Intent – Exile (Review)

Intent - ExileThis is the second album from US thrash metal band Intent.

Intent play classic thrash metal with a brutal, aggressive edge.

Intent furiously tear through 39 minutes of blistering thrash. The band like to play fast, and do so Continue reading “Intent – Exile (Review)”

Carrion Vael – Abhorrent Obsessions (Review)

Carrion Vael - Abhorrent ObsessionsThis is the third album from US death metallers Carrion Vael.

Carrion Vael play a modern form of death metal, and within this they combine the technical and melodic styles into a 39-minute juggernaut of an album. Continue reading “Carrion Vael – Abhorrent Obsessions (Review)”

Hell Fire – Reckoning (Review)

Hell Fire - ReckoningThis is the fourth album from US metal band Hell Fire.

Hell Fire play a nostalgic mix of heavy and thrash metal, taking influence from the NWOBHM and the 80s Bay Area respectively. Reckoning is a 45-minute true metal ride. Continue reading “Hell Fire – Reckoning (Review)”

Psycroptic – Divine Council (Review)

Psycroptic - Divine CouncilPsycroptic are an Australian technical death metal band and this is their eighth album.

Following on from 2018’s As the Kingdom Drowns, Divine Council is a very accomplished record. Psycroptic have a sound pretty much all of their own, and on their latest release the band have executed their vision with passion and professional expertise. Continue reading “Psycroptic – Divine Council (Review)”

Ominum – Monument (Review)

Ominum - MonumentThis is the debut album from Swedish thrashers Ominum.

Featuring members of Sonic AssaultMonument contains 56 minutes of face ripping thrash metal. Ominum operate on the heavier end of the thrash spectrum, with an emphasis on crushing guitars, harsh vocals, and biting extremity, but without stepping too far into extreme metal waters. Continue reading “Ominum – Monument (Review)”

Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)

Wonderbox Metal gets sent a lot of new music, (which is great), but there’s no way that everything can get covered unfortunately, (which is not so great). This column hopes to redress this balance, if only slightly, by taking a look at a handful of releases that a record label has recently sent out that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

In this edition of this column we’ll take a look at Swedish label Grind to Death Records. It’s not a label I’m familiar with, so how better to get a good look at what they do than this? Besides, how could I resist a grindcore album about beavers… Continue reading “Label Roundup: Grind to Death Records – Belarus Beaver, Eldprov, & Beyond the Catacombs (Reviews)”

Witchery – Nightside (Review)

Witchery - NightsideThis is the eighth album from Swedish blackened thrash metal band Witchery.

Witchery always tend to release an enjoyable record, (such as 2016’s In His Infernal Majesty’s Service and 2017’s I Am Legion), and their latest one continues this trend. Five years since their last album, Nightside, (which features members of bands such as The Haunted, and Lik), is a 36-minute concept album. Continue reading “Witchery – Nightside (Review)”

Outright – Keep You Warm (Review)

Outright - Keep You WarmThis is the second album from metallic hardcore band Outright.

Described in the promo blurb as a mix of Walls of Jericho and Slayer, this is as good an introduction as any to Outright’s sound, (I’d also throw in a bit of Capra too, as a more recent reference point). Continue reading “Outright – Keep You Warm (Review)”

Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)

Inhuman Condition - FearsickInhuman Condition are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as Death, Deicide, Massacre, Obituary, Six Feet Under, Venom Inc., and Wombbath, you know a lot of experience and skill has gone into Fearsick. Across 36 minutes Inhuman Condition subject us to a competent collection of songs that are just plain fun. Continue reading “Inhuman Condition – Fearsick (Review)”

Idol Throne – The Sibylline Age (Review)

Idol Throne - The Sibylline AgeIdol Throne are a heavy metal band from the US and this is their debut album.

Combining thrash and power metal, with a touch of progressive metal, The Sybylline Age contains 61 minutes of prime metallic heft. Traditional heavy metal is augmented with thrash metal muscle, neoclassical flourishes, and power metal flair. These elements are distributed across the album to Continue reading “Idol Throne – The Sibylline Age (Review)”