Blackthrash – Wonderbox Metal

Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies (Review)

Sarcator are a Swedish thrash metal band and this is their third album.

Sarcator play a black/death-influenced style of thrash metal, and Swarming Angels & Flies contains 44 minutes of material. Think of a blend of early-period old-school metal in the form of bands such as Kreator, Sarcófago, Sodom, and Morbid Angel, and then blend this with more contemporary acts like Hellripper, Devastator, and Midnight, and you’ll be on the right lines. You can throw in some other refences too at various points, but ultimately, despite the ancient style that underpins this album, it’s remarkably fun and fresh sounding. Continue reading “Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies (Review)”

Marrow of Man – Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse (Review)

This is the debut album from Marrow of Man, a one-man black metal band from the Netherlands.

Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse contains 46 minutes of black metal, with some thrash metal elements added in for extra brutality. The promo blurb says that the primary influences of this act are Dissection, Bathory, Evilfeast, Darkthrone, Odium, and Lunar Spells, so that will give you a starting point for the Marrow of Man sound. Continue reading “Marrow of Man – Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse (Review)”

Oxygen Destroyer – Guardian of the Universe (Review)

Oxygen Destroyer are a death/thrash metal band from the US and this is their third album.

Guardian of the Universe is the 33-minute follow up to 2021’s enjoyable Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind, and once again features an explosive cocktail of nasty extremity. Continue reading “Oxygen Destroyer – Guardian of the Universe (Review)”

Devastator – Conjurers of Cruelty (Review)

This is the second album from UK black/thrash metallers Devastator.

Conjurers of Cruelty boasts 51 minutes of material, (44 without the two bonus tracks), delivering a feast of filthy riffs, corroded teeth, and overgrown claws. Continue reading “Devastator – Conjurers of Cruelty (Review)”

Daeva – Through Sheer Will and Black Magic… (Review)

This is the debut album from US black/thrash metallers Daeva.

This is the follow up to 2017’s Pulsing Dark Absorptions, which seems like it was released way back in the depths of time, but in reality was actually only five years ago. Through Sheer Will and Black Magic… delivers 37 minutes of characterful carnage. I’m not the biggest fan of blackened thrash, but when done well as it is here, I pay attention. Continue reading “Daeva – Through Sheer Will and Black Magic… (Review)”

Begrime Exemious – Rotting in the Aftermath (Review)

This is the fourth album from Canadian black/death metallers Begrime Exemious.

Rotting in the Aftermath contains 37 minutes of filthy underground death metal with a raw blackened edge of ice. This is the most death metal I’ve heard the band, and they sound like they’re enjoying themselves with it. Continue reading “Begrime Exemious – Rotting in the Aftermath (Review)”

House of Wolf and Crow (Shaidar Logoth/Herzegovinian/Horrid Litany) – Dawn of the Trident – Split (Review)

House of Wolf and Crow is a music collective primarily focusing on midwest USA/Minnesota bands, in this case, Shaidar Logoth, Herzegovinian, and Horrid Litany. All three bands contribute one song, and the split release has a total duration of 19 minutes. Continue reading “House of Wolf and Crow (Shaidar Logoth/Herzegovinian/Horrid Litany) – Dawn of the Trident – Split (Review)”

Bihargam – Ove Tenebrae (Review)

Bihargam are a black metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Featuring members of the mighty Fornicus, and playing the sort of moreish melodic black metal that hits the spot nicely, enjoying Ove Tenebrae was pretty much a given. Continue reading “Bihargam – Ove Tenebrae (Review)”

Bloodthirst – I Am Part of That Power Which Eternally Wills Evil and Eternally Works Wrong (Review)

This is the fourth album from Polish blackened thrashers Bloodthirst.

Blackened thrash metal frequently disappoints me. I think I just expect more than I get, as the mix of black and thrash metal seems to usually end up lacking the power of either. Bloodthirst are different, however, as both Chalice of Contempt and Glorious Sinners demonstrated to me quite effectively. Continue reading “Bloodthirst – I Am Part of That Power Which Eternally Wills Evil and Eternally Works Wrong (Review)”

Gloam/Obscure Evil – Split (Review)

Gloam and Obscure Evil are both black metal bands. The former are from the US and the latter are from Peru.

I was first introduced to Gloam on 2017’s Death Is the Beginning, which ably showcased their doom-infected brand of grimly majestic black metal. Continue reading “Gloam/Obscure Evil – Split (Review)”