Category Archives: 2026 New Releases

Album Review – Ponte Del Diavolo / De Venom Natura (2026)

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This uncanny Italian creature is back with the poison of nature, taking their potent potion of Blackened Doom and Post-Metal to strange new heights.

Fresh off appearances at Roadburn and Inferno, the daring and devilishly talented Turin, Italy-based creatures known as Ponte Del Diavolo (Italian for “Devil’s Bridge,” a name applied to dozens of ancient or medieval bridges across Europe, particularly in Italy, due to their impressive or unusual architectural design for their time, which led to popular myths and folklore) have taken their potent potion of Blackened Doom and Post-Metal to strange new heights in their sophomore full-length offering, entitled De Venom Natura, Latin for “the poison of nature.” Recorded, produced, engineered and mixed by Danilo Battocchio at The Deepest Sea, mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios, and displaying a Stygian artwork by Francesco Dossena, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2024 album Fire Blades from the Tomb sees the band formed of frontwoman Erba del Diavolo, guitarist Nerium, bassists Khrura Abro and Kratom, and drummer Segale Cornuta deliver a record that extends and refines their musical boundaries, being recommended for admirers of the music by Messa, Chelsea Wolfe, Esben and the Witch, Dead Can Dance, Dool, Electric Wizard, and Darkthrone.

Haunting sounds permeate the air in the horror movie-like opening track Every Tongue Has Its Thorns, featuring guests Andrea l’Abbate on programming and Sergio Bertani (Lucynine) on theremin, exploding into pure Post-Black Metal where Erba del Diavolo is hypnotizing with both her clean vocals and devilish vociferations. Lunga vita alla necrosi, or “long live necrosis” from Italian, is another fantastic song where Nerium slashes his axe supported by the double bass attack by Khrura Abro and Kratom; followed by Spirit, Blood, Poison, Ferment!, featuring Francesco Bucci (Ottone Pesante) on trombone, a massive, hard hitting creation by those Italians with Segale Cornuta taking the lead with his pounding drums while Erba del Diavolo declaims the song’s dark lyrics with tons of passion (“Nature, I notice you! / And I secretly observe / your eroic mutation, possessing me too, / Having me too! / Spirit, blood, poison, ferment! / Spirit, blood, poison, torment!”).

Sergio Bertani then lends his synths to Il veleno della Natura, or “the poison of nature” from Italian, an amazing tune that’s fast, chaotic, melodic and visceral, with all instruments matching perfectly with the Italian words vociferated by Erba del Diavolo, whereas despite all of its layers and nuances (plus guests Andrea l’Abbate on synths and Vittorio Sabelli on bass clarinet), Delta-9 (161) gets a bit too experimental at times, although the band’s core sound is still intact. Silence Walk With Me presents guest Gionata Potenti (aka Omega of the band Nubivagant) on vocals and acoustic guitar, making a sensational vocal duet with Erba del Diabolo while Segale Cornuta brings an overdose of Black Metal insanity to their sound, not to mention the killer bass lines by Khrura Abro and Kratom. And last but not least, the band goes back to the glory of the 80’s in In the Flat Field, blending their Post-Black Metal sonority with elements from Gothic Rock to give the song an even more thrilling vibe, led by Nerium’s strident riffs.

Like a curious scent, De Venom Natura wafts around the idea that Mother Nature is a double-edged sword, at once beautiful and intoxicating while also lethal in its seduction, and Ponte Del Diavolo make sure the listener also sees Gaia that same way while listening to the album. You can get in touch with one of the most interesting names of the current Italian rock and metal scene by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their breathtaking live concerts, stream their unique music on Spotify, and of course, show them your utmost support by purchasing De Venom Natura from their own BandCamp, from Season of Mist, or by clicking HERE. Building a dark and sinister bridge between metal and Mother Nature, Ponte Del Diavolo are carving their name in the history of heavy music, leaving us eager for more of their caustic sounds in the near future while we’re all seduced and hypnotized by the powers of nature.

Best moments of the album: Every Tongue Has Its Thorns, Il veleno della Natura and Silence Walk With Me.

Worst moments of the album: Delta-9 (161).

Released in 2026 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Every Tongue Has Its Thorns 6:25
2. Lunga vita alla necrosi 4:01
3. Spirit, Blood, Poison, Ferment! 4:36
4. Il veleno della Natura 4:58
5. Delta-9 (161) 8:52
6. Silence Walk With Me 6:17
7. In the Flat Field 4:54

Band members
Erba del Diavolo – vocals
Nerium – guitar
Khrura Abro – bass
Kratom – bass
Segale Cornuta – drums

Guest musicians
Francesco Bucci – trombone on “Spirit, Blood, Poison, Ferment!”
Andrea l’Abbate – programming on “Every Tongue Has Its Thorns”, additional synths on “Delta-9 (161)”
Sergio Bertani – theremin on “Every Tongue Has Its Thorns”, synths on “Il veleno della Natura”
Vittorio Sabelli – bass clarinet on “Delta-9 (161)”
Gionata Potenti – vocals & acoustic guitar on “Silence Walk With Me”

Album Review – Velothian / Mythic Dawn (2026)

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This up-and-coming Portland, Oregon-based five-piece Post-Black Metal band will stun us all with their “musical tribute” to the lore of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

An up-and-coming five-piece Post-Black Metal band from Portland, Oregon, the thrilling Velothian, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Daren Walker, blends elements of Post-Metal, Folk Metal and Shoegaze (often with the inclusion of instruments like horns, synth, cello, and hand drums) in their music, drawing inspiration from nature, science fiction and fantasy. After the release of their 2024 debut EP Path of the Incarnate, the band currently formed of the aforementioned Daren Walker on the guitars alongside Juniper Ashford on vocals, Shawn Brannon on the guitar, Ethan Miller on bass, and Ryan Chappell on drums in unleashing upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Mythic Dawn. Mixed and mastered by Daren Walker himself, the album is a “musical tribute” to the lore of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, following Path of the Incarnate, which focused on Morrowind. Moreover, the album title refers to the Mythic Dawn, a secretive Daedric cult in The Elder Scrolls universe that worships Mehrunes Dagon and instigated the Oblivion Crisis.

Their epic battle begins in full force with The One From My Dreams, where Juniper’s devilish gnarls are properly boosted by the scathing riffs by Daren and Shawn, also presenting ethereal passages to give the song even more depth. In Forgotten Ruins, Juniper roars the song’s dark words (“Keepers of the fire / Sigils of ancient glass / Guardians of this mortal plane / Now a scattered memory / Eyes of pale fire / The Children of the sky”) amidst a doom-ish and enfolding blend of Symphonic Black Metal; while the journey continues with The Great Forest, venturing through the realms of Atmospheric Black Metal, with the guitars by Daren and Shawn exhaling obscurity. Night Mother is another sinister and Stygian creation by Daren and his henchmen, with the massive beats by Ryan adding an extra dosage of heaviness to their music; and Ryan keeps pounding his drums supported by the rumbling bass by Ethan in Deadlands, keeping the album at a demonic level of darkness. The band then goes full Symphonic Black Metal in Mania, led by the vile vociferations by Juniper, flowing into the incendiary and intricate closing song Dragonfires, where Daren and Shawn breathe fire from their axes in the name of extreme music.

With songs focusing on both nostalgia from the game itself while also dealing with original stories and scenarios from the role playing experience, Mythic Dawn offers the listener epic, triumphant, and adventurous blackened extreme music, and if you want to join Daren and his horde in such a heavy and dark adventure, you can start following Velothian on Facebook, and of course grab a copy of the excellent Mythic Dawn from the project’s own BandCamp. Extreme Metal has always been the perfect type of music to represent the passion and perils found in role playing games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, even more than the usual Power Metal bands, and I’m sure Velothian will soon return with another exciting and utterly metallic journey the likes of Mythic Dawn for our absolute delight.

Best moments of the album: Forgotten Ruins, Night Mother and Dragonfires.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. The One From My Dreams 4:19
2. Forgotten Ruins 5:05
3. The Great Forest 6:16
4. Night Mother 6:19
5. Deadlands 5:53
6. Mania 4:51
7. Dragonfires 6:51

Band members
Juniper Ashford – vocals
Daren Walker – guitar
Shawn Brannon – guitar
Ethan Miller – bass
Ryan Chappell – drums

Album Review – Destroy Fear / The Dark Carnival (2026)

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Less than one year after the release of their excellent debut, this melodeath beast from Down Under returns with eleven tracks of undisputed aggression, melody and electricity in their sophomore opus.

Less than one year after the release of their excellent debut album The Mountain Before Us All, the unstoppable Melbourne, Australia-based Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore ensemble Destroy Fear continues to build momentum with their sophomore album, entitled The Dark Carnival. Having recently updated their lineup, the band currently formed of Scott Masson on vocals, Jayden Genuis on lead guitar, Luke Baird on rhythm guitar and bass, and newcomer Ondre Barca on drums offers eleven tracks of undisputed aggression, melody and electricity in The Dark Carnival, inviting us all to slam into the pit while they kick some serious ass both in the studio and onstage.

The cryptic Intro to the Dark Carnival sets the stage for the band to kick our asses with Dark Carnival, where Jayden and Luke shred their axes nonstop, delivering killer riffs and solos and, therefore, offering Scott exactly what he needs to roar like a headbanging maniac. Ondre then showcases his dexterity and fury in Slings and Arrows, hammering his drums while his bandmates deliver a striking fusion of Metalcore and Hardcore; and a darker, more sinister start evolves into another feast of groove and heaviness titled Elusion, showcasing a more introspective side of the band. The incendiary Hypochondriac presents hints of Progressive Metal and even Djent, with Scott sounding truly enraged on vocals while the riffage by Jayden and Luke transpire madness; and the band continues to venture through Groove Metal lands the likes of Machine Head in Overcome, albeit a bit generic in the end.

The second half of the album begins with an explosion of aggression titled All for Nothing, where the metallic guitars and bass by Jayden and Luke walk hand in hand with Ondre’s pounding drums. The quartet still has a lot of fuel to burn in House of Cards, with Scott taking the lead with his visceral growls and clean vocals supported by the wall of sounds built by his crew; whereas it’s time to slam into the pit to the sound of Alpha Omega, with Ondre crushing his drums like there’s no tomorrow in a demented explosion of melodeath with an edgy Hardcore vibe. Their second to last metal attack comes in the form of Without Teeth, again presenting their trademark ferocity and groove through their rebellious vocals, caustic riffs and hammering drums, and last but definitely not least, Scott will vociferate rabidly in our faces one final time in Recreant, accompanied by another striking guitar work by Jayden and Luke.

A must-listen for admirers of the caustic melodeath played by In Flames, Trivium, Parkway Drive, and Heaven Shall Burn, among several others, The Dark Carnival is already available for a full listen on any streaming platform such as Spotify and Audiomack, and you can also check what the band is up to, including their live performances, on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or simply click HERE for all things Destroy Fear. Speaking of their live concerts, Destroy Fear managed to released the album in time for Outcast Festival 2026 in Melbourne alongside Verona Lights, Machine On A Break, ANA, Ion Sky, Jupiter The Giant, and Silent Lakes, proving those guys are all about bringing to the stages the energy found in their studio albums, and I’m sure it won’t take long for their album number three to come to light, and for us fans to have a few more reasons to enjoy a nice mosh pit just like what they have to offer in the excellent The Dark Carnival.

Best moments of the album: Dark Carnival, Hypochondriac and Alpha Omega.

Worst moments of the album: Overcome.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Intro to the Dark Carnival 0:47
2. Dark Carnival 4:40
3. Slings and Arrows 4:31
4. Elusion 4:34
5. Hypochondriac 4:12
6. Overcome 4:36
7. All for Nothing 4:27
8. House of Cards 5:23
9. Alpha Omega 4:10
10. Without Teeth 4:37
11. Recreant 4:06

Band members
Scott Masson – vocals
Jayden Genuis – lead guitar
Luke Baird – rhythm guitar, bass
Ondre Barca – drums

Album Review – Sanctvs / De l’Abîme au Plérôme (2026)

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Always treading further towards the abyss, this Montreal, Quebec-based Black Metal entity returns with six hymns of devotion and transformation.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity…

Always treading further towards the abyss, Montreal, Quebec’s own Black Metal entity Sanctvs returns with six hymns of devotion and transformation. Staring at the face of Death, De l’Abîme au Plérôme, or “From the Abyss to the Pleroma” in English, is an elegy to our own mortality, a dirge to the passing of time and the changes it inevitably brings. Masterfully crafted by the project’s sole member, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mortheos (aka Xavier Berthiaume), known for his work with some incredible bands from the underground scene like Atramentus, Gevurah, Oriflamme, Atonement, Down to Ruins, and Cauchemar, De l’Abîme au Plérôme is another beast of the always captivating Métal Noir Québécois scene, turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of Black Metal.

A grim start suddenly explodes into absolute Black Metal violence in Rex Hominum, where Mortheos shows no mercy for his axe nor for his drums, also vociferating rabidly in the name of total darkness. Sacrifié sur l’autel de la rédemption, which is French for “sacrificed on the altar of redemption”, meaning something (or someone) is given up or destroyed for the sake of achieving salvation, atonement, or a greater good, already starts in full force to Mortheos’ carnivorous riffage, flowing majestically until its very last second; followed by Thrène pour un monde révol, or “a rouse to a bygone world”, with once again his devilish guitar lines setting the tone for his hellish vociferations and crisp, pounding Black and Doom Metal beats and fills. Tabula Rasa, the absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals, offers us all first-class, in-you-face Black Metal beautifully crafted by our lone wolf, whereas Tour d’ivoire, or “ivory tower” in English, referring to a state of privileged seclusion or detachment from practical realities and the common world (originating from French literature to describe secluded intellectual life), brings forward another overdose of violence ad hatred, with his desperate gnarls sounding amazing. Lastly, get ready for a descent into the underworld with La Lumière de l’infini, or “The Light of Infinity” or “Infinite Light,” referring to a divine, endless, or eternal radiance,  filling our avid ears with more of Mortheos’ chaotic screams, riffs and drums.

Following up on the releases of the project’s 2019 debut Mors Aeterna, and its 2025 split Inter Mortuos Liber (with French Black Metal outfit Sotherion), the caustic, harsh De l’Abîme au Plérôme can be purchased from the Osmose Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, and you can also click HERE for all digital links. Mortheos and his Sanctvs can also be found on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can also enjoy the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify. Pleroma (Greek for “fullness”) refers to a state of completeness or abundance, and that’s exactly what Mortheos wants you to feel while listening to the new Sanctvs new offering, an abundance of first-class Black Metal just before you’re dragged back into the abyss.

Best moments of the album: Rex Hominum and Tabula Rasa.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Osmose Productions

Track listing
1. Rex Hominum 7:16
2. Sacrifié sur l’autel de la rédemption 5:54
3. Thrène pour un monde révolu 8:48
4. Tabula Rasa 6:22
5. Tour d’ivoire 5:46
6. La Lumière de l’infini 8:52

Band members
Mortheos – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Mors Verum / Canvas EP (2026)

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This forward-thinking Canadian band continues to give their own interpretation to the Death Metal style in their new EP, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

“Mors verum” does not have a direct, standard meaning in Latin, but likely combines two separate words, “mors” (death) and “verum” (truth). The intended meaning is probably “truth or death,” or perhaps a variation of a phrase like “nihil verum nisi mors” (“nothing is true but death”), or the concept of “the only truth is death”. It is often used in the context of “truth or death” to imply one would rather die than not have the truth. In heavy music, Mors Verum are a forward-thinking Canadian band who are giving their own interpretation to the Death Metal style, creating music that is simultaneously dissonant, progressive, and atmospheric. Recorded at by Sean Pearson at Boxcar Studio, mixed by Mrudul Kamble at Erb Street Recording, mastered by Topon Das at Apartment 2, and displaying an ass-kicking artwork by Arifullah Ali of KanvasKarat, the new EP by Lyndon Quadros on vocals, Mrudul Kamble on the guitars, Spencer Mitchell on bass, and Greg Carvalho on drums, entitled Canvas, offers exactly that captivating blend of Dissonant and Progressive Death Metal, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

The quartet wastes no time and kick off their idiosyncratic party with the progressive extravaganza Bloodied Teeth, with the pulverizing, demented drumming by Greg adding even more insanity to their already maniacal sounds. Mrudul’s visceral riffage is boosted by the bludgeoning bass by Spencer in Your Apocalypse, resulting in seven minutes of Dissonant Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted; and Lyndon keeps barking and roaring like a beast in Serenade, with the music alternating between absolute savagery and more melodic, groovier moments. Then we face the grim title-track Canvas, offering a hybrid of the sluggish sounds of Blackened Doom with the band’s core Progressive Death Metal essence. Needless to say, Mrudul, Spencer and Greg are phenomenal with their sonic weapons; and they’ll finish burying you six feet deep with their undisputed extreme music in Mortal, again presenting the visceral guttural by Lyndon while Greg sounds inhumane on drums.

Following up on their 2015 EP Indoctrination, their 2019 full-length Deranged, and their 2021 EP The Living, Canvas brings to our avid ears lengthier song which never feel tedious as the band embarks on their newfound path with relative ease and confidence. On Canvas, they have adopted a fascinating approach to the style, one that is beautifully tempered yet adventurous enough to excite, being highly recommended for fans of Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Norse, Ulcerate, and Saevus Finis, among others. Those talented and creative guys are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their unique music on Spotify, and of course to purchase Canvas from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In the end, the experience of listening to Canvas feels at once liberating and cathartic, leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future, perhaps in the form of their sophomore full-length offering, and I bet you’ll be more than excited for that after their short but incendiary new offering.

Best moments of the album: Bloodied Teeth and Canvas.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Bloodied Teeth 4:19
2. Your Apocalypse 7:10
3. Serenade 5:30
4. Canvas 7:00
5. Mortal 6:37

Band members
Lyndon Quadros – vocals
Mrudul Kamble – guitars
Spencer Mitchell – bass
Greg Carvalho – drums

Album Review – Evoked Eclipse / The Cries Of Evil (2026)

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A seasoned duo hailing from Italy will darken your soul armed with their debut offering of arcane, devilish and dramatic Atmospheric Black Metal.

Led by vocalist, guitarist and bassist Max Havler (Ophidian, Shrivel), with Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Beheaded, Vomit the Soul) taking care of additional vocals, drums and keyboards, Milan, Italy-based Atmospheric Black Metal entity Evoked Eclipse has its sound closely tied to the Scandinavian Black and Death Metal scene, primarily Swedish, with references to Dissection and Naglfar, but also the Melodic Death Metal of Dark Tranquillity and Opeth and the melancholic Doom and Gothic Metal elements of early Katatonia. Recorded and mixed by Davide Billia at MK2 Recording Studio, mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, showcasing a cryptic artwork by the beyond talented Gogo Melone (presenting the album’s visual representation in its most arcane, dark and dramatic essence), and with layout by Francesco Palumbo of MKM Graphix, their debut effort The Cries Of Evil represents a new vision of extreme music, positioning the project as one of the must-see names of the new scene worldwide.

The ethereal intro Enchantment will transport us all to the Stygian realm ruled by Evoked Eclipe, flowing into the title-track The Cries Of Evil, where Max roars with tons of anger in his blackened heart while Davide delivers a mix of Black Metal blast beats and sluggish Doom Metal sounds. After that we have Land Of The White Spirit Lady, featuring guest vocals by Kyrah Aylin (of Aresea and Elegy of Madness), a beautiful, dark ballad of Blackened Doom, with their riffs and drums matching perfectly with Kyrah’s stunning vocal lines; and then we face the melancholic, grim interlude Mournishments, setting the stage for The Watch Of Spirits, with Max delivering sharp, crisp riffs and bass lines while Davide continues to hammer his drums mercilessly. In Drops Of Blood we see the band adding hints of Progressive Metal to their core Atmospheric Black Metal sonority, showcasing more of their fiery riffage, followed by Illusions Of The Life, another classic blast of atmospheric madness, sounding as dark and visceral as it can be, morphing into the outro Ascension, feeling utterly epic and leaving us eager for more of their stylish music in the near future.

Max and Davide are waiting for you with their Evoked Eclipse on Facebook and on Instagram, including news, more of their music, and who knows, maybe some live performances in a not-so-distant future, stream the album in full on Spotify, and of course you can put your hands on the excellent The Cries Of Evil from Club Inferno’s BandCamp, from My Kingdom Music, by clicking HERE, as well as from several other online retailers such as MDV Shop, Waterloo Records, and Groovespin.com. The fusion of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal with Death, Doom and Gothic Metal nuances found in The Cries Of Evil will certainly darken your already blackened heart even more, fueling the duo to keep blasting their undisputed extreme music for many years to come under their sinister, grim Black Metal eclipse.

Best moments of the album: The Cries Of Evil, The Watch Of Spirits and Illusions Of The Life.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Club Inferno Ent./My Kingdom Music

Track listing
1. Enchantment 1:11
2. The Cries Of Evil 4:17
3. Land Of The White Spirit Lady 5:58
4. Mournishments 1:25
5. The Watch Of Spirits 7:01
6. Drops Of Blood 5:48
7. Illusions Of The Life 5:17
8. Ascension 2:15

Band members
Max Havler – vocals, guitars, bass
Davide Billia – vocals, drums, keyboards

Guest musician
Kyrah Aylin – female vocals on “Land Of The White Spirit Lady”

Album Review – Mayhem / Liturgy of Death (2026)

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With four decades of darkness behind them, these Black Metal groundbreakers return with their seventh offering, as obscure and ominous as a Norwegian forest.

With four decades of darkness behind them, Oslo, Norway’s own Black Metal groundbreakers Mayhem are celebrating an illustrious and undeniable career with their seventh studio offering, entitled Liturgy of Death. Displaying a sinister artwork by Daniel Valeriani, the follow-up to their 2019 opus Daemon sees the band formed of Attila Csihar on vocals, Teloch and Ghul on the guitars, Necrobutcher on bass, and Hellhammer on drums sounding as dark and ominous as a Norwegian forest. They’ve never been deadlier, offering their trademark hair-raising caterwauling and spectral snarls, twin guitar terrors, seventh-hell low end tunes, and ruthless drums, resulting in the band’s final and musically strongest form.

The gates to the underworld will open once again, allowing Mayhem to arise from the dead to the sound of Ephemeral Eternity, with the strident guitars by Teloch and Ghul transpiring Black Metal magic, whereas one of the singles released, titled Despair, continues the band’s Stygian path to absolute doom, with Attila’s grim vociferations matching perfectly with the band’s visceral sounds. Weep for Nothing is a lecture in classic Norwegian Black Metal, offering our putrid ears seven minutes of sonic blasphemy and hatred where Hellhammer’s massive beats are boosted by another blast of piercing riffs by Teloch and Ghul, followed by Aeon’s End, another in-your-face display of Black Metal savagery by the quintet where the demonic kitchen by Necrobutcher and Hellhammer sounds utterly thunderous.

And they keep delivering sheer hatred, despair and obscurity through their instruments in Funeral of Existence, a more cadenced but just as heavy and sulfurous tune where Hellhammer  dictates the pace with his classic drumming. Realm of Endless Misery carries a poetic name for an overdose of Black Metal fury, with Attila barking and growling rabidly for our absolute delight, sounding very detailed, multi-layered, and doomed; and Mayhem show no mercy for our souls in the second to last black mass of the album, named Propitious Death, with their razor-edged riffage once again cutting our skin and making us bleed. Last but not least, get ready for one final ride to apocalypse entitled The Sentence of Absolution, starting in an obscure manner before becoming their trademark sonority, ending in a darkly tribal celebration.

Mayhem are a band dedicated to pushing the bounds of extremity itself, and Liturgy of Death is living (or maybe I should say dead) proof of that. “There’s been absolutely zero compromise,” sums up Ghul. “We really have never compromised and I never see that happening simply to try and sell records. The music is extreme. The people are extreme. Pleasing others has never been on the agenda and that’s quite apparent when you listen to our stuff or see us live. There is something there for people to grab onto and experience, but it’s not supposed to be a pleasant experience or an easy experience. It’s Mayhem.” If you also consider yourself a servant of the dark arts, you can find Mayhem and their undisputed Black Metal magic on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their sulfurous new album from the Century Media Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or by clicking HERE or HERE. Mayhem are Black Metal, Black Metal is Mayhem, and Liturgy of Death is among us to keep that combined fire burning for centuries to come.

Best moments of the album: Despair, Weep for Nothing, Realm of Endless Misery and Propitious Death.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Ephemeral Eternity 6:47
2. Despair 6:41
3. Weep for Nothing 7:04
4. Aeon’s End 4:56
5. Funeral of Existence 5:56
6. Realm of Endless Misery 4:57
7. Propitious Death 5:05
8. The Sentence of Absolution 7:28

Deluxe Box Limited Edition bonus tracks
9. Life Is a Corpse You Drag 5:22
10. Sancta Mendacia

Band members
Attila Csihar – vocals
Teloch – guitars
Ghul – guitars
Necrobutcher – bass
Hellhammer – drums

Guest musician
Garm – vocals on “Ephemeral Eternity”

Album Review – Büddah / Amyotrophy (2026)

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Behold the first full-length opus by this ruthless Polish entity, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.

After the releases of their debut EP The Curse of Ferrius, in 2022, and the live album Resurrection Clarity (Live at 2 Koła ’24), in 2024, Gdańsk, Poland-based Blackened Death/Thrash Metal duo Büddah are ready to crush our frail bodies and souls with their first ever full-length installment, entitled Amyotrophy (a progressive wasting of muscle tissues). Recorded by Damian Bednarski (of Unborn Suffer), produced by the same Damian Bednarski alongside Marcin Skowroński (of Fatigue), who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album, and displaying a killer artwork and layout by vocalist Julian Schutta, the new album by Julian Suchtta on vocals and Marek Gross on vocals, guitars and bass, with the support of session drummer Igor Jażdżewski, takes no prisoners in their quest for extreme, ruthless music, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.

The duo wastes no time and kick off their demented festivities with Amyotrophy I, with their devilish gnarls and the ruthless blast beats by Igor sounding absolutely explosive; whereas Bowel Fane presents cryptic, vile words vociferated by the duo (“Awakened in the cryptic maze / Helpless cries shove off the walls / My blind soul tries to find the exit”) amidst a devastating Blackened Thrash Metal sonority. Then they invest in a pure Death Metal sound in Waste of Flesh, with the dirty, slashing riffage by Marek walking hand in hand with their raspy guttural; and a song title like Disfigured Ones reeks of Death Metal, and Julian and Marek make sure the music also lives up to the genre with their demolishing roars and riffs, supported by Igor’s demented drumming. After that, Fiend then presents hints of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Crust, perfect for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.

The rumbling bass by Marek ignites another display of undisputed Death Metal in Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV, with the old school beats and fills by Igor adding an even more primeval touch to the song. Then we face the dark, sinister interlude Law of the Snake, setting the stage for Büddah to destroy our senses with Serpent’s Scourge, by far the heaviest of all songs, featuring guest vocalists Damian Bednarski and Łukasz Pieszczyński, and with its cryptic lyrics (“I faced the mask of thousand tongues / with eyes surrounding its mouth / It’s lurking voice crawling under my nails / oviposited on my bearing / On my bearing…”) matching perfectly the sonic savagery blasted by Julian and Igor. Finally, they go full circle with the second “part” of the album title, Amyotrophy II, where Marek does an amazing job with both his riffs and solos, going experimental halfway through it before ending on a melodic, introspective manner.

Julian and Marek need a little less than 40 minutes in Amyotrophy to show the entire world of heavy music that the name Büddah is already a reality, blasting our speakers and melting our faces with their undisputed fusion of extreme music genres and subgenres in the best Polish style imaginable. Furthermore, if you want to show such a hardworking duo your admiration and support, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic compositions on any available platform such as Spotify, and above all that, purchase their incendiary debut offering from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Amyotrophy is the strongest effort to date by such an up-and-coming duo hailing from the fires of Poland, and based on the quality of the music found throughout the album, we can rest assured we’ll hear a lot more from them in the foreseeable future.

Best moments of the album: Amyotrophy I, Disfigured Ones and Serpent’s Scourge.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Amyotrophy I 5:33
2. Bowel Fane 2:41
3. Waste of Flesh 3:27
4. Disfigured Ones 4:41
5. Fiend 5:11
6. Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV 4:33
7. Law of the Snake 1:34
8. Serpent’s Scourge 4:26
9. Amyotrophy II 6:58

Band members
Julian Suchtta – vocals, djembe on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Marek Gross – vocals, guitars, bass, shakers on “Serpent’s Scourge”

Guest musicians
Igor Jażdżewski – drums (session)
Damian Bednarski – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Łukasz Pieszczyński – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”

Album Review – Scrüda / Extreme Speed Violence EP (2026)

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This unrelenting three-headed beast from Poland is back with their trademark avalanche of speed and violence in the form of their new and explosive eight-minute EP.

“We are a sword, you are a head…”

Formed in 2021 in the beautiful city of Gdańsk, a port city on the Baltic coast of Poland, the unrelenting three-headed beast known as Scrüda is back wwith more of their barbarian hybrid of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal in their new EP poetically titled Extreme Speed Violence, less than one year after their fulminating debut full-length opus Fury Among Ruins. Recorded by Michał Daschke at Black Peak Records, mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, and with a killer, primeval artwork by Fda and layout by WS Artworks, the brand new offering by vocalist and bassist The Conqueror, guitarist Firecracker and drummer Wall of Flesh picks up where Fury Among Ruins left off, bringing forward the band’s trademark avalanche of speed and violence in the form of first-class Extreme Metal.

The title-track Extreme Speed Violence is definitely a bestial way to kick off the EP, with Wall of Flesh demolishing his drums while The Conqueror vomits the song’s demented words rabidly (“I’m totally insane / My heart pumping rage / Completely possessed / Under the demon of revenge / Extreme speed violence”). Their infernal feast of Blackened Thrash Metal goes on in Like a Dog, where Firecracker sets fire to the atmosphere with his unstoppable riffage, and they put the pedal to the metal in the chaotic extravaganza titled Chaos, with Wall of Flesh once again hammering his drums supported by The Conqueror’s menacing bass lines. Get ready to slam into the pit like a true metalmaniac with It’s About You, with their razor-edged, no shenanigans blend of Thrash and Speed Metal sounding demonic. Then Firecracker ignites a Motörhead-infused Speed Metal attack entitled Shameless, reminding me of the early days of Megadeth (which is obviously awesome); followed by Pain, one minute of sheer savagery showcasing another round of demented words roared by The Conqueror (“I feel the pain, my body’s worn and broken / I wear my crown of suffering and pride / All is lost, not a hopeful word is spoken / I see the emptiness, in a grief I drown inside”).

The Conqueror, Firecracker and Wall of Flesh need less than nine minutes to simply destroy everything and everyone that crosses their path in Extreme Speed Violence, and I’m sure it won’t take long for those relentless metallers to return with another slab of sheer aggression in the vein of their new EP. If you want to know more about the band, their music, their live performances (which should be simply phenomenal) and so on, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their depraved thrashing tunes on any platform like Spotify, and of course to grab a copy of their explosive eight-minute EP from their own BandCamp or from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Scrüda are gearing up for their next hunt armed with Extreme Speed Violence, and if you decide to not join their demonic brigade, I feel sorry for you body and soul.

Best moments of the album: Extreme Speed Violence and Shameless.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Extreme Speed Violence 1:33
2. Like a Dog 1:24
3. Chaos 1:35
4. It’s About You 1:03
5. Shameless 1:54
6. Pain 1:12

Band members
The Conqueror – vocals, bass
Firecracker – guitars, backing vocals
Wall of Flesh – drums

Album Review – Eximperitus / Meritoriousness of Equanimity (2026)

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This uncanny Belarusian Death Metal creature will unleash hell in its third studio opus, offering nine independent compositions united by the idea of searching for inner support in an era of turbulence.

Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum, the Minsk, Belarus-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal entity whose name is usually shortened to simply Eximperitus,  has acquired quite some attention not only for their 51-letter long name, but also for their austere, no shenanigans blend of extreme music. Famously secretive, with their members using pseudonyms like Dave 1 (guitars), Dave 2 (bass), Dave 3 (drums), and potentially Dave 4 (vocals), as they intentionally keep their identities hidden, making it nearly impossible to find personal details and, therefore, essentially making them “the Daves” of Belarusian metal, Eximperitus are unleashing upon humanity their third studio album, titled Meritoriousness of Equanimity, following up on their 2021 sophomore Šahrartu. Containing nine independent compositions united by the idea of searching for inner support in an era of turbulence, the album offers an acid exposure and scourging of social dogmas and morbid tendencies on the ruins of the old world, continuing to pave the band’s dark path which started in the already distant year of 2009.

The album couldn’t have started in a more demented mode than with One Step Long Infinity, an avalanche of vile riffs and blast beats not recommended for the lighthearted; followed by Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality, carrying a beautiful name for a feast of Brutal Death Metal magic while also offering our avid ears razor-edged riffs and those evil guttural vocals we all love so much. Then after the whimsical interlude Twelve Centuries of Triumph of the Third Kingdom… we face Finding Consistency in the Fourth Quadrant of Eternity, where their Blood Incantation side blends with their core brutality and their guitar riffs and solos penetrate deep inside our souls; followed by the absolutely mental The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid, bringing forward more of the band’s austere, visceral fusion of extreme music sounds, not to mention how heavy and groovy their bass and drums feel.

Golden Chains for the Construction of Individual Greatness is another ruthless explosion of their Technical and Brutal Death Metal madness, offering those demented blast beats perfect for some good slamming inside the pit; and after another ethereal, cosmic interlude entitled Molecular Disintegration of an Unattainable Solitary Will in a Vessel of Wisdom…, we’re treated to the venomous Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future, where their crying guitars clash with their deep guttural in a striking metallic paradox. And before all is said and done, those uncanny Belarusian metallers bring forth Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time), an extensive outro that could have been a bit shorter, and maybe even less experimental, but that still puts an otherworldly ending to the album.

“In times when despair overflows human hearts… when the chasm of strife between civilizations widens… when loyalty to ideologies tears blood ties apart… when the world stands still, poised for the final leap of prolonged self-destruction… We can draw strength solely from internal sources, which are filled only by the multifaceted power of Death Metal…,” commented the band, as cryptic as their own members, and you can be part of their unique metal cosmos by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their sick creations on Spotify, and of course by ordering their demented new album from BandCamp or from Willowtip Records. Because it doesn’t matter if you have no idea how to pronounce Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum – those Belarusian death dealers are among us to crush our damned souls with their music, and their newborn spawn Meritoriousness of Equanimity will surely keep their insanity burning for many years to come, darkly reverberating through the fours corners of the earth.

Best moments of the album: Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality, The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid and Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future.

Worst moments of the album: Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time).

Released in 2026 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. One Step Long Infinity 2:26
2. Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality 5:05
3. Twelve Centuries of Triumph of the Third Kingdom… 1:24
4. Finding Consistency in the Fourth Quadrant of Eternity 5:13
5. The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid 5:41
6. Golden Chains for the Construction of Individual Greatness 4:07
7. Molecular Disintegration of an Unattainable Solitary Will in a Vessel of Wisdom… 1:39
8. Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future 3:29
9. Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time) 4:52

Band members
Dave 4 – vocals
Dave 1 – guitars
Dave 2 – bass
Dave 3 – drums