This is the debut album from Doodswens, a black metal band from the Netherlands.
Doodswens play black metal infused with the spirit of the Scandinavian second wave, and delivered with contemporary passion and mood-focused impact. Think a combination of the traditional old-school Darkthrone sound combined with the grim darkness of acts like Xasthur and Gnaw Their Tongues. Continue reading “Doodswens – Lichtvrees (Review)”
This is the latest EP from Demonstealer, a one-man extreme metal act from India.
This 19-minute EP finds the artist behind Demonstealer surrounding himself with many guests, from bands such as Fleshgod Apocalypse, Six Feet Under, Equipoise, Gorgasm, and Marduk. Continue reading “Demonstealer – The Holocene Termination (Review)”
This is the third album from Polish death metallers Dormant Ordeal.
Now here’s something pretty tasty. I haven’t encountered Dormant Ordeal before, but The Grand Scheme of Things is impressive enough to make me wish I had. Across 39 minutes the band absolutely punish the listener with their idiosyncratic and exemplary take on death metal mastery. Continue reading “Dormant Ordeal – The Grand Scheme of Things (Review)”
This is the second album from one-man Australian black metal act Aquilus.
Bellum I features 62 minutes of atmospheric black metal combined with folk and classical elements. The promo blurb states that Aquilus’ music is for fans of Midnight Odyssey, Skogen, and Falls of Rauros, which immediately caused me to be interested. I’d also add bands like Opeth, Ne Obliviscaris, Agalloch, and Wilderun to this list too. Continue reading “Aquilus – Bellum I (Review)”
This is the third album from So Hideous, a post-metal band from the US.
None but a Pure Heart Can Sing is only 32 minutes in length, but this duration comes with more ideas than many releases double the length. The album is a loose mix of styles and genres, taking an experimental and avant-garde approach to music that finds them combining pretty much all of the post- styles, (metal, rock, hardcore, and black metal), with a diverse non-metal array of genres such as jazz and classical. Continue reading “So Hideous – None but a Pure Heart Can Sing (Review)”
This is the debut EP from one-man sludge metal band Flowers of Flesh.
The artist behind Flowers of Flesh knows a good malevolent riff when he rips one out of someone’s spine. The EP starts with exactly one such riff, but it isn’t the only example to be found within these 24 minutes. The music is filthy blackened sludge metal that’s ugly and foul, yet contains some unexpected elements of light and feeling hidden amidst the carnage. Continue reading “Flowers of Flesh – Flowers of Flesh (Review)”
This is the seventh album from Polish black metal act Gurthang.
2019’s Ascension was an album that I enjoyed at the time, but which has only increased in my estimation since. As such, I was eager to hear their latest creation. Continue reading “Gurthang – Hearts of the Hollow (Review)”
Anomalie are an Austrian post-black metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2017’s well-received Visions, (via an EP I haven’t heard), Tranceformation contains 44 minutes of new material, and comes with a newly-focused direction to boot. A rough reference point for what Tranceformation sounds like would be a mix of bands such as Schammasch, Enslaved, and old Anomalie, although to be honest this is only a very approximate guide at best, especially as some songs have a modern doom metal flavour too, (most notably opening track). Continue reading “Anomalie – Tranceformation (Review)”
This is the thirteenth album from veteran death metallers Hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy are a death metal band that have always tried different things, have always pushed themselves, and have incorporated many different styles and influences into their music over the decades. On Worship this continues to be the case. Across 51 minutes Continue reading “Hypocrisy – Worship (Review)”
Lock Up are an international grindcore band and this is their fifth album.
Lock Up contain members of bands such as Napalm Death, At the Gates, The Lurking Fear, Brujeria, Brutal Truth, Misery Index, and Pig Destroyer. Yep, here’s a band that have a lot of experience with extreme music. The Dregs of Hades is a ferocious collection of tracks that showcases the band members’ expertise well. Across 38 minutes we get Continue reading “Lock Up – The Dregs of Hades (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 