Retching – Charming the Decomposed (Review)

Retching - Charming the DecomposedThis is the debut album from US death metal band Retching.

What is this rotten bag of offal that has been unceremoniously stuffed through my letterbox? Oh, there’s a note, written in something quite unwholesome that I’d rather not look too closely at. It says – Retching. Then, beneath – Charming the Decomposed. Sounds nasty. Okay, I’d better hold my gag reflex and examine this pile of filth before it gets even more disgusting and I never get the stains out. Continue reading “Retching – Charming the Decomposed (Review)”

Haxprocess – Beyond What Eyes Can See (Review)

Haxprocess - Beyond What Eyes Can SeeThis is the second album from US death metal band Haxprocess.

Beyond What Eyes Can See contains 45 minutes of music divided into four epic songs. Haxprocess play progressive death metal, although that simple appellation doesn’t really due justice to what you’ll discover here. This record is a real beast. Continue reading “Haxprocess – Beyond What Eyes Can See (Review)”

Clairvoyance – Chasm of Immurement (Review)

Clairvoyance - Chasm of ImmurementThis is the debut album from Polish death metallers Clairvoyance.

Chasm of Immurement contains 34 minutes of old-school death metal. Clairvoyance’s debut album takes us back to the 90s, while still crushing in 2025. If you’re a fan of bands such as Cerebral Rot, Genocide Pact, Incantation, Phrenelith, Necrot, and Tomb Mold, then this is one for you. Continue reading “Clairvoyance – Chasm of Immurement (Review)”

Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis (Review)

Retromorphosis - Psalmus MortisThis is the debut album from Swedish death metallers Retromorphosis.

Well, this was an instantly enticing proposition. It’s death metal brought to us by ex-members of Spawn of Possession, (four out of five of Retromorphosis’ members), and an ex-member of Decrepit Birth, which is enough to get anyone’s notice. However, when you look at their collective history though, you realise just how much experience they bring to the table – Alkaloid, Blood Red Throne, Deeds of Flesh, Defeated Sanity, Eschaton, Obscura, Necrophagist, Visceral Bleeding, and many others. What a list! Considering this, expectations are high for Psalmus Mortis, perhaps unfairly so. Continue reading “Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis (Review)”

Necrot – Lifeless Birth (Review)

Necrot - Lifeless BirthNecrot are a death metal band from the US and this is their third album.

2020’s Mortal was an enjoyable slab of old-school death metal carnage, and now Necrot are back to reap more limbs with the 40-minute Lifeless Birth. It’s a step up a level for Necrot, one you must listen to if you’re a fan of bands such as Gatecreeper, Bolt Thrower, Undeath, Incantation, Blood Red Throne, Autopsy, Grave, Tomb Mold, Outer Heaven, Genocide Pact, etc. Continue reading “Necrot – Lifeless Birth (Review)”

Apparition – Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil State (Review)

Apparition - Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil StateApparition are a death metal band from the US and this is their second album.

Featuring an ex-member of Nails, Apparition play progressive death/doom metal. On Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil State they deliver 38-minutes of music that hits the spot. Continue reading “Apparition – Disgraced Emanations from a Tranquil State (Review)”

Slimelord – Chytridiomycosis Relinquished (Review)

Slimelord - Chytridiomycosis RelinquishedThis is the debut album from UK death/doom metal band Slimelord.

Chytridiomycosis Relinquished comes to us from current/ex-members of Cryptic Shift and Horrified, which should bode well for Slimelord. This coupled with the promo stating that this is for fans of Disembowelment, Immolation, Gojira, Morbid Angel, Voidceremony, Tomb Mold, Edge of
Sanity, and Morbus Chron, made me quite intrigued to check out Chytridiomycosis Relinquished, as that’s quite the mix. Continue reading “Slimelord – Chytridiomycosis Relinquished (Review)”

Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods (Review)

Fathomless Ritual - Hymns for the Lesser GodsThis is the debut album from Fathomless Ritual, a solo death metal band from Canada.

Brought to us by a member of Gutvoid, Hymns for the Lesser Gods is a 39-minute slab of foul death metal. Old-school and cavernous, it fuses technical skill with brute force, making for an unholy merging of sophistication and simplicity. Continue reading “Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods (Review)”

Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023

Welcome to my annual attempt to make sense of the ridiculous amount of good metal albums out there, awaiting discovery by intrepid metal explorers.

2023’s best of list has been one of the more difficult ones to put together, placing-wise, which is one of the reasons that I’m posting it later than I usually do. Even more so than normal many of the slots are interchangeable, and I especially struggled with positions two-nine – if such a thing were possible, they all deserve to be higher! In the end I decided to stop overthinking it and go with my gut, but the usual caveat of these lists being very subjective and subject to change depending on mood, feelings, etc. is larger than normal here.

There are some notable acts missing form the below. Not because they’re not worthy of inclusion, but because there are only so many spaces to be had. In fact, I almost ended up limiting this list to 20, rather than the now-customary 30, as I found it really difficult to know who to include and who not to. In the end I went with the standard 30 so that I could promote a few extra bands, as they absolutely all deserve it.

As for the top position, I wasn’t expecting it to be filled by a band I’d never heard before, playing a style that I don’t listen to as much as I used to. However, I suppose after last year, I shouldn’t have been too surprised.

I do hope you enjoy this list and find some new music to obsess over. Like always, thanks for your support if you have ever visited this site before, and here’s to a great 2024 for as many of us as possible. Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2023”

Tomb Mold – The Enduring Spirit (Review)

Tomb Mold - The Enduring SpiritThis is the fourth album from Canadian death metallers Tomb Mold.

Following on from 2018’s Manor of Infinite Forms and 2019’s Planetary Clairvoyance, comes The Enduring Spirit; 43 minutes of eagerly awaited material from an extremely well-regarded band. Continue reading “Tomb Mold – The Enduring Spirit (Review)”