Ghastly – Mercurial Passages (Review)

Ghastly - Mercurial PassagesThis is the third album from Finnish death metallers Ghastly.

Ghastly specialise in death metal that has a sort of creeping, otherworldly malevolence to it. It’s atmospheric and sinister in ways that are unusual. You can hear the debt that has been paid to band’s such as Death and Autopsy, etc., but you can equally Continue reading “Ghastly – Mercurial Passages (Review)”

Mental Cruelty – A Hill to Die Upon (Review)

Mental Cruelty - A Hill to Die UponThis is the third album from German deathcore band Mental Cruelty.

This is the follow up to 2019’s Inferis, although A Hill to Die Upon is a different beast to its predecessor. Although the foundations are the same, they’ve been built upon and reshaped into a far darker, more blackened Continue reading “Mental Cruelty – A Hill to Die Upon (Review)”

Alluvial – Sarcoma (Review)

Alluvial - SarcomaThis is the second album from Alluvial, a modern death metal band from the US.

Sarcoma contains 38 minutes of progressive death metal. Alluvial fuse their modern approach to the style with technical, progressive, and atmospheric flourishes, yet do so in a restrained song-based way. This results in songs that are atypical expressions of Continue reading “Alluvial – Sarcoma (Review)”

In Asymmetry – Ashes of Dead Worlds (Review)

In Asymmetry - Ashes of Dead WorldsIn Asymmetry are an international death metal band and this is their debut album.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as The Ritual Aura, Deeds of Flesh, Arsis, Eschaton, Pillory, Inanimate Existence, and The Kennedy Veil, Ashes of Dead Worlds contains a lot of experience packed tightly into its 34 minutes. Continue reading “In Asymmetry – Ashes of Dead Worlds (Review)”

Empty Throne – Glossolalia (Review)

Empty Throne - GlossolaliaThis is the debut EP from Empty Throne. a blackened death metal band from the US.

After giving the promo email the once over, how could I not want to give Glossolalia a spin? Recommended for fans of bands such as At the Gates, God Dethroned, Dark Tranquillity, and Carpathian Forest? Containing current/ex-members of Possessed, Decrepit Birth, Black Crown Initiate, The Kennedy Veil, and Angerot? Listening to this was always going to happen. Continue reading “Empty Throne – Glossolalia (Review)”

Hadit – With Ardour and Joy Through the Incommensurable Path (Review)

Hadit - With Ardour and Joy Through the Incommensurable PathHadit are an Italian death metal band and this is their debut album.

Hadit play death metal that has both a malevolent blackened side and a secret doom heart.

Cold dissonance and grim Continue reading “Hadit – With Ardour and Joy Through the Incommensurable Path (Review)”

Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)

Akhenaten - The Emerald Tablets of ThothAkhenaten are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.

Akhenaten play a hybrid style of black and death metal that’s been spiced up with Middle Eastern folk influences. The music brings to mind a cross between aspects of bands such as Nile, Melechesh, Arallu, Orphaned Land, Rudra, Septic Flesh, and the like. In other words, bands that use their extreme metal for more than simple brutality. Continue reading “Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)”

Hideous Divinity – LV-426 (Review)

Hideous Divinity - LV-426Hideous Divinity are an Italian death metal band and this is their latest EP.

This new 16-minute EP contains two new sci-fi concept-themed tracks, and a cover of a Coheed and Cambria song. Continue reading “Hideous Divinity – LV-426 (Review)”

Altarage – Succumb (Review)

Altarage - SuccumbAltarage are a Spanish blackened death metal band and this is their fourth album.

I’ve been enjoying Altarage’s output over the years – 2017’s Endinghent and 2019’s The Approaching Roar are both really solid albums – and Succumb continues the upward trend that the band are clearly on. Succumb contains 63 minutes of foul blackened death metal, and it’s their Continue reading “Altarage – Succumb (Review)”