Stuck in the Filter: September 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

At last, a burst of cool calms the blood after a brutal summer, and the leaves are turning. Which means I was able to recruit a bunch of grubby little leaf-lookers off the highway to serve as minions to my ever-needy Filter! With a temporarily replenished staff of fools who are unwittingly risking their lives for mere nuggets, I conduct with renewed vigor the search for quality finds.

Today, I bring you those finds, in all of their sparkly glory. WITNESS THEM!

Kenstrosity’s Jaunty Juke

Jordsjuk // Naglet til livet [September 19th, 2025 – Indie Recordings]

The lack of conversation I’ve seen surrounding this Norwegian black metal riff machine is highly disconcerting. Brought to my attention by my wonderfully wise—and devilshly handsome—owlpal1 from… GASP… another blog, Jordsjuk’s debut LP Naglet til livet has my spine whipping to a fro from the onset of ripping opener “Kollaps.” The whiplash doesn’t stop there as thrashy numbers “Grovt skadeverk” and “Skreddersøm” body me against several walls and even a couple of ceilings. For 36 relentless minutes, with only one song pushing the four minute mark, Naglet til livet is an unqualified triumph of editing and tight, effective songwriting. My immediate comparison is 2007-2013 Skeletonwitch, but some of these riffs, like the turbobangers on “Parasitt,” “Rottebitt,” “Klarhet og dybde,” and “Rennestein,” give those hallowed skellybois a serious run for their money. When they aren’t thrashing, Jordsjuk shift into a dour, but still ravenous black metal shadow. Wraiths like “Riv skorpen av såret” and “Svikter din neste” showcase this looming character quite well, and prove Jordsjuk to be dynamic, versatile songwriters. In short, Naglet til livet is a raucous good time for anyone craving black metal with sharp teeth and limitless energy.

Baguette’s Bouncy Blessing

Arjen Anthony Lucassen // Songs No One Will Hear [September 12th, 2025 – Inside Out Music]

A year without an Arjen record would be a much lesser one. It’s not often the crazy Dutchman reuses a non-Ayreon project title, but here we have his fourth solo album becoming the second under the full Arjen Anthony Lucassen name! Dropping 13 years after the previous one, Songs No One Will Hear announces the end of the world is a mere five months away, its tracks depicting the resulting stages of chaos, disarray, and human silliness. It doesn’t fall far off the catchy and melodic Arjen tree but casts a wider net than prior prog rock adventures. Much of the record reflects different eras of Ayreon, including the ’70s prog whimsy of Into the Electric Castle (“Dr. Slumber’s Blue Bus”) and the fun ’80s metal edge of The Source (“Goddamn Conspiracy”). Closing epic “Our Final Song” is a microcosm of his musical breadth, shapeshifting from Jethro Tull flute shenanigans to analog synth ambience to dramatic riff bombast at will. But it’s “The Clock Ticks Down” that steals the spotlight, marking a brief return to the dark, somber grit of Guilt Machine and 01011001. It’s an unusually normal-sized album from Mr. Lucassen as well, the regular, unnarrated version being only 46 minutes and change. A condensed, jovial jack-of-all-trades showcase with many of the usual great guest musician and vocalist selections! And it’s always nice to hear him sing more, too.

Thus Spoke’s Lurid Leftovers

Fauna // Ochre and Ash [September 26th, 2025 – Lupus Lounge/Prophecy Productions]

It’s been 13 years since Cascadian black metal duo Fauna released Avifauna, to quiet yet great acclaim. Given their preoccupation with human prehistory, they might just be operating on a larger timescale than you or I. Ochre and Ash—the two main ingredients used in ancient cave paintings—is an attempt to invoke the spirit of forgotten ceremonies during which the stories of the people were immortalised on stone. Building on an atmospheric black metal base familiar in their better-known exemplars Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch, Fauna give Ochre and Ash a distinctive edge by roaming further afield into the experimental. For every metal-dominated track (“Nature & Madness,” “Labyrinths,” “Eternal Return”), there is an ambient, decidedly unsettling counterpart (“A Conjuring,” “Femoral Sun,” “Mockery”), and the latter are not interludes, but integral parts of the ritual. Each infuses skin-prickling drone with eerie chimes and rattles, and uncomfortable vocalisations ranging from moans and wails to laughter and the howling, yipping cries of animals—or humans mimicking them. In their repetition of haunting, hollow sounds, they are both frightening and trance-inducing. Ochre and Ash’s metallic segments are no less ominous, treading as they do between confrontationally turbulent atmoblack2 and diSEMBOWELMENT-adjacent death doom that puts me right back in the void of madness last year’s Spectral Voice generated. This is not a casual listen, and Fauna could have helped it a bit with some editing, as the weirdness combined with an excessive 70-minute runtime makes some longer passages feel tired and could be off-putting to some. Still, it’s an experience I’d recommend trying at least once.

Spicie Forrest’s Sautéed Surplus

Piece // Rambler’s Axe [September 5th, 2025 – This Charming Man Records]

Finding gym metal has always proven difficult for me. It’s not about the fastest or loudest, but about striking a balance between weight and pace. Rambler’s Axe fits the bill nicely. Influenced by the likes of Crowbar and High on Fire, these Berlin-based doomsters peddle raucous and sludgy heavy metal. There’s a bit of Conan in Piece’s DNA, too, making sure to worship each riff long enough for you to make it through any given set. Beefy basslines and aggressive, chiseled drums make it easy to drop into a groove and get your pump on. Faster cuts like “Demigod” and “Rambler’s Axe” go great with chest flies and leg press, but they’ve got tracks for bench press and deadlifts too. “Bastard Sword” and “Owl Eyes” rumble forward like the slow but inevitable rise of the barbell at max weight. Whether marching or running, baritone shouts like tank treads hang over riffs just looking for an excuse to blow off steam. Whatever your reason for visiting the glorious house of gains, Piece has your soundtrack covered.

Heruvim // Mercator [September 12th, 2025 – Self-Release]

As each passing year leaves the almighty Bolt Thrower further in the past, the yearning for that sound grows. I was quite surprised to find a small amount of solace in Heruvim, hailing from Odesa, Ukraine. I say small solace, because debut LP Mercator is more than just a clone. Augmented with the unsettling atmosphere of early Pestilence and the vocal malevolence of Sinister, this platter of old school death metal carves its own niche in a storied scene. Off-kilter leads bubble up and spew out of a murky, tarred rhythm section like prehistoric gases in a primordial soup (“Gnosis,” “Lacrimae Rerum”). Lachrymose, doom-laden passages and violent death threats trade back and forth, anchored by volatile blast beats and percussive assaults in the vein of Cannibal Corpse (“Nulla Res,” “Mercator”). Stitched together with eerie, short-and-sweet interludes, Mercator’s lean 30 minutes fly by and always leave me itching for more. Heruvim riffs on a slew of classic sounds, creating a casual brutality and primal barbarism that is both compelling and uniquely their own.

ClarkKent’s Melodic Monstrosities

Galundo Tenvulance // Insomnis Somnia [September 17th, 2025 – Spiritual Beast Records]

Falling somewhere between symphonic deathcore acts Assemble the Chariots and Grimnis enters Japan’s Galundo Tenvulance. On their second full-length LP, Insomnis Somnia, the sextet demonstrates raw power and frenetic energy throughout its 41-minute runtime. Songs are anchored by catchy melodic leads, atmospheric symphonies, and punishing, relentless kitwork (no drummer is credited, so hopefully it’s not programmed). Galundo Tenvulance’s new vocalist, Sao, delivers the goods, bringing a spirited energy to her performance that elevates the already terrific material. While the symphonics don’t quite elevate the music the same way they do for Assemble the Chariots, it’s the melodic riffs that make these guys stand out. “Noble Rot” is the highlight, with a killer lead riff that uses harmonics to add just that extra bit of oomph. Other highlights include the catchy “Regret Never Sleeps,” evoking Character-era Dark Tranquillity, and “In The Realms of the Unreal,” which demonstrates their ability to transform solos into surprising melodies. This might be too good to have landed in the filter, but with my TYMHM slots filled up, it’s better than nothing.

Mortal Scepter // Ethereal Dominance [September 9th, 2025 – Xtreem Music]

As if we didn’t have enough thrash floating in the filter, French outfit Mortal Scepter finds itself as yet another piece of thrash dredged from the muck. This quartet has been around since 2012, yet Ethereal Dominance is only their second full-length release. Their sound lands somewhere between the melodic thrash of Bloodletter and the mania of Deathhammer—though a touch less zany. The persistent level of energy these bands can maintain never ceases to amaze me. While the constant beat of drum blasts threatens to make thrash songs sound too similar, the variety of melodies Mortal Scepter delivers ensures that things never grow repetitive. They have a raw, blackened sound that feels immediate and in your face. Drummer Guillaume keeps an impressive pace with fresh-sounding, nonstop blast beats, while vocalist Lucas Scellier snarls with enthusiasm, with a voice comparable to Deathhammer’s Sergeant Salsten. However, it’s the guitars by Maxime and Scellier that really bring the band to life, from the noodly melodies to the dynamic, lengthy, and impressive solos on each song. These guys prove they are more than just simple thrash metallers on the epic thrash, ten-minute finale, “Into the Wolves Den,” which uses a mix of tempo shifts and hooky melodies to make the song just fly by. With this second LP under their belts, these guys have proven themselves an exciting newish band on the thrash scene.

Grin Reaper’s Woodland Windfall

Autrest // Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves [September 5th, 2025 – Northern Silence Productions]

Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves merges atmospheric black metal with nature, resuming Autrest’s vision from debut Follow the Cold Path. Like Saor or Falls of Rauros, stunning melodies play across untamed backdrops that stir heartstrings in unexpected ways. Ethereal keys, mournful strings, and rapid-fire tremolos impeccably capture Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves’ autumnal artwork, bringing Autrest’s imagery to life. Harsh vocals sit back in the mix, evoking windswept trees as cool harvest gusts leach branches of color, while sporadic baritone cleans add variation. “Lobos (Offering)” sets the stage with melancholic guitar plucks bolstered by forlorn strings, giving way to a controlled spark as “Ashes from the Burning Embers” ratchets up roiling vigor. Through forty-two minutes, Autrest expertly guides listeners across shifting landscapes that are delightful in their earnestness. Mastermind Matheus Vidor establishes himself as a preeminent architect of mood, channeling transitions from gentle, wonder-filled serenity to unyielding wrath. The dynamic between aggression and introspection is marvelous, permeating the album with emotion. While I could understand a complaint that some songs blur together, the spirit of Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves is never stale or disposable. Rather, Autrest has taken what began two years ago and enriched it, composing an ode to self-discovery and transformation.3 My own experience with the music conjures wilderness’s last hurrah before succumbing to winter’s embrace. As days grow shorter and temperatures drop,4 I encourage you to seek refuge and draw warmth from these Burning Embers.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Very Not Late Novella

Sterveling // Sterveling [September 26th, 2025 – Self Release]

Between the world of atmospheric and post-tinged black metal, there exists a twisted form of progressive music that teeters about brooding moods and crackling tones to explore shrieking sadness and profound sorrow. Michiel van der Werff (Prospectors, Weltschmerz), primary Dutch proprietor of Sterveling, places his expressive guitar runs and lurching rhythm clangs in the company of trusted friends to carry out his tortured, baroque vision of black metal. Against the hissing design of synth maestro and Prospectors bandmate Matthias Ruijgrok, a fullness and warping warmth pervades the spacious amp textures and muscular rhythmic framework of each piece. And through the bloodied cries of Weltschmerz bandmate Hreim, a vocal lightning flashes to illuminate the nooks between pulsing synth lines and deathly bursts of full tremolo assault. In three longform pieces, all still totaling a generous forty-two minutes, Sterveling tints a monochrome narrative with vibrant shades from thoughtful tones and well-timed, emotional escalations. Committed to each careful iteration on a melody, the woven Sterveling web grows ever stickier with every passing moment, none of the ten-minute-plus excursions ever feeling even close to their declared runtimes. And with a sound construction that hits delicate yet forceful, creaking yet incising, it’s easy to wander through several journeys on this debut outing before realizing what time has passed. Fans of equally forlorn acts like Tongues or Andalvald will feel more at home here than others. But with a tonal palette that’s as inviting as it is crushing, Sterveling should attract the ears of fans across the extreme spectrum.

#2025 #agalloch #americanMetal #andavald #arjenAnthonyLucassen #assembleTheChariots #atmosphericBlackMetal #autrest #ayreon #blackMetal #bloodletter #boltThrower #brazillianMetal #burningEmbersForgottenWolves #cannibalCorpse #conan #crowbar #darkTranquillity #deathDoom #deathMetal #deathcore #deathhammer #disembowelment #doomMetal #dutchMetal #etherealDominance #fallsOfRauros #fauna #frenchMetal #galundoTenvulance #grimnis #guiltMachine #heruvim #highOnFire #independentRelease #indieRecordings #insideoutMusic #insomnisSomnia #japaneseMetal #jethroTull #jordsjuk #lupusLounge #melodicBlackMetal #melodicDeathMetal #melodicThrashMetal #mercator #mortalScepter #nagletTilLivet #northernSilenceProductions #norwegianMetal #ochreAndAsh #pestilence #piece #postBlackMetal #progressiveBlackMetal #progressiveMetal #progressiveRock #prophecyProductions #ramblersAxe #review #reviews #saor #selfRelease #selfReleased #sep25 #sinister #skeletonwitch #sludge #sludgeMetal #songsNoOneWillHear #spectralVoice #sterveling #stuckInTheFilter #stuckInTheFilter2025 #symphonicDeathcore #thisCharmingManRecords #thrashMetal #tongues #ukrainianMetal #wolvesInTheThroneRoom

Fun electronic music, but with Grit. That is the sound of emerging UK producer, Should Know Better. #music #shouldknowbetter #thebathroomman #SelfReleased

https://evl.one/the-bathroom-man-by-should-know-better

Citadel – Descension [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Kenstrosity

2025 has been a banner year for the long form in my book. With such high-ranking triumphs from Tómarúm, An Abstract Illusion, and Flummox in rotation, you’d think there wouldn’t be any time left for another. Yet, New Jersey trio1 Citadel dropped the lush and dramatic Descension upon the Earth back in late March, and it’s never left my rotation since.

Descension is the kind of album that reminds me of many, but punches with a weighty impact matched by so few. Highly reminiscent of olde Opeth in terms of structure and scale, Citadel’s songwriting attacks like Carnosus and emotes like An Abstract Illusion. As a result, these seven tracks—the shortest of which clocks in at seven-and-a-half minutes—are packed with vicious riffs, brimming with weepy melodies, and bursting with explosive energy. Thankfully, primary songwriter Ameer Aljallad had the foresight to allow each of his sprawling excursions their soft side as well. Buttery transitions from crushing riff-fests to delicate dalliances afford Descension a tangible dimensional depth and an inviting character.

Easily one of the strongest songs released this year, “Sorrow of the Thousandth Death” explores and expounds upon Citadel’s many virtues. At a mind-boggling nine minutes and change, the ravenous progressive death charge this track propels summons a spine-rending surge of momentum with an uncanny ease. Instantly memorable just for this indelible moment, it continues to impress with a fantastic assortment of riff variations and evolutions that carry the weight of the track’s runtime as I would a feather on my shoulder—almost as if it wasn’t even there. Other highlights like “Crescent Dissentient” and “Downwards Ever” accomplish the same feat, but with their own voice. The former shadows the soundscape with a blackened char and a bellowing cello refrain, mixed with an Aquilus-esque piano étude in its midsection, that exhibits Citadel’s versatility as songwriters and performers. In the latter’s case, boisterous bass plucking, multilayered tremolo sweeps, and a brassy trumpet bring in a swaggering sass to the affair; not strong enough to upend what Descension constructed up to that point but certainly enough to give it a noticeable and delightful twist.

Even without these particularly vivid highlights singled out, Descension is still a significant triumph of mood and movement. Every passing minute immerses me further into the wondrous worlds Citadel conjure along this journey. Each song ties to the last and begets the next, but owes neither its loyalty or dependence. “Under the Primrose,” for example, sets itself apart with eerie cleans against bright, airy melodies, evoking visions not unlike those penned by Lewis Carrol in his writing. Even so, its placement at the center of the runtime serves a critical role not just to its own success as the lightest offering, but also to the success of its neighbors and of the whole. Thunderous closer “As One” does the same for the second half, resolving the proggy lilt of “A Shadow in the Mist” and the tumultuous drama of “Downwards Ever” in a crushing campaign of highly melodic riffs, howling rasps, and pummeling rhythms that only make sense as the final destination for everything that came before.

Rare is the record of this style and structure that captures my undivided attention back to front, but Citadel is an unqualified success on that front. Dramatic, emotive, and energetic, Descension is easily their best work, and will be incredibly difficult to follow up. But it’s far too early to worry about that. For now, sit back and enjoy ov deep Descension!

Tracks to Check Out: “Sorrow of the Thousandth Death,” “Crescent Dissentient,”” “Downwards Ever,” “As One”

#2025 #blackenedDeathMetal #citadel #deathMetal #descension #melodicDeathMetal #progressiveDeathMetal #progressiveMetal #review #reviews #selfRelease #selfReleased #thingsYouMightHaveMissed #thingsYouMightHaveMissed2025

Burned in Effigy – Tyrannus Aeternum Review

By ClarkKent

On their debut, Rex Mortem, the king was dead, but on Burned in Effigy’s sophomore effort, Tyrannus Aeternum, the king is now eternal. Their brand of neo-classical melodeath impressed Holdeneye three years ago—he hailed the debut as a mix of “brutal and beautiful.” However, he showed a rare moment of restraint in scoring Rex Mortem just shy of the vaunted 4.0, and plenty of commenters felt it should have earned that extra notch. Melodeath acts are a dime a dozen, and they don’t always successfully elevate themselves above the generic. So when Burned in Effigy infused their songs with virtuoso-level guitar melodies that emulated classical compositions, they quickly rose above the pack. At just a tidy 32 minutes, fans wanted moar, and now they seek to deliver—moar songs, moar length—on Tyrannus Aeternum.

Be careful what you wish for—moar is not always better. While there are certainly more songs, this album of neo-classical melodeath is notably shy of the neo-classical riffs that made the debut so electric. Tyrannus Aeternum hews a little too close to Burned in Effigy’s main source of inspiration, The Black Dahlia Murder, and some tracks, like “Masquerade,” sound like they could have come straight off of Abysmal or Nighbringers. This isn’t to say there’s nothing to enjoy. The front half has good energy and concise song lengths, even if most of the songs don’t hit quite as hard as anything on the debut. Plus, the record sounds great. The dual guitar approach remains impressive—there’s still plenty of noodly stuff and some melodic riffs that will remind you of the debut. As usual, Smedy’s vocal attack provides a lot of character, as he alternates between Strnad-like rasps and throaty growls. The kit work by Eddie Dec is a particular standout. His speedy, muscular blast beats steal the show on “Sacrificial Seance” and “Monstrosity Reborn.”

One of Rex Mortem’s strengths was its conciseness, and on Tyrannus Aeternum, Burned in Effigy introduce some bloat. It’s not that 45 minutes is necessarily too long, but where songs on the debut hit the 3-4 minute sweet spot, here they often drag on too long. This gets worse on the back half, where most tracks top five minutes. This final stretch becomes wearying, except for the fantastic “The Racking.” The back half also shifts away from the energetic melodeath and more into death-doom territory. These songs still have plenty of good moments, but the lack of hooks makes some of them, frankly, boring. The final two tracks represent the worst stretch on the record. It would have been better to end on the high note of “The Racking” rather than make us wade through an extra ten minutes of forgettable tunes.

Burned in Effigy show signs of their former selves on the two standout tracks, but it takes until song number five, “Wage of Exile,” to get there. The song opens with a neo-classical melodic lead—finally!—and doesn’t let up the energy until ending on the thematically appropriate, “Long live the king!” As good as this is, it’s “The Racking” that steals the show. It sounds fresh and lively, employing a wide variety of guitar techniques—melodic leads, tremolos, and even a neo-classical bass line—as well as some classical strings to keep it sounding fresh and energetic. Tyrannus Aeternum also has a couple of one-minute interludes where Burned in Effigy are at their most experimental musically. “Procession” takes a brief break with some upbeat Spanish guitar, while “Gallows Hymn” is more whimsical and cinematic, sounding like it could find a home on the score for Wednesday. Since these interludes precede the two best tunes on Tyrannus Aeternum, one could argue they should have included more of them.

Sadly, this is probably the biggest disappointment of the year for me. There’s a part of me that wonders if I’m more down on this just because it doesn’t live up to its predecessor. Yet, if this were the debut instead, I don’t think Burned in Effigy would have garnered as much attention. Nonetheless, there’s plenty to enjoy on Tyrannus Aeternum, and plenty to show that Rex Mortem wasn’t a fluke. This feels like a band still trying to shore up its own identity, and hopefully, by the next go-around, they’ll have a better grasp on who they are and return to their exciting roots.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#25 #2025 #americanMetal #burnedInEffigy #deathMetal #melodicDeathMetal #neoClassicalMetal #oct25 #review #reviews #selfReleased #theBlackDahliaMurder #tyrannusAeternum

Shivered – Chains Review

By Lavender Larcenist

Not much is more metal than having to put your life on the line to play the music you love. For Iranians, that is an everyday reality, forced to play underground or flee their home country for fear of persecution. Metal is considered blasphemous (hell yeah) in Iran, and the most famous example of a band suffering under these draconian laws is Confess. I imagine Mohammad Maki, the one-man band that is Shivered, has to struggle with these same challenges. A concept album focused on the end of humanity through collective mass suicide probably isn’t making anyone happy who takes umbrage with metal’s dark themes and brutal nature. But that is exactly what Maki has served up with a heaping helping of gothic doom, a little bit of death, and a whole lot of atmosphere. Under such strenuous circumstances, is Shivered able to deliver a concept album worth risking life and limb with Chains, or will it be doomed (heh) to solitary confinement?

While single-member bands are somewhat common in metal, Mohammad Maki is putting on a show with Shivered. Clean vocals, deathly howls, drumming, piano, bass, production, and guitar are all delivered by Maki, and outside of a couple of featured musicians and a few blemishes with some overly ambitious high notes that he can’t quite reach with his clean range, every element feels tight and polished. Even the production is properly cavernous, serving the haunting atmosphere that is pervasive throughout Chains. No matter what your opinion of the music is, Maki is clearly a talented and driven musician.

Talent aside, Chains is firmly rooted in the school of gothic death/doom purveyed by bands like Paradise Lost, but it leans into the clean side of things, with Maki delivering a majority of the vocals in a high-pitched, ghostly drone. This is likely where listeners will either stick with Chains or drop it entirely. Maki’s voice suits the material; his heavily accented, almost lullaby-esque singing adds to the ethereal ambience of this dark concept album, but a few notes prove too difficult, and at times his voice feels at its breaking point, like on “Human Parasite”. Despite these flawed moments, I found something alluring about Maki’s singing, and his odd pronunciation and unique sound grew on me with repeated listens, making even simple phrases into earworms in ways I didn’t expect entirely due to their delivery.

Chains does suffer from repetition, and while I like what Shivered is putting down, each track follows a similar formula. Grand doom riffs open the track and lead into melodic piano backings with spectral vocals. I kept wishing for Chains to let loose and put the foot on the gas, which it finally does towards the end of the album, which is the strongest part of the record. “Rebirth in Wrath” ends with an all-out death metal assault, and I wish Maki would lean into the harsh vocals more. “Hanging Bloom” features female vocalist Julie Orwell, and it turns the track into an epic duet between Maki and Orwell. I hope to see Orwell return, or even better, become a consistent member of Shivered. Maki and Orwell make for a great team between their different vocal styles, and he leans into the funeral doom with his rasping, harsh vocals on the track. Outside of a few tracks in the back half of the album, Chains doesn’t ever quite open up, but the album is consistent and satisfying across its fifty-two-minute runtime. It would be served by cutting five minutes from the album here and there, but no individual song is a weak point.

Chains is an album that immediately hooked me when I booted it up, but as it continued, it grew more formulaic. Surprisingly, the more I listened, the more I grew to enjoy what Maki was going for with this dour concept album. It may have grown predictable, but in the vein of many great metal bands, the one song that Shivered does; it does well. Chains is full of big riffs, some light Paradise Lost and Katatonia worship, and a heaping helping of atmosphere. The singular talent of Mohammad Maki grounds all of this. If you are on the hunt for some satisfying death/doom with a focus on melody, you can do much worse than Chains. Shivered is on the cusp of true greatness, and with a little bit of editing, the next album may break free.

Rating: Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: shivered.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/shivered
Releases Worldwide: November 2nd, 2025

#2025 #35 #Chains #DoomMetal #GothicDoom #IranianMetal #Katatonia #MelodicDeathDoom #Nov25 #ParadiseLost #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Shivered

A beautiful, self-released, jazz-funk offering from Porto collective Fatspoon, featuring some really impressive musicianship throughout, offering a superb taste of the emerging Portuguese scene. #music #fatspoon #penseisersensei #album #SelfReleased

https://evl.one/pensei-ser-sensei-by-fatspoon

LUNA MARBLE – Luna Marble
https://eternal-terror.com/?p=72741

RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/LunaMarble

Manchester’s very own Luna Marble are set to release this self-titled opus of theirs in early November, and I might as well start out by saying that it is a proper gem that weaves the best parts of Led Zeppelin, the Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix, early Fleetwood Mac, Rival Sons, and Pink Floyd at their catchiest together to stunning effect. […]

#blues #bluesRock #classicRock #hardRock #heavyMetal #lunaMarble #manchester #PsychedelicRock #selfReleased #stampedePress

Start Like This / Thalassophobia by Jambal are the first two singles from Luxembourg jazz quartet Jambal's forthcoming LP Men of Average Nature with rapper Kenai Shogun. #music #jambal #startlikethis #thalassophobia #kenaishogun #SelfReleased

https://evl.one/start-like-this-thalassophobia-by-jambal

Dawnwalker – The Between Review

By Twelve

Some bands are simply brimming with ideas. It feels like it was just last year I last reviewed the UK’s Dawnwalker—because it was just last year, and Mark Norgate apparently has a lot on his mind. It’s been fewer than five years since I first reviewed Dawnwalker, and this is my fourth time penning their reviews. The albums, however, could not be more different. From Ages to The Unknowing, Dawnwalker have tread genres, influences, styles, and ideas. Musicians have come and gone and come back again. But Norgate’s vision is the constant, alongside a healthy respect for progressive metal—and boundary-pushing. The Between is their seventh full-length since 2012 and represents their most ambitious undertaking yet: a thirty-two-minute, single-song album.

The Between follows the progression of Dawnwalker’s sound through House of Sand and The Unknowing, with elements of progressive, post, and folk metal, and influence from New Age. It meditates on the processes of death and dying, taking inspiration from Eastern philosophies. In this theme, it opens slowly and quietly: “Listen carefully,” we are told; “There is nothing to fear.” As The Between progresses, the protagonist walks a long road, and Dawnwalker follows, with everything from ethereal choral work (Sofia Sourianou), quiet introspective guitars (Matteo Bianciotto), and Norgate’s soulful singing to the blackened death frenzy in part four.1 Oli Genn-Bash’s saxophone is an unexpected hero, creating quiet, warm, and otherworldly ambience in part two. For the heavier moments, the return of Dane Cross as a harsh vocalist is welcome throughout. Standout moments include Norgate and Sourianou’s call-and-repeat singing in part eleven, the duet between Norgate and Cross in part three, and Alexander Brown’s terrific guitar solo that closes out part thirteen.

There’s a lot of ground to cover over the course of the thirty-two minutes, but The Between is filled with natural transitions and logical direction. Certainly, there are single-song albums that feel like they could have track breaks,2 but the progressive nature of Dawnwalker’s music is strong enough that this only really happens once, in part nine. The ebb and flow is impressive; part seven is a grinding march, where growling and screaming duel off, guitars chugging away, and builds in intensity. Part eight then dials back on the metal significantly, letting Norgate’s vocal melodies carry the day. The New Age influence is growing stronger, and there’s a lovely callback to The Unknowing3. This in turn, is a great transition into part nine, filled with dreamy ambience before the song picks up again. This helps The Between to feel like it actually is one song, or, at most, a single song in two parts.

Although The Between succeeds at feeling like a single song, it doesn’t quite reach the level of feeling like a complete album—though it comes very close. There are enough cool ideas, themes, and motifs throughout to fill out an album, but the way they’re cut and fit together means some don’t get to breathe the way they might have otherwise. The closest thing “The Between” has to a chorus, for example, is in part three, a gorgeous earworm of a passage that repeats once and never shows its face again. In part fourteen, the narrator begins to fade from us. Thematically, it’s a natural way to close things out, but it’s also drawn out in a way that only really works before there’s been so much build-up. As a result, “The Between” feels like it might have been a twenty-eight-minute song padded out to complete its identity as an album. This is ultimately not a big deal—thirty-two minutes is very succinct for a metal album—but it does take away a little bit of impact.

Writing a half-hour song in any context is a mighty undertaking, and it’s impressive how well Norgate and Dawnwalker pull it off on The Between. The music feels organic, the themes are relevant, and the execution is very good. This is one of those albums that rewards repeat listens and draws you in more than you realize at first glance. Dawnwalker is having an impressive run of late, and The Between confidently continues their trajectory.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Independent Release
Websites: dawnwalker.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/dawnwalkeruk
Releases Worldwide: October 24th, 2025

#2025 #35 #BritishMetal #Dawnwalker #DoomMetal #NewAge #Oct25 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #TheBetween

Novine drops the two self-released singles, Shot Me Down and Therapy, showcasing her unique sound. #music #novine #ShotMeDown #therapy #SelfReleased

https://evl.one/shot-me-down-therapy-by-novine

Harpyr – Trist Review

By GardensTale

It took me a long time to get into black metal, possibly the longest out of all the major metal subgenres. This wasn’t because I kept trying and failing, but because my first forays into the frostbitten were all about that treble, ’bout that treble, no bass kind of production. The kind that sounds like a marble clattering around a vacuum cleaner down in your sketchy uncle’s basement, while your aunt is still upstairs and screeching in hysterics. And it’s all recorded into one of these. I didn’t know that this wasn’t ubiquitous in black metal, that it was widespread primarily in the 90’s, but plenty of bands have since embraced the trinity of evil, kvlt and hi-fidelity recording equipment. I just assumed that if this is what black metal sounded like, then black metal was not for me. Thankfully, I have since learned the error of my ways and was thus happy and even enthusiastic to review newcomers Harpyr.

Of course, just because a lot of black metal bands don’t sound like second wave ‘too cool for production value’ bands anymore, doesn’t mean none of them do. “Am Ende der Zeit” starts off innocuous enough with warm plucked strings, but as soon as the distorted tremolo and phlegmy scream burst forth like Jack from its box, we are shunted onto the tin-can ice of 1992 Norway. Harpyr attempt a kind of merger between the cold notes of Immortal with the emotional impact of post-black like Harakiri for the Sky, and the combo is not without its merits. “Vanitas” is an early success as the wailing rasp gets underpinned by shimmering tremolos that convey a loneliness and desperation that really works. “Was wird bleiben…?” is where this combination of classic and modern black metal peaks, a stream of consciousness that is dynamic and gripping with its forlorn melancholy.

But just as often, Trist gets mired in predictability, often when the post part of the equation takes a back seat. “Unendliches Nichts” builds riffs, leads and vocal cadence out of the same semi-triplet pattern, and it gets run into the ground by the time the track’s only halfway done. The frequent tempo shifts of “Armageddon” make it a more dynamic affair, but the black-thrash adjacent leads retain the stodgy adherence to four-part repetitions without the flair or variation that makes you forget the stodgy adherence to four-part repetitions. These are structural flaws even found in the better tracks, and it makes the compositions feel safe, even meek at times, when sheer energy or emotional pull can not make up for it.

Which brings me back to the recording quality. I know that productions like this tend to be an aesthetic choice in this day and age, where advances in technology have made half-decent productions cost-effective for artists of any size and financial means.1 It’s just not a choice I particularly agree with. You can truly do icy and cold-sounding production without resorting to this kind of shitty lo-fi sound, and the contrarian option affects everything Harpyr is attempting negatively. The drums are the worst; the snare sounds like somebody is hitting a bucket with a flat hand.2 It sucks the emotional depth that could be had from the noisy, fuzzy rhythm guitars and thin leads, and creates a distance and a barrier between me and the music.

Trist is a frustrating album. Everything is present to build an enticing bridge between second wave and post-black, but a small shortage of derring-do in the songwriting and the thin and treble-laden production hold it back from becoming more than the sum of its parts. It is impressive as a debut, and shows promise that Harpyr may yet push themselves to greater heights. But as it stands, I would only recommend Trist to the most staunch adherents of voicemail tape recording in the back lot of a Spar.

Rating: 2.0/5.03
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: harpyrofficial.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/people/Harpyr/61565535621816
Releases Worldwide: October 10th, 2025

#20 #2025 #BlackMetal #GermanMetal #HarakiriForTheSky #Harpyr #Immortal #Oct25 #PostBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Trist

GOATMILKER – Goatmilker
https://eternal-terror.com/?p=73578

RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://goatmilker.bandcamp.com/album/goatmilker

From the wonderful albeit rain-soaked city of Bergen comes a strangely invigorating and energetic outfit named Goatmilker, and if for some reason their charming moniker is not enough to convince you that these chaps are fucking cool then their songs undoubtedly will.

Somewhere between raw and catchy stoner rock and […]

#bergen #goatmilker #hardRock #heavyMetal #progMetal #progRock #selfReleased #TechnicalThrashMetal #thrashMetal

-ii- – Apostles of the Flesh Review

By Spicie Forrest

Before you ask, it’s pronounced “two eyes.” -ii- formed in Nancy, France in 2018. Since then, they’ve released a handful of EPs and singles, as well as a debut LP, Extinction, in 2021. Historically a duo—composer/multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Racine and singer Hélène Ruzic—the band brought on multi-instrumentalist Maxime Keller and drummer/percussionist David l’Huillier for their sophomore effort, Apostles of the Flesh.1 As a sucker for anything vaguely sacrilegious, that album title is what caught my interest, and I’m glad it did. Apostles of the Flesh is an intimate and visceral experience, and it’s one you shouldn’t miss.

-ii- is not a metal band. They play what they seem to call “ghost wave,” which sits somewhere between post-rock, goth, darkwave, trip-hop, and industrial, at times recalling HEALTH or Nine Inch Nails. If this sounds fairly electronics-heavy, it is. But on Apostles of the Flesh, -ii- eschews the drum machines and some other electronics of their debut in favor of live instrumentation, and it’s a resounding success. With l’Huillier’s lively drumming and Racine’s unique instruments,2 Apostles of the Flesh feels alive. This organic improvement over Extinction would be nothing to write home about, however, without the impressive songcraft Racine showcases here. Whether it’s a distorted, electronic bridge amidst tribal yet airy instrumentals (“Lotis”), impactful usage of audio effects (“Pearls Beneath the Embers,” “Virginia’s Mirror”), or shimmering synths draped over wistful strings (“The Fountain of Helicon”), everything fits together and flows effortlessly. Of particular note is “When Beauty is a Crime,” where -ii- mirrors its lyrical violence with a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere that refuses to let the listener move on. Apostles of the Flesh is intentional. It’s meticulously crafted. And metal or not, -ii- undoubtedly possesses the Metal Spirit™.

Two elements in particular drive this album’s high caliber: Ruzic’s vocals and l’Huillier’s drums. By turns conflicted (“The Birth of Venus”), seductive (“Sisyphus in Red”), defiant (“Where the Diamonds are Hurled”), and spiteful (“Under the Skin”), Ruzic guides the listener through an examination of the body and its inextricable link to the spirit. Lyrically, she’s transgressive like Ethel Cain or GGGOLDDD, but less direct. Her delivery hies closer to Chelsea Wolfe or Darkher, although -ii- fosters a greater sense of rhythmic urgency. This is largely accomplished by l’Huillier’s standout performance, both carnal and tribal. Hammering at his kit with artful brutality, l’Huillier drives ritualistic numbers (“Sisters of the Coven,” “Digging for Blood”), stricken passages (“Under the Skin,” “When Beauty is a Crime”), and enraptured crescendos (“The Birth of Venus”) with the same skilled hand. The spiraling climax of “The Fountain of Helicon” is a high point, as l’Huillier recklessly hurtles the listener toward the fabled spring. L’Huillier brings an intensity to Apostles of the Flesh that, combined with Ruzic’s provocative and emotive singing, cements this album not just as a collection of good songs, but as an intense, ritualistic experience.

Not only is Racine responsible for the musical arrangements, but he also handles much of the production. The mix is big and spacious, and each instrument gets plenty of room to flourish. Even in the most chaotic moments of Apostles of the Flesh, when drums, vocals, strings, or synths rise to a fever pitch, each element is clear and vibrant (“The Birth of Venus,” “Lotis,” “The Fountain of Helicon”). His use of the soundstage is equally impressive, and because of this, Apostles of the Flesh excels in a pair of headphones over a speaker system. Quivering strings and ethereal synths dynamically float through the space, creating a lost, forlorn sensation on “When Beauty is a Crime” and “Virginia’s Mirror.” Ruzic sounds so close and so private amid the waves and rainfall of spoken word piece “L’Onde et l’Abysse,” it’s as if she speaks to the listener alone.

Apostles of the Flesh is not an album to play in the background, and it’s not for everyone. It demands both your attention and an emotional investment to shine, but shine it does. Some might balk at a 65-minute runtime or note that several songs go on long after Ruzic is done singing. I consider it a testament to Racine’s compositional prowess that these longer outros feel valuable and that the album holds my attention front to back. Apostles of the Flesh is passionate, vulnerable, and cathartic. For those willing to commit, -ii- offers an intense, surreal journey you won’t soon forget.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube
Releases Worldwide: October 3rd, 2025

#2025 #40 #ApostlesOfTheFlesh #ChelseaWolfe #Darkher #Darkwave #Electronica #EthelCain #FrenchMusic #GGGOLDDD #Goth #HEALTH #II #Industrial #NineInchNails #Noise #Oct25 #PostRock #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Shoegaze #Synthwave #TripHop

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

ASIRA – As Ink in Water
https://eternal-terror.com/?p=73402

RELEASE YEAR: 2025BAND URL: https://asira.bandcamp.com/

What we have here is a highly interesting and uniquely crafted release that displays passion and ambition in equal measure. Somewhere between post-black metal, modern progressive rock, and experimental shoegaze lies this epic and emotionally intense opus titled As Ink in Water by the Reading-based outfit intriguingly named […]

#ambientMusic #asInkInWater #asira #atmosphericBlackMetal #blackMetal #heavyMetal #melodicBlackMetal #postBlackMetal #progMetal #progRock #selfReleased #Shoegaze #stampedePress

Regina – Liminal Space Review

By ClarkKent

At the end of each year, Angry Metal Guy likes to boast of the diverse coalition of readers who flock to these halls from all over the world, including the lone visitor from Vatican City. Just as important as the diverse readership is the diversity in the bands we review. So when Dolphin Whisperer excitedly brought to our attention a promo that would, if reviewed, be our first Uruguayan metal tag, I decided to take up the mantle as explorer to this uncharted frontier. Liminal Space is the debut album from Uruguayan alt-metal act Regina. The quartet first released an EP, Apology, back in 2019, but COVID paused work on any further material until 2024, when they started recording Liminal Space. Of course, music often transcends national boundaries. For one, musical influences are global in reach. For another, as in this case, the making of an album itself can escape borders. While Regina did their recording in Uruguay, the mixing and mastering followed drummer Nicolás Martín as he moved to Canada. That said, let’s see what Uruguay has to bring to the table.

One look at their Bandcamp page reveals that Regina dabbles in a variety of styles, but the nu-metal tag might stick out as a turnoff for many readers. While there are a few brief spoken/rapped sections, concerned readers can rest assured that Liminal Space leans stoner and grunge above anything else. They don’t play the blasting, riff-tastic stoner of High on Fire or Sergeant Thunderhoof, but a hazy, atmospheric version that relies on reverb and ample bass grooves. It’s almost a tale of two halves, with the front half leaning stoner and the back half grunge. Early on the songs have a much more freestyle form to them, such as the dreamy, sometimes psychedelic “S.M.E.G.M.A..” It’s not until “Age of Aquarius” that they really attempt any sort of riffs. The later grunge-y stuff like “Would You Like Some Fries With That?” and “Rot” have a more punky vibe with clearer traditional song structure. Closer “Rot” is a particular standout, sounding like a crossover between Nirvana and Tragic Kingdom-era No Doubt.

A charismatic lead is a must when going the alt route, and Regina has one in Sofia May. She fluctuates her voice seamlessly from chill to punk, bringing a poetic, stylistic interpretation of the lyrics. When she reaches higher notes she sounds an awful lot like Gwen Stefani and might have you on the lookout for spiderwebs (“Of Dicks and Whores,” “Dethroned,” “Whiteout”). On closer “Rot,” she channels not only the Hollaback Girl but also a mumbling Kurt Cobain—and I don’t mean that in a negative way. While her voice tends towards the gritty, she also softly chants and croons in a dreamy manner that reminded me of another band I reviewed earlier this year, the psychedelic doom outfit When the Deadbolt Breaks (“Hollow Crown,” “Sweet Embrace”). The diversity of May’s vocal delivery is a major asset on Liminal Space.

While Liminal Space is a very pleasant listen in the moment, the lack of hooky or melodic guitar riffs means that many of the tracks don’t quite stick. Regina relies almost too heavily on reverb, to the point that songs can be difficult to grasp, even as you might enjoy the detours the musicians take. The bassist does make up for this to an extent, often serving as the lead with a deft groove attack. Bassist Agustín Sogliano makes a particularly strong impression in the final minutes of “Rot” with some gnarly riffs. Fortunately, Liminal Shroud boasts clear production values that ensure no one instrument drowns out another. While the middle portion of the 48 minute album sags a bit, the surrounding music is enjoyable enough to recommend at least a few listens.

With the spunky Regina as its AMG representative, Uruguay is off to a good start. True, it might be a little uneven, but I also found their diversity to be a strength. From atmospheric psychedelic stoner to more punky grunge, Liminal Space has something for fans of either genre. And Sofia May proves to be a strong front woman. She helps carry the minimalist, piano-driven “Open Cage,” proving that Regina can make almost anything work as long as she’s leading the charge. This holds promise for future outings where more songwriting experience should lead to more cohesive, stronger compositions. Now that Uruguay has a band reviewed on AMG, I’m eagerly awaiting Vatican City to send in their promo.1

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: ALAC
Label: Self-Released
Website: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 12th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AltMetal #Grunge #GwenStefani #HighOnFire #LiminalSpace #Nirvana #NoDoubt #PsychedelicRock #Regina #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Sep25 #SergeantThunderhoof #StonerRock #UruguayanMetal

Stuck in the Filter: June 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

Sweat pours out of our pores. Heat blisters metal and scorches dirt. Power bills rise relentlessly, without mercy. These are the signs of summer in the brutal ductwork that is our hallowed Filter. But we continue onward in search of those metallic scraps that provide such unbridled joy to our masses. The only variable: who of my trusted team will survive this season, and who will perish in the service of this sacred duty?

We won’t know the answer until this article gets published. And when it is, the statistics will be fabricated and obfuscated accordingly. So ignore the death toll and instead peep the haul!

Kenstrosity’s Meanest Meanies

Shadow of Intent // Imperium Delirium [June 12th, 2025 – Self-Release]

For over a decade, Connecticut/Rhode Island melodic deathcore independents Shadow of Intent challenged the standards of the genre by offering album after album of ripping tracks filled with drama, clever songwriting, and demolishing vocal talent. In their catalog, Elegy was the one record of theirs that didn’t stick with me. However, Imperium Delirium rapidly righted the ship with 55 minutes of opulent, evil, and crushing melodic destruction. Raging through its first half without a single misstep, Imperium Delirium is a focused effort chock full of devastating heft, buttery smooth songwriting, and a favorable riffs-to-breakdowns ratio. The back half focuses on drama and orchestration just a touch more, but songs like “Feeding the Meatgrinder,” “Vehement Draconian Vengeance,” and “No Matter the Cost” still bring the violence required to annihilate entire planets. Championing this unending assault of killer tunes, Ben Duerr’s vocal performance is intimidating to say the least, easily reinforcing his rightful place as one of the very best extreme vocalists in the scene today. Of course, the record is still too long by about 10 minutes, and a fair amount of that bloat comes from the slightly overblown self-titled closer. Additionally, while I appreciate the reverent nod to the instrumental talent on “Apocalypse Canvas,” I don’t believe it adds enough to the story of this record. Nonetheless, Imperium Delirium might be one of my favorite Shadows of Intent, and I look forward to where it leads me next.

ClarkKent’s Literary Listen

Nightbearer // Defiance [June 13, 2025 – Testimony Records]

Anyone looking for a mashup of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy and Gothenburg melodeath, look no further than the latest album from Germany’s Nightbearer. Defiance marks album number three in the band’s repertoire, and a continuation of their worship of fantasy epics.1 Right off the bat, the catchy harmonic guitar lead of “His Dark Materials” summons Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates. The guitar work by Dominik Hellmuth and Tristan Schubert is fantastic throughout–their creative melodies bring to mind lively outfits like Brymir. Michael Torka’s beastly growls and Manuel Lüke’s thunderous drumming add some brutality and weight to the harmonious riffs. A few songs even go full brutal death metal (“One Church Over All”, “Dying Knows No Bounds”). Perhaps the standout track comes from the 9-minute epic, “Ascension.” It starts with an eerie synth intro before breaking out into some of the best riffs on Defiance. Then, just as things settle down, the song builds back up and explodes into something straight from Blackwater Park-era Opeth. Overall, this is an impressive collection of songs that’s sure to scratch that HM-2 itch.

Tyme’s Juxtaposed Jotting

Lipoma // No Cure for the Sick [June 13th, 2025 – Gurgling Gore]

Melodic gore-grind. Yeah, it’s a thing. And California-based Lipoma’s new album, No Cure for the Sick, proves it’s a pretty fucking cool thing at that—the brainchild of one Max Pierce (aka Dr. Lipoma).2 Since going live in 2021, Lipoma has been insanely active, releasing a slew of splits and EPs along with two full-length albums: 2022’s Horrors of Pathology and 2023’s Odes to Suffering. And while Lipoma has steadily worked to make comparisons with fellow purveyors like Carcass, Lymphatic Phlegm, and Pharmacist less relevant, No Cure for the Sick moves things to a different ballpark, one full of Gothenburgian melodicism (“Cult of the Firehealers,” “Glory to the Blade”), post-metallic pop-punk optimism (“Cardiac Scars Forever,” “Psalms of Psoriasis”), indecipherable gurgles, and organ, which is what sets Lipoma’s No Cure for the Sick apart not only from previous efforts, but the pack in general. From the circus-like atmosphere shrouding opener “The Sea Surgeon,” Pierce’s use of organ permeates much of No Cure for the Sick’s forty minutes, buoying the melodic heaviness and excellent solo work with jig-like danceability (“Remedies of Pagan Medicine,” “Last Anatomy of Johan Ziegler,” “No Cure for the Sick”). Pierce’s melodically charged instrumentation, when juxtaposed against his gore-ground gurglings—a combo that works in a way it has no right to—sees Lipoma doing something I find wholly unique, a rarity in today’s digital age. I have had a ton of fun with No Cure for the Sick, and if you’ve not checked it out yet, do so post haste.

Iceberg’s Frosty Forget-Me-Nots

Puppe Magnetik // Laudans Deum [June 6th, 2025 – The Circle Music]

Laudans Deum is not for the faint of heart, if that album cover didn’t quite convince you. The debut compilation of Puppe Magnetik, the record dives deep into the recesses of the human psyche. Aina Virtanen weaponizes industrial metal, ambient, and drone, wrapped up in the stylings of the Weimar Republic. An accomplished classically-trained musician, Virtanen uses her clean vocals sparingly (“Who Will Sing This Sorrow,” “Labyrinth”) but to great effect, reminiscent of Diablo Swing Orchestra. But the accessibility stops there; Laudans Deum’s thirteen tracks are comprised of ambient meditations (“Moritat”), ear-splitting electronic barrages (“Suspendium, Rosarium et Crucifixu”), and mood music fit for a throwback horror movie (“The Pregnant Nun,” “Patient AV”). But within the graveyard are scattered moments of respite; the gorgeously rendered classical guitar of “Timeless Serenade” and the haunting vocals of “Laments From The Desert.” While the album is unforgivingly through-composed, making for an exceptionally difficult first listen, there’s something darkly endearing about it. I’m reminded of Sergei Prokofiev, the Russian composer whose music was often described as both grotesque and starkly beautiful. Puppe Magnetik have produced a challenging record, but it’s worth a listen for those who enjoy avant-garde music and the stranger, more terrifying corners of the aural arts.

All Men Unto Me // Requiem [June 27th, 2025 – The Larvarium]

A little more metal, but a lot more challenging, All Men Unto Me’s Requiem brings to bear the full weight of spiritual suffering. Requiem is a direct interpretation of the Latin Mass for the Dead, it’s eight tracks playing all the hits. Fuzzed out, half-time doom takes a supporting role in a record that heavily features pipe organ, acoustic guitar, and string leads. Rylan Greaves takes a unique approach here, subverting the natural tension and release of the rite by injecting clanging noise into passages normally reverent. Their vocal performance is the unrepentant star of the show, at times crystalline (“Introit”) at others sobbing (“Kyrie”) straining (“Agnus Dei”) and howling (“Sequentia”). The album takes its time to sink its claws into you, with long track lengths and extended droning chords requiring patience. But pay close attention to Greaves’ lyrics and you can’t help but be pulled into the raw, emotional drama of Requiem. The rising, ethereal sunset of “In Paradisum,” the falsetto whisper speaking “God knows what I’d be without you” against an impossibly high, ever so slightly off-key bell-tone. One’s left wondering the true meaning of that line as the track ends, and the dead remain silent. A powerful statement indeed.

Killjoy’s Fabulous Find

Fabula Rasa // Tome II: The Beyond [June 13th, 2025 – Self-Release]

The words “fabulous” and “fable” are interconnected, both derived from the Latin word “fabulosus.” And since folk music and power metal draw heavily from fables and myths, the portmanteau Fabula Rasa is a fitting name for a group that blends both genres. Following the lead of forebears Elvenking and early Mägo de Oz, this spirited crew from Düsseldorf, Germany, infuses what would otherwise be standard—but good!—heavy/power metal with lots of violin. The violin and guitar trade off playing the lead melodies, though the former tends to have greater emphasis. But fret not, shred-heads, for the guitar solos are also exemplary in the more power metal-leaning songs, like “Dragon Rising” and “Vengeance Is Mine.” The violin often carves its own folksy space, the cheery, zippy fiddling akin to Dalriada (“At Full Moon,” “Anthem of the North”). Most songs are energetic, but “Burning Innocence” is a pleasant surprise midway through the record, with hand drums and the other band members’ vocal contributions creating an intimate group setting. Don’t miss this charismatic performance from these fabulous musicians.

Maddog’s Sludgy Selection

Dimscûa // Dust Eater [June 3rd, 2025 – Self-Release]

While sludge is a dime a dozen, few bands scratch the same itch as Amenra’s best work. The UK’s Dimscûa aims to correct this oversight. Dust Eater opens with “Elder Bairn,” whose rhythmic riffs evoke the meditative power of LLNN. After this appetizer, the album’s interplay between brawn and heart rivals Amenra. While Dimscûa’s muscular riffs drive the album forward (“Existence/Futility”), Dust Eater stands out through its hypnotic melodies. The heartache in these melodies is palpable, magnified by tortured vocals that recall Julie Christmas. Because of this ebb and flow, the album never feels bloated despite its eight-minute average track length. For instance, “Existence/Futility” abandons and then suddenly resurrects its driving main riff, adding unexpected variety and lodging into my memory. Dust Eater’s climaxes sometimes fall short, like the fizzle-out ending of “The Dusteater.” But despite its imperfections, Dimscûa’s debut is a powerful outing in a neglected style.3

Dear Hollaback’s Ain’t No B-A-N-A-N-A-S

Various Artists // KPop Demon Hunters [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [June 20th, 2025 – Republic Records]4

Okay, look. Look. K-Pop is not metal, I get that. But the gang over at Sony concocted what just recently earned the title of Netflix’s most watched movie of all time, and holy shit, what a soundtrack.. I’d like to use the classic “my daughter made me do it” schtick but she only likes “Takedown.”5 KPop Demon Hunters creates insanely catchy pop music that’s also focused and intentional, a commentary on the rigid and flagellant nature of K-Pop alongside feel-good messages of self-acceptance and healing (“Golden,” “What It Sounds Like”). The focal girl group HUNTR/X does most of the heavy lifting, also tossing in enough pop culture-inclined battle hymns to make the republic jealous (“How It’s Done,” “Takedown”). Their on-screen rivals Saja Boys offer entendre-layered sugary pop (the infamous “Soda Pop”) and sinister Gregorian-influenced choruses (“Your Idol”). Beyond the novelty is intentionality: clever chord progressions that feel continually transcendent rather than stagnantly by-the-numbers (“What It Sounds Like”), diminuendos of authenticity among bombasts of a glossy sheen (“Golden”), touches of dissonance paired with unsettling slant rhymes (“Your Idol”), and rhythmic complexity building to ethereal climaxes of soaring belts (“Free”). While yes, I’m telling you to give it a spin, I am also giving excuses for why my review count dropped to critical this summer. Fuck off, I’m gonna be, gonna be golden.

#2025 #AllMenUntoMe #Ambient #AmericanMetal #AtTheGates #AvantGarde #Brymir #Carcass #Dalriada #DarkTranquility #Deathcore #Defiance #DiabloSwingOrchestra #Dimscûa #Drone #DustEater #Elvenking #FabulaRasa #FinnishMetal #FolkMetal #GermanMetal #GurglingGore #HeavyMetal #HUNTRX #ImperiumDelirium #IndustrialMetal #Jun25 #KPop #KPopDemonHunters #LaudansDeum #Lipoma #LymphaticPhlegm #MägoDeOz #MelodicDeathMetal #MelodicDeathcore #Nightbearer #NoCureForTheSick #Opeth #Pharmacist #PowerMetal #PuppeMagnetik #RepublicRecords #Requiem #Review #Reviews #SajaBoys #SelfRelease #SelfReleased #ShadowOfIntent #StuckInTheFilter #TestimonyRecords #TheCircleMusic #TheLarvarium #TomeIITheBeyond #UKMetal #VariousArtists

Farseer – Portals To Cosmic Womb Review

By Tyme

Growing up together in the Chicago suburb of Cary, Farseer’s Brendan McCarthy (guitars/vocals), Ted Ballantine (guitar), George Burrows (bass), and Kyle Curtis (drums) have been playing music together since the 8th grade. It wasn’t until they returned to the Chicago area after college, the four intent on applying their years of collaboration to a single, focused project, that Farseer formed in 2016. Their 2019 self-titled debut constituted forty-six minutes of progressively psychedelic stoner sludge, setting a solid foundation for Farseer to build from. Now six years on, stalwart line-up intact, Farseer prepare to release their second record, Portals To Cosmic Womb. With some very Burke-ish cover art courtesy of Ryan T. Hancock, a matured, less stoner logo, and a FFO rap sheet including Mastodon, Opeth, and Elder, I sensed Farseer had ascended to a higher level of seriousness, and I was excited to hear what Portals To Cosmic Womb would birth.

Culling most of the psychedelic and stoner-rock elements, Farseer’s sound has evolved, now rooted in deathly progressive sludge and post-metallic atmospheres. Notably absent from Portals to Cosmic Womb are the meandering instrumental tracks that dominated Farseer, along with McCarthy’s occasional flirtation with clean vocals. Here, he sticks solely to his powerfully effective growls, which sound like a slightly raspier Mikael Åkerfeldt. McCarthy’s and Ballantine’s guitar heroics either ebb with crushing, Mastodonically substantial riffs (“The Supreme Note of Suffering”) or flow in rivulets of delicately strummed chords and gently plucked leads that build, Wayfarer-like (“The Abomination Renders the Poor Man Speechless”) to crescendo. Creeping below these intricate melodies, captured beautifully by Brad Boatright’s master, are Burrows’ weighty, winding bass lines and Curtis’ thunderous drums, which pound forth when riffs command, and retreat as atmospheres demand. Farseer guides us through the cosmic bog, a place lyrically steeped in pools of altered reality that bubble with existential dread, populated by the anxiety-inducing absurdities of societal modernity lurking within the Cthulhuian shadows.

Portals to Cosmic Womb is dripping with highlights. Like “Endless Waves of Obliteration,” which, true to its namesake, undulates between massively heavy riffs intertwined with cavernously snarling vocals, a passage of driving, Gojira-like chugs, then on to a bass- and drum-heavy interlude laced with delicate, Eastern-tinged leads. Its chorus is still living rent-free in my head. Then there’s my personal favorite, “Gentleman’s Bookshelf,”1 that begins with pulsating drums and propelling riffs sluiced by a deluge of glistening, post-metal tremolos before going full-on Leviathan mode for McCarthy’s verse work. Then, the track plunges into an interlude fat with intricate drum fills, noodling bass lines, and subtly mournful leads, before building back in intensity to finish with Mastodon-like majesty. Having spent time with their debut, this Farseer seems well-matured, and their ability to write meaningful yet memorable songs has improved markedly, casting Portals to Cosmic Womb as a dark mistress, whose mysteries continue to unravel with subsequent spins.

As if constructed from a blueprint of Opethic design, Farseer crafted Portals to Cosmic Womb with a near effortless flow. It’s six songs, spanning a very manageable forty minutes, find Farseer merging the best parts of those meandering instrumentals into rock-solid compositions that, like spring and neap tides, rise and fall with dramatic intensity. There is one ripple in the water, though, and that’s the album closer “The Daneri House.” While there’s nothing inherently wrong with the track, I rather enjoyed the last sixty seconds’ flanger modulation on the guitars, which gave the ending a spacy, almost Pink Floydian texture. It is the album’s most progressive song, with its growling vocal first beginning and complex time signatures that, as the final track took me out of the experience Farseer had provided and would have been better placed after “Gentleman’s Bookshelf,” leaving “The Abomination Renders the Poor Man Speechless” to bring the album to a resounding close.

Farseer basting in their creative juices over the past six years has resulted in a vastly improved product, as Portals to Cosmic Womb shatters any notions of a sophomore slump. Should Farseer continue along the path they’ve set here, I anticipate a record deal soon. With Portals to Cosmic Womb, Farseer now enters the pantheon of great Chicago artists as a genuine contender, and one you should definitely take note of. And while September looks to be shaping up as one of the better release months this year, Farseer will undoubtedly stand as one of the brighter spots in not only August, but 2025 for sure.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: ALAC
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 22nd, 2025

#2025 #35 #AmericanMetal #Aug25 #DeathMetal #Farseer #Gojira #Mastodon #Opeth #PortalsToCosmicWomb #ProgressiveMetal #Reviews #SelfReleased #SludgeMetal #Wayfarer

Oskoreien – Hollow Fangs Review

By Owlswald

Atmosphere is a hallmark of great black metal, but for California’s Oskoreien it’s only half the story. Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jay Valena’s long-running black metal project serves as an auditory exploration of complex theoretical themes. 2010’s self-titled debut—an earlier EP version AMG Himself lauded—channeled the atmospheric and acoustic black textures of Ulver and Agalloch into a deep contemplation of a nihilistic existence. Six years later, concept album All Too Human found Valena honing his craft, elevating Oskoreien’s sound into a masterful post-black narrative. It unraveled the fallacy of free will through the chilling story of Charles Whitman.1 This bold, forward-thinking approach garnered significant acclaim and firmly positioned Oskoreien on the map. Valena now returns with Oskoreien’s third album, Hollow Fangs, another heavy dose of atmospheric, cerebral black metal after nine long years of silence. And this time, it’s plunging its teeth into the destructive currents of human consciousness and the accompanying anguish of finding meaning within a chaotic, deceptive world.

Hollow Fangs finds Oskoreien refining its sound into a powerful black metal fusion. Strengthened by the addition of guitarist Rashid Nadjib (Wovoka) and bassist Matthew Durkee,2 the trio skillfully marries the visceral force of groups like Spectral Wound with expansive post-black melodies, creating engaging black metal that feels both familiar and distinctly their own. Torrents of wild, tremolo-picked guitars interlock with vigorous blast beats, powering Hollow Fangs’ incisive bite. While recognizable black foundations provide a consistent anchor, Oskoreien employs unexpected deviations to forge rich, dynamic textures that guide the listener through distinct emotional arcs. Attention-grabbing riffs, including head-bobbing melodeath grooves (“Bernalillo Sunrise”), intricate thrash patterns (“Fragments”), and somber, doom-laden chords (“Psychoticism”), give way to waves of cascading, shoegaze-infused guitar leads (“Fragments,” “Bernalillo Sunrise”) that fuel emotional crescendos. Hollow Fang’s compositions smartly transcend their otherwise modest formulas, employing appealing harmonies and intelligent chord progressions to inject the album’s thirty-nine minutes with dynamism and profound emotional weight.

A defining characteristic of Oskoreien’s songwriting is the sophisticated interplay between tension and release, built by the guitars’ dissonant elements to underscore Hollow Fangs’ pervasive sense of turmoil and apprehension. Intense passages culminate in cathartic payoffs which expertly contrast intensity with emotional release and hope. Oskoreien’s poignant guitar melodies convey this. The chaotic and violent tremolo-fueled blast beats in “To Kiss the Viper’s Fang” give way to a somber, arpeggiated bridge with an almost acoustic feel, offering relief before re-engaging with another bout of powerful riffing. “Fragments” and “Prismatic Reason” immediately establish their dark and menacing atmospheres with arpeggiated, anxiety-ridden high guitar runs and washing distortion before transitioning to beautiful guitar leads that inject much-needed liberation and light. Even Durkee’s bass steps forward at times, adding another layer of depth as it ascends into higher registers—a playful counterpoint to Hollow Fang’s dissonant textures (“Fragments,” “Bernalillo Sunrise”).

Hollow Fangs’ production significantly bolsters the strength of Oskoreien’s compositions. Valena’s spectral rasps sound great, prominently featured in the guitar-dominant mix, which amplifies the album’s darker, unsettling moods. Although the programmed drums are largely generic and unexciting, their distinction in the mix is a notable step up. Durkee’s robust bass presence also materially contributes to the album’s expressive effect. Even so, Hollow Fangs still has room for growth. The album’s bookends, “Prismatic Reason” and “To Kiss the Viper’s Fang” feel a bit overlong, with “Prismatic Reason” also lacking the potency of the album’s other tracks. Furthermore, the payoff in the latter half of “Bernalillo Sunrise” lands somewhat flat despite its excellent, tension-building tom transition full of foreboding.

Still, Hollow Fangs stands as unquestionable proof that Oskoreien is alive and well. While some tracks overstay their welcome and the album doesn’t quite take the same evolutionary leap forward as its predecessor, Hollow Fangs nevertheless delivers a hefty dose of quality black metal. The emphasis on dynamic songwriting—achieved through varied tempos, textures, and instrumental interplay—creates moments of crushing ferocity and vast melodic emotional depth, with soaring, triumphant melodies that counterbalance each other perfectly. Almost a decade between releases can rightfully derail bands, but Oskoreien has defied this trend, producing an aggressive yet appealing black metal album that offers fans plenty to sink their teeth into.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 18, 2025

#2025 #35 #Agalloch #AmericanMetal #BlackMetal #HollowFangs #Jul25 #MelodicBlackMetal #Oskoreien #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SpectralWound #Ulver

4⅛★ 3,8(=)+(+)+ • Naked Flames, “Hellsbells” (2674219 Records, 2025) 【 альбом занимает 1-ю строчку в аутсайдер-хаусном RYM-чарте за 2025 год 】 ⦾ https://nakedflames.bandcamp.com/track/hellsbells ⦾ https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=_gSrz0Zj8aQ ⦾ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gSrz0Zj8aQ ⦾ https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2025/g:outsider-house/ #NakedFlames #bells #selfreleased #ambienthouse #outsiderhouse #housemusic #popmusic #2674219records #2020s