Death – Wonderbox Metal

Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

In this edition of this column we’ll take a look at Swedish label Grind to Death Records. It’s not a label I’m familiar with, so how better to get a good look at what they do than this? Besides, how could I resist a grindcore album about beavers… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)”

Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)

Inhuman Condition are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Death, Deicide, Massacre, Obituary, Six Feet Under, Venom Inc., and Wombbath, you know a lot of experience and skill has gone into Fearsick. Across 36 minutes Inhuman Condition subject us to a competent collection of songs that are just plain fun. Continue reading “Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)”

Horror Within – Awaiting Extinction (Review)

Horror Within are a French death metal band and this is their debut EP.

Lasting 25 minutes and featuring five songs, (plus an intro and an outro), Awaiting Extinction demonstrates a band with much promise. Continue reading “Horror Within – Awaiting Extinction (Review)”

Obscene – ...From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon (Review)

This is the second album from US death metal band Obscene.

This is the follow up to 2020’s well-received The Inhabitable Dark and contains 32 minutes of new material. As a reference point for Obscene’s style, think along the lines of bands such as like Obituary, Death, Cancer, Bolt Thrower, Asphyx, and Master. Continue reading “Obscene – ...From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon (Review)”

Abyssus – Death Revival (Review)

This is the second album from Abyssus, a Greek death metal band.

I’ve been an avid follower of Abyssus’ work for many years, (see here, here, here, here, and here), and their output never fails to put a smile on my face. Which is why it’s great to have a new album from the band. Seven tracks, 33 minutes; Abyssus bring their old-school death metal sound to the masses once more, and it’s damn good fun. Continue reading “Abyssus – Death Revival (Review)”

Sunless – Ylem (Review)

This is the second album from Sunless, a death metal band from the US.

2017’s Urraca was a very notable and enjoyable release for me, even making it into that year’s end of year list. Progressive, technical, dissonant, avant-garde, psychedelic, and many other high-brow-esque appellations, Urraca was a multidimensional gateway to forward-thinking heaviness from a band who clearly knew their art well. Continue reading “Sunless – Ylem (Review)”

Æpoch – Hiraeth (Review)

This is the latest EP from Æpoch, a Canadian progressive death metal band.

This EP delivers 19 minutes of Æpoch’s modern progressive/technical death metal assault. Laced with black and thrash metal elements, (but less than previously), and powered by melodic might, Hiraeth is a short but satisfying hit of metallic aggression. Continue reading “Æpoch – Hiraeth (Review)”

Act of Denial – Negative (Review)

This is the debut album from Act of Denial, an international melodic death metal band.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Death, Decapitated, Ephel Duath, Septic Flesh, and Testament, as well as the superlative singer of Soilwork/The Night Flight Orchestra, I was eagerly awaiting this release to see what kind of punch it packed. Continue reading “Act of Denial – Negative (Review)”

Ghastly – Mercurial Passages (Review)

This is the third album from Finnish death metallers Ghastly.

Ghastly specialise in death metal that has a sort of creeping, otherworldly malevolence to it. It’s atmospheric and sinister in ways that are unusual. You can hear the debt that has been paid to band’s such as Death and Autopsy, etc., but you can equally Continue reading “Ghastly – Mercurial Passages (Review)”

Obsolete – Animate//Isolate (Review)

This is the debut album from US death metallers Obsolete.

Obsolete play a technical mix of death metal with thrash elements. This is then peppered progressive, dissonant, and avant-garde influences to produce a 37-minute album that exceeds expectations. Imagine a combination of Death and Atheist, only with more Continue reading “Obsolete – Animate//Isolate (Review)”