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)”
This is the debut album from Danish black/death metal band Heaven’s Damnation.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Dysgnostic and Udånde, Heaven’s Damnation contains 28 minutes of ferocious blackened death metal. Continue reading “Heaven’s Damnation – Heaven’s Damnation (Review)”
Anthronomicon and Helionomicon are the third and fourth albums from US death metallers Ulthar, following on from 202o’s Providence. Released on the same date, this review will cover Anthronomicon – see the review for Helionomicon here. Continue reading “Ulthar – Anthronomicon (Review)”
Anthronomicon and Helionomicon are the third and fourth albums from US death metallers Ulthar, following on from 202o’s Providence. Released on the same date, this review will cover Helionomicon – see the review for Anthronomicon here. Continue reading “Ulthar – Helionomicon (Review)”
This is the debut album from US death metal band Mithridatum.
Harrowing is a 35-minute slab of blackened dissonant death metal that contains ex-members of Abhorrent and The Faceless. Continue reading “Mithridatum – Harrowing (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)”
This is the debut album from Spanish black/death/doom metal band Spectrum Mortis.
Spectrum Mortis play occult death metal with lashings of blackened malevolence and an air of ritualistic doom. Across 39 minutes the band preach their foul hymns and conduct their hideous ceremonies, drawing you uncertainly into their esoteric world. Continue reading “Spectrum Mortis – Bit Meseri – The Incantation (Review)”
This is the debut album from one-man Polish death metal band Embarla Firgasto.
Temporal Capsule offers up 31 minutes of dissonant blackened death metal. The artist claims influence from acts such as Deathspell Omega, Aosoth, Ulcerate, Gorguts, Leviathan, Convulsing, and VI, and this is a good place to start when approaching this album. Continue reading “Embarla Firgasto – Temporal Capsule (Review)”
Omophagia are a Swiss death metal band and this is their fourth album.
2016’s In the Name of Chaos was very enjoyable, but it was with 2019’s 646965 that Omophagia really made their mark. As such, Rebirth in Black is one I’ve been waiting for, so let’s get to it. Continue reading “Omophagia – Rebirth in Black (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 