Sometimes as a reviewer, you get a bit burnt out. It often becomes tiring trying to find new and creative ways to describe the vast multitude of styles and genres within the metal universe. In particular, black metal continues to grow, expand and develop, shattering ceilings and pushing envelopes with artists like Deafheaven, Vallendusk, Paths, […]

Here is a solid 17 minute,  2 song independent release from Polish black metal act Mystic Rites. I’m not familiar with the band, but they hit me up on Facebook asking for a review, sent me a CD, so here we are. I have not heard any of the band’s prior out put since 2012, […]

From the dank swamps of the Bayou land comes a double dose of filth on this dirty little split 7”.  Helmed by the Paranoize label which also runs an awesome, seminal zine this slick release introduces a pair of bands that have been kicking around in the underground for a bit now.  WOORMS rams noise-rock/sludge/post-hardcore […]

Wowwee! Chicago’s own Beyond Deth may have just brilliantly answered a question  none of us ever gave a shit to ask. Though after listening to the bands’s debut release, The Age of Darkness, maybe it’s a question that should have been posed long ago. That question? “What would a thrashing death metal band sound like […]

Thy Feeble Saviour is a two piece out of Texas who play some seriously dirty blackened crust. Or is it crusty black metal? While I’m a big fan of organization and lists and categories, does this really need to be pigeon holed into a sub-sub-genre? Here’s what you need to know: And Darkness Fell is […]

Finally we get proper reissues of the first 2 classic death metal albums from Altar.  Altar are still currently active, hail from the Netherlands, but the only releases I was ever familiar with are the first 2 albums, Youth Against Christ from 1994 and Ego Art from 1996.  In conjunction with Urubuz Records and Displeased […]

Reviewing something lovingly created by one of your peers is always a challenge. The balance between being honest yet objective and not destroying friendships or relationships is a hard one. Such is the case with All is Phantom, the debut from Ghostbound a project from the mind of Alec A Head, a man whose reviews […]

I’ll tell you what, Transcending Obscurity Records, is having a strong run here recently. The tiny Independent Indian label has churned out excellent releases from the likes of Jupiterian, De Profundis, Gaerea , Down Among the Dead Men,  and one of the best death metal records of the year in Depravity’s Evil Upheaval,  and that with […]

Barcelona’s Crisix is a great burst of thrash metal energy, an aural red bull if you will.  Hailing from Barcelona Spain, Crisix ( formally Crysis) are a high energy thrash band with a slight injection of fun with a touch of crossover to them. I will say now, I’m not a huge fan of the crossover […]

Following up an EP (I) and an LP (II), English sludgy, post-rockers Archelon drop their 2nd full-length platter, Tribe of Suns upon the masses courtesy of the venerable Sludgelord Records imprint.  Self-professed children of the Neurosis/Isis/Pelican/Burst/Rosetta school of head-tripping, introspective doom-y rock these shrouded heavies do enough interesting stuff with the style to make it […]

The Maori wardance, or ‘Haka’ is one of the coolest, most metal things ever (here’s a video if you have not seen one ), and I’m surprised it has not been more prevalent in metal, especially considering the violence and bloodshed deeply seeded in Maori/New Zealand history. Well here is Auckland’s teenage trio, Alien Weaponry […]

It has been nine years since the last full length Immortal Record All Shall Fall.  Gone is the trademark, raspy grimace of Abbath whose voice had been the nebular raven cadence of the group since all the way back to the first album Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism.  Enter 2018 and Immortal’s ninth full length studio record […]

” If I don’t listen to my imaginary friend, why the fuck should I listen to yours? People think their worship is some key to happiness. That’s just how he owns you. Even I’m not crazy enough to believe that distortion of reality. So fuck God. He’s not a good enough scapegoat for me” -“Glorification ov […]

Well this album can definitely be called an “onion” album, meaning it has many layers, and I’ll be damned if each one of them are an absolute joy to explore.  Moving away a bit from the previous punishing sound of their last (phenomenal) LP, Monarchy, this 3rd output is an absolutely brilliant album from top […]

Trimming down to a lean duo formation Oakland, MD’s Cavern offer up their best work to date on their third LP, Eater, and fourth release overall for the Grimoire Records annals.  The band was fearsome as a trio and a stellar live show that my eyes bore witness to as well as the classic instrumental […]

The side (now also virtually a solo) project from Marduk’s Arioch isn’t very prolific. But when he does release an album, the world listens as it usually commands your attention. A 6 year wait lingered between the debut full length Salvation, and its follow Maranantha, and now a 9 year wait for the sudden and […]

Inverted were a Swedish death metal band who released 2 full-length albums in the 90’s. Long out of print, Marquee Records brings us an excellent sounding reissue of Inverted’s debut album, The Shadowland. Originally released in 1996, The Shadowland has a lot of good elements. I remember hearing about them years ago, but this is […]

Ill keep short and sweet, like the 11 songs on the third album from Dave Ingram (ex-Benediction, Ursinne, Echelon, Just Before Dawn) and Rogga Johannson ( too fucking many to type). Much like their prior two albums (2013s self titled debut and 2015s Exterminate! Annihilate! Destroy!),  … And You Will Obey Me is a more crust/d […]

I jumped out of my chair the second I received notification that Construct of Lethe’s second full length record Exiler was available to review.  Having been a fan of this group since their 2016 debut, Corpsegod.   There was a bit of a shift in sound from Corpsegod to Construct’s 2016 EP, The Grand Machination.  Both […]

With Dom the bassist/vocalist for WV sludge-punks Rhin swapping to guitarist/vocalist in Gloop, I just had to check these cats out.  Rhin’s a personal favorite of mine with their varied ability to meld punk, noise-rock, sludge and sprawling album closers into one tantalizing whole.  Gloop is a different animal altogether.  Also a trio, Gloop sounds […]

Canada’s Hypnotic Dirge Records is best known for its crippling doom metal but a few recent forays into atmospheric/depressive/black metal such as Kassad, None, Kval, Mavradoxa  and such haven’t been quite as successful in my humble opinion, but a here is a glorious, rending return to from from Canada’s own aptly named “prairie doom” act Altars […]

Sweden’s Black Lion Records has developed a real ear for 90s styled melodic/symphonic black, and from the label that has released excellent albums from the likes of Northwind Wolves, Hyperion, Meadows End, Sons ov Omega, Mist of Misery, Legacy of Emptiness and Vindland, comes another winner in the full length debut from homeland act Wormlight. I’ve […]

The state of Ohio has given us everything from legendary hardcore bands to the filthiest sludge bands to sickening grindcore and a little bit of anything and everything in between.  Latest to the lineage is pummeling doom-toned, 70s proto-metal hard rockers Fuzz Lord.  After a killer LP release in 2014 (The Key in Silence) the […]

Brazil’s Attomica have been around since 1985, stayed around for a bit and then reformed in 2004, went on hiatus again in 2009 and in 2015 came back. I have seen the band logo before but never heard them before. The Trick is their 5th album and they play speed/thrash metal, the way it was […]

You’d think the UKs Memoriam, featuring Bolt Thrower’s own Karl Willets and Andrew Whale would be the natural heir apparent to Bolt Thrower and their trundling form of war themed death metal, but it appears Sweden’s all star troupe Just Before Dawn are actually the more fitting replacement, even more so with another Bolt Thrower growler […]