Category Archives: 2025 New Releases

Album Review – Havamal / Age Of The Gods (2025)

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Transcending their previous sound and rising with the full might of Asgard at their back, these Swedish Melodic Death Metal warriors are unleashing upon humanity their most ambitious work to date.

Transcending their previous sound and rising with the full might of Asgard at their back, Stockholm, Sweden-based Melodic Death Metal warriors Hamaval are set to unleash their most ambitious work to date, entitled Age of the Gods, following up on their 2021 sophomore opus The Shadow Chapter. More aggressive, forceful, and diverse than ever, Age of the Gods is a pinnacle in the band’s evolution, where symphonic grandeur collides with ferocious riffs, thunderous drums and growls echoing with the wrath of the Nine Worlds, all masterfully crafted by vocalist Björn Larsson, guitarists Lennie Spetze and Kjell Gilliusson, bassist Tino Vesanen, and drummer Stefan Peltonen.

The war of the gods is about to begin to the sound of The Pagan Path, with its imposing tribal sounds inviting us all to join the band in the battlefield before Stefan begins smashing his drums in the name of Melodic Death and Viking Metal, whereas Wolfraiders carries an excellent title for an even more excellent sound, with the guitars and keys by Lennie and Kjell transpiring of Amon Amarth while their guitar solos also sound utterly captivating. Stefan then dictates the pace in the ruthless The Day Of Reckoning, with all background elements giving it an extra touch of epicness led by Björn’s deep warrior roars, followed by Sigmund Fafnirsbane, a song about a legendary dragon slayer, with the band inviting us all to slam into the pit to their visceral riffs and harsh screams.

Then investing in an almost Symphonic Black Metal sound we’re treated to The Shaman, where once again Lennie’s keys bring sheer electricity to their music, being therefore perfect for prancing around the firepit while enjoying a pint of mead. The skies will get dark and the atmosphere pensive and somber in Hymns Of The Fallen, an inspiring chant dedicated to the ones who lost their lives in battle, sounding absolutely epic from start to finish; and the band blasts one of the fastest and heaviest of all songs, the thrilling Lokis Damnation, also presenting some welcome melodic passages and the always vibrant guttural by Björn. Finally, ending the album it’s time for absolute fury and violence in the form of Ashwalker, spearheaded by the crushing beats and fills by Stefan in a lesson in contemporary Melodic Death Metal.

Offering a distinctive musical identity characterized by powerful orchestration, elegant yet captivating riffs, and an eclectic fusion of Viking, Black, Power, and Death Metal influences, Age Of The Gods will undoubtedly carve Havamal’s place in Valhalla, and you can grab a copy of such an excellent album from the Art Gates Records’ webstore in three amazing bundles (pack I, pack II, and superpack). Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their music on Spotify, proving you’re also worthy of joining Havamal and the metal gods at the magnificent hall of the slain are you prepare for Ragnarök.

Best moments of the album: Wolfraiders, The Shaman and Ashwalker.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Art Gates Records

Track listing
1. The Pagan Path 6:01
2. Wolfraiders 4:59
3. The Day Of Reckoning 5:53
4. Sigmund Fafnirsbane 5:14
5. The Shaman 5:36
6. Hymns Of The Fallen 5:44
7. Lokis Damnation 5:33
8. Ashwalker 4:56

Band members
Björn Larsson – vocals
Lennie Spetze – guitars, keyboards
Kjell Gilliusson – guitars
Tino Vesanen – bass
Stefan Peltonen – drums

Album Review – Midnite City / Bite The Bullet (2025)

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The party is just getting started with the new album by these torchbearers of classic Hair Metal and Hard Rock, and everyone is invited.

Since exploding out onto the scene like a tornado back in 2017, UK’s own Hard Rock/Hair Metal heroes Midnite City have taken on the world, grabbed the tired music scene by the scruff of its neck, injected passion, fun, melody, and colour back into it, and climbed to the top of the tree to be crowned the true kings of Hair Metal. Now in 2025 the band formed of Rob Wylde on vocals and guitar, Miles Meakin on lead guitar, Josh Williams on bass, Shawn Charvette on keyboards, and Ryan Biggs on drums returns with their strongest album to date, Bite The Bullet, ticking every single box fans expect from a Midnite City album. Mixed by Chris Laney (Europe, Crash Diet, Crazy Lixx, Pretty Maids), the album offers a bit of everything, from super poppy, catchy, and hook laden party Rock N’ Roll, to Melodic Rock monsters, to arena sized power ballads, to Glam Metal anthems laced with attitude and a side order of Hard Rock, and so on.

Let’s get this Hair Metal party started with Live Like Ya Mean It, where the classic vocal lines by Rob are boosted by the song’s even more classic backing vocals, followed by Worth Fighting For, another old school tune presenting hints of AOR with the guitars by Miles and Rob exhaling the glory of the 80’s, sounding absolutely inspired by the music from all bands who made those years so amazing. It’s Going To Be Alright is a bit too cheesy for my taste, despite Miles still kicking ass with his soulful solo, but in the end it’s a generic song. Then an overdose of Hard Rock and Hair Metal will crush your senses in Heaven In This Hell, led by the striking keys by Shawn, and their  rock and metal celebration goes on in full force in Running Back To Your Heart, with Rob stealing the show with his stylish vocals. Ryan then puts the pedal to the metal, hammering his drums in the best Hard Rock style, in Lethal Dose Of Love, again presenting those catchy backing vocals we all love so much.

After that, it’s time for a whimsical interlude entitled Archer’s Song, as if it was crafted to be featured in a romantic scene of an afternoon movie from the 80’s or 90’s, warming us up for Seeing Is Believing, one of those power ballads that make the hearts of diehard fans of Hair Metal beat even faster and warmer. The guitars by Rob and Miles are boosted by the rumbling bass by Josh and the upbeat keys by Shawn in No One Wins, keeping the adrenaline flowing through the album and making it impossible to stand still to its catchy vibe; whereas their Melodic Rock and AOR vein pulses harder than ever in Hang On Til Tomorrow, led by the crisp vocals by Rob and the classic drums by Ryan. Their rockin’ party ends with When The Summer Ends, a Van Halen-infused Rock N’ Roll extravaganza with Ryan once again kicking ass behind his drums, also presenting a killer keyboard solo by Shawn as the icing on the cake.

In a nutshell, Bite The Bullet delivers a sound that is made for the biggest stadiums around the globe, bringing back everything that was so thrilling, energetic, and flamboyant about late 80’s Hair Metal in one fell swoop, being highly recommended for fans of Tigertailz, Mötley Crüe, Crash Diet, and Crazy Lixx, just to name a few. You can get in touch with those torchbearers of old school Hair Metal by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, get your party going to the sound of their full discography available on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the electrifying Bite The Bullet from countless retailers such as HHV, Decks Records, and Bengans.
Because the party is just getting started with the new album by Midnite City, and everyone is invited.

Best moments of the album: Heaven In This Hell, Lethal Dose Of Love and When The Summer Ends.

Worst moments of the album: It’s Going To Be Alright.

Released in 2025 Pride & Joy Music

Track listing
1. Live Like Ya Mean It 4:44
2. Worth Fighting For 4:25
3. It’s Going To Be Alright 4:33
4. Heaven In This Hell 3:47
5. Running Back To Your Heart 4:47
6. Lethal Dose Of Love 3:59
7. Archer’s Song 1:08
8. Seeing Is Believing 5:06
9. No One Wins 4:33
10. Hang On Til Tomorrow 4:24
11. When The Summer Ends 4:41

Band members
Rob Wylde – vocals, guitar
Miles Meakin – lead guitar
Josh Williams – bass
Shawn Charvette – keyboards
Ryan Biggs – drums

Album Review – Lamp of Murmuur / The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy (2025)

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This uncanny Los Angeles, California-based Black Metal entity once again raises the chalice of victory for the masses with a new beckoning of devotion and elegance.

“And you’ll come back to me
Bathed in the tears of countless full moons
My heart will beat
Like a wardrum of rebellion
On this black night, oh! So evil, so pure
Once again
In the heat of your spasms
And the light of my passion
My heart will beat…”

Two years since the release of Saturnian Bloodstorm, Los Angeles, California-based Black Metal entity Lamp of Murmuur has once again raised the chalice of victory for the masses with a new beckoning of devotion and elegance, titled The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy. Recorded while engulfed in the caustic summer winds of 2023 with the guidance of the Seven Spears, the Circle of Gold Feathers and the always recurrent Crimson Agony, and showcasing a stunning artwork by Batdog (with layout by Eduardo Mora), the fourth studio album by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist M., or the Mythical Archduke of all Rebellion, of bands like Silent Thunder, Magus Lord and Fuinäehot, stands as the synergy of both sides of a bloodstained coin – triumph and grief, transcendence and torment.

The album starts with the cryptic, eerie intro The Fires of Seduction, dragging us all to Lamp of Murmuur’s Stygian lair in Forest of Hallucinations, exploding into an imposing wall of Symphonic Black Metal where M.’s striking keys and visceral roars clash majestically during the song’s over nine minutes of absolute darkness. Then investing in a more traditional Black Metal sonority, he hammers his drums and extracts sheer sulfur from his axes in Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm), followed by the also infuriated Reincarnation of a Witch, showcasing an amazing job done by M. with his demented riffs and beats, therefore living up to the legacy of Melodic Black Metal in an overdose of darkness by our lone wolf that sounds captivating from start to finish.

After the instrumental (and lengthy) interlude Angelic Vortex, we’re treated to the three-part title-track, starting with The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part I – Moondance, evolving into an epic onrush of darkened sounds by M. with his thrilling riffage exhaling of fury and rage, while its last moments venture through more symphonic lands before The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part II – Twilight Orgasm brings forward a sinister fusion of Doom and Black Metal, flowing into The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall, a nine-minute aria of obscurity where M.’s cadaverous vocals will haunt your soul for all eternity, ending in a truly climatic manner. Lastly, featuring guest vocals by Crying Orc (Këkht Aräkh) and Xofrnk, we have A Brute Angel’s Sorrow, where instead of fast and furious Black Metal we face a delicate, grim display of melancholy.

Inspired by the primordial majesty of Black Metal yet unbound by its limitations, Lamp of Murmuur has gradually ascended these past years as one of the furthermost esteemed and sought luminaries within the new wave of Black Metal, with The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy standing as another testament to the project’s unwavering pursuit of vision and freedom. Such an uncanny creature from the netherworld can be found on Instagram with news, tour dates and so on, and you can also stream all of its wicked creations on Spotify and, above all that, purchase the venomous The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy from the project’s BandCamp or from Wolves of Hades, or simply click HERE for all things Lamp of Murmuur. Because The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is an offering of intoxicating grandeur, a hymn to the eternal dream of a soul yearning to be unchained, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the career of one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Forest of Hallucinations, Reincarnation of a Witch and The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall.

Worst moments of the album: Angelic Vortex.

Released in 2025 Wolves of Hades

Track listing
1. The Fires of Seduction 1:48
2. Forest of Hallucinations 9:13
3. Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm) 7:38
4. Reincarnation of a Witch 5:25
5. Angelic Vortex 2:15
6. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part I – Moondance 7:08
7. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part II – Twilight Orgasm 6:18
8. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Part III – The Fall 9:10
9. A Brute Angel’s Sorrow 4:21

Band members
M. – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Crying Orc – vocals on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow”
Xofrnk – vocals on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow”

Album Review – Season of The Dead / Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 (2025)

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This newborn beast of blood-soaked, horror-infused Death Metal will eat your flesh to the sound of their debut album, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

A visceral, cinematic Extreme Metal project born from the twisted minds of Titta Tani (former drummer of Necrophagia and Goblin), Giacomo Anselmi (former Goblin guitarist and current member of Goblin Legacy), and Enrico Giannone, founder and owner of Time To Kill Records, acting as producer and visionary behind the entire concept, United States-based Death Metal brigade Season of The Dead aims at resurrecting the blood-soaked legacy of horror-infused Death Metal, channeling the rotten spirit of bands like Necrophagia, Mortician, and Fulci, while paying tribute to the grotesque imagery and raw energy of cult underground horror films. Formed of the aforementioned Giacomo Anselmi (Goblin Legacy) on the guitars and Titta Tani on drums, alongside John McEntee (Incantation) and Fiore Stravino (Fulci) on vocals, and Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog) and Chuck Sherwood (Incantation) on bass, the album delivers a relentless assault of Death Metal brutality, layered with cinematic tension and ritualistic atmospheres, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

Just like in a horror movie, the intro Necromancy brings to our putrid ears three unsettling minutes of obscurity, warming us up for Then We’ll Rise, inspired by Romero’s masterpiece Day of the Dead (and featuring related audio contributions), with John vomiting the song’s zombified words mercilessly supported by the crushing beats and fills by Titta. Voodoo Ritual starts in a phantasmagorical way, evolving into another slab of insanity by the band, even sounding Doom Metal at times to make things even creepier, whereas Giacomo fires classic, unrelenting riffs in the pulverizing, demented Events Of Flesh, accompanied by the venomous bass by Dave, again bringing absolute horror to our minds and souls just the way we like it in Death Metal.

In Open The Gates the vocals by Fiore exhale pure gore for our vulgar delectation, not to mention Titta is also ruthless behind his drums, while disturbing sounds ignite one more explosion of Death Metal by such an amazing supergroup entitled The Other Side, with John once again sounding like a zombified vocalist, and with Chuck and Titta making the earth tremble in this ode to insanity. The Stygian riffage by Giacomo kicks off the headbanging beast entitled Burning Moon Sickness, providing John with exactly what he needs to haunt our souls with his visceral growling; and closing such a unique album we have Bloodfreak, with its eerie sounds matching perfectly with the Doom Metal-infused beats by Titta while John continues to attack us all with his demented screams.

With influences ranging from Killjoy to City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, and Cannibal Holocaust, creating a soundscape that feels like a soundtrack to a lost VHS splatter nightmare, Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1 is just the first full-length chapter of Season of The Dead, a macabre journey into the heart of horror-infused Death Metal, and you can get in touch with those anti-heroes of blood and gore via Facebook and Instagram, and feed your excruciating hunger for Death Metal by streaming their music on Spotify and by purchasing their excellent debut album from their own BandCamp, or from the Time To Kill Records webstore. However, do not forget Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 is not just an album. It’s a chronicle of the undead, a sonic descent into rot, fear, and splatter, and you might not come out of it alive, joining their army of the undead for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Then We’ll Rise, Events Of Flesh and Bloodfreak.

Worst moments of the album: Voodoo Ritual.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Necromancy 3:13
2. Then We’ll Rise 4:37
3. Voodoo Ritual 4:03
4. Events Of Flesh 3:57
5. Open The Gates 3:53
6. The Other Side 4:54
7. Burning Moon Sickness 4:20
8. Bloodfreak 5:14

Band members
John McEntee – vocals
Fiore Stravino – vocals
Giacomo Anselmi – guitars
Dave Neabore – bass
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Titta Tani – drums

Album Review – Withering Soul / Passage of the Arcane (2025)

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A Blackened and Melodic Death Metal entity from Chicago strikes back with their devilish fifth album, a manifestation in the form of chilling soundscapes, foreboding atmospheres, contagious melodies and tortured chants.

Conjured into existence in 1999 in Chicago, Illinois, the uncanny Blackened/Melodic Death Metal entity Withering Soul is unleashing upon us their fifth studio album, entitled Passage of the Arcane, following up on their 2021 beast Last Contact. Mixed and mastered by Dennis Israel at Clintworks Audio, with drums recorded and engineered by Vince Ippolito at Swift Road Studios, and displaying another hypnotizing artwork by the indomitable Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Christopher Grimes on vocals, guitars and synths, Joel Miller on bass, and Rick Hernandez on drums is a convergence of blackened atmospheres and sweeping song structures, a mystifying journey that exceeds boundaries while remaining fun and exciting, with the overall theme of the album involving human experiences traversing into cursed oblivion where each song explores its own story, ranging from unexplained disappearances to the supernatural.

In the album’s Intro, howling winds warn us all of the storm of heavy music that’s about to come in Attrition Horizon, where Rick sounds absolutely demonic armed with his vicious beats and fills, providing Christopher with exactly what he needs to shine on vocals. The band keeps demolishing our senses in Grievance Eludes the Light, a no shenanigans, in your face Melodic Death Metal beast spearheaded by the striking riffs by Christopher, and let’s then slam into the pit once again together with Withering Soul in The Monolith Embodied, with Rick kicking some serious ass on drums, sounding almost like a pure Death Metal chant. It’s time to face six minutes of dark passages and brutality in Gallery of the End, even presenting elements from Atmospheric Metal without of course forgetting their Black and Death Metal essence; followed by Trajectory, with guest Nick “Exhul” Morgan of Ossilegium providing the song with a sick guitar solo while the music is as infuriated and melodic as possible, albeit not as dynamic. More of their headbanging, visceral sounds penetrates deep inside our minds in Among Covetous Eyes, with Christopher’s roars sounding deep and evil, and last but not least we have Burden of the Valiant, the most progressive of all songs, with all riffs, bass lines and beats complementing each other flawlessly, not to mention its climatic finale.

Fans of Dark Fortress, Windir, Hypocrisy, Dissection, and God Dethroned, among others, will certainly enjoy the new opus by Withering Soul, a manifestation in the form of chilling soundscapes, foreboding atmospheres, contagious melodies and tortured chants echoing above an onslaught of calculated percussion. You can get to know more about such a talented and creative band on Facebook and on Instagram, enjoy their unique creations on Spotify, and purchase their excellent newborn baby from BandCamp. In the end, Withering Soul created a musical elegy that is both majestic and haunting, with Passage of the Arcane representing another phenomenal step in their solid path to darkness.

Best moments of the album: Attrition Horizon, The Monolith Embodied and Burden of the Valiant.

Worst moments of the album: Trajectory.

Released in 2025 Liminal Dread Productions

Track listing
1. Intro 0:51
2. Attrition Horizon 4:50
3. Grievance Eludes the Light 5:00
4. The Monolith Embodied 3:14
5. Gallery of the End 6:37
6. Trajectory 7:10
7. Among Covetous Eyes 5:33
8. Burden of the Valiant 7:50

Band members
Christopher Grimes – vocals, guitars, synths
Joel Miller – bass
Rick Hernandez – drums

Guest musician
Nick “Exhul” Morgan – guitar solo on “Trajectory”

Album Review – Fimbul Winter / What Once Was EP (2025)

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Brace yourselves for the Great Winter to the debut EP by this ruthless horde, a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish Death Metal.

Forged in the fires of Tumba, Sweden by three former members of Amon Amarth who decided to go berserk together after a spontaneous reunion performing the band’s 1994 demo The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter, the ruthless Death Metal horde named Fimbul Winter (or the “Great Winter,” the three-year-long, brutal winter that serves as the immediate prelude to Ragnarök in Norse mythology) is making their debut with a crushing EP titled What Once Was. Recorded at Witching Hour Audio (vocals) and at Wing Studios (guitars and drums), produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Marko Tervonen at Studio-MT, and displaying a grim artwork by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations, the debut by Clint Williams (Munitions) on vocals, Fredrik Andersson (Amon Amarth) and Anders Biazzi (Amon Amarth) on the guitars, and Niko Kaukinen (Amon Amarth) on drums, with the support of session bassist Tobias Cristiansson (Necrophobic, Grave, Dismember), delivers a sound that is cold, intense, and fiercely authentic, a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish Death Metal.

The ass-kicking opening tune Storms Rage obviously sounds like the early days of Amon Amarth, and that’s excellent as the band continues a different path in the best “what if…?” style, led by the imposing, unrelenting riffs by Fredrik and Anders. Then the title-track What Once Was proves why Clint was chosen to be the voice of the band, as his enraged, deep gnarls match perfectly with their Swedish Death Metal sounds. Niko pounds his drums in the best Viking way in Mounds Of Stones, supported by the rumbling bass by Tobias, therefore resulting in a massive wall of Death Metal sounds, and you can feel absolute anguish flowing from Clint’s deep vocalizations in A Soul That Soared, supported by another infernal avalanche of beats and fills by Niko. Finally, closing the EP we’re treated to the headbanging In Solitude’s Embrace, offering us the trademark scorching riffs by Fredrik and Anders while leaving us absolutely eager for more of their music in the near future.

As torchbearers of the Swedish Melodic Death Metal tradition, the band channels decades of experience while staying true to the sound that defined them in their debut EP, from rediscovered riffs originally written for Amon Amarth to entirely new compositions, being therefore highly recommended for fans of early Amon Amarth, Unleashed, Hypocrisy, and Bolt Thrower, among others. “What Once Was reflects both where we come from and what we still believe in; honest, melodic death metal. No trends, no gloss, just the kind of elements we feel is missing in a lot of metal today,” commented the band. Hence, you can get in touch with those Swedish metallers via Facebook and Instagram, check their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase their incendiary EP from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. The Great Winter is upon us all in the form of old school, no shenanigans Death Metal, and you better brace for impact as those Norsemen are not fooling around when it comes to crafting ruthless heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Storms Rage and In Solitude’s Embrace.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Storms Rage 3:52
2. What Once Was 5:14
3. Mounds Of Stones 5:31
4. A Soul That Soared 4:32
5. In Solitude’s Embrace 4:42

Band members
Clint Williams – vocals
Fredrik Andersson – lead guitars, orchestral arrangements
Anders Biazzi – guitars
Niko Kaukinen – drums

Guest musicians
Tobias Cristiansson – bass (session)

Album Review – 1914 / Viribus Unitis (2025)

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Trench warfare meets blackened death and doom in 1914’s fourth onslaught of war-torn fury, tracing a timeline from 1914 to 1919 while painting a grim journey through the war’s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath.

Continuing their warpath forged with the albums Eschatology of War (2015), The Blind Leading the Blind (2018), and Where Fear and Weapons Meet (2021), Ukrainian Blackened Death/Doom Metal formation 1914 returns with unrelenting force on their fourth studio album, Viribus Unitis, which is Latin for “With United Forces,” a phrase chosen as a personal motto by the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph (1830-1916), reflecting the band’s resilience through war, loss, and upheaval, a powerful symbol of survival and solidarity. Recorded at Jenny Records, produced, mixed and mastered by Alexander Backlund and Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying another obscure artwork by Vladimir ‘Smerdulak’ Chebakov, the new opus by k.u.k. Galizisches IR Nr.15, Gefreiter, Ditmar Kumarberg on vocals, K.K. LIR Czernowitz Nr.22 Oberleutnant, Witaly Wyhovsky and K.K. LIR Stanislau Nr.20 Zugsführer, Oleksa Fisiuk on the guitars, k.u.k. Galizisch-Bukowina’sches IR Nr.24, Feldwebel, Armen Howhannisjan on bass, and K.K. LIR. Lemberg Nr.19 Fähnrich, Rostislaw Potoplacht on drums builds on the band’s acclaimed conceptual approach, pushing even deeper into emotional and musical intensity. Continuing their chronicle of World War I, 1914 shift their focus slightly, from the raw portrayal of death and destruction to themes of camaraderie, endurance, and the emotional landscapes of those who endured the horrors. Told through real events and personal accounts of a Ukrainian soldier in the K.u.K. army, the album traces a timeline from 1914 to 1919, painting a grim journey through the war’s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath.

War In (The Beginning of the Fall) is one of the band’s trademark intros we love so much, taking us to the horrors of war in 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl), a lecture in Death and Doom Metal led by the demented drums by Potoplacht while Kumarberg roars and screams like a demonic war god. In other words, the album couldn’t have started on a more visceral, demolishing vibe, which is also the case in 1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge), where once again it’s fantastic how the excerpts, samples and songs from World War I added to their music always sound creepy, while the guitars by Wyhovsky and Fisiuk bring the heavy artillery to their already ruthless sonority. The bombs are coming strong in 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive), an explosive, scathing tune by 1914 where their incendiary riffs and blast beats bring sheer doom to our blackened hearts; and they keep hammering our cranial skulls with their Blackened Doom magic in 1917 (The Isonzo Front), led by the pounding drums by Potoplacht.

Then investing in a pure Doom Metal sound we face 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action), and the result is beyond haunting, heavy and grim, with Kumarberg’s deep vociferations sending shivers down our spines, followed by 1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War), with guest vocals by Christopher Scott of Precious Death, making an infernal duet with Kumarberg while the rumbling bass by Howhannisjan and the drums by Potoplacht sound like a true bombing squad. The third part of such an imposing aria, 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape), features guest vocals by Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride and High Parasite, and when you have a guest like that you know you’re in for a treat of absolute Doom Metal madness, with the striking riffage by Wyhovsky and Fisiuk penetrating deep inside our skin; flowing into the very emotional and dark 1919 (The Home Where I Died), overflowing melancholy with the deep clean vocals by guest Jerome Reuter of Rome walking hand in hand with the song’s somber piano, before all comes to an end (or not) in War Out (The End?), as cryptic and obscure as usual, putting a stunning conclusion to the album.

While their previous releases centered on the futility and finality of war, Viribus Unitis explores the human bonds forged under fire and the strength of those who returned, broken, changed, yet still alive, deepening their commitment to historical authenticity, both lyrically and conceptually. You can join 1914’s ranks on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their unparalleled live performances, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their warlike music on Spotify, and above all that, put your blood-soaked hands on Viribus Unitis by clicking HERE. In other words, trench warfare meets blackened death and doom in 1914’s fourth onslaught of war-torn fury, and you better get ready as those unstoppable Ukrainians want you to join them in the battlefield, for victory or death.

Best moments of the album: 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl), 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive), 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action) and 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. War In (The Beginning of the Fall) 1:30
2. 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl) 4:48
3. 1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge) 9:14
4. 1916 (The Südtirol Offensive) 6:11
5. 1917 (The Isonzo Front) 6:34
6. 1918 Pt 1: WIA (Wounded in Action) 6:20
7. 1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War) 6:12
8. 1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape) 5:50
9. 1919 (The Home Where I Died) 7:07
10. War Out (The End?) 3:10

3-LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Cristallo/Gold/Deluxe Wooden Box Bonus Vinyl/Welcome to the Trench Club EP
1. War In 1:07
2. Die Karpathenschlacht (Rework 2025) 6:02
3. Die Karpathenschlacht (Ship Her Son RMX) 4:30
4. 8 × 50 mm R. Infanterie Repetiergewehr M.95 (Rework 2025) 7:29
5. 8 × 50 mm R. Infanterie Repetiergewehr M.95 (Kadaitcha RMX) 6:55
6. War Out 1:33

Band members
k.u.k. Galizisches IR Nr.15, Gefreiter, Ditmar Kumarberg – vocals
K.K. LIR Czernowitz Nr.22 Oberleutnant, Witaly Wyhovsky – guitar
K.K. LIR Stanislau Nr.20 Zugsführer, Oleksa Fisiuk – guitar
k.u.k. Galizisch-Bukowina’sches IR Nr.24, Feldwebel, Armen Howhannisjan – bass
K.K. LIR. Lemberg Nr.19 Fähnrich, Rostislaw Potoplacht – drums

Guest musicians
Christopher Scott – vocals on “1918 Pt 2: POW (Prisoner of War)”
Aaron Stainthorpe – vocals on “1918 Pt 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape)”
Jerome Reuter – vocals on “1919 (The Home Where I Died)”

Album Review – Putrevore / Unending Rotting Cycle (2025)

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This unrelenting Spanish and Swedish two-headed beast returns from the grave with an album of impossible horrors, the most relentless, ravenous and remorseless example of their Death Metal war machine.

Blasting dark, putrid old school Death Metal for fans of Incantation, Immolation, Avulsed, and Grisly, among others, since their inception back in 2004 under the moniker Deadbreath, the unrelenting Spanish-Swedish Death Metal creature Putrevore returns from the grave with their fifth full-length offering, entitled Unending Rotting Cycle, the follow-up to their 2021 album Miasmal Monstrosity. Mixed and mastered by Avulsed’s guitarist Alejandro Lobo at Acordica Studios, and displaying a cadaverous artwork by Lucretia Morti, the newborn spawn by the iconic duo formed of Dave Rotten (Avulsed, Christ Denied, Decrapted, Holycide, Rotten, Weaponry, Yskelgroth) on vocals, and Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, Furnace, Leper Colony, Revolting) on the guitars and bass, and featuring the cataclysmic drumming of regular Rogga Johansson co-conspirator Thomas Ohlsson (Blackscape, War Magic), continues to pay tribute to the hardest, heaviest and most brutal of the Death Metal pioneers of the late 80’s and early 90’s. In other words, Unending Rotting Cycle is an album of impossible horrors, the most relentless, ravenous and remorseless example of the duo’s Death Metal war machine.

They waste absolutely no time and kick off their onrush of sheer brutality with No Mourning the Grace, a ruthless Death Metal attack led by Dave’s demented deep guttural, whereas Thomas kicks off the just as demonic Morbid Procession, supported by Rogga’s relentless riffs and bass lines. In other words, it can’t get any more Death Metal than this. Rogga’s visceral axe keeps spreading violence and hatred in Subterranean Paths to the Temples, a mid-tempo, headbanging feast of pure death tailored for fans of the most primeval form of the genre; and get ready to be pulverized like a putrid insect to the sound of Beneath These Graves, where Thomas once again shows no mercy for any living creature behind his drums.

The trio continues to infest the air with their putrid Death Metal stench in Mortal Ways of the Flesh, another display of sheer savagery where Dave sounds like a creature form the underworld on vocals. Then we face the demonic title-track Unending Rotting Cycle, blasting our ears with their blend of undisputed Death Metal aggression led by Rogga’s metallic riffage, and there’s no sign of the band slowing down at all, as we’re treated to more of their inhumane sounds in They Worship Disarray, excellent for some wild headbanging. Rogga’s bass will hammer your cranial skulls in Cult of the Tentacle, offering the perfect opportunity for having lots of fun inside the circle pit, whereas lastly the trio will darken the skies one final time with The Cradle Replaced by the Grave, a crushing Death Metal beast for admirers of the music by old school legends of the style.

Bleak, black and bestial, Putrevore remain the undead embodiment of an old phrase from the age that inspired them – some music was meant to stay underground, and that’s exactly the feeling when you listen to the ruthless, savage Unending Rotting Cycle. Hence, if the underground is your business, and business is good, you can get in touch with the indomitable Dave Rotten and Rogga Johansson via Facebook, stream their demented music on any online platform such as Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their new album from Xtreem Music’s BandCamp or webstore. Because their rotting cycle of undisputed Death Metal will never end as they keep delivering excellent albums like Unending Rotting Cycle, just the way we like it in raw, visceral and demented Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Morbid Procession, Unending Rotting Cycle and Cult of the Tentacle.

Worst moments of the album: They Worship Disarray.

Released in 2025 Xtreem Music

Track listing
1. No Mourning the Grace 3:59
2. Morbid Procession 3:06
3. Subterranean Paths to the Temples 3:33
4. Beneath These Graves 3:05
5. Mortal Ways of the Flesh 3:38
6. Unending Rotting Cycle 3:30
7. They Worship Disarray 3:30
8. Cult of the Tentacle 3:29
9. The Cradle Replaced by the Grave 3:33

Band members
Dave Rotten – vocals
Rogga Johansson – guitars, bass

Guest musician
Thomas Ohlsson – drums (session)

Album Review – Ildaruni / Divinum Sanguinem (2025)

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This Armenian Black Metal beast is back with its sophomore opus, a conceptual work centered on Mithraism, guiding the listener through nine ominous rites meant to transform one into the storm of nomos and burning gnosis.

Blending Epic Black Metal and ancient folk melodies forgotten from times immemorial, Beyond Unseen Gateways, the 2021 debut by Yerevan, Armenia-based Pagan/Atmospheric Black Metal horde Ildaruni explored the Urartian domain’s height and the esoteric knowledge of pagan mysticism. Now on their sophomore opus, titled Divinum Sanguinem, or “divine blood” from Latin, the band enclasps Black Metal’s aggressive and arcane form, steeped in the immersive, murky atmosphere of a desolate, ancient shrine. Recorded by Avet Ghlijyan at Massive Studios (vocals), by Mark Erskine (guitars and bass), by Armen Shaverdian at Guitar Clinic Studio (drums), and by Maria Harutyunyan at Alpha Sound (acoustic instruments and choirs), mixed and mastered by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios, showcasing a grim artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, and featuring an array of very special guest musicians, the new album by Narek Avedyan on vocals, Robert Meliksetyan and Mark Erskine on the guitars, Artak Karapetyan on bass, and Arthur Poghosyan on drums and dap is a conceptual work centered on Mithraism, its occult initiations and lesser-known mysteries, guiding the listener through nine ominous rites meant to transform one into the storm of nomos and burning gnosis. A work of mystical upheaval and a sermon to the bestower of creed, it leads through ghastly pathways toward the ladders of Apothanaitismos.

The album begins with the cinematic, ethereal intro Mithras Alone Is My Wreath, featuring the cello by guest Andranik Aghajanyan, setting the stage for Ildaruni to consume our blackened hearts to the sound of The Ascension of Kosmokrator, a no shenanigans, ruthless Black Metal attack spearheaded by the venomous gnarls by Narek and the blast beats by Arthur. Then arising from the pits of the underworld we face Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone, featuring the Khazer Choir from Armenia to give it a truly haunting vibe, while Robert and Mark’s riffs transpiring pure darkness; and the bagpipes by Arthur Atayan and the narration by Artak Karapetyan bring sheer epicness to Forged With Glaive and Blood, while the band’s riffs and beats keep the atmosphere as caustic as it can be. And the clean vocals by guest Armen Shahbegian clash with the devilish vociferations by Narek in Zurvan Akrane, another explosion of Melodic Black Metal by Ildaruni.

The Khazer Choir returns in Arcane Sermon, also presenting a heavy-as-hell kitchen by Artak and Arthur, overflowing classic Black Metal while at the same time presenting the band’s epic approach; whereas it’s time for six minutes of Doom Metal-infused obscurity in Immersion Into Empyrean, with Narek roaring nonstop accompanied by the sluggish yet hammering drums by Arthur. The qanun by Mar Margaryan, alongside another phenomenal contribution by the Khazer Choir, make the band’s infernal sounds feel even more imposing in Scorching Pathways to Samachi, the most detailed song of the album, presenting multiple layers that in the end converge into absolute darkness, while closing the album we’re treated to the title-track Divinum Sanguinem, with guest Tamara Mkhitaryan making a “Beauty and the Beast” vocal duet with Narek, a lesson in Melodic Black Metal where the riffage by Robert and Mark will darken the skies for all eternity.

While the Armenian horde has left their earlier folk-driven melodies and riffs behind, grandiose and wickedly melodic passages still lurk amid the oppressive, grim elements found in Divinum Sanguinem, sporadically erupting with blazing fury. Real choir arrangements summon and channel the album’s lyrical mysteries, uniting its thematically entwined tracks into a single, esoteric rite, and you can explore and feel all those details and elements by purchasing a copy of the album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their harsh, embracing Black Metal creations on Spotify. In a nutshell, Divinum Sanguinem marks a new era in the career of Ildaruni, solidifying their name in the current Extreme Metal scene worldwide, and pointing to an even brighter future ahead of one of the best (if not the best) metal bands to ever arise from the beautiful Hayastan.

Best moments of the album: Forged With Glaive and Blood,Scorching Pathways to Samachi and Divinum Sanguinem.

Worst moments of the album: Immersion Into Empyrean.

Released in 2025 Black Lion Records

Track listing
1. Mithras Alone Is My Wreath 2:27
2. The Ascension of Kosmokrator 5:42
3. Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone 5:30
4. Forged With Glaive and Blood 5:46
5. Zurvan Akrane 6:33
6. Arcane Sermon 5:50
7. Immersion Into Empyrean 6:00
8. Scorching Pathways to Samachi 6:49
9. Divinum Sanguinem 8:04

Band members
Narek Avedyan – vocals
Robert Meliksetyan – guitars, acoustic guitars, ambience, samples
Mark Erskine – guitars
Artak Karapetyan – bass
Arthur Poghosyan – drums, dap

Guest musicians
Khazer Choir – choirs on “Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone”, “Arcane Sermon” and “Scorching Pathways to Samachi”
Arthur Atayan – bagpipes on “Forged with Glaive and Blood”
Mar Margaryan – qanun on “Scorching Pathways to Samachi”
Andranik Aghajanyan – cello on “Mithras Alone is My Wreath”
Tamara Mkhitaryan – female vocals on “Divinum Sanguinem”
Armen Shahbegian – clean vocals on “Arcane Sermon”, “Scorching Pathways to Samachi” and “Zurvan Akrane”
Artak Karapetyan – narrations on “Forged with Glaive and Blood”

Album Review – Dysentery / Dejection Chrysalis (2025)

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Ten years since their last full-length opus, this American Brutal Death Metal brigade has finally re-emerged into the light, carrying with them a new album of heaviness beyond comprehension.

“The imprisoning cocoon tears beneath my new found claws and I emerge, a beast reborn, from my shattered dejection chrysalis…”

Ten years since their last full-length opus Fragments, Waltham, Massachusetts-based Brutal Death Metal brigade Dysentery has finally re-emerged into the light, carrying with them a new album of heaviness beyond comprehension entitled Dejection Chrysalis, providing us avid metalheads with spine-splitting slams and deep grooves like scars in the surface of the Earth. Mixed and mastered by Randy LeBoeuf at Graphic Nature Audio, engineered by Jared Weed and Joey Ferretti, produced by Peter Spinazola and Joey Ferretti, and displaying a sinister artwork by Hidris, the demented new album by frontman Scott Savaria, guitarist Peter Spinazola, bassist John Cook, and drummer Eric Taranto is a bludgeoning onrush of musical extremity, a must-listen for fans of Putrid Pile, Internal Bleeding, Guttural Secrete, and Pyrexia.

Peter wastes no time and kicks off their depraved party with his cutting riffs in Transference, prepping us all for Enslavement for the Obedient, Agony for the Wayward, accompanied by the ruthless beats by Eric while Scott vomits the song’s vile words in great fashion. Their slamming party goes on in Indignation Unravels, with the metallic bass by John and the pounding drums by Eric making the earth tremble; followed by Exhausted Bliss of Self Loathing, featuring guest vocals by Josh Welshman of Defeated Sanity, where Eric sounds like a machine gun on drums in the best Aborted style. Scott then shows no mercy for our souls with his inhumane guttural in A Bestial Omen, another excellent display of Brutal Death Metal infused with gore and hatred.

Guest vocalist Jared Weed (of bands like Burial, Concrete and Futility) then makes an insane duet with Scott in Shackled by Idolatry while Peter hammers his stringed weapon in the name of extreme music, and they keep blasting their ruthless blend of Brutal Death Metal, therefore inspiring us to slam nonstop, in Transposed Benevolence. More of their share of brutality comes in the form of Fratricidium, featuring guest vocals by JT Knight (of Episiotomectomy and Invoke Thy Wrath), sounding vicious and evil from the very first second, with Peter and John bludgeoning their axes nonstop. Obsidian Womb is simply neck-breaking and heavy-as-hell, with Eric once again showing his passion for sheer violence behind his drums; whereas ending the album we face one final explosion of absolute madness and aggression entitled Ascend This Harrowing Dream, with its slamming moments sounding utterly demented.

Dynamic beyond all expectations, Dejection Chrysalis is sonically formidable and absolutely devastating from start to finish, leaving us completely disoriented after all is said and done, while at the same time eager for more of the music by those American death dealers. Having said that, what are you waiting for to start following Dysentery on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with everything surrounding such an infernal beast of Death Metal, including their ruthless live performances, to stream their sick creations on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase their rabid new album from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore, as well as from other locations like Amazon and Waterloo Records? Because Dejection Chrysalis is how you deliver brutal, slam Death Metal, and make it meaningful and beyond devastating. Period.

Best moments of the album: Enslavement for the Obedient, Agony for the Wayward, Exhausted Bliss of Self Loathing and Fratricidium.

Worst moments of the album: Transposed Benevolence.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Transference 1:58
2. Enslavement for the Obedient, Agony for the Wayward 3:08
3. Indignation Unravels 2:22
4. Exhausted Bliss of Self Loathing 2:50
5. A Bestial Omen 2:02
6. Shackled by Idolatry 2:29
7. Transposed Benevolence 4:13
8. Fratricidium 2:52
9. Obsidian Womb 2:38
10. Ascend This Harrowing Dream 4:24

Band members
Scott Savaria – vocals
Peter Spinazola – guitar
John Cook – bass
Eric Taranto – drums

Guest musicians
Josh Welshman – vocals on “Exhausted Bliss Of Self Loathing”
Jared Weed – vocals on “Shackled By Idolatry”
JT Knight – vocals on “Fratricidium”