Kuzu Knot – Deceitful Above All Things (Review)

Kuzu Knot - Deceitful Above All ThingsThis is the debut album from US grindcore band Kuzu Knot.

Deceitful Above All Things contains 34 minutes of merciless grinding darkness, but of a rarefied sort. Kuzu Knot’s music is abrasive and harsh, but is also a good deal more than just this. Continue reading “Kuzu Knot – Deceitful Above All Things (Review)”

Erdve – Epigrama (Review)

Erdve - EpigramaErdve are from Lithuania and play blackened hardcore/sludge and this is their third album.

Following on from 2018’s Vaitojimas and 2021’s SavigailaEpigrama delivers 43 minutes of material for listeners to get stuck into. Erdve combine blackened hardcore, sludge, and metallic heaviness into a record that takes no prisoners. Continue reading “Erdve – Epigrama (Review)”

Tooms – Karst (Review)

Tooms - KarstTooms are an Irish progressive sludge metal band and this is their second album.

Tooms impressed with their 2020 debut The Orb Offers Massive Signals, so Karst is to be approached with great interest and expectation. Tooms have delivered 48 minutes of new material, and it’s worth paying attention to. Continue reading “Tooms – Karst (Review)”

Dragged into Sunlight/Vacuous/Plague Pit – Club Academy, Manchester – 30/05/26 (Live Review)

Dragged into Sunlight Vacuous Plague Pit - Club Academy, Manchester - 30.05.26 (Live Review)

Manchester’s hot ticket is tonight is Dragged into Sunlight, and people have turned out in force. As usual, their merch queue is ridiculous, and it stays ridiculous for a ridiculous amount of time. Good for them. They’re not the only tasty treat on this gnarled bill though; first comes death metal most foul. Continue reading “Dragged into Sunlight/Vacuous/Plague Pit – Club Academy, Manchester – 30/05/26 (Live Review)”

Portrayal of Guilt – …Beginning of the End (Review)

Portrayal of Guilt - ...Beginning of the EndPortrayal of Guilt are a blackened hardcore band from the US and this is their fourth album.

…Beginning of the End is the sound of Portrayal of Guilt pushing their sound harder and deeper. Across 31 evocative minutes, the band reach across genres and styles to grasp what they want in an unyielding iron grip. …Beginning of the End brings a lot to the table. Continue reading “Portrayal of Guilt – …Beginning of the End (Review)”

Witch Ripper – Through the Hourglass (Review)

Witch Ripper - Through the HourglassThis is the third album from US stoner/sludge metal band Witch Ripper.

2023’s The Flight After the Fall was a thoroughly enjoyable progressive stoner sludge album, so it’s with some expectation that the coming of Through the Hourglass is greeted. Across 44 minutes of new material, Witch Ripper Continue reading “Witch Ripper – Through the Hourglass (Review)”