Unfleshing are a blackened crust band from the US and this is their debut album.
Violent Reason is a 25-minute snarling monstrosity of black metal, hardcore, crust, and grindcore. Unfleshing’s debut record is a beast. Continue reading “Unfleshing – Violent Reason (Review)”
Yes, it’s list season once more, so gather round and witness some of the best metal that 2024 had to offer!
2024 was a fantastic year for metal, and that’s an understatement. I thought 2023 was one of the weaker years for metal releases, overall. As such, putting last year’s list together, although challenging as it always is, was relatively effortless compared to this one. I don’t think I’ve agonised over placings more any other year. In the end, similar to last year, I just decided that enough was enough and I needed to just stop needlessly obsessing. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2024”
Still are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.
Still boast a fierce, ugly sound that’s equal parts black metal, sludge, and hardcore, resulting in a post-blackened 35-minute burst of punishment that’s damaging, yet moreish. The more Still scar and brutalise you, the more you want more. Continue reading “Still – A Theft (Review)”
This is the third album from Ὁπλίτης, (otherwise known as Hoplites), a solo post-black metal band from China.
The artist behind Ὁπλίτης has had a busy year. This is the third album from this project alone, (following on from Ψευδομένη and Τρωθησομένη), never mind other extracurricular activities such as the Vitriolic Sage record. With such a withering rate of output, has Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη seen the quality levels of Ὁπλίτης dip? Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη (Review)”
This is the second album from UK mathcore band Pupil Slicer.
With a sci-fi theme and a range of different influences, Blossom is a 46-minute journey into Pupil Slicer’s absorbingly intense world. The promo blurb states bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Deafheaven, Radiohead, and Botch as prime influences, and this should set the scene for what is a broad and compelling work. Continue reading “Pupil Slicer – Blossom (Review)”
Sunflo’er are a hardcore band from the US and this is their third album.
On All These Darlings and Now Me Sunflo’er combine mathcore and post-hardcore into a harsh-yet-catchy 27 minutes. Continue reading “Sunflo’er – All These Darlings and Now Me (Review)”
This is the third album from Greyhaven, a hardcore band from the US.
Greyhaven play a form of modern post-hardcore that takes influence from a range of places. On the one hand they clearly follow the Every Time I Die template of hardcore, with raucous heaviness mixed with emotive cleanly-sung sections. On the other hand though, they also follow a sort of progressive post-hardcore Continue reading “Greyhaven – This Bright and Beautiful World (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Plebeian Grandstand, a French black metal/hardcore/experimental band.
It’s been a while since the vicious malignant dissonance of 2016’s False Highs, True Lows, so how have Plebeian Grandstand spent the time? Mutating and growing, it seems. Continue reading “Plebeian Grandstand – Rien ne Suffit (Review)”
This is a split between UK hardcore bands Sense Offender and Nil.
Sense Offender start us off, with 8 minutes of material. The band play a form of jagged chaotic hardcore that is belligerent and lethal. Continue reading “Sense Offender/Nil – Split (Review)”
This is the debut album from Shock Narcotic, a grindcore band from the US.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Child Bite, and The Black Dahlia Murder, this is 19 minutes of nasty grindcore mixed with elements of chaotic hardcore and jagged metal. Continue reading “Shock Narcotic – I Have Seen the Future and It Doesn’t Work (Review)”
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