Band:	Haunter
Album:	Thrinodίa
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	May 2016

01. Perinatal Odium Dilute
02. Untitled
03. Shrouded Moor
04. Vial
05. Thus My Undertaking, To Reject Stagnation, And To Liberate Fervency
06. Apnoeic (Polarized In Retrospective Contempt)
07. Thrinodίa

If there's one thing Texas is known for, it's high-quality black metal, am I right? If you like your black metal a little crusty, like it was left out in the Texas sun a little too long, then you've come to the right place!

Yes, Texas may be better known for barbecue and having a legal system comparable to one you might find in the Middle East somewhere, but prepare yourself; a respectable metal scene also resides there. More shocking: the black metal is pretty friggin' good.

Haunter, as you may have guessed are a black metal band from Texas. Their approach is one that combines a crust punk aesthetic with a more traditional, riff-oriented black metal sound. The production is satisfyingly lo-fi while not obstructing the quality of the overall record. They manage to find that sweet spot in the songwriting with just the right mixture of meditative, ambient slow moments and heavy chugging sections to break up the disharmonic riffs and tremolo-picked rampaging. The vocals compliment the instruments well and aren't overbearing in the mix. "Thrinodίa" is also the title of the standout track and closer to the album, clocking in at 14 minutes. The riffing starts out similarly to a Deathspell Omega track, but quickly veers into more unique, progressive, and uncharted territory.

Let's be honest; they're not reinventing the wheel with this one. But in any given year, we typically find only a handful of really good, well-crafted, kickass black metal albums. Thrinodίa is decently memorable and is damn fun to listen to for being a "song of lament".