Heaving Earth – Darkness of God (Review)

Heaving Earth - Darkness of GodHeaving Earth are a death metal band from Czechia and this is their second album.

Seven long years have passed since we last heard from Heaving Earth on 2015’s crushing Denouncing the Holy Throne. The band have finally returned with 49 minutes of new material, as well as a new line up, (including a new singer who is also in Brutally Deceased and Somniate, and session drums from the drummer of Hideous Divinity/Nero di Marte). Do they still have what it takes to pulverise and destroy with their mere presence? Continue reading “Heaving Earth – Darkness of God (Review)”

Decapitated – Cancer Culture (Review)

Decapitated - Cancer CultureDecapitated are a Polish death metal band and this is their eighth album.

This is the follow up to 2017’s Anticult, and offers 37 minutes of heaviness that is ridiculously enjoyable. I expected a new Decapitated release to be good, but I was not ready for just how good Cancer Culture turned out to be. Continue reading “Decapitated – Cancer Culture (Review)”

Cadaveria – Emptiness (Review)

Cadaveria - EmptinessCadaveria are an Italian metal band and this is their sixth album.

Cadaveria play a form of metal that combines elements of melodic death metal and black metal with heavy and Gothic metal, resulting in songs that mix heaviness and atmosphere. Continue reading “Cadaveria – Emptiness (Review)”

Sensory Amusia – Breed Death (Review)

Sensory Amusia - Breed DeathSensory Amusia are an Australian death metal band and this is their second album.

I was impressed by Sensory Amusia’s 2020 EP Bereavement, so I definitely wanted to check out whatever they did next. This turned out to be Breed Death, which scratches my modern death metal itch very nicely indeed. Continue reading “Sensory Amusia – Breed Death (Review)”

Obscene – .​.​.​From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon (Review)

Obscene - .​.​.​From Dead Horizon to Dead HorizonThis is the second album from US death metal band Obscene.

This is the follow up to 2020’s well-received The Inhabitable Dark and contains 32 minutes of new material. As a reference point for Obscene’s style, think along the lines of bands such as like Obituary, Death, Cancer, Bolt Thrower, Asphyx, and Master. Continue reading “Obscene – .​.​.​From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon (Review)”

Hyrgal – – (Review)

Hyrgal - -Hyrgal are a French black metal band and this is their third album.

I enjoyed both 2017’s Serpentine and 2020’s Fin de Règne, so is well-received, if unusually titled. We once again get seven tracks of dark black metal art, this time with a duration of 38 minutes. Continue reading “Hyrgal – – (Review)”

Predatory Light – Death and the Twilight Hours (Review)

Predatory Light - Death and the Twilight HoursThis is the second album from US black metallers Predatory Light.

Featuring current and ex-members of Vanum and Ash Borer, Death and the Twilight Hours contains 38 minutes of charismatic black metal, and is the follow up to 2016’s Predatory Light. Continue reading “Predatory Light – Death and the Twilight Hours (Review)”

Déhà – Decadanse (Review)

Déhà - DecadanseDéhà is a Belgian solo artist who plays in a vast multitude of bands, across a variety of styles. In his solo work alone he spans a wide range of genres. This album is his 26th, (I think).

Decadanse was unleashed into the world back in March, so I’m a bit late to this particular party, but what an insanely madcap and enjoyable party it is! Continue reading “Déhà – Decadanse (Review)”

Septicflesh – Modern Primitive (Review)

Septicflesh - Modern PrimitiveSepticflesh, (Septic Flesh?), are a symphonic death metal band from Greece and this is their eleventh album.

Following on from 2017’s Codex OmegaModern Primitives is another devastatingly effective slab of dark grandeur from the band. Across 39 minutes Septicflesh once again demonstrate that very few bands can compete with them when it comes to Continue reading “Septicflesh – Modern Primitive (Review)”

Cities of Mars – Cities of Mars (Review)

Cities of Mars - Cities of MarsThis is the third album from Swedish doom metal band Cities of Mars.

Cities of Mars offers a richly textured doom experience that combines elements of sludge, stoner, and ambient into itself. The promo blurb says that Cities of Mars is for fans of Mastodon, Kylesa, Sleep, Baroness, and The Sword, and that’s as good a place  as any to start with. Continue reading “Cities of Mars – Cities of Mars (Review)”