Category Archives: 2026 New Releases

Album Review – Komutator / We Don’t Owe You Anything (2026)

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These Polish thrashers are back after 13 years with a new album, exploring the gradual collapse of humanity through the everyday choices that erode values, freedom and human identity.

Founded in 2006 by guitarist Michał “Kinder” Kowalski, Ozimek, Poland-based Thrash Metal brigade Komutator has quickly established themselves within the Polish underground metal scene with their debut album Metal Sadism. Following years of inactivity, the band returns now after a 13-year hiatus with their sophomore album, titled We Don’t Owe You Anything, bringing new energy and a renewed creative vision while remaining faithful to their uncompromising approach to heavy music. Recorded at Heinrich House Studio and Turnia Studio, and mixed and mastered by Filip Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio, the new album by the aforementioned Michał “Kinder” Kowalski alongside vocalist Jacek Zema, guitarist Maciek Zalasiński, and drummer Andrzej Halupczok is their most diverse work to date, combining relentless Thrash Metal aggression with moments of melancholy, tension and reflection while exploring the gradual collapse of humanity, not through apocalyptic destruction, but through the everyday choices that erode values, freedom and human identity.

The cinematic intro Harbinger sets the stage for the band to crush our hopes and dreams with The Doom We Crave, featuring guest vocals by Szczepan Inglot (Wolfpack Heading Nowhere), with Michał and Maciek slashing their axes nonstop in the name of old school Thrash Metal, while Let It Bomb brings to our ears pure, unfiltered savagery by those Polish rockers, with the raspy vocals by Jacek walking hand in hand with the hammering drums by Andrzej. They keep the atmosphere as harsh and caustic as possible with Inhuman Resources, again featuring guest Szczepan Inglot, offering an overdose of violence and rebelliousness flowing from all instruments; whereas Metathesiophobia, featuring guest Wojciech Kostrzewa (Asgaard) on samples, presents elements from modern styles like Metalcore, sounding a bit too mellow compared to all other songs.

Featuring a guest guitar solo by Jacek Hiro (Sceptic), Watch Beauty Die brings the band back to their more ferocious mode, with Jacek once again growling and screaming in the best Randy Blythe and Max Cavalera style, melting our faces with his undisputed savagery, followed by Monster, again leaning towards modern-day Thrash Metal, with the guitars by Michał and Maciek exhaling anger and fury. Then investing in a fusion of Thrash and Groove Metal the likes of Machine Head we have Season of Storms, where the quartet keeps piercing our minds with their scathing riffs and pounding drums, and lastly, we face the frantic, high-octane title-track We Don’t Owe You Anything, with Jacek once again leading his horde with his infuriated screams supported by another killer riff attack by Michał and Maciek.

Focusing on humanity’s self-inflicted decline, the new album by Komutator examines a world where truth is distorted, freedom becomes illusion, and people are treated as resources rather than individuals, and if you also agree with their apocalyptic vision of our future as a whole you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their killer music on any available platform such as Spotify. Furthermore, if you love the rebellious sounds blasted by Sepultura, Exumer, Exhorder, Cavalera Conspiracy, and Morbid Saint, you must grab a copy of Komutator’s new album from their own Bandcamp or from Via Nocturna. But you better hurry, because the world as we know it is coming to an end, and it’s not going to be an easy one.

Best moments of the album: Let It Bomb, Inhuman Resources and We Don’t Owe You Anything.

Worst moments of the album: Metathesiophobia.

Released in 2026 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. Harbinger 1:32
2. The Doom We Crave 5:21
3. Let It Bomb 2:06
4. Inhuman Resources 6:08
5. Metathesiophobia 5:23
6. Watch Beauty Die 6:13
7. Monster 5:40
8. Season of Storms 5:29
9. We Don’t Owe You Anything 5:28

Band members
Jacek Zema – vocals
Michał Kowalski – guitars, backing vocals
Maciek Zalasiński – guitars
Andrzej Halupczok – drums

Guest musicians
Szczepan Inglot – vocals on “The Doom We Crave” and “Inhuman Resources”
Jacek Hiro – guitar solo on “Watch Beauty Die”
Wojciech Kostrzewa – samples on “Metathesiophobia”

Album Review – Blodtår / Monark (2026)

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One of Sweden’s most promising Black Metal projects returns with its sophomore opus, conceived in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, and moving through overwhelming spiritual pain toward a fragile yet undeniable light.

Back in 2021, Stockholm, Sweden-based Black Metal entity Blodtår announced themselves with a self-titled EP steeped in Black Metal mysticism. Their following release, the 2023 full-length Det förtegna förflutna, revealed a project capable of refined structure and melodic discipline without sacrificing intensity. Now in 2026, on their third release, titled Monark (the Swedish word for “monarch”), vocalist, guitarist and bassist Carl, alongside drummer Hebert Alarcón Cerna, ventures deeper still. Mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, and showcasing a classy artwork by Heresie Studio, Monark was conceived in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, moving through overwhelming spiritual pain toward a fragile yet undeniable light.

Carl kicks off his darkened feast with his visceral guitar lines, accompanied by the hammering drums by Hebert, in Blodtår, not to mention his harsh vocals exhale absolute despair and pain; followed by Till min sista viloplats (or “to my final resting place” from Swedish), a more direct Black Metal extravaganza with Carl shredding his axe in the name of extreme music. In contrast to such a visceral sound, Paradis, or “paradise,” begins in an acoustic way as if there was any hope in sight, but that’s all destroyed by his anguished, vile screams; while Det slutar i lågor, or “it ends in flames,” brings to our avid ears elements from Folk Metal to give the song an even more primeval and personal vibe.

Then we face the introspective, grim and emotional title-track Monark, with Carl delivering sheer melancholy through his vocals and guitar while Hebert dictates the pace with his classic beats. We’re then treated to the band’s cover version for Kraja’s Nu är det synd om de döda, or “now it’s a pity for the dead,” (check the original version HERE, from their 2011 album Brusand Hav). The lyrics for the song are based on a poem written by the famous Swedish author and poet Verner von Heidenstam, and Carl’s rendition of the song is not bad, but I personally prefer his trademark Black Metal a lot more, which is exactly what we get in Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra, or “still wandering among the evening shadows,” where Hebert sounds inhumane on drums, adding an overdose of Black Metal melancholy to the overall result. The climax of the album comes in the form of Den eviga isen, or “the eternal ice,” concluding Carl’s spiritual journey with his deep vociferations walking hand in hand with his crying guitar.

“Crippling pain was present throughout the entire process of the album, both in the music itself and beyond it. The inspiration for the next Blodtår record emerged forcefully not long after Det förtegna… had been completed. Monark is a strange album, but not in a negative sense – for me, that very strangeness is what makes it compelling,” commented Carl, and you can get in touch with him and let him know how much you enjoy his music by following Blodtår on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming the project’s unique creations on Spotify, and by purchasing Monark from their own BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Beginning in darkness and concluding in illumination, Monark traces recurring cycles of mental collapse and resurgence with unflinching honesty, using the depth, anguish and power of Scandinavian Black Metal to turn it into a must-listen for any metalhead who has also been through the darkest times of their lives.

Best moments of the album: Blodtår, Monark and Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra.

Worst moments of the album: Nu är det synd om de döda.

Released in 2026 Nordvis Produktion

Track listing
1. Blodtår 5:30
2. Till min sista viloplats 3:55
3. Paradis 3:52
4. Det slutar i lågor 5:35
5. Monark 5:32
6. Nu är det synd om de döda (Kraja cover) 2:08
7. Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra 5:10
8. Den eviga isen 4:20

Band members
Carl – vocals, guitars, bass
Hebert Alarcón Cerna – drums

Album Review – Necrocene / Scumocracy (2026)

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The new album by this Italian Death Metal horde transforms concepts of social decay and technological obsolescence into a perfect, clear-sighted manifestation of a world careening toward its final, self-inflicted epoch.

There is a crushing weight bearing down on the globe presently, an unbridled destruction that breeds indifference. It is from this bleak reality that Italian horde Necrocene draws their breath, delivering a style of Death Metal that is deliberately pedantic, abrasive, and deeply rooted in the genre’s foundational essence. Following their well-received 2024 debut EP Detrimental Paratomy, the band formed of Iacopo “Apo” Macchia on vocals, Alessandro “Alex” Rossi and Gioia “Joy” Capelli Ghioldi on the guitars, Daniel “Dan” Martini on bass, and Stefano “Ste” Giannotti on drums is ready to attack again with their first full-length offering, titled Scumocracy, capturing the defiant, provocative spirit of early Obituary, Death, and Cancer while translating the band’s shared counter-cultural roots into severe musical weight.

The obscure intro (Threshold) will darken the skies before your mind is consumed by the band’s doom-laden Death Metal in Ordinary Enemy, where Alex and Joy show no mercy for our souls with their sharp, caustic riffs, inspiring us all to bang our heads together with the quintet. Then we face Tempestarii, a true storm of raw and putrid Death Metal where Apo vociferates like an evil entity, sending shivers down our spines, followed by Scale of Grey, another frantic, no shenanigans display of Death Metal made in Italy led by the crushing drums by Ste. And their first “act” in the album ends with the title-track Scumocracy, where their scorching riffs and blast beats match perfectly with Apo’s demonic roars.

After another Stygian, eerie instrumental piece titled (Stillpoint), all hell breaks loose with Human Lithification, a slab of brutality, violence and gore by Necrocene where Alex and Joy once again deliver an avalanche of melodic yet visceral riffs. The band then puts the pedal to the metal in Concrete Petrichor, spearheaded by another ruthless vocal performance by Apo and accompanied by the nonstop, demented drums by Ste. Weapons of the Damned blends vile Doom Metal with their core Death Metal insanity, resulting in a venomous tune not recommended for the lighthearted, whereas The Lust of Us closes the album with more of the scathing riffage by Alex and Roy in a true headbanging extravaganza.

Balancing sudden shifts in tempo with agonizingly heavy, cadenced downtempos, Scumocracy transforms concepts of social decay and technological obsolescence into a perfect, clear-sighted manifestation of a world careening toward its final, self-inflicted epoch, and you can get more details about Necrocene and their apocalyptic music via Facebook and Instagram, stream their ruthless music on Spotify, and of course join them in total chaos and disorder by purchasing a copy of Scumocracy from the Personal Records’ BandCamp or webstore. We’re indeed a rotten democracy of scumbags, and the Death Metal blasted by Necrocene in their new album is here to remind us all of such a harsh reality.

Best moments of the album: Tempestarii, Scale of Grey and Weapons of the Damned.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Personal Records

Track listing
1. (Threshold) 1:06
2. Ordinary Enemy 3:14
3. Tempestarii 4:05
4. Scale of Grey 2:08
5. Scumocracy 4:46
6. (Stillpoint) 1:43
7. Human Lithification 3:09
8. Concrete Petrichor 2:58
9. Weapons of the Damned 4:23
10. The Lust of Us 3:49

Band members
Iacopo “Apo” Macchia – vocals
Alessandro “Alex” Rossi – guitar
Gioia “Joy” Capelli Ghioldi – guitar
Daniel “Dan” Martini – bass
Stefano “Ste” Giannotti – drums

Album Review – Old Ruins / Mount Arreat (2026)

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This German horde continues their darkened path by offering their own blend of Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal in their sophomore studio album.

Having created their own highly distinctive style by drawing on numerous influences from Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal, Gelsenkirchen, Germany’s own Post-Black Metal outfit Old Ruins is back with their sophomore full-length offering, entitled Mount Arreat (a major fictional location in the Diablo video game franchise), following up on their 2023 debut full-length album Always Heading East. Displaying a dystopian artwork by Timon Kokott, the new album by Christian Krajewski on vocals and guitars, Ersin Kara also on the guitars, Oliver Krajewski on bass, and Mike Gelnar on drums sees the band continue the darkened path which stated with their self-titled debut EP from 2020, sounding tighter, heavier and more dynamic than ever.

The strident guitars by Christian and Ersin ignite the band’s dark and heavy feast in Once There Was Light, with Christian’s deep vociferations sounding haunting yet captivating, followed by Gates Of Harrogath, even heavier and more dynamic, offering a wild fusion of Melodic Death and Doom Metal led by Mike’s thunderous beats and fills, always supported by Oliver’s rumbling bass. Call To Arms is a more cadenced and sluggish tune, with its Sludge Metal elements adding a visceral vibe to their core sound before their classic Heavy Metal vein pulses through their dual guitar attack; and a serene intro morphs into another massive metal onrush by the quartet titled Uileloscadh Mor, with the guitars by Christian and Ersin once again cutting our flesh mercilessly.

Nihlathak flirts with old school Black Metal, hence its dirtier, rawer and more aggressive sound, while Mike dictates the song’s pace with his spot-on beats and fills, whereas Mount Arreat, the song that carries the name of the album, is just as grandiose as the location that inspired it, offering a solid fusion of Death and Doom Metal with the epicness of Heavy Metal. Then we’re treated to Lord Of Destruction, the heaviest and darkest of all songs, where Mike’s drums sound immense while Christian roars like a demonic creature until the song’s very last second; and they conclude the album with an overdose of epicness and rage in the form of Tyrael’s Despair, with their guitars once again breathing fire.

In a nutshell, Old Ruins offer in the excellent Mount Arreat their unique blend of melodic, catchy and gripping Black and Death Metal for fans of In Flames, Children Of Bodom, Arch Enemy, and Tribulation, inspiring us all to join them in their darkened quest, while also fueling the band to continue fighting for extreme music in their upcoming releases. Those talented German metallers are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their music on Spotify and to purchase Mount Arreat from their own BandCamp or from Sick Taste Music. In other words, it’s time to climb the mount of extreme music together with Old Ruins while listening to their new album, keeping your blood running wild through your veins as you face such a demanding and exciting challenge.

Best moments of the album: Gates Of Harrogath, Uileloscadh Mor and Lord Of Destruction.

Worst moments of the album: Call To Arms.

Released in 2026 Sick Taste Music

Track listing
1. Once There Was Light 5:48
2. Gates Of Harrogath 4:52
3. Call To Arms 5:02
4. Uileloscadh Mor 7:27
5. Nihlathak 5:15
6. Mount Arreat 6:25
7. Lord Of Destruction 5:37
8. Tyrael’s Despair 6:16

Band members
Christian Krajewski – vocals, lead guitars
Ersin Kara – guitars
Oliver Krajewski – bass
Mike Gelnar – drums

Album Review – The Eternal / Obscured Horizons (2026)

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Delving further into darkness, this Gothic Metal quartet returns with an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion.

Delving further into darkness with a sound situated in Progressive Gothic Metal, the veteran Australian and Finnish quartet known as The Eternal is set to unveil their eighth studio album upon humanity, titled Obscured Horizons, following up on their 2024 opus Skinwalker. Produced by Jan Rechberger and Mark Kelson, and displaying a darkly stunning artwork by Kate Roney, the new album by Mark Kelson on vocals and guitar, Richie Poate on lead guitar, Niclas Etelävuori on bass, and Jan Rechberger on drums and percussion is the band’s most immersive and definitive work to date, an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion, moving through states of emotional collapse, liminal transition and existential unrest, confronting deception – both external and internal – before emerging into renewal and self-awareness.

Mark and Richie start the band’s metallic engine with their melodeath-infused guitars in Lament For The Hollow, already presenting their trademark fusion of Progressive and Gothic Metal. Then bringing elements from Gothic Rock from the 80’s we have Existing To Expire, with Niclas kicking some serious ass with his heavy bass lines, followed by Colours Fade, again showcasing an endless dosage of progressiveness added to their core sound, as if Dream Theater went absolutely goth. And striking background keys bring even more adrenaline to Harmony Breaks, with the melodious vocals by Mark embracing us in a comforting darkness in the name of Gothic Rock and Metal.

I’ve Seen The Dream is a stunning ballad in the vein of Dream Theater from their masterpiece Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, with Richie stealing the spotlight with his enfolding guitars lines and solos; followed by Liminality, presenting seven minutes of a lecture in Progressive Metal, with Mark’s vocals being flawlessly complemented by the groovy, multi-layered and intricate kitchen crafted by Niclas and Jan. The title-track Obscured Horizons keeps their fires burning bright led by another killer performance by Jan behind his drums; while the incendiary guitars by Mark and Richie keep piercing our minds mercilessly in Yesterday’s Gone, another stylish display of the band’s first-class Heavy Metal. Finally, we face Awaken, again presenting several layers and nuances, with Richie sounding on fire with his axe, breathing piercing riffs and solos nonstop and, therefore, ending the album in great fashion.

A work concerned with the erosion of truth, the masks we inherit, the weight of memory and the courage required to awaken from imposed realities, Obscured Horizons represents both culmination and evolution, a bold statement from a band entering a new creative chapter with their gaze fixed firmly on the unseen. You can get to know more about The Eternal, their new album, their tour dates and other nice to know details via Facebook and Instagram, stream their unique creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE. Rather than surrendering to decay, Obscured Horizons charts a defiant ascent, refusing numbness, rejecting illusion, and ultimately reclaiming light from the shadows that threaten to eclipse it.

Best moments of the album: Lament For The Hollow, Liminality and Yesterday’s Gone.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Reigning Phoenix Music

Track listing
1. Lament For The Hollow 5:04
2. Existing To Expire 4:10
3. Colours Fade 4:58
4. Harmony Breaks 5:05
5. I’ve Seen The Dream 4:14
6. Liminality 6:59
7. Obscured Horizons 5:11
8. Yesterday’s Gone 5:13
9. Awaken 6:07

Band members
Mark Kelson – vocals, guitar
Richie Poate – lead guitar
Niclas Etelävuori – bass
Jan Rechberger – drums, percussion

Album Review – Valkyrie’s Fire / Out of Darkness (2026)

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This new Symphonic Metal force emerging from the shadows of Music City is ready to attack with their debut album, a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty.

The Nashville, Tennessee music scene is historically synonymous with country legends, yet a new force is emerging from the shadows of Music City to claim a different kind of throne. Having rapidly ascended to become the definitive Symphonic Power Metal powerhouse of the American South, the up-and-coming act Valkyrie’s Fire is unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, titled Out of Darkness, following up on their 2024 EP Ascension. Produced, engineered, and mixed by the band’s own Joey Grimaldi, mastered by Swedish metal luminary Mikael Sehlin (Amaranthe, Engel, In Flames), and visually anchored by the striking artwork by renowned illustrator Jan Yrlund (Delain, Battle Beast, Manowar), the new album by vocalists Adam Sanders and Bettie Floyd, guitarist Joey Grimaldi, bassist Dave Hale, keyboardist and cellist Salem Belladonna, and drummer Ryan Metroka is a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty, positioning the band at the absolute forefront of modern Symphonic Metal.

The cinematic intro In Spirit, In Shadow will transport us to the band’s fantasy realm, warming us up for Evermore, with the vocal duet by Adam and Bettie working really well, reminding me of the absolute joy flowing from all songs by Visions of Atlantis. Then we have Valkyrie’s Fire, the song that carries the band’s name, bringing to our avid ears epic sounds clashing with the incendiary riffs by Joey, sounding absolutely fast, thrilling and fun; and Salem keeps embellishing the airwaves with her magical keys in Cascade, while Bettie steals the spotlight with her soaring vocals. Featuring Mikael Sehlin of Amaranthe as a guest vocalist, Ryan kicks off the ban’s Epic Power Metal feast in Burning Sky, another ass-kicking tune by the band, followed by Shattered, the most theatrical of all songs, with the cello by Salem bringing sheer melancholy to their dark sounds; and I See the Angels Fly is a dense, multi-layered ballad that will bring peace to our blackened hearts, with Joey’s guitar lines spreading sheer passion.

Then back to a more electrifying and fast sound we’re treated to the Symphonic Power Metal beast Skylark, with Dave’s thunderous bass walking hand in hand with Ryan’s beats, crafting that galloping rhythm we all love so much in Heavy Metal. Labyrinth feels a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, as it tries to be too epic but falls flat after a while; whereas Bone and Thorn is another bold power ballad by the band where Joey steals the show once again with his classy riffs and solos. After that we face Dark Moon, inspired by the classic sound crafted by Nightwish while boosted by Salem’s hypnotizing cello, followed by Nocturne, offering a more direct, in your face Power Metal sonority overflowing adrenaline and setting the stage for I Will Rise Again, an epic ten-minute journey through the lands of modern-day Symphonic Metal that puts a climatic ending to the album.

Pacing Valkyrie’s Fire as a formidable contemporary to bands like Epica, Within Temptation and Nightwish by blending the grandiosity of European Symphonic Metal with the sharp production values of the modern Nashville metal scene, Out of Darkness feels both timeless and urgent, inviting us all to join the band in their quest for heavy music. Hence, if you have what it takes to embark on such a mystical and thrilling journey, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Out of Darkness by clicking HERE. Valkyrie’s Fire will certainly spread their wings over the entire metal community with the release of Out of Darkness, and when the music in question is so good and compelling, we’ll all be very happy to be caught in such a dark embrace.

Best moments of the album: Evermore, Valkyrie’s Fire, Skylark and I Will Rise Again.

Worst moments of the album: Labyrinth.

Released in 2026 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. In Spirit, In Shadow 0:50
2. Evermore 4:41
3. Valkyrie’s Fire 4:42
4. Cascade 5:21
5. Burning Sky 4:00
6. Shattered 5:44
7. I See the Angels Fly 6:49
8. Skylark 4:43
9. Labyrinth 4:33
10. Bone and Thorn 7:31
11. Dark Moon 6:38
12. Nocturne 5:47
13. I Will Rise Again 9:57

Band members
Adam Sanders – vocals
Bettie Floyd – vocals
Joey Grimaldi – guitars
Dave Hale – bass
Salem Belladonna – keyboards, cello, backing vocals
Ryan Metroka – drums

Guest musician
Mikael Sehlin – vocals on “Burning Sky”

Album Review – Duncan Evans And The Weeping Starlight / The World is a War Zone (2026)

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Led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Evans, this three-piece Dark Folk and Post-Punk outfit explores faith, doubt, suffering, transcendence and the search for meaning in a fractured world in their new album.

The collaborative evolution of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Duncan Evans, built around a committed three-piece lineup that transforms intimate compositions into expansive, emotionally charged performances, Leeds, England’s own Dark Folk/Post-Punk/Gothic Rock outfit Duncan Evans And The Weeping Starlight is back in action with a brand new album, titled The World is a War Zone. Recorded between The Nave and Duncan Evans’ home studio in Leeds, produced and mixed by Duncan Evans himself, engineered by Tom Orrell and Duncan Evans, and mastered by James Plotkin, the new album by Duncan Evans on vocals, guitars, synths and software instruments, Ol Jessop on bass, and Kev Reid on drums, with additional percussion by Gareth Hodgson of A Forest of Stars and Darkher, unfolds across nine tracks and 45 minutes of intense, cathartic Post-Punk melancholia rooted in the dark and primal spirit of folk music, exploring faith, doubt, suffering, transcendence and the search for meaning in a fractured world.

Working as an extended theatrical, captivating intro, The Starlight Weeps showcases all three musicians revving up their rockin’ engines for The Path, offering a Blues Rock-infused blend of their core sound led by the melodic vocal lines by Duncan, as if Jethro Tull and Nick Cave decided to jam together while watching the night sky. Kev and Ol then bring the groove to the band’s music armed with their respective bass and drums in The World is a War Zone (a fitting title for a song in 2026, by the way), while Duncan extracts whimsical sounds from his guitar; followed by Loss, which feels like the soundtrack to an Oscar-nominated movie. Furthermore, it gets trippy after a while, obviously in a very good way, keeping the album as captivating as it can be.

Sierra Delta might be a bit too slow compared to the rest of the album, and maybe some extra heaviness from Duncan’s guitar would have added more taste to the overall result; whereas Waiting for Rain is the epitome of their trademark fusion of Dark Folk with Post-Rock elements, with Duncan once again declaiming the song’s words like a Rock N’ Roll poet. Deathless is a beautiful, dark ballad by the trio, with Kev hitting his drums just hard enough to bring that kick to the music; and Duncan’s classic guitar lines walk hand in hand with the bass by Ol in River of Milk, alternating between ethereal moments and the heaviness of modern-day Gothic Rock. Lastly we have Suffer, led by the pounding beats by Kev, putting a striking ending to the album. Needless to say, it should sound very enfolding if played live.

Listeners drawn to the emotional depth of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Emma Ruth Rundle, Swans and Richard Thompson will surely find resonance in The World is a War Zone, yet the album ultimately stands as its own statement, burning with conviction and carrying a persistent belief in redemption amid turmoil. The result is a sound that feels somber, mournful and fiercely committed, grounded in the traditions of Post-Punk and folk music yet shaped by a distinctly personal vision. The indomitable Duncan Evans and his henchmen can be found on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their music on Spotify, and to purchase their new album from their BandCamp or webstore. The world is indeed a war zone, but fear not, my dear friends, as Duncan Evans will protect us all with the power of our good old Rock N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: The Path, River of Milk and Suffer.

Worst moments of the album: Sierra Delta.

Released in 2026 Widowbird Records

Track listing
1. The Starlight Weeps 3:39
2. The Path 4:23
3. The World is a War Zone 6:46
4. Loss 6:23
5. Sierra Delta 5:10
6. Waiting for Rain 4:54
7. Deathless 4:56
8. River of Milk 4:04
9. Suffer 5:14

Band members
Duncan Evans – vocals, guitars, synths, software instruments
Ol Jessop – bass
Kev Reid – drums

Guest musician
Gareth Hodgson – additional percussion

Album Review – Cartilage / Operating Altar (2026)

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At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and the new album by this American Death Metal and Grindcore beast is the perfect soundtrack to those horrors.

At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and Operating Altar, the new album by San Francisco, California-based Death Metal/Grindcore beast Cartilage (and the follow-up to their 2022 sophomore offering The Deader the Better), is the soundtrack to those horrors. Recorded by Mike Flory at Casa Carti (vocals, guitars, dialogues, bass) and by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio (drums), mixed by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio, mastered by Leon Del Muerte at Beastman Audio, and with a gory, visceral artwork by David Romero of CinemaMind, the new album by Mark Wallace on cankerous larynx invocations (aka vocals), Mike Flory on oscillating vein necromancy (aka guitars), Ria Flory on strung fascial divinations and tracheal exertions (aka bass), and Adam Houmam on tremoring transmutations on taut epidermises (aka drums) is a grand‑guignolesque blood ritual disguised as an album, ready to carve its way through the living, the dead, and anyone foolish enough to listen without anesthesia, being perfect for admirers of the putrid sounds blasted by Exhumed, Impetigo, Carcass, and Pharmacist.

There’s no hope in sight right from the beginning in Metal, Bone And Sinew, with Adam taking the lead with his demented beats and fills while Mark vociferates like a troll from hell; and Mike’s riffs ignite the quartet’s Death Metal extravaganza in S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), also presenting hints of Thrash and Black Metal to make things even more infuriated and violent. Then we see Adam hammer his drums like a lunatic in The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata, inviting us all to slam into the band’s cesspool of blood and gore, followed by The Sanguine Fiend, presenting another blast of slamming sounds where Mike and Ria make an incredible stringed duo, pounding their axes nonstop until the very end.

It’s impressive how those four metallers can sound so demented and visceral while keeping a good dosage of harmony flowing form their instruments, like what they have to offer in A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot, whereas they keep penetrating deep inside our minds with their striking riffs and blast beats in Among The Offal, which gets a bit confusing halfway through it (but nothing to worry about). Adam once again crushes his drums (and consequently our hopes and dreams) in Anatomical Incantations, demolishing our frail bodies with their insane fusion of Grindcore with Death and Thrash Metal; and The Operating Altar is by far one of the most complex and dynamic of all songs, with the goblin-like vocals by Mark (which also sound inspired by Overkill’s one and only Bobby Blitz) bringing even more insanity to their music. Finally, they conclude their onrush of blood and gore with Stitch By Stitch, where their Grindcore is infused with melody and groove.

“With this album, we sought to compose one large piece instead of simply a collection of songs. We’ve combined more influences from the likes of both brutal death metal and classic heavy metal, yet we pushed ourselves to faster tempos that we’ve never done before. Operating Altar is uniquely formulated to leave your ears bleeding with pleasure, our Maggot O-Pus if you will!” Those beautiful words by guitarist Mike Flory perfectly summarize Operating Altar, the logical next step for the Bay Area’s blood-brokers, with their horizons expanding without losing the red-eyed fury that has become their signature, and you can join them in their gory journey by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their putrescent music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their new album via BandCamp or mailorder. In the end, Operating Altar is the sound of a cauterizing wound. All at once scorching, hardening and sealing their sound into a new and grander whole.

Best moments of the album: S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata and The Operating Altar.

Worst moments of the album: Among The Offal.

Released in 2026 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Metal, Bone And Sinew 4:31
2. S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death) 4:05
3. The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata 3:20
4. The Sanguine Fiend 2:53
5. A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot 3:30
6. Among The Offal 3:36
7. Anatomical Incantations 3:16
8. The Operating Altar 4:08
9. Stitch By Stitch 4:03

Band members
Mark Wallace – vocals
Mike Flory – gutiars
Ria Flory – bass
Adam Houmam – drums

Album Review – Sea Sleeper / Burden of Antlers (2026)

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With a sound that embraces the weird and obscure, this American Post-Metal outfit is back with their sophomore opus, sounding heavier and more eclectic then ever.

With a sound that embraces the weird and obscure, Portland, Oregon-based Progressive Deathcore/Death Metal/Post-Metal ensemble Sea Sleeper is unveiling their second full-length opus, titled Burden of Antlers, following up on their 2021 debut Nostophobia. Recorded by Jesse Cooley and Shane Cooley at Sleeping Studio, produced, mixed and mastered by Jesse Cooley, and with a stylish artwork by Johnny P., the new album by Jesse Cooley on vocals and guitars, Tony Spradlin also on the guitars, Nick Kessler on bass, and Shane Cooley on drums sees the band hone further the cohesion across their composition process to produce an offering that is thoroughly eclectic and heavy.

The inspiration for the opening song Machines of the Bombing Runs was drawn from the band’s fascination with history and delves into the incomprehensible enormity of war, while the music sounds absolutely dissonant and harsh thanks to the devilish vociferations by Jesse and the Stygian guitars by the same Jesse alongside Tony. And they let their most visceral Post-Black Metal vein arise in Manifestor, with Shane demolishing his drums until the very last second; followed by Lunar Degenerates, bringing forward the metallic bass lines by Nick and the deep, introspective clean vocals by Jesse. After that, Abysmal Trench explores narcissism and mortality, with the music sounding just as visceral as the topic discussed while the lead guitars by Tony feel hypnotizing.

Then we face the hard hitting title-track Burden of Antlers, where Shane dictates the pace with his pounding drums while their guitars again transpire madness and fury, not to mention how thunderous the bass by Nick sounds and feels. In They’ll Miss You we see the band let their Dissonant and Experimental Death Metal side burn our damned souls, with Jesse’s roars sounding like an angry version of Mastodon, whereas Coma is also very experimental, dynamic and multi-layered, with the devilish sounds extracted from their stringed axes penetrating deep inside your psyche. Finally, Husk concludes the album on a high and demented mode, with the progressiveness and intricacy flowing from all instruments dragging us to the band’s grim lair for all eternity.

You can find the guys from Sea Sleeper on Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with their news, music, live concerts and other nice to know details about the band, stream their unique, detailed and vibrant music on any platform like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music, and of course, above all that, grab those talented metallers by the antlers by purchasing their excellent new album from their own BandCamp. Jesse, Tony, Nick and Shane are on fire throughout the entire Burden of Antlers, presenting an amalgamation of styles from Progressive Metal to modern-day Post-Metal that will surely please any fan of good music, inspiring them to keep on rockin’ armed with their extremely heavy yet melodic and enfolding music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Machines of the Bombing Runs, Burden of Antlers and Husk.

Worst moments of the album: Lunar Degenerates.

Released in 2026 Metal Assault Records

Track listing
1. Machines of the Bombing Runs 5:15
2. Manifestor 8:14
3. Lunar Degenerates 4:44
4. Abysmal Trench 5:53
5. Burden of Antlers 6:04
6. They’ll Miss You 5:08
7. Coma 5:59
8. Husk 6:46

Band members
Jesse Cooley – lead vocals, guitars
Tony Spradlin – lead guitars, backing vocals
Nick Kessler – bass, backing vocals
Shane Cooley – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Filth / Death Exhibition (2026)

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Going the distance in punishing the body and tormenting the mind, this Swedish Death Metal trio returns from the grave with their filthy and barbaric sophomore album.

Having a knack for fitting artworks, always capturing the album’s psychedically putrid contents perfectly, Göthenburg, Sweden-based Death Metal brigade Filth attacks once again with their sophomore album, titled Death Exhibiton, the follow-up to their 2025 debut Time to Rot. Going the distance in punishing the body and tormenting the mind, the trio formed of Per on vocals and drums, Sebastian on lead guitars and bass, and Ismael on rhythm guitars sounds both more finessed and more barbaric than their debut offering. The formula has hardly changed, thankfully, but the foundations of their sound are expanded further in Death Exhibition, whether it’s the crude, tank-rolling crush of Grave, or the sooty angularity of Immolation.

After the album’s short horror-infused Intro, all hell breaks loose to the sound of Split Casket, offering our putrid ears an overdose of doom-laden Death Metal where Per’s deep, inhumane guttural match perfectly with the apocalyptic guitar lines by Sebastian and Ismael; and their cadaverous, primeval sounds keep permeating the air in Buried Alive, with Sebastian not only delivering killer riffs, but his bass lines are also absolutely thunderous. Born A Corpse carries an old school name for another song where their visceral fusion of Death and Doom Metal works majestically, in special the deep vociferations by Per; and he continues to smash his drums in the name of darkness and gore in Mental Butchery, living up to the legacy of the genre.

…Inhumed… sounds and feels as dark and evil and it is groovy thanks to the caustic riffs and bass lines by Sebastian and Ismael, bringing total obscurity to our rotten hearts, while Sadistic Ways continues where the previous song left off, with its cadaverous Doom Metal vibe bringing even more hatred to their core Death Metal. The title-track Death Exhibition presents an overdose of primeval Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted, with Per’s deep roars sounding utterly demonic. Then the ruthless bass by Sebastian will then crush your cranial skull in …Exhumed…, sounding slow, grim and visceral, flowing into the bludgeoning and evil closing tune Rotted Life, with the trio blasting their sonic weapons with endless hatred until the very end.

Other similarly old school influences can be spotted in Death Exhibition, such as Demilich, Autopsy, Incantation, and Abhorrence, but rest assured that Filth inject their own personality (and just a slight bit of weirdness) into the bubbling cauldron to remain authentic rather than ripping off someone else’s past. Those guys don’t seem to enjoy social media at all, as they’re not on Facebook nor on Instagram, but you can still find their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new album from Me Saco Un Ojo’s BandCamp or from Rotted Life’s BandCamp. This is Swedish Death Metal at its filthiest, and there’s no escape once you’re trapped in the cauldron of violence and gore found in their fulminating new album.

Best moments of the album: Split Casket, …Inhumed… and Death Exhibition.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Me Saco Un Ojo/Rotted Life

Track listing
1. Intro 0:30
2. Split Casket 3:35
3. Buried Alive 3:39
4. Born A Corpse 3:21
5. Mental Butchery 4:06
6. …Inhumed… 4:07
7. Sadistic Ways 3:39
8. Death Exhibition 4:13
9. …Exhumed… 2:45
10. Rotted Life 4:26

Band members
Per – vocals, drums
Sebastian – lead guitars, bass
Ismael – rhythm guitars