The Headbanging Moose Show – Thursdays @ 20:00 UTC+2 exclusively at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio

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Attention, metalheads!

It’s time to rumble with THE HEADBANGING MOOSE SHOW every Thursday @ 20:00 UTC+2 (with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC+2) exclusively at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio, your Greece-based web radio blasting the best of heavy music nonstop 24/7!

Presented by Gustavo Scuderi, The Headbanging Moose Show will bring to you the cream of underground metal music, giving you a short and sweet background on every band played on the show. No silly jokes, no shenanigans… THIS IS PURE F****N’ METAL!

So remember, EVERY THURSDAY @ 20:00 UTC+2 (with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC) tune into Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio to enjoy one hour of kick-ass underground metal from all over the world, courtesy of The Headbanging Moose!

Here are all the options where can blow your speakers with Midnight Madness:

Official website
Facebook
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Online Radio Box
Tunein
Streema
Listen2MyRadio
Radio Garden
Streamitter.com

Don’t forget to follow The Headbanging Moose on Facebook to know beforehand which bands will be played on the show every week.

And if you want to have your new album reviewed at The Headbanging Moose AND played at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio, simply get in touch with us through our CONTACT US page.

Album Review – Whore Of Bethlehem / Ritual Of Homicide (2023)

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This Blackened Brutal Death Metal horde from Texas is ready to kill armed with their third full-length album, an outpouring of black blasphemy and twisted brutality to shake the pillars of faith.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world, the vile Blackened Brutal Death Metal horde Whore Of Bethlehem has been spreading their visceral brand of brutality since their inception in 2009, with their sinister barrage of riffs, blast beats, unnatural screams and heavy songwriting being influenced and inspired by classic Death and Black Metal heavyweights such as Morbid Angel, Immolation, Dissection, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Belphegor, among others. Mastered by Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering, mixed at Test Tube Audio, and displaying a sick artwork by Jon Zig, the band’s third full-length opus, titled Ritual Of Homicide, is an outpouring of black blasphemy and twisted brutality to shake the pillars of faith masterfully brought into being by James VanDenBerg on vocals, Ryan Sylvie and Phil King on the guitars, Alan Berryman on bass, and Sam Axelrad on drums, invoking the sound of violence and wickedness with a heart sworn to the black and a soul pledged to hell.

Stygian guitar lines permeate the air in the opening track Enlightenment Through Pain, exploding into a darkened, sinister feast of brutality and gore led by the pulverizing drums by Sam; and putting the pedal to the metal and delivering old school Death Metal with some melodic and progressive nuances, it’s time for the brutal Nails in Your Coffin, with James barking nonstop in the name of evil. Then enhancing their heaviness and obscurity the band offers us all the title-track Ritual of Homicide, where Ryan and Phil are bestial with their axes, cutting our skin deep in true headbanging fashion, followed by Vermin, an infernal, in-your-face Death Metal onrush with no shenanigans nor any other artificial elements, with Sam kicking ass on drums supported by the rumbling bass by Alan. The sinister interlude Gateway will darken our minds before the band comes ripping in Sermon of the Malignant Spirit, the most demonic and obscure of all tracks showcasing an amazing job done by the entire band, in special their guitar duo with their sulfurous riffs and solos.

More of their unrelenting music comes in the form of Out of Body, with James roaring like a maniac while Sam dictates the song’s evil pace, and James keeps hammering our cranial skulls with his brutal drumming in Disembodied, absolutely heavy from start to finish with their guitars and bass generating an unfriendly ambience perfect for raising our horns high. The flammable guitars by Ryan and Phil will pierce your soul in Monolith of Cremation while James crushes his drums as usual in a great display of classic Death Metal, resulting in an invitation to some brutal slammin’ activity; whereas lastly the quintet will demolish our fragile bodies with an avalanche of Death Metal titled Pseudochrist, a more than exciting bonus track bringing forward frantic beats, acid riffs and gruesome vociferations.

The guys from Whore Of Bethlehem are eagerly waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and more of their depraved music, and of course don’t forget to also stream their sick creations on Spotify. The  dark and heavy-as-hell Ritual Of Homicide, which is on sale from Comatose Music’s BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from Apple Music and Amazon (and you can also click HERE for all things Whore Of Bethlehem), is definitely not recommended for the lighthearted, bringing endless chaos, blasphemy and violence to our avid ears and, therefore, cementing the band’s evil legacy in the underground scene.

Best moments of the album: Enlightenment Through Pain, Sermon of the Malignant Spirit and Pseudochrist.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Enlightenment Through Pain 4:39
2. Nails in Your Coffin 4:09
3. Ritual of Homicide 4:21
4. Vermin 3:37
5. Gateway 1:00
6. Sermon of the Malignant Spirit 4:47
7. Out of Body 4:18
8. Disembodied 3:49
9. Monolith of Cremation 3:50
10. Pseudochrist 3:15

Band members
James VanDenBerg – vocals
Ryan Sylvie – lead guitars, backing vocals
Phil King – rhythm guitars
Alan Berryman – bass
Sam Axelrad – drums

Album Review – Godsmack / Lighting Up the Sky (2023)

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Sully Erna and his henchmen will light up your sky to the sound of their thrilling (but unfortunately) final studio album.

Produced and engineered by Andrew Mudrock, mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, and mixed by Dave Fortman, the excellent Lighting Up the Sky is not only the eight studio album by Boston, Massachusetts-based Alternative Rock/Metal titans Godsmack, released five years after their last studio album When Legends Rise (therefore making it the longest gap between two of their studio albums), but it’s also the final one by vocalist and guitarist Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill and drummer Shannon Larkin. And let me tell you that if that’s it for Godsmack at least in terms of releasing new albums, they’re definitely going out with a bang.

Sully blasts his Moog synthesizer to generate a magical atmosphere in You and I, kicking off the album on a high note and delivering classy Hard Rock led by the groovy bass by Robbie, whereas Red White & Blue can be considered their tribute to their homeland, also presenting an amazing guitar job done by Sully and Tony, inspiring us all to raise our fists while Shannon smashes his drums in the best rockin’ way possible. In the first single of the album, the trademark Godsmack tune Surrender, we face their usual acid lyrics (“You’ve always told me / That you know me / But you don’t really know me at all / You just played me and betrayed me / And showed no sympathy at all”) amidst a pure Rock N’ Roll sound, and the quartet doesn’t let the energy level go down by offering more of their electrifying music in What About Me, showcasing another solid kitchen by Robbie and Shannon. And Sully takes care of all acoustic guitars, drums and keyboards in Truth, a beautiful ballad overflowing melancholy and passion.

Back to their more visceral mode we have Hell’s Not Dead, blending elements from Southern Rock and Metal to their core essence and sounding very catchy and vibrant. Needless to say, it will work perfectly if played live during their upcoming tour, while in Soul on Fire the lyrics couldn’t have been more Rock N’ Roll (“In the end / There will come a time my friend / I’m gonna break you wide open / I didn’t see this side unfolding / Hey, I can’t wait for you to make up your mind / I need to take you every time / I’m self destructing”), with the quartet once again kicking some ass with their incendiary sonic weapons in a lecture in modern-day rock music. Let’s Go is perhaps the most generic of all songs, including its instrumental parts and lyrics, albeit it still carries the band’s characteristic sonority in it, whereas exhaling the purest form of the music by Godsmack we can think of, Best of Times is a journey back in time to their early days led by the classic beats by Shannon and the piercing riffage by Tony. The second ballad from the album, titled Growing Old, sounds very introspective and dark thanks to another stylish performance by Sully not only on vocals but also on the piano; and closing the album we have the title-track Lighting Up the Sky, showcasing a fantastic stringed duo by Tony and Robbie, adding endless groove and harmony to the music. In other words, Godsmack definitely know how to hypnotize us with their catchy riffs and lyrics, and this is a really good example of that.

“We’ve enjoyed decades of doing this and we’ve sacrificed a lot of time. But the reality is – and I say this with zero ego – we’re at 27 top 10 (Mainstream Rock Airplay) singles, 12 No. 1s (including ‘Surrender’ from the new album). We could pull three or four more off this new record – it’s a strong record, we feel. That means we could do back-to-back nights in an arena, play 15 songs each night and never play the same single, let alone deep cuts. That’s a helluva place to get to…so you think, how much more do we need?,” commented the band about Lighting Up the Sky (and you can see more details about that HERE), which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify. Moreover, you can also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram (if you don’t already do so), subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and videos, and of course purchase their thrilling new album by visiting their official website or by clicking HERE. The band already said that although this is their last studio album they’ll keep touring for the foreseeable future, but of course after listening to Lighting Up the Sky several times already I’ll surely miss new music by Godsmack. Well, at least I can always light up the sky to the sound of all of their creations, including their last and amazing album, right?

Best moments of the album: You and I, Red White & Blue, Soul on Fire and Lighting Up the Sky.

Worst moments of the album: Let’s Go.

Released in 2023 BMG

Track listing
1. You and I 5:16
2. Red White & Blue 4:04
3. Surrender 3:40
4. What About Me 3:55
5. Truth 4:33
6. Hell’s Not Dead 4:50
7. Soul on Fire 4:05
8. Let’s Go 5:40
9. Best of Times 3:36
10. Growing Old 5:01
11. Lighting Up the Sky 4:46

Band members
Sully Erna – vocals, guitar, Moog synthesizer on “You and I”, acoustic guitars, drums and keyboards on “Truth”, backing vocals, organ and piano on “Growing Old”
Tony Rombola – lead guitar
Robbie Merrill – bass
Shannon Larkin – drums

Album Review – Ignominy / Imminent Collapse (2023)

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Prepare your senses for the debut effort by this Canadian four-piece outfit, offering us all 34 minutes of Dissonant Death Metal that’s aggressive, punchy and hook-laden.

Founded in 2013 in the charming Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec, the unrelenting Death Metal beast that goes by the name of Ignominy has just unleashed upon humanity their debut full-length opus, titled Imminent Collapse, the follow-up to their 2019 EP Fear the Living offering us all 34 minutes of Dissonant Death Metal that’s aggressive, punchy and hook-laden, which is rare to find in a style that tends to be more abstract and unpredictable. Mixed and mastered by Erol Ulug, and displaying a grim artwork by Austin Weber, the album is a remarkable effort that manages to find an identity of its own by mangling and mesmerizing listeners at once, showcasing all the talent and fury by vocalist Alexandre Desroches, guitarist Philippe Gariépy, bassist Alexandre Préfontaine and drummer Marc-Antoine Lazure, being therefore recommended for fans of Dysgnostic, Gorguts, Ulcerate, Dischordia and Noctambulist, just to name a few.

The sinister guitar lines by Philippe kick off their dissonant attack in Frantic Appeasement, evolving into a chaotic yet progressive sound led by the classic drumming by Marc-Antoine while Alexandre Desroches roars deeply for our total delight. Then the second song of the album, titled Defaulting Genetics, is even more demented and demonic, with Philippe’s wicked riffs matching perfectly with the fulminating beats by Marc-Antoine; followed by Reminiscence of Hatred, presenting poetry and violence united in its lyrics (“Resurging the violence / Evicting their mistakes  / Disregarding their cries / No matter how they try / To resist the prophecy I’ve been putting in place / It’s simply useless, weakness to not embrace / What’s in front of their face”) amidst a hurricane of Dissonant Death Metal.

The phantasmagorical Premonition of a Dead-End (Interlude I) sets the tone for the visceral Nightmare Bacteria, offering our putrid ears six minutes of hatred and dementia in the form of Death Metal, with all band members being in total sync spearheaded by the inhumane guttural by Alexandre Desroches while also being full of breaks, variations and endless obscurity. Their progressive and dissonant vein pulses stronger than ever in Visceral, showcasing an amazing job done by Philippe and Alexandre Préfontaine with their stringed weapons while Marc-Antoine’s blast beats dictates the song’s pace. After that, another interlude titled Prélude vers l’angoisse (Interlude II) will darken your mind before Ignominy come crushing one last time in Closed-Mind Visuals, a multi-layered, detailed and grim creation by the quartet alternating between more introspective, sinister and atmospheric moments and sheer aggressiveness, with Marc-Antoine stealing the spotlight with another bestial performance behind his drums.

The ruthless, vile Dissonant Death Metal horde from the Great White North known as Ignominy is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more of their music, news, tour dates and so on, and don’t forget to also stream all of their eerie creations on Spotify, including obviously their newborn debut opus. Furthermore, the pulverizing Imminent Collapse is on sale from their own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a digipak CD or as a CD + shirt bundle, from Apple Music, from Amazon, or simply by clicking HERE. Ignominy are undoubtedly going places based on the quality of the music found in Imminent Collapse, with their dissonant sounds darkly echoing through the vast and bitterly cold lands of the Canadian Death Metal scene.

Best moments of the album: Defaulting Genetics, Reminiscence of Hatred and Nightmare Bacteria.

Worst moments of the album: The two interludes are not bad, but they could have been replaced by another song or even merged in just one interlude.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Frantic Appeasement 3:51
2. Defaulting Genetics 4:39
3. Reminiscence of Hatred 5:55
4. Premonition of a Dead-End (Interlude I) 0:49
5. Nightmare Bacteria 6:09
6. Visceral 5:46
7. Prélude vers l’angoisse (Interlude II) 1:02
8. Closed-Mind Visuals 6:18

Band members
Alexandre Desroches – vocals
Philippe Gariépy – guitars
Alexandre Préfontaine – bass
Marc-Antoine Lazure – drums

Guest musicians
Etienne Bayard – additional vocals on “Closed-Mind Visuals”
Vincent Pilon – additional vocals on “Closed-Mind Visuals”

Album Review – The Human Race Is Filth / Cognitive Dissonance (2023)

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A filthy trio hailing from Pennsylvania will attack our senses with their debut full-length album, churning out a new slab of death-grinding disorientation.

Sonic violence abounds, as Pennsylvania, United States-based Death Metal/Grindcore rabble The Human Race Is Filth churns out a new slab of death-grinding disorientation entitled Cognitive Dissonance, their first full-length album and the follow-up to their 2022 EP Echo Chambers. Recorded at The Kaleidoscope, mixed and engineered by Ben Roth, mastered by Joel Grind, displaying a demented artwork by All4Band Design, and featuring a noise track recorded on every song throughout the entire recording, sometimes prominent in mix, sometimes faint, Cognitive Dissonance is a inhumane album carefully brought into being by Kasey Harrison (Police State, Bittered) on vocals and bass, Paul Folk (Exterminance, Police State, Bittered) on the guitars and noises, and Brett Rebman (Punctual, Phlegm, Gangrenous Flesh Consumption) on drums, dealing with topics like mental health, socioeconomic injustice, technology, personal struggle and privilege throughout the album’s intense 25 minutes of music.

Kasey had his toddler son speak the name of the band in the beginning of the intro Life Of Tyrants, followed by tribalistic, primeval beats and vociferations, setting the stage for the trio to kick some ass in Apes With Christ, with Brett showing no mercy for his drums and obviously for our necks while Kasey barks like a rabid beast throughout the entire song in an awesome fusion of Death Metal and Grindcore. Then we have Electronic Caterpillars, just as infernal and neckbreaking as its predecessor, showcasing dirty riffs by Paul that together with the rumbling bass by Kasey will penetrate deep inside your psyche; and the menacing bass by Kasey ignites the grim and groovy Bastardized before exploding into a demolishing Death and Sludge Metal onrush spearheaded by Kasey’s bestial roars, with the song’s heaviness going through the freakin’ roof. There’s no sign of the band slowing things down or delivering anything light; quite the contrary, their vicious, sludgy attack goes on in Cloaked In Shame, with Paul’s riffs and noises bringing an extra dosage of filth to their sound.

The Human Race Is Filth need less than two minutes to pulverize our senses in Hopes Wavered, a lesson in brutality, heaviness and darkness by the trio where Paul has a fantastic performance armed with his axe, and they keep hammering their sonic weapons in Propagating Technology, with Brett alternating between groovier moments and sheer violence. The album’s second to last song, beautifully titled Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay, is the perfect depiction of the band’s music, blending the savagery of Death Metal and Grindcore with sluggish, somber elements, being therefore ideal for slamming into the pit while drinking a cold beer, whereas Tribal Injections Of Division is solid and heavy from start to finish, albeit the band has a much stronger performance when investing into shorter songs. Nothing that hurts the overall quality of the album, of course, as it’s still very enjoyable.

“We wrote this album from August to November 2021 and were really going for straight out Death Grind with a touch of d-beat and Hardcore mixed in. We wanted dirtier guitar and bass tones, more aggressive drums, and more extreme vocals compared to the first three releases and we believe we accomplished those things on this release,” commented the band about their newborn beast, and if you want to know more about them, their tour dates and plans for the future, you can check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream all of their creations on Spotify, and grab your copy of Cognitive Dissonance from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Cognitive Dissonance is heavy, noisy, evil, disturbing, and everything else we love in extreme music, proving that as long as the human race continues to be filth like the name of the band states, those three metallers will keep piercing our ears with their venomous music.

Best moments of the album: Apes With Christ, Bastardized and Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay.

Worst moments of the album: Tribal Injections Of Division.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Life Of Tyrants 1:22
2. Apes With Christ 3:23
3. Electronic Caterpillars 3:54
4. Bastardized 4:24
5. Cloaked In Shame 2:31
6. Hopes Wavered 1:42
7. Propagating Technology 2:04
8. Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay 1:59
9. Tribal Injections Of Division 4:04

Band members
Kasey Harrison – vocals, bass
Paul Folk – guitar, noise
Brett Rebman – drums

Guest musician
Ben Roth – guitars on “Bastardized”

Album Review – Depraved Murder / Unethical Terrestrial Collapse (2023)

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In the fecund swamps of East Java, this venomous Brutal Death Metal entity attacks once again with their bestial third full-length album.

In the fecund swamps of East Java, the ruthless Brutal Death Metal entity Depraved Murder has been pouring blood, tears and black sorcery into their cauldron of nightmares since their inception in 2011, adding bone and bile to the accompaniment of whispered incantations, conjuring up the soundtrack to the end of the world. Mixed and mastered by the arcane master Indra Braille at Texas Sicklab Studio, and displaying a sick artwork spawned from the twisted visions of Aghy Purakusuma, the band’s third full-length opus, entitled Unethical Terrestrial Collapse, is a firestorm to usher in the end times demonically brought into being by vocalist, guitarist and bassist Ogy together with drummer Rama Maulana, seething with a grim and sordid life and a pulsating blackness that exudes fear and disgust, resulting in an intimidating manifesto of brutality tailored for fans of Devourment, Skinless, Suffocation and Pathology.

Otherworldly background sounds will haunt your damned soul before the duo smashes our cranial skulls in Entering into Calamity, where Ogy barks and roars in the name of gore supported by the pulverizing drums by Rama in a demented display of Death Metal, whereas The Anguish of Dystopian is a straightforward, no shenanigans Brutal Death Metal extravaganza by the duo sounding and feeling very intricate and demented form start to finish, with the colossal beats by Rama making the earth tremble. Even heavier and more insane than its predecessors thanks to the inhumane guttural by Ogy, False Adoration will inspire you to slam into the circle pit manically; and the duo shows absolutely no mercy for our bodies and souls in Mass Murder Existence, with Ogy kicking some serious ass with his roars, infernal riffage and rumbling bass lines, elevating the song’s truculence and brutality to the second power.

There’s no time to breathe as those Indonesian marauders keep crushing our heads with their Brutal Death Metal in Unmanifest Void, fulminating and evil from the very first second with Rama showcasing all his fury and dexterity behind his drums, while investing in a more doomed sonority, Ogy and Rama will darken the skies in The Pinnacle of Vile Conceit, again exploding in their traditional Brutal Death Metal sound. Then back to their more vicious mode it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the sound of Relentless Brutality, where Ogy’s deranged roars and riffs are flawlessly complemented by Rama’s stone crushing drums, followed by Unethical Terrestrial Collapse, another three intense minutes of Brutal Death Metal for our avid ears where the bass jabs by Ogy sound more metallic than ever. Lastly, their final breathe of animosity and gore comes in the form of Apocryphal Hymns, with Rama dictating the song’s devilish pace while Ogy gnalrs the song’s words deeply nonstop.

In case you would like to show the guys from Depraved Murder all your support and admiration, you can give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream all of their gory and evil creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of Unethical Terrestrial Collapse from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore, from Apple Music, or from several other retailers out there such as ImportCDs.com and Merchbar.com. As this gruesome, vile album has just been released from its infernal pit, there’s no time left to pray. This is the end, and it’s indeed a blood-soaked one.

Best moments of the album: The Anguish of Dystopian, Mass Murder Existence and Relentless Brutality.

Worst moments of the album: The Pinnacle of Vile Conceit.

Released in 2023 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Entering into Calamity 3:42
2. The Anguish of Dystopian 3:08
3. False Adoration 3:19
4. Mass Murder Existence 3:04
5. Unmanifest Void 3:50
6. The Pinnacle of Vile Conceit 3:00
7. Relentless Brutality 2:30
8. Unethical Terrestrial Collapse 3:08
9. Apocryphal Hymns 2:55

Band members
Ogy – vocals, guitars, bass
Rama Maulana – drums

Album Review – Insomnium / Anno 1696 (2023)

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Finland’s masters of Melodic Death Metal return with a bold and sinister new album, taking us back into the dark times of the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe.

Based on a short story by Niilo Sevänen (just like their 2016 album Winter’s Gate), Anno 1696, the ninth studio album by Finnish Melodic Death Metal institution Insomnium, takes the listeners back into the dark times of the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe, famine and superstition. Mixed by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Arda Recorders, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Recording Studios, displaying a classy artwork by Sami Makkonen, and featuring guest keyboards by Coen Janssen (Epica, Amahiru), the follow-up to their 2019 effort Heart like a Grave doesn’t disappoint at all, proving why this Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala-based unity currently comprised of vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevänen, guitarists Ville Friman, Markus Vanhala and Jani Liimatainen, and drummer Markus Hirvonen has become one of the pillars of the genre in the entire Scandinavia, delivering first-class Melodic Death Metal album after album for our total delight.

Acoustic guitars and tribal beats ignite the opening tune 1696, being gradually joined by several other elements and evolving into a demolishing feast of their trademark Melodic Death Metal, with Niilo’s growls matching perfectly with their melodious guitar lines; followed by White Christ, presenting strong, classic lyrics flawlessly declaimed by the iconic Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ together with Niilo (“In the name of our Saviour and Lord / In the name of our Monarch and the Crown / I’ve come to bring the law and justice to this land / I’ve come to bring the light and grace of the Christ”) in a lecture in Melodic Black and Death Metal. Then we have Godforsaken, featuring Johanna Kurkela (Altamullan Road, Auri, Eye of Melian) on vocals, adding a touch of finesse and melancholy to the overall result, accompanied by the massive beats by Markus Hirvonen and the piercing riffs by the band’s guitar triumvirate, flowing into the pure Insomnium tune Lilian, where a serene, delicate intro once again explodes into their unparalleled sound, showcasing an amazing job done by Ville, Markus Vanhala and Jani with their axes and, therefore, inviting us to headbang in pitch black darkness.

More of their poetic, bitterly cold lyrics is offered to us all in Starless Paths (“Cruel is the winter’s might / Dreadful the howl of wind / Beyond the pathless treks we roam / Where the church bells never toll”) while the music sounds extremely harmonious and dense from start to finish, and the band continues to distill their stylish Melodic Death Metal in The Witch Hunter, spearheaded by the classic beats by Markus Hirvonen while keeping the album as vibrant as it can be. The shortest of all tracks, titled The Unrest, begins in a similar acoustic way as the opening tune while Niilo darkly declaims the song’s words together with the clean vocals by Ville and Jani, and albeit being a good song it lacks the same energy from the others. Finally we’re treated to The Rapids, bringing forward a superb fusion of violence, melancholy, harmony and darkness by Insomnium, offering our avid ears almost eight minutes of their undisputed music. Moreover, Niilo roars deeply while his bandmates make sure the music remains imposing until the very last second, with their guitar solos piercing our souls majestically.

Perhaps the best way to fully understand everything Insomnium wanted to accomplish with Anno 1696 would be by watching this track by track video, and before or after you do so you can stream the album in its entirety on Youtube and on Spotify, being therefore properly immersed in the sinister world crafted by such important band from the Finnish scene. Also, don’t forget to start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and above all that, to purchase the excellent Anno 1696 by clicking HERE or HERE. As already mentioned, the album is all about the witch prosecutions in Northern Europe, and there’s nothing better than the Stygian and melancholic music by Insomnium to guide us all through such dark and horrifying times.

Best moments of the album: White Christ, Lilian and The Rapids.

Worst moments of the album: The Unrest.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. 1696 6:18
2. White Christ 6:03
3. Godforsaken 8:35
4. Lilian 4:29
5. Starless Paths 7:48
6. The Witch Hunter 5:43
7. The Unrest 3:52
8. The Rapids 7:38

Japanese Edition Disc 2 – Songs of the Dusk
9. Flowers of the Night 5:28
10. Stained in Red 6:50
11. Song of the Dusk 9:43

Band members
Niilo Sevänen – lead vocals, bass
Ville Friman – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Vanhala – guitars
Jani Liimatainen – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Hirvonen – drums

Guest musicians
Sakis Tolis – vocals on “White Christ”
Johanna Kurkela – vocals on “Godforsaken”
Coen Janssen – keyboards

Album Review – Okkultist / O.M.E.N. (2023)

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Get ready to have your sinful soul dragged to hell by this Portuguese Blackened Death Metal outfit to the sound of their infernal sophomore opus.

The result of loss and sacrifice, the culmination of pain, and absolute detachment from life, O​.​M​.​E​.​N., or Omnis Malum Et Noceo, which translates from Latin as “everything evil and harmful”, is the sophomore opus by Lisbon, Portugal-based Black/Death Metal horde Okkultist, representing the band’s strongest effort since their inception in 2016 and, consequently, a huge step forward in the career of one of the most interesting names of the current Portuguese scene. The journey of an obsolete sense of desperateness from walking out of the void weighting us down that is depression, into the high state of spiritual healing, O​.​M​.​E​.​N. has everything a diehard fan of Blackened Death Metal desires and more, showcasing the undeniable talent and passion for the occult by vocalist, lyricist and visionary Beatriz Mariano, lead guitarist and co-founder Leander Sandmeier, rhythm guitarist João Corceiro (who by the way pre-produced the album), bassist David J. Rodrigues and drummer Eduardo Sinatra, all of them more than ready to drag your sinful soul to the pits of hell.

The title-track O​.​M​.​E​.​N. feels like the band is summoning evil spirits from the underworld (“In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas / Luciferi Excelsi / Ave”), resulting in a very extensive intro that opens the gates of hell for Okkultist to attack our senses with Death to Your Breed, where the Melodic Death and Black Metal drums by Eduardo create a rumbling ambience for the witch-like roars by Beatriz, providing us with everything we love in extreme music, being fast, furious, heavy and absolutely evil. The band continues to fire their acid fusion of Death and Black Metal in Meet Me in Hell, inviting us all to bang our heads nonstop to the devilish, piercing riffs by Leander and João; whereas the hellish sound of their guitars permeate the air in Blood on Satan’s Claw, bringing to our ears four minutes of undisputed heaviness and obscurity. And in Demonic Warfare we face another round of first-class Black and Death Metal spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Beatriz while Eduardo dictates the pace with his pounding drums, not to mention the striking solos by Leander.

9th Layer of the Abyss is a song that can be considered Okkultist’s ultimate black mass, taking us on a one-way journey to the pits of the netherworld while Eduardo brings forward sheer doom through his slow and steady beats; whereas back to a more infuriated mode, this unstoppable horde will darken our minds with the brutality and harmony found in Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice, showcasing once again striking riffs and solos, devilish blast beats, and the always mesmerizing she-demon gnarls by Beatriz. Then in loving memory of the one and only Alexi Laiho (RIP), it’s time for their rendition of Children of Bodom’s hit Sixpounder (check out the original one HERE) from their 2003 critically acclaimed album Hate Crew Deathroll, presenting a fantastic job done by the entire band from start to finish. Lastly, closing the album we’re invited to slam into the pit one last time to the sound of Crimson Ecstasy, with Beatriz growling viciously while David’s bass and Eduardo’s drums make the earth tremble in the name of Extreme Metal. In addition, not even the unnecessary lengthy silence at the end of the song (before one final invocation of around one minute comes up) ruins the track’s overall quality. I wonder if they had to release an album with over 40 minutes of duration as requested by their record label, and that was their way of doing it.

The caustic and thrilling O​.​M​.​E​.​N., which is available in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and on sale from the Alma Mater Records’ BandCamp page and webstore, as well as from Apple Music (or you can click HERE for links to the album and all other things Okkultist), will certainly open countless doors worldwide for the band, and you can also show them your support and admiration by following them on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. “Dark times exist so we can harness that power through them, and rise above anything or anyone that has tried to put us down. This album is for YOU – YOU who have survived through the worst of your days, YOU who didn’t know what to do when things got tough, YOU who’ve felt hopeless, blind, beaten up, not knowing where you have to be in life. You are not alone. Take this album, and use its strength to show you how endless your inner power is. It’s all in your hands,” commented Beatriz about their newborn spawn, an album that will feature among the best hailing from Portugal this year hands down.

Best moments of the album: Death to Your Breed, Meet Me in Hell, Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice and, obviously, Sixpounder.

Worst moments of the album: None, except for the length of the first track and the extensive silent break of the last track.

Released in 2023 Alma Mater Records

Track listing
1. O​.​M​.​E​.​N. 4:00
2. Death to Your Breed 3:24
3. Meet Me in Hell 4:31
4. Blood on Satan’s Claw 4:05
5. Demonic Warfare 4:33
6. 9th Layer of the Abyss 4:13
7. Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice 4:05
8. Sixpounder (Children of Bodom cover) 3:26
9. Crimson Ecstasy 10:12

Band members
Beatriz Mariano – vocals
Leander Sandmeier – lead guitars
João Corceiro – rhythm guitars
David J. Rodrigues – bass
Eduardo Sinatra – drums

Album Review – Ciemra / The Tread of Darkness (2023)

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Behold the magnificent debut opus by this Belarusian Black Metal horde, based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss.

Forged in the scorching fires of Minsk, Belarus in 2019, when five essences emerged from the abyss to the veils of night on the eve of the end times in order to reap the living, to satisfy the hunger of darkness and to nourish the wombs of the dark gods, the venomous Melodic Black Metal horde Ciemra (or Цемра, which means “darkness” in Belarusian) delivers fast-paced, cold and pure Black Metal which is looking at both the classic European sound and its more contemporary interpretations, which is exactly what you’ll find in their newborn opus titled The Tread of Darkness. Recorded at Alma Studio, mixed and mastered by Yaroslav Tseluyko at Jaro Sound, and displaying a demonic artwork by Nestor Povarnin, The Tread Of Darkness is based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss, masterfully brought into being by the witch Malvain on vocals, Misery and Zima on the guitars, Kurz on bass, and Sønn on drums.

The acoustic guitars by Misery and Zima will mesmerize your soul accompanied by the slow and steady beast by Sønn in Ciemra, before the Belarusian sorceress Malvain begins gnarling in a dark and beautiful manner, with the music growing in intensity until becoming a sulfurous and grandiose feast of undisputed Black Metal. After such impactful start, the band continues to distill their blend of Melodic Black Metal with old school, raw Black Metal in Four Riders, with the band’s guitar duo cutting our skin deep with their evil riffage, followed by Vomiting Void, very melodious and bestial from the very first second while showcasing devilish lyrics growled by Malvain (“Burning the world / Building the temple / In the end of the night / There’s a Vomiting Void / So far material awake the gun”). And investing in a more cadenced, obscure sonority led by the classic drums by Sønn supported by the low-tuned bass by Kurz, Call of the Ancestors is an evil composition perfect for summoning evil spirits.

Then continuing to pave their path to pitch black darkness it’s time for War, again presenting the trademark roars by Malvain while Misery and Zima add elements from Death and Doom Metal to their riffs; and their piercing, strident guitars keep darkening the skies in A Night for the Death, where their Blackened Doom vein arises like a creature from the netherworld, with Kurz and Sønn once again hammering our heads with their demonic kitchen in a lecture in extreme music. The eerie vociferations by Malvain are the main ingredient in the Black Metal extravaganza Winter, where the caustic sound of their guitars will blacken your mind for all eternity, whereas in Serpent’s we face more of their infernal words (“The shaking Serpent / In the Abyss / The Raw materials / I’m on my knees…”) while the music is just as Stygian and heavy as the rest of the album, exploding into a gargantuan onrush of pure Black Metal at the end. Lastly, closing such somber album we have Where the Eyes Close, offering more of the band’s darkly melodic and grim Black Metal for our total delight, with its ethereal passages creating a stunning paradox with the band’s more visceral and violent side.

The bestial debut album by such promising Belarusian horde can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness you can purchase your favorite version of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a digipak CD, a black vinyl or a color vinyl, from Season of Mist also as a digipak CD or a color vinyl, from Record Shop X, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, don’t forget to start following Ciemra on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos. Nature, in its primordial beauty and originality, also finds a place in The Tread Of Darkness, as there is where Ciemra find themselves at peace, but the exact opposite of that peace is what the quintet will offer you throughout the entire album, relentlessly dragging you toward endless darkness.

Best moments of the album: Ciemra, Vomiting Void, A Night for the Death and Where the Eyes Close.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Ciemra 7:09
2. Four Riders 4:41
3. Vomiting Void 3:52
4. Call of the Ancestors 4:59
5. War 5:49
6. A Night for the Death 5:43
7. Winter 4:48
8. Serpent’s 4:28
9. Where the Eyes Close 5:00

Band members
Malvain – vocals
Misery – guitar
Zima – guitar
Kurz – bass
Sønn – drums

Album Review – Phantom Fire / Eminente Lucifer Libertad (2023)

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This rebellious Black and Speed Metal duo hailing from Norway is ready to reap again to the sound of their sulfurous sophomore opus.

Hailing from Bergen, Norway, Black/Speed Metal outfit Phantom Fire includes members from such bands as Gaahls Wyrd and Krakow, but on evidence of their first public recording, the 2021 two-song EP Return of the Goat, Phantom Fire are definitely their own band. Now in 2023, little more than a year after the release of their full-length opus The Bust of Beelzebub, the band formed of Eld (aka Frode Kilvik) on vocals and bass, and Kjartan (aka Kjartan Grønhaug, or simply K_G) on the guitars and electronics, is ready to reap again with their sophomore opus, titled Eminente Lucifer Libertad. Produced, mixed and mastered by Enslaved’s own Iver Sandøy (who also plays drums in the entire album) at Solslottet Studio, displaying a sinister artwork by Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson (Nifelheim, Necrocurse), and featuring eerie narrations by Ferruccio Goia, the album keeps the duo’s core sound intact and yet show palpable new sides of their music across its slightly longer and daresay-stronger content, riding the lightning of all-out speed as often as they moodily march to pagan vastlands, sometimes all in the span of the same song.

Not a single second of peace is offered to our blackened souls in Bloodshed, with Eld roaring manically accompanied by the visceral riffs by Kjartan in a fast and furious Thrash Metal party with Hardcore influences, followed by the weird interlude Eminente, which sets the tone for Derive from Ash, a mid-tempo Black and Thrash Metal aria where Eld’s vocals sound inspired by the one and only Abbath, with his bass lines hitting us hard in the head supported by the solid drumming by Iver. Then back to a more ferocious mode, it’s truly exciting how the duo managed to blend the best elements from Black and Thrash Metal in their music as you can sense both styles at once in Ritual, led by the fulminating riffage by Kjartan, morphing into the devilish Satanic Messenger, where eerie vociferations are accompanied by electronic sounds and noises crafted by Kjartan. Not exactly the type of track hardcore fans of thrash would expect, but it does its job in a decent way.

Lucifer is another idiosyncratic track by the band that builds the atmosphere for De Taptes Dans, where we face almost three minutes of obscurity and violence. Furthermore, Iver is once again brutal on drums providing Eld with exactly what he needs to bark like a demonic entity; and investing in a rebellious, punk-ish attitude the duo fires the heavy tune Black Night, where their riffs and bass lines walk hand in hand in the name of extreme music. Mara is a wicked creation overflowing progressiveness, groove and rage with Kjartan hammering his guitar mercilessly, extracting pure Black Metal from his riffs, and the band offers us all another short and sweet interlude titled Libertad before kicking our asses one last time in Pentagram, the longest and most detailed of all songs where Eld’s bass and Iver’s beats bring sheer groove to the music, sounding more like a summoning of evil spirits than an actual metal song. The final result is truly compelling, though.

The insurgent duo of Phantom Fire is ready to kick your ass armed with their flammable new album, and in order to show them you’re a true servant of our buddy Lucifer you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and purchase your copy of Eminente Lucifer Libertad from the Edge Circle Productions’ BandCamp page or from their webstore in the United States or in Europe, as well as from Apple Music. In the end, the album is a rowdier listen but also one that’s stoic or even ceremonial; the chill of the tundra coats all of Eminente Lucifer Libertad, and so does the burning light of Lucifer (up)rising from beneath, always in the name of our beloved extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Bloodshed, De Taptes Dans and Mara.

Worst moments of the album: Satanic Messenger.

Released in 2023 Edge Circle Productions

Track listing
1. Bloodshed 2:33
2. Eminente 0:10
3. Derive from Ash 4:58
4. Ritual 3:42
5. Satanic Messenger 3:32
6. Lucifer 0:57
7. De Taptes Dans 2:49
8. Black Night 1:42
9. Mara 2:55
10. Libertad 0:19
11. Pentagram 6:24

Band members
Eld – vocals, bass
Kjartan – guitars, electronics

Guest musicians
Iver Sandøy – drums
Ferruccio Goia – narration

Concert Review – Rotting Christ (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/05/2023)

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And the city of Toronto became part of a global cult of melodic and ritualistic Black Metal thanks to the undisputed music by the almighty Rotting Christ. 

OPENING ACTS: Gaerea, UADA and Carach Angren

I must confess I was a little worried about what would happen to the GAEREA, UADA, CARACH ANGREN and ROTTING CHRIST concert at Lee’s Palace in Toronto last night, as part of their amazing Under Our Black Cult North American Tour 2023, mainly due to the shitty weather that has been punishing the United States and Canada in the past month or so. If you go to Gaerea’s official Facebook page, you’ll see they had to miss a few concerts in the US due to the nasty weather conditions, and after the heavy snow storm that hit Toronto this Friday I wasn’t sure if the concert was actually going to happen. Fortunately for all of us Torontonians who headed to a sold-out Lee’s Palace last night the weather was perfect for this time of the year (it wasn’t even that cold), and not only the four bands played, but they all kicked some serious ass.

My only complaint is once again related to the time the doors opened, already after 7pm, and the time Portuguese Black Metal entity GAEREA hit the stage, at 7:30pm sharp. This means a lot of people who were still lining up outside of the venue until around 7:40pm missed the first few minutes from Gaerea’s performance. Why can’t the venues open their doors at least one hour prior to the first band, and come up with a faster way to check ID’s and tickets so that fans can enjoy all bands they paid some good money to see? Anyway, Gaerea were phenomenal during their short but powerful concert, playing only songs from their 2022 opus Mirage such as Salve and Laude while their mysterious frontman kept mesmerizing us all with a unique performance that reminded me of a darkened mix of Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan. It was a dark, atmospheric and evil performance by the quintet, and I can’t wait to see them return to Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Intro
Deluge
Salve
Mirage
Urge
Laude
Outro

Band members
*Information not available*

After a very quick break, it was time for American Melodic Black Metal horde UADA to pulverize our damned souls with one of the most atmospheric concerts I’ve seen in a while, playing long, intricate and visceral songs the likes of the title-track from their 2020 opus Djinn, plus The Purging Fire and Cult of a Dying Sun, with the strong smell of incense from the beginning of the show generating a captivating ambience for all fans at the venue. Jake Superchi was insane on vocals and guitar, headbanging manically while also growling like a beast for our total delight, while his band members, particularly drummer Josh Lovejoy, kept the music flowing majestically until the very last second. UADA are already gearing up for their first South American tour this October, which not only  means those guys are becoming bigger and bigger in the metal scene, but also that if you live in one of the South American cities they’re visiting in a few months you can rest assured you’re in for a fantastic treat.

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Djinn
Snakes & Vultures
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, guitars
James Sloan – guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Josh Lovejoy – drums

The third opening act of the night, Dutch Symphonic Black Metal demons CARACH ANGREN, also brought forth an ass-kicking concert, perhaps not as detailed or melodic as Gaerea or UADA, but full of energy and absolutely phantasmagorical. Blending songs from all of their albums with their latest opus Franckensteina Strataemontanus, from 2020, the duo Seregor (aka Dennis Droomers, who’s by the way in a relationship with the stunning Sandie Gjørtz, the frontwoman for Danish Melodic Death Metal outfit Defacing God) and Ardek (aka Clemens Wijers), with the support of the butcher Bastiaan Boh on the guitars and Gabe Seeber on drums, delivered a very theatrical concert for the crowd in Toronto, inspiring the fans to ignite some circle pits and even a wall of death with their devilish music. The only thing that bothered me a lot was the lack of a bassist while Ardek had two keyboards, but as weird as it might look the band has a lot of chemistry onstage and you end up forgetting about that minor detail right after the first song.

Setlist
Electronic Voice Phenomena
The Ghost of Raynham Hall
The Carriage Wheel Murder
The Necromancer
Bitte Tötet Mich
Operation Compass
Franckensteina Strataemontanus
A Strange Presence Near the Woods
Monster
Bloodstains on the Captain’s Log

Band members
Seregor – vocals, guitars
Ardek – keyboards, piano, orchestrations, backing vocals
Bastiaan Boh – guitars
Gabe Seeber – drums

ROTING CHRIST

It was around 10:20pm when the main attraction of the night, Greek Black Metal institution ROTTING CHRIST, showed Toronto once again why they’re one of the most important names in the history of extreme music, and will always be a reference to any metalhead who’s into the darkest side of metal. It’s beyond impressive how the iconic Mr. Sakis Tolis and his brother Themis Tolis are still so energetic on stage after so many decades on the road, hypnotizing the crowd and making every single one of their concerts simply memorable. In addition, I need to mention bassist Kostas Heliotis and guitarist Kostis Foukarakis also added their share of heaviness and electricity to the show, headbanging nonstop, interacting with the fans, and of course, playing all songs to perfection.

I was finally able to witness the guys playing songs form their awesome 2019 album The Herectics live, those being Fire, God and Fear and The Raven, and both were superb. However, their classics including the opening tune 666, Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, Elthe Kyrie, In Yumen-Xibalba and Noctis Era were the most electrifying moments of the show as expected, generating intense, unstoppable mosh pits for the delight of everyone who decided to brave the storm that became the main pit. And how not to love Rotting Christ when they worship our buddy Satan by playing on the same night the songs Apage Satana, Societas Satanas, and the majestic Grandis Spiritus Diavolos? That was superb, and the energy flowing between the band and the crowd was insane.

Whenever the mighty Rotting Christ takes the city of Toronto by storm again, I’ll certainly be there. It’s one of those must-see shows by a band that loves what they do and that loves to witness their fans going mental during their live performances. The temperature inside Lee’s Palace was so hot that some people had to wait after the show was over for their shirts to dry from all their sweat before enduring another cold winter night in Toronto, but after all was said and done everything was totally worth it. Sakis is an unstoppable metal beast, the city of Toronto loves him, and hopefully next time he’s in the city with his horde they can play in front of an even bigger crowd. And until that day comes, we should all keep these words deep inside our herectic hearts… NON SERVIAM!

Setlist
666
Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Fire, God and Fear
Dub-sag-ta-ke
Apage Satana
Elthe Kyrie
Demonon Vrosis
Societas Satanas
Non Serviam
In Yumen-Xibalba
Grandis Spiritus Diavolos
The Raven

Encore:
Noctis Era

Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
Kostis Foukarakis – guitars, backing vocals
Kostas Heliotis – bass, backing vocals
Themis Tolis – drums

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