Agabas – Hard Anger (Review)

Agabas - Hard AngerThis is the third album by Norwegian mathcore band Agabas.

How could you not see a band described in the promo blurb as a “brutal heavy deathjazz metal/mathcore quintet” and not want to check them out? Although, I note in the band pics there’s six people, so no idea what that’s about. Regardless, Hard Anger is a 36-minute melting pot of ideas and influences, so strap in tight and get ready for mayhem. Continue reading “Agabas – Hard Anger (Review)”

The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven (Review)

The Callous Daoboys - I Don’t Want to See You in HeavenThis is the third album from US hardcore band The Callous Daoboys.

Full of genre-splicing, creative sounds, and adventurous ideas, I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven is a 57-minute embarrassment of riches. It’s a diverse record, ripe with captivating riffs, reflective introspection, huge breakdowns, pop hooks, and much else. Continue reading “The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven (Review)”

Full of Hell – Broken Sword, Rotten Shield (Review)

Full of Hell - Broken Sword, Rotten ShieldThis is the latest EP from US grindcore band Full of Hell.

A new 15 minutes of Full of Hell‘s scathingly charismatic grindcore? Hell yes! Broken Sword, Rotten Shield is a compendium of different influences, all brought together with the band’s consummate skill into seven adventurous tracks. It’s harsh, but delightful. Continue reading “Full of Hell – Broken Sword, Rotten Shield (Review)”

Eyes – Spinner (Review)

Eyes - SpinnerEyes are a hardcore band from Denmark and this is their third album.

Throwing together noise rock and metal into a hardcore melting pot, Eyes have produced the 24-minute Spinner. Brought to us by members of the mighty LLNNSpinner is the sort of album that’s an immensely fun and satisfying listen. Continue reading “Eyes – Spinner (Review)”

No Heroes – Brood Eternal (Review)

No Heroes - Brood EternalThis is the debut album from US grindcore band No Heroes.

Now here’s an interesting release. Brood Eternal was created over the course of a decade, and mixes together elements of black metal, sludge, hardcore, grindcore, and noise. Yep, No Heroes, (who feature a member of Ashbringer), play a grim hybrid style, and I frequently end up really liking bands that throw all kinds of influences like this into a melting pot to end up with something really dark and nasty. Let’s have a taste then. Continue reading “No Heroes – Brood Eternal (Review)”

Employed to Serve – Fallen Star (Review)

Employed to Serve - Fallen StarThis is the fifth album from UK metallers Employed to Serve.

With every release Employed to Serve just seem to be getting better. This culminated in 2021’s Conquering, a record that made it onto my best of list of that year. Which is why expectation is high for the band’s latest 48-minute record Fallen Star. Continue reading “Employed to Serve – Fallen Star (Review)”

Unfleshing – Violent Reason (Review)

Unfleshing - Violent ReasonUnfleshing are a blackened crust band from the US and this is their debut album.

Violent Reason is a 25-minute snarling monstrosity of black metal, hardcore, crust, and grindcore. Unfleshing’s debut record is a beast. Continue reading “Unfleshing – Violent Reason (Review)”

Cabal – Everything Rots (Review)

Cabal - Everything RotsThis is the fourth album from Danish deathcore band Cabal.

I really like Cabal, so was well chuffed when Everything Rots appeared on the horizon like a gathering storm. 2020’s Drag Me Down and 2022’s Magno Interitus were both first class examples of deathcore heaviness. The latter showed a progression in the band’s sound too, reducing the blackened influences. What will the 38 minutes of new material on Everything Rots reveal? Continue reading “Cabal – Everything Rots (Review)”

Gates to Hell – Death Comes to All (Review)

Gates to Hell - Death Comes to AllThis is the second album from US death metal band Gates to Hell.

Gates to Hell play a form of death metal that’s been injected with hardcore urgency, grindcore intensity, and slamming heaviness. With ten songs in 21 minutes, Death Comes to All wastes little time and gives the listener a brutally good time. Continue reading “Gates to Hell – Death Comes to All (Review)”