Vakker – What Will Become of Our Pain (Review)

Vakker - What Will Become of Our PainThis is the debut album from US black metal band Vakker.

I only encountered What Will Become of Our Pain due to a random social media recommendation, and I’m very glad I did. Vakker play atmospheric black metal, only with the sort of horrific, monstrous vocals that you wouldn’t normally associate with the style. Continue reading “Vakker – What Will Become of Our Pain (Review)”

Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution (Review)

Ancient Death - Ego DissolutionThis is the debut album from US death metal band Ancient Death.

I missed this back in April, but it’s come repeatedly recommended to the point where I had to check it out. I’m glad I did. Ego Dissolution contains 35 minutes of vibrant classic death metal, played so well that I can easily see why Ancient Death have created a bit of a buzz around themselves. Continue reading “Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution (Review)”

Boneflower – Reveries (Review)

Boneflower - ReveriesThis is the third album from Spanish post-hardcore band Boneflower.

Reveries contains 38 minutes of music; a mix of hardcore, screamo, post-rock, and shoegaze, delivering a post-hardcore record that’s definitely above average for the style. Boneflower have produced an album that manages to walk two different paths simultaneously, and somehow manages to make it work. No mean feat. Continue reading “Boneflower – Reveries (Review)”

Shock Narcotic – My Flesh Is Afraid but I Am Not (Review)

Shock Narcotic - My Flesh Is Afraid but I Am NotThis is the second album from Shock Narcotic, a grindcore band from the US.

Following on from 2019’s I Have Seen the Future and It Doesn’t Work, My Flesh Is Afraid but I Am Not contains 23 minutes of new material, (27 minutes with the bonus Meathook Seed cover). Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan and Child Bite, I’ve previously described Shock Narcotic roughly as a cross between Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer, and as the band now feature the drummer of Pig Destroyer in their ranks, the comparison is even more apt. Continue reading “Shock Narcotic – My Flesh Is Afraid but I Am Not (Review)”

Bloodletter – Leave the Light Behind (Review)

Bloodletter - Leave the Light BehindBloodletter are a thrash metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.

Leave the Light Behind contains 35 minutes of well-written melodic thrash metal. Bloodletter bring something to thrash that I haven’t heard in ages – pure, unadulterated quality craftsmanship. I normally pass on thrash metal these days, but this one wouldn’t let me go. Continue reading “Bloodletter – Leave the Light Behind (Review)”

Kontusion – Insatiable Lust for Death (Review)

Kontusion - Insatiable Lust for DeathThis is the debut album from US death metal band Kontusion.

Kontusion contain current and ex-members of Repulsion, Iron Reagan, Magrudergrind, and Mammoth Grinder, and on Insatiable Lust for Death they have provided us with 26 minutes of ugly death metal punishment. Continue reading “Kontusion – Insatiable Lust for Death (Review)”

Rhizaria – Indulgences (Review)

Rhizaria - IndulgencesThis is the debut album from US black/death metal band Rhizaria.

Rhizaria play a progressive form of black and death metal, delivering a hybrid style that’s irregular, and very compelling. Indulgences contains 40 minutes of material that scratches a very particular itch that sits right in a hard to reach place between atmosphere and dissonance. Continue reading “Rhizaria – Indulgences (Review)”

Cordyceps – Hell Inside (Review)

Cordyceps - Hell InsideThis is the second album from US death metallers Cordyceps.

I enjoyed 2020’s Betrayal, so another dose of brutal death metal heaviness from Cordyceps is well-received. This time it comes in the form of Hell Inside; 44 minutes of carnage, from a a band that haven’t stood still with their sound. Continue reading “Cordyceps – Hell Inside (Review)”

Beheaded – Għadam (Review)

Beheaded - GħadamThis is the seventh album from Beheaded, a Maltese death metal band

Following on from 2017’s Beast Incarnate and 2019’s Only Death Can Save You, Beheaded have now returned with the first death metal album ever written in Maltese. Għadam contains 40 minutes of new material, and it probably doesn’t sound like you’d expect it to. Continue reading “Beheaded – Għadam (Review)”