Disimperium – Malefic Obliteration (Review)

Disimperium - Malefic ObliterationThis is the debut EP from US blackened death metal band Disimperium.

Billed as a mix of black, death, and grind, and labelled for fans of bands like Knelt Rote, Heresiarch, and Vermin Womb, how could I not check out the inaugural release from Disimperium? At only 12 minutes in duration, it’s like a foul breath of rotting air given twisted aural shape and venomous musical form.

The songs on this EP are feral and grim. Ultra-aggressive, the music pummels and grinds with inhuman intensity and daemonic fury. All three of the tracks are barbaric and savage, revelling in the mayhem they make and the damage they cause.

This collection of darkly brutal tracks is drenched in layers of blackened malignancy and is purely interested in destruction and chaos. It’s as belligerent as it comes, and the songs don’t care who or what gets torn down in their quest for carnage.

The sound is filthy and unfriendly, and therefore perfect for this sort of release. I find the deep, malevolent growls particularly satisfying, but to be honest everything here just reeks of grim nastiness, which is what you want from something like this.

For a first release Malefic Obliteration is well-formed and impressive. If you’re a connoisseur of underground extremity, then this is well worth your time to explore.

Archangel A.D. – Casus Belli (Review)

Archangel A.D. - Casus BelliThis is the debut album from Archangel A.D., a thrash metal band from the US.

Clearly influenced by the 80s thrash metal scene, as well as aspects of NWOBHM and a selection of other bands from the era such as Motörhead, Casus Belli contains 52 minutes of old-school thrash metal. Continue reading “Archangel A.D. – Casus Belli (Review)”

Towards Atlantis Lights – When the Ashes Devoured the Sun (Review)

Towards Atlantis Lights - When the Ashes Devoured the SunTowards Atlantis Lights are an international atmospheric doom metal band. This is their second album.

Brought to us by members of Pantheist, Aphonic Threnody, Dea Marica, Arrant Saudade, and Void of Silence, this is the follow up to 2018’s Dust of Aeons, and contains 61 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Towards Atlantis Lights – When the Ashes Devoured the Sun (Review)”

Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)

Cognitive - Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened ExtinctionThis is the fourth album from US death metallers Cognitive.

I’ve enjoyed following Cognitive’s career, from 2016’s Deformity, through 2018’s Matricide, to their newest album Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, which brings 41 minutes of roaring modern technical death metal to our weary ears. Does it wake us from our lethargy and fire us up with the spirit of death metal’s aggressive energy? Continue reading “Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)”

Vouna – Atropos (Review)

Vouna - AtroposThis is the second album from US one-woman blackened doom band Vouna.

Atropos boasts 57 minutes of richly textured doom metal. It’s an old-school brand of doom that’s spliced through with elements of black and Gothic metal,  along with cinematic scope, epic grandeur, synth-laden atmosphere, and forlorn Continue reading “Vouna – Atropos (Review)”

Dungeon Serpent – World of Sorrows (Review)

Dungeon Serpent - World of SorrowsThis is the debut album from one-man Canadian death metal band Dungeon Serpent.

Well, you don’t tend to hear this sort of thing that much any more, not played in its original, old-school style at any rate. World of Sorrows is melodic death metal, but remove from your mind any thoughts of overly polished stadium-friendly fare. No, this Continue reading “Dungeon Serpent – World of Sorrows (Review)”

Domination Campaign – Onward to Glory (Review)

Domination Campaign - Onward to GloryThis is the debut album from Australian death metal band Domination Campaign.

Onward to Glory presents us with 30 minutes of roaring old-school death metal, brought to us by the vocalist and drummer of Psycroptic. This is no tech metal extravaganza though; Domination Campaign’s music is straightforward and burly, rolling in on brutal tank treads and destroying its targets with a combination of blunt heaviness and precision marksmanship. Continue reading “Domination Campaign – Onward to Glory (Review)”

Night Crowned – Hädanfärd (Review)

Night Crowned - HädanfärdThis is the second album from Swedish black metal band Night Crowned.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Nightrage, The Unguided, Dark Funeral, and Imperium, Night Crowned play a melodic mix of black and death metal, (weighted towards the former), influenced by the 90s Scandinavian scene. Continue reading “Night Crowned – Hädanfärd (Review)”

71TONMAN – War Is Peace // Peace Is Slavery (Review)

71tonman - War Is Peace Peace Is SlaveryThis is the latest EP from Polish doom/sludge metallers 71TONMAN.

After enjoying 2013’s self-titled debut, and 2017’s much darker Earthwreck, I’m always interested in revisting the apocalyptic shores of 71TONMAN. Continue reading “71TONMAN – War Is Peace // Peace Is Slavery (Review)”