Monument of Misanthropy – Washington State Charm (Review)

Monument of Misanthropy - Washington State CharmThis is the fourth album from Monument of Misanthropy, a death metal band from Austria.

Monument of Misanthropy play serial killer-themed modern death metal, yet do so with more nuanced ability than you might be expecting. Washington State Charm is as brutal as you’d want it to be, but it also has more assets at its disposal than many ostensibly similar acts. Continue reading “Monument of Misanthropy – Washington State Charm (Review)”

Acid Bath/Green Lung/Conan – Academy 1, Manchester – 25/06/26 (Live Review)

Acid Bath Green Lung Conan - Academy 1, Manchester - 25.06.26

Acid Bath’s UK debut is one of the hottest shows of the year, in more ways than one. Add to this the mighty Conan and Green Lung, and you have an absolutely scorching bill on an absolutely scorching day. It’s roasting inside and outside of the venue, and it promises to be an extremely sweaty night, but a brilliant one too. Continue reading “Acid Bath/Green Lung/Conan – Academy 1, Manchester – 25/06/26 (Live Review)”

Vafurlogi – Gneisti af eldi Guðs (Review)

Vafurlogi - Gneisti af eldi GuðsThis is the second album from Icelandic black metallers Vafurlogi.

Following on from 2024’s Í Vökulli ÁþjánGneisti af eldi Guðs delivers 49 minutes of new material. Now rounded out to a full band, Vafurlogi’s black metal has been greater developed. The band were already in a good place with their music, but now they’ve taken things up a step. Continue reading “Vafurlogi – Gneisti af eldi Guðs (Review)”

Temple ov Ahriman – Heretics of Consensual Reality (Review)

Temple ov Ahriman - Heretics of Consensual RealityThis is a the debut album from Temple ov Ahriman, a solo black metal band from the US.

Aided by a session drummer, this solo act delivers 43 minutes of well-crafted black metal on Heretics of Consensual Reality. The first record by Temple ov Ahriman is one that you should absolutely check out if you’re a fan of an old style played both very well and with good ideas. Continue reading “Temple ov Ahriman – Heretics of Consensual Reality (Review)”

Forsmán – Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur (Review)

Forsmán - Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi FjörurThis is the debut album from Icelandic black metallers Forsmán.

Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur is the 46-minute follow up to 2021’s promising debut EP Dönsum i Logans Ljóma. Containing members of Misþyrming and Múr, Forsmán’s brand of esoteric black metal is a very potent one. Continue reading “Forsmán – Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur (Review)”

Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon (Review)

Fake Dust - Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral PsyopticonThis is the debut album from US grindcore band Fake Dust.

Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon assaults the listener with 20 minutes of withering material spread out across 19 tracks. Fake Dust are not messing around. This is a ferocious mix of grindcore and powerviolence that will knock your socks off. Continue reading “Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon (Review)”

Elder – Through Zero (Review)

Elder - Through ZeroThis is the seventh album from US progressive rock band Elder.

Following on from 2022’s Innate Passage now comes the 54-minute Through Zero. Elder have put together a sprawling new record that twists and turns with a life of its own. This is a record that’s worth abandoning extremity for, bathing instead in its heart of gloriously warm heavy rock. Continue reading “Elder – Through Zero (Review)”

Scordatura – Led into Oblivion (Review)

Scordatura - Led into OblivionThis is the fourth album from Scottish death metal band Scordatura.

Featuring the vocalist of Party Cannon in their ranks, Scordatura play brutal death metal, and they play it hard. Across 28 belligerent minutes Led into Oblivion is a record that wants to absolutely destroy everything and leave no trace. It succeeds in this too, very nicely in fact. Continue reading “Scordatura – Led into Oblivion (Review)”