howling Void - Into Darkness Ever More Profound (Funere) 2:23:18 - Outro - Catacombs - “At the Edge of the Abyss” fr. In the Depths of R’lyeh (Moribund Records, 2006)