Pillory – Scourge upon Humanity (Review)

Pillory - Scourge upon HumanityThis is the third album from one-man US death metal band Pillory.

Across 64 minutes, the artist behind Pillory batters and bewilders the listener with an onslaught of technical death metal. Scourge upon Humanity clearly won’t be for everyone, even just from that description alone, Continue reading “Pillory – Scourge upon Humanity (Review)”

Haunted Cenotaph – Abyssal Menace (Review)

Haunted Cenotaph - Abyssal MenaceThis is the debut album from Polish death/doom metal band Haunted Cenotaph.

Abyssal Menace contains 41 minutes of gloomy old-school death metal. With a hefty amount of doom metal elements, and a Celtic Frost influence, this is an enjoyable listen for anyone that wants to explore OSDM that has a different perspective on the genre than that of many of the band’s contemporaries. Continue reading “Haunted Cenotaph – Abyssal Menace (Review)”

Gjoad – Samanōn (Review)

Gjoad - SamanōnGjoad are an Austrian post-rock band and this is their debut album.

This is nature-inspired music that’s highly evocative and atmospheric. Shades of post-rock, ambient, doom, and folk inform the bulk of the material here. There’s a clear black metal influence too, although this is mostly apparent Continue reading “Gjoad – Samanōn (Review)”

Ilsa – Preyer (Review)

Ilsa - PreyerIlsa are a sludge metal band from the US and this is their sixth album.

Ever since I first heard – and loved – 2012’s Intoxicantations, I’ve been a big fan of Ilsa. Across another two full-lengths – 2015’s The Felon’s Claw and 2018’s Corpse Fortress they haven’t let me down, and they don’t seem to have done so Continue reading “Ilsa – Preyer (Review)”

Heads for the Dead – Into the Red (Review)

Heads for the Dead - Into the RedThis is the second album from Heads for the Dead, an international death metal band.

2018’s Serpent’s Curse was a great record, so this new one is much-anticipated. Into the Red contains 47 minutes of horror-themed old-school death metal, and the album has been worth anticipating; this is a crushing record that deserves much attention. Continue reading “Heads for the Dead – Into the Red (Review)”

Heretical Sect – Rapturous Flesh Consumed (Review)

Heretical Sect - Rapturous Flesh ConsumedThis is the debut album from US black metal band Heretical Sect.

Heretical Sect’s sound combines blackened ferocity with doom misery. Specifically, traditional black metal and 90s death/doom. It’s a combination that works well, yielding some gruesome rotten fruit over the course of six grim tracks. Across Continue reading “Heretical Sect – Rapturous Flesh Consumed (Review)”

Demoniac – So It Goes (Review)

Demoniac - So It GoesThis is the second album from thrash metal band Demoniac, from Chile.

The core of what Demoniac do on So It Goes is razor-sharp hyper-aggressive thrash metal. Bursting with jagged riffs, pierced with molten leads and solos, and crowned with barbed vocals, it’s clear that Demoniac know a thing or two about this sort of music. Continue reading “Demoniac – So It Goes (Review)”

Profanity – Fragments of Solace (Review)

Profanity - Fragments of SolaceThis is the fourth album from German death metallers Profanity.

Despite the decent-sized discography of Profanity, this is my first encounter with them other than their 2014 EP Hatred Hell Within. The EP was enough to ensure that I checked out this album when it appeared, (although it Continue reading “Profanity – Fragments of Solace (Review)”