RUHMER - The Masterplan
(Indie-Pop, Indie-Rock, Soul / Selfreleased)
"Akustikgitarrenpart entpuppt sich relativ schnell als eine flottere Nummer, die dann mit RUHMERs einsetzendem Gesang etwas abebbt, aber dennoch nichts an Energie verliert."
Und was das mit Summer-Sound zu tun hat, dass beschriebt euch @oranje1986 in der Review.
https://vinyl-keks.eu/ruhmer-the-masterplan/
#ruhmer #themasterplan #indie #indiepop #pop #indierock #soul #selfreleased #vinyl #review
Liz Vice unveils her dazzling new album, The Call, in a vibrant, self-released masterpiece that sparkles with creative brilliance. #music #lizvice #TheCall #lizvicemusic #selfreleased #album
Masseti – Odds and Ends Review
By Iceberg
When prog and symphonic metal meet in just the right way, they click together like puzzle pieces. Prog’s technicality and excess are balanced by the melody and atmosphere of symphonic metal. Symphonic metal’s penchant for straightforward structure and synth-reliance is buoyed by the dynamism and rhythm-bending of guitar wizardry. Tiago Masseti, the man behind his eponymous band, Masseti, is seeking to walk the line between these two styles on his debut album, Odds and Ends. Previously fronting Brazilian prog act Daydream XI, Tiago relocated to Brooklyn and hashed out the eight tracks of his debut album in the creative incubator of the COVID lockdowns. Masseti’s chosen style is dear to my heart, so I was excited to see if Odds and Ends could rekindle one of my oldest and fondest flames.
If you’re familiar with the sounds of early Symphony X and Dream Theater, you’ll have insight into the contents of Odds and Ends. Chunky, rhythmic riffs propel the verses towards catchy choruses and then into acrobatic instrumental passages, and don’t forget the omnipresent unison lines, where keyboard and guitar move through tonality and barlines with abandon. Musical prowess is required here, and the performances on Odds and Ends are tight and commendable across the board. Tiago, whether he means to or not, does a spot-on impression of 90’s Russell Allen, with a clean upper register that can wail in the highs (“A Singer In The Arms Of Winter”) and swoop into low growls (“Against Our Fire”). His guitar work is impressive, with solos in the mold of Romeo and Petrucci (“The Pool of Liquid Dreams,” “A Singer In The Arms Of Winter”). Masseti’s rhythm section is dependable and shines when needed, with a noteworthy bass intro (“The Pool of Liquid Dreams”) and some dazzlingly quick combinations on the drums (“Against Our Fire”).
Odds and Ends is a fitting title for Masseti’s debut, because the album consists of tracks that seem fully cooked and others that don’t quite fit in. When Tiago nails his songwriting and editing, though, some of the material is downright decadent. Opener and somehow-not-single “Serpents and Whores” is the star of the show here, effortlessly fusing modern Haken djent with an absolute banger of a chorus and a smart, underutilized odd-time signature diversion in the coda. The album busies itself with winding paths from there, visiting classic Symphony X-tinged ballads (“Gone,” “Hindrance”) and long-form Dream Theater-style excursions (“Never Be Like You,” “Heir Of The Survivor”). Masseti certainly don’t rest on their laurels, but the cosmopolitan nature of Odds and Ends proves to be something of an Achilles’ heel.
Perhaps more important than convincing songs is album cohesion. The DR 6 production has a modern sheen to it, but it runs louder than it needs to and would benefit from more nuance and depth. Prog is no stranger to long compositions, but they can be momentum killers, and editing is paramount. The opening salvo of tracks is trimmed and lean, full of exciting choruses and varied songwriting approaches, but the album’s center sags. “Singer In The Arms Of Winter” is a hulking tribute to Dio that nails the execution but sticks around just a little too long, and while “Never Be Like You” uses a refreshingly off-kilter unison rhythm as its central motif, it takes 8 minutes to do what it could probably do in 6. The kinetic energy of the album’s outset is never really regained. By the time closer “Heir Of The Survivor”—a Twilight Of Olympus inspired track if I’ve ever heard one—rolls around, it seems Masseti has lost the novel direction they took in the beginning and are sitting in more comfortable, proven territory.
It may seem I’m coming down hard on Masseti, but I do it out of love, because the front end of this album shows just how much raw potential is here. Tiago should be commended for shouldering so much of the performance and production for a debut album that sounds like it’s coming from a mature outfit. I can see myself returning to this album every once in a while, but tracks like “Serpents and Whores” and “Gone” will definitely be making my NOW 2025 list1. Masseti have all the tools in their belt, and with greater editing and album cohesion, I see a great symphonic prog record in their future.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: massetiofficial.com | facebook.com/massetiofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 14th, 2025
#2025 #30 #DaydreamXI #Dio #DreamTheater #Haken #Jun25 #Masseti #OddsAndEnds #PowerMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SymphonicMetal #SymphonyX #USMetal
CALI – cool
(NNDW - diy)
CALI hat sich einige weitere Künstler*innen an Bord geholt, um, gekonnt im Songwriting und Timing untergebracht, ihre Musik, die nur aus Bass, Drums und Vocals besteht, aufzufüllen.
Eine Trompete, Chor, Blockflöte, Windrohre, ein Roland SH 1500 (und einiges mehr) komplettieren die Soundwelt.
Felix hat seine Nadel durch die Rillen dieser Vinyl gejagt.
https://vinyl-keks.eu/cali-cool/
Haitón del Guarataro – Pombero Review
By GardensTale
Cryptids are cool as fuck. I don’t believe in them, but highly localized monster myths are just a fascinating insight in the fears and priorities of a particular culture, especially the often esoteric rules surrounding the fabled creatures. For his second album, Alexis Uribe of one-man band Haitón del Guarataro from Buenos Aires, Argentina, focuses on the Pombero, a short hairy humanoid being from Paraguayan folklore. It steals eggs and honey, impregnates women, and is appeased by gifts of rum and cigars. So it’s basically Steel Druhm on a bender. Context aside, I was intrigued by the concept behind Pombero; an album that would morph from stoner doom into black doom across the runtime. Does Haitón del Guarataro pull off the metamorphosis?
Well, technically, he does. The title track kicks off the album with a few minutes of lovely traditional Spanish guitar, weary and melancholy, imparting a suitable South American vibe, and although a little long-winded, it remains my favorite part of the album. Because once the heavy distortion kicks in, so do the vocals, a hoarse mumble that barely seems to make an attempt at hitting pitch and is frequently double-tracked without any discernable harmonization. They swerve from cleans to growls to everything in between seemingly at random across the front half of the album and rarely rise to the level of competent. Still, Uribe is clearly better at harsh vocals than clean, as “Double-Cross” succinctly demonstrates. The comatose front half of the track sports lethargic off-key murmuring, but some color returns to its cheeks when the biting snarls make their entrance.
Instrumentation-wise, there is likewise more bad than good, but the occasional bright spots give hope for a better future. For one, a few choice riffs dot Pombero. “Dueño del Sol” has a pretty sweet semi-Sabbathian one that’s played both slow and sped up and shines when accompanied by organs, though much of the track merely alternates that and stale single-chord plodding. The opener’s opening had me fooled with the quality of the guitar playing from the start, and when Uribe harmonizes his riffing with the (admittedly still dubious) vocals and follows it up with more of that sweet Spanish guitar, it begins to sketch what Haitón del Guarataro could grow into. But the back half of “Double-Cross” is the best 5 minutes of the album, even sporting a sweet solo and some genuinely nice transitions.
But I do find I have to really dig for the positives here, while the poor choices accumulate like beach-sand in an exposed buttcrack. Despite Uribe’s proficiency at blackened snarls, their double-tracked confusion and endless plodding make a tiring exercise out of closing duo “Karai Pyhare” and “Mopytũ,” especially the tuneless post-influenced wash of the latter. The former at least has the benefit of a few faster sections to change up the pace, but those underline the frankly awful drums, both their sloppy play and cardboard production. Also there seem to be maracas there, for some reason, and they hurt far more than they help. Whilst I always enjoy a clear bass, the twangy, almost funky sound here clashes with the sinister, trebly distortion of the guitars. Between the mismatched textures, ill-advised double-tracking, and messy timing, it seems to me that Haitón del Guarataro does his own production, and has much to learn in that regard.
Sadly, it goes for most other regards, too. I don’t much relish writing a review like this. Alexis Uribe is obviously passionate about his music, and I really want him to succeed. I still like the concept of slowly shifting from one subgenre to another, and it’s the kind of creative idea metal thrives on. But every aspect of the execution is flawed; the repetitive songwriting, haphazard timing, shoddy production, and subpar vocals are just a few examples. The riffs, when not overtaken by tuneless plodding, and the occasional solo are more solid, and give me hope that Uribe has something to expand upon, either with Haitón del Guarataro or in the context of a full band. With Pombero, I’m sorry to say, he’s not there yet.
Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: ~260 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-released
Website: haitondelguarataro.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: May 16th, 2025
#15 #2025 #ArgentineMetal #BlackMetal #BlackSabbath #DoomMetal #HaitónDelGuarataro #May25 #Pombero #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #StonerMetal
Bear Mace – Slaves of the Wolf Review
By Dr. A.N. Grier
Fuck you, I know it’s late, Steel! Though, not due to anyone’s fault but my own as work sucks me deep into its asshole, suffocating me in its rectal perfume. I know, that’s bearly an excuse for a release with this level of furriness. Finally, with my head pulled from my work’s dismal sphincter, I set off to pen a review of Bear Mace’s newest offering, Slaves of the Wolf. As the Sugar bear licks the shit from my hair, and tickles my ballsack ever so gently with his grizzly claws, I dive straight into the wolf’s den to see what all the fuss is about. To my wondering eyes appears… a motherfucking blood bath. Standing knee deep in a mixture of human, wolf, and bear blood, what remains is almost as appalling as next week’s reissue of Load. To my left, I hear a twig snap. Standing in silhouette are five bloody dudes and a bear with a fucking mace. Shit, is that Kam Lee scurrying up a tree like a spider monkey? I’m afraid to know what comes next, but there isn’t much I can do about it. I left Steel‘s loaner gun in the car, and I haven’t run this inebriated since high school. Fucking lolz.
Can you believe it’s been five fucking years since Charred Field of Slaughter? And, boy, was that a fun record, improving the production and performances significantly from Bear Mace’s debut, Butchering the Colossus. On the surface, Slaves of the Wolf is a logical continuation of its predecessor, combining deathilicious songwriting in the vein of Death, Massacre, Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, and more, not to mention the subtle inclusions of thrash and harmonizing guitar work that bring the music even further back in time. The latterest is especially more predominant on this record than the previous two, as Sugar and Bellino up their game, adding additional texture to their slimy, grimy fur. They even pulled Kam Lee, screaming and crying, from that thorny tree to participate in “Captured and Consumed.” So, that’s what he’s doing here.
Slaves of the Wolf begins with one of the best pieces on the record. The title track opens with a mid-paced chug that morphs into a nasty death charge as Scearce’s rough-and-ready growls come out to play. Slaying through riff after riff, the intensity hits its peak in the massively memorable chorus. For nearly five minutes, the band takes you through a journey of classic death carnage, sidetracking only long enough to deliver some impressive dueling guitar solos. “The Iceman Cometh” is equally as aggressive, while also delivering some of the best back-and-forth soloing acrobatics. What makes it different from the title track is the punishing thrash lick that rips through the airwaves. Top it off with another hooking chorus, and you have a pair that represents a quintessential match made in heaven.
A review of Slaves of the Wolf isn’t complete without talking about “Captured and Consumed” and Kam Lee’s vocal contribution. Dripping with old-school attitude, this track is a riff machine with thick layers of death-infused sinisterness from the legend of Massacre. For five minutes, you are bludgeoned, beaten, and left for dead as every new riff change tears at your intestines from front, back, and side, while the slick guitar leads slit your throat. For unforgiving brutality, go no further than the exquisite “Prophecy.” Over ten years and three albums in existence, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the band so fucking heavy. To mix things up, “Prophecy” opens with a vicious assault and perfectly mapped solos before the Bolt Thrower-inspired, concrete-splitting riff hits. And, when it hits, holy shit. Follow-up track and closer, “Cancerous Winds,” is another unique piece, not for its aggressiveness, but for its melodic beauty. After dragging you through nonstop pickery, it restarts with a heavy, slow-moving riff until, out of nowhere, the guitars begin singing a soothing lullaby, wrapping you in a warm blanket of melody.
In general, there isn’t much to say negatively about Slaves of the Wolf. The only glaring issue it has on repeat listens is the album’s front half. The strong title track sets the mood perfectly before the follow-up track, “Worthless Lives,” drags it back down. While this mucky piece ain’t bad, the momentum drops significantly. And it doesn’t fully recover until two tracks later with “The Iceman Cometh.” From there, the rest of the album is absolutely relentless, which I had hoped for from beginning to end. Without this momentum drop, I could see this album scoring higher. Regardless, Slaves of the Wolf is a touch better than Charred Field of Slaughter, proving this five-piece can continue to deliver and intrigue my grumpy old soul. Regardless of whether you’re a Bear Macer, if you’re tired of the experimental death metal that continues to poison the sump, Slaves of the Wolf is here to obliterate you.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: bandcamp.com | facebook.com/bearmace1
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025
#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #Autopsy #BearMace #BoltThrower #Death #DeathMetal #Jun25 #Massacre #Revew #Reviews #SelfReleased #SlavesOfTheWolf
Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
Spring is in the air, and with it comes… an insane number of cicadas! Yes, that’s right, Brood XIV spawned this year and is currently overwhelming my staff as they trudge through embuggened ducts to clear out the Filter of semi-precious metal. I bet it’s fucking loud in there…
…. eh I’m sure they are all fine. Just fine. Anyway, enjoy the spoils of our toils!
Kenstrosity’s Gloopy Grubber
Acid Age // Perilous Compulsion [February 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Belfast’s wacky thrash conglomerate Acid Age came out of absolutely nowhere back in March, unleashing their fourth LP Perilous Compulsion and equipping it with one helluva van-worthy cover. This is some funky, bluesy, quasi-psychedelic thrash metal that pulls no punches. Riffs abound, bonkers songwriting pervades, immense groove agitates. From the onset, “Bikini Island” establishes Perilous Compulsion as a no-nonsense, balls-out affair which reminds me heavily of Voivod and a simplified Flummox informed by Atheist’s progressive proclivities, and expanded by a touch of Pink Floyd’s nebulous jams. Of course, thrash remains Acid Age’s hero flavor, as choice cuts “State Your Business,” “Revenge for Sale,” and closing one-two punch “Rotten Tooth” and “Hamster Wheel” clearly demonstrate. While their fearless exploration of style and structure maintains a sky-high level of interest, it also introduces a couple of challenges. Firstly, this material can feel a bit disjointed at first, but focused spins reward the listener greatly as all of Perilous Compulsion’s moving parts start to mesh and move in unison. Secondly, Acid Age throws a spotlight on a few brilliant inclusions that, over time, I wish were more often utilized—namely, the delightfully bluesy harmonica solos on “Rotten Tooth.” Regardless, Acid Age put themselves on my map with Perilous Compulsion. I recommend you put them on yours, too!
Owlswald’s Desiccated Discoveries
Verbian // Casarder [March 21st, 2025 – Lost Future Records]
It’s unjust that Portuguese rockers Verbian—who have been producing quality post-rock since 2019’s Jaez—haven’t received the attention they deserve. Fusing elements of post-rock with metal, psychedelic, and stoner, Casarder is Verbian’s third full-length and the first with new drummer Guilherme Gonçalves. Taking the sounds and inspirations of 2020’s Irrupção and enriching it with new permutations and modulations, Casarder’s largely instrumental character rides punchy riffs and roiling grooves—à la Russian Circles and Elder—to transmit its thought-provoking legitimacy. Dystopian and surreal séances, via echoing Korg synthscapes (“Pausa Entre Dias,” “Vozes da Ilha”) and celestial harmonies, permeate Casarder’s forty-three-minute runtime, translating Madalena Pinto’s striking Aeon Flux-esque cover art with precision. Ominous horn sections and crusty recurrent vocals (“Marcha do Vulto,” “Depois de Toda a Mudança”) by guitarist Vasco Reis and bassist Alexandre Silva underscore Verbian’s individuality in a crowded post-rock domain. Gonçalves’s drumming—with his intricate and enchanting hard rock and samba rhythms (“Nada Muda,” “Fruta Caída do Mar”)—adds a new dimension to Verbian’s sound, assuring my attention never falters. The group describes Casarder as communicating the “…insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche.” Indeed, Casarder reveals Verbian is unafraid to forge their own path, and the results are gripping.
Symbiotic Growth // Beyond the Sleepless Aether [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
Beyond the Sleepless Aether, the sophomore effort by Ontario, Canada’s Symbiotic Growth, immediately caught my attention with its dreamy-looking cover. Building upon their 2020 self-titled debut, the Canadian trio hones epic and long-form progressive death metal soundscapes, narrating a quest for meaning across alternate realities in mostly lengthy, yet rewarding, tracks that blend technicality, atmosphere, and melody. The group frequently employs dynamic shifts, moving between raging brutality and serene shoegaze beauty (“Arid Trials and Barren Sands,” “The Sleepless Void”). This is achieved through complex and vengeful passages alongside atmospheric synth lines and softer piano interludes (“Sires of Boundless Sunset,” “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights”), cultivating an air of wonder, mystery, and ethereality that permeates much of Symbiotic Growth’s material. “The Architect of Annihilation” echoes the style of Ne Obliviscaris with its blend of clean harmonies and harsh growls meshed with tremolo-picked arpeggiations and catchy hooks (the guitar solo even features a violin-like quality). “Lost in Fractured Reveries” evokes In Mourning with its parallel synth and guitar lines giving way to devastating grooves that make it impossible not to headbang. Although some fine-tuning remains—the clean vocals could use some more weight and tracks like “Of Painted Skies and Dancing Lights” and “The Architect of Annihilation” overstay their welcome at times—Beyond the Sleepless Aether shows Symbiotic Growth’s burgeoning talent and signals the group is one to watch in progressive death metal.
Dear Hollow’s Drudgery Sludgery Hoist
Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea [March 7th, 2025 – Pale Chord Records | Rise Records]
From humble beginnings in a more artsy-fartsy djent post-Iwrestledabearonce world to becoming the darlings of Octane Radio, Spiritbox has seen quite the ascent. While it’s easy to look at their work and scoff at its radio-friendliness, sophomore full-length Tsunami Sea shows Courtney LaPlante and company sticking to their guns. Simultaneously more obscure and more radio-friendly in its selection of tracks, expect its signature blend of colossal riffs and ethereal melodies guided by LaPlante’s siren-then-sea serpent dichotomy of furious roars and haunting cleans. Yes, Spiritbox helms its attack with the radio singles (“Perfect Soul,”1 “Crystal Roses”) in layered soaring choruses and touches of hip-hop undergirded by fierce grooves, but the meat of Tsunami Sea finds the flexibility and patience in the skull-crushing brutality (“Soft Spine,” “No Loss, No Love”) and its more exploratory songwriting that amps layers of the ethereal and the hellish with catchy riffs and vocals alike (“Fata Morgana,” “A Haven of Two Faces”). It’s far from perfect, and its tendency towards radio will be divisive, but it shows Spiritbox firing on all cylinders.
Unfleshing // Violent Reason [March 28th, 2025 – Self Released]
I am always tickled pink by blackened crust. It takes the crusty violence and propensity for filth and adds black metal’s signature sinister nature. Unfleshing is a young, unsigned blackened crust band from St. Louis, and with debut Violent Reason, you can expect a traditional punk-infused beatdown with a battered guitar tone and sinister vocals. However, more than many, the quartet offers a beatdown that feels as atmospheric as it is pummeling. Don’t get me wrong, you get your skull caved in like the poor guy on the cover with minute-long crust beatdowns (“Body Bag,” “From the Gutter”) and full-length smackdowns (“Knife in the Dark,” “Final Breath”), both styles complete with scathing grooves, squalid feedback, climactic solos and punishing blastbeats, atop a blackened roar dripping with hate. But amid the full-throttle assault, Unfleshing utilizes ominous black metal chord progressions and unsettling plucking to add a more dynamic feature to Violent Reason (“Cathedral Rust,” “One With the Mud”). The album never overstays, and while traditional, it’s a hell of a start for Unfleshing.
Ghostsmoker // Inertia Cult [March 21st, 2025 – Art as Catharsis Records]
Ghostsmoker seems like the perfect stoner metal band name, but aside from the swampy guitar tone, there’s something much sinister lurking. Proffering a caustic blackened doom/sludge not unlike Thou, Wormphlegm, and Sea Bastard, the Melbourne group quartet devotes a crisp forty-two minutes to sprawling doom weighted by a crushing guitar tone that rivals Morast‘s latest, and shrieked vocals straight from the latest church burning. Beyond what’s expected from this particular breed of devastation, Ghostsmoker infuses an evocative patience reminiscent of post-metal’s more sludgy offerings like Neurosis or Pelican, lending a certain atmosphere and mood of dread and wilderness depicted on its cover. From the outright chugging attacks of churning aggression (“Elogium,” “Haven”) to the more experimental and thoughtful pieces (“Bodies to Shore,” instrumental closer “The Death of Solitude”), Inertia Cult largely feels like a journey through uncharted forests, with voices whispering from the trees. Ghostsmoker is something special.
GardensTale’s Paralyzed Spine
Spiine // Tetraptych [March 27th, 2025 – Self Released]
Is it still a supergroup release when half the lineup are session musicians? Spiine is made up of Sesca Scaarba (Virgin Black) and Xen (ex-Ne Obliviscaris), but on debut Tetraptych they are joined by guests Waltteri Väyrynen (Opeth) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride). Usually, so much talent put into the same room does not yield great results. Tetraptych is one hell of an exception. A monstrous slab of crawling heaviness, Spiine lurches with abject despair through the mires of deathly funeral doom. Though I usually eschew this genre, my attention remains rapt through a variety of variations. The songwriting keeps the 4 tracks progressing, slow and steady builds, and the promise of momentary tempo changes working a two-pronged structural plan to buoy the majestic yet miserable riffs. “Oubliiette” is the best example here, going from galloping death-doom to Georgian choirs to a fantastic bridge where all the instrumentation hits only on the roared syllables. Xen’s unholy bellows flatten any objections I may have had, managing both thunder and deepest woe in the same notes. The subtle orchestration and occasional choir arrangements finish the package with regal grandeur, and the lush and warm production is the cherry on top. If you feel like drowning your sorrows with an hour of colossal doom, this is the album for you.
Saunders’ Stenched Staples
Ade // Supplicium [March 14th, 2025 – Time to Kill Records]
Sometimes unjustly pigeonholed as the Roman-inspired version of Nile, the hugely underrated Ade have punched out a solid career of quality death metal releases since emerging roughly fifteen years ago, charting their own path. Albums like 2013’s ripping Spartacus and 2019’s solid Rise of the Empire represent a tidy snapshot of the band’s career. Fifth album Supplicium, their first LP in six years, marks a low-key, welcome return. Exotic instrumentation and attention to history and storytelling are alive and well in the Ade camp, as is their penchant for punishing, unrelenting death, featuring a deftly curated mix of bombast, brutality, technical spark, and epic atmospheres. Edoardo Di Santo (Hideous Divinity) joins a largely refreshed line-up, including a new bassist and second guitarist since their last album. Line-up changes aside, familiar Ade tools of harrowing ancient Roman tales and modern death destruction remain as consistently solid as always. Top-notch riffs, intricate arrangements, fluid tempo shifts, and explosive drumming highlight songs that frequently flex their flair for drama-fueled atmospheres, hellfire blasts, and burly grooves. The immense, multi-faceted “Burnt Before Gods,” exotic melodies and raw savagery of “Ad Beastias!,” spitfire intensity of “Vinum,” and epically charged throes of “From Fault to Disfigurement” highlight more solid returns from Ade.
Masters of Reality // The Archer [March 28th, 2025 – Artone Label Group/Mascot Records]
Underappreciated desert rock pioneers and quirky stalwarts Masters of Reality returned from recording oblivion some fifteen-plus years since they last unleashed an LP. Led by the legendary Chris Goss and his collaborative counterparts across a career that first kicked off in the late ’80s, Masters of Reality return sounding inspired, wisened, and a little more chilled. Re-tinkering their familiar but ever-shifting sound, Masters of Reality incorporate woozy, bluesy laidback vibes featuring their oddball songwriting traits through a sedate, intriguing collection of new songs. The Archer showcases Masters of Reality’s longevity as seasoned, skilled songwriters, regardless of the shifting rock modes they explore. While perhaps lacking some of the energetic spark and earworm hooks of albums like Sunrise on the Sufferbus and Deep in the Hole, The Archer still marks a fine return outing. Goss’ signature voice is in fine form, and the bluesy, psych-drenched guitars, cushy basslines, ’60s and ’70s influences, and spacey vibes create a comforting haze. The delightfully dreamy, trippy “Chicken Little,” laidback hooks and old school charms of “I Had a Dream,” lively, quirky grooves of “Mr Tap n’ Go,” and moody, melancholic balladry of “Powder Man” highlight another diverse, strange brew from the veteran act.
Tyme’s Unheard Annunciations
Doomsday // Never Known Peace [March 28th, 2025 – Creator-Destructor Records]
March’s filter means spring is here, mostly, which is when I start searching for bands to populate my annual edition of Tyme’s Mowing Metal. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cracking a cold beer, sliding my headphones over my ears, and hopping on the mower to complete one of summer’s—at least for me—most enjoyable chores. A band that will feature prominently this summer is Oakland, California’s crossover thrash quintet Doomsday, and their Creator-Destructor Records debut album, Never Known Peace. Doomsday lays down a ton of mindless fun in the vein of other crossover greats like Enforced and Power Trip. There are riffs aplenty on this deliciously executed hardcore-tinged thrashtastic platter full of snarly, spiteful, Jamey Jasta-esque vocals, trademark gang shouts, and, oh, did I mention the riffs? Yeah, cuz there’s a butt-ton of ’em. Leads and solos are melodic (“Death is Here,” “Eternal Tombs”). Within its beefily warm mix, the chug-a-lug breakdowns run rampant across Never Known Peace‘s thirty-one minutes (seriously, there’s one in every track), leaving nary a tune that won’t have you at least bobbing your head and, at most, causing your neck a very nasty case of whipthrash. I’m going to be listening to Never Known Peace ALOT this summer, on and off my mower, and while I don’t care that the lawn lines in my yard will be a little wavier this year than others, I’ll chalk it up to the beer and the head banging Doomsday‘s Never Known Peace instills.
Rancid Cadaver // Mortality Denied [March 21st, 2025 – Self Released]
Another filter, another fetid fragment of foulness; this month, it’s up-and-coming deathstarts Rancid Cadaver and their independently released debut album Mortality Denied. Adam Burke’s excellent cover art caught my eye during a quick dip into the Bandcamp pool and had me pushing play. A thick slab of murderous meat ripe with fatty veins of Coffin Mulch and Morbific running through it, Mortality Denied overflows with tons of bestial vocals, crushing drums, barbaric bass, and squealing solos, all ensorcelled within the majesty of Rancid Cadaver‘s miasmic riff-gurgitations (“Slurping the Cerebral Slime,” “Mass of Gore,” and “Drained of Brains”). Fists will pump, and faces will stank during the Fulci-friendly “Zombified,” a pulverizing slow-death chug fest with an intro that landed me right back on the shores of Dr. Menard’s island of the undead.2 This quartet of Glaswegians has plopped down a death metal debut that ages like wine, getting better and better with consecutive spins. Surprisingly, Rancid Cadaver is unsigned, but I’m confident that status should change before we see a sophomore effort, and you can bet I’ll be there when that happens.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unsophisticated Slappers
Crossed // Realismo Ausente [March 21st, 2025 – Zegema Beach Records]
Timing means everything in groove. I know that some people say that they have a hard time finding that kind of bob and sway in extreme music. But with an act like Spain’s Crossed, whose every carved word and every skronked guitar noise follows an insatiable punky stride, groove lies in every moment of third full-length Realismo Ausente. Whether it’s on the classic beat of D (“Vaciar Un Corazón,” “Cuerpo Distorsionado”), the twanging drone of a screaming bend (“Monotonía de la lluvia en la Ventana”), or the Celtic Frost-ed hammer of a chord crush (“Catedral”), a calculated, urgent, and intoxicating cadence colors the grayscale attitude throughout. But just because Crossed can find a groove in any twisted mathy rhythm—early Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan come to mind on quick cuts like “Cerrojo” and “Sentirse Solo”—doesn’t mean that their panic chord-loaded crescendos and close-outs can’t rip your head clean off in banging ecstasy. Easy listening and blackened hardcore can’t go hand-in-hand, but Crossed does their very best to make unintelligible, scathing screeches and ceiling-scraping feedback hissing palatable against crunchy punk builds and throbbing, warm bass grumbles. Likewise, Realismo Ausente stabs into a dejected body tales of loathing, fear, self-rejection, and defeated existence—nothing smiles in its urgent and apathetic crevices. But despite the lack of light at the end of the tunnel of Crossed’s horror-touched vision of impassioned hardcore, an analog warmth and human spirit trapped inside a writhing and pleading throat reveal a presence that’s still fighting. It’s the fight that counts. If you didn’t join the fight last time, now’s as good a time as any.
Nothing // The Self Repair Manifesto [March 26th, 2025 – Self Released]
If you noticed a tree zombie heading steaming through its trepanned opening, then you too found the same initial draw I had to The Self Repair Manifesto. Nothing complex often can draw us to the things we desire, yet in Nothing’s particular attack of relentless, groove-based death metal, many nooks of additional interest exist. The Self Repair Manifesto’s tribal rhythm-stirred “Initiation,” in its bouncy play, does little to set up the double-kick pummel and snarling refrains that lurk in this brutal, Australian soundscape. The simple chiming cymbal-fluttering bass call-and-response of “Subterfuge,” the throat singing summoning of “The Shroud,” the immediate onslaught of “Abrogation”—all in under 30 minutes, an infectious and progressive experience unfolds. And never fear, living by the motto “no clean singing,”3 Nothing has no intention of traveling the wandering and crooning path of an Opeth or In Vain. Rather, Nothing finds a hypnotic rhythmic presence both in fanciful kit play that stirs a foot shuffle and high-tempo stick abuse that urges bodies on bodies in the pit (“Subterfuge,” “The Shroud”), much in the same way you might hear in early Decapitated or Hate Eternal works. With flair of their own, though, and a mic near the mouth vessel of each member (yes, even the drummer!) to maintain a layered harsh intensity, Nothing serves a potent blend of death metal that is as jam-able as it is gym-able. Whether you seek gains or progressive enrichment, Nothing is the answer.
Steel Druhm’s Massive Aggressive
Impurity // The Eternal Sleep [ March 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Impurity’s lust for all things Left Hand Path is not the least bit Clandestine, and on their full-length debut, The Eternal Sleep, they attempt to craft their own ode to the rabid HM-2 worship of the early 90s Swedeath sound. No new elements are shoehorned in aside from vaguely blackened ones, and there’s not the slightest effort to push the boundaries of the admittedly limited Swedeath sound. The Eternal Sleep sounds like the album that could have come between Entombed’s timeless debut and the Clandestine follow-up, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s heavy, brutish, buzzing death metal with an OSDM edge, and it hits like a runaway 18-wheeler full of concrete and titanium rebar. One only needs to weather the shitstorm of opener “Denial of Clarity” to realize this is the deep water of the niche genre. It’s extremely heavy, face-melting death with more fuzz and buzz than your brain can process. Other cuts feel like a direct lift from Left Hand Path and/or Clandestine (“Tribute to Creation,”) and fetid Dismember tidbits creep in during “Pilgrimage to Utumno,” and these feel like olde friends showing up unexpectedly at the hometown watering hole. Swedeath is all about those ragged, jagged riffs, and they’re delivered in abundance over The Eternal Sleep, and despite the intrinsic lack of originality, Impurity pump enough steroids and Cialis into the genre archetypes to make the material endearing and engaging. Yes, you’ve heard this shit before. Now hear it again, chumbo!
#AcidAge #Ade #AmericanMetal #ArtAsCatharsisRecords #ArtoneLabelGroup #Atheist #AustralianMetal #BeyondTheSleeplessAether #BlackMetal #BlackenedCrust #BlackenedHardcore #CanadianMetal #Casarder #CelticFrost #CoffinMulch #Converge #CreatorDestructorRecords #Crossed #Crust #DeathMetal #Decapitated #DesertRock #DillingerEscapePlan #DoomMetal #Doomsday #Elder #Enforced #Flummox #Fulci #Ghostsmoker #Hardcore #HateEternal #HideousDivinity #Impurity #InMourning #InVain #InertialCult #InternationalMetal #ItalianMetal #iwrestledabearonce #LostFutureRecords #MascotRecords #MastersOfReality #Mathcore #MelodicMetal #Metalcore #Morast #Morbific #MortalityDenied #MyDyingBride #NeObliviscaris #Neurosis #NeverKnownPeace #Nile #Nothing #Opeth #PaleChordRecords #Pelican #PerilousCompulsion #PinkFloyd #PortugueseMetal #PostRock #PostMetal #PowerTrip #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #PyschedelicRock #RancidCadaver #RealismoAusente #Review #Reviews #RiseRecords #RussianCircles #ScottishMetal #SeaBastard #SelfReleased #SixpenceNoneTheRicher #SludgeMetal #SpanishMetal #Spiine #Spiritbox #StonerMetal #Supplicium #SymbioticGrowth #TechnicalDeathMetal #Tetraptych #TheArcher #TheEternalSleep #TheSelfRepairManifesto #Thou #ThrashMetal #TimeToKillRecords #TsunamiSea #UKMetal #Unfleshing #Verbian #ViolentReason #VirginBlack #Voivod #Wormphlegm #ZegemaBeachRecords
By GardensTale
As I have mentioned before, I’m focusing primarily on contact form promos this year. But every now and then, I will make exceptions, mostly to cover bands I have seniority over. Fortuitous, then, that twice-listing meloblack mavericks Walg sent their fifth opus V in through our back door, allowing me to keep my streak and eat it too! I admit, I did grovel for the promo because I finally wanted to give the Dutch duo their dues with a real review, rather than relegating it to yet another TYMHM article. But my point stands, and so does my hype. Will Walg keep up its insane release-rate-to-quality ratio?
That’s largely a yes, and I’ll get to the caveat later. If you’re new to the band, Walg is melodic black metal distilled to its purest form. Equally catchy and vicious, the studio-only pair has settled handily into a niche somewhere between modern …And Oceans, early Dimmu Borgir, and Old Man’s Child. They don’t break new ground, but are absolute experts at treading the old. Yorick Keijzer is a beast on vocals, his primary weapon a slavering snarl still chewing the meat from its last kill. But he flips just as easily to a hoarse howl straight from the DSBM handbook. Robert Koning adds the occasional ICS Vortex adjacent cleans, and also all of the instrumentation, which spans a fairly broad range of high-speed assaults, atmospheric folk intros and interludes, and intricate multi-part melodic movements.
50-odd quality tracks in 5 years is hard to do without some sort of formula, and it has become easier to recognize the handful of structural stencils Walg employs. Usually, the band can dazzle hard enough to distract from that sense of familiarity, but the back half of V consistently fails to draw my attention away entirely from the man behind the curtain. “Zielsalleen”1 leans a little too much on the same hook and the decrease in pace of “Pijnlichaam”2 is not accompanied by as gripping a riff as it needs. These tracks are not even a little bit bad, by the way; most bands would kill to write something as powerful as the final minute of “Ego-Dood.”3 They are just a smidge harder to love without reservation when I’ve heard the same band do better with the same tools.
But 4 tracks that are merely very good still leaves 5 that are every bit as strong as Walg has ever written. Opener “De Vlinder en de Dromer”4 takes all of 0.5 seconds to launch into an intense onslaught of ariose tremolos that reminds favorably of …And Oceans’ “Cosmic World Mother.” Follow-through uppercut “De Adem van het Einde”5 employs a riffing style that borrows from NWOBHM and speed metal for an exhilarating turn. And centerpiece “Daar Waar Stilte Spreekt”6 is downright addictive with its jaunty swinging rhythm that conjures imagery of ghost ships and haunted cliffs. There’s no fat on the compositions either. Walg may have a formula, but one of its most potent ingredients is a strict lack of bloat. Koning and Keijzer would rather end a track early than overstay its welcome, and the entirety of V runs a svelte 40 minutes. Combine that with the excellent, rich production and finely tuned mix, and you get some of the most replayable black metal in the scene.
Infinite growth is impossible, and Walg’s meteoric rise had to slow down somewhere. But in this case, it means nothing more than a small step below the pinnacle that was IV. The front-loading of the album makes the flaws of V a tad more noticeable and makes me less hungry to spin it again the moment it’s over. But every time I do, I still get my head caved in and my neck snapped in twain, and with Walg’s production speed, that remains a colossal achievement. If you like melodic black, you owe it to yourself to give V a few spins, and I would hardly be surprised to see this wind up on a few Top 10 lists anyway.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: walg.bandcamp.com | walgmetal.com | facebook.com/Walgmetal
Releases Worldwide: May 25th, 2025
#AndOceans #2025 #35 #DimmuBorgir #DutchMetal #May25 #MelodicBlackMetal #OldManSChild #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #V #Walg
#ListeningTo #Kulturkampf – We Need No More (first track on "The Corpse Of Bureaucracy Demo") https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=4Am0Rrx4zcI #Oi! #NotOnLabel #SelfReleased #CassetteSingleSided #UK #1983 #Rock #Punk #DeathRock?
Gigafauna – Eye to Windward Review
By Kenstrosity
Established in 2015, Swedish progressive sludge quartet Gigafauna toiled in obscurity, releasing a couple of albums and marching bravely forward into a heavily contested field. This is the first time they’ve graced our little corner of the blogosphere, reaching out to us via our contact form, pushing their third record Eye to Windward. Equipped with a gorgeous cover by the largely unsung Moonroot Art, what otherworldly creatures lie before me in Gigafauna’s Eye to Windward? ONWARDS!
Gigafauna’s style is one unfettered by frills and fiddly fancies. Instead, it delivers a no-nonsense, stripped-down crunch reminiscent of early Mastodon and Warcrab. Balancing clean, proggy noodles with deathly chugs and vicious roars, Eye to Windward boasts a well-rounded palette of songwriting elements to give these 44 minutes plenty of ground to cover without exhausting Gigafauna’s stock of ideas. Tight writing, clever transitions, and engaging twists and turns make Eye to Windward a thoroughly enjoyable experience overall, while its dry and warm production invokes a certain grit to the affair that adds textural depth.
Much of Eye to Windward takes full advantage of the full breadth of skills Gigafauna possess, but some of its best moments come from when Gigafauna’s songwriting is at its most focused. Highlights “Pyre” and “Beneath Sun and Sky” embody this truth with great aplomb; the former pushing the record’s heaviest material with an unearthly musculature, while the latter transcends physical heft for a more sophisticated, progressive lean. In both examples, chunky riffs form each track’s strong backbone, while multifaceted vocals span the gamut between death metal roars and sneering cleans to add variety, and unsettled rhythms contribute a tasteful complexity to keep things interesting. Longer format entries like “Plagued” and “Vessel” take advantage of their more expansive estates to house all permutations of Gigafauna’s sound in one unified piece. While “Vessel” is decidedly more successful in this regard—its main riff is one of the best on record, and the noodling leads in the back half contrast brilliantly with a bass counterpoint—both pull off the feat with respectable form.
Where Eye to Windward falls a bit short is in excitement and distinctiveness. Opener “Drowning Light” is the most quintessential progressive sludge song ever, reminiscent of Mastodon as often as it is of Boss Keloid. The problem is that it is too reminiscent of those artists, and thereby fails to establish its own voice as Eye to Windward’s opening act. “Exogenesis” and “Withered Husk” perform admirably inside these boundaries, but once again struggle to break out of those confines and stake a new claim for their own. There are hints of evolution occurring there, especially in the soaring chorus and blackened rasps that pepper “Exogenesis,” but not quite enough to constitute a differentiated variation. By the grace of Gigafauna’s universally solid performances across the board, very little of this primary shortcoming negatively impacts the album experience in the moment, as Eye to Windward is thoroughly enjoyable while it plays. It’s only upon closer scrutiny that I recognize that Gigafauna needs to push a little harder to find their own voice if they want to stand out in the crowd.
Overall, Eye to Windward is a solid installment in the progressive sludge pantheon. With hooky choruses, muscular riffing and rippling leads, rumbling bass counterpoint, and varied rhythms, all of the pieces exist to craft a killer record. The biggest roadblock to that goal is distinctiveness in songwriting. Gigafauna are on the cusp of finding a voice that stands out, clear and unmistakable, in every song they write. However, they haven’t nailed that level of consistency just yet. You’ll hear it in flashes, and those flashes pop with excitement and vitality. I look to the future with great expectations that Gigafauna will release a record that pops that way from start to finish.
Rating: Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self Released
Websites: gigafauna.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/gigafauna
Releases Worldwide: May 16th, 2025
#2025 #30 #BossKeloid #EyeToWindward #Gigafauna #Mastodon #May25 #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveSludge #ProgressiveSludgeMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Sludge #SludgeMetal #SwedishMetal #Warcrab
Stuck in the Filter: February 2025’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
February comes down the pipe about two or three months after February. A perfectly normal thing to experience here at AMG HQ, this Filter’s tardiness is brought to you in part by my body getting stuck in one of the tighter conduits that lines the concrete interior of this confounded bunker. My minions are elsewhere, trudging through similar environs, and report their findings to me via eldritch beast telepathy. Since I obviously don’t speak eldritch tongue, I have to use my Codex of Enspongification to decipher these antediluvian transmissions. I’m sure you can imagine, that takes no small measure of time, especially when you’re stuck in this galvanized prison of rusting sheetmetal.
Until my ungrateful minions can find me and rescue me—something I don’t expect to happen anytime soon considering I give them no workers benefits or pay of any kind—you’ll have to make do with the selections of rough-hewn and sharp, but valuable, ore provided below. OBSERVE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Kenstrosity’s Crusty Grab
Metaphobic // Deranged Excruciations [February 28th, 2025 – Everlasting Spew Records]
When Atlantan death metal quintet Metaphobic caught my attention with the megalithic riffs opening their debut LP Deranged Excruciations, I thought the stank face it brought out of me might be permanent. Nothing new and nothing sophisticated awaits here. Just brutalizing riffs delivered in a relentless sequence of destruction. Lead guitars squeal and scrape against the swampy ground underfoot, leaving a noxious slime trail behind “Mental Deconstruction” and “Execration” that tastes of Tomb Mold, Incantation, and Demilich to varying degrees. Guttural utterances and cacophonic—but accessibly structured—riffs offer the same infernal ferocity of the olden ways. However, in a similar manner to Noxis, their application here feels modern and fresh-ish (“Execration,” “Veiled Horizons,” “Hypnosis Engram”). Not nearly as nuanced as that comparison might suggest, Metaphobic are more than satisfied to use their brutish death metal as a cudgel for blunt force trauma. Nods to death doom in long-form wanderings like “Disciples of Vengeance” and “Insatiable Abyss” provide an appreciable variation in pace, though it doesn’t always work in Metaphobic’s favor. While those songs tend to meander too long on ideas unfit to support such mass for so long, livid outbursts like “Veiled Horizons” and “Reconstituted Grey Matter” more than make up for it. In short Deranged Excruciations commands my attention enough to earn my recommendation here, and my attention going forward.
Tyme’s Missing Minutes
Caustic Phlegm // Purulent Apocalypse [February 28, 2025 – Hells Headbangers]
Caustic Phlegm is the filth project helmed solely by Chestcrush main man Evan Vasilakos, who joyously employed his HM-2 and RAT pedals to create the utter disgustingness that is Purulent Apocalypse. A far cry from the angsty, I’d-rather-see-humanity-dead blackened death metal of his main outfit, Caustic Phlegm is a throwback to the days when Carnage walked the streets of Sweden and Impetigo was melting faces and killing brain cells. Purulent Apocalypse is a platter of pestiferous riffs (“Fouled, Infected & Infested,” “Soft Bones,” “Blister Bliss”), so many it’s like sitting on a death metal toilet puking and shitting riffs ad nauseam. Evan’s drum work, replete with the occasional but very satisfying St. Anger snare tone, drives the mindless fun forward, and the 80’s zombie giallo synth work would have Lucio Fulci himself clawing out of his grave to eat your face. Vasilakos’ vocals are a fine litany of belches, squelches, and gurgles that sound like a colony of maggots cleaning the putrid flesh from a corpulent corpse. Caustic Phlegm is the foul stench of death and will have you reaching for the soap and steel wool as you try to rid yourself of the Purulent Apocalypse infection.
Vermilia // Karsikko [February 14, 2025 – Self Release]
Had the incomparable Darkher not released The Buried Storm in 2022, Vermilia‘s Ruska would have garnered my top spot that year, which put her on my radar for the first time. When I saw Vermilia‘s follow-up, Karsikko had dropped in February—sadly we didn’t receive a promo—I jumped at the chance to filter it. While Karsikko is a bit more straightforward than Ruska, it’s full of liltingly beautiful pianos (“Karsikko”) that give way to icy black metal riffs (“Kansojen Kaipuu”) and gorgeously rendered folk metal melodies (“Koti,” “Veresi”). Comparisons with Myrkur and Suldusk would be appropriate, but Vermilia continues to carve out her own space in the folk black metal scene, marrying beatific melody with beastly aggression. Performing all of the music on Karsikko, as is her one-woman calling card, renders her finished products even more impressive. The highlight has always been the voice, though, as Vermilia deftly transitions between angelic cleans (“Suruhymni”) and frosty rasps (“Vakat”), completing a circle that makes each of her releases a joy to listen to. It’s confounding that another of Vermilia‘s albums is an independent release, which might be artistically intentional or the result of bone-headed label execs. Either way, don’t miss out on Karsikko, as Vermilia shouldn’t stay unsigned for long.
Killjoy’s Drowsy Discovery
Noctambulist // Noctambulist II: De Droom [February 7th, 2025 – These Hands Melt]
Although I love blackgaze, I must admit that it can be challenging to find artists who stand out in the genre, whether through quality songwriting or unexpected twists. It turns out that the Dutch band Noctambulist1 offers both. Noctambulist II: De Droom is a fun and fresh blend of Deafheaven-adjacent blackgaze with a Molotov cocktail of post-punk energy. The power chord-driven guitar lines prove to be an unexpectedly compatible fuel source to propel the shimmering, gazey tremolos and blackened rasps to new heights. Many songs (particularly “Aderlater” and “Lichteter”) start with neat intro melodies that catch the listener’s attention, then build and ride that momentum throughout the remainder. A faint sense of loss—stemming from the achingly relatable theme of homeownership drifting further out of many people’s reach—pervades the record, but there is also an infectious cheerfulness. Despite their name, Noctambulist are hardly sleepwalking as they tread along a well-worn genre.
Thus Spoke’s Disregarded Diamonds
Sacred Noose // Vanishing Spires [February 2nd, 2025 – Breath Sun Bone Blood]
My experience with Irish extreme metal has been that it is all incredibly dark, twisted, and supremely, gorgeously dissonant.2 Belfast3 duo Sacred Noose make absolutely no exception to this rule. Vanishing Spires’ ruthlessly brief 31 minutes are defined by stomach-tightening twisted blackened death designed to cut to the heart of misery and fear. The lurching sensation brought about by rapid tremolo descents and sudden accelerations of ever more dissonant chords, impenetrable drums, and pitch-shifting feedback is nauseating (“Entranced by Concrete Lathe,” “True Emancipation”). The pure horror of the inhuman, high-pitched shrieks answering the already fearsome bellows is anxiety-inducing (“”Black Tempests of Promise,” “Moribund”). The near-constant buzzing of noise is oppressive (“Terminal Prologue,” “True Emancipation”); the creeping, malevolent scales unnerving. And Sacred Noose play with their victim, luring them into a trap of deceptively familiar cavern-core (“Sacred Noose”) before throwing a hood over their head and yanking them backwards into more horrifying mania; or perhaps they’ll start with the assault (“True Emancipation”). This more ‘straightforward’ edge to Sacred Noose is most akin to a faster Sparagmos, while their dominant, demonic personality I can compare most faithfully to Thantifaxath, if Thantifaxath were more death-metal-inclined. Vanishing Spires is the first time since the latter’s 2023 Hive Mind Narcosis that a record has genuinely made me feel afraid.
Crown of Madness // Memories Fragmented [February 28th, 2025 – Transcending Obscurity Records]
Life unfortunately got in the way of me giving this a proper review, but Crown of Madness deserve better than to slip by unmentioned. Memories Fragmented is the duo’s debut, but Crown of Madness is one of several projects both are already in.4. The ominous yet colourful sci-fi/fantasy cover art and spiky logo scream ‘tech-death’ and that is indeed what Crown of Madness deliver. At base, there is some damn fine technical death metal here that’s impressive and acrobatic (), but snappy, not outstaying its welcome—the entire record barely stretches beyond 35 minutes. But there is more to Memories Fragmented, and as a result, it is memorable.5 A drawl to certain refrains (), the tendency to gently sway to a slow, near-pensiveness (), the atmospheric hanging of some tremolos over a warm, dense bass (). There is depth. And it reminded me quite starkly of early Ulcerate. In this vein, the record leans towards the more meandering side of the subgenre, gripping not with hooky riffs and heart-pumping tempos, but an intricate kind of intensity. Memories Fragmented arguably goes too far in the indistinct direction, and as a result, loses immediacy. But the churning, introspective compositions presage the potential for true brilliance on future releases.
Vacuous // In His Blood [February 28th, 2025 – Relapse Records]
Full of youthful vigour, London’s Vacuous demonstrate their willing ability to evolve with their sophomore, In His Blood. While debut Dreams of Dysphoria, which I covered back in 2022, played more or less by the disso-death book, here they are already experimenting. Strange, almost post-metal atmosphere now haunts the boundaries (“Hunger,” “Public Humiliation,” “No Longer Human”), combining brilliantly with the band’s already cavernous death metal sound, and amplifying its fearsomeness. Crowning example of this is the gem Vacuous save for the record’s final act in closer “No Longer Human.” In His Blood also sees them flirt with a punkier energy that borrows more than a little bit of malice from the blackened handbook (“In His Blood,” “Flesh Parade”), backed up by d-beats, and contrasting well with their now less frequent crawls. At its most explosive, In His Blood feels downright unhinged, in the best way (“Stress Positions,” “Immersion”), but it never feels messy, and there’s potential in here for Vacuous to evolve into yet another, incredibly potent form of unique, modern hybrid extreme metal. I wish there were more than 30 minutes of this.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Bottom o’ the Barrel Boons
Pissgrave // Malignant Worthlessness [February 21st, 2025 – Profound Lore Records]
Though it may appear, at a glance, that I have gold-colored glasses for bands of rank and urological reference, I’d call it more of a chance happening that such miscreant acts have created intriguing works. And, truthfully, PISSGRAVE has leaned closer to filth first, function second with the war-leaning crackle (and brazenly offensive cover art) that relegates their lineage to corners of listening ears who need therapy with a high tolerance for guts and grime. Malignant Worthlessness, of course, is not accessible by any means, though, despite these Philly boys packing these nine ode to a failed society in a package that doesn’t cause immediate squirm. But with grooves trapped in an endless skronk and blast, and vocals shifted and layered to reflect the sound of a swarm of Daffy Ducks with a serious disdain for life, PISSGRAVE still embodies an endless swirl of unleashed aggression rendered in riffed and regurgitated form. Malignant Worthlessness lives on the dry and crispy side with most of its tones, which allows copious hits of quick delay and reverb on OUGHs and EEEEEEEUGHs to land with an extra psychedelic knocking when you least expect it. Little slows down the pain train here, with tracks like “Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore” and “Internment Orgy” taking brief detours into chunky guitar builds that feel within grasp of normalcy just before dropping back into an intensified flaying. Elsewhere, a martial urgency that reminds of Paracletus-era Deathspell Omega or the industrial-tinged pummel of Concrete Winds, stirs a twitching movement response, all while retaining a grinding death snarl and chromatic fury, leading its fused-by-hatred structures toward an explosive and fuming conclusion. Humanity has no place in the PISSGRAVE environs, and Malignant Worthlessness, in its celebration of a hostile world, does everything it can to reinforce that.
終末回路 // 終端から引き剥がす [February 20th, 2025 – Self Release]
For things that wander around the math rock world, nailing a vibe remains essential to enjoyment. It’s all too easy in this day and edge to fall into the comfortable trap of ambient tapping and comfortable posty swirls to pleasant crescendos that renders many modern acts to high brow background music (even including bands I like, to a degree, like Covet or Jizue). New Japanese act 終末回路,6 however, chooses to imbue their nimble and tricky instrumental center with the searing emotion and urgency of a noisy post-hardcore, with searing vocal inclusions adding a gravitas to passages that would otherwise threaten to flutter away in glee (“誤殖,” “知らねぇよ”). On one end, 終末回路 delivers a bright playfulness that swings with the pedal power and psychedelia of a young Tera Melos. Yet, weighted with a punk urgency and rawer Japanese assembly of tones, which give a physical clang to tight kit heads and blazing squeal to shrill loops and feedback, 終末回路 finds a constant momentum in their shorter form excursion that makes my lack of understanding of its introspective lyrics a non-issue. Packing plaintive piano melodies (“ご自由に “), speaker blowing synth cranking (“dgdf++be”), and prog-tinged guitar flutters (“知らねぇよ”) into one listening session isn’t easy, but with this debut outing of 終端から引き剥がす,7 終末回路 makes it seem as if they’ve been honing the craft for years.
Saunders’ Salacious Skeeves
Möuth // Gobal Warning [February 14th, 2025 – Self Release)
Veteran rockers The Hellacopters returned with a typically rollicking, fun album in February. Elsewhere, dropping with little fanfare, fellow Swedes and unsung power trio Möuth emerged with an intriguing debut rock platter, entitled Global Warning. Featuring more than meets the eye and flashing a dynamic rock sound, Möuth embrace both retro and modern influences, whipped into an infectious concoction of styles, ranging from Sabbathian lurches, doomy grooves, stoner vibes, and elements of psych, punk and hard rock. For the most part it works a treat, creating a welcome change of pace. Fuzzy, upbeat rockers (“Dirt,” “Appetite”) snugly reside amongst moody, psych-bending numbers (“Alike,” “Mantra”), and heavier doom-laden rock, such as powerful opener “Holy Ground,” and brooding, emotive album centerpiece, “Sheep.” Vocally, the passionate, Ozzy-esque croons hit the spot, matching up well to the band’s multi-pronged rock flavors. Compact and infectious, varied in delivery and featuring enough tasty rhythms, fuzzy melodies and rock punch to satisfy, Global Warning marks an intriguing starting point for these Swedish rockers.
Chaos Inception // Vengeance Evangel [February 21st, 2025 – Lavadome Productions]
Emerging from a deep slumber in the depths of the underground, Alabama’s long dormant death metal crew Chaos Inception returned with their first album since 2012’s The Abrogation. Third album Vengeance Evangel went under the radar, festering unclaimed in the promo sump. After the fact, the album’s crushing, controlled chaos smacked me upside the skull with a violent modern interpretation of the classic Floridian death metal sound, with the musty hues of Tucker-era Morbid Angel most prevalent. This is blast-riddled, relentless stuff, played expertly by the trio of Matt Barnes (guitars), Gray White (vocals) and session drummer Kevin Paradis (ex-Benighted). Incredibly dense, atmospheric, and blazingly fast, Vengeance Evangel is a brutal, knotty, technical hammering, punctuated by sick, wildly inventive soloing. While not traditionally catchy, Vengeance Evangel is the kind of intense, layered death metal album that gets under the skin, grafting a deeper impression across repeated listens. The insane tempo shifts, jigsaw arrangements, and wickedly deranged axework delivers big time. From the violent, intricate throes of opener “Artillery of Humwawa,” and disturbed soundscapes of “La Niebla en el Cementerio Etrusco,” through to the brutish grooves of ‘Thymos Beast,” and exotic, tech death shards of “Empire of Prevarication,” Vengeance Evangel does not neatly fit into any one subgenre category but ticks many boxes to cast a wide appeal to death fans of varied equations.
Steel Druhm’s Viscous Biscuits
Ereb Altor // Hälsingemörker [ February 7th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]
Steel loves his epic metal. I was raised on the stirring odes to swordsmanship and ungovernable back hair from Manowar and Cirth Ungol, and in time, I took a place at the great table in Wotan’s Golden Halls to appreciate the Viking metal exploits of Bathory and later adherents like Falkenbach and Moonsorrow. Sweden’s Ereb Altor got in the game late with their epic By Honour debut in 2008, boasting a very Bathory-esque sound and emotional tapestry that felt larger-than-life and stirred the loins to begird themselves. 10th album Hälsingemörker is a glorious return to those halls of heroes and bravery. This is the large-scale songcraft first heard on Bathory albums like Hammerheart and Twilight of the Gods, and it’s most welcome to these ape ears. Cuts like “Valkyrian Fate” are exactly the kind of sweeping, epic numbers the band’s excelled at over the years. It takes the core sound of Viking era Bathory and builds outward to craft bombastic and heroic compositions that feel HUUUGE. It’s the kind of metal song that embiggens the soul and makes you want to take on a marauding horde by your lonesome and usurp all their battle booty. On “Hälsingemörker,” you get a fat dose of Moonsorrow worship, and elsewhere, Primordial is strongly referenced to very good effect. Hälsingemörker is easily the best Ereb Altor album in a while and the most in line with their beloved early sound. Strap on the sword and get after it!
#AmericanMetal #Arboreal #Benighted #BlackMetal #BlackSabbath #Blackgaze #BreathSunBoneBlood #Carnage #CausticPhlegm #ChaosInception #Chestcrush #ConcreteWinds #Coscradh #Covet #CrownOfMadness #Darkher #Deafheaven #DeathDoom #DeathMetal #DeathspellOmega #Demilich #DerangedExcruciations #DissonantDeathMetal #DustAge #EmbodimentOfDeath #ErebAltor #EverlastingSpewRecords #FolkMetal #GlobalWarning #Hälsingemörker #HellsHeadbangers #Impetigo #InHisBlood #Incantation #IrishMetal #JapaneseMetal #jizue #Karsikko #LavadomeProductions #MalignantWorthlessness #MathRock #MelodicBlackMetal #MemoriesFragmented #Metaphobic #MorbidAngel #Möuth #Myserion #Noctambulist #NoctambulistIIDeDroom #Noxis #OzzyOsbourne #Pissgrave #PostMetal #postPunk #ProfoundLoreRecords #PurulentApocalypse #RelapseRecords #Rock #SacredNoose #SelfRelease #SelfReleased #SermonOfFlames #Sparagmos #SwedishMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #TerZiele #TeraMelos #Thantifaxath #TheHelicopters #TheseHandsMelt #TombMold #TranscendingObscurityRecords #UKMetal #Ulcerate #Vacuous #VanishingSpires #VengeanceEvangel #Vermilia #VultureSVengeance #終末回路 #終端から引き剥がす
By Thus Spoke
Pikes—the genus Esox—are perfect predators whose size and ferocity have made them somewhat legendary. However, as an emblem, they are somewhat understated and powerful but unobvious: literally hidden under the surface of the water, part of the sempiternal and vital river ecosystem. This lends weight to the already evident fact that Esox is an incredibly personal project for its creator, Federico Sturiale. 5 years in the making, Watery Grave tells the story of a suicidal drowning, with the drowner’s final reflections making up the album’s acts. It’s a tale that feels every bit as organic and raw as it ought to.
Watery Grave is atmoblack in the same way The Mantle-era Agalloch and Pursuit of the Sun-era Woods of Ypres were: unpolished, warm, and vaguely folky. It’s also somewhat gazey at times, channeling a little Alcest, albeit through a less glossy production. Coarse growls resonate over the blurred mélange of washing tremolos and pattering drumbeats, and cleans murmur softly over keyboard chords. There is little aggression beyond the harsh vocals and the odd fracas of blastbeats. A linear approach to songwriting, which yet maintains consistent themes, means tracks flow on with only subtle melodic reprises, if any. And on they do run, with half extending past ten minutes, and the closer grazing twenty. This fits with the overall river imagery, and complements the musical style as something to drift off to, as Esox indulges in many a meandering melodic tangent of mellow strums and dreamy synth.
Watery Grave is rough around the edges, but in a charming and organic way confined to its resonant, raw production and unshowy, deceptive simplicity of arrangements. Esox demonstrate a proficiency to craft truly beautiful little worlds of introspection, where gentle melodies weave between washes of tremolo, the harsh and soft styles blending brilliantly in builds and releases (“As I Descend Below the Water,” “Esox Lucius” “The River Nihilist”); it’s amazing how calming it can feel. Sometimes, it’s pure post, gazey, synthy peace (“Walden”); sometimes, more dynamic. Comparatively intense blackened passages give way to gentle ambience and plucking (“As I Descend…” “Livyatan Melvillei”), or melancholic post-metal (“The River Nihilist”), or a solemn, hazy section bursts into a colourful solo (“Esox Lucius,” “The River Nihilist”). The sounds of water, bubbles, and whale song amplify the insulation created by the unpolished master and peaceful themes, and the undulating current between the claustrophobically dense and the meditative spacious is felt dramatically, which deepens immersion. Emotion is tangible at such apexes, and this, in tandem with the sense of serenity, evokes well the notion of our protagonist sinking downwards, coming to peace with the world.
As pleasant to listen to as Watery Grave generally is, it hits a few snags that harm its flow. It seems a tad unfocused, mainly due to an apparent reluctance to edit. Synth-led “The Unbearable Cry of the Sea,” feels like an unnecessary interlude that flattens the impact of brilliant opener “As I Descend…”; continuing directly into “Livyatan Melvillei” would strengthen things substantially. Comparing this track to the other instrumental, “Walden,” it is clear from the latter that Esox can write a beautiful and moving interlude without sacrificing movement and mood. The longer cuts could all stand to lose a few minutes, but in particular, it is closer “The River Nihilist,” that suffers the most for its length. It goes through so many evolutions, via bridges of ambience and samples, that it seems to lose its way. The song’s potent and beautiful segments, which in isolation might be highlights—lose some of their shine, and the progress it does develop is awkwardly obscured. In a similar vein, “Livytan Melvillei” can strike the ears awkwardly in its more aggressive, organ-synth-accented first act, which is all but forgotten by its melodious second; again, it feels like coherence was an afterthought. This all makes Watery Grave a little frustrating, given other stirring and ethereal movements.1
And yet any imperfections Watery Grave may possess are easily forgivable, because of its poignancy and charm. This is a daydreamer album, and its blurred edges suit that perfectly. What it lacks in immediacy and strikingness, it makes up for in heart. There’s promise in here that I look forward to seeing developed next time Esox pull us underwater.
Rating: Good
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: wav
Label: Self-Release
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 9th, 2025
#2025 #30 #Agalloch #Alcest #Ambient #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BlackMetal #Blackgaze #Esox #ItalianMetal #May25 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Shoegaze #WateryGrave #WoodsOfYpres
Exosfera by José Barranquero is the album you didn't know you needed, and so much more. It's a journey through experimentation and inspiration. #music #josebarranquero #Exosfera #selfreleased
Exterminatus – Echoes From a Distant Star Part 1 Review
By Owlswald
“Exterminatus” is a Warhammer 40k term that describes a global mass extinction event authorized by the emperor when the Imperium deems the cost of holding or retaking a planet too high. While I’m naïve about such things, Canadian fivesome Exterminatus certainly isn’t. And these Canucks are here to incinerate your eardrums with a heavy dose of sci-fi inspired tech-death. Originally demoed in 2012, Echoes From a Distant Star Part I was to be the follow-up to Xenocide’s debut album, Galactic Oppression. However, the group disbanded before they completed the album, and its members—including most of the original lineup—subsequently formed Exterminatus. Thirteen years later, these Vancouverites have released two solid albums and are finally prepared to relaunch Echoes after recording and re-recording the material three times. Seeking to venture into deep space through a celestial narrative that investigates interstellar creation and its obscure realities, I’m left wondering if the destination justifies the voyage.
Raising the pace and intensity of its predecessors, Exterminatus mostly operates in overdrive on Echoes, peppering the limited moments of empty space with Faceless-esque grooves and melodic leads. Lead by the dual axe attacks of Tabreez Azad and Elia Baghbaniyan, the duo warps the fabric of reality with their percussive shredding, laser-fire tremolos, and technical articulation, flicking and tapping for thirty minutes across the album’s seven chapters.1 Together with Max Sepulveda’s (The Zenith Passage) ruthless drumming, the trio dominate the record’s linear mix, occasionally permitting Lucas Abreu’s virtuosic basslines to break through the wall of crushing brutality (“The Cloud,” “Suffer in Silence”). Lukas Bresan’s heavy Archspire-like growls provide additional gravity as they narrate Echoes’ grand planetary saga. Drawing inspiration from the famous works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, as well as the Stargate SG-1 and Mass Effect franchises, Exterminatus explores the universe’s fundamental forces through the familiar and technical movements of tech-death’s stalwarts.
Exterminatus thrive when they back off the accelerator and use their technical expression to manipulate the cosmos in a manner that boosts Echoes’ groove-rich currents. Closer “The Signal,” is a no-frills banger that finishes with a savage dose of syncopated thrash riffs and agile drumming that aptly finds the balance between brutality and accessibility. Abreu’s playful bass lines at the onset of “Cosmic Disturbance” conveys its ominous warning with finesse, while the pulse-driven riffing of the song’s end hits with the power of a supernova. Meanwhile, the heroic solo before the launch of “Starbound” or the melodic leads of “The New Theia” provide moments of respite around outbursts of cosmic turbulence. Though Echoes’ highlights are generally not as memorable as I would like, there are enough amidst the onslaught of staccatos, pummeling double bass, and light speed shifts to provide necessary touchstones and avoid a full system overload.
Still, Exterminatus’ ambitious pursuit fares better in concept than in execution. Track sequencing and songwriting diminish Echoes’ voyage, hindering the whole with abrupt openings and sudden descents that disrupt the journey. Songs like “Primordial Sea,” and “The New Theia” suffer from bloat, while “Suffer in Silence” and “The Signal” seem truncated. Accordingly, Echoes feels more academic than vibrant, a collection of separate tracks that are challenging to connect with, rather than an absorbing cosmic saga. Additionally, the production sacrifices nuance and emotion for volume and intensity, thereby crushing any promise of dynamics. The overly loud mix is too aggressive—particularly the drums and guitars—which fatigued my ears and became frustrating. Likewise, Exterminatus’ reliance on tropey bass drops to replace the lack of energy in Echoes’ peak moments are a distraction, achieving the opposite of their intended effect.
Despite years of development, Echoes doesn’t hit its mark. Exterminatus clearly possess the talent to create something special, and their commitment to crafting an ambitious, sci-fi narrative is commendable. However, the album’s songwriting and production prevent it from reaching its potential, serving instead as a demonstration of what they are capable of. What Echoes lacks in cohesion, it partly compensates for in technical expression and sheer sonic intensity. But if Exterminatus can refine the issues that hinder Echoes, their next venture into the cosmos could be great indeed.
Rating: Mixed
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: exterminatus.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/exterminatusband
Releases Worldwide: April 18, 2025
#25 #2025 #Apr25 #Archspire #CanadianMetal #DeathMetal #EchoesFromADistantStarPart1 #Exterminatus #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheFaceless #TheZenithPassage
Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings Review
By Thus Spoke
For the second year in a row, I was blindsided by a silent Cave Sermon drop. At least it didn’t take me 11 months to catch up this time.1 Album number three, Fragile Wings, sees Charlie Parks returning as a solo act, but now handling vocals on top of everything else. This latter is a welcome development, given how well the previous record proved vocals complement and enhance the unique musical style. After Divine Laughter blew my socks off and nonchalantly pushed its way to the top half of my 2024 year-end list, a follow-up so soon filled me with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Surely he couldn’t do it again? But, of course, he has.
Fragile Wings is instantly recognisable as Cave Sermon, but rather than simply being Divine Laughter part two—not that I would have complained about that—it is tonally quite different. Different, but with the same dreamlike longing at its core. Whereas its predecessor felt nihilistic and angry, Fragile Wings is a little more vulnerable, a little sadder, and more wistful. This shines through the now more prominent melodies, which feel playful and exuberant, in the beguiling way that characterises Cave Sermon’s sound. Fluid layers of liquid strums, riffs that vibrate alternately with urgency and mirth (“Hopeless Magic,” “”Moloch”), and tremolos that burr and hum as much as they warble like songbirds up and down scales (“Three-Headed Moth,” “Ancient to Someone”). The untamed tempos that lead tracks through a series of stomps, sways, charges, and thoughtful pauses are more mischievous than before, in a way that makes explicit the spirited defiance that bubbled within Divine Laughter. Parks’ vocals work just as well as Miguel Méndez’s did, if not better, against this vibrant backdrop, and there’s an additional weight given to the already strange and touching lyrics because their author is now delivering them himself.
Fragile Wings is stirring and vivacious, and somehow outdoes Divine Laughter in its sparkling dynamism and bright unusualness. After arresting with odd, colourful arrangements, Cave Sermon looks wryly over at the listener and says, “watch this,” as some effervescent lead comes frolicking in (“Moloch,” “Three-Headed Moth”), or an already satisfying groove switches to a new dance with a flick and a crash (“Hopeless Magic,” “Ancient for Someone”); you can’t help but smile back. The very way guitars are distorted, and the atmosphere surrounding their notes and the here-skittish, there-assertive percussion, is…different. And this is all charming because it’s not self-indulgent; not weird and challenging and complicated, but refreshing, like a splash of cool water to the face on a hot day. All the more so given how Cave Sermon makes it look easy, creating a soundscape that seems simpler than it is, managing to presage and reprise melodies and rhythms in a way I can only describe as “very cool.” Interwoven strands of ethereal ambience—warm strums and purring high notes (“Arrows and Clay,” “Sunless Morning”)—violent sludgy riffs and a tripping, resonant drumbeat (“Moloch,” “Ancient for Someone”); symphonies of burbling tremolo and synths (“Hopeless Magic,” “Ancient for Someone”); and the delicate assuredness of wavering melodies, each are so carefully placed, but weightless, as though carried by some spirited wind that breezes through each track.
In this organic, careless novelty and expression, Fragile Wings continues what Divine Laughter established, but does it better. Not only is it more poignant, it flows with a more tangible through-line, and even cleverer rhythmic interplay. There is no track-length ambient noise here; this tendency is relegated to the faded conversation that closes “Arrows and Clay,” and the birdsong scattered over the serene first act of “Sunless Morning.” The difference is that these are not divorced from the music, but part of it, contributing to its sense of nostalgia, and sombre reflectiveness. A harsher version of me would still argue that the first half of “Sunless Morning” is a bit too slow of a build, but another would gesture fanatically at the song’s second act, with its quaking bass refrain and heartfelt tremolo descent melody that might actually be the best on the album, before it enters another wild dance I won’t spoil. Cave Sermon has refined their ability to transition between energies and styles whilst keeping the tone consistent. So seamless is the integration that it no longer feels like multiple genres are in play, but like a new one entirely.
Fragile Wings confirms what I had secretly hoped, that Divine Laughter was not just lightning in a bottle. If anything, it only raises the bar. Cave Sermon create music that is some magical combination of emotionally stirring, endlessly engrossing, and completely unique. There is simply no other artist in metal making music like them.2 You have to hear this.
Rating: Excellent3
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: April 16th, 2025
#2025 #45 #Apr25 #AustralianMetal #BlackMetal #CaveSermon #DeathMetal #ExperimentalMetal #FragileWings #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Sludge
Panthalassan – From the Shallows of the Mantle Review
By GardensTale
Angry Metal Guy is an institution, and not just a mental one. Artists often dip into our comment section to express a fondness for our site specifically, and the review requests that land in our contact form are even more devoted (or attempting to ingratiate themselves by pretending to be; politics plays a part too!). The case of Panthalassan is a step further, though. It’s a one-man band inspired by bands we have hawked relentlessly: Lör and Wilderun. After playing guitar for Viathyn and Ravenous, Jake Wright sought to carve his own path, striking out on his own with only the drums of session musician and Viathyn bandmate Dave Crnković to accompany him. Have the AMG classics steered him true?
Well, it’s clear that one has had more pull than the other, because From the Shallows of the Mantle will sound fairly familiar for anyone who’s heard Lör’s In Forgotten Sleep. Lithe, winding guitars dish out multi-layered riffs and whirling solos alike, largely at dazzling speeds. The compositions are progressive, and though they don’t eschew choruses altogether, the tracks are arranged in a free-flowing form, prioritizing a musical narrative thread over rigid structure. And it must be said, Wright is a crack at the axe. There are enough great solos dotted across the running time to supply 3 albums, and the rapid and evolving melodic riffs thrill without fail. Just check the triumphant ascending chords that kick off “Coral Throne” or the Fellowship-worthy “By Shank’s Mare.” Cheesy? Sure. But it is some of the catchiest riffing I’ve heard yet this year.
Which is why it’s such a shame that both vocals and lyrics weigh on the album like an anchor. It’s not a technical disaster. Wright does glance off pitch on occasion, but he doesn’t veer completely wild. But sometimes I wish he would, because as adventurous as the guitars are, so safe and consequently flat is the vocal performance, leaving little room for emotional involvement. Exacerbating this issue are the lyrics. The text itself is not awful when read on paper; the problem is the near-total lack of flow, which is ironic considering its oceanic themes. I’m of the opinion that a good flow is the most important and oft-overlooked element of lyrics in music. You can sing about utter nonsense and I’ll suck it up like a sponge if you get your cadance and prosody right. But Panthalassan sounds stilted and awkward across most of the album, with ‘The gasp that slips my lips’ the tongue-twisting nadir. The difference it makes when it does fall into place, in the closer’s chorus, is downright startling. It makes me wonder how much better From the Shallows of the Mantle could have been with this issue resolved.
The quality of the instrumentation might have been enough to overcome the above issue, and it almost does. Besides the sweet guitars, Crnković does a solid job keeping up the pace on the drums, and the tracks weave enough variation and supplementary instruments into the compositions to stay reasonably fresh. Even so, more than an hour is a long sit, and most of the tracks that push past 7 minutes should not. “Worth My Salt” overuses the title phrase, and the extended outro on the back of the otherwise excellent “Embers on our Shore” drags it out even further. On the bright side, I do enjoy the production, which is light but doesn’t lack in power. The guitars are crystalline and the bass gets enough space; the only unfortunate consequence of the mix is the attention the vocals get, putting more emphasis on the shortcomings there.
Still, From the Shallows of the Mantle is a very promising debut for Panthalassan. Most of the issues with the album are surface-level, not fundamental. A re-examination of how to write vocal parts that flow well is in order, and that might in turn help entice a more passionate performance. I’m also curious to hear how Wright would fare trying to move away from the trappings of Lör’s fairly specific sound, something I’m convinced he has the chops to. That, as well as keeping the album more concise, would be more than enough to make the next installment of this oceanic saga a smash hit, because the bones are all there: solid songcraft, virtuoso play on every instrument, and a knack for a good hook.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-released
Websites: panthalassan.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/panthalassan
Releases Worldwide: March 28th, 2025
#25 #2025 #CanadianMetal #Fellowship #FromTheShallowsOfTheMantle #Lör #Mar25 #Panthalassan #PowerMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Ravenous #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Viathyn #Wilderun
Flow of Life by Viresha is a musical message about embracing life, riding waves of change, and releasing what no longer serves us. #music #viresha #flowoflife #selfreleased
Collapsed Vein – Pain Communion Review
By Thus Spoke
Not being an Opeth fan,1 I know it can’t just be me who reads Pain Communion as a deliberate riff on Pale Communion. The debut from Kevin George’s solo endeavour Collapsed Vein, however, seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the famous Swedes and their famous album, though that doesn’t mean it wasn’t named deliberately. It’s rare that doom not preceded by the adjective “funeral” or which isn’t otherwise explicitly DisemBOWELment-coded ignites any excitement within me, but Pain Communion seemed promising. A cool, respectably occult cover, combined with cited influence from as disparate styles as Triptykon and Neurosis, and the interest-tickling use of the word “oppressive” as descriptor. On this and the solidity of single “Children of God,” I was in.
Pain Communion offers a death-doom that channels a blend of interpretations, without really sounding exactly like any in particular, thanks to the frequent and prominent coinciding use of organs, ambience, and a very vague side-eye at disso-death. However, there is a dominant pattern here, and it goes beyond the established conventions of the genre. A mid-tempo (for doom) stalk, grounding one main riff progression that goes through a key change at intervals, and organ chords providing backup. Sometimes things take a more atmospheric turn, with post-metal liquidity (“Deviant Burial,” “Inevitable End”) or disso-death mystique (“May Your Name Still Endure,” “Invictus”) opening songs or serving as bridges within them. These latter aspects are by far the most interesting and add greatly-needed zhuzh to the solid but formulaic death-doom.
But let it not be said that Collapsed Vein can’t write a memorable melody; there are several that continue to float through my brain on the regular (“Pissgrave,” “Inevitable End”). The integration of resonant ambience, and sinister dissonance leads to some powerfully dark and grandiose moments as riffs pick up the theme (“Deviant Burial”) or gain extra weight as they morph between classic doomy leadenness and unnerving urgency (“May Your Name Still Endure”). Pain Communion is also blessed by an unshakeable presence, thanks to the prevalence of organs, the frequent rise of ominous chorals, and reverb that drips off the chords and throaty growls alike. The way the roars echo across the chords is especially satisfying, and it’s even better when they pitch upwards into a long, incredibly gnarly scream (“Children of God,” “May Your Name Still Endure,” “Overwhelmed with Bereavement”). Though this is doom, there are some passages where the percussion climbs out of the steady plod and shows us some spine-tingling sparkle I normally go to more extreme metal to experience (“Invictus,” “The Devil’s Orchard”). Even the spoken-word works; possibly because it’s just below the clearly audible level, possible also because against the liturgical backdrop of grudge-filled guitars and organs and chants and atmosphere, the grey delivery plays like a black mass and it’s actually cool.
Beyond the skill, the undeniable heaviness, and the moments of chilling excitement, Pain Communion suffers a little from uncomfortable predictability and a frustrating restraint. More often than not, the spell of a brilliant, moody intro is broken by a resurgence of the recurring chug and chime of riffs and organ that blast away the melancholy melody and replace it with something plainer (“May Your…” “Inevitable End,” “Invictus”). Collapsed Vein also seems reticent to let go of the dominating structure of songs, where percussive flourish and ambient, discordant depth give way rapidly to a measured tread, and a blunter heft. It means that in spite of the consistent appearance of excellence, the album begins to wear on the listener, and one loses patience to appreciate those moments as time ticks towards the hour mark. More’s the pity, since Pain Communion ends on a brilliant, characterful cover of Black Sabbath’s “Eternal Idol.”
As harsh as I may have been, I can’t denigrate the talent and potential that courses through Pain Communion. Not only suffused with atmosphere, and satisfyingly stodgy, it has personality. I wish Collapsed Vein would lean a little more into their mysterious side and turn up the ambient, dissonant, strangeness, but there’s time yet. This won’t be the last you hear from them.
Rating: Good
DR: ? | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: April 18th, 2025
#2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #CollapsedVein #DeathDoom #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #PainCommunion #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Tryptykon
Napierdalać – The State of Love and War Review
By GardensTale
First impressions are everything, folks. Despite Napierdalać’s fledgling status, I was immediately encouraged by its presentation and professionalism. The State of Love and War is the band’s debut album, yet everything looks as tidy and organized as most label-backed promos, even using their own website to host the files for the music. This is a downside regarding the promo sheet, though, where reading like it was written by a label is not necessarily a boon. The sheet describes the album with superlatives aplenty and waxes poetically about a Shakespearean plot underpinning the orchestra-backed black/death metal. Does the music live up to the highfalutin chest-thumpin’ advertisements?
Well, not quite. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing of value in The State of Love and War. At its best, Napierdalać reminds me a fair amount of Valdrin, whose Effigy of Nightmares was a major highlight back in 2020. After the intro, the opening duo hits hard with aggressive and malevolent black metal backed by orchestration that sounds straight out of an evil king’s court. “DNR” steps it up another notch, its choruses blasting wanton brass like the band borrowed half of Fleshgod Apocalypse for a few minutes. “To Crown a Pale Horse” mixes portentous doom into the Emperor-esque blackened grandeur for a nice change of pace. The vocals sound truly vile in the best way, a nasty, gnarly rasp that conveys sheer iniquity and rage, and it combines really well with the pseudo-baroque symphonic sections.
Sadly, a lot of time is wasted on far less enticing experiments. “Sonnet 41” is one-third black metal ballad and two-thirds maudlin half-whispered spoken word poetry over lethargic open chords. The title track is nearly 7 minutes of staccato piano chords with little sense of flow or progression, killing all momentum and desecrating its corpse before unleashing the 10-minute closer “Exitus.” This track makes for a fine finale overall, but by the time it’s over, we have nearly an hour of music behind us, and it could stand to lose 20 minutes easily. Besides the mentioned momentum murderers, the first five tracks feel especially interchangeable, using similar formats in riffing and supplemental symphonics alike.
This may be at least partially attributable to the production as well. The State of Love and War sounds both stark and claustrophobic, like a dusty hallway in a poltergeist-ridden house with the contrast slider cranked way up. Its efficacy at conjuring a gothic atmosphere as well as the decent mastering score suggest that this has been a deliberate choice, and for that I must commend Napierdalać, but it’s not without its downsides. Without room to breathe, the orchestral contributions get squeezed into only the most forward components without adding further depth and detail. With the homogeneity in songwriting across many of the tracks, such depth and detail could have gone a long way to add more variation. Instead, the variation now primarily comes from the doddering deviations mentioned earlier.
The State of Love and War wins a few battles, but loses the campaign. Listening to one or two songs, their flaws may not immediately reveal themselves. Napierdalać has a solid grasp on an enticing sound that could have fueled a fun, more succinct version of this album to successful completion. Instead, conceptual overreach led the band to misjudge several inclusions and repeat themselves too often elsewhere. The more successful variations like “To Crown a Pale Horse” and the closer give me hope that the band can find a better way going forward, though, and I look forward to hearing its next attempt.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: napierdalac.bandcamp.com | napierdalacband.com | facebook.com/napierdalacband
Releases Worldwide: April 4th, 2025
#20 #2025 #Apr25 #BlackMetal #BritishMetal #Emperor #FleshgodApocalypse #Napierdalać #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SymphonicMetal #TheStateOfLoveAndWar #Valdrin
Cytotoxin – Biographyte Review
By Kenstrosity
It’s been five long years since Nuklearth graced my ears for the first time, followed in quick succession by at least another 800 spins. I snubbed it too, in my year-end list for 2020, where I relegated it to my (ish) spot. Banger after banger after banger led me straight to the bludgeoning wing of my local urgent care. Simultaneously, it led me to 2017’s Gammageddon, German outfit Cytotoxin’s breakout third record of irradiated tech-death craziness. Two completely different records, but both instantly recognizable as Cytotoxin. It’s not easy to achieve this kind of hit-after-hit diversity within the span of two records, let alone in the technical death metal realm. Can they pull off the mad hat trick with Biographyte?
If Gammageddon represents Cytotoxin at their most technical and unhinged, and Nuklearth at their hookiest and most brutal, then Biographyte represents Cytotoxin at a conflicting crossroads. Still immediately recognizable, thanks to the dual guitarists’ trademark oscillating, arpeggiated leads and groovy riffs, Biographyte never ventures into uncharted territory as freely as Gammageddon and doesn’t make memories as vividly as Nuklearth. On the other hand, Biographyte strikes a more genuine, serious tone—even bleak at times—and its musical content reflects that no-nonsense intent. Lyrically, it functions as a collection of historical monuments to the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster in various locations in Pripiyat, the people who lived there, and those who rushed in providing aid. In total, these small shifts manifested in a greater quotient of technical showmanship and thematic gravity, but they also negatively impacted memorability and engagement.
I’m hard pressed to call anything on Biographyte unworthy of the Cytotoxin pedigree, as no shortage of guitar wizardry, vocal brutality, and rhythmic pummeling unleashes a punishing aural assault (“Hope Terminator,” “Condemnesia”). This is a great thing, as it makes highlights like “Biographyte,” “The Everslave,” and “Bulloverdozed” stand out as shining examples of Cytotoxin’s capabilities—and powerful reminders of how much fun their music is. I’ll never get enough of those shimmering leads sparkling against chugging pummels and speedy double-bass runs, pushing the limits of what I could call “melodic” in this space while, in a quantum twist, also toying with that “hypermelodic” boundary (“Eventless Horizon”). It’s a fascinating paradox, always creating attractive points of interest and ear-catching series in a lightning-fast, yet accessible, manner that proves the substantial breadth and deceptive versatility of Cytotoxin’s sound and structure.
Where Biographyte falls short is in memorability and in comparison with their portfolio thus far. To the first point, a majority portion of this material, even the standout moments, blended together the longer I spent time with it. With the exception of a couple of flat beatdowns (“Behind Armored Doors”), a number of Biographyte’s isolated phrases are readily interchangeable with others. Consequently, I found it difficult to pick individual songs out of the lineup and to remember those aforementioned phrases outside of active listening sessions. To my second point, while Cytotoxin’s technical prowess and polished performances can’t be questioned, a number of its otherwise effervescent leads are dull in relation to those peppering the previous two records. Exacerbating this problem, Biographyte is bloated at 52 minutes. It would’ve felt overburdened even if the quality of its songs reached the same echelons as Cytotoxin’s best material. Considering that’s not the case, Biographyte drags even further past its half-life.
This begs the question: is Cytotoxin running out of great ideas after fifteen years of consistently great tech death? It’s too early to say for sure, but I prefer to think this is but a mild hiccup. In the end, Cytotoxin’s ridiculous level of talent and skill alone prevent Biographyte from falling into Disappointing, or even Mixed, territory. If this review seems harsh—and it probably is—that’s a consequence of having experienced two incredible records by these Germans back to back immediately preceding this one. It’s everything I expect and want to hear from Cytotoxin, but it’s also missing that special runoff that made Gammageddon and Nuklearth essential. Thankfully, Cytotoxin aren’t ones to do the same thing twice, so I look forward to hearing what comes next. For now, I know I won’t reach for Biographyte as often as other installments, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t Good. It just isn’t Great, and that’s okay.
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self Released
Websites: cytotoxin.de | facebook.com/Cytotoxinmetal
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025
#2025 #30 #Apr25 #Biographyte #Cytotoxin #DeathMetal #GermanMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #TechnicalDeathMetal
