This is the debut album from Slovakian death metal band Hecatoncheir.
Hecatoncheir play dissonant death metal, with a sharp blackened edge, and an injection of harsh sludge venom. Nightmare Utopia is a 32-minute album of abrasive nastiness, in the best of ways. Fans of bands such as Convulsing, Deathspell Omega, Ingurgitating Oblivion, Nightmarer, and Ulcerate will not want to miss this. Continue reading “Hecatoncheir – Nightmare Utopia (Review)”
Stress Angel are a death/thrash metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Punished by Nemesis contains 40 minutes of atavistic metal that’s easy to enjoy. It’s all scorching riffs, pounding drums, and fierce attitude. What’s not to like? Stress Angel have a natural charisma, and this album is loads of fun. Continue reading “Stress Angel – Punished by Nemesis (Review)”
This is the debut album from US death metal band Wounds.
Wounds play technical death metal and Ruin boasts 30 minutes of face-ripping material. Brought to us by a band that are clearly adept in the killing arts, Ruin is ready to blast off. Continue reading “Wounds – Ruin (Review)”
Imperatus are a Vietnamese black metal band and this is their debut album.
Imperatus play second wave black metal that’s spiced up with thrash and death metal flavouring. The promo blurb states that this is for fans of Marduk, Immortal, Nordjevel, and Dark Funeral, which sets the scene nicely for what At the Mercy of the Wind has to offer. Continue reading “Imperatus – At the Mercy of the Wind (Review)”
Aborted are a death metal band from Belgium and this is their twelfth album.
I can’t help but love Aborted. Their addictive blast and groove approach to death metal is tried, tested, and brutally efficient. I’ll link my reviews for Retrogore, Bathos, Terrorvision, and Maniacult, and urge you to check them all out, as they’re definitely all worth your time. Which brings us to Vault of Horrors, the new 40-minute Aborted offering. Continue reading “Aborted – Vault of Horrors (Review)”
This is the second album from international extreme metal band Vltimas.
If ever a band was going to have the supergroup tag applied to it, it’s Vltimas. Brought to us by current and ex-members of bands such as Aura Noir, Cryptopsy, Mayhem, Morbid Angel, and Nader Sadek, you know that a lot of experience has gone into Epic. Continue reading “Vltimas – Epic (Review)”
Well, what a storming lineup we have here for a chilly Friday night in Manchester. All three of the bands on this bill are worthy of attendance in their own right, so to have them all in one place is a rare treat. Continue reading “Enslaved/Svalbard/Wayfarer – Club Academy, Manchester – 08/03/24 (Live Review)”
This is the second album from Dutch solo black metal band Beenkerver.
De Rode Weduwe contains 40 minutes of 90s-inspired second wave black metal. Played with fiery passion and cold aggression, the artist behind Beenkerver, (along with a couple of guests), offers an authentic take on the style that’s delivered with contemporary skill. Continue reading “Beenkerver – De Rode Weduwe (Review)”
This is the third album from Convulsing, a solo death metal band from Australia.
I haven’t caught up with Convulsing since their immense 2017 split with Siberian Hell Sounds, so we’re well overdue. Perdurance lasts 48 minutes, (56 with the bonus Porcupine Tree cover), and is a monster of avant-garde death metal. Continue reading “Convulsing – Perdurance (Review)”
This is the sixth album from blackened speed metal solo act Midnight.
Containing 26 minutes of filthy raging mayhem, Hellish Expectations is a furious record of blackened speed/thrash metal that’s hard to dislike. It’s charismatic and nasty, which is a great combination for this sort of thing. Continue reading “Midnight – Hellish Expectations (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 