Category Archives: 2022 New Releases

Album Review – Deep Memories / Why Do We Suffer? (2022)

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Behold this beautiful album of doom made in Brazil, leading us to reflect on the fragility of human existence when facing the challenges of life on planet earth.

Having consolidated itself as one of the main names from the Brazilian Melodic Doom/Death Metal scene due to its heaviness, originality and melodic complexity, Americana, São Paulo-based one-man act Deep Memories has just unleashed the project’s sophomore full-length album Why Do We Suffer?, following up on their 2018 release Rebuilding the Future. The brainchild of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Douglas Martins, Deep Memories has been on a constant and healthy evolution since its inception in 2016, with Why Do We Suffer? perfectly depicting the professionalism and hard work by Douglas throughout its 41 intense minutes of music. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Douglas himself at AJM Studio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Iranian graphic artist Agreen Paymazd (together with Douglas) illustrating the emotional charge generated by human suffering, the album deals with a high degree of introspection, leading us to reflect on the fragility of human existence when facing the challenges of life on planet earth.

The doomed guitar lines by Douglas kick off the opening track Enslaved by Reciprocity Obligation, with its atmosphere growing in intensity and darkening the skies as time passes by, being therefore tailored for admirers of the music by Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride. Moreover, Douglas’ deep guttural vocals add a devilish touch of melancholy to the overall result, whereas in Please, Do Not Close the Coffin! we face another round of his obscure fusion of Doom and Death Metal, showcasing sluggish beats and sharp riffs while also bringing to our ears an interesting paradox between his harsh roars and very melodic guitars. And Douglas’ piercing guitar lines keep screaming inside our minds in Get Away From Poison, offering us all over seven minutes of classic Doom Metal with a strong Insomnium vibe, sounding very cohesive from start to finish. Needless to say, it’s quite impressive that only one man was responsible for such dense and complex sonority.

Uncontrolled Cells Multiplication is one of the most introspective and melancholic of all songs, which is also reflected in both the anguished gnarls and clean vocals by Douglas, consequently living up to the legacy of old school doom; followed by the title-track Why Do We Suffer?, beginning in a very atmospheric way with minimalist, ethereal sounds permeating the air until Douglas attacks with his acoustic guitar and clean vocals. Prerogatives or Exceptions also starts in a pensive manner, with the hellish growls by Douglas invading our senses while he keeps the music as lugubrious as possible through his beats and fills, being perfect for lovers of the more contemporary creations by Paradise Lost, flowing into A Rocket to Homeland, a simple but effective outro guided by the piano notes by Douglas. I would love to see it evolving into a more complete song, but it’s nothing to worry about as it’s still very enjoyable in the end.

After all is said and done, you’ll quickly realize Douglas Martins is more than just an extremely talented musician. He clearly put all his heart and soul into the making of  Why Do We Suffer?, showcasing all his passion for the dark and doomed, and the final result will please anyone who’s also addicted to this gloomier side of music. Having said that, you can provide Douglas with all your support and admiration by purchasing his imposing new album from his own BandCamp page or webstore, by streaming the album in full on on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply by clicking HERE for all places where you can buy or stream it, and don’t forget to also follow Douglas and his Deep Memories on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things Deep Memories. Why do we all suffer so much in our lives? Perhaps you’ll be able to find the answer to such difficult question while listening to the new album by Deep Memories, and even if you can’t answer that at least you’ll certainly have a very good time listening to the first-class doom blasted by this lone wolf from Brazil.

Best moments of the album: Please, Do Not Close the Coffin!, Get Away From Poison and Prerogatives or Exceptions.

Worst moments of the album: A Rocket to Homeland.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Enslaved by Reciprocity Obligation 5:37
2. Please, Do Not Close the Coffin! 6:15
3. Get Away From Poison 7:29
4. Uncontrolled Cells Multiplication 7:30
5. Why Do We Suffer? 3:04
6. Prerogatives or Exceptions 8:46
7. A Rocket to Homeland 2:27

Band members
Douglas Martins – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Disturbed / Divisive (2022)

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David Draiman and his henchmen are back with a blistering angry album, bringing to our avid ears ten tracks of visceral, unfiltered Disturbed throughout its 38 minutes of duration.

With over 17 million records sold worldwide, Chicago, United States-based Heavy/Alternative Metal giants Disturbed have just released their eighth studio album, entitled Divisive, following up on their 2015 critically acclaimed album Immortalized and their 2018 not-so-acclaimed effort Evolution. As early as October 2020, frontman David Draiman stated that he wanted the new Disturbed album to be “blisteringly angry”, considering everything going on in the world with the pandemic, and let’s say the band more than succeeded in that with Divisive. Produced, mixed and engineered by Drew Fulk and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, the album puts the band comprised of the aforementioned David Draiman on vocals, Dan Donegan on the guitar, John Moyer on bass and Mike Wengren on drums back on track, bringing to our avid ears ten tracks of visceral, unfiltered Disturbed throughout its 38 minutes of duration.

The opening track Hey You will already kick you in the head with its direct and inspiring lyrics vociferated by David (“Hey you / Have you had enough of it? / How the blind are leading the blind / Hey you / Are you angered enough / Do you feel confined / Are you losing your mind”), while the music exhales classic Disturbed for our total delight; whereas Mike hammers his drums mercilessly in the dark and heavy Bad Man accompanied by the rumbling bass by John in another display of the band’s trademark Alternative Metal. Then we have the title-track Divisive, which should work amazingly when played during their live concerts with David spearheading his henchmen with another solid vocal performance, being perfect for some fierce headbanging (not to mention how awesome Dan’s guitar solo sounds). And even heavier and more dynamic, Unstoppable presents a bestial performance by Mike on drums once again while David’s soaring vocals walk hand in hand with the slashing riffage by Dan, sounding very exciting from start to finish, whereas the metallic bass by John builds a strong base for David to roar in Love to Hate, a straightforward tune by Disturbed that feels like it was taken from one of their classic albums.

Feeding the Fire leans towards the band’s more recent albums like Immortalized, with David investing in deeper, more melancholic vocals, resulting in a fist-raising tune to the classic beats by Mike and the always incendiary riffs by Dan. After that, the band fires the beautiful Don’t Tell Me, inspired by guitarist Dan Donegan’s divorce from his wife of 18 years and featuring the iconic American singer Ann Wilson (best known as the lead singer of Heart), where an introspective start to the clean vocals by David evolves into a stunning dark ballad. Furthermore, their vocal duet is superb, overflowing passion and feeling, while the rest of the band makes sure the music remains heavy and touching until the very end. Get ready to jump up and down with Disturbed in the electrifying Take Back Your Life, bringing to our ears modern-day Alternative Metal with a straightforward chorus and a groovy instrumental, and if you want groove and heaviness you’ll have a blast to the sound of Part of Me, with John and mike generating a reverberating ambience perfect for David’s raspy vocals. And finally, we have Won’t Back Down, a great tune to close the album offering us all more of Disturbed’s undisputed heavy music, and I’m sure it will also inspire fans to raise their fists with the band if played live.

In summary, David Draiman and his henchmen did an excellent job with Divisive, especially if you compare it to Evolution, reigniting that amazing level of energy found in most of their previous albums, and you can enjoy that in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply purchase your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE. Moreover, Disturbed can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for news, tour dates and more of their thrilling music. Although the name of the album is Divisive, I doubt it’s going to cause disagreement or hostility between people (as per the word’s own definition); quite the contrary, it doesn’t matter if you’re a longtime Disturbed fan or a newcomer to their rockin’ realm, you’ll certainly have a lot of fun while listening to such powerful album by an unstoppable band that continues to shine as one of the most important rock and metal groups of the past few decades.

Best moments of the album: Hey You, Unstoppable, Don’t Tell Me and Part of Me.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Reprise Records

Track listing
1. Hey You 4:28
2. Bad Man 3:22
3. Divisive 3:58
4. Unstoppable 3:58
5. Love to Hate 3:36
6. Feeding the Fire 4:19
7. Don’t Tell Me 4:31
8. Take Back Your Life 2:58
9. Part of Me 3:53
10. Won’t Back Down 2:52

Band members
David Draiman – vocals
Dan Donegan – guitar
John Moyer – bass
Mike Wengren – drums

Album Review – Heterogeneous Andead / Chaotic Fragments (2022)

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A chaotic amalgamation of metal and non-metal styles beautifully brought into being by one of the most creative bands of the current Japanese scene.

Formed in 2013 in the metropolitan city of Tokyo, Japan, the idiosyncratic Symphonic Death/Thrash Metal unity that goes by the curious name of Heterogeneous Andead has just released their sophomore album, entitled Chaotic Fragments, the follow up to their 2018 debut album Deus Ex Machina. Comprised of Haruka Morikawa on vocals and Yusuke Kiyama on the guitars, synthesizers and programming (not to mention drummer Tomoyuki Nakano, who left the band shortly after the recordings of Chaotic Fragments), Heterogeneous Andead play a very unique style of heavy music that can be labeled as “Melodic and Symphonic Electro Death/Thrash Metal”, and it’s quite easy to identify all those elements in their new album, sounding very harmonious but at the same time chaotic, progressive but at the same time violent, and delicate but at the same time energetic.

The band begins a Speed and Thrash Metal-inspired attack entitled The Void Sacrifice, with Yusuke slashing his stringed axe while Haruka alternates between gnarling deeply in an old school Death Metal way and her operatic vocals; and the Anime-like keys and synths by Yusuke will penetrate deep inside your mind in Fragments of Memories, sounding as if you’re placed inside a video game where the soundtrack is ass-kicking heavy music, not to mention how awesome the drums by Tomoyuki sound and feel. Tomoyuki continues to crush his drums accompanied by the wicked riffs and keys by Yusuke in Last Reverie, fast and thrilling from start to finish with Haruka once again being a princess and a she-demon incarnate on vocals. Then close your eyes and succumb to the breathtaking Symphonic and Electronic Death Metal by Heterogeneous Andead in Beautiful Nightmare, also presenting elements from the Black Metal played by Cradle of Filth, or in other words, it’s nonstop adrenaline flowing through our avid ears.

Fission brings forward a fusion of the heaviness and rage of Death and Thrash Metal with the insanity of electronic music, with Haruka stealing the spotlight with another kick-ass vocal performance; whereas putting the pedal to the metal the trio fires the high-octane Mirror of the Lie, with its background keys adding hints of epicness to the demented Death Metal sounds blasted, once again reminding me of the heaviest and craziest Gothic Metal bands from the 80’s with a Black Metal twist. Their second to last explosion of idiosyncratic sounds is offered in the form of Regrettable, where Haruka’s barks make a beautiful paradox with the keys by Yusuke and obviously with her own operatic vocals, all supported by the classic blast beats by Tomoyuki. There’s time for one more round of their striking music with over eight minutes of flammable riffs and solos, sinister keys and massive beats entitled Licking, which despite lacking the creativity of the previous songs still provides a powerful ending to the album.

While Haruka and Yusuke search for a new guitarist, a new bassist and a new drummer to join them in their quest for heavy music, you can enjoy Chaotic Fragments in full on Spotify, as well as follow the band on Facebook and subscribe to their YouTube channel. In addition, in order to show all your support and admiration for Heterogeneous Andead, you can purchase their classy new album by clicking HERE, or from Qobuz. You won’t regret succumbing to the chaotic and experimental music brought into being by Heterogeneous Andead, proving once and for all that if innovation is your cup of tea in heavy music, the beautiful Japan will always be your place to go.

Best moments of the album: The Void Sacrifice, Beautiful Nightmare and Mirror of the Lie.

Worst moments of the album: Licking.

Released in 2022 WormHoleDeath

Track listing
1. The Void Sacrifice 4:49
2. Fragments of Memories 8:26
3. Last Reverie 5:24
4. Beautiful Nightmare 6:53
5. Fission 6:05
6. Mirror of the Lie 5:34
7. Regrettable 5:23
8. Licking 8:29

Band members
Haruka Morikawa – vocals
Yusuke Kiyama – guitars, synthesizers, programming
Tomoyuki Nakano – drums

Album Review – Diabology / Father of Serpents (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

The sophomoric album from young Los Angeles based trio Diabology, Father of Serpents is the band’s first opus with new bassist Destin Treu who replaces previous bass player Joseph Mazisyuk. Another significant change is that whilst debut album Nobody Believes Me was self-released, Father of Serpents has label backing through Dissonant Hymns Records.

Their debut album was nothing short of an out right banger. Playing an insanely catchy brand of Blackened Thrash Metal, Diabology came out of the blocks with all guns blazing and laid a foundation with which to build something really special. Two years on and their second opus sees the band effect a stylistic shift. Gone is the Blackened influence and in comes a more modern sounding Thrash Metal with a huge amount of Groove Metal influence.

Diabology also pulls off something for the second time that a lot of bands never manage, and that is creating an album that gets stronger and stronger the further in you get. For the first few tracks they hammer out some impressive but steady tracks that are in the process of feeling out the bands new more mainstream direction. However, by the time they kick into the superbly melodic Eat My Heart Out they are well and truly at home. During March to the Sea there is something about the vocal structure that kept bringing System of A Down to mind, whilst the chugging ferocity of Ode to Ogtha has an almost Sludge like quality to the riffs as well as a little Death Metal influence around the guitar leads. New bassist Destin Treu also becomes far more prominent as the album progresses and has some impressive bass leads during this track and the equally powerful Chimera.

Their debut album is a nasty blackened slice of filthy thrash with a lot of stank on it. Father of Serpents is a far more progressive and mature offering that grows in power and intrigues the further into the journey you venture. Plus you have to love an album that features a song about fucking cockroaches!

Best moments of the album: From the start of March to the Sea until the album’s climax is spectacular.

Worst moments of the album: Nada!

Released in 2022 by Dissonant Hymns Records

Track listing
1. Father of Serpents 4:15
2. Writhe 3:21
3. The Softest Grave 4:15
4. Eat My Heart Out 5:03
5. Spoil 2:03
6. Blackblood 3:35
7. March to Sea 4:58
8. Ode to Ogtha 5:20
9. Chimera 5:37
10. Lighthouse Hymn 5:41

Band members
Jesse Bergen – vocals, guitars, bass
Jack Kleinman – guitars, bass on “Spoil” and “Chimera”
Matt Morales – drums

Links
Diabology Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube

Album Review – Culto Negro / La Noche Oscura del Alma (2022)

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This Costa Rican horde will crush your senses with their debut opus, transforming the dark night of the soul into a first-class fusion of Black and Speed Metal.

Forged back in 2015 in the dark pits of Heredia, one of Costa Rica’s most historical cities, Black/Speed Metal horde Culto Negro (which by the way means “black cult” in English) has just unleashed upon humanity their debut full-length opus, beautifully titled La Noche Oscura del Alma, or “the dark night of the soul”, a sulfurous album of old school extreme music that exhales rage and adrenaline. Recorded by the band’s own guitarist Isak Arroyo at Orion Studios, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Nuno Zuki of Belial NecroArts (with additional artworks by Alan Corpse at Leprous Hands Arts), La Noche Oscura del Alma doesn’t have a single second of peace, offering our avid ears 39 minutes of a sonic Armageddon masterfully crafted by vocalist D.N., guitarists Esteban Sancho and Isak Arroyo, bassist AntiChristopher and drummer Vörago.

More than just a simple intro, Espectro Lunar (“lunar spectrum”) is already a bestial attack by Culto Negro where the riffage by Esteban and Isak is truly infernal, setting the stage for D.N. to kill in Desdoble (“unfold”), a fast and furious hybrid of Black and Thrash Metal that will please all fans of the genre bringing forward an amazing job done by Vörago on drums, keeping the music vibrant and evil from start to finish. Then it’s pedal to the metal as this Costa Rican party has no time to end to the sound of El Quinto Ángulo (“the fifth angle”), where D.N. makes his personal tribute to Hardcore and Punk Rock on vocals while the band’s guitar duo delivers sheer awesomeness through their riffs and solos, followed by Verso Adivinado (“guessed verse”), another frantic, demonic creation by the quintet where AntiChristopher’s bass punches add a touch of dementia to their scorching guitars, while Vörago hammers his drums in a true demented way. And Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos (“knives, chains and mirrors”) sounds like a hellish fusion of the music by Slayer, Motörhead and The Exploited, being therefore a fantastic option for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.

Get ready to be smashed like a bug by Culto Negro in the venomous Rojo Siniestro (“sinister red”), with D.N.’s vocals sounding more deranged than ever while Vörago keeps dictating the pace with his Punk Rock-infused beats; whereas in Caos o Cosmos (“chaos or cosmos”) the name of the song says it all, offering us all a chaotic sonority from the very first second with Esteban and Isak delivering pure thrashing riffs for our total delight. And such dynamic guitar duo revs up Culto Negro’s engines once again in Salvajes Destructores (“savage destroyers”), highly recommended for some nonstop headbanging and slamming into the pit; while Violencia Psicoactiva (“psychoactive violence”) is Black, Thrash and Speed Metal straight to your jugular, showcasing more of AntiChristopher and Vörago’s infernal kitchen. La Larga Marcha (“the long march”) can be considered the most infernal, brutal and caustic of all tracks where D.N. continues to vociferate like a rabid creature. Put differently, let’s all raise our horns to Culto Negro and their anti-religious extreme music. Last but not least, we have their cover version for Hermética’s Desterrando a los Oscurantistas (“banishing the obscurantists”), which original version can be enjoyed HERE, from Hermética’s 1989 self-titled debut album. It’s indeed an amazing rendition by those Costa Rican metallers, with AntiChristopher hammering his bass in great fashion until the very end.

If you believe you have what it takes to join the black cult ruled by such talented horde form Costa Rica, you can stream  La Noche Oscura del Alma in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase it from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from the Violence Records’ BandCamp page. Culto Negro are also waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram armed with the austere chants found in La Noche Oscura del Alma, showing us all Costa Rica is a metallic country as opposed to what most people think about it. They managed to transform the dark night of the soul into top-tier Extreme Metal in their debut effort, and may their music continue to darken the skies for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: El Quinto Ángulo, Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos and Salvajes Destructores.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Godz ov War Productions/Mythrone Promotion/Violence Records

Track listing
1. Espectro Lunar (Intro) 1:53
2. Desdoble 2:51
3. El Quinto Ángulo 2:52
4. Verso Adivinado 3:29
5. Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos 3:38
6. Rojo Siniestro 3:57
7. Caos o Cosmos 4:02
8. Salvajes Destructores 3:43
9. Violencia Psicoactiva 4:29
10. La Larga Marcha 5:29
11. Desterrando a los Oscurantistas (Hermetica cover) 2:15

Band members
D.N. – vocals
Esteban Sancho – guitars
Isak Arroyo – guitars
AntiChristopher – bass
Vörago – drums

Album Review – Hiss From The Moat / The Way Out Of Hell (2022)

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There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by one of the best bands of the current Italian scene.

Following their 2019 acclaimed sophomore record The Harrier, Italian Black/Death Metal beats Hiss From The Moat are back in action with their impending, monstrous third full-length opus, entitled The Way Out Of Hell, an extension of their signature, menacing sound while it carves out a unique place in the blackened underground as they search for the light amidst the darkness. Produced by the band’s own bassist Carlo Cremascoli at The Obscure Country Recording Studio, The Way Out Of Hell is the representation of how vocalist and guitarist Max Cirelli,  guitarist Jack Poli, bassist Carlo Cremascoli and drummer James Payne feel that life is, a very difficult thing to go through with a lot of pain and challenges to deal with. “This album is our way to express the feelings about how life is a hard, complicated and confusing way out of hell, there are many things, emotions and people that get in your way, but that’s what life is: getting out of it going through as less suffering as possible,” commented James about their amazing new album.

Arising from the dark pits of the underworld the band comes ripping with the infuriated title-track The Way Out Of Hell, where James sounds utterly infernal on drums while Max roars manically nonstop in a great display of Blackened Death Metal, and the caustic guitars by Max and Jack will penetrate deep inside your skin in I Am Deceived, continuing their path of destruction tailored for lovers of the music by bands such as Behemoth and Septicflesh. More savagery and darkness are offered to us all in Staring At The Abyss, with Carlo and James making the earth tremble with their respective bass and drums, therefore providing Max with all he needs to vociferate like a demonic creature; and get ready for another onrush of Black and Death Metal by those Italian metallers entitled Generation Of Cowardice, sounding brutal and visceral from start to finish with the band’s guitar duo being on absolute fire with their devilish riffage.

Let’s keep raising our horns in the name of evil with The Killing Of Innocence, very progressive and groovy with Carlo sounding amazing with his bass jabs accompanied by the always massive beats by James, whereas a melodic and heavy start morphs into an ode to death and obscurity titled Bury Me, perfect for breaking our necks headbanging while Max rabidly growls the song’s acid lyrics. There’s absolutely no sign of the band slowing down; quite the contrary, their onrush of metallic sounds will hammer our heads mercilessly in All I Have, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his demented drums, followed by A Gallows Of Mirrors, a no shenanigans, Stygian creation by the quartet that exhales Blackened Death Metal for our total delight, showcasing a fantastic guitar work as usual. Lastly, there’s still time for The Magnificent Vision, one final explosion of Extreme Metal by the band where Max leads his horde with his hellish roaring and riffage while Jack and Carlo join him with their stringed weapons in a fulminating onrush of darkened sounds.

Such precious gem of the extreme music scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but as I like to say if you want to show your utmost support to the underground you should definitely purchase a copy of The Way Out Of Hell from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or as a special bundle including a CD, a shirt and a poster, or simply click HERE for all locations here you can find the album available. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more darkness in the form of music. In a nutshell, Hiss From The Moat have seriously stepped up their game with their new album, proving that if there’s a way out of hell, that needs to happen to the sound of first-class underground Blackened Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: The Way Out Of Hell, Generation Of Cowardice, The Killing Of Innocence and A Gallows Of Mirrors.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. The Way Out Of Hell 4:10
2. I Am Deceived 4:44
3. Staring At The Abyss 4:17
4. Generation Of Cowardice 4:22
5. The Killing Of Innocence 4:27
6. Bury Me 4:37
7. All I Have 3:46
8. A Gallows Of Mirrors 4:48
9. The Magnificent Vision 4:17

Band members
Max Cirelli – vocals, guitar
Jack Poli – guitar
Carlo Cremascoli – bass
James Payne – drums

Album Review – Enmity / Demagoguery (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

A debut album of old school Thrash/Death Metal that spans four countries and two continents. Enmity hails from France and Greece in Europe, and Jordan and Indonesia in Asia. A multicultural smorgasbord spread across thousands of miles combines to create one aggressive Thrash entity with anger in their collective hearts towards the state of the world and our messed up society. Their debut album Demagoguery means to partake in political activities whilst seeking support by pandering to the prejudices of people instead of using rational argument. Nothing speaks louder than that to sum up the world in which we live in.

Unfortunately, due to a corrupt file I couldn’t listen to the albums opening track and so my first experience of Enmity is the groove drenched tones and mesmerizing guitar solos of The Bullet That Kills You. Chugging Death Metal and intricate Thrash collide through thick meaty drumming, ominous sounding guitar leads and raw vocal work.

So, whilst the main ingredients are present for an intensive Thrash/Death bout of rampaging societal angst, Demagoguery never really hits the highs that I expected of it, despite more than adequate musicianship and song writing ability. There are times when Enmity feels like they are trying to fit far too much technicality into their style, and the stop start nature of their playing robs them of a lot of momentum. Where the band should simply find a groove and ride that crest with the sense of rhythm they clearly possess, they let the moment ebb away on so many occasions that the album feels stilted.

Let me be perfectly clear, Demagoguery isn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but there is just something about the overall flow of this album that just loses something in translation.

Best Moments of the album: In all honesty, nothing massively stands out.

Worst moments of the album: The stop start nature of some of the melodies which decrease the albums intensity. Also the band occasionally loses momentum by trying to be a little too technical.

Released in 2022 by Kvlt and Kaos Productions

Track listing
1. My Enemy 4:32
2. The Bullet That Kills You 4:45
3. The Enemy Below 5:54
4. Preventable Genocide 4:56
5. Flying Fortress 5:33
6. Resistance 4:32
7. Demagoguery 7:41

Band members
Zuul – vocals
David Decobert – guitar
Michael Perwira – guitar
Mohammed Kutkut – bass
George Kollias – drums

Links
Enmity Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube | Bfan.link

Album Review – Lorna Shore / Pain Remains (2022)

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One of the most explosive names of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames in a sea of fire to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.

Hailing from New Jersey, in the United States, the unrelenting Progressive/Symphonic Deathcore outfit Lorna Shore has been making a name for themselves since their inception back in 2009, but it’s now in 2022 with their newborn masterpiece Pain Remains that we can say without a shadow of a doubt they’ve reached a whole new level of awesomeness. Produced, mastered, mixed, and engineered by Josh Schroeder, Pain Remains is the fourth studio album in their career and the first to feature frontman Will Ramos, guitarist Andrew O’Connor and bassist Michael Yager, who together with guitarist Adam De Micco and drummer Austin Archey are simply setting new standards in the world of rock and metal music, sounding absolutely heavy, caustic and sinister while at the same time epic and beautiful throughout the album’s 60 minutes of top-of-the-line Deathcore infused with symphonic and old school death nuances. Put differently, you’re in for a treat with Pain Remains, an album that will certainly place Lorna Shore as one of the driving forces of modern-day metal music worldwide, and that will certainly feature among the best releases of the year.

A stunning opening tune, Welcome Back, O’ Sleeping Dreamer showcases poetic lyrics roared by Will (“Open your mind, let it consume / Your flesh dissolve within the infinite / The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of all / Their nightmares”) while the music is a gripping fusion of progressiveness, epicness and rage; and Austin decimates his drums in the pulverizing Into the Earth, supported by the flammable riffs by Adam and Andrew in a bestial display of Symphonic Deathcore. Sun//Eater is another tune with a serene, introspective start before all hell breaks loose to the demonic gnarls by Will, sounding and feeling dense, technical and infernal from start to finish, with its guitar solos being a thing of beauty, making an instant bridge with the imposing Cursed to Die (a song about the creation of life, bringing upon the idea that maybe the figure we see as ‘god’ is no different than what we already are) where the band hammers our heads with their wall of sounds spearheaded by the blast beats by Austin and the rumbling bass by Michael. And less intense but just as heavy and obscure, Soulless Existence offers us all a lesson in Progressive Metal where Will keeps screaming manically from the bottom of his blackened heart, all spiced up by the song’s epic background keys.

In Apotheosis the background choir sounds marvelous, adding an extra touch of obscurity to the band’s venomous Deathcore while also presenting a great job done on the guitars and drums, offering Will exactly what he needs to growl nonstop; whereas in Wrath we’re treated to more of their wicked words barked by Will (“Behold displacement, cremation / Rising from devastation / From embers of creation unto death / All shall return”) masterfully embraced by an unstoppable sonic attack by his bandmates, or in other words, it’s Symphonic Deathcore played to perfection. Then get ready for a truly unique experience to the superb “Pain Remains Trilogy”, which begins with Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, where the sound of the falling rain enfolds our souls before exploding into visceral, caustic Deathcore. Moreover, Austin is simply fantastic behind his drums, leading his bandmates until the music flows into Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear, even more violent and crushing than the first part, with Will being on absolute fire throughout the entire song as well as the band’s guitar duo with their razor-edged riffs and solos. Then closing the trilogy (and the album) we have Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire, another masterpiece by Lorna Shore where the energy emanating from the music is immensurable, and don’t forget to check the official videos for the trilogy in the correct order to be properly hypnotized by their depth, their emotions and, of course, by their incredible music.

You can dive deep into the ocean of first-class Deathcore blasted by Lorna Shore in Pain Remains by listening to the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and also by following such skillful band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on. In addition, above all that, you should definitely grab your favorite version of Pain Remains by clicking HERE, adding to your personal collection one of the deepest and most dynamic albums of the past few years. Having said all that, let’s simply dance like flames in a sea of fire to the sound of Pain Remains, resting assured that as long as Lorna Shore keep delivering first-class music like what’s found in their new album, Deathcore will forever remain strong.

Best moments of the album: Welcome Back, O’ Sleeping Dreamer, Wrath, and obviously the “Pain Remains Trilogy” comprised of Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear and Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Century Media

Track listing
1. Welcome Back, O’ Sleeping Dreamer 7:21
2. Into the Earth 5:12
3. Sun//Eater 6:10
4. Cursed to Die 4:40
5. Soulless Existence 7:12
6. Apotheosis 4:54
7. Wrath 4:57
8. Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames 5:52
9. Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear 5:36
10. Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire 9:12

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

Album Review – Lamb of God / Omens (2022)

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Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.

Two years after the release of their excellent self-titled album, Richmond, Virginia’s own Groove Metal institution Lamb of God is back in action with another magnificent release entitled Omens, the ninth studio album (eleventh if including those under the name Burn the Priest) in their undisputed career. “If anybody paying attention to the state of the world over the last few years isn’t angry, I have nothing to say to them,” commented the band’s frontman D. Randall “Randy” Blythe about the generally pissed-off tone of their new album. Recorded and produced by Josh Wilbur, mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, and featuring a stylish artwork by K3n Adams, Omens offers us all 40 minutes of sheer aggressiveness and groove by the aforementioned Randy Blythe and his henchmen Mark Morton and Willie Adler on the guitars, John Campbell on bass, and Art Cruz on drums, cementing their name as one of the most important forces of the current metal scene worldwide.

Sheer groove flows from the very first second in Nevermore, a solid tune where Mark and Willie’s axes are flawlessly supported by the rumbling bass by John, and the band keeps hammering their weapons in great fashion in Vanishing, sounding visceral and exciting as good Groove Metal should be with of course Randy kicking us in the head with his visceral roars, not to mention the awesome job done by Art on drums. Then let’s bang our heads nonstop to the groovy and heavy-as-hell To the Grave, showcasing another dynamic kitchen brought into being by John and Art while the guitars exhale fire and animosity; followed by the high-octane Ditch, bringing forward an extremely fun chorus to sing along with Randy (“You’re face down, down in a ditch that you dug yourself / You can live and die by the hand you’re dealt / Unwound consequence and you can never tell / Live or die by the hand you’re dealt”) while his bandmates deliver a flawless, infuriated Groove Metal extravaganza for admirers of the genre. And the title-track Omens is another superb moment of the album, a lecture in contemporary metal music by Lamb of God where Mark and Willie extract endless aggressiveness from their guitars while Art shows no mercy for his drums.

Slowing things down a bit while investing in pure heaviness, it’s time for us all to break our necks headbanging to the sound of Gomorrah, with Randy barking and screaming manically nonstop, and there’s no time to breathe thanks to the massive beats by Art in Ill Designs, another violent hybrid of Groove, Thrash and Death Metal where the riffage by the band’s guitar duo is tailored for slamming into the pit. Putting the pedal to the metal, Randy & Co. deliver a humongous dose of heaviness and rage in the form of Grayscale, where John makes sure the earth trembles to the sound of his thunderous bass, whereas in Denial Mechanism we’re treated to another round of the band’s trademark acid lyrics (“A pathetic birth of the end times / Slowly creeping to the final deadline / No fairytale on a movie screen / Just slow collapse beneath our gluttony”) amidst a hurricane of metallic sounds perfect for their incendiary live concerts. Lastly, the band offers us all the introspective September Song, which morphs from a very serene sonority into the band’s usual madness while its background keys add a touch of epicness to the overall result, putting a climatic ending to the album.

Fortunately for all of us with serious budget restrictions the band made Omens available in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you have some extra money to spend on music you can click HERE and grab your favorite version of such intense album of modern-day heavy music. Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and believe me, if you’ve never seen Lamb of God live you don’t know what you’re missing), to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify. “We’re being marketed and sold falling skies, doom and gloom and all this end-of-days material. That stuff makes wonderful fodder for metal music,” said Randy, and we must all agree that although our world might be reaching its inevitable and sinister fate soon, at least Lamb of God will keep absorbing all that darkness and turning it into first-class music for our total delight until the very end of all days. Well, as the band itself says in their new album, fuck it all, ignore the omens.

Best moments of the album: Vanishing, Ditch, Omens and Denial Mechanism.

Worst moments of the album: Gomorrah.

Released in 2022 Epic Records/Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Nevermore 4:35
2. Vanishing 4:48
3. To the Grave 3:43
4. Ditch 3:37
5. Omens 3:47
6. Gomorrah 4:12
7. Ill Designs 3:41
8. Grayscale 3:59
9. Denial Mechanism 2:37
10. September Song 6:00

Japanese Edition bonus track
11. Evidence 3:50

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

Guest musicians
Ernie C, Juan Garcia, Wes Eisold, Toby Morse & Sara Taylor – gang vocals on “Omens”

Album Review – WitcheR / Lélekharang (2022)

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A talented Hungarian duo brings to our avid ears Atmospheric Black Metal in its most magical form, entrancing the senses with its yearning for things lost to the relentless march of progress.

Steeped in the folklore and ancient beliefs of their homeland, Lélekharang, which translates as “soul bell”, is the third full-length opus by Szombathely, Hungary-based Atmospheric Black Metal duo WitcheR, dedicated to fans of Summoning, Wolves in the Throne Room and early Dimmu Borgir. Recorded at Vrag’s Forest Studio, engineered, mixed and mastered by WitcheR themselves, and displaying a stylish artwork by Grafit és Hamu, Lélekharang is Atmospheric Black Metal in its most magical form, entrancing the senses with its yearning for things lost to the relentless march of progress, all carefully brought into being by Karola Gere on vocals and synths, and Roland Neubauer (aka Vrag) on vocals, guitars and drums, leading you through the forests of memory to a place where all that was lost is found once more.

The gentle, atmospheric piano by Karola will embrace us all in the album’s Intro, transporting our souls to the Stygian realm ruled by WitcheR in Hamvak (or “ashes” from Hungarian), exploding into stunning Atmospheric Black Metal where Roland extracts anguish and fear from his riffs while at the same time he dictates the pace with his stylish beats. Moreover, the duo offers us demonic gnarls and endless obscurity throughout the entire song, making it even more compelling; followed by the title-track Lélekharang, an even more enfolding, atmospheric aria by such talented Hungarian duo, with its beautiful background elements and the synths by Karola adding an extra Stygian touch to the overall result, creating a fantastic paradox with the scorching riffage by Roland. Csendesen (“silently”) offers us all seven minutes of majestic passages, imposing synths and drums, and all the energy that only Atmospheric Black Metal can bring to our avid ears, sounding truly enticing from start to finish, and as expected the duo fires another sensational explosion of their fusion of Black and Doom Metal with pure atmospheric elements entitled Hazatérés (“homecoming”), where their deep, devilish roars are spiced up by the razor-edged riffs and hammering drums by Roland, flowing into their delicate cover version for Moonlight Sonata Op. 27. No. 2. I. Adagio sostenuto by Ludwig van Beethoven ( check the original version HERE), putting a climatic finale to the album.

The brand new spawn of obscurity by WitcheR can be fully appreciated on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you should show your utmost support to the duo and purchase the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Filosofem Records’ BandCamp page, or from the Beverina Productions’ BandCamp page, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and VKontakte, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream all of their unique creations on Spotify. The bells of Atmospheric Black Metal are tolling majestically thanks to the amazing job done by WitcheR in their new album, taking the Hungarian underground to new heights and leaving us all eager for more of their music in the near future.

Best moments of the album: Lélekharang and Hazatérés.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Filosofem Records/Beverina Productions/Casus Belli Musica

Track listing
1.Intro 1:48
2.Hamvak 7:44
3.Lélekharang 10:16
4.Csendesen 6:58
5.Hazatérés 9:20
6.Moonlight Sonata Op. 27. No. 2. I. Adagio sostenuto (Ludwig van Beethoven cover) 3:24

Band members
Karola Gere – vocals, synths
Roland Neubauer – vocals, guitars, drums