The Ritual Aura – Heresiarch (Review)

The Ritual Aura - HeresiarchThis is the fourth album from The Ritual Aura, a death metal band from Australia.

I enjoyed 2015’s Laniakea and 2016’s colossal Tæther, but I never realised until recently that they also had a 2019 album, (Velothi), that I’ve never heard. Well, Heresiarch offers a great opportunity to see what The Ritual Aura are up to in 2023. With a new lineup since I last caught up with them, (including a member of Tómarúm), and 56 minutes of new material, what does Heresiarch assail us with? Continue reading “The Ritual Aura – Heresiarch (Review)”

Xoth – Exogalactic (Review)

Xoth - ExogalacticThis is the third album from Xoth, a death metal band from the US.

Exogalactic can be thought of as a sci-fi-themed tech death album that’s spliced with black and thrash metal elements. Across 39 minutes Xoth impress with their exuberant delivery, especially as it’s backed up by some serious musical chops. Continue reading “Xoth – Exogalactic (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)”

Baring Teeth – The Path Narrows (Review)

Baring Teeth - The Path NarrowsBaring Teeth are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.

I last caught up with Baring Teeth almost a decade ago on 2014’s Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins. They also had an album out in 2018, which I missed, (I’ll have to dig it out at some point), so The Path Narrows offers a good opportunity to catch up with the band once more. So what do Baring Teeth have to offer the discerning metal fan in 2023? Continue reading “Baring Teeth – The Path Narrows (Review)”

Wormhole – Almost Human (Review)

Wormhole - Almost HumanThis is the third album from international death metal band Wormhole.

I enjoyed 2015’s Genesis and 2020’s  The Weakest Among Us, so was keen to find out what Almost Human offered. Back with a new lineup once again, Wormhole deliver 26 minutes of death metal carnage. It’s immediately clear too that Wormhole have levelled up on this new album. Continue reading “Wormhole – Almost Human (Review)”

Zvylpwkua – The Outlying Entities (Review)

Zvylpwkua - The Outlying EntitiesThis is the second album from international death metal band Zvylpwkua.

Featuring a member of Feral Lord and Slog, The Outlying Entities is an avant-garde death metal monster. Beware those that enter into its sphere of awareness, as this is not an album to approach lightly. Continue reading “Zvylpwkua – The Outlying Entities (Review)”

Fabricant – Drudge to the Thicket (Review)

Fabricant - Drudge to the ThicketThis is the debut album from US death metallers Fabricant.

Fabricant play a non-standard form of death metal that combines elements of the technical, progressive, and dissonant styles. Across 43 minutes Drudge to the Thicket impresses with its grasp of complexity and creative intensity. Continue reading “Fabricant – Drudge to the Thicket (Review)”

Cryptopsy – As Gomorrah Burns (Review)

Cryptopsy - As Gomorrah BurnsThis is the eighth album from Canadian death metallers Cryptopsy.

New Cryptopsy! It’s been a while. When we last heard from them they had released two strong EPs, (2015’s The Book of Suffering – Tome I and 2018’s The Book of Suffering – Tome II), but now they’re back and ready to achieve their kill quotas. Continue reading “Cryptopsy – As Gomorrah Burns (Review)”

Pestifer – Defeat of the Nemesis (Review)

Pestifer - Defeat of the NemesisThis is the latest EP from Belgian death metal band Pestifer.

Pestifer play a technical/progressive brand of death metal that’s roughly in the style of Obscura, Death, Pestilence, and Atheist, with a touch of Gorguts thrown in for good measure. Defeat of the Nemesis contains 24 minutes of material, and is an enjoyable introduction to what the band are capable of. Continue reading “Pestifer – Defeat of the Nemesis (Review)”

Till the Dirt – Outside the Spiral (Review)

Till the Dirt - Outside the SpiralThis is the the debut album by US extreme metal band Till the Dirt.

Brought to us by the singer of Atheist, Outside the Spiral contains 46-minutes of atypical extreme metal. It has a death metal base, but this is spliced with a few different influences to create something a little outside of the norm. Continue reading “Till the Dirt – Outside the Spiral (Review)”