Apogean – Cyberstrictive (Review)

Apogean - CyberstrictiveThis is the debut album from US death metal band Apogean.

Cyberstrictive contains 44 minutes of modern technical death metal. As a lazy intro, I’m just going to quote the blrub on their Bandcamp page – “Apogean drew their inspiration from such groups as Soreption, The Faceless, Obscura, Necrophagist, The Black Dahlia Murder, Archspire, and The Zenith Passage. It’s a safe bet that fans of those bands will thoroughly enjoy what they have to offer.” Continue reading “Apogean – Cyberstrictive (Review)”

Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer (Review)

Job for a Cowboy - Moon HealerThis is the fifth album from US death metallers Job for a Cowboy.

Ten years on from 2014’s Sun Eater and Job for a Cowboy have finally returned. It’s been worth the wait, let me tell you.

On Moon Healer Job for a Cowboy travel further along Continue reading “Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer (Review)”

Eternal Storm – A Giant Bound to Fall (Review)

Eternal Storm - A Giant Bound to FallThis is the second album from Spanish death metal band Eternal Storm.

A Giant Bound to Fall is a much anticipated album in the land of progressive death metal. 2019’s Come the Tide was a very well-regarded album, so five years later, what have the Eternal Storm of 2024 delivered to us? Continue reading “Eternal Storm – A Giant Bound to Fall (Review)”

Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light (Review)

Chapel of Disease - Echoes of LightChapel of Disease are a German progressive death metal/rock band and this is their fourth album.

Whereas 2025’s The Mysterious Work of Repetitive Art was a sinuous slab of old-school death metal played with uncommon depth, 2018’s …And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye took Chapel of Disease into much more progressive waters. Now, 6 years later, where does Echoes of Light find this exceptional act? Continue reading “Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light (Review)”

Alluvial – Death Is But a Door (Review)

Alluvial - Death Is But a DoorThis is the latest EP from Alluvial, a modern death metal band from the US.

Following on after 2021’s Sarcoma, Death Is But a Door contains four new songs and has a total duration of 17 minutes. Strap in, it’s gonna get heavy. Continue reading “Alluvial – Death Is But a Door (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023

Welcome to my annual attempt to make sense of the ridiculous amount of good metal albums out there, awaiting discovery by intrepid metal explorers.

2023’s best of list has been one of the more difficult ones to put together, placing-wise, which is one of the reasons that I’m posting it later than I usually do. Even more so than normal many of the slots are interchangeable, and I especially struggled with positions two-nine – if such a thing were possible, they all deserve to be higher! In the end I decided to stop overthinking it and go with my gut, but the usual caveat of these lists being very subjective and subject to change depending on mood, feelings, etc. is larger than normal here.

There are some notable acts missing form the below. Not because they’re not worthy of inclusion, but because there are only so many spaces to be had. In fact, I almost ended up limiting this list to 20, rather than the now-customary 30, as I found it really difficult to know who to include and who not to. In the end I went with the standard 30 so that I could promote a few extra bands, as they absolutely all deserve it.

As for the top position, I wasn’t expecting it to be filled by a band I’d never heard before, playing a style that I don’t listen to as much as I used to. However, I suppose after last year, I shouldn’t have been too surprised.

I do hope you enjoy this list and find some new music to obsess over. Like always, thanks for your support if you have ever visited this site before, and here’s to a great 2024 for as many of us as possible. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023”

Beyond Grace – Welcome to the New Dark Ages, Part 1 (Review)

Beyond Grace - Welcome to the New Dark Ages, Part 1This is the latest EP from Beyond Grace, a death metal band from the UK.

I always enjoy catching up with Beyond Grace, and have watched their development closely over the years. From the early promise of 2014’s Monstrous, to the debut roar of 2017’s Seekers, to 2021’s crowning achievement so far Our Kingdom Undone, Beyond Grace’s upward trajectory has been a satisfying and rewarding one. Continue reading “Beyond Grace – Welcome to the New Dark Ages, Part 1 (Review)”

Cruciamentum – Obsidian Refractions (Review)

Cruciamentum - Obsidian RefractionsThis is the second album from international death metallers Cruciamentum.

Featuring current/ex-members of Vacivus and Perdition Temple, Cruciamentum play old-school death metal that fans of acts such as Incantation, Corpsessed, Ritual Necromancy, Fossilization, and Immolation should check out. Continue reading “Cruciamentum – Obsidian Refractions (Review)”

Stortregn – Finitude (Review)

Stortregn - FinitudeStortregn are a black/death metal band from Switzerland and this is their sixth album.

Well, this is an impressive beast. If you’re looking for a feast of riffs, technicality, and melody, then look no further than Finitude. It boasts 43 minutes of the stuff, and it’s a real scorcher. Continue reading “Stortregn – Finitude (Review)”

Owdwyr – Receptor (Review)

Owdwyr - ReceptorThis is the debut album from US extreme metal band Owdwyr.

Receptor is an interesting beast. Blurring the boundaries between technical death metal, grindcore, and progressive metal, Owdwyr’s music is a riot of violence and exploratory brutality. It’s a 44-minute sophisticated wrecking ball. Continue reading “Owdwyr – Receptor (Review)”