Depravity are an Australian death metal band and this is their third album.
It’s been a while since 2018’s Evil Upheaval and 2020’s Grand Malevolence, but both records made their mark. Well, 2025 marks the return of the mighty Depravity, so can Bestial Possession clear the high bar set by its two predecessors? Continue reading “Depravity – Bestial Possession (Review)”
This is the second album from Finnish death metal band Proscription.
Desolate Divine contains 44 minutes of blackened death metal. This, right here, is the good stuff. Proscription landed on my radar with 2020’s Conduit, (which I could have swore I’d reviewed, but apparently not), but Desolate Divine has destroyed my expectations. Yep, I like this.. Continue reading “Proscription – Desolate Divine (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Australian death metal band Beyond Mortal Dreams.
Oh my, it’s somehow been 11 years (!) since I last caught up with Beyond Mortal Dreams, (Dreaming Death and Lamia). This ends now, with the appropriately named Devastation Hymns. I was impressed with both of those early releases, so I definitely intend to check out what I’ve been missing at some point. For now though, we have this new 31-minute release – five original songs and a Forbidden cover. Continue reading “Beyond Mortal Dreams – Devastation Hymns (Review)”
Brutally Deceased are from Czechia, play death metal, and this is their fourth album.
I thoroughly enjoyed 2010’s Dead Lovers’ Guide and 2016’s Satanic Corpse, so it’s been a long wait for the 29 minutes of new music that Chasms brings us. Continue reading “Brutally Deceased – Chasms (Review)”
This is the third album from blackened death metallers Whore of Bethlehem.
Recommended for fans of Morbid Angel, Deicide, Devangelic, and Oath of Damnation by the promo blurb, this sets an appropriately brutal scene for Ritual of Homicide. I’ll also throw in references to acts such as Belphegor, Dark Funeral, Suffocation, Krisiun, and Altars Ablaze for good measure. Continue reading “Whore of Bethlehem – Ritual of Homicide (Review)”
So here we are again. It’s December, and year end lists are flying around like shrapnel. Due to the inherent subjectivity of music it’s always interesting to see what people have made of the preceding year.
For me, I made a concerted effort to drag myself away from the depths of black metal’s always-enticing abyss to spend some more time with other genres and styles that I also love. I said something similar last year, but I feel this year I was more successful in achieving that end. Of course, I still love black metal, still listen to it constantly, and you’ll still find some great examples of the blackened arts in the list below.
2022 was a strong year for death metal for me, and I enjoyed more death metal bands in a deeper way than I have done for some time. In every year there are standout releases, but I felt this year the standard was raised throughout. Possibly I was simply more receptive to it. Either way, you’ll find more death metal-related acts, and in higher spots, in this selection than you’ll have seen in my lists for a while.
As with last year, grindcore was largely absent from my year, disappointingly, as was hardcore. Additionally, the sort of lengthy, ugly, abyssal doom that I love so much has been largely lacking too. It’s all probably out there somewhere, but I didn’t catch it.
The top two spots this year are both claimed by albums/bands/styles that I simply could not have predicted would be at the pinnacle of my list by the year’s end, (one of the bands I hadn’t even heard of in January). I hope you enjoy these excellent records even half as much as I do.
Lastly I just want to say a big thank you to any and all that might read this site. It’s only a small endeavour, and I do it purely for the love of all things METAL and to support bands that I enjoy in whatever minor way I can, but if this is you, a heartfelt thank you for enduring my scribblings.
On to it! Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2022”
Altars Ablaze are a blackened death metal band from Czechia and this is their debut album.
Holy crap, now this is the stuff! 31 minutes of blistering blackened death metal that takes no prisoners and is utterly merciless. Life Desecration is pure evil and sounds absolutely great. Featuring current and ex-members of Brutally Deceased and Heaving Earth, Altars Ablaze know what they’re doing with their extreme metal. Continue reading “Altars Ablaze – Life Desecration (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 