Category Archives: 2024 New Releases

Album Review – Dark Horizon / Darkness Falls Upon Mankind (2024)

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As darkness falls upon mankind, this devilish horde from Germany attacks with their sophomore album, exhaling their obsession for mid-90’s Scandinavian and German Black Metal.

Spreading the dark arts all over the world since their inception in 2007 in Kassel, a city in central Germany, the heavy-as-hell Melodic Black Metal horde Dark Horizon has finally unleashed upon us their sophomore black mass, entitled Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, the follow-up to their 2012 debut Diabolic Agreement and their 2017 EP Odyssey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Classen at Stage One Studio, the new album by Mike on vocals, Adrian on the guitars, Colin on bass, and Daniel on drums exhales their obsession for mid-90’s Scandinavian and German Black Metal, uniting melancholy and disharmony with their passion for absolute darkness, being therefore recommended for admirers of the music by Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Dissection, and Watain, just to name a few.

Secrets Of The Nightmare Prophecies already sounds utterly sharp and melodic, with Mike leading his horde with his demonic screams and gnarls, resulting in a beyond solid start to the album and morphing into the bestial title-track Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, where the song’s blast beats and razor-edged riffs turn it into a must-listen for admirers of 90’s Black Metal. Adrian continues to deliver fire and evil from his axe in The Awakening, a song perfect for some devilish headbanging while Daniel’s drums will decimate your cranial skull. Old Gods offers more of the band’s undisputed Melodic Black Metal, again showcasing the hellish roars by Mike while Colin adds his share of heaviness to the sound with his menacing bass, whereas Tempest Of Ancient Screams is an imposing, heavy-as-hell and absolutely dark composition that lives up to the legacy of the genre, with Adrian doing a superb job with his old school Black Metal riffs.

And Adrian’s strident, visceral riffs continue to darken the skies in In The Hall Of Bloodstreams, where Mike takes his demonic gnarls to a whole new level of obscurity; then get ready for a seven-minute onrush of sulfur and evil titled Am Tag Meines Todes (which is German for “on the day of my death”), bringing to our ears an overdose of caustic riffs and blast beats while Colin hammers his bass mercilessly, with all breaks and variations making it feel like two amazing songs in one. After that we have Funeral, offering us all three minutes of straight-to-the-point Black Metal with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements, followed by Ekpyrosis, another seven-minute song but this time sounding a bit confusing compared to the rest of the album, albeit still showcasing the band’s passion for darkness and evil. And closing the album we’re treated to two very special covers showcasing their influences in music, starting with Naglfar’s The Brimstone Gate (check the original version HERE, from their 1998 cult album Diabolical), and followed by Mithotyn’s King Of The Distant Forest (check the original version HERE, from their 1998 opus King of the Distant Forest), both exhaling the same Black Metal essence from the original versions but of course with Dark Horizon’s own twist.

The guys from Dark Horizon are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates, and more of their caustic Black Metal, and you can obviously add the excellent Darkness Falls Upon Mankind to your devilish collection by purchasing it from their own BandCamp page, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon Music. As darkness falls upon mankind, Dark Horizon will strike us hard with their furious new album, adding another solid stone to the impenetrable Black Metal castle that exists in their homeland, therefore fueling them for more in the coming years for the delight of fans of 90’s Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, Tempest Of Ancient Screams and Am Tag Meines Todes.

Worst moments of the album: Ekpyrosis.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Secrets Of The Nightmare Prophecies 4:25
2. Darkness Falls Upon Mankind 5:23
3. The Awakening 3:21
4. Old Gods 4:53
5. Tempest Of Ancient Screams 3:45
6. In The Hall Of Bloodstreams 3:17
7. Am Tag Meines Todes 7:13
8. Funeral 3:15
9. Ekpyrosis 7:40
10. The Brimstone Gate (Naglfar cover) 4:54
11. King Of The Distant Forest (Mithotyn cover) 5:26

Band members
Mike – vocals
Adrian – guitars
Colin – bass
Daniel – drums

Album Review – Hellwalker / Coldblooded EP (2024)

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A raw album of Portuguese Death Metal presenting a downward spiral into madness, a vision of our post pandemic society that’s slowly collapsing due to its many emerging social problems and near outbreaks of a world war.

A one-man Death Metal band formed in 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal out of the post-COVID pandemic by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist B.R. (aka Bruno Rodrigues), of bands like Rotem and Savager, the venomous beast named Hellwalker has just unleashed a raw and dirty EP titled Coldblooded, following up on the project’s 2023 self-titled debut full-length album. Continuing to worship the old school way and its sound while trying to push the threshold of the extreme by using lower guitar tunings with a more gruesome and dirtier chainsaw sound, low guttural vocals and a more polished production, Coldblooded is a downward spiral into madness, a vision of our post pandemic society that’s slowly collapsing due to its many emerging social problems and near outbreaks of a world war, showcasing B.R.’s talent and passion for the extreme during the album’s 27 minutes of visceral, raw Death Metal sounds while also enfolded by a sick artwork designed by our lone wolf himself.

The title-track Coldblooded starts in a dirty, obscure way with B.R. showcasing his most demented side through his wicked vociferations, or in other words, it couldn’t have sounded rawer than it already does, and he keeps extracting sharp and visceral sounds form his guitars and bass in Decimation while his deep gnarls will darken the skies in the name of primeval Death Metal. Love Turns into Hate is a mid-tempo tune where his riffs and drums walk hand in hand, sounding a little weird, in special the slower, darker moments, but overall it’s an interesting song; whereas Them Crooked Vultures is another eerie, cadaverous creation by our Portuguese lone wolf where his devilish vocals match perfectly the song’s somber rhythm, and with the utterly metallic sound of his bass reverberating inside our cranial skulls mercilessly.

In the thrilling Breath In Breath Out the multi-talented B.R. adds an amazing dosage of the Rock N’ Roll played by The Misfits to his wicked sonority, inviting us all to hit the dance floor and raise our horns by bringing to our avid ears an endless dosage of rebelliousness through his raspy vocals and caustic riffs. Then offering another round of old school extreme sounds blended with industrialized elements we have My Name Is Hate, with the song’s beats sounding like an evil assembly line while B.R. keeps growling in the name of darkness. And last but not least, the rhythmic Fantasmas (a Portuguese word that means “ghosts”) closes the album by presenting B.R.’s trademark fusion of Death Metal with rock and industrial sounds, sounding and feeling again absolutely dark and grim until the very end.

If you want to listen to Coldblooded in full to feel the fury and rawness emanating from B.R.’s vocals, riffs, bass and drums, you can find it on YouTube, on BandCamp, and on Spotify (where by the way you can also enjoy his 2023 self-titled debut album if you’re curious to listen to the evolution in his sound from that album to Coldblooded), as well as on Amazon Music and on Apple Music. Also, Hellwalker is not on any social media, showing how underground and primeval B.R. wants the project to be, proudly raising the flag of old school Death Metal in his homeland Portugal, and hoping for his vile noises to reach the four corners of the earth. Hellwalker is the absolute opposite of mainstream, and if that’s your cup of tea, go for Coldblooded as you won’t get disappointed at all.

Best moments of the album: Decimation and Breath In Breath Out.

Worst moments of the album: Love Turns into Hate.

Released in 2024 Rot’em Records

Track listing
1.Coldblooded 4:20
2.Decimation 3:32
3.Love Turns into Hate 1:57
4.Them Crooked Vultures 4:49
5.Breath In Breath Out 3:46
6.My Name Is Hate 5:28
7.Fantasmas 3:15

Band members
B.R. – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Chainsword / Born Triumphant (2024)

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This ruthless Polish brigade returns with their sophomore album crafted as a revival of the old school Death Metal sound, bringing the horrors of war while also inspired by the vast, dystopian universe of Warhammer 40k.

Three years after the release of the excellent Blightmarch, Warsaw, Poland-based Death Metal brigade Chainsword returns to the front with their sophomore opus, titled Born Triumphant. Recorded at Primate 666 Studio (vocals, guitars and bass) and by by Mikołaj Kiciak at Santa Studio (drums), mixed, mastered and reamped by Haldor Grunberg at Satanic Audio, and displaying a warlike artwork by Paweł Charkowski, Born Triumphant was crafted as a revival of the old school Death Metal sound, wit its lyrics being based on horrors of war and/or inspired by the vast, dystopian universe of Warhammer 40k, all brought into being by vocalist Herr Brummbär, guitarists Sarin Spreizer and Herr Hoffman, bassist Wutender Ente, and drummer Herr Feldgrau.

Like a ruthless brigade form hell the band begins their Death Metal onrush with Nekrodermis, where the riffs by Sarin Spreizer and Herr Hoffman will inspire you to bang your head nonstop in the name of war and evil, whereas the devilish, deep vociferations by Herr Brummbär will haunt your damned souls in Sinistramanus Tenebrae, while Herr Feldgrau keeps hammering his drums in a classic Death Metal extravaganza. After that we have Wrapped in Barbed Wire and Yellow Fog, another pulverizing display of Death Metal where Wutender Ente hammers his bass mercilessly while the bands guitar duo cuts our skin deep with their sick riffs, meaning it should work extremely well if played live; and there’s no time to breathe as they keep delivering sheer aggression and gore in Abominable Intelligence, a beyond heavy and infuriated tuned where Herr Brummbär’s roars sound visceral. And in Grand Funeral Pyre we face guest vocals by GÄMBIT, who bursts his lungs screaming (therefore adding a extra rebellious vibe to the music) while the band puts the pedal to the metal in the most thrashing way imaginable.

Switching gears to a more cadenced rhythm and vibe while still sounding demonic and heavy, Herr Feldgrau smashes his drums in an ode to 90’s Death Metal titled Ov Flesh and Steel, setting the stage for the band’s guitars to shine; then featuring guest vocalist Janek Kulinicz, Trident, Rise! is a headbanging composition by Chainsword that sounds a bit like a random Metallica song (except for the guttural vocals of course), followed by Death to the Enemies ov Man, a merciless Death Metal attack by those Polish marauders where Herr Feldgrau obviously sounds inhumane on drums, leading his bandmates to total annihilation. The second to last song of the album, entitled Mankind’s Last War, offers us all six minutes of no shenanigans, straightforward Death Metal that’s true to the foundations of the genre, with their guitars, bass and drums sounding tight and sharp until the very last second, and there’s still time for one final blast of brutality titled L-G P, again showcasing the guttural roars by Herr Brummbär amidst an endless amount of heaviness and rage.

The imposing Born Triumphant is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but if you consider yourself a true trooper of Death Metal you should support the band by buying a copy of the album from their own BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and all other things surrounding the most ruthless brigade to ever arise from Poland. In a nutshell, Chainsword once again bring the horrors of war in the form of top-of-the-line Death Metal in their newborn opus, a highly recommended soundtrack to dive deep into the muddy trenches of the warfield as the battle rages on.

Best moments of the album: Sinistramanus Tenebrae, Wrapped in Barbed Wire and Yellow Fog and Death to the Enemies ov Man.

Worst moments of the album: Trident, Rise!.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Nekrodermis 3:36
2. Sinistramanus Tenebrae 4:20
3. Wrapped in Barbed Wire and Yellow Fog 3:10
4. Abominable Intelligence 2:59
5. Grand Funeral Pyre 3:55
6. Ov Flesh and Steel 4:22
7. Trident, Rise! 5:16
8. Death to the Enemies ov Man 5:03
9. Mankind’s Last War 6:00
10. L-G P 6:30

Band members
Herr Brummbär – vocals
Sarin Spreizer – guitar
Herr Hoffman – guitar
Wutender Ente – bass
Herr Feldgrau – drums, backing vocals

Guest musicians
GÄMBIT – vocals on “Grand Funeral Pyre”
Janek Kulinicz – vocals on “Trident, Rise!”

Album Review – Brutalism / Solace In Absurdity (2024)

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Behold the debut album by an American band that’s the epitome of brutality, drawing together two horrors, two powers from beyond the light, the essence of Death Metal sent spinning into a dominion of torture beyond understanding.

Welcome to a kingdom of the obscene and absurd, where reason is dissected and destroyed and reality is warped into nightmare. That’s the kingdom ruled by Boise, Idaho-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal entity Brutalism, who’s unleashing upon humanity their debut effort titled Solace In Absurdity. Mixed and mastered by Dante Haas and Jake Hotchkiss, and displaying a sick artwork by Moon Ring Design, the first ever full-length album by Cameron Bass on vocals, Jason Taylor and London Howell on the guitars, Ian Dodd on bass, and Dante Haas on drums draws together two horrors, two powers from beyond the light, the essence of Death Metal sent spinning into a dominion of torture beyond understanding, being therefore recommended for fans of the brutality blasted by renowned bands like Morbid Angel, Immolation, Defeated Sanity and Suffocation.

Introlism is a brutal, gory attack by the quintet, where Dante already crushes his drums manically supported by the visceral riffs by Jason and London, not to mention how metallic the bass by Ian feels; whereas showcasing one of the best lines from Conan as its intro, the pulverizing Asphyxiating on Vomitous Excretion presents a rabid Cameron on vocals, growling and barking nonstop while his bandmates deliver sheer sonic violence in the name of Brutal Death Metal. The title-track Solace in Absurdity offers another two minutes of dementia in the form of Death Metal, with Cameron delivering his trademark “breeeeees” while Dante sounds infernal behind his drums; and the band sounds even more infuriated and bloodthirsty in Astrocytomic Hemorrhaging, taking their Brutal Death Metal sonority to a whole new level with their guitar solos feeling absolutely sharp. It’s then time to slam like a metalmaniac into the circle pit to the sound of the wicked bass by Ian in Accelerated Decrepitude, the perfect fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal with endless aggression, whereas in Flesh Pyramid we face a demented riff attack by Jason and London, of course boosted by the classic blast beats by Dante, resulting in another evil Death Metal feast.

In the demonic Sickening Synaptic Pathways, a horrifying intro quickly explodes into a venomous display of brutality and gore, with the pounding sound of their drums being supported by the massive, intricate bass lines by Ian, whereas the raw, devilish album production makes Compulsive Acts of Repulsion sound even heavier and more demented, or in other words, not recommended for the lighthearted, where once again the rumbling bass by Ian and the gruesome vociferations by Cameron exhale Death Metal. Elimination of the Heliosphere might be one of the most complex of all songs, but it still presents the band’s most demented side, and of course the final result is beyond thrilling with Ian and Dante stealing the show with their demolishing kitchen. Brutalism then show no sign of slowing down at all, smashing our cranial skulls with Consuming Obsession, with the guttural by Cameron sounding one hundred percent inhumane during the entire song; and lastly we have Asyncritus, beginning in a visceral, blood soaked manner with all band members showcasing their talent and passion for brutality. Moreover, there isn’t a single second of peace during the song’s massive seven minutes, with Dante taking the lead armed with his boisterous blast beats.

Solace In Absurdity is undoubtedly a gruesome and violent album of Death Metal, leaving us completely disoriented while at the same time eager for more of the sick creations by Brutalism. Hence, you can show your support to those American metallers by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course, grab your desired copy of their demented debut album by clicking HERE (physical copy and merch) or HERE (Bandcamp), as well as from Apple Music, adding an extra share of sheer brutality to your already infernal collection. The band is not called Brutalism in vain, and if you have what it takes to face the endless aggressiveness found in Solace In Absurdity, you’re going to have a very good (and brutal) time.

Best moments of the album: Astrocytomic Hemorrhaging, Accelerated Decrepitude and Elimination of the Heliosphere.

Worst moments of the album: Solace in Absurdity, but only because it might be the less brutal of all songs.

Released in 2024 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Introlism 1:38
2. Asphyxiating on Vomitous Excretion 3:04
3. Solace in Absurdity 2:12
4. Astrocytomic Hemorrhaging 2:29
5. Accelerated Decrepitude 3:59
6. Flesh Pyramid 3:50
7. Sickening Synaptic Pathways 2:31
8. Compulsive Acts of Repulsion 4:26
9. Elimination of the Heliosphere 2:13
10. Consuming Obsession 2:43
11. Asyncritus 7:36

Band members
Cameron Bass – vocals
Jason Taylor – guitar
London Howell – guitar
Ian Dodd – bass
Dante Haas – drums

Album Review – Vøidwomb / Spiritual Apotheosis (2024)

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Deliver your soul to this nine-track immersive Black Metal experience that will guide you through the inherent utter darkness of human condition and the cathartic search for enlightenment.

“SIC ITUR AD ASTRA”

On the shores of Portugal, deep in the north of the country, a creature lurks in the shadow. Forged in the fires of Barroselas, Viana do Castelo in 2019, Vøidwomb are a Black Metal quintet who’s back to the light after three years in the shades with their first full-length opus, titled Spiritual Apotheosis. Mixed and mastered by Diogo Santana at Noise Portrait Studios, with a cover painting by prolific painter Daniel Hermosilla of Nox Fragor Art, the follow-up to their debut EP Altars of Cosmic Devotion is a record about understanding darkness and sacrificing self to reach transcendence, a nine-track immersive Black Metal experience that will guide you through the inherent utter darkness of human condition and the cathartic search for enlightenment, all carefully brought into being by vocalist M.S.Vøid, guitarists Lord and Fractal, bassist F.S.Void, and drummer Noctvs.

Ominous and grim from the very first second, the extended intro Exordium will darken the skies before the band begins their vile black mass in Metempsychosis, featuring guest vocals by Diogo Santana (Fustilarian, Necrobode, Raw Decimating Brutality), offering us all five minutes of absolute darkness and hatred spearheaded by the Black Metal beats by Noctvs, while M.S.Vøid distills his venomous gnarls nonstop together with Diogo. Black Putrescence feels even more primeval and demonic than the opening track, with the guitars by Lord and Fractal piercing our damned souls mercilessly; whereas Liberation keeps the sulfur flowing majestically in the album, with the vociferations by M.S.Vøid matching perfectly with the massive, Stygian sounds blasted by his infernal bandmates, flowing like an uncontrolled, vile beast from the underworld until the very end.

The band then offers a cryptic (and way too long) interlude simply titled Interludium, once again blackening our minds and souls before those Portuguese metallers attack our senses with Vesselvoid, bringing forward seven minutes of sheer despair and void, with M.S.Vøid roaring from the depths of the underworld while F.S.Void and Noctvs sound thunderous with their respective bass and drums, resulting in a lecture in Black and Death Metal by the band. Then the atmosphere switches from the epicness of longer tunes to the violence of a short and devastating one titled Azoth, where the entire band sounds evil and tight during its less than three minutes of savagery, with of course Noctvs sounding beyond brutal on drums. Lastly, they blast our ears with another six-minute feast of Black and Death Metal entitled Coagulation, with their strident riffs and rumbling bass generating a menacing atmosphere perfect for M.S.Vøid’s eerie growls and gnarls, morphing into the outro Epilogus, presenting three minutes of desolate passages, grim sounds and tones, and an absolute sense of nothingness.

As mentioned, Vøidwomb will guide you through pitch black darkness in their excellent new album, and you can get to know more about such promising name of the current Portuguese scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming more of their eerie creations on Spotify or on any other streaming service, and above all that, by purchasing Spiritual Apotheosis from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave, or by clicking HERE. In other words, let the Black Metal darkly crafted by Vøidwomb in Spiritual Apotheosis reach deep inside your rotten soul, joining them in darkness for all eternity. And so we go to the stars.

Best moments of the album: Metempsychosis, Vesselvoid and Azoth.

Worst moments of the album: Interludium.

Released in 2024 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Exordium (Intro) 3:53
2. Metempsychosis 5:09
3. Black Putrescence 4:36
4. Liberation 4:51
5. Interludium 3:29
6. Vesselvoid 7:04
7. Azoth 2:41
8. Coagulation 6:19
9. Epilogus (Outro) 3:02

Band members
M.S.Vøid – vocals
Lord – guitars
Fractal – guitars
F.S.Void – bass, backing vocals
Noctvs – drums

Guest musician
Diogo Santana – vocals on “Metempsychosis”

Album Review – Ingested / The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams (2024)

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UK’s most hardworking Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore entity is back with their eight studio album, showcasing a band willing to expand its creativity without sacrificing the ferocity that made it one of the most impressively destructive names of the current scene.

Not many top-tier Death Metal bands can record and release an album a year and follow it with an extensive tour. That’s hardly ever been the case for Manchester, England’s crushing, visceral Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore entity Ingested. Since the release of their fifth album Where Only God May Tread, in 2020, the band has been on a creative tear that has produced almost a full record every year – even through the COVID pandemic – but has resulted in the kind of musical growth that only comes from constantly practicing, playing, and writing. Now in 2024 the band formed of frontman Jason Evans, guitarist Sean Hynes, and drummer Lyn Jeffs returns with their eight studio effort, titled The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams, sounding as innovative and brutal as their latest opus, the bleak, firestorm Ashes Lie Still, released in 2022. Displaying a stunning artwork by David Seidman, the album showcases a band willing to expand its creativity without sacrificing the ferocity that made it one of the most impressively destructive and technical Death Metal bands on the scene.

The opener Paragon of Purity is insanely slamming and brutal from the very first second, with Jason already sounding inhumane on vocals while Lyn hammers his drums without a single drop of mercy, whereas he keeps smashing our skulls in Endless Machine, another perfect depiction of modern-day Brutal Death Metal highly recommended for some mosh pit action; and an eerie start gradually evolves into another demented display of the band’s trademark sound in the form of Where No Light Shines, this time sounding more Deathcore than ever, with Sean kicking some ass with his devilish riffs. Then featuring guest vocals by Josh Middleton (Sylosis), it’s pedal to the metal in Expect to Fail, with Lyn taking the lead with his fast-paced beats while Jason and Josh make an infernal vocal duet sounding like two demons roaring to each other. After that, their fusion of Death Metal with Deathcore brings to our avid ears another bestial creation titled Starve the Fire, where Jason’s vocals reach a new level of insanity (similar to the latest creations by Ov Sulfur, by the way).

After an overdose of pure hatred and heaviness, the band brings forward an ethereal, enfolding (and a bit too long) interlude titled Numinous, soothing our melancholic souls before all hell breaks loose in In Nothingness, featuring guest vocals by Mark Hunter (Chimaira), with Mark adding his share of dementia to the overall result supported by the massive drums by Lyn, while Sean’s riffs are tailored for some brutal slamming. Pantheon is simply an ode to violence, blood and insanity by Ingested, with Jason proving why he’s one of the top voices of the current Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore scenes worldwide, and I can’t wait to witness the band delivering this wicked tune live; and Jason and the boys continue to deliver first-class aggression in Kingdoms of Sand, where Lyn’s drums sound insanely heavy and groovy. Put differently, this awesome song couldn’t have sounded catchier and more devilish. Finally, the last song of the album, A Path Once Lost, is also the longest and most intricate one, a sinister musical journey spearheaded by Jason’s introspective vocals while still presenting Ingested’s trademark violence, also showcasing a more melodic side of the band.

The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams is proof that once Ingested sniff out a trail of musical blood, they ravenously follow it until they’ve uncovered a festering feast. Hence, if you want to show your support to one of the most hardworking bands of the current extreme music scene, you can check what they’re up to on Facebook, and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel and also check them out on Spotify for more of their savage music, and above all that, purchase the venomous The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams from the Metal Blade Records webstore or by clicking HERE. I bet it won’t take long for Ingested to deliver another blast of their first-class fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore in the next couple of years, but it will certainly be really hard for them to beat the quality found in their newborn beast. I said hard, not impossible, because Jason, Sean and Lyn seem to be on an absolute roll in the past few years, and we can always expect the utmost excellence from those amazing musicians.

Best moments of the album: Paragon of Purity, Expect to Fail, Pantheon and Kingdoms of Sand.

Worst moments of the album: Numinous.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Paragon of Purity 4:22
2. Endless Machine 3:37
3. Where No Light Shines 4:31
4. Expect to Fail 4:17
5. Starve the Fire 4:06
6. Numinous 3:50
7. In Nothingness 4:39
8. Pantheon 3:30
9. Kingdoms of Sand 5:23
10. A Path Once Lost 6:51

Band members
Jason Evans – vocals
Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals
Lyn Jeffs – drums

Guest musicians
Josh Middleton – vocals on “Expect to Fail”
Mark Hunter – vocals on “In Nothingness”
Thomas O’Malley – bass (live)

Album Review – Rage / Afterlifelines (2024)

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One of the pillars of German Power Metal strikes again with an intense and unforgettable musical experience in the form of a double album  presenting their broad artistic range, from hard, fast and thrashy to anthemic, symphonic and lavish.

In addition to a new band biography to celebrate their 40th anniversary, to be released in October, the year of 2024 sees German Power Metal legends Rage unleash a majestic 94-minute double-album titled Afterlifelines, the 26th opus in their impressive career consisting of regular recordings by the trio on the first album, ‘Afterlife’, while a classical orchestra performs the second album, ‘Lifelines’. Produced by Rage at their own Lucky Bob Studio, mixed and mastered by Manuel Cohnen, and displaying a striking artwork by Karim König, the new album by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner on vocals and bass, Jean Bormann on the guitars, and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums is an intense and unforgettable musical experience blending Heavy, Speed and Power Metal with orchestral elements, presenting Rage’s broad artistic range, from hard, fast and thrashy to anthemic, symphonic and lavish.

A melancholic, cinematic intro titled In The Beginning kicks off the first album ‘Afterlife’, setting the stage for the trio to crush our souls with the metalized End Of Illusions, with Jean shredding his axe in great fashion while Lucky hammers his drums nonstop, offering Peavy exactly what he needs to roar like a beast; followed by the first single of the album, Under A Black Crown, which sounds like classic Rage (and sounded even more incendiary when they played it live at Lee’s Palace here in Toronto on March 4, by the way), with their melodic riffs and rumbling bass matching perfectly with Peavy’s boisterous vocal lines. Sean doesn’t stop slashing his strings in the title-track Afterlife, another headbanging tune by Rage that will inspire all fans to raise their fists together with the band, whereas Dead Man’s Eyes couldn’t have sounded more Rage than it already does, with Peavy sounding awesome with his potent voice as usual while Lucky keeps blasting his drums in the name of Power and Thrash Metal; and they keep delivering sheer heaviness and melody in Mortal, with the song’s pounding drums and dark riffage being perfect for some evil headbanging.

Toxic Waves is a more generic song that albeit sounding well crafted and harmonious, doesn’t add much power to the rest of the album; then get ready for a hurricane of Teutonic Power Metal titled Waterwar, offering classic Rage with hints of Thrash and Speed Metal for our total delight, spearheaded by the visceral roars by the one and only Peavy. It’s pedal to the metal with another fast-tempo tune titled Justice Will Be Mine, where the trio keeps the speed and energy levels truly high in a breathtaking ode to Power Metal; and those three fantastic musicians don’t show any mercy for our necks in the also rockin’ feast titled Shadow World, where Sean steals the spotlight with his sick riffs and solos. Finally, following a similar pattern as the previous song, Life Among The Ruins is a straightforward Rage extravaganza where Lucky once again sounds thunderous on drums, as well as Peavy armed with his metallic bass, putting a beautiful ending to the first album.

It’s time to switch gears to ‘Lifelines’, starting with the symphonic yet extremely heavy Cold Desire, reminding me of some of Rage’s old songs where they played together with the Lingua Mortis orchestra, followed by Root Of Our Evil, another striking fusion of the band’s raw, unfiltered Heavy Metal with background orchestrations where Peavy is on fire with both his raspy vocals and rumbling bass, resulting in a true metal hymn. In Curse The Night the orchestrations sound even more imposing, adding an extra touch of epicness to Rage’s sonority, whereas more of the trio’s galloping sounds is offered to our avid ears in One World, albeit not as exciting and feeling bland at times. They continue to blend the savagery of old school Power Metal with the melody of Heavy Metal in It’s All Too Much, a guitar-infused feast led obviously by Jean.

Dying To Live offers a smoother side of Rage, with Peavy hypnotizing us all with his passionate vocals supported by the whimsical, enfolding sounds crafted by Jean and Lucky; and an epic start gradually evolves into a fusion of orchestral music and Rage’s trademark Power Metal sounds in The Flood, perfect for singing along with Peavy, who delivers deep, intense vocals during the entire song. Be prepared to be dragged into Rage’s lair for all eternity to the sound of the nine-minute aria Lifelines, a multi-layered, bold creation by Peavy and the boys overflowing deep emotions amidst a powerful sound full of classic riffs, pounding drums and killer vocal lines. Moreover, this is another Lingua Mortis-like composition where metal meets classic in a stunning way, while the cinematic Interlude offers longtime fans of the band some “Easter eggs” from their old orchestral creations such as “From the Cradle to the Grave”, preparing us all for one last musical voyage titled In The End, an introspective, climatic song that closes the album on a high note with Jean kicking ass with his riffs and solos, while Peavy once again declaims the song’s lyrics with endless passion.

RAGE Afterlifelines Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset

Two weeks after the arrival of the album, Rage will embark on a major European tour starting April 13, with shows and festival appearances in Japan and European countries and regions such as Germany, Austria, Greece, Poland, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Spain and Scandinavia, meaning 2024 is set to be a real Rage year. Hence, don’t forget to follow one of the pillars of German Heavy and Power Metal on Facebook and on Instagram to keep track of all of their upcoming shows, stream all of their amazing albums on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Afterlifelines by clicking HERE, including the limited edition deluxe boxset containing tons of amazing items such as a nine-track bonus CD titled “Live At Summer Breeze 2023”. There’s no better way to celebrate 40 incredible years on the road than with over 90 minutes of kick-ass Heavy Metal like what Rage have to offer us all in Afterlifelines, and if it’s not too much to ask, I really wish the band keeps embellishing the airwaves with their powerful music for at least another 40 years.

Best moments of the album: From ‘Afterlife’, the songs End Of Illusions, Under A Black Crown and Waterwar, while from ‘Lifelines’, the songs Cold Desire, Root Of Our Evil and Lifelines.

Worst moments of the album: Both albums are amazing, but maybe the songs Toxic Waves and One World sound and feel a little tiresome compared to all others.

Released in 2024 Steamhammer/SPV

Track listing
CD 1 Afterlife
1. In The Beginning 1:31
2. End Of Illusions 3:48
3. Under A Black Crown 4:00
4. Afterlife 3:45
5. Dead Man’s Eyes 3:24
6. Mortal 4:04
7. Toxic Waves 3:36
8. Waterwar 3:42
9. Justice Will Be Mine 4:35
10. Shadow World 3:22
11. Life Among The Ruins 4:06

CD 2 Lifelines
1. Cold Desire 3:59
2. Root Of Our Evil 4:02
3. Curse The Night 3:34
4. One World 4:24
5. It’s All Too Much 5:11
6. Dying To Live 4:51
7. The Flood 3:56
8. Lifelines 9:54
9. Interlude 2:43
10. In The End 3:23

CD 3 “Live At Summer Breeze 2023” Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset Exclusive
1. Resurrection Day
2. Solitary Man
3. End Of All Days
4. Great Old Ones
5. Straight To Hell
6. Nevermore
7. Refuge
8. Higher Than The Sky
9. Don’t Fear The Winter

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Jean Bormann – guitars
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums

Guest musician
Marco Grasshoff – string quartet arrangements, orchestrations, strings, wind instruments, piano

Album Review – Bruce Dickinson / The Mandrake Project (2024)

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After almost 20 years, the one and only Bruce Dickinson returns with his new solo offering, a concept album full of highs and lows that might be more appealing to fans of mellow rock music.

Almost 20 years later, British Heavy Metal legend Bruce Dickinson returns with his new solo offering, titled The Mandrake Project, his seventh studio album and the follow-up to his 2005 opus Tyranny Of Souls, marking the longest gap between two studio albums in his solo career. Produced by world renowned guitarist Roy Z, and mixed and mastered by Brendan Duffey at Fuel Music Studio, the album features the aforementioned Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals (and a bunch of other instruments here and there), Roy Z on the guitars and bass, Mistheria on keyboards (although she plays bass live with the band), and Dave Moreno on drums, but despite such stellar lineup the music is fairly basic and monotonous at times, full of highs and lows, and if it wasn’t for the always majestic vocal lines by Bruce I personally think The Mandrake Project would have been a huge flop.

A sinister, cinematic intro sets the stage for Bruce and his crew in Afterglow of Ragnarok, with the guitars by Roy Z dictating the song’s pace, resulting in a solid start to the album and to the story that’s beginning to be developed. Many Doors to Hell sounds like a toned-down version of some of the songs from Bruce’s old albums, with the keys by Mistheria adding an extra touch of delicacy to it, not to mention his always flawless vocals; followed by Rain on the Graves, one of the most theatrical of all songs. One thing that I can say for sure is that Bruce needs a better drummer, but in the end the song works quite well, whereas Resurrection Men is another solid creation by Bruce, blending Heavy Metal with classic Rock N’ Roll and even Stoner Rock thanks to the top-notch work done by Roy Z on the guitars. On the other hand, Fingers in the Wounds is a very basic and monotonous song where the guitars are not very audible and drums are the most boring you can imagine.

Eternity Has Failed, which is pretty much his own version for Iron Maiden’s “If Eternity Should Fail” (to be fair, Bruce’s version was created first, and Steve Harris asked him if it could be used as a Maiden song), is by far my favorite song of the album for obvious reasons, sounding a little bit more folky than metal also for obvious reasons, with Bruce kicking ass on vocals as usual. Then low-tuned bass lines ignite the rocking Mistress of Mercy, where Roy Z and Dave are in total sync, offering Bruce all he needs to shine on vocals; followed by Face in the Mirror, too mellow and not enough rock or metal, or in other words, one of the weakest songs of the album if not the weakest one. Fans of ballads might enjoy it, but due to the lack of more energy in the rest of the album this one ends up falling flat. Moreover, if one very slow ballad wasn’t enough the band offers another one that goes on for seven minutes titled Shadow of the Gods, which would have been a good idea in Accident of Birth, but again it’s too smooth and doesn’t add any extra kick to The Mandrake Project, picking up at the end albeit nothing really outstanding. On the other hand, Sonata (Immortal Beloved) has the punch we expect from a guy like Bruce, with Roy Z and Mistheria supporting him with their classy riffs, bass and keys. It’s not a marvelous ending to the album, but at least it has its good moments.

I’m a diehard fan of Iron Maiden, and I love everything Bruce Dickinson had released prior to The Mandrake Project, but I don’t see myself returning to this album in the near future because, at least for me, the music is way too bland, with most songs sounding way too low, mellow or uninspired. There are some excellent moments throughout the album, of course, but nothing that hasn’t been done before or that’s truly impactful. Let’s say that if it wasn’t for Bruce, I wouldn’t be able to listen to it more than once (and you can listen to it yourself in full on YouTube and on Spotify). The album will surely be very attractive to several fans worldwide, as music taste is a personal thing as you all know, so if The Mandrake Project appeals to you, you can purchase a copy of it from The Mandrake Project’s own webstore, from Bruce’s webstore, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE. Now please excuse me as I’m going to go back to the new albums by Judas Priest, Blaze Bayley, and Saxon, as those sound much stronger and exciting to my taste.

Best moments of the album: Resurrection Men, Eternity Has Failed and Mistress of Mercy.

Worst moments of the album: Fingers in the Wounds, Face in the Mirror and Shadow of the Gods.

Released in 2024 BMG

Track listing
1. Afterglow of Ragnarok 5:45
2. Many Doors to Hell 4:48
3. Rain on the Graves 5:05
4. Resurrection Men 6:24
5. Fingers in the Wounds 3:39
6. Eternity Has Failed 6:59
7. Mistress of Mercy 5:08
8. Face in the Mirror 4:08
9. Shadow of the Gods 7:02
10. Sonata (Immortal Beloved) 9:51

Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals, acoustic guitars on “Resurrection Men” and “Face in the Mirror”, bongo drums on “Resurrection Men”, additional keyboards on “Eternity Has Failed” and “Mistress of Mercy”, percussion on “Eternity Has Failed”
Roy Z – guitars, bass
Mistheria – keyboards
Dave Moreno – drums

Guest musicians
Chris Declercq – guitar solo on “Rain on the Graves”
Gus G – guitar solo on “Eternity Has Failed”
Sergio Cuadros – woodwinds on “Eternity Has Failed”

Album Review – Beholder / Dualisme (2024)

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One of the new names of the Métal Noir Québécois scene returns with their sophomore opus, a 35-minute assault of aggressive, up-tempo Black Metal infused with melodic, doomy passages.

Forged in the fires of the stunning Quebec City back in 2016, the devilish five-piece horde Beholder, another amazing exponent of the current Métal Noir Québécois scene, is set to release their sophomore album, entitled Dualisme, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Arcane Subreptice and a huge improvement on their already solid foundations. Mastered by Patrick McDowall and displaying a sinister artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, Dualisme is a 35-minute assault of aggressive, up-tempo Black Metal with melodic, doomy passages which deeply contribute to its overall atmosphere, all masterfully crafted by Dan Mécréant on vocals, Pier-Luc Lavoie and Alex Bouchard on the guitars, Kéven Tremblay on bass, and Michel Murray on drums. “Both music and lyrics are influenced by orthodox black metal from the 90’s, with topics mainly dealing with luciferianism, history and occult philosophy. It has been a contemplative process from the writing to the recording. We feel like we reached a mature piece of art and feel extremely confident about it,” commented the band about their newborn beast.

The caustic guitars by Pier-Luc and Alex darken the skies before their bandmates come ripping in Le vassal de la profanation, a visceral Black Metal attack where the vocals by Dan will haunt your putrid soul for all eternity, followed by the title-track Dualisme, living up to the legacy of Métal Noir Québécois, sounding caustic from start to finish while Michel’s beats alternate between sheer savagery and more cadenced, somber moments; and Michel hammers his drums in a nice Motörhead-style in Vers le pandæmonium while the music evolves into a sinister form of Black Metal led by the once again sick riffage by Pier-Luc and Alex. After such disturbing sonority, it’s then time for Kéven to smash his bass and kick off the even darker Géomancie, where their blast beats walk hand in hand with their wicked, malignant riffs, resulting in a full-bodied aria of extreme music

The second half of the album begins with two and a half minutes of modern-day Black Metal titled Hexenaat, again showcasing the demonic gnarls by Dan while his bandmates keep delivering endless evil through their sonic weapons, and get ready for a hurricane of blackened sounds titled Despotisme ecclésiastique, where all band members are on absolute fire, blasting their trademark Black Metal magic for our total delight. The band then offers our putrid ears the venomous Résurgence de l’obscurantisme, the second to last explosion of infernal Black Metal made in Quebec from the album, with once again their guitar duo sounding evil armed with their axes, always supported by the classic, rumbling bass by Kéven, flowing into Credo fractal, a phantasmagorical outro by Montreal-based artist Thisquietarmy that sounds and feels truly haunting, even cinematic at times, but that goes on for way too long reducing the level of energy and evil crafted by all previous songs.

Beholder are definitely a force to reckon hailing from the Quebec scene, and if you want to join their horde of the occult you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Dualisme from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or from Sound Cave as a digipak CD or as a crystal clear vinyl. Raw and visceral, Dualisme showcases an excellent fusion of Métal Noir Québécois with 90’s Black Metal, and I bet you’re also going to have a great time listening to this sulfurous album.

Best moments of the album: Le vassal de la profanation, Géomancie and Despotisme ecclésiastique.

Worst moments of the album: Credo fractal.

Released in 2024 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Le vassal de la profanation 4:22
2. Dualisme 5:51
3. Vers le pandæmonium 4:45
4. Géomancie 3:34
5. Hexenaat 2:34
6. Despotisme ecclésiastique 5:26
7. Résurgence de l’obscurantisme 3:49
8. Credo fractal 5:00

Band members
Dan Mécréant – vocals
Pier-Luc Lavoie – guitars
Alex Bouchard – guitars
Kéven Tremblay – bass
Michel Murray – drums

Guest musician
Thisquietarmy – everything on “Credo fractal”

Album Review – Anthropovore / Parthénogenèse (2024)

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This French two-headed Black Metal beast returns with its sophomore album, sounding utterly experimental, dissonant and austere from start to finish.

Forged in the fires of Paris, France inspired by old school titans the likes of Darkthrone and Marduk, among others, with the goal to return to the origins of a primary, anxiety-inducing, angry and hateful Black Metal, the two-headed beast known as Anthropovore is back from the underworld with their sophomore offering, beautifully titled Parth​é​nogen​è​se, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Boogeyman. The album title is French for “parthenogenesis”, or “virgin birth”, a form of reproduction in which an egg can develop into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm, and that weird concept is translated into the most experimental, dissonant and austere music you can think of thanks to the amazing job done by the band’s duo comprised of Simon Perrin (Demande à la Poussière, Muertissima, MUD, WeedBringer) on vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drone and machine sounds, and Stéphane Prados (Muertissima) on lead guitars and harsh screams, supported by the more-than-special guest vocals by Adsagsona (aka Adèle Adsa, the talented frontwoman of French Black Metal horde Hule).

Notre père, or “our father”, starts with a narration in French before their dirty riffs and low-tuned bass fill out every single space in the air, with Simon and Stéphane making an amazing duet with their clean vocals and demonic roars, flowing in a disturbing and devilish way until the very last second. Their wicked experimentations go on in Transmigre-moi (“transmigrate to me”), another sulfurous fusion of traditional Black Metal with Atmospheric and Experimental Black Metal, sounding dissonant and furious, with the mechanized sounds generated by Simon being infernal; whereas a demented start evolves into a feast of blackened, caustic sounds in Castigo, a Portuguese/Spanish word that means “punishment”, where Simon and Stéphane deliver sheer aggressiveness through their axes while also blasting sick vociferations in the name of darkness. And the title-track Parthénogenèse offers more of their idiosyncratic, devilish sounds where the guitars and bass feel utterly demonic while the duo keeps blasting endless obscurity through their visceral growls, followed by Souffrir, or “to suffer”, another explosion of Experimental Black Metal by the duo with all background noises and sounds adding an extra touch of insanity to the overall result.

They keep hammering our cranial skulls and decimating our damned souls in Mal dedans (“bad inside”), again showcasing their characteristic harsh roars, machine-like drums, and a reverberating sense of despair; then investing in a more brutal and thunderous sound, they will smash us all in Ternir, or “to tarnish”, offering their most demonic vocals, sounding almost like the screeches of an evil goblin, while the instrumental pieces generate a darkly disturbing atmosphere. Déconstruit (“deconstructed”) keeps the album at an insane level of animosity and rage by blending elements from Industrial Metal with their core Black Metal essence, while rumbling bass lines and massive beats set the tone in the heavy-as-hell Mangez-moi, or “eat me”, the duo’s second to last spawn of evil in the album, where they once again burst their lungs screaming like demonic creatures. Finally, Anthropovore kill whoever is still alive with the violent and grim Better Off Alive, ending the album on a high note to the sound of their inhumane harsh roars, caustic riffs and mechanized background sounds.

Such dissonant, devilish album is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can add it to your demonic collection by purchasing it directly from the band’s own BandCamp page or from the France Black Death Grind webstore, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more of their wicked music. Parth​é​nogen​è​se exhales pure evil, hatred and darkness just the way we like it in Black Metal, strengthening the band’s name in the scene and inspiring them to keep blasting sheer obscurity for many years to come, always trying new experimentations while staying true to their roots, something really hard to do nowadays but that those French metallers are learning how to master, I might say.

Best moments of the album: Transmigre-moi, Parthénogenèse and Ternir.

Worst moments of the album: Souffrir.

Released in 2024 France Black Death Grind

Track listing
1. Notre père 8:12
2. Transmigre-Moi 5:59
3. Castigo 5:50
4. Parthénogenèse 9:06
5. Souffrir 5:22
6. Mal dedans 9:25
7. Ternir 5:09
8. Déconstruit 5:35
9. Mangez-Moi 4:48
10. Better Off Alive 5:32

Band members
Simon Perrin – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drone and machine sounds
Stéphane Prados – lead guitars, harsh screams

Guest musician
Adsagsona – additional vocals