Do you know why Serpent of Old‘s June 2023 piece Ensemble Under A Dark Sun always slithered back down into the abyss of the oubliette? It’s because this fully bricked wall of sound bores down on you like a herd of bull elephants on a rampage.¹ And that turns it into heavy fare, whereas you’ll find an abundance of juicier targets throughout the year.

But first looks can be deceptive. Because, under that heavy armor, excellence may lurk and they hit it like Negative Vortex at a more majestic pace. And this late in the year, we finally … [...] Click to raid more!