Technical death metal – Wonderbox Metal

Heaving Earth – Darkness of God (Review)

Heaving Earth are a death metal band from Czechia and this is their second album.

Seven long years have passed since we last heard from Heaving Earth on 2015’s crushing Denouncing the Holy Throne. The band have finally returned with 49 minutes of new material, as well as a new line up, (including a new singer who is also in Brutally Deceased and Somniate, and session drums from the drummer of Hideous Divinity/Nero di Marte). Do they still have what it takes to pulverise and destroy with their mere presence? Continue reading “Heaving Earth – Darkness of God (Review)”

Decapitated – Cancer Culture (Review)

Decapitated are a Polish death metal band and this is their eighth album.

This is the follow up to 2017’s Anticult, and offers 37 minutes of heaviness that is ridiculously enjoyable. I expected a new Decapitated release to be good, but I was not ready for just how good Cancer Culture turned out to be. Continue reading “Decapitated – Cancer Culture (Review)”

Sensory Amusia – Breed Death (Review)

Sensory Amusia are an Australian death metal band and this is their second album.

I was impressed by Sensory Amusia’s 2020 EP Bereavement, so I definitely wanted to check out whatever they did next. This turned out to be Breed Death, which scratches my modern death metal itch very nicely indeed. Continue reading “Sensory Amusia – Breed Death (Review)”

Analepsy – Quiescence (Review)

Analepsy are a slamming brutal death metal band from Portugal and this is their second album.

I have been waiting for this for soooo long. It’s been a long time since I was hugely impressed by 2015’s Dehumanization by Supremacy and 2017’s Atrocities from Beyond, but Analepsy have finally returned to show everyone who’s boss. Back with almost a completely new lineup, (which includes members of Annihilation and Necrovile), Quiescence contains 39 minutes of Analepsy doing what Analepsy do best – crushing skulls with massive slamming death metal. Continue reading “Analepsy – Quiescence (Review)”

Tómarúm – Ash in Realms of Stone Icons (Review)

This is the debut album from US black metal band Tómarúm.

Featuring a member of The Ritual Aura, and session members from Inferi and Virvum, Ash in Realms of Stone Icons contains 60 minutes of progressive black/death metal. Continue reading “Tómarúm – Ash in Realms of Stone Icons (Review)”

Astral Tomb – Soulgazer (Review)

This is the debut album from Astral Tomb, a death metal band from the US.

I’ve enjoyed watching Astral Tomb develop their ghastly death metal sound, from 2020’s split with Cryptic Shift, Replicant, and Inoculation, to 2021’s EP Degradation of Human Consciousness, (which I honestly thought I had reviewed, but apparently not). Soulgazer is the band’s first album, and I have been looking forward to it. Continue reading “Astral Tomb – Soulgazer (Review)”

Aeviterne – The Ailing Facade (Review)

Aeviterne are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Aeviterne contain current and ex-members of bands such as Artificial Brain, Tombs, and Pillory, and play a brutal form of death metal with experimental tendencies. Continue reading “Aeviterne – The Ailing Facade (Review)”

Arkaik – Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts (Review)

This is the sixth album from US death metallers Arkaik.

Back now with a new lineup, (featuring current and ex-members of Singularity, Alterbeast, Dessiderium, and Nullingroots), Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts boasts 48 minutes of new material. Both 2015’s Lucid Dawn and 2017’s Nemethia were very likeable records, so Arkaik’s new one carries a certain level of expectation. Spoiler alert – it’s been exceeded. Continue reading “Arkaik – Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts (Review)”

Allegaeon – Damnum (Review)

Allegaeon are a death metal band from the US and this is their sixth album.

There’s something about Allegaeon’s music that’s very satisfying and moreish. The band have discovered a blending of technicality, progressive flourish, and melodic might that simply works, and works well. Both 2016’s Proponent for Sentience and 2019’s Apoptosis were both great records, ably showcasing Allegaeon’s style of music. Now, in 2022, what does Damnum hold for us? Continue reading “Allegaeon – Damnum (Review)”

Aethereus – Leiden (Review)

Aethereus are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Leiden is a 55-minute death metal monstrosity that blends technical, progressive, and dissonant elements together into a very impressive package. The band’s Facebook page describes them as for fans of Obscura, Beyond Creation, and Gorguts, and that’s a good starting place from which to approach Leiden. Continue reading “Aethereus – Leiden (Review)”