Cognizance – Upheaval (Review)

Cognizance - UpheavalThis is the second album from UK/Austrian death metal band Cognizance.

Despite enjoying Cognizance’s early work, (such as Inquisition), I somehow managed to miss out on the band’s debut album Malignant Dominion. As such, when Upheaval appeared, lest I miss out again, I greedily took it to one side and hungrily devoured it. Continue reading “Cognizance – Upheaval (Review)”

Vulvodynia – Praenuntius Infiniti (Review)

Vulvodynia - Praenuntius InfinitiThis is the fourth album from South African death metallers Vulvodynia.

After 2016’s Psychosadistic Design and 2019’s Mob Rules, it’s great to once more be exposed to Vulvodynia’s brand of deathcore-laced brutal slamming death metal. There’s a whopping 57-minutes of violent content on Praenuntius Infiniti. Although I was initially concerned about this, as that length is a bit of a push for this sort of punishing material, it turns out that the band have done their best to make good use of the time. Continue reading “Vulvodynia – Praenuntius Infiniti (Review)”

Æpoch – Hiraeth (Review)

Æpoch - HiraethThis is the latest EP from Æpoch, a Canadian progressive death metal band.

This EP delivers 19 minutes of Æpoch’s modern progressive/technical death metal assault. Laced with black and thrash metal elements, (but less than previously), and powered by melodic might, Hiraeth is a short but satisfying hit of metallic aggression. Continue reading “Æpoch – Hiraeth (Review)”

Dominicide – The Architecture of Oppression (Review)

Dominicide - The Architecture of OppressionThis is the latest EP from UK death/thrash metallers Dominicide.

This four track EP has a duration of 24 minutes and showcases Dominicide’s brand of modern metallic assault. The music mixes death and thrash metal, while also incorporating at various points across the EP elements of deathcore and even symphonic enhancements. Continue reading “Dominicide – The Architecture of Oppression (Review)”

Beyond Grace – Our Kingdom Undone (Review)

Beyond Grace - Our Kingdom UndoneThis is the second album from UK death metallers Beyond Grace.

2014’s Monstrous showed buckets of promise, which 2017’s debut album Seekers delivered upon. It’s now 2021 and Beyond Grace have returned with 47 minutes of new material. Is the time well spent? Continue reading “Beyond Grace – Our Kingdom Undone (Review)”

Deformatory – Inversion of the Unseen Horizon (Review)

Deformatory - Inversion of the Unseen HorizonThis is the third album from Canadian death metal band Deformatory.

I really like Deformatory’s work. Both 2013’s In the Wake of Pestilence and 2016’s Malediction were very enjoyable and satisfying slabs of brutal technicality. It has been a long wait for Inversion of the Unseen Horizon, but we finally have 43 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Deformatory – Inversion of the Unseen Horizon (Review)”

Ænigmatum – Deconsecrate (Review)

Ænigmatum - DeconsecrateÆnigmatum are a US death metal band and this is their second album.

Featuring a member of Azath and Torture Rack, Deconsecrate contains 45 minutes of technical and melodic death metal. The promo blurb states that Deconsecrate is for fans of Eucharist, The Chasm, At the Gates, Dark Tranquillity, Necrophobic, Atrocity, and Opeth, and this provides a decent starting image. Continue reading “Ænigmatum – Deconsecrate (Review)”

Burial in the Sky – The Consumed Self (Review)

Burial in the Sky - The Consumed SelfThis is the third album from Burial in the Sky, a death metal band from the US.

The Consumed Self contains 58 minutes of modern technical/progressive death metal. The promo blurb says that it’s recommended for fans of Rivers of Nihil, Fallujah, Black Crown Initiate, Virvum, and Alustrium, which should let you know the sort of waters that Burial in the Sky wade in. Continue reading “Burial in the Sky – The Consumed Self (Review)”

Fleshbore – Embers Gathering (Review)

Fleshbore - Embers GatheringFleshbore are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

We first met Fleshbore on their 2017 Demo, although the band have unleashed an EP and changed their drummer and vocalist since then. Embers Gathering is 32 minutes of technical death metal that benefits from melodic, atmospheric, and brutal elements. Continue reading “Fleshbore – Embers Gathering (Review)”

Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)

Cognitive - Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened ExtinctionThis is the fourth album from US death metallers Cognitive.

I’ve enjoyed following Cognitive’s career, from 2016’s Deformity, through 2018’s Matricide, to their newest album Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, which brings 41 minutes of roaring modern technical death metal to our weary ears. Does it wake us from our lethargy and fire us up with the spirit of death metal’s aggressive energy? Continue reading “Cognitive – Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction (Review)”