Flowers of Rust – Crude Exhibitions of the Soul (Review)

Flowers of Rust - Crude Exhibitions of the SoulThis is the second album from US solo post-black metal band Flowers of Rust.

Crude Exhibitions of the Soul contains 33 minutes of post-black metal that’s of an uncommon variety. Flowers of Rust is an act with a different voice, and it uses it to command and demoralise. Continue reading “Flowers of Rust – Crude Exhibitions of the Soul (Review)”

Phobocosm – Gateway (Review)

Phobocosm - GatewayThis is the fourth album from Canadian death metal act Phobocosm.

2023’s Foreordained made a good impression on me, so when ominous portents heralded the arrival of Gateway, I was ready. Across 35 minutes Phobocosm unleash a dark and dismal death metal dénouement that apparently closes their current chapter, making ready for a future one. Continue reading “Phobocosm – Gateway (Review)”

Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons (Review)

Blut Aus Nord - Ethereal HorizonsThis is the sixteenth album from Blut Aus Nord, a French black metal band.

Following on from 2023’s Disharmonium – Nahab comes Ethereal Horizons, a 52-minute work of expansive, exquisite black metal artistry. Yep, this one’s pretty damn good. Continue reading “Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons (Review)”

All Seeing Eyes – We Are the Revolution (Review)

All Seeing Eyes - We Are the RevolutionThis is the second album from UK progressive/power metal band All Seeing Eyes.

Following on from 2014’s Trinity Road and 2021’s Reinventing Time comes the new record from All Seeing Eyes – We Are the Revolution. It’s a 49-minute feast of progressive power metal from this very enjoyable band, so get ready to gorge yourself silly on their luscious flavours. Continue reading “All Seeing Eyes – We Are the Revolution (Review)”

Voidceremony – Abditum (Review)

Voidceremony - AbditumThis is the second album from US death metallers Voidceremony.

Following on 2023’s enjoyable Threads of UnknowingAbditum contains 30 minutes of complex technical death metal wizardry. As much as I liked that last record, this new one is a step up for Voidceremony. Continue reading “Voidceremony – Abditum (Review)”

Old Night – Mediterranean Melancholy (Review)

Old Night - Mediterranean MelancholyOld Night are a Croatian doom metal band and this is their fourth album.

2017’s Pale Cold Irrelevance and 2019’s A Fracture in the Human Soul were both great records, so I was pleased and surprised when Mediterranean Melancholy appeared out of the blue. I was even more surprised to find out that Old Night released another album – Ghost Light – in 2022 that had completely escaped my attention. Boo! Anyway, let’s now turn our attention to the 44 minutes of new material on Mediterranean Melancholy. Continue reading “Old Night – Mediterranean Melancholy (Review)”

Depravity – Bestial Possession (Review)

Depravity - Bestial PossessionDepravity are an Australian death metal band and this is their third album.

It’s been a while since 2018’s Evil Upheaval and 2020’s Grand Malevolence, but both records made their mark. Well, 2025 marks the return of the mighty Depravity, so can Bestial Possession clear the high bar set by its two predecessors? Continue reading “Depravity – Bestial Possession (Review)”

1914 – Viribus Unitis (Review)

1914 - Viribus Unitis1914 are a Ukrainian blackened death/doom band and this is their fourth album.

It’s great to have a new album from this well-regarded band, (check out some of their past work here, here, and here). Containing 57 minutes of new material, Veribus Unitis is 1914’s most absorbing work yet. Continue reading “1914 – Viribus Unitis (Review)”

Lamp of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy (Review)

Lamp of Murmuur - The Dreaming Prince in EcstasyThis is the fourth album from US solo black metal band Lamp of Murmuur.

The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is the follow up to 2023’s well-received Saturnian Bloodstorm. The latter was a record that only improved over time, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing songs from it, (and other releases), performed live when I saw Lamp of Murmuur at 2024’s Fortress Festival. All of this is to say, I’ve been looking forward to this new record. Continue reading “Lamp of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy (Review)”

Chairmaker – Leviathan Carcass (Review)

Chairmaker - Leviathan CarcassThis is the debut album from UK solo grindcore band Chairmaker.

When an album is recommended for fans of Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed, I have to at least spare it more than a cursory glance. What I discovered when I did was an utterly brutal 14-minute grindcore explosion. Yep, that’s me sold. Continue reading “Chairmaker – Leviathan Carcass (Review)”