Scordatura – Led into Oblivion (Review)

Scordatura - Led into OblivionThis is the fourth album from Scottish death metal band Scordatura.

Featuring the vocalist of Party Cannon in their ranks, Scordatura play brutal death metal, and they play it hard. Across 28 belligerent minutes Led into Oblivion is a record that wants to absolutely destroy everything and leave no trace. It succeeds in this too, very nicely in fact. Continue reading “Scordatura – Led into Oblivion (Review)”

Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise (Review)

Fires in the Distance - Circadian PromiseThis is the third album from US melodic death/doom metal band Fires in the Distance.

Circadian Promise is the 49-minute follow up to 2023’s well-received Air Not Meant for Us. Bringing with them a new guitarist/lead vocalist, (from Obsidian Tongue), Fires in the Distance continue on their melodic doom metal journey. Continue reading “Fires in the Distance – Circadian Promise (Review)”

Galvanist – The Silence Between Stars (Review)

Galvanist - The Silence Between StarsThis is the second album from US blackened death/doom band Galvanist.

Seemingly arising from the ashes of Arkheron Thodol, Galvanist offer up a 39-minute journey into their well-formed world of idiosyncratic hybrid extreme metal. Taking in elements of atmospheric black metal, progressive death metal, and blackened sludge/doom, The Silence Between Stars is a monstrous record. Continue reading “Galvanist – The Silence Between Stars (Review)”

Kuzu Knot – Deceitful Above All Things (Review)

Kuzu Knot - Deceitful Above All ThingsThis is the debut album from US grindcore band Kuzu Knot.

Deceitful Above All Things contains 34 minutes of merciless grinding darkness, but of a rarefied sort. Kuzu Knot’s music is abrasive and harsh, but is also a good deal more than just this. Continue reading “Kuzu Knot – Deceitful Above All Things (Review)”

Pharmacist – Vertebrae after Vertebrae (Review)

Pharmacist - Vertebrae after VertebraeThis is the third album from Japanese death metallers Pharmacist.

Vertebrae after Vertebrae consists of seven delightfully brutal pieces of rotten offal. Each one vomits forth a disgusting eruption of malignancy, as if Pharmacist have chewed on too much ancient Carcass and Exhumed and are now paying the price as their insides expel the horror in direct and horrible ways. Continue reading “Pharmacist – Vertebrae after Vertebrae (Review)”

Hecate Enthroned – The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long Buried (Review)

Hecate Enthroned - The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long BuriedHecate Enthroned are a black metal band from the UK and this is their seventh album.

Featuring members of Ba’al and Sidious in their ranks, legendary black metal act Hecate Enthroned return for the first time in seven years. What dark delights does The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long Buried bring to us? Continue reading “Hecate Enthroned – The Corpse of a Titan, a Lament Long Buried (Review)”

Horrific Visions – Remnants of Atrophy (Review)

Horrific Visions - Remnants of AtrophyThis is the debut album by US death metal band Horrific Visions.

Featuring the drummer of Stabbing, (also ex-Whore of Bethlehem), Remnants of Atrophy deals out 25 minutes of brutal death metal punishment. Horrific Visions take a well-worn formula and put just enough of their own spin on it to make a destructive impression. Continue reading “Horrific Visions – Remnants of Atrophy (Review)”

Frozen Soul – No Place of Warmth (Review)

Frozen Soul - No Place of WarmthThis is the third album from US death metallers Frozen Soul.

Frozen Soul play old-school death metal. Across 36 minutes No Place of Warmth the band assault the listener with a barrage of riffs, growls, and deathly beats that are near-guaranteed to get bodies moving hard. Continue reading “Frozen Soul – No Place of Warmth (Review)”

Lago – Vigil (Review)

Lago - VigilLago are a US death metal band and this is their third album.

Lago had a series of strong releases, (2014’s Tyranny, a 2016 split with Calm Hatchery, and 2018’s Sea of Duress), but it’s been a looooong time since then. Which is why, when the 42-minute Vigil appeared, it carried Continue reading “Lago – Vigil (Review)”

Dragged into Sunlight/Vacuous/Plague Pit – Club Academy, Manchester – 30/05/26 (Live Review)

Dragged into Sunlight Vacuous Plague Pit - Club Academy, Manchester - 30.05.26 (Live Review)

Manchester’s hot ticket is tonight is Dragged into Sunlight, and people have turned out in force. As usual, their merch queue is ridiculous, and it stays ridiculous for a ridiculous amount of time. Good for them. They’re not the only tasty treat on this gnarled bill though; first comes death metal most foul. Continue reading “Dragged into Sunlight/Vacuous/Plague Pit – Club Academy, Manchester – 30/05/26 (Live Review)”