Prepare to have your soul frozen and your neck snapped—because Morbikon’s Lost Within the Astral Crypts is here to drag you into the darkest corners of black metal nostalgia, but with a twist that’ll make even the most jaded metalhead sit up and take notice. Phil ‘Landphil’ Hall, the riff-wielding mastermind behind this project, has ditched the slime and punishment of his other ventures (looking at you, Municipal Waste and Iron Reagan) to double down on his love for the kvlt and trve. And this time, he’s gone deeper—literally and metaphorically—into the sepulchral abyss. But here’s where it gets controversial: does Lost Within the Astral Crypts transcend its second-wave roots, or does it simply polish a sound we’ve heard before? Let’s ignite our torches and find out.
Formed in 2020, Morbikon quickly caught the attention of AMG Industries when their debut, Ov Mournful Twilight, was hailed as a surprise gem of 2022. That album was a frostbitten homage to the burned churches and corpse paint of black metal’s past, delivering eight tracks of meloblack fury. Lost Within the Astral Crypts, however, is a leaner, more technical beast. It’s as if Hall and his supergroup lineup—including the throat-ripping vocals of Mathias ‘Vreth’ Lillmåns (Finntroll, …And Oceans) and the raw, destructive drumming of Pierce Williams (Ænigmatum, ex-Skeletal Remains)—decided to refine their sound into something sharper, colder, and more relentless. The result? A synthesis of 90s-influenced blackened thrash that’s both authoritative and, at times, downright jaw-dropping.
Tracks like ‘Unending Legions of Baal’ and ‘Masters of Eternal Night’ unleash a full-on black metal assault, complete with pounding double bass and subtle synths that evoke the grandeur of Satyricon or Emperor. But it’s when Morbikon pushes the boundaries—as on ‘Ghoul Infested Mausoleum’ and ‘Heavens that Burn and Eons Divided’—that the album truly shines. These tracks blend airy Wintersun-esque melodicism with thrash savagery, creating a sound that’s both familiar and refreshingly new. And this is the part most people miss: the technical excellence here isn’t just for show. It elevates the album beyond the seminal Scandinavian sound, proving that Morbikon isn’t just another tribute act.
Take ‘Heavens that Burn and Eons Divided,’ for example. It’s an energetic, melodic banger driven by layered tremolo attacks and fantasy-toned leads, all anchored by Williams’ tomb-raiding drum blasts. Or ‘Ghoul Infested Mausoleum,’ which features the album’s best tremolo riff—a spectral high/low scale progression that’s as haunting as it is heavy. But here’s the kicker: while the album is packed with shreddy, virtuosic solos and strategic thrash/death explorations, it’s not without its flaws. Tracks like ‘Masters of Eternal Night’ and ‘Sworn to the Beheaded King’ occasionally lean too heavily on genre conventions, feeling less engaging than the album’s more daring moments.
So, is Lost Within the Astral Crypts a groundbreaking masterpiece? Not exactly. But that’s not the point. This album is a masterclass in musical dexterity, delivering aggressive, dark, and nostalgia-soaked material with precision and passion. At its weakest, it’s a grim reminder to revisit those second-wave classics; at its strongest, it’s a rock-solid blackened thrash record that advances Hall’s creative vision and cements Morbikon’s potential. But here’s the real question: does black metal need to reinvent itself, or is there beauty in perfecting what already works? Let us know in the comments—and while you’re at it, grab your copy of Lost Within the Astral Crypts when it drops on November 21st, 2025. Your neck will thank you.
Rating: Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Tankcrimes (https://tankcrimes.com/)
Websites: instagram.com/morbikon (https://www.instagram.com/morbikon/) | facebook.com/morbikon
