Stress Angel are a death/thrash metal band from the US and this is their second album.
Punished by Nemesis contains 40 minutes of atavistic metal that’s easy to enjoy. It’s all scorching riffs, pounding drums, and fierce attitude. What’s not to like? Stress Angel have a natural charisma, and this album is loads of fun. Continue reading “Stress Angel – Punished by Nemesis (Review)”
Boarhammer are a German black metal band and this is their debut album.
II: Chemognosis – A Shortcut to Mushrooms contains 45 minutes, (with the bonus track), of old-school black metal. So old-school in fact, that it’s a blend of first and second wave influences, rather than the latter only. Boarhammer channel the spirits of Darkthrone, Venom, Celtic Frost, and Bathory, and they do so rather well. Continue reading “Boarhammer – II: Chemognosis – A Shortcut to Mushrooms (Review)”
The Infernal Sea are a black metal band from the UK and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2015’s The Great Mortality and 2020’s Negotium Crucis, Hellfenlic contains 43 minutes of new material for us to eagerly get our grubby hands on. To me, The Infernal Sea are a standout band in the UK scene, and Hellfenlic simply reinforces their exalted status. Continue reading “The Infernal Sea – Hellfenlic (Review)”
Welcome to my annual attempt to make sense of the ridiculous amount of good metal albums out there, awaiting discovery by intrepid metal explorers.
2023’s best of list has been one of the more difficult ones to put together, placing-wise, which is one of the reasons that I’m posting it later than I usually do. Even more so than normal many of the slots are interchangeable, and I especially struggled with positions two-nine – if such a thing were possible, they all deserve to be higher! In the end I decided to stop overthinking it and go with my gut, but the usual caveat of these lists being very subjective and subject to change depending on mood, feelings, etc. is larger than normal here.
There are some notable acts missing form the below. Not because they’re not worthy of inclusion, but because there are only so many spaces to be had. In fact, I almost ended up limiting this list to 20, rather than the now-customary 30, as I found it really difficult to know who to include and who not to. In the end I went with the standard 30 so that I could promote a few extra bands, as they absolutely all deserve it.
As for the top position, I wasn’t expecting it to be filled by a band I’d never heard before, playing a style that I don’t listen to as much as I used to. However, I suppose after last year, I shouldn’t have been too surprised.
I do hope you enjoy this list and find some new music to obsess over. Like always, thanks for your support if you have ever visited this site before, and here’s to a great 2024 for as many of us as possible. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023”
Varathron are a Greek black metal band and this is their seventh album.
I haven’t caught up with Varathron since 2014’s Untrodden Corridors of Hades, so reconnecting with them is long overdue. The Crimson Temple contains 49 minutes of new material, and it’s something quite something. Continue reading “Varathron – The Crimson Temple (Review)”
This is the second album from US crossover thrash band High Command.
Coming to us for fans of bands like Power Trip, Cryptosis, and Enforced, Eclipse of the Dual Moons contains 48 minutes of crossover carnage. Thrash metal and hardcore collide with power and finesse, to produce an album that rips and tears through its duration with passion. Continue reading “High Command – Eclipse of the Dual Moons (Review)”
This is the third album from Greek blackened doom band Agnes Vein.
Deathcall actually came out at the end of 2021, but I believe it recently had a vinyl release so it seemed as good a time as any to catch up with what they’re doing these days – the last, (and only), time I have encountered them previously was on 2016’s split with Sadhus “The Smoking Community”. Continue reading “Agnes Vein – Deathcall (Review)”
This is the debut album from Go Ahead and Die, a death/thrash metal band.
Go Ahead and Die treats us to 44 minutes of old-school thrash metal, with some death metal, punk, and grindcore thrown in for good measure. Continue reading “Go Ahead and Die – Go Ahead and Die (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Finnish death metallers Sadistik Forest.
Morbid Majesties was a highlight of 2018, so it’s great to have Sadistik Forest back with some new material. Obscure Old Remains contains four songs, with a total duration of 19 minutes. Continue reading “Sadistik Forest – Obscure Old Remains (Review)”
This is the debut EP from French black metal band Bacchus.
Bacchus feature current and ex-members of Dysylumn and Antropofago, and deliver us 29 minutes of atmospheric black metal.
This is music with an occult, ritualistic feel. It differentiates Continue reading “Bacchus – Bacchus (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 