Garoted are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.
A crushing display of death metal prowess, Bewitchment of the Dark Ages is a blisteringly aggressive 36-minute slab of dark extremity. Garoted can certainly play, and they wield their instruments like weapons as they pursue they ferocious goals. Continue reading “Garoted – Bewitchment of the Dark Ages (Review)”
This is the second album from Italian death metallers Maze of Sothoth.
Featuring a member of Beheaded, Maze of Sothoth deliver a scathing brand of death metal on Extirpated Light. Following on from 2017’s Soul Demise, this new material is a 36-minute journey into dark realms of brutality and horror. Yep, this is the stuff right here. Continue reading “Maze of Sothoth – Extirpated Light (Review)”
So here we are again. It’s December, and year end lists are flying around like shrapnel. Due to the inherent subjectivity of music it’s always interesting to see what people have made of the preceding year.
For me, I made a concerted effort to drag myself away from the depths of black metal’s always-enticing abyss to spend some more time with other genres and styles that I also love. I said something similar last year, but I feel this year I was more successful in achieving that end. Of course, I still love black metal, still listen to it constantly, and you’ll still find some great examples of the blackened arts in the list below.
2022 was a strong year for death metal for me, and I enjoyed more death metal bands in a deeper way than I have done for some time. In every year there are standout releases, but I felt this year the standard was raised throughout. Possibly I was simply more receptive to it. Either way, you’ll find more death metal-related acts, and in higher spots, in this selection than you’ll have seen in my lists for a while.
As with last year, grindcore was largely absent from my year, disappointingly, as was hardcore. Additionally, the sort of lengthy, ugly, abyssal doom that I love so much has been largely lacking too. It’s all probably out there somewhere, but I didn’t catch it.
The top two spots this year are both claimed by albums/bands/styles that I simply could not have predicted would be at the pinnacle of my list by the year’s end, (one of the bands I hadn’t even heard of in January). I hope you enjoy these excellent records even half as much as I do.
Lastly I just want to say a big thank you to any and all that might read this site. It’s only a small endeavour, and I do it purely for the love of all things METAL and to support bands that I enjoy in whatever minor way I can, but if this is you, a heartfelt thank you for enduring my scribblings.
On to it! Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2022”
This is the debut album from international death metallers Obsidious.
Containing current and ex-members of bands such as Alkaloid and Obscura, Obsidious play a form of progressive/technical death metal that melts faces, but does so with an epic hook. Continue reading “Obsidious – Iconic (Review)”
Omophagia are a Swiss death metal band and this is their fourth album.
2016’s In the Name of Chaos was very enjoyable, but it was with 2019’s 646965 that Omophagia really made their mark. As such, Rebirth in Black is one I’ve been waiting for, so let’s get to it. Continue reading “Omophagia – Rebirth in Black (Review)”
Psycroptic are an Australian technical death metal band and this is their eighth album.
Following on from 2018’s As the Kingdom Drowns, Divine Council is a very accomplished record. Psycroptic have a sound pretty much all of their own, and on their latest release the band have executed their vision with passion and professional expertise. Continue reading “Psycroptic – Divine Council (Review)”
This is the third album from Italian brutal death metallers Cerebral Extinction.
Escape from Illusion delivers a punishing technical assault across 47 minutes of brutal material. Continue reading “Cerebral Extinction – Escape from Illusion (Review)”
In what was once again a strong month for metal music, I had a lot of fun listening to a variety of different types of metal. I’ve picked some of my favourites below. What were yours? Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of June 2022”
This is the debut album from US death metallers The Eating Cave.
Taking influence from a mix of bands such as Archspire, Origin, Beneath the Massacre, The Faceless, and Infant Annihilator, The Eating Cave spend 39 minutes terrorising, battering, and demoralising the listener with the sort of punishment that is as well-delivered as it is startlingly brutal. Continue reading “The Eating Cave – Ingurgitate (Review)”
This is the eighth album from US death metallers Origin.
It seems like Unparalleled Existence only came out a couple of years ago, but it was actually 2017. Time certainly flies. Still, at least Origin have now returned, bringing us the 46-minute beast that is Chaosmos. Continue reading “Origin – Chaosmos (Review)”
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