Wonderbox Metal

Changeling – Changeling (Review)

This is the debut album from German progressive death metal band Changeling.

Changeling is brought to us by current/ex-members of Alkaloid, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity, Fear Factory, Obscura, Vipassi, and Virvum. It’s supported by an army of guests, who perform everything from guest solos, vocals, and choirs, to cello, flutes, horns, piano, tuba, violins, viola, and much, much more. The music combines progressive and technical death metal, with jazz fusion, progressive rock, and world music. It’s a lot, and it’s all packed into 60 minutes of compelling material. Continue reading “Changeling – Changeling (Review)”

Ahamkara – The Harrow of the Lost (Review)

This is the second album by UK black metal band Ahamkara.

I’ve been waiting for a new Ahamkara album since 2014, which is a shockingly long time to wait for anything. The Embers of the Stars was a damn good album though, so now that a new record is here, it was not one I wanted to overlook. Unfortunately, it seems there was a good reason for this delay, as the promo blurb tells us – “Following ten years of silence after the release of their debut album “The Embers of the Stars” and the untimely death of vocalist Steven, Ahamkara return with a new lineup and new album “The Harrow of the Lost”, an unflinching exploration of the transformative nature of grief.” Continue reading “Ahamkara – The Harrow of the Lost (Review)”

Haemorrhage – Opera Medica (Review)

This is the latest EP from Spanish grindcore band Haemorrhage.

It’s been a while since 2017’s We Are the Gore, but now we have this new 19-minute EP from the gore-covered Haemorrhage. Containing four new songs and a Dismember cover, Opera Medica offers an enjoyable hit of deathgrind extremity for aficionados of the band to sink their bloodstained teeth into. Continue reading “Haemorrhage – Opera Medica (Review)”

Cancer – Inverted World (Review)

Cancer are a UK death metal band and this is their seventh album.

As far as 90s death metal bands go, Cancer are severely underrated. When they returned in 2018 with Shadow Gripped they returned strong, and I actually can’t believe it was so long ago that it came out and that I saw them at that year’s Damnation Festival. Time really does fly. Anyway, Cancer have now returned with a new lineup, (including members of Dissocia, Eternal Storm, and Wormed), and the 46-minute Inverted World. Continue reading “Cancer – Inverted World (Review)”

Diabolizer – Murderous Revelations (Review)

This is the second album from Turkish death metallers Diabolizer.

2021’s Khalkedonian Death was a very enjoyable slab of devastatingly effective death metal. Murderous Revelations continues Diabolizer’s ascent, delivering a crushing 39-minute feast of classic death metal butchery. Continue reading “Diabolizer – Murderous Revelations (Review)”

Silver Knife – Silver Knife (Review)

Silver Knife are an international post-black metal band and this is their second album.

Silver Knife is the 47-minute successor to 2020’s well-received Unyielding/Unseeing. Containing the extremely busy and talented Déhà, as well as current/ex-members of Burial Remains, Laster, Monads, Paramnesia, and Vuur & Zijde, Silver Knife is an album with a lot of experience poured into it, and it shows. Continue reading “Silver Knife – Silver Knife (Review)”

Ultha/Ante-Inferno/Andracca – Rebellion, Manchester – 15/03/25 (Live Review)

Featuring Andracca and Ante-Inferno, two of the leading lights of the UK black metal underground, as well as the mighty Ultha, this was a show I could not afford to miss. Especially as, in my humble opinion, Ultha are probably the best modern black metal band in the world. It promises to be a great show. Continue reading “Ultha/Ante-Inferno/Andracca – Rebellion, Manchester – 15/03/25 (Live Review)”

Horrid Human Condition – Perpetual Imbalance (Review)

This is the debut album from Italian grinders Horrid Human Condition.

Perpetual Imbalance contains 14 songs across 28 minutes. Horrid Human Condition waste little time in unleashing their mix of crust, punk, and grindcore. Only three tracks break the two-minute mark, so you know you’re in for an album of rage and violence. Continue reading “Horrid Human Condition – Perpetual Imbalance (Review)”

Tribunal – In Penitence and Ruin (Review)

Tribunal are a Gothic doom metal band from Canada and this is their second album.

Tribunal’s debut record The Weight of Remembrance was a notable release from 2023, so a new album from the band carries the freshly acquired weight of expectation. Fear not though, as across 48 minutes In Penitence and Ruin does not disappoint. Continue reading “Tribunal – In Penitence and Ruin (Review)”

Serpentes – Desert Psalms (Review)

Serpentes are a Portuguese black metal band and this is their debut album.

Brought to us by current/ex-members of Angrenost, Misþyrming, Naðra, Skáphe, and Svartidauði, Desert Psalms contains 46 minutes of malicious black metal. Continue reading “Serpentes – Desert Psalms (Review)”