Necrambulant – Upheaval of Malignant Necrambulance (Review)

Necrambulant - Upheaval of Malignant NecrambulanceThis is the second album from US death metal band Necrambulant.

Well, it’s been twelve years since Infernal Infectious Necro-Ambulatory Pandemic saw the light of day, so I thought I’d better check out Upheaval of Malignant Necrambulance to see what Necrambulant have been up to since then. Apparently they split up in 2014, only to reform in 2022 with a new lineup, (including vocals now from the bands ex-drummer). So there we are then. Continue reading “Necrambulant – Upheaval of Malignant Necrambulance (Review)”

Relics of Humanity – Absolute Dismal Domain (Review)

Relics of Humanity - Absolute Dismal DomainThis is the third album from Belarus death metallers Relics of Humanity.

It’s been a while since 2019’s Obscuration came out; a devastating EP that left me hungry for more. Alas, there was no more to be had, at least not until now. So, after six years, and with a change in singer, can the 2025 version of Relics of Humanity still hold their own in the death metal killing arenas? Continue reading “Relics of Humanity – Absolute Dismal Domain (Review)”

Wormhole – Almost Human (Review)

Wormhole - Almost HumanThis is the third album from international death metal band Wormhole.

I enjoyed 2015’s Genesis and 2020’s  The Weakest Among Us, so was keen to find out what Almost Human offered. Back with a new lineup once again, Wormhole deliver 26 minutes of death metal carnage. It’s immediately clear too that Wormhole have levelled up on this new album. Continue reading “Wormhole – Almost Human (Review)”

Horror Within – Awaiting Extinction (Review)

Horror Within - Awaiting ExtinctionHorror Within are a French death metal band and this is their debut EP.

Lasting 25 minutes and featuring five songs, (plus an intro and an outro), Awaiting Extinction demonstrates a band with much promise. Continue reading “Horror Within – Awaiting Extinction (Review)”

Sijjeel – Salvation Within Insanity (Review)

Sijjeel - Salvation Within InsanityThis is the debut album from Sijjeel, a death metal band from Saudi Arabia.

Do you like your brutal death metal dark and murderous? Then you’re sure to get on well with the violent carnage contained on Salvation Within Insanity. There’s no filler, no stupid intros or pointless interludes, just 34 minutes of lethal brutality. Continue reading “Sijjeel – Salvation Within Insanity (Review)”

Analepsy – Quiescence (Review)

Analepsy - QuiescenceAnalepsy are a slamming brutal death metal band from Portugal and this is their second album.

I have been waiting for this for soooo long. It’s been a long time since I was hugely impressed by 2015’s Dehumanization by Supremacy and 2017’s Atrocities from Beyond, but Analepsy have finally returned to show everyone who’s boss. Back with almost a completely new lineup, (which includes members of Annihilation and Necrovile), Quiescence contains 39 minutes of Analepsy doing what Analepsy do best – crushing skulls with massive slamming death metal. Continue reading “Analepsy – Quiescence (Review)”

Distant – Tyrannotophia (Review)

Distant - TyrannotophiaThis is the debut album from Distant, a deathcore band from the Netherlands.

Tyrannotophia combines underground slam-infused death metal with brutal deathcore. It’s easy to be lazy with this sort of thing and end up with a generic record, but Tyrannotophia is definitely an above-standard release. Continue reading “Distant – Tyrannotophia (Review)”

Within Destruction – Deathwish (Review)

Within Destruction - DeathwishThis is the third album from Slovenian death metal/deathcore band Within Destruction.

Within Destruction’s second album Void was one that made a notable impact. Here we had an album that did deathcore right; blistering death metal extremity coupled with huge slamming deathcore beatdowns, all delivered in a modern package of brutality and carnage. Top stuff. Continue reading “Within Destruction – Deathwish (Review)”

Carnal Decay – When Push Comes to Shove (Review)

Carnal DecayThis is the latest EP from Carnal Decay, a death metal band from Switzerland.

After hugely enjoying 2017’s You Owe You Pay, this new 10-minute EP was well-received by yours truly. It’s great to hear more of the band’s crushing modern death metal. Continue reading “Carnal Decay – When Push Comes to Shove (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2017

2017 was an amazing year for music, with so many top-notch albums seeing the light of day. I pretty much say this every year, of course, but that doesn’t seem to stop it being true. With this in mind, the 2017 list was especially hard to put together, and I agonised over this one more than I did for any of the lists in previous years.

As is traditional, I also want to mention some releases by bands that could easily have made it onto the list, and should have by many rights, if only I could have somehow managed to fit them all in –

Abhorrent DecimationAmenra, Apes, Artificial BrainAu-Dessus,

CelesteDesecrate the FaithEarth RotEarth WitchFalls of Rauros,

Full of HellGnawGutslitHelplessHenry Kane,

Hundred SunsIngurgitating OblivionInto OrbitJohn FrumKarne,

KvalLividMorbid AngelPrimitive ManCraven Idol,

SlowSoulskinnerThe Kennedy VeilUlsectWildspeaker.

I urge you to check out all of the above releases, in addition to the ones in the actual list below. I could probably keep adding more bands you should give a listen to, but a line has to be drawn somewhere, I suppose.

So, without further ado, let’s get right down to it… Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2017”