Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review – Funeral Vomit / Upheaval Of Necromancy (2025)

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This blood-soaked creature hailing from Colombia is back with their second tome of monstrosities and malignancy, spewing forth their particular brand of Death Metal sickness.

He’s dead? Not anymore…” – Herbert West, Reanimator

Formed in the time of the global pandemic, Barranquilla, Colombia’s own Funeral Vomit have been spewing forth their particular brand of Death Metal sickness since 2020, becoming a must-listen for fans of Autopsy, Grave, Mortician, and Grave Desecrator, among many other torchbearers of pure death. Now in 2025 the band formed of C. Monsalve on vocals and guitar, Y. Lopez also on the guitar, H. Montaño on bass, and J. Carvajal on drums returns from the grave with their sophomore offering entitled Upheaval of Necromancy, their second tome of monstrosities and malignancy to be released on the same fateful date on which their debut Monumental Putrescence was exhumed, two years ago.

Get ready to be pulverized by Funeral Vomit, as the cadaverous intro The Disentombment will drag us to their Stygian lair where the quarter will crush our putrid bodies and souls with the title-track Upheaval of Necromancy, a lecture in old school, primeval Death Metal where C. Monsalve sounds like a creature from the abyss on vocals. After one of those classy excerpts of some crazy dude talking crazy stuff, we have more of their evil sounds in Sulphuric Regurgitation, with J. Carvajal showing absolute zero mercy for our necks armed with his demented beats and fills, followed by Hematophagia, less frantic but still venomous and absurdly heavy, with C. Monsalve and Y. Lopez firing devilish riffs and solos in great fashion.

The second part of the album kicks off with another phantasmagorical instrumental piece titled Interlude (Mortuary Ecstasy), opening the gates of the underworld for the band to consume our souls with Winds of Exhumation, an evil, no shenanigans Death and Doom Metal creature led by C. Monsalve’s visceral guttural, supported by the thunderous kitchen by H. Montaño and J. Carvajal. Then the band goes absolute berserk in Altars of Doom, demolishing their instruments mercilessly, therefore inviting us all to crush our skulls into the pit. A name like Cryptic Miasma Stench demanded the most putrid form of Death Metal, and the band delivers exactly that with honors led by J. Carvajal’s violent drums; whereas the album ends with the gruesome, devilish Rancid Insorcism, another blast of pure Colombian gore and violence, morphing into the bestial outro Effluvia of the Mass Grave, sounding like the closing credits of a brutal horror flick.

In the end, there will be no escaping Funeral Vomit’s call from the grave to the sound of their demented new album, and you can join them in their quest for extreme music, violence and gore by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their depraved and sick music on Spotify or any other streaming platform with enough guts to host their music, and obviously by putting your impious, dirty hands on the album via Xtreem Music’s BandCamp or webstore. As you listen to the extreme aggression found in Upheaval Of Necromancy, you’ll soon realize this is not just your regular Death Metal. The Funeral Vomit nightmare is real, and it will never end.

Best moments of the album: Upheaval of Necromancy, Winds of Exhumation and Cryptic Miasma Stench.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Xtreem Music

Track listing
1. Intro (The Disentombment) 1:45
2. Upheaval of Necromancy 3:30
3. Sulphuric Regurgitation 4:05
4. Hematophagia 5:48
5. Interlude (Mortuary Ecstasy) 1:15
6. Winds of Exhumation 4:00
7. Altars of Doom 2:48
8. Cryptic Miasma Stench 3:25
9. Rancid Insorcism 3:40
10. Outro (Effluvia of the Mass Grave) 1:05

Band members
C. Monsalve – vocals, guitar
Y. Lopez – guitar
H. Montaño – bass
J. Carvajal – drums

Album Review – Morbonoct / No One Knows We’re Dying (2025)

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Let the ambience take you over in the fifth studio album by this up-and-coming Cosmic Black Metal entity from outer space.

Having started back in 2021 as a studio project by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Aleksandr Medvediev in his hometown of Kherson, Ukraine, but currently located in Szczecin, Poland, the otherworldly Symphonic Black Metal entity known as Morbonoct evolved into a more serious and powerful beast in 2023 when vocalist and lyricist David Welnicki joined the band. Now in 2025, after the releases of Anmet (2021), Chorna bezodnya (2022), Galactic Gloom (2023), and The Highest Purpose (2024), the duo returns in full force with their fifth opus, entitled No One Knows We’re Dying. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Aleksandr himself, who also took care of the album’s cryptic artwork, the album offers more of the project’s blend of Cosmic Black Metal, continuing with their exploration of the captivating space theme while presenting dense atmospheric canvases in the background.

It doesn’t take too long for Aleksandr to go full Black Metal in The Creation, offering us all 11 minutes of visceral passages, breaks and variations, with his beats and fills sounding truly insane while Dawid barks and growls nonstop. Lost also surpasses the ten minute mark, warning the listener the album is not for the lighthearted, blending Atmospheric Black Metal moments with the undisputed, raw aggression of Black Metal; followed by Cold Wind, one of the heaviest songs of the album, if not the heaviest, showcasing an amazing job done by Aleksandr on both the guitars and drums, providing Dawid with exactly what he needs to vociferate sheer Black Metal fury. Drifting Away is more contemporary and melodic, also starting in an ethereal way led by the whimsical keys by Aleksandr, offering elements of Doom Metal to spice things up a bit while Dawid’s vocals exhale anguish, and lastly, an extraterrestrial intro slowly morphs into the Atmospheric Black Metal title-track No One Knows, We’re Dying, with Aleksandr crushing his drums majestically in a lecture in progressiveness, heaviness, intricacy and darkness.

“No One Knows We’re Dying traces the inevitable cycles of life – from the beauty of creation to the weight of existence, and finally, to a cold, inevitable silence. The project embraces raw authenticity, with the mix and master intentionally restrained to preserve the natural texture of the vocals. Minimal post-processing allows every imperfection to speak truthfully, amplifying the emotional resonance of the performance. The instrumental foundation forms a cohesive narrative that evokes deep melancholy and a quiet sense of hopelessness, guiding the listener through a hauntingly introspective experience,” commented Aleksandr, and you can be part of Morbonoct’s cosmic journey by following the project on Instagram, by streaming their unique albums on Spotify, and of course by purchasing No One Knows We’re Dying from BandCamp. Or in other words, relax, take a deep breath, and simply let the ambience take you over in the excellent new album by this up-and-coming Cosmic Black Metal entity from outer space.

Best moments of the album: Cold Wind and No One Knows, We’re Dying.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. The Creation 10:55
2. Lost 10:43
3. Cold Wind 11:45
4. Drifting Away 11:16
5. No One Knows, We’re Dying 12:07

Band members
Dawid Wełnicki – vocals
Aleksandr Medvediev – guitars, bass, keyboards, drums

Album Review – Pedestal for Leviathan / Enter: Vampyric Manifestation (2025)

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Under a pale Colorado moon, this devilish Symphonic and Blackened Death Metal creature attacks with their flammable debut opus.

Under a pale Colorado moon, the devilish Symphonic/Blackened Death Metal creature Pedestal for Leviathan attacks once again with their fusion of Brutal Death Metal riffing with an appreciation for symphonic extreme blackened bands such as Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir in their first full-length opus, poetically titled Enter: Vampyric Manifestation, following up on their 2024 EP Festering Apparition. Written, recorded, and mixed by the band’s own Kendrick Lemke, completed by a spellbinding cover artwork by Australian illustrator Alexander Kemp, and with the preceding EP as bonus tracks, the new offering by Kendrick Lemke on vocals and guitar, Mathew Meyer also on the guitar, Noah Filthen on bass, and Corbin Echtermeyer on drums sounds absolutely huge, with its sound, vision, and execution all forming a symbiosis of grim grandeur and fathomless darkness tailored for admirers of Septicflesh, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Belphegor, Arkhon Infaustus, and Darklord, just to name a few.

A horror movie-like intro evolves into a gruesome beast of Symphonic Black and Death Metal entitled Chalice Bleeds Intoxicant, with Kendrick stealing the show with his deep, devilish roars; whereas the frantic, heavy-as-hell drums by Corbin walk hand in hand with grim background orchestrations in Summoning Sickness, also presenting a demonic riff attack by Kendrick and Mathew. Lycanthropichrist, the first single of the album, offers our metallic ears more of the band’s inhumane sounds, with their guitars exhaling Black Metal magic, followed by Sanctity of Retribution, uniting the epicness of Symphonic Metal with their visceral blackened sounds (albeit a bit generic in the end).

Purgatory Displacement brings forward an avalanche of Symphonic Black Metal madness with Kendrick’s Brutal Death Metal screeches adding even more flavour to an already bestial tune, and again blending the obscurity of Black Metal with the aggressiveness of Death Metal we face Karmic Recollection Mirror, where both Noah and Corbin sound ruthless with their demonic kitchen. Then after the grim, cinematic interlude Snow Covered Monolith, we’re treated to the closing tune, the devilish Warlock Blacksmith, as chaotic and melodic as it can be, led by the visceral riffs by Kendrick and Mathew and matching perfectly with its evil background keys. Furthermore, the bonus tracks from their 2024 EP Festering Apparition are absolutely fantastic, in special Beast Rune, adding even more meat to their blackened banquet.

In the end, Enter: Vampyric Manifestation is undoubtedly a record that has crossover appeal for fans of both Death and Black Metal, from both underground and above, as well as the more-adventurous sorts into Symphonic Metal. You can get more details about the band and the album on Instagram, stream it in full on any platform like Spotify, and of course, above all that, purchase a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp, from the Personal Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or simply by clicking HERE. Enter: Vampyric Manifestation will certainly take Pedestal for Leviathan places, and if you enjoy the fusion of all elements that make the darkest side of metal even darker and more disturbing, I’m sure you’ll want to join the band and visit those same devilish places with them, always in the name of our beloved extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Summoning Sickness, Purgatory Displacement and Warlock Blacksmith.

Worst moments of the album: Sanctity of Retribution.

Released in 2025 Personal Records

Track listing
1. Chalice Bleeds Intoxicant 2:51
2. Summoning Sickness 3:18
3. Lycanthropichrist 3:22
4. Sanctity of Retribution 4:14
5. Purgatory Displacement 2:51
6. Karmic Recollection Mirror 2:52
7. Snow Covered Monolith 1:05
8. Warlock Blacksmith 3:02

Special Edition bonus tracks (Festering Apparition 2024 EP)
9. Siphoning of the Liege 3:48
10. Beast Rune 2:43
11. Nightside Familiar 3:52

Band members
Kendrick Lemke – vocals, guitar
Mathew Meyer – guitar
Noah Filthen – bass
Corbin Echtermeyer – drums

Album Review – Der Rote Milan / Verlust EP (2025)

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Enveloped in shadow, this six-headed German Black Metal beast returns with a new EP encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.

Enveloped in shadow, Trier, Germany-based sextet Der Rote Milan returns to action with more of their intense, melodic, riff-driven Black Metal in their newborn EP Verlust, the German word for “loss.” Produced by the band itself, recorded, mixed and mastered by Markus Stock  at Klangschmiede Studio E, and displaying a suffocating artwork by Matt Prison, the follow-up to their 2019 full-length album Moritat and their the 2023 EP Schlund sees the band formed of III on vocals, I and V on the guitars, VII on bass, II on synths, and VI on drums  develop further their Atmospheric Black Metal sound and lyrical depth, all steeped in a deep sense of humanity, of indulging in the human condition, even those parts many may wish to avoid, encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.

The EP kicks off in great fashion to the strident, piercing riffs by I and V in Aus der Finsternis, or “out of the darkness” from German, evolving into a bestial fusion of old school Black Metal with Post-Black Metal nuances, sounding utterly hypnotizing and vile from start to finish. Où allez-vous, or “where are you going?”, brings forward more of their trademark sonority, with VI sounding ruthless as usual on drums while III vociferates the song’s devilish words majestically; and there’s no time to breathe as such a demonic horde invades our senses with Skepsis der Existenz, or “skepticism of existence” (referring to a philosophical doubt about the nature and reality of existence itself), perhaps the most Black Metal of all songs, with III once again stealing the show with his raspy growling. Verlust, the song that carries the name of the EP, brings forward an overdose of soul crushing riffs by I and V supported by the classy drumming by VI; and they close the EP on a vile and frantic mode with Der letzte Rubin, or “the last ruby.” inspired by a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Furthermore, I can imagine the speed and size of the circle pits that can be formed during it, all boosted by another rumbling background crafted by VII, II and VI.

Exploring a strange sense of beauty that emerges from despair through the multi-faceted nature in which loss is experienced, the music by Der Rote Milan draws not only from nature, but also from the darker side of humanity’s acts, notably historical wars in Central Europe, anti-religion and, on an individual level, inner conflict. The combination of those elements with the harshness of  Black Metal sounds once again fantastic in the band’s newborn EP, and if you want to put your damned hands on it simply go to BandCamp or to Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their austere creations on any platform like Spotify. Because loss exists and purveys through our lives in many forms, one of them being the undisputed Black Metal offered by Der Rote Milan in albums like Verlust, a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of music and life in general.

Best moments of the album: Où allez-vous and Skepsis der Existenz.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork

Track listing
1. Aus der Finsternis 4:46
2. Où allez-vous 4:40
3. Skepsis der Existenz 4:06
4. Verlust 4:12
5. Der letzte Rubin 5:04

Band members
III – vocals
I – guitar
V – guitar
VII – bass
II – synths
VI – drums

Album Review – Lust Of Decay / Entombed In Sewage (2025)

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Twenty five years since their tale of terror began, the demigods of death return with their long awaited, gory and brutal fourth full-length album.

Twenty five years since their tale of terror began and far too long a time since the release of their last album Purity Through Dismemberment back in 2006, the demigods of death, legends of the underworld, Kings Mountain, North Carolina-based Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore beasts Lust Of Decay have returned, carrying with them in their bloodstained, disease riddled hands something bleak and soul destroying, ten new commandments of depravity and tragedy, new incitements to violence and degradation, their long, long awaited fourth full-length album, Entombed in Sewage. Mixed and mastered by Tony Tipton at Metal Foundry, and displaying a gory, demented artwork by the indomitable Daemorph, the new opus by vocalist Jay Barnes, guitarist Steve Green, bassist Ryan Coulter, and drummer Jordan Varela has a surprisingly bright and vibrant sound that brings every element, every weapon in the Lust Of Decay armory into play to tremendous effect, being therefore perfect for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Psycroptic, Disavowed, and Prostitute Disfigurement.

Prepare your damned bodies for a wild and gruesome ride starting with Parasitic Exsanguination, a demented display of the band’s trademark Death Metal where Jordan sounds absolutely inhumane on drums, and they managed to sound even heavier and more deranged in Hallucinations of the Decrepit, where Jay’s demonic growls are the epitome of madness and violence. The screeching of dirty pigs ignite Nourishing the Swine, another exhibit of pure violence and gore by the quartet where once again Ryan and Jordan make the earth tremble armed with their infernal kitchen; and you’ll be smashed into pieces in the best Cannibal Corpse-style in Fetal Contamination Process, led by Steve’s infuriated, scathing riffage.

Rusty Razor Rimjob requires no comments about its title, while the music is just as gory and depraved, with Jay vomiting its visceral words amidst an overdose of Death Metal insanity. Jay sounds even more demonic in Order 66, inviting us all to crush our damned skulls into the pit, not to mention how fulminating Jordan is once again behind his drums. Put differently, it can’t get any more Death Metal than this, whereas Desiccate the Epithelium sounds beyond perfect for breaking your neck into tiny pieces headbanging like a true maniac to the nonstop riffs by Steve. Finally, they offer our putrid ears the horror movie-like title-track Entombed in Sewage, starting in an cinematic manner before all hell breaks loose to the heavy artillery crafted by Steve, Ryan and Jordan.

Unleashed upon the world like a knife from the dark into the throat of the festive season, Entombed In Sewage is a must-listen for fans of absolute brutality and gore, and you can put your putrid hands on such a precious gem of the extreme scene by grabbing a physical copy of the album and merch by clicking HERE, or from Comatose Music’s BandCamp. Don’t forget to also give those guys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their live concerts, and to stream their sick music on Spotify or any other platform. Needless to say, if you refuse to do so, get ready to be mercilessly entombed in sewage.

Best moments of the album: Hallucinations of the Decrepit, Order 66 and Entombed in Sewage.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Parasitic Exsanguination 4:26
2. Hallucinations of the Decrepit 4:01
3. Nourishing the Swine 4:29
4. Fetal Contamination Process 3:58
5. Rusty Razor Rimjob 3:45
6. Order 66 3:41
7. Desiccate the Epithelium 3:45
8. Entombed in Sewage 5:18

Band members
Jay Barnes – vocals
Steve Green – guitars, backing vocals
Ryan Coulter – bass
Jordan Varela – drums

Album Review – Discovery Through Torment / Telesynthetic Rebirth EP (2025)

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This up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble is ready to attack armed with their newborn EP, telling a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement.

Blending elements of Brutal Death Metal, Slam, and Black Metal into a sound defined by relentless aggression and technical intensity, Montreal, Quebec’s own Deathcore beast Discovery Through Torment has been building a reputation in the Canadian underground metal scene for uncompromising heaviness, surgical precision, and a clear artistic identity rooted in themes of Sci-Fi, aliens, and existential decay. Now in 2025 the band formed of vocalist Alexandre Desroche, guitarists Samuel Fortin and Frédéric Ricard, bassist Alexis Lafrance, and drummer Charles-Étienne Lafrance returns to the battlefield with a new EP titled Telesynthetic Rebirth, following up on their demented 2022 sophomore opus The Mangled God. Recorded and produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Maxime Lacroix of House of Gain Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by Mark Erskine of Erskine Designs, the EP tells a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement, following the downfall of a former entity and the rise of a new force that abducts humans, reshapes them into telepathic killing machines, and unleashes them in a genocidal conquest of Earth. The lyrics weave themes of experimentation and domination, closing with a cliffhanger that sets up the next chapter.

Eerie sounds permeate the air in the opening track Dethronement, exploding into a beyond brutal and technical slab of Deathcore led by Charles-Étienne’s demented beats and fills while Alexandre delivers those deep, inhumane growls we all love so much. Their demented feast of Blackened Deathcore goes on in full force in Arcane Inception, showcasing an amazing job done by Samuel and Frédéric on the guitars, being therefore perfect for some action inside the circle pit; and Charles-Étienne doesn’t let the band’s aggressiveness and heaviness go down not even a tiny bit in Veil Unferling, with those insane breakdowns providing Alexandre with exactly what he needs to roar like a demonic entity. Moreover, the song has a nod to the first F.E.A.R. game, with a hidden line straight from Paxton Fettel. Lesions is by far the most infernal (and consequently the most trilling) of all songs from the EP, where Alexis hammers his bass manically accompanied by the thunderous drums by Charles-Étienne; and finally, they add hints of Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority in First Encounter Assault Regiment (a play on the aforementioned game’s acronym), and the final result is obviously incendiary.

As an unsigned and self-produced act, Discovery Through Torment exemplify the raw potential of modern underground metal music, always ambitious, unfiltered, and driven entirely by passion, and their brand new EP is the perfect depiction of all that hard work and focus. Hence, you can show those relentless metallers your total support by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on any platform like Spotify, and of course by purchasing their excellent new EP from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It certainly won’t take long for Discovery Through Torment to attack again with the next chapter in their already solid career, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such an up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble after the striking and incendiary Telesynthetic Rebirth.

Best moments of the album: Arcane Inception and Lesions.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dethronement 4:36
2. Arcane Inception 3:40
3. Veil Unferling 4:29
4. Lesions 3:35
5. First Encounter Assault Regiment 4:19

Band members
Alexandre Desroche – vocals
Samuel Fortin – guitar
Frédéric Ricard – guitar
Alexis Lafrance – bass
Charles-Étienne Lafrance – drums

Album Review – Death Obvious / Death Obvious (2025)

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Behold the debut opus by this uncanny duo from Finland, offering a harrowing albeit intriguing sound that’s strangely both alarming and comforting in parts.

Hailing from the darkest and most mysterious corners of Finland, the uncanny duo known as Death Obvious came out of nowhere to release a debut album that coalesces elements of Avantgarde Black, Death and Doom Metal to create a harrowing albeit intriguing sound that’s strangely both alarming and comforting in parts. Showcasing a straightforward, grim artwork by Petri Kiviniemi, the debut offering by Lea LaVey on vocals and Sima Sioux on guitars, bass, keyboards and drums brings to our avid ear eight songs that sound like excursions into pitch-black darkness, not knowing what’s coming next, while the listener remains terrified, haunted by monstrous and spectral voices coming and going, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Thantifaxath, Dodecahedron, Veilburner, Lurk, Blut aus Nord, Hexrot, and Deathspell Omega.

Mercury Off Axis is absolutely dissonant, disturbing and grim from the very first second, gradually adjusting its shape and form to a hammering Sludge Metal beast led by the rumbling bass and riffs by Sima, who keeps pounding his drums until a storm of blackened sounds comes crushing our damned souls in Santuario, with Lea barking and roaring rabidly in the name of total fucking darkness. The Great Gate Theory sounds even more sluggish and introspective, with the bass by Sima once again reverberating beautifully while Lea’s vocals transpire insanity; and it’s pedal to the metal in the Experimental Black Metal attack entitled Total Heavenly Desolation, with Lea sounding demented on vocals while Sima crafts the most caustic sounds imaginable armed with his riffs, bass and drums.

Then leaning towards a more visceral, direct form of Black Metal we face The Third Eye Burning, as primeval as it can be, again offering our putrid ears the absolutely dissonant sounds blasted by the duo, whereas after such an insane display of extreme music the duo brings forward the Stygian tune Suffer The Spectacle, starting in a cryptic manner before Lea begins barking like a venomous beast. Their Sludge and Doom Metal vein pulses harder than ever in As Absence Expands Over Everything, perfect for some vigorous headbanging in absolute obscurity; and lastly, it’s time for the chaotic, ruthless Catechismus For The Plagued, presenting eight and a half minutes of first-class Avantgarde Black and Death Metal spearheaded by the demolishing beats by Sima, ending in utter insanity and violence.

In summary, the Finnish death dealers of Death Obvious are clearly onto something in their first full-length opus, having created an exceptional and mature release right off the bat, one that deserves as much attention as it can possibly get before it gets lost in the annals of history. Hence, you can get to know more about such a promising new entity of the Finnish scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their wicked music on Spotify, and of course purchase their caustic album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. Because Death Obvious is not a rebirth, but a necessary resuscitation.

Best moments of the album: Total Heavenly Desolation, The Third Eye Burning and Catechismus For The Plagued.

Worst moments of the album: Suffer The Spectacle.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Mercury Off Axis 5:38
2. Santuario 5:13
3. The Great Gate Theory 5:16
4. Total Heavenly Desolation 4:45
5. The Third Eye Burning 5:56
6. Suffer The Spectacle 6:51
7. As Absence Expands Over Everything 5:53
8. Catechismus For The Plagued 8:30

Band members
Lea LaVey – vocals
Sima Sioux – guitars, bass, keyboards, drums

Album Review – Enthroned / Ashspawn (2025)

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One of the most ruthless beasts of Occult Black Metal returns with their twelfth opus, emerging as both an autopsy and a resurrection, a descent into spiritual death followed by the sublimation of rebirth.

With the release of their twelfth full-length album, entitled Ashspawn, the iconic beast Enthroned marks a new chapter in their three-decade reign of ritualistic and occult Black Metal. Conceived across six years of deliberate creation, the album emerges as both an autopsy and a resurrection, a descent into spiritual death followed by the sublimation of rebirth. Recorded at Ophiussa Studio, produced by the band’s own drummer Menthor, mixed by Stefano Santi at SPVN Studio, mastered by Phil Bashford at The Hive Rooms, displaying a beyond devilish artwork by Jose Gabriel Alegria Sambogal, and written in close collaboration with Gilles de Laval (an occult author known for his works on ceremonial magic and grimoires, such as Sacerdotium Umbrae Mortis and Black Magic Evocation of the Shem ha Mephorash), the new opus by Nornagest on vocals and samplers, T. Kaos on the guitars and bass, and Menthor on drums and percussion channels arcane praxis, metaphysical calculus, and esoteric mapping into a work that is as much ritual invocation as it is music. In other words, it is the culmination of Enthroned’s uncompromising vision, a weapon of transformation forged in fire and darkness.

The gates of the underworld are wide open, and Enthroned are ready to arise from the burning fires of hell and consume our souls in Crawling Temples, with the demented vociferations by Nornagest exhaling pure Black Metal magic. Menthor continues to hammer his drums with endless fury and hatred in Basilisk Triumphant, offering an overdose of the band’s trademark fusion of violence and darkness; whereas T. Kaos fires sheer aggressiveness and sulfur from his axe in Stillborn Litany, another ruthless, old school Black Metal extravaganza that lives up to the band’s own legacy, followed by the title-track Ashspawn, a lecture in classic Black Metal with the inhumane roars by Nornagest walking hand in hand with the infernal drums by Menthor.

T. Kaos will cut our skin deep with his scathing riffage in Raviasamin, while the song’s ritualistic, occult background elements give it an even more Stygian vibe and feel in the name of absolute obscurity. Then the scathing guitar lines by T. Kaos continue to reverberate in the netherworld in Sightless, as evil and visceral as Black Metal can be; and a vile, gruesome scream by Nornagest sets the tone in the just as malignant Chysalid, flowing like a devilish entity running in the dark until its somber ending. That grim atmosphere continues in Ashen Advocacy, presenting almost eight minutes of the blackest of Black Metal by bringing forward the most bludgeoning elements from Doom Metal to spice things up considerably. And last but not least, get ready to be dragged to pitch-black darkness to the sound of Assertion, with the despair and wrath flowing from Nornagest’s roaring sending shivers down our spines.

A true giant of European Occult Black Metal alongside Marduk, Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth and 1349, among others, Enthroned offer their most ambitious and personal statement to date with Ashspawn, embodying a total unity of vision where ferocious blast beats, oppressive mid-tempos, and progressive structures collapse into one another. You can feel the fire blasted by such an infernal horde by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their caustic black masses on Spotify, and of course, by purchasing Ashspawn from BandCamp or by clicking HERE.  In the end, Ashspawn is the testimony of the band’s obscure alignment, a ritual weapon that rejects nostalgia and compromise. It is a resurrection of spirit through suffering, and a reaffirmation of Enthroned’s place among Black Metal’s most visionary entities.

Best moments of the album: Basilisk Triumphant, Ashspawn, Raviasamin and Ashen Advocacy.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Crawling Temples 5:35
2. Basilisk Triumphant 5:53
3. Stillborn Litany 6:48
4. Ashspawn 4:40
5. Raviasamin 4:26
6. Sightless 3:39
7. Chysalid 4:32
8. Ashen Advocacy 7:58
9. Assertion 6:44

Band members
Nornagest – vocals, samplers
T. Kaos – guitars, bass
Menthor – drums, percussion

Album Review – Unviâr / Disglaç (2025)

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This unique Atmospheric Black Metal band from the beautiful region of Friûl will hypnotize you with their first full-length album, revolving around the complex yet unavoidable relationship between man and nature.

An Atmospheric Black Metal project hailing from a small land in Mitteleurope called Friûl, where the Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, Latin worlds coalesce in a unique mosaic of nature, people, magic, culture, languages and traditions, Unviâr, which means “winter” in Friulian, is an ode to the band’s homeland and to its people that pits the constant research and reworking of territorial identity against rampant hyperglobalization. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Davide Zago, and showcasing a stunning artwork by Paolo Girardi, Disglaç, or “defrost” in English, is the band’s follow-up to their 2023 debut EP Faliscjis, revolves around the complex yet unavoidable relationship between man and nature, a work that will delight fans of early Ulver, Drudkh, and Agalloch carefully brought into being by Daniele Tollon on vocals and guitars, Manuel Scapinello also on the guitars, Luca Franzin on bass, and Giulia Zuliani on drums.

The cello by guest Massimo Silverio already adds endless darkness to the band’s core sound in Nevere, or “never” in English, exploding into pure, unfiltered Atmospheric Black Metal led by Guilia’s venomous blast beats, not to mention the ferocity flowing from Daniele’s roars. Corints (“currents”) is another dark and visceral tune blending Black Metal with Post-Metal nuances, with the guitars by Daniele and Manuel exhaling fire; and Guilia takes the lead once again and kicks off the headbanging title-track Disglaç, supported by the massive bass lines by Luca, venturing through more melodic and even acoustic lands while also showcasing the band’s trademark heaviness as if it was three or four songs in one. Ritîr, which means “withdrawal” or “retire,” is a more straightforward Atmospheric Black Metal extravaganza, again presenting the striking riffage by Manuel; whereas last but not least, Massimo Silverio returns with his cello in Sul Ôr, which should translate as something like “on the gold,” closing the album on a pensive, grim mode, with even Daniele’s vocals getting deeper and more introspective.

Featuring dark music and a heavy epicness born from a dark naturalistic romanticism, a music that, with penetrating force, will firmly root itself in the listener’s heart, Disglaç brings forward the ancient voice of the land, the innate call of natural theophany, emerging as an intimate and reserved work, but precisely for this reason pure and uncontaminated. You can get to know more details about such an amazing band, including their live performances, on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their undisputed music on any platform like Spotify, and of course purchase their new album from their own BandCamp, from ATMF’s BandCamp, or from Metal Odissey as a CD or as an LP. Unviâr have simply  mastered the art of Black Metal with their debut album, crafting music that’s rooted in the early days of the genre while also looking forward, never sounding dull or repetitive. They’re one of the must-see names of the current scene worldwide, and I bet you’ll have an absolute blast once you dive deep into the irresistible world of Disglaç.

Best moments of the album: Nevere and Disglaç.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 ATMF

Track listing
1. Nevere 11:31
2. Corints 7:52
3. Disglaç 9:44
4. Ritîr 7:30
5. Sul Ôr 8:19

Band members
Daniele Tollon – vocals, guitars
Manuel Scapinello – guitars
Luca Franzin – bass
Giulia Zuliani – drums

Guest musician
Massimo Silverio – cello on “Nevere” and “Sul Ôr”

Album Review – Suffering / Things Seen But Always Hidden (2025)

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Drawing upon the oppressive weight of soul crushing Death and Doom Metal and the violent fervor of Black Metal, this UK beast returns with their most enthralling and disturbing work to date.

Formed in 2012 in the West Midlands in the UK, Suffering are exponents of Occult Black Metal, conjurers of fevered nightmares, and invokers of darkness and madness. Drawing upon the oppressive weight of soul crushing Death and Doom Metal and the violent fervor of the blackest metal music, bringing them together in an elixir of spirit staining, mind warping venom, the band formed of Sturmgeist Fornicator Insultus on vocals, Aýdlig on the guitars, Inquinatus on bass, and Malleus on drums returns with their second full-length album, their most enthralling and disturbing work to date, Things Seen But Always Hidden, following up on their 2024 EP Symphonies: Diabolis, and a must-listen for fans of bands the likes of Akercocke, Shining, Acherontas, and Forgotten Tomb, among other servants of the darkest arts.

Such a ruthless UK horde begins their black mass in style with the Doom Metal-infused aria The House with the Red Door, starting in a lugubrious way before exploding into an overdose of Black Metal spearheaded by the inhumane drums by Malleus; whereas Enthralled follows the same darkened path as the opening track, with Aýdlig’s riffs reeking of malignancy while Sturmgeist vociferates the song’s austere words like a creature from the abyss. Then another cryptic intro will drag our souls into the unknown in The Chamber of Breathtaking Delights, offering a blasphemous blend of Blackened Doom and Black Metal as sluggish and cadaverous as it can be; and again adding an endless dosage of heaviness and fury to their core sound we face Consorting with the Devil, where Aýdlig and Inquinatus sound absolutely phantasmagorical armed with their axes.

The poetically titled What Once Was Shall Be Again and What Is Shall Be No More demanded a truly haunting sound and vibe to match with its name, which is exactly what the band offers to our putrid ears, followed by Apocrypha Through the Keyhole, another lesson in carnivorous Blackened Doom, with Sturmgeist taking the lead with his devilish gnarls. In addition, it couldn’t have sounded heavier nor more obscure. Then back to a more straightforward Black Metal sonority the band presents Hell on Earth New Eden, with Malleus crushing his drums manically while his bandmates blast an overdose of hatred through their vocals, riffs and bass lines. Lastly, the conclusion to Things Seen But Always Hidden comes in the form of the hellish Behind the Green Door, with the band dragging our impious souls to their venomous lair in the name of sheer doom.

“The darkness and truth that lies within is far beyond what we had imagined possible. But remember, things are not always what they seem and some things are right in front of your face,” commented the band about their new beast, and you can join them in total darkness by following the quartet on Facebook and on Instagram, including their unrelenting live performances, stream their Stygian, spine-chilling Black Metal hymns on any platform such as Spotify, and above all that, put your damned hands on Things Seen But Always Hidden from their own BandCamp or from Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings, or click HERE for all things Suffering. However, you must always remember that once you have set foot on this path, there is no way back.

Best moments of the album: Enthralled, Apocrypha Through the Keyhole and Hell on Earth New Eden.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

Track listing
1. The House with the Red Door 7:17
2. Enthralled 4:30
3. The Chamber of Breathtaking Delights 7:00
4. Consorting with the Devil 4:38
5. What Once Was Shall Be Again and What Is Shall Be No More 3:12
6. Apocrypha Through the Keyhole 3:27
7. Hell on Earth New Eden 4:55
8. Behind the Green Door 9:42

Band members
Sturmgeist Fornicator Insultus – vocals
Aýdlig – guitars
Inquinatus – bass
Malleus – drums