Grindcore – Wonderbox Metal

Nails/Rotten Sound/Invunche – Rebellion, Manchester – 05/10/26 (Live Review)

Tonight is a good night for sonic violence, and here are three bands very well-placed to dish it out. Within such a brutal niche as tonight’s show, Nails are big fish, (and that’s before you factor in the draw of the mighty Rotten Sound, as well as opener Invunche). Rebellion is therefore as busy as you’d expect it to be, and space is at a premium. If this show isn’t sold out, then it’s pretty damn close to it. Continue reading “Nails/Rotten Sound/Invunche – Rebellion, Manchester – 05/10/26 (Live Review)”

ArcTanGent Festival 2026 – Fernhill Farm, Compton Martin, 21/08/26-22/08/26 (Live Review)

ArcTanGent is the UK’s premier outdoor alternative music festival, and it’s a great pleasure to have so many great bands here over one weekend, from all over the world.

It’s this writer’s first time at the festival, even if it’s only for the Friday and the Saturday, and it turns out to be an extremely enjoyable and rewarding couple of days. The festival’s organisation, layout, lineup, and everything else have clearly been thought about closely and iterated upon over time. The end result is a festival experience that’s one of the best out there. Continue reading “ArcTanGent Festival 2026 – Fernhill Farm, Compton Martin, 21/08/26-22/08/26 (Live Review)”

Deathgrave – Hell Is Evil (Review)

This is the third album from US grinders Deathgrave.

Here we have 32 minutes of deathgrind, shot through with elements of thrash, mathcore, and doom. Deathgrave smash it all together into ten nasty tracks that are hideously good fun. Continue reading “Deathgrave – Hell Is Evil (Review)”

Disgracing – Descension into Despair (Review)

This is the debut EP from UK death metal band Disgracing.

Introducing the world to Disgracing’s brand of brutal death metal comes Descension into Despair – 19 minutes of barbaric savagery and bone-crushing heaviness. Continue reading “Disgracing – Descension into Despair (Review)”

Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon (Review)

This is the debut album from US grindcore band Fake Dust.

Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon assaults the listener with 20 minutes of withering material spread out across 19 tracks. Fake Dust are not messing around. This is a ferocious mix of grindcore and powerviolence that will knock your socks off. Continue reading “Fake Dust – Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon (Review)”

Scordatura – Led into Oblivion (Review)

This 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)”

Kuzu Knot – Deceitful Above All Things (Review)

This 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)”

Gadget – Coerced (Review)

This is the latest EP from Swedish grindcore band Gadget.

A decade since The Great Destroyer, Gadget finally return. With two new members on vocals and guitar/vocals respectively, Coerced is the world’s first taste of the new Gadget. Has it been worth the wait? Continue reading “Gadget – Coerced (Review)”

Mordeo – Mordeo (Review)

This is the debut album from US sludge metal band Mordeo.

Mordeo is a 41-minute slab of ugly crusty darkness. Fuelled by punk aggression and sludge hatred, this is music that wants to rend and destroy. Mordeo have unleashed a Continue reading “Mordeo – Mordeo (Review)”

Exhumed – Red Asphalt (Review)

Exhumed are a death metal band from the US and this is their ninth album.

Exhumed have been slaughtering their way across the death metal scene for long enough that any new material is feverishly greeted by bloodstained grins by a those in the know. Yep, Exhumed rule, and this time they’ve taken their gore-obsessed death metal mobile – Red Asphalt is a 37-minute hymn to Continue reading “Exhumed – Red Asphalt (Review)”