Burial in the Sky – The Consumed Self (Review)

Burial in the Sky - The Consumed SelfThis is the third album from Burial in the Sky, a death metal band from the US.

The Consumed Self contains 58 minutes of modern technical/progressive death metal. The promo blurb says that it’s recommended for fans of Rivers of Nihil, Fallujah, Black Crown Initiate, Virvum, and Alustrium, which should let you know the sort of waters that Burial in the Sky wade in. Continue reading “Burial in the Sky – The Consumed Self (Review)”

Tombstoner – Victims of Vile Torture (Review)

Tombstoner - Victims of Vile TortureTombstoner are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Now here’s one I’ve really been looking forward to. 2020’s Descent to Madness was seriously good, and I’ve only grown to love it even more over time. On Victims of Vile Torture, we once again get a feast of old-school death metal, played with a modern edge that incorporates elements of grind, hardcore, groove, and thrash metal. The music combines all of the above elements into a roaringly good collection of tracks. Continue reading “Tombstoner – Victims of Vile Torture (Review)”

Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)

Cognitive - Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened ExtinctionThis is the fourth album from US death metallers Cognitive.

I’ve enjoyed following Cognitive’s career, from 2016’s Deformity, through 2018’s Matricide, to their newest album Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, which brings 41 minutes of roaring modern technical death metal to our weary ears. Does it wake us from our lethargy and fire us up with the spirit of death metal’s aggressive energy? Continue reading “Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)”

Alustrium – A Monument to Silence (Review)

Alustrium - A Monument to SilenceThis is the third album from US death metal band Alustrium.

Here we have 65 minutes of progressive technical death metal. Reading that statement you may be expecting a certain version of that style, but it’s likely that Alustrium will surprise; A Monument to Silence is much more melodic and emotionally resonant than many technical bands achieve or even aspire to. Continue reading “Alustrium – A Monument to Silence (Review)”

Alluvial – Sarcoma (Review)

Alluvial - SarcomaThis is the second album from Alluvial, a modern death metal band from the US.

Sarcoma contains 38 minutes of progressive death metal. Alluvial fuse their modern approach to the style with technical, progressive, and atmospheric flourishes, yet do so in a restrained song-based way. This results in songs that are atypical expressions of Continue reading “Alluvial – Sarcoma (Review)”

Bonecarver – Evil (Review)

Bonecarver - EvilBonecarver are a Spanish death metal band and this is their debut album.

Evil features 39 minutes of modern brutality. The band, (previously known as Cannibal Grandpa), have a style that encapsulates elements of slam and deathcore, but primarily consists of a modern brand of brutal death metal that has simply absorbed these other strains of heaviness into itself, along with a few other elements as we’ll see. Continue reading “Bonecarver – Evil (Review)”

The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral (Review)

The Lylat Continuum - EphemeralThe Lylat Continuum are a progressive death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Ephemeral is a 56-minute trip into progressive death metal waters, although the death metal influences are not always prominently displayed; the band’s modern progressive metal influences are Continue reading “The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral (Review)”

The Scalar Process – Coagulative Matter (Review)

The Scalar Process - Coagulative MatterThe Scalar Process are a technical death metal band from France and this is their debut album.

When a band is described as for fans of Coexistence, The Zenith Passage, Beyond Creation, Necrophagist, The Faceless, Hateful, Archspire, Cynic, and Inferi, and when words such as technical, melodic, and progressive are bandied around Continue reading “The Scalar Process – Coagulative Matter (Review)”

Devils Reef – Chosen by the Sea (Review)

Devils Reef - Chosen by the SeaThis is the debut album from Devils Reef, a death metal band from the US.

Chosen by the Sea contains 35 minutes of death metal that incorporates elements from both technical and thrash metal. Continue reading “Devils Reef – Chosen by the Sea (Review)”