Portrayal of Guilt are a blackened hardcore band from the US and this is their fourth album.
…Beginning of the End is the sound of Portrayal of Guilt pushing their sound harder and deeper. Across 31 evocative minutes, the band reach across genres and styles to grasp what they want in an unyielding iron grip. …Beginning of the End brings a lot to the table. Continue reading “Portrayal of Guilt – …Beginning of the End (Review)”
This is a collaborative album between two legendary acts, Melvins from the US and Napalm Death from the UK.
Originally released last year as a 6-track limited tour CD/vinyl, Savage Imperial Death March is now getting a full release, with two extra songs and new artwork. It’s a 40-minute journey into an uncrowded collaborative space that brings together the sludgy melodic skill of Melvins and the off-centre experimental side of Napalm Death. Continue reading “Melvins with Napalm Death – Savage Imperial Death March (Review)”
This is the twelfth album from US metal band Today Is the Day.
Following on from 2014’s Animal Mother and 2020’s No Good to Anyone, comes the 47-minute Never Give In. Today Is the Day are fascinating, unique, and unpredictable, which makes every release something special. I’ve been looking forward to digging into this one, whatever it might hold. Continue reading “Today Is the Day – Never Give In (Review)”
This is the twelfth album from French one-man black metal band Esoctrilihum.
It’s always a pleasure to get a new Esoctrilihum release. If you’re familiar with the artist’s past work, (such as 2018’s Pandaemorthium (Forbidden Formulas to Awaken the Blind Sovereigns of Nothingness), 2021’s Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath, 2022’s Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh, 2023’s Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac, or 2024’s Döth-Dernyàlh), you’ll know that you never quite know quite what to expect from this prolific and idiosyncratic artist. What does the 87-minute Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm have in store for us? Continue reading “Esoctrilihum – Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm (Review)”
This is the eleventh album from US experimental band Kayo Dot.
The tag experimental is frequently not a very useful one, but then Kayo Dot aren’t a band that invite easy categorisation. Every Rock, Every Half-Truth under Reason contains 66 minutes of music, and a range of styles and influences have gone into its creation. Continue reading “Kayo Dot – Every Rock, Every Half-Truth under Reason (Review)”
This is the second album from US industrial band Holy Scum.
Bringing together elements of noise, experimental, noise rock, punk, post-punk, and industrial, into a textured and engaging collection of tracks. All We Have Is Never is a 42-minute album that’s very enjoyable to listen to. Continue reading “Holy Scum – All We Have Is Never (Review)”
This is the debut album by solo Chinese avant-garde extreme metal act Smiqra.
Brought to us by the artist behind the Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites), Smiqra take the more avant-garde aspects of the last Ὁπλίτης release Παραμαινομένη and runs with them. Rgyaɡ̇dźé! is a 42-minute explosion of avant-garde metal that’s dizzying. Continue reading “Smiqra – Rɡyaɡ̇dźé! (Review)”
This is the ninth album from US experimental sludge band The Body.
The Body are an always intriguing and shapeshifting band. Whether it’s their albums, (such as No One Deserves Happiness, I Have Fought Against It, but I Can’t Any Longer, or I’ve Seen All I Need to See), or their collaborations, (such as Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light with Full of Hell Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back with Uniform), The Body always produce something worth hearing. Continue reading “The Body – The Crying out of Things (Review)”
This is the second album from Greek experimental/post-metal band Spineless.
Dysphonia is a record that blends a few different influences together. Post-metal, doom, post-rock, electronica, and industrial influences are all used in service of the music’s goals; the crafting of experimental soundscapes that paint striking pictures for the listener to explore. Continue reading “Spineless – Dysphonia (Review)”
This is the debut album from Australian post-rock/drone band Black Aleph.
Here we have a compelling work of post-rock and drone, one that’s enriched with doom elements and has a dark atmospheric weight that’s enthralling. Now, with that sort of description you might be expecting a monstrous record of sprawling song lengths from Black Aleph, but you’d be mistaken, as Apsides is a mere 29 minutes long. Continue reading “Black Aleph – Apsides (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 