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
Twitter
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 – Valkyrie’s Fire / Out of Darkness (2026)

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This new Symphonic Metal force emerging from the shadows of Music City is ready to attack with their debut album, a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty.

The Nashville, Tennessee music scene is historically synonymous with country legends, yet a new force is emerging from the shadows of Music City to claim a different kind of throne. Having rapidly ascended to become the definitive Symphonic Power Metal powerhouse of the American South, the up-and-coming act Valkyrie’s Fire is unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, titled Out of Darkness, following up on their 2024 EP Ascension. Produced, engineered, and mixed by the band’s own Joey Grimaldi, mastered by Swedish metal luminary Mikael Sehlin (Amaranthe, Engel, In Flames), and visually anchored by the striking artwork by renowned illustrator Jan Yrlund (Delain, Battle Beast, Manowar), the new album by vocalists Adam Sanders and Bettie Floyd, guitarist Joey Grimaldi, bassist Dave Hale, keyboardist and cellist Salem Belladonna, and drummer Ryan Metroka is a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty, positioning the band at the absolute forefront of modern Symphonic Metal.

The cinematic intro In Spirit, In Shadow will transport us to the band’s fantasy realm, warming us up for Evermore, with the vocal duet by Adam and Bettie working really well, reminding me of the absolute joy flowing from all songs by Visions of Atlantis. Then we have Valkyrie’s Fire, the song that carries the band’s name, bringing to our avid ears epic sounds clashing with the incendiary riffs by Joey, sounding absolutely fast, thrilling and fun; and Salem keeps embellishing the airwaves with her magical keys in Cascade, while Bettie steals the spotlight with her soaring vocals. Featuring Mikael Sehlin of Amaranthe as a guest vocalist, Ryan kicks off the ban’s Epic Power Metal feast in Burning Sky, another ass-kicking tune by the band, followed by Shattered, the most theatrical of all songs, with the cello by Salem bringing sheer melancholy to their dark sounds; and I See the Angels Fly is a dense, multi-layered ballad that will bring peace to our blackened hearts, with Joey’s guitar lines spreading sheer passion.

Then back to a more electrifying and fast sound we’re treated to the Symphonic Power Metal beast Skylark, with Dave’s thunderous bass walking hand in hand with Ryan’s beats, crafting that galloping rhythm we all love so much in Heavy Metal. Labyrinth feels a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, as it tries to be too epic but falls flat after a while; whereas Bone and Thorn is another bold power ballad by the band where Joey steals the show once again with his classy riffs and solos. After that we face Dark Moon, inspired by the classic sound crafted by Nightwish while boosted by Salem’s hypnotizing cello, followed by Nocturne, offering a more direct, in your face Power Metal sonority overflowing adrenaline and setting the stage for I Will Rise Again, an epic ten-minute journey through the lands of modern-day Symphonic Metal that puts a climatic ending to the album.

Pacing Valkyrie’s Fire as a formidable contemporary to bands like Epica, Within Temptation and Nightwish by blending the grandiosity of European Symphonic Metal with the sharp production values of the modern Nashville metal scene, Out of Darkness feels both timeless and urgent, inviting us all to join the band in their quest for heavy music. Hence, if you have what it takes to embark on such a mystical and thrilling journey, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Out of Darkness by clicking HERE. Valkyrie’s Fire will certainly spread their wings over the entire metal community with the release of Out of Darkness, and when the music in question is so good and compelling, we’ll all be very happy to be caught in such a dark embrace.

Best moments of the album: Evermore, Valkyrie’s Fire, Skylark and I Will Rise Again.

Worst moments of the album: Labyrinth.

Released in 2026 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. In Spirit, In Shadow 0:50
2. Evermore 4:41
3. Valkyrie’s Fire 4:42
4. Cascade 5:21
5. Burning Sky 4:00
6. Shattered 5:44
7. I See the Angels Fly 6:49
8. Skylark 4:43
9. Labyrinth 4:33
10. Bone and Thorn 7:31
11. Dark Moon 6:38
12. Nocturne 5:47
13. I Will Rise Again 9:57

Band members
Adam Sanders – vocals
Bettie Floyd – vocals
Joey Grimaldi – guitars
Dave Hale – bass
Salem Belladonna – keyboards, cello, backing vocals
Ryan Metroka – drums

Guest musician
Mikael Sehlin – vocals on “Burning Sky”

Concert Review – Revocation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/12/2026)

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A feast of absolute raging Death Metal turned up the heat even more on an already hot night in the city of Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Weeping, Fuming Mouth and Defeated Sanity

We’re lucky the weather is still quite warm in Toronto now that the summer is “unofficially” over (when kids get back to school, parents consider the summer as over, and will sport sweaters and jackets even when the temperature is above +25oC and sunny), and even luckier to host the awesome 20 Years of Torment 2026 Tour with WEEPING, FUMING MOUTH, DEFEATED SANITY, and the guys celebrating those 20 years of pure metal magic, REVOCATION, another great event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The cozy Lee’s Palace was the place chosen for such a nice gathering, and I was actually surprised it wasn’t too hot inside the venue during the entire night. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi is still recovering from his injury and surgery, which means our friend Blair Burch once again helped us with his sharp photography skills to make this review of the concert as incendiary as the bands onstage. Also, traffic to get to Toronto has become a true nightmare no matter what time or day of the week, but fortunately as the first band was only scheduled to play after 7:30pm there was plenty of time to get to the venue before the celebrations started.

It was around 7:40pm when New Jersey’s own Death Metal/Hardcore/Powerviolence quartet WEEPING kicked off their insane performance, melting our faces mercilessly with their scorching heaviness and undisputed technique. Having released the album Spiritual Barbarism back in 2024, plus a new single titled When You Beg now in 2026, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Theo Vlahos on vocals and guitars, Thomas Deabreu also on the guitars, Anthony Izworski on bass (who’s also the bassist for Fuming Mouth, by the way), and Jon Lievano on drums crushed our damned souls with a no shenanigans concert, kicking some serious ass onstage and, therefore, inspiring everyone on the floor section to already go mental inside the circle pit. Those guys are simply insane, and if you know nothing about them, go check their music asap and keep an eye on their tour dates, because if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do.

Band members
Theo Vlahos – vocals, guitars
Thomas Deabreu – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass, backing vocals
Jon Lievano – drums

Perhaps the most anticipated attraction of the night, besides obviously Revocation, was Milford, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore/Hardcore outfit FUMING MOUTH, who are becoming a fan-favorite in Toronto when it comes to violence and heaviness. Mark Whelan, Patrick Merson, Anthony Izworski and Jay Weinberg made sure no one was left alive with an overdose of venomous roars, crushing riffs, thunderous bass lines, and demented beats and fills. Of course, the fact that their 2026 album The Ringing Bell (available on both BandCamp and on Spotify) is insane made their task a lot easier, as the crowd was eager to witness some of those new songs live, like Cheat Death, Self‐Exhumed, and Finally Fearless. It was really nice to see Mark explaining what Fuming Mouth means, this evil entity that will kill everyone, saying to several people in the crowd “You will die! You will die! You will die!” and, therefore, creating this fun connection between the band and the fans. We will all die eventually, and if we have the live music by Fuming Mouth to entertain us during our last moments, we’ll surely die happy metalheads.

Setlist
Cheat Death
A Blaze of Nihilism
Hidden in the Moor
Self‐Exhumed
I’ll Find You
Respect Mortality
Visions of Purgatory
Finally Fearless

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Patrick Merson – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass
Jay Weinberg – drums

After a short break, German-American squad DEFEATED SANITY kicked off their onrush of demonic, visceral and grim fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal, making the foundations of Lee’s Palace tremble so heavy they sounded. Having released the album Chronicles of Lunacy in 2024, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, frontman Josh Welshman alongside the extremely talented guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, the incredible bassist Jacob Schmidt, and the ruthless drummer Lille Gruber were insane onstage, with the circle pit getting out of control due to the extreme violence blasted by all band members. I honestly do not remember a kitchen so technical yet demolishing like the one crafted by Jacob and Lille, and if you enjoy extreme music with a strong technical vibe, go check the music by Defeated Sanity because those guys are amazing both in the studio and live.

Setlist
Introitus
Consumed by Repugnance
Verblendung
Liquifying Cerebral Hemispheres
Accelerating the Rot
Martyrium
The Bell
Dislimbing the Ostracized

Band members
Josh Welshman – vocals
Vaughn Stoffey – guitars
Jacob Schmidt – bass
Lille Gruber – drums

REVOCATION

After three opening bands that were all 10 out of 10, the crowd was more than warmed up for the lecture in Technical Death and Thrash Metal by Boston, Massachusetts-based crew REVOCATION, who might be celebrating 20 years of existence, but the ones receiving all the presents were us fans with each and every song played by those first-class musicians. It doesn’t matter if it was a late start, already close to 10:30pm, because the entire venue was burning with the blend of classics and new songs from their 2025 album New Gods, New Masters, which you can listen in full on Spotify. David Davidson, Harry Lannon, Ash Pearson and Alex Weber proved why they’ve become one of the most important bands of the current tech death scene with an impeccable performance, kicking our asses hard until the very end.

Songs like Nihilistic Violence, Chaos of Forms, Dismantle the Dictator, Summon the Spawn, and Bound by Desire were all played to perfection by those four extremely talented musicians, and the result was of course an intense circle pit that was dragging everyone into it in celebration of our good old Death Metal. There’s this very small Asian girl that’s rockin’ in every single show in Toronto, and of course she was there Saturday night. No idea how she can handle so much alcohol and how she can venture inside those demented circle pits due to her tiny stature and very low weight, but one thing I can say is that she knows how to party, and that’s exactly what Revocation wanted us all to do. They simply asked Toronto to party with them after 20 years kicking ass with their unique heavy music, and we partied hard. Needless to say, I don’t think it will take long for us to see such a phenomenal band in the city again, and we’ll all be there yet again to raise our fists and horns while they melt our faces with their killer tunes.

Setlist
Nihilistic Violence
Scorched Earth Policy
Fracked
Confines of Infinity
The All Seeing
Data Corpse
Chaos of Forms
Of Unworldly Origin
Dismantle the Dictator
Summon the Spawn
Only the Spineless Survive
Bound by Desire

Band members
David Davidson – vocals, guitars
Harry Lannon – guitars
Ash Pearson – drums
Alex Weber – bass

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Album Review – Duncan Evans And The Weeping Starlight / The World is a War Zone (2026)

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Led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Evans, this three-piece Dark Folk and Post-Punk outfit explores faith, doubt, suffering, transcendence and the search for meaning in a fractured world in their new album.

The collaborative evolution of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Evans, built around a committed three-piece lineup that transforms intimate compositions into expansive, emotionally charged performances, Leeds, England’s own Dark Folk/Post-Punk/Gothic Rock outfit Duncan Evans And The Weeping Starlight is back in action with a brand new album, titled The World is a War Zone. Recorded between The Nave and Duncan Evans’ home studio in Leeds, produced and mixed by Duncan Evans himself, engineered by Tom Orrell and Duncan Evans, and mastered by James Plotkin, the new album by Duncan Evans on vocals, guitars, synths and software instruments, Ol Jessop on bass, and Kev Reid on drums, with additional percussion by Gareth Hodgson of A Forest of Stars and Darkher, unfolds across nine tracks and 45 minutes of intense, cathartic Post-Punk melancholia rooted in the dark and primal spirit of folk music, exploring faith, doubt, suffering, transcendence and the search for meaning in a fractured world.

Working as an extended theatrical, captivating intro, The Starlight Weeps showcases all three musicians revving up their rockin’ engines for The Path, offering a Blues Rock-infused blend of their core sound led by the melodic vocal lines by Duncan, as if Jethro Tull and Nick Cave decided to jam together while watching the night sky. Kev and Ol then bring the groove to the band’s music armed with their respective bass and drums in The World is a War Zone (a fitting title for a song in 2026, by the way), while Duncan extracts whimsical sounds from his guitar; followed by Loss, which feels like the soundtrack to an Oscar-nominated movie. Furthermore, it gets trippy after a while, obviously in a very good way, keeping the album as captivating as it can be.

Sierra Delta might be a bit too slow compared to the rest of the album, and maybe some extra heaviness from Duncan’s guitar would have added more taste to the overall result; whereas Waiting for Rain is the epitome of their trademark fusion of Dark Folk with Post-Rock elements, with Duncan once again declaiming the song’s words like a Rock N’ Roll poet. Deathless is a beautiful, dark ballad by the trio, with Kev hitting his drums just hard enough to bring that kick to the music; and Duncan’s classic guitar lines walk hand in hand with the bass by Ol in River of Milk, alternating between ethereal moments and the heaviness of modern-day Gothic Rock. Lastly we have Suffer, led by the pounding beats by Kev, putting a striking ending to the album. Needless to say, it should sound very enfolding if played live.

Listeners drawn to the emotional depth of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Emma Ruth Rundle, Swans and Richard Thompson will surely find resonance in The World is a War Zone, yet the album ultimately stands as its own statement, burning with conviction and carrying a persistent belief in redemption amid turmoil. The result is a sound that feels somber, mournful and fiercely committed, grounded in the traditions of Post-Punk and folk music yet shaped by a distinctly personal vision. The indomitable Duncan Evans and his henchmen can be found on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their music on Spotify, and to purchase their new album from their BandCamp or webstore. The world is indeed a war zone, but fear not, my dear friends, as Duncan Evans will protect us all with the power of our good old Rock N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: The Path, River of Milk and Suffer.

Worst moments of the album: Sierra Delta.

Released in 2026 Widowbird Records

Track listing
1. The Starlight Weeps 3:39
2. The Path 4:23
3. The World is a War Zone 6:46
4. Loss 6:23
5. Sierra Delta 5:10
6. Waiting for Rain 4:54
7. Deathless 4:56
8. River of Milk 4:04
9. Suffer 5:14

Band members
Duncan Evans – vocals, guitars, synths, software instruments
Ol Jessop – bass
Kev Reid – drums

Guest musician
Gareth Hodgson – additional percussion

Album Review – Cartilage / Operating Altar (2026)

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At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and the new album by this American Death Metal and Grindcore beast is the perfect soundtrack to those horrors.

At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and Operating Altar, the new album by San Francisco, California-based Death Metal/Grindcore beast Cartilage (and the follow-up to their 2022 sophomore offering The Deader the Better), is the soundtrack to those horrors. Recorded by Mike Flory at Casa Carti (vocals, guitars, dialogues, bass) and by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio (drums), mixed by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio, mastered by Leon Del Muerte at Beastman Audio, and with a gory, visceral artwork by David Romero of CinemaMind, the new album by Mark Wallace on cankerous larynx invocations (aka vocals), Mike Flory on oscillating vein necromancy (aka guitars), Ria Flory on strung fascial divinations and tracheal exertions (aka bass), and Adam Houmam on tremoring transmutations on taut epidermises (aka drums) is a grand‑guignolesque blood ritual disguised as an album, ready to carve its way through the living, the dead, and anyone foolish enough to listen without anesthesia, being perfect for admirers of the putrid sounds blasted by Exhumed, Impetigo, Carcass, and Pharmacist.

There’s no hope in sight right from the beginning in Metal, Bone And Sinew, with Adam taking the lead with his demented beats and fills while Mark vociferates like a troll from hell; and Mike’s riffs ignite the quartet’s Death Metal extravaganza in S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), also presenting hints of Thrash and Black Metal to make things even more infuriated and violent. Then we see Adam hammer his drums like a lunatic in The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata, inviting us all to slam into the band’s cesspool of blood and gore, followed by The Sanguine Fiend, presenting another blast of slamming sounds where Mike and Ria make an incredible stringed duo, pounding their axes nonstop until the very end.

It’s impressive how those four metallers can sound so demented and visceral while keeping a good dosage of harmony flowing form their instruments, like what they have to offer in A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot, whereas they keep penetrating deep inside our minds with their striking riffs and blast beats in Among The Offal, which gets a bit confusing halfway through it (but nothing to worry about). Adam once again crushes his drums (and consequently our hopes and dreams) in Anatomical Incantations, demolishing our frail bodies with their insane fusion of Grindcore with Death and Thrash Metal; and The Operating Altar is by far one of the most complex and dynamic of all songs, with the goblin-like vocals by Mark (which also sound inspired by Overkill’s one and only Bobby Blitz) bringing even more insanity to their music. Finally, they conclude their onrush of blood and gore with Stitch By Stitch, where their Grindcore is infused with melody and groove.

“With this album, we sought to compose one large piece instead of simply a collection of songs. We’ve combined more influences from the likes of both brutal death metal and classic heavy metal, yet we pushed ourselves to faster tempos that we’ve never done before. Operating Altar is uniquely formulated to leave your ears bleeding with pleasure, our Maggot O-Pus if you will!” Those beautiful words by guitarist Mike Flory perfectly summarize Operating Altar, the logical next step for the Bay Area’s blood-brokers, with their horizons expanding without losing the red-eyed fury that has become their signature, and you can join them in their gory journey by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their putrescent music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their new album via BandCamp or mailorder. In the end, Operating Altar is the sound of a cauterizing wound. All at once scorching, hardening and sealing their sound into a new and grander whole.

Best moments of the album: S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata and The Operating Altar.

Worst moments of the album: Among The Offal.

Released in 2026 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Metal, Bone And Sinew 4:31
2. S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death) 4:05
3. The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata 3:20
4. The Sanguine Fiend 2:53
5. A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot 3:30
6. Among The Offal 3:36
7. Anatomical Incantations 3:16
8. The Operating Altar 4:08
9. Stitch By Stitch 4:03

Band members
Mark Wallace – vocals
Mike Flory – gutiars
Ria Flory – bass
Adam Houmam – drums

Album Review – Sea Sleeper / Burden of Antlers (2026)

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With a sound that embraces the weird and obscure, this American Post-Metal outfit is back with their sophomore opus, sounding heavier and more eclectic then ever.

With a sound that embraces the weird and obscure, Portland, Oregon-based Progressive Deathcore/Death Metal/Post-Metal ensemble Sea Sleeper is unveiling their second full-length opus, titled Burden of Antlers, following up on their 2021 debut Nostophobia. Recorded by Jesse Cooley and Shane Cooley at Sleeping Studio, produced, mixed and mastered by Jesse Cooley, and with a stylish artwork by Johnny P., the new album by Jesse Cooley on vocals and guitars, Tony Spradlin also on the guitars, Nick Kessler on bass, and Shane Cooley on drums sees the band hone further the cohesion across their composition process to produce an offering that is thoroughly eclectic and heavy.

The inspiration for the opening song Machines of the Bombing Runs was drawn from the band’s fascination with history and delves into the incomprehensible enormity of war, while the music sounds absolutely dissonant and harsh thanks to the devilish vociferations by Jesse and the Stygian guitars by the same Jesse alongside Tony. And they let their most visceral Post-Black Metal vein arise in Manifestor, with Shane demolishing his drums until the very last second; followed by Lunar Degenerates, bringing forward the metallic bass lines by Nick and the deep, introspective clean vocals by Jesse. After that, Abysmal Trench explores narcissism and mortality, with the music sounding just as visceral as the topic discussed while the lead guitars by Tony feel hypnotizing.

Then we face the hard hitting title-track Burden of Antlers, where Shane dictates the pace with his pounding drums while their guitars again transpire madness and fury, not to mention how thunderous the bass by Nick sounds and feels. In They’ll Miss You we see the band let their Dissonant and Experimental Death Metal side burn our damned souls, with Jesse’s roars sounding like an angry version of Mastodon, whereas Coma is also very experimental, dynamic and multi-layered, with the devilish sounds extracted from their stringed axes penetrating deep inside your psyche. Finally, Husk concludes the album on a high and demented mode, with the progressiveness and intricacy flowing from all instruments dragging us to the band’s grim lair for all eternity.

You can find the guys from Sea Sleeper on Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with their news, music, live concerts and other nice to know details about the band, stream their unique, detailed and vibrant music on any platform like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music, and of course, above all that, grab those talented metallers by the antlers by purchasing their excellent new album from their own BandCamp. Jesse, Tony, Nick and Shane are on fire throughout the entire Burden of Antlers, presenting an amalgamation of styles from Progressive Metal to modern-day Post-Metal that will surely please any fan of good music, inspiring them to keep on rockin’ armed with their extremely heavy yet melodic and enfolding music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Machines of the Bombing Runs, Burden of Antlers and Husk.

Worst moments of the album: Lunar Degenerates.

Released in 2026 Metal Assault Records

Track listing
1. Machines of the Bombing Runs 5:15
2. Manifestor 8:14
3. Lunar Degenerates 4:44
4. Abysmal Trench 5:53
5. Burden of Antlers 6:04
6. They’ll Miss You 5:08
7. Coma 5:59
8. Husk 6:46

Band members
Jesse Cooley – lead vocals, guitars
Tony Spradlin – lead guitars, backing vocals
Nick Kessler – bass, backing vocals
Shane Cooley – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Filth / Death Exhibition (2026)

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Going the distance in punishing the body and tormenting the mind, this Swedish Death Metal trio returns from the grave with their filthy and barbaric sophomore album.

Having a knack for fitting artworks, always capturing the album’s psychedically putrid contents perfectly, Göthenburg, Sweden-based Death Metal brigade Filth attacks once again with their sophomore album, titled Death Exhibiton, the follow-up to their 2025 debut Time to Rot. Going the distance in punishing the body and tormenting the mind, the trio formed of Per on vocals and drums, Sebastian on lead guitars and bass, and Ismael on rhythm guitars sounds both more finessed and more barbaric than their debut offering. The formula has hardly changed, thankfully, but the foundations of their sound are expanded further in Death Exhibition, whether it’s the crude, tank-rolling crush of Grave, or the sooty angularity of Immolation.

After the album’s short horror-infused Intro, all hell breaks loose to the sound of Split Casket, offering our putrid ears an overdose of doom-laden Death Metal where Per’s deep, inhumane guttural match perfectly with the apocalyptic guitar lines by Sebastian and Ismael; and their cadaverous, primeval sounds keep permeating the air in Buried Alive, with Sebastian not only delivering killer riffs, but his bass lines are also absolutely thunderous. Born A Corpse carries an old school name for another song where their visceral fusion of Death and Doom Metal works majestically, in special the deep vociferations by Per; and he continues to smash his drums in the name of darkness and gore in Mental Butchery, living up to the legacy of the genre.

…Inhumed… sounds and feels as dark and evil and it is groovy thanks to the caustic riffs and bass lines by Sebastian and Ismael, bringing total obscurity to our rotten hearts, while Sadistic Ways continues where the previous song left off, with its cadaverous Doom Metal vibe bringing even more hatred to their core Death Metal. The title-track Death Exhibition presents an overdose of primeval Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted, with Per’s deep roars sounding utterly demonic. Then the ruthless bass by Sebastian will then crush your cranial skull in …Exhumed…, sounding slow, grim and visceral, flowing into the bludgeoning and evil closing tune Rotted Life, with the trio blasting their sonic weapons with endless hatred until the very end.

Other similarly old school influences can be spotted in Death Exhibition, such as Demilich, Autopsy, Incantation, and Abhorrence, but rest assured that Filth inject their own personality (and just a slight bit of weirdness) into the bubbling cauldron to remain authentic rather than ripping off someone else’s past. Those guys don’t seem to enjoy social media at all, as they’re not on Facebook nor on Instagram, but you can still find their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new album from Me Saco Un Ojo’s BandCamp or from Rotted Life’s BandCamp. This is Swedish Death Metal at its filthiest, and there’s no escape once you’re trapped in the cauldron of violence and gore found in their fulminating new album.

Best moments of the album: Split Casket, …Inhumed… and Death Exhibition.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Me Saco Un Ojo/Rotted Life

Track listing
1. Intro 0:30
2. Split Casket 3:35
3. Buried Alive 3:39
4. Born A Corpse 3:21
5. Mental Butchery 4:06
6. …Inhumed… 4:07
7. Sadistic Ways 3:39
8. Death Exhibition 4:13
9. …Exhumed… 2:45
10. Rotted Life 4:26

Band members
Per – vocals, drums
Sebastian – lead guitars, bass
Ismael – rhythm guitars

Album Review – Vulgar Mephitis / From Dust (2026)

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Can you smell the foul stench of rotten corpses from the debut full-length opus by this unrelenting American Brutal Death Metal creature?

Following their 2022 three-track self-titled debut EP with a compositionally varied approach that disorients with violent tempo disruption and dissonant riff angularity, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Brutal Death Metal foursome Vulgar Mephitis is ready to unleash hell once again armed with their first ever full-length opus, titled From Dust. Mixed and mastered by Sasha Borovykh at Tsun Tsun Productions (with drums recorded by Shane Mayer at Cerebral Audio), and displaying a suffocating artwork by Leon Humphrey of Theosis Design, the new album by vocalist Jacob Toy, guitarist Dan Martin, bassist Jay Schweinberg, and drummer Nick Bentzel will pulverize you like a putrid insect without compromising its melody and structure, proving Brutal Death Metal can be gory and visceral, yet extremely technical and dynamic.

The cryptic, atmospheric intro From Dust warms us up for the metallic storm that’s about to come with Martyr, where the quartet shows absolutely no mercy for our putrid bodies and rotten souls, with Jacob roaring and barking like a demented creature craving for flesh, supported by the infernal beats and fills by Nick. If you survive their first strike, get ready for Exterminating Profane, a ruthless blast of Brutal Death Metal yet sounding very technical where Dan and Jay provide us with a nonstop, pulverizing stringed extravaganza, followed by Peer Into The Abyss, simply perfect for some wild slamming into the pit, with Nick once again hammering his drums like a demonic entity while the guitar lines by Dan transpire violence and hatred.

Nick’s drumming sounds even more impressive in the infuriated Scorn Of My Flesh, where their Technical Death Metal vein pulses harder than ever for our total delight, not to mention Jacob’s guttural sounds utterly insane; and Dan’s blazing riffs will pierce our impious minds mercilessly in Gorging Greed, offering more of the band’s trademark Death Metal insanity. After such a demolishing tune we face the title-track To Dust, where the quartet makes sure no one is left alive, pulverized by their demented Death Metal sounds; whereas last but certainly not least, we’re treated to one final explosion of Death Metal madness in the form of Wounds, where Nick takes the lead once again with his intricate yet demolishing beats and fills.

“The main difference in songwriting from the 2022 EP to now would be the addition of myself and Nick Bentzel (drums) stepping into the band, which expanded upon the way songs are structured in general. Previously, the writing process was solely done by Jay Schweinberg (bass) and Jacob Toy (vocals). At the time, the idea was to be a straight up brutal band with linear song structures,” commented guitarist Dan Martin about the songwriting approach this time around. You can find more information about such an up-and-coming extreme band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their violent creations on Spotify, and purchase their killer new album from their own BandCamp or from the Willowtip Records webstore as a CD or an LP. Having said all that, can you smell the foul stench of rotten corpses from the debut full-length opus by this unrelenting American Brutal Death Metal creature?

Best moments of the album: Martyr, Peer Into The Abyss and To Dust.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. From Dust 1:40
2. Martyr 4:09
3. Exterminating Profane 2:21
4. Peer Into The Abyss 2:48
5. Scorn Of My Flesh 3:10
6. Gorging Greed 3:30
7. To Dust 3:14
8. Wounds 5:20

Band members
Jacob Toy – vocals
Dan Martin – guitars
Jay Schweinberg – bass
Nick Bentzel – drums

Album Review – Terrestrial Hospice / Omnicide – Chapter I (2026)

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Behold the caustic new opus by this uncanny Polish duo, inviting us all to join them in their impure ceremony of absolute Black Metal devastation, causing total havoc and destruction in their wake.

There are nihilists, there are elitists, and there are people threading on others to move forward. Gdańsk, Poland-based Black Metal duo Terrestrial Hospice  doesn’t need any of these labels or methods to move ahead. Formed back in 2018 when Inferno, the unstoppable drummer for blackened masters Behemoth, pitched the idea to the mighty vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Skyggen (from bands like Dead to This World, Tortorum, and Thunderbolt, among others), the duo is unleashing upon humanity their third full-length opus, titled Omnicide – Chapter I, following up on their 2023 album Caviary to the General and their 2024 EP Rübezahl. Recorded at Sound of Records, mixed and mastered at Wielolsad Studio, engineered, mixed and mastered by Haldor Grunberg at Satanic Audio, and displaying a sinister cover art and photo by Bartek Rogalewicz of Lodge Black, the album invites us all to join Skyggen and Inferno in their impure ceremony of absolute Black Metal devastation, with the duo causing total havoc and destruction in their wake.

Phosphoric Salvation starts in an ethereal, pensive way before the duo comes crushing our hopes and dreams with their visceral riffs and blast beats, with Skyggen’s vocals sounding phantasmagorical. And Inferno keeps pounding his drums manically in The Couloir of Despair, offering us all more of the duo’s evil Black Metal magic; while Call of the Void is even more infernal and vile, with Inferno’s blast beats providing Skyggen with exactly what he needs to haunt our damned souls with his demented vociferations, followed by Serpents in the Grass, another solid, otherworldly composition by the duo where Inferno takes the lead with his classy beats and fills as usual.

There’s no time to breathe as their Black Metal machine moves forward in full force to the sound of Menace, presenting an overdose of strident riffs by Skyggen not recommended for the lighthearted; whereas Depraver (Black Invocation) is by far the most incendiary and demented of all songs, if that’s humanly possible, with Inferno crushing our frail bodies with his undisputed Black and Death Metal attack. Drowning Spirit sounds a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, despite the fact that Skyggen’s evil gnarls are still a thing of beauty; and last but certainly not least, they bring forward their blend of Melodic Black Metal in the form of The Gospel of Obedience, as rhythmic as it is obscure, putting a chaotic and vile ending to the album.

Joined live by Norwegian bassist Thurzur, known from Gaahlskagg, Dead to This World, Taake and Deathcult, among others, and by guitarist Namas, Terrestrial Hospice represent heart, emotion, will, power and consistency, and their new album perfectly depicts their hard work and commitment to Black Metal. Hence, you can enter the left-hand path alongside Skyggen and Inferno by following the duo on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their caustic music on Spotify, and of course by putting your damned hands on Omnicide – Chapter I from the Edge Circle Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. The “now” of the world needs more individual thinking like what Skyggen and Inferno have to offer in their new album to move forward. We need more Terrestrial Hospice. We need more Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Phosphoric Salvation, Call of the Void and Depraver (Black Invocation).

Worst moments of the album: Drowning Spirit.

Released in 2026 Edge Circle Productions

Track listing
1. Phosphoric Salvation 6:47
2. The Couloir of Despair 2:34
3. Call of the Void 4:11
4. Serpents in the Grass 4:50
5. Menace 6:45
6. Depraver (Black Invocation) 2:19
7. Drowning Spirit 4:48
8. The Gospel of Obedience 4:25

Band members
Skyggen – vocals, guitars, bass
Inferno – drums

Guest musicians
Magdalena Sienkiel – grand piano interlude on “The Gospel of Obedience”
Soror NMHN – spoken words on “Call of the Void”, “Serpents in the Grass” and “The Gospel of Obedience”
Namas – guitars (live), keyboards on “Phosphoric Salvation”
Thurzur – bass (live)

Album Review – Jasmeno / Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms (2026)

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After nearly four years, Poland’s own Avantgarde Metal act returns with a work that not only expands on its existing language, but also redefines it in an almost sculptural spirit.

After nearly four years, Poland’s own Avantgarde Metal act Jasmeno returns with a work that not only expands on its existing language, but also redefines it in an almost sculptural spirit, titled Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms, offering us all six extensive tracks totaling nearly 50 minutes, creating a cohesive, thoughtful structure. Featuring the band’s mastermind Slavomir Nietupski on orchestrations, synthesizers, grand piano and programming, alongside vocalist Brian Gawaski, guitarist Michal Grall (Sinister, Unblessed Divine), and bassist Artur Olkowicz (Art of Illusion, Mechanism), as well as an array of guest musicians including Bartlomiej Krysiuk (Patriarkh, Batushka), Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Insidious Desease), Snorre Ruch (Thorns, Satyricon), and Yusaf Parvez (DHG, Dødheimsgard), among many others, Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms is a musical assemblage in its purest form – fragmented yet coherent, multi–layered yet subordinated to a single vision without the use of artificial intelligence solutions. Produced by Slavomir Nietupski and Tangled Records, mixed and mastered by Jakub Mankowski at Sounds Great Promotion Studio, and with all graphic design, hand paintings and layout by Slavomir NietupskiIn (in memory of Wladyslaw Hasior), the album is not about being an easily digestible beauty, but about the intensity of experiences and the recurring desire to commune with the Jasmeno universe.

The opening track Synesthesia Imperialis offers a cinematic intro that gradually evolves into a bestial display of the band’s core avantgarde and experimental sounds, with the powerful vocals by Brian walking hand in hand with all riffs, bass lines and imposing orchestrations by Michal, Artur and Slamovir; followed by A Code of Equivocation, another beautiful, bold and captivating creation by the quartet, alternating between heavier moments and pure atmospheric, introspective passages, with their guitars exhaling fire. Then venturing through the realms of Epic and Melodic Death Metal we have His Rebirth, again presenting an imposing ambience that will embrace our souls in darkness; and their riffs and solos will pierce our minds in The Void, while Brian’s vocals are back to their more epic vibe, like the soundtrack to a futuristic thriller, not to mention how charming the piano sounds. The Provocation ov Fate is as intense and vibrant as its predecessors, with the band once again delivering an overdose of Avantgarde Metal magic, Needless to say, it should sound incredible if played live, whereas lastly we face Seduced by Ambiguity, a more introspective, grim creation that concludes the album on a Stygian mode, with all guitars sounding menacing.

Emerging as a complete work both conceptually and in terms of execution, Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms offers a sonic matrix that resembles an assembly line more than a classic album – a space in which each element has its own name, but only when fully assembled does it reveal its full meaning, based on the principles of collaboration and openness. Not only that, the diversity of personalities found in the album gives the entire piece additional depth and a distinctive character among contemporary productions, with each guest bringing their own idiom – a distinct, yet unique language of emotion and sophisticated experiences. Having said all that, you should definitely give Slavomir and his Jasmeno a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase their striking new album from BandCamp. Assemblage of Cinematic Idioms might not be an easy listen at first, but once the music hits you, get ready for a wild ride together with one of the most interesting bands of the Polish music scene.

Best moments of the album: Synesthesia Imperialis and The Provocation ov Fate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Tangled Records

Track listing
1. Synesthesia Imperialis 10:12
2. A Code of Equivocation 8:03
3. His Rebirth 5:19
4. The Void 8:08
5. The Provocation ov Fate 7:55
6. Seduced by Ambiguity 8:15

Band members
Brian Gawaski – vocals
Michal Grall – guitars
Artur Olkowicz – electric & fretless bass
Slavomir Nietupski – orchestrations, synthesizers, grand piano & programming

Guest musicians
Bartlomiej Krysiuk – vocals
Marc Grewe – vocals
Slawomir Slavo Maryniewski – vocals
Snorre Ruch – vocals
Joanna Zondlowska – vocals
Sasha Janowicz – vocals
Yusaf Parvez – vocals, electric guitars
Lecia Louise – electric & acoustic guitars
Piotr Filonowicz – electric guitars
Mariusz Domaradzki – electric guitars
Marek Depa – electric guitars
Tomasz Andrzejewski – electric guitars
Jakub Wagner – flamenco guitars
Lukasz Kowalski – electric guitars
Robert Kolakowski – synthesizers
Ryszard Kramarski – synthesizers

Album Review – Sněť / V bažinách vědomí (2026)

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A demented creature arises from the swamps of consciousness with its pulverizing sophomore album, a must-listen slab of old school Death Metal.

Having annihilated the underground with their 2021 debut Mokvání v okovech and kept things flowing with two splits in the interim, Prague, Czechia’s own Death Metal creature Sněť (which translates to “gangrene” or “mortification” from Czech) returns from the grave with their highly anticipated sophomore album, entitled V bažinách vědomí, or “in the swamps of consciousness.” Recorded by Amák Golden at Golden Hive Studio, mixed and mastered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios, and showcasing a sinister artwork by Tomáš Mitura (also known as the band’s own frontman Řád Zdechlin), the new opus by Řád Zdechlin on vocals, Hnisatel and Ransolič on the guitars, Hrdlořez on bass, and Krutörr on drums is a must-listen slab of old school Death Metal, with the band keeping the 90’s hallmarks intact while adding subtle touches that show they’ve found their own identity, therefore delivering a gruesomeness and discomfort that reflects their evolution without sacrificing any of its punishing intensity.

The guitars by Hnisatel and Ransolič already exhale sulfur in Tíha světů, or “the weight of worlds,” evolving into a feast of primeval Death Metal where Krutörr pounds his drums with endless anger and hatred in his heart; whereas a cinematic intro explodes into absolute savagery in Kladivo ve tmě, or “hammer in the dark,” with the cadaverous guttural by Řád Zdechlin sending shivers down our spines. The next track, titled Natur, the Czech word for “nature,” is a fantastic blast of total chaos and violence by such a merciless band, reeking of old school Death Metal savagery, and Hrdlořez’s bass and Krutörr’s drums will make the earth tremble in Ve stínu slunce, or “in the shadow of the sun,” while Řád Zdechlin keeps vociferating like a demonic beast. And Apokalyptický smaragd budoucí doby, which beautifully translates as “apocalyptic emerald of the future,” sounds utterly heavy and primeval while at the same time showcasing an overdose of groove and harmony, with their guitars feeling like knifes cutting our flesh.

Moskyt, which simply means “mosquito,” brings to our avid ears an explosion of Death Metal madness by the quintet, with their riffs and blast beats offering Řád Zdechlin exactly what he needs to vociferate right in our faces, followed by Jako každý, or “like everyone,” inspired by old school Cannibal Corpse, and the final result is amazing, with Krutörr taking the lead with his unstoppable beats and fills. Nekončící koloběh snění a probouzení, or “the endless cycle of dreaming and waking,” once again presents nuances of Doom Metal added to their core Death Metal essence, with the band’s stringed triumvirate bringing forward sheer progressiveness and electricity; while Dřevěný kůl, or “wooden stake,” offers more of their classic take of Death Metal with obscure elements from Doom Metal. And lastly, Znetvořená panna, or “a disfigured virgin,” is as devastating and dynamic as its predecessors, putting a killer ending to the album to the wicked guitar solos by Hnisatel and Ransolič.

Consuming the listener with an eldritch atmosphere while piercing through the fog with pure rancidity, Sněť’s new album boasts a massive production that crushes with total morbidity. There is no pretense to Sněť, they simply play Death Metal the way they want to hear it, and that shines throughout V bažinách vědomí. If you love brutality, grooves, death, and riffs, don’t miss the opportunity to grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp, from the Me Saco un Ojo Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or from Dark Descent Records, and don’t forget to also give those amazing death metallers a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their venomous music on Spotify. As Sněť arise from the swamps of consciousness and attacks us all with their pulverizing sophomore album, you better get ready because no one will be left alive.

Best moments of the album: Kladivo ve tmě, Natur and Jako každý.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Me Saco un Ojo Records

Track listing
1. Tíha světů 4:48
2. Kladivo ve tmě 3:49
3. Natur 3:01
4. Ve stínu slunce 4:37
5. Apokalyptický smaragd budoucí doby 3:56
6. Moskyt 3:30
7. Jako každý 2:38
8. Nekončící koloběh snění a probouzení 4:00
9. Dřevěný kůl 2:58
10. Znetvořená panna 4:38

Band members
Řád Zdechlin – vocals
Hnisatel – guitars
Ransolič – guitars
Hrdlořez – bass
Krutörr – drums