Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone (Review)

Portrayal of Guilt - We Are Always AlonePortrayal of Guilt are a blackened hardcore band from the US and this is their second album.

And now for 26 minutes of grim darkness and murderous brutality. Portrayal of Guilt play the sort of ultra-nasty hardcore that can lacerate flesh at 1000 paces. Mixing together blistering hardcore and angry punk with a blackened sheen, this is not for the faint of heart. Continue reading “Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone (Review)”

Regnvm Animale – Ignis Sacer (Review)

Regnvm Animale - Ignis SacerRegnvm Animale are a black metal band from Sweden and this is their latest EP.

Regnvm Animale play black metal with a crust influence. As far as EPs go, Ignis Sacer is longer than some albums at 27 minutes in length. Due to my intense dislike of anything spoken word, the intro is a complete waste of space for me, but the remaining four tracks certainly aren’t. Continue reading “Regnvm Animale – Ignis Sacer (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2020

Almost every year I think about how challenging it is to compile a definitive best of list, and how subjective it is, etc. Although that’s still true for this collecting of albums, this year, however, has been easier than most. 2020 has been heavy on the black metal for me. It’s been my most reviewed genre, in all its myriad permutations, and this is reflected in the below list.

For the longest of times the bands in positions 5 and 6 vied for top position, but then October and November happened. All of a sudden, unexpectedly, these two months unleashed a wealth of quality, and stole the top four positions in a rampant display of blackened supremacy.

I hope you enjoy the below recommendations of mine and find something new to obsess over. Let me know how you get on.

Let’s dig in… Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2020”

Of Feather and Bone – Sulfuric Disintegration (Review)

Of Feather and Bone - Sulfuric DisintegrationOf Feather and Bone are a death metal band from the US and this is their third album.

This is the follow up to 2018’s brutal Bestial Hymns of Perversion. Of Feather and Bone’s newest album digs deep into the past to produce a grim treasure trove of primal deathly delights. Continue reading “Of Feather and Bone – Sulfuric Disintegration (Review)”

Déluge – Ægo Templo (Review)

Déluge - Ægo TemploThis is the second album from Déluge, a French post-black metal band.

This is the follow up to 2015’s striking Æther, which was a powerhouse of violence and atmosphere. Five years later, and the band are not the same beast anymore, not completely anyway. Ægo Templo takes the Continue reading “Déluge – Ægo Templo (Review)”

Bleeding Out – Lifelong Death Fantasy (Review)

Bleeding Out - Lifelong Death FantasyBleeding Out are a Canadian deathgrind band and this is their debut album.

I like a bit of deathgrind, as it tends to be a melting pot of extremity that can sometimes have very engaging results, as it does with Lifelong Death Fantasy. Combining vicious grindcore with violent hardcore Continue reading “Bleeding Out – Lifelong Death Fantasy (Review)”

Among Phantoms – Memories/Catastrophes (Review)

Among Phantoms - Memories CatastrophesAmong Phantoms are a hardcore band from Denmark and this is their debut album.

This is a modern brand of hardcore, with elements of metalcore that can be heard, alongside a healthy rock influence. Continue reading “Among Phantoms – Memories/Catastrophes (Review)”

Sulaco – The Privilege (Review)

Sulaco - The PrivilegeThis is the latest EP from Sulaco, a grindcore band from the US.

Considering the band’s traditional extreme length between releases, we’re quite privileged, (ahem), to have The Privilege so soon after The Prize. Continue reading “Sulaco – The Privilege (Review)”

Monthly Overview – the Best of September 2020

There was an unreasonably unreasonable (?) amount of good music to be had in September. So check out the below and let me know your favourite, (it goes without saying you should also be listening to The Ocean and Oceans of Slumber, so I won’t mention those again). Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of September 2020”

Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place to Die (Review)

Alpha Wolf - A Quiet Place to DieAlpha Wolf are an Australian metalcore band and this is their second album.

Here we have a 36-minute chunk of modern heaviness. This is the heaviest of metalcore, so much so that it borders on deathcore in places. Mixed in with this are aspects of djent and nu-metal, as well as modern hardcore/metal elements in general. Continue reading “Alpha Wolf – A Quiet Place to Die (Review)”