Reviews

Before Whom Evil Trembles

Apep

Prepare your ears for destruction when hearing to this great Death Metal release!

Of Amber and Sand

Kurokuma

They’re a band that’s very aware of the wavelength that they’re riding on, and the stark unison in which they play reflects their awareness and respect for each other.

Death Holograms

I, Cursed

And I still don’t know what I’ve listened to, but I’m glad it’s over.

Appetizer (Reissue)

Waxwing

Listening to the 2024 remaster/reissue of the 1988/1989 four-track EP Appetizer perfectly frames a band that not only “could’ve been,” they honestly “should’ve been.” There is no conceivable reason why this band couldn’t have been huge.

Facing the End

Apocryphal

Amazingly, this French band formed at around the same time as the Big Four of Melodeath in Sweden did. After so many years, one might expect a re-hash of old formulas, but the way they inject rich doses of melody into their music is key to sounding fresh. This is one that you won’t want to miss.

The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean

Schammasch

This is an album that thrives on tension, playing with the spaces between light and shadow, and daring the listener to linger in those hauntingly bleak moments. The instrumentation is brooding and deliberate, with guitars that churn and swell like distant thunder, and drums that pulse with an ominous, almost ritualistic cadence. The melodies, though sometimes subtle, are laced with a melancholic beauty, creating a chilling contrast to the heaviness that dominates the album. What sets this album apart is its commitment to atmosphere. It’s as if the album itself is a living entity, drawing you further into its haunting world with each passing minute.

Necrodeist

Declared Dead

Belgium’s DECLARED DEAD presents their 2024 LP "Necrodeist", a collection that aims to blend the ferocity of black, death, and thrash metal into a cohesive whole. With ten years of experience under their belts, one might expect a more sophisticated compositional approach, yet much of this album feels like it’s still in the early stages of exploration. Each track has its merits, but the overall sound often lacks the depth and complexity that would elevate it to standout status.

I Erode

Laceration

US Windsor’s LACERATION unleashes their 2024 LP "I Erode", a punishing blend of death and thrash metal that carves deep into the listener's psyche. This album is a brutal offering, merging visceral aggression with fast sharp guitars, creating a dynamic experience that pushes the boundaries of both genres. "I Erode" is unapologetically intense, showcasing LACERATION’s ability to craft soundscapes that are both relentless and meticulously layered.

Untethered

Cober Mouth

COBER MOUTH claim to play Nu-Metalcore, whatever that may be. I suspect a combination between Nu Metal and Metalcore. If that is so, I can tell you that Nu-Metalcore is quite accurate.

Avenge The Fallen

HammerFall

HAMMERFALL is a legendary band who are put on a pedestal for a reason. “Avenge The Fallen,” further cements an already epic legacy. This is their best album in some time so current fans will be pleased but those who jumped shipped earlier will want to take this return voyage.

Speed of Darkness

D-A-D

For those who are not familiar with D-A-D, the4ir musical style is Hard Rock, with a definite AEROSMITH vibe running through the songs, with (of course) some AC/DC parts thrown in for good measure. And then they add their own musical influences in the blender. This mix gives them a sound that is very much their own, very recognisable, but also very accessible and extremely easy to listen to.

Songs in Crimson

Satan

But I can hear in the sound of the guitars that SATAN is smiling. He is seeing that the world is going down fast, and that his kingdom and reign is about to take hold. That might explain why the riffs on “Songs In Crimson” sound less menacing than they usually do, instead they sound more upbeat.

Cycles

Wicked Maraya

WICKED MARAYA. After releasing their demo in 1993 they were signed, which led to the original release of “Cycles”. And now, it has been rereleased to celebrate its thirtieth birthday.

The Mystic Demos

Wicked Maraya

As for the musical direction, please forget what the band WICKED MARAYA was doing on their debut album, as MYSTIC is cut from a completely different cloth. There is nothing Epic about what I am listening to on “The Mystic Demos”. What we have here is a band trying to impress by playing straight forward and rather fast Heavy Metal, or what we now would call it Traditional Heavy Metal.

Return Of The Heralds

Krilloan

Return Of The Heralds” has all the ingredients which make Power Metal to the popular genre we all love: pace, powerful guitar riffing, plenty of double-bass drumming, and epic melodies

The End Of The Beginning

Hand Of Omega

HAND OF OMEGA deliver a spine-chilling debut album. “The End Of The Beginning” is a symbiosis of direct, aggressive riffing and doom-laden melodies without any trace of melancholy

Sol Invictus in Umbrae Satanae

Warlust

“Sol Invictus in Umbrae Satanae” is probably WARLUST’s best produced, most refined, most melodic album to date but it still sounds visceral as fuck.

Handful of Ten

Elephant Tree

“Handful of Ten” differs from the usual oddities collection in that it offers old, variant, and new tracks, taking a look back, ahead, and askance. You might call it a 360 or even Panavision album, giving a wider perspective of this intriguing band we call ELEPHANT TREE.

L'Or des Fous

Wizards Must Die

This was a bit of a puzzling album, getting to peel back all of the layers and looking for answers. It was also a bit difficult to categorize, but we will leave that up to others. Taking the music at face value, it wasn’t overly complicated, and there weren’t obvious answers, begging the question, what did you get out of the album?

Dissonance

The D.O.O.D.

Another hurricane in Florida.

To Usupr

Feral

FERAL is a Swedish death metal band that formed in 2007. Their latest album, “To […]

Whorl

Abschworzunge

This was a mouth-watering slab of meat of bloody meat that has been charred beyond recognition, burning straight through cartilage, sinew, and even bone. It paints a very grim picture of humanity, as well as the irrelevance and total meaningless of existence.

Kingdom Of Glass

Struck Down

One drop at a time.

Grave Impressions of an Unbroken Arc

Qaalm

This was an outstanding album that successfully melded several genres of Metal, including Doom, Sludge, Post, Melodic, and even Progressive, and the way that the band combined these things made a stew with a variety of seasonings. One bite, and you can taste the depth that the band put into the recipe. It’s three parts angry, two parts hopeless, and one part melancholy, all wrapped up tightly with a bow.

Hypnotized

Spektra

Good Brazilian Hard Rock

Omniverse Consciousness

Doedsmaghird

It's a twisted abomination of sound—blackened at the roots but sprawling into nightmarish hybrids. Drums blast away relentlessly, but underneath, synths ooze like an alien presence, shifting the mood from raw aggression to something more unsettling and unnatural. The use of orchestration adds a perverse grandeur to the violence, like a symphony of decay. The result is an album that transcends black metal tropes, turning into an abomination of genres, styles, and emotions, both monstrous and mesmerizing.

A 1000 Tears

Souls of Ambience

This album was excellent. The band showed strong songwriting skills and musicianship within a concept album’s confines, and enough of their personality to shine through. This would appeal to any Progressive Rock fan or just anyone who appreciates substance in their music.

House Of Pain

Las Historias

The band LAS HISTORIAS is back with their new release, “House Of Pain”. The sound […]

Songs of Blood and Mire

Spectral Wound

This wasn’t a bad album per se, but within the annals of Black Metal, artists have a wide variety of boundaries to take advantage of. In this case, the band just wanted to stick with the FWOBM sound, and that’s a shame.

Motiv

Serotonin

This wasn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, and I love the subject matter and the band’s contention that people are basically stupid, but the music just wasn’t overly exciting, and they took the safe way out by sticking for formulas that have been used too many times in the past.

Reflections

Shallow Side

Good, but it could be better.

Forever We Burn

High Parasite

What started off as a fairly exciting and original sound soon drowned because the band presented the same sound song after song. All of the elements you want in this type of music are there for sure, it just lacks heart, and passion.

Affiliation of Horrid Containment

Sijjeel

There is a rule to remember for those that write and record and produce metal, and that is… just because you’re all making the same noise, doesn’t mean what you’re making is music.

First Blood

RedFace

REDFACE’S debut album “First Blood” is a powerful and intense offering that showcases the band’s ability to craft music that is both sonically impactful and thematically engaging. From the raw aggression of “Trash from the Gods” to the dark, apocalyptic visions of “Breath from the Lord of Chaos”, the album takes listeners on a visceral journey through themes of environmentalism, greed, and the consequences of human actions. “First Blood” is an impressive debut album from a band that is poised to make a significant impact on the metal scene. REDFACE has created a collection of songs that are as sonically devastating as they are thought-provoking, and it will be exciting to see where their music takes them in the future.

Wherever We Roam…

Chaos Invocation

This was an uncompromising album in the sense that the band has a core value and sticks with it from start to finish. There was some variation along the way, but much of the path remained straight…straight through your flesh, and plunging you into the deep abyss from where the sounds of torture originated.

Irrévérence

Diablation

Overall, this was an excellent Black Metal album that was raw, but also polished, furthering the notion that you the genre can be just as glossy as other Metal genres but still retain a hardened, contentious edge. They are excellent musicians, and have filled in the gaps with backing elements nicely.

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Reviews

Before Whom Evil Trembles

Apep

Of Amber and Sand

Kurokuma

Death Holograms

I, Cursed

Appetizer (Reissue)

Waxwing

Facing the End

Apocryphal

The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean

Schammasch

Necrodeist

Declared Dead

I Erode

Laceration

Untethered

Cober Mouth

Avenge The Fallen

HammerFall

Speed of Darkness

D-A-D

Songs in Crimson

Satan

Cycles

Wicked Maraya

The Mystic Demos

Wicked Maraya

Return Of The Heralds

Krilloan

The End Of The Beginning

Hand Of Omega

Sol Invictus in Umbrae Satanae

Warlust

Handful of Ten

Elephant Tree

L'Or des Fous

Wizards Must Die

Dissonance

The D.O.O.D.

To Usupr

Feral

Whorl

Abschworzunge

Kingdom Of Glass

Struck Down

Grave Impressions of an Unbroken Arc

Qaalm

Hypnotized

Spektra

Omniverse Consciousness

Doedsmaghird

A 1000 Tears

Souls of Ambience

House Of Pain

Las Historias

Songs of Blood and Mire

Spectral Wound

Motiv

Serotonin

Reflections

Shallow Side

Forever We Burn

High Parasite

Affiliation of Horrid Containment

Sijjeel

First Blood

RedFace

Wherever We Roam…

Chaos Invocation

Irrévérence

Diablation

Latest Reviews

Vertigo

Shiraz Lane

Forgotten Reveries