California’s Laceration released a really nice debut album in 2021, Demise.  While there were some elements of thrash metal interwoven into their sounds, mainly with some of the solos, still not enough to be a hybrid death/thrash band.  The band is death metal. Following up on that debut album with a slightly shorter sophomore […]

Reviewing the new Fulci album seems natural. I’m a huge fan of Italian horror in general, of course including Lucio Fulci. I rock a Tropical Sun back patch on what I’m certain is the greatest battle jacket ever created, I saw them live last year, and I learned seminal Italian words like “pizza” and “spaghetti” from them. […]

I originally started this off with a silly intro, but it’s not fitting. This is serious, bone-shaking death metal, and everyone should pay attention. Not that Tzompantli needed to improve, but they sure as shit did. On their second album, Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force, these gentlemen have knocked it out of the park […]

“Fuck every fucking cop that’s ever fucking lived.” I want to start with those words, which are repeated many times in “No Reform (New Age Slave Patrol)” the fourth track from Terminal Nation‘s second album, Echoes of the Devil’s Den, to simply let you know the message, and to turn back now if offended. For […]

Atrae Bilis is a Canadian technical death metal band not involving Phillip Tougas. Technical death metal has a place in my heart, but it’s one of those genres that’s hit or miss. My standard bearer has been Obscura for several years. The band and the 1998 Gorguts album. The reason is because of excellent songs. […]

A new Witch Vomit offering is almost a holiday ‘round these parts. It wasn’t a question of IF it would be covered, but more of a question of who would be; Myself or Steve K. Surprisingly, he put up no fight. I’m glad for once we didn’t come to blows (not that kind you dirty […]

Although it feels like it’s been a long time since Hulder released her debut, it’s been about 3 years. In the meantime, she’s had several short releases, toured, and has been working almost non-stop. This year, she’s releasing her new album Verses in Oath, as well as headlining the upcoming Decibel Tour with several other […]

Let’s get something out of the way first: Fuck cassettes. I recall a conversation I had with a few metalheads slightly older than myself at a festival when one of the bands “only” had CDs and vinyl available as physical formats. Two young whippersnappers asked them if they had any cassettes, to which they replied; […]

Canada’s Tomb Mold have a pretty good underground death metal following in their short 8-year existence and their output has been excellent, honing their craft and releasing better albums each and every time.  Their third album in 2019, Planetary Clairvoyance, was their finest hour.  The band increased their touring output as well increased their exposure […]

If somehow Gravesend’s previous album, Methods of Human Disposal, didn’t catch your eye with its artwork of a nun holding a newspaper with the headline “Pope Shot,” perhaps their new album Gowanus Death Stomp will. If you were able to get through my introductory run-on sentence, good for you. Good for all of us. Good […]

There’s been a slight shift in my tastes for Metal since I turned fifty. I look for different things now and I’ve discovered that certain genres aren’t for me. I tried to like Lorna Shore, it didn’t happen, but I tried, and it made me want to punch babies. So, if I’m going to listen […]

20 Buck Spin hits another out-of-the-park homerun for 2023 with albums…yes, plural from California’s blackened death metal band Ulthar.  My first experience with Ulthar was seeing them on their debut album tour, Cosmovore, as they toured with Misery Index.  I became an Ulthar fan, picking up their cd and long sleeve shirt at the show. […]

This collaboration of Obsequiae and Inexorum members has their take on Melodic Death Metal with elements of the Swedish scene – all wrapped up in a 90’s classic sound, that In Flames would be proud of…well this album kicks some major ass! With 10 songs in 39 minutes, “In Yearning, Alive”, starts abruptly, with a […]

I’ve been working through writer’s block for months now, and nowhere near my normal standard of productivity. I’m at the stage where I am wondering if I have anything to add to the heavy music stratosphere, or if anyone cares about my voice. You know, existential bullshit. Anyway, here I am, a couple of dick […]

I’m going to lay this out on the table (like I did your mom, son) and just let you know I am a Worm fan. I’m a fan of the Worm. I like Worm, see? This all may have come out wrong, but if I do my job right, you’ll all be ready to take […]

Around these parts, Florida’s Worm is a band we hold in high regard. Their last full length, Foreverglade, was in my top albums of last year, so to suffice it to say a lot of us were looking forward to their next one. Here it is in the form of a grindcore triple album, or […]

It’s been five years since the Bay Area’s Acephalix released Decreation back in 2017, and there have been a few changes, as the band is now a five-piece again with a couple of lineup changes. But the sound has not changed; it’s still a filthy, death metal-based form of D-beat/crust that’s part Grave, part Nails, […]

Well isn’t this a nice surprise. Just a mere year and a half since I reviewed Ulthar‘s debut album, Cosmovore, and the band already fires back with their sophomore release Providence. The album takes everything impressive and done right from the debut and continues to expand upon its formula and deliver, in aces, a formidable […]

I am new to the Obsequiae hype train and after my good buddy Graham, from Deepsend Records-RIP, recommended this album to me, I could not be more than happier with his recommendation.  Under this name the band has been around for over a decade and released Suspended in the Brume of Eos in 2011 and […]

Baltimore Maryland’s death/grind band Noisem return after a 4 year album hiatus to bring us Cease to Exist, their third and most devastating album to date. Several things have happened since their monstrous Blossoming Decay album from 2014. Sometimes fame too fast can have effects on a band. When Noisem’s debut Agony Defined came out […]

Coming to proper metal age, i.e. my teenage years, during death metal’s initial ’90’s explosion not only introduced me to what would become some of the greatest music on the planet, but it also introduced me and many like-minded individuals to the fantastically macabre offerings of H.P. Lovecraft. Considering that damn near every band at […]

Witch Vomit is very much like the black mold that is abundant in the pacific northwest. If you live in the region, you know and experience this phenomena. The band is very much like it; black, murky and gives you that creepy feeling. Their sound just oozes blackness and filth. Slow, dark and pummeling is […]

Khemmis made a hell of an impression when they dropped their impressive debut LP Absolution in 2015. The album was worthy of hype and praise, boasting a formidable modern doom sound comparable to the mighty Pallbearer and embellished by some sweet stoner and trad metal elements. It certainly put the Colorado lads on the map, […]

While driving to see King Diamond on their most recent tour I was playing 2015s Hole Below and discussing the record with my friend.  I had been listening to the album a hell of a lot and was finding it a little difficult to explain why I thought it was so enjoyable yet not particularly […]

Ævangelist will always hold a special place in my metal heart. The first review I ever wrote was for their 2012 debut, De Masticatione Mortuorum in Tumulis, and I’ve covered every full-length that they’ve done since. Putting their inhuman sounds into words hasn’t been easy, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge. This fourth full-length in as […]