Celestial Scourge are a Norwegian death metal band and this is their debut album.
Featuring members of Blood Red Throne and Deception, Celestial Scourge are here to destroy. Observers of the Inevitable contains 30 minutes of brutal technical death metal, and it’s a raging mass of controlled savagery. Continue reading “Celestial Scourge – Observers of the Inevitable (Review)”
Gràb are a German black metal band and this is their second album.
Containing ex-members of Dark Fortress and Winterfylleth, Gràb play classic black metal with a heart that belongs to the 90s. They do this it exceedingly well too. Continue reading “Gràb – Kremess (Review)”
This is the third album from US death metallers Pissgrave.
Malignant Worthlessness contains 31 minutes of foul death metal extremity. It’s intense and brutal, but not delivered without skill. For all the rampant aggression and disgusting brutality on display, Pissgrave also know how to write a death metal song that hits the spot. Continue reading “Pissgrave – Malignant Worthlessness (Review)”
Necronomicon ex Mortis and Bloodfeast Ritual are both US death metal bands, and they have teamed up for this split release.
Bloodfeast Ritual share a guitarist with Necronomicon ex Mortis, and deliver two songs to start off the split, with a total duration of 14 minutes. Continue reading “Necronomicon ex Mortis/Bloodfeast Ritual – You’ve Got Red on You – Split (Review)”
This is the debut album from US sludge band Old Skin.
Wails of Ten Thousand is a 28-minute beast of crushingly filthy sludge metal nastiness. The promo blurb states that it is for fans of bans like Eyehategod, Fistula, and Coffins, and that it contains noise and death metal elements. Sold! At least in theory. In practice, is it actually any good? Continue reading “Old Skin – Wails of Ten Thousand (Review)”
Cross Bringer are a black metal band from Russia and this is their second album.
Brought to us by the singer of Predatory Void and the drummer of Downfall of Gaia, Healismus Aeternus contains 27 minutes of scathing modern black metal. Taking influences from post-black metal, blackened hardcore, and crust, and building them into a whirlwind of intricate ferocity, Healismus Aeternus is a rewarding album that should find favour with fans of bands such as Black Birch, Celeste, Hexis, Rorcal, Still, The Sun’s Journey Through the Night, and Wiegedood. Continue reading “Cross Bringer – Healismus Aeternus (Review)”
Wren are a UK sludge/post-metal band and this is their third album.
I was introduced to Wren on their 2015 split with Irk, and I’ve been a fan ever since. They followed that with the enjoyable EP Host in 2016, and then by their debut full length, (and particular favourite of mine), Auburn Rule in 2017. Groundswells followed in 2020, and continued their string of quality releases. Which brings us up to date with the 36-minute Black Rain Falls. Continue reading “Wren – Black Rain Falls (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Abduction, a UK black metal band.
So, Abduction played this album live in full way back in February of 2024. It has been what feels like an age since then, so it’s great to finally get my grubby paws on it. And do you know what? This is some seriously good stuff. Continue reading “Abduction – Existentialismus (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK alternative rock band Love Is Noise.
Across 47 minutes Love Is Noise take the listener on a journey though emotion, as portrayed by the band’s charismatic blend of alternative rock, shoegaze, nu-metal, indie rock, dream pop. To Live in a Different Way is an interesting record that brings a lot to the table, and fuses it together in ways that hit more than they miss. Continue reading “Love Is Noise – To Live in a Different Way (Review)”
This is the debut album from Swedish death metallers Retromorphosis.
Well, this was an instantly enticing proposition. It’s death metal brought to us by ex-members of Spawn of Possession, (four out of five of Retromorphosis’ members), and an ex-member of Decrepit Birth, which is enough to get anyone’s notice. However, when you look at their collective history though, you realise just how much experience they bring to the table – Alkaloid, Blood Red Throne, Deeds of Flesh, Defeated Sanity, Eschaton, Obscura, Necrophagist, Visceral Bleeding, and many others. What a list! Considering this, expectations are high for Psalmus Mortis, perhaps unfairly so. Continue reading “Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 