Today, in the shadow of the pagan season of Samhain, BLKIIBLK is proud to announce its union with Philadelphia black metal force UNHOLY ALTAR.
The quintet—Desecrator (vocals), Miserer (guitar), Cadaver (bass), Lucifer’s Rage(drums) and Eagle Devouring Snake (guitar)—has emerged as one of the most compelling forces in modern black metal since its unholy birth in 2021.
While their earliest recordings were primal invocations steeped in the frostbitten traditions of second-wave black metal, subsequent offerings, including 2024’s ‘Veil of Death! Shroud of Night’ LP and 2025’s defining ‘A Sullen Dark Sky’ EP, found UNHOLY ALTAR casting a longer, darker shadow. Cadence, atmosphere and an increasingly distinctive identity have become as important to their sound as the raw violence at its core. The result is black metal that honors its dark legacy without becoming shackled to it.
Says UNHOLY ALTAR of their new alliance:
“We are pleased to announce that UNHOLY ALTAR has joined forces with BLKIIBLK Records. A new chapter begins, and with it comes our darkest offering yet. The gates have opened.”
Mike Gitter, BLKIIBLK label head and Frontiers Label Group Global Head of A&R, adds:
“UNHOLY ALTAR has quickly become one of the most exciting bands in modern black metal. They’ve put in the work in the underground, bringing together their metal roots with an atmosphere and aesthetic that’s entirely their own. There’s a real sense of danger to this band. They’re evocative, unsettling and genuinely disturbing in all the right ways. Everything great black metal should be.”
In their relatively short existence, UNHOLY ALTAR has already left a formidable mark on the international underground. Appearances at Decibel Metal & Beer Festival, Canada’s Prepare the Ground and shared stages with Worm, Mortician, and Crypta have helped establish the band’s growing reputation. Their first European tour in 2025 included Belgium’s Tumult Festival, alongside bands like Myrkur, further extending their reach beyond North America.
That momentum continues into 2027 with appearances at two of North America’s most respected extreme metal gatherings: Seattle’s Northwest Terror Fest (May 6–8), alongside Napalm Death, Artificial Brain, and Deadguy, and Maryland Deathfest (May 30). Both appearances mark another significant step for a band whose reputation has grown well beyond the Philadelphia underground.
With a new chapter beginning under the BLKIIBLK banner, UNHOLY ALTAR is ready to carry its uncompromising vision of American black metal even further into the darkness.
The gates have opened. There is no turning back.
UNHOLY ALTAR Live:
December 4, 2026 — Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (with Kontusion, Hedonist, and Kinetic Orbital Strike)
May 6–8, 2027 — Seattle, WA @ Northwest Terror Fest (Specific Performance Date TBA)
May 30, 2027 — Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Deathfest XXII (Nevermore Hall)
Additional live appearances to be announced.
