An Abstract Illusion – Woe (Review)

An Abstract Illusion - WoeThis is the second album from Swedish atmospheric death metal band An Abstract Illusion.

An Abstract Illusion play an electronically enriched form of atmospheric death metal, replete with black and progressive metal elements. Woe is a 60-minute journey into the band’s accomplished realm. Continue reading “An Abstract Illusion – Woe (Review)”

Aronious – Irkalla (Review)

Aronious - IrkallaThis is the second album from Aronious, a death metal band from the US.

I listened to and enjoyed 2020’s Perspicacity far more than I expected to, so when Irkalla appeared I was keen to explore it. Two things struck me about the band’s new release before I’d even pressed play – the first was the difference in length, (Irkalla‘s 41 minutes/8 tracks vs Perspicacity‘s 59 minutes/13 tracks), and the second was the significant lineup changes, including a new Continue reading “Aronious – Irkalla (Review)”

Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

In this edition of this column we’ll take a look at Swedish label Grind to Death Records. It’s not a label I’m familiar with, so how better to get a good look at what they do than this? Besides, how could I resist a grindcore album about beavers… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)”

Altars – Ascetic Reflection (Review)

Altars - Ascetic ReflectionThis is the second album from Australian death metallers Altars.

Ascetic Reflection contains 40 minutes of warped death metal. As a rough outline of the band’s sound, take a base of Morbid Angel and then add in elements of bands like Gorguts, Artificial Brain, and Ulcerate. Then know that that these lazy comparisons do nothing to prepare you for the journey that Ascetic reflection offers. Continue reading “Altars – Ascetic Reflection (Review)”

Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism (Review)

Bekor Qilish - Throes of Death from the Dreamed NihilismThis is the debut album from Bekor Qilish, an extreme metal solo act from Italy.

Across 28 minutes the artist behind this band delivers his vision for extreme metal – a complex and layered avant-garde assault on the senses. Blending the technical and progressive strains of black and death metal into an experimental extreme metal framework, Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism is a jarring and unfriendly piece of work, that nonetheless rewards connoisseurs of esoteric underground extremity. Continue reading “Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism (Review)”

Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns (Review)

Exocrine - The Hybrid SunsThis is the fifth album from French death metallers Exocrine.

Exocrine have a good reputation around these parts, (see 2018’s Molten Giant and 2020’s Maelstrom), so I’m pleased to say that on new platter The Hybrid Suns the band have done nothing to tarnish this. Quite the opposite, in fact. Continue reading “Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns (Review)”

Inanimate Existence – The Masquerade (Review)

Inanimate Existence - The MasqueradeInanimate Existence are a US progressive death metal band and this is their sixth album.

A new Inanimate Existence album is always welcome. They’re a reliable and enjoyable act, (see here, here, here, and here), and I always look forward to hearing them. The Masquerade delivers 40 minutes of new material that more than adheres to the quality standards that the band have set for themselves so far. Continue reading “Inanimate Existence – The Masquerade (Review)”

Azaab – Summoning the Cataclysm (Review)

Azaab - Summoning the CataclysmAzaab are a death metal band from Pakistan and this is their debut album.

Summoning the Catalysm features 38 minutes of professional death metal. It’s brutal and aggressive, and boasts both technical flourishes and progressive enhancements, all delivered in a lean 38 minutes, (and there’s a decent Decapitated cover too). Continue reading “Azaab – Summoning the Cataclysm (Review)”

Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain (Review)

Artificial Brain - Artificial BrainThis is the third album from US technical death metal band Artificial Brain.

The follow up to 2017’s very well-received Infrared HorizonArtificial Brain contains 46 minutes of new material, and is brought to us from current and ex-members of bands such as Aeviterne, Afterbirth, Buckshot Facelift, Coma Cluster VoidGrey Skies Fallen, and Revocation. Continue reading “Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain (Review)”

Origin – Chaosmos (Review)

Origin - ChaosmosThis 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)”