Another surprising discovery this year is the black metal band Niveous, hailing from Wisconsin in the United States. The band was formed in 2024. I discovered them a few weeks ago through their debut album, Cult of the Void Star, released last July via Hypnotic Dirge Records on digital, CD and vinyl. (You can also check out the other formats on Metal Archives.) It’s a concept album that’s already making an impact on the underground scene, evoking the atmospheres and aesthetics of 90s Nordic black metal.
Cult of the Void Star is an album rooted in old-school black metal, offering a cold, occult and intense atmosphere. The composition is varied, with different nuances within the structure of the tracks thanks to fairly frequent changes in tempo. Moments of calm provide a touch of respite, though they remain just as obscure. The composition is quite direct and brutal in certain passages, such as those on Baptism of Shadows. I also find that the mix and production are perfectly matched to this album and contribute to its cold and violent atmosphere.
The guitars are razor-sharp, creating a palpable sonic violence. To add nuance to the performance at certain moments, the guitars play in harmony to create melodies (set in the background of the mix) or deliver cold solos such as those in Servants of the Monolith. The drums kick in from the very first seconds with thunderous hits and blast beats at precise moments in each track, adding even more ferocity and intensity to the soundscapes. The drums are at their most powerful on tracks such as Servants of the Monolith, Baptism of Shadows and Boreal Stronghold.
The vocals take centre stage with high-pitched, tortured screams that are pushed to the forefront of the mix. Narrative passages take on an occult feel, as on Harbinger of the Void Star from 3:46 onwards. And that’s not all: to plunge the listener into a colder world, there are orchestral vocals on Frostborne Resistance. I think the vocals reach their peak and greatest power on Boreal Stronghold, with high-pitched, strident screams, particularly at the start of the track.
Among the moments and tracks I enjoyed was Servants of the Monolith, for the drumming and the atmosphere, particularly from 3:32 and then from 4:11 onwards. My favourite track is Frostborne Resistance, for its cold, occult aesthetic and its nuanced composition, shifting between mid-tempo passages and blistering accelerations. I also really liked the rhythm section on Northbound, which builds over the course of a few seconds into a brutal avalanche of sound, but that’s not all: the band also treats us to the best solo on the album from 3:51 onwards.
I rank Cult of the Void Star by the American band Niveous as one of the best debut albums by a band. It’s black metal rooted in the old school (cold and brutal) which reminded me of the cult albums by the Norwegian band Immortal from the 1990s. I think many of my colleagues would agree that the album is captivating in terms of its songwriting and concept.
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When a vast monolith from deep space crashes into Earth and plunges the planet into a new ice age, a fanatical cult devoted to a timeless entity known as the Void Star rises amid the apocalyptic chaos. Opposing them are the Ice Tribes—human survivors adapted to the dark, frozen world. Their leader, Cala Garin, is the last living descendant of an ancient race known as the Sorn. War erupts between the Cult and Frostborne survivors as Earth is consumed by black storms and endless blizzards, the world reduced to a frozen wasteland.
As the Void Star hurtles through deep space toward the Monolith, time runs short for Cala and her resistance. When an unexpected signal begins transmitting from the far northern frontier, she gathers her strongest allies and leads a team northbound toward its source. Driven by hope, they vanish into the endless ice—unaware of who, or what, awaits them.