Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review – Devine Defilement / Ruthless (2025)

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This ruthless Icelandic crew returns in full force with their third opus, stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality.

When you think of Scandinavia, let’s say that slamming and brutality aren’t the first things to come to mind. That’s until the Reykjavík-based Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore slam crew of Devine Defilement spewed onto the Icelandic scene in late 2016, drawing inspiration from a variety of Death Metal sub-genres and having concocted a brutal cocktail of groove, slams, blasts and ferocity that has made them a force to be reckoned with. Now in 2025 such an insane horde formed of Freyr Hreinsson and Ingólfur Ólafsson on vocals, Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson and Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson on the guitars, Arek Alenjikov on bass, and Stefán Friðriksson on drums returns in full force with Ruthless, their third full-length offering, following up on their 2024 beast Age of Atrocities. Mixed and mastered by Floor VK at GLDCHN Studios, Ruthless is stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality, focusing more on the groove and amplifying what makes the crowd move, with its lyrics about murderers, neglect, suicide, cannibalism, and violence being tailored for fans of Ingested, Vulvodynia, Whitechapel, and Pathology, among countless others.

Human Sewer is a beyond bestial and devastating way to kick off the album, with Stefán’s stone crushing drums inviting us all to slam into the pit like a bunch of headbanging bastards, followed by Abusement Park, the perfect fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore, with the demented guttural by both Freyr and Ingólfur sounding utterly inhumane. Then the Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffage by Guðmundur and Sigurjón match perfectly with all haunting background sounds in Terror Tales, whereas massive blast beats and a striking guitar solo ignite the also ruthless Excreted Entity, with their monstrous dual vocal attack melting our faces mercilessly. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind carries a very Death Metal name for what’s perhaps the most Death Metal of all songs, with Stefán demolishing everything and everyone that crosses his path on drums, while Pulverised Secretions is simply pulverizing from start to finish, with Freyr and Ingólfur unleashing their deepest, most infuriated growls of the album.

The two-part song “Anthropophagic Apocalypse” kicks off in full force with Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse, a slab of sheer brutality by this Icelandic squad spearheaded by the cryptic riffs blasted by their unrelating guitar duo, whereas Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh is another demonic onrush of Brutal Death Metal with symphonic elements, elevating the album’s reach and punch to a whole new level. Get ready to have your head smashed in the curb to the sound of Curbstomp the Predator, perfect for some “no holds barred” action inside the pit; and the infernal, metallic bass by Arek and the unstoppable beats and fills by Stefán will make the earth tremble in Draco Dominus, followed by the beautifully titled Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam, starting with a TV ad-like intro for some sort of “action figures” before all hell breaks loose to the demented vociferations by the band’s two-headed vocal beast. Lastly, the album ends on a dark and mysterious note with Beyond the Veil of Death, offering over five minutes of melodic yet hard hitting Brutal Death Metal with lots of Deathcore nuances.

The guys from Devine Defilement are eagerly waiting to consume your putrid body on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can obviously stream all of their vicious, demented creations on Spotify, and purchase a copy of the unrelenting Ruthless from BandCamp, from Time to Kill Records, or simply click HERE for all things Devine Defilement. There’s no better word to describe the music found in Ruthless than its own title. It’s a ruthless album, a putrid Death Metal and Deathcore attack made in Iceland, and once you’re caught inside their gory mosh pit, you’ll never see the light of day again.

Best moments of the album: Abusement Park, Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind, Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh and Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam.

Worst moments of the album: Draco Dominus.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Human Sewer 3:46
2. Abusement Park 2:46
3. Terror Tales 3:09
4. Excreted Entity 4:10
5. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind 2:54
6. Pulverised Secretions 3:51
7. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse 5:08
8. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh 3:36
9. Curbstomp the Predator 2:10
10. Draco Dominus 2:27
11. Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam 2:45
12. Beyond the Veil of Death 5:49

Band members
Freyr Hreinsson – vocals
Ingólfur Ólafsson – vocals
Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson – guitar
Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson – guitar
Arek Alenjikov – bass, backing vocals
Stefán Friðriksson – drums

Album Review – Escarnium / Inexorable Entropy (2025)

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This Brazilian outfit continues to craft raw, visceral Death Metal fueled by anguish and nihilistic idea in their new album, cementing their name as one of the driving forces of the current scene.

Formed in 2008 in the city of Salvador, Brazil, Escarnium emerged in the local scene committed to crafting raw, visceral Death Metal fueled by anguish and nihilistic ideas. Now in 2025 the band currently formed of Victor Elian on vocals and guitars, Alex Hahn also on the guitars, Gabriel Dantas on bass, and Nestor Carrera on drums returns with their fourth full-length album Inexorable Entropy, featuring nine track of unrelenting, blast beats driven, infernal Death Metal. Recorded at Walzwerk Tonstudio (vocals), Escarnium Studio (guitars and bass), and RMS Studio (drums), mixed and mastered at Walzwerk Tonstudio, and displaying a suffocating, anguished artwork by Hugo Venancio and Nestor Carrera, Inexorable Entropy is highly recommended for fans of Dead Congregation, Cruciamentum, Krisiun, and Fossilization, among others, cementing the band’s name as one of the driving forces of the current Brazilian Death Metal scene.

In the intro Fentanyl, the somber keys by Nestor will darken the skies before the band pulverizes us all with Relentless Katabasis, a demented onrush of classic, infernal Death Metal where Nestor also sounds inhumane on drums. Cancerous Abyss is another ruthless display of heaviness and savagery, also carrying a beyond sinister name, where Victor’s deep guttural will send shivers down your spine while the same Victor and Alex extract sheer aggressiveness from their axes; whereas the title-track Inexorable Entropy reeks of the music by their countrymen Krisiun, which means it’s a visceral, undisputed tune tailored for fans of crushing Death Metal. And Gabriel and Nestor keep shaking the foundations of the earth in The Heritage, crafting a thunderous atmosphere perfect for Victor’s demonic growling.

Gabriel’s reverberating, metallic bass lines set the tone in Revulsion Of Carbon, offering more of the band’s spine crushing, no shenanigans Death Metal for our absolute delectation, and they show zero mercy for our souls and bodies in Through The Depths Of The 12th Gate, adding hints of Doom Metal to their core essence to make things even more obscure, and with Nestor delivering venomous yet intricate beats flawlessly. Before all is said and done, the cryptic interlude Ashen Path will warm us up for their final attack entitled Pyroscene’s Might, starting in a neck-breaking manner to the vicious riffs and solos by Victor and Alex, again blending their trademark Death Metal with doomed elements while Nestor hammers his drums like a demonic beast nonstop.

As aforementioned, Escarnium are undoubtedly one of the frontrunners of the current Death Metal scene in their homeland, and their brutal and visceral new album is a strong confirmation of their growing importance to the extreme music scene worldwide. You can get in touch with those Brazilian metallers via Facebook and Instagram for new, tour dates and more of their music, stream their ruthless discography on Spotify and purchase a copy of the austere, infernal Inexorable Entropy via mailorder or from BandCamp, or simply click HERE for all things Escarnium, proving you’re a true servant of old school Death Metal, therefore keeping the violence crafted by the band throughout the entire album flowing to all four corners of our dying world.

Best moments of the album: Relentless Katabasis, Inexorable Entropy and Revulsion Of Carbon.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Fentanyl 1:15
2. Relentless Katabasis 3:47
3. Cancerous Abyss 4:15
4. Inexorable Entropy 4:58
5. The Heritage 3:07
6. Revulsion Of Carbon 3:31
7. Through The Depths Of The 12th Gate 4:38
8. Ashen Path 1:45
9. Pyroscene’s Might 4:00

Band members
Victor Elian – vocals, guitars
Alex Hahn – guitars
Gabriel Dantas – bass
Nestor Carrera – drums, keyboards on “Fentanyl”

Album Review – Axiom Chaos / Primacy Arrival (2025)

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A new entity has crawled from the boiling swamps that lie in the deepest recesses of the Death Metal underworld, unleashing hell to the sound of their debut offering.

A new entity has crawled from the boiling swamps that lie in the deepest recesses of the Death Metal underworld, a force of terrifying alien power and chilling otherness that is about to bleed insidiously into our reality. I’m talking about Ohio/South Carolina, United States-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal outfit Axiom Chaos, a ruthless creature that’s unleashing upon humanity their debut offering, entitled Primacy Arrival. Bedecked in the visionary artwork of Morket Art (Engulfed, Inverted Ascension), the first full-length opus by the duo formed of Justin Vølus (Vølus, Fall Of Gnosis, Maggot Crown) on vocals and Ben Vanweelden (Venomous Echoes, Ceremonic Buryment) on the guitars, bass and drums will challenge, disturb and dominate, opening new pathways for Death Metal and, therefore, being recommended for fans of Immolation, Vastum, Blood Incantation and Disma, just to name a few.

Justin begins his ruthless vocal attack in The King, I Am, sending shivers down our spines while Ben crafts a caustic fusion of Death and Doom Metal not recommended for the lighthearted; whereas the title-track Primacy Arrival showcases an even more enraged duo, with the riffage by Ben exhaling heaviness and hatred. They keep spreading their sonic violence in The Gift of Recognition, a Brutal Death Metal feast led by Justin’s deep, inhumane roaring, and Justin’s vile shrieks will crawl under your skin in Extraterrestrial Necrotic Urge, while Ben smashes his drums in the name of Death Metal. Let’s then slam into the pit together with Axiom Chaos in Antediluvian Origin Unknown, a frantic, no shenanigans explosion of Death Metal led by the crushing riffs and drums by Ben; and there’s still time for more violence and hatred in the form of Wormhole Pathways of Conquest, with Justin bursting his lungs by roaring like a beast. Finally, Ben sounds once again striking and furious with his riffs and beats in Exodus Into Oblivion, putting a demolishing yet very melodic and vibrant ending to the album.

In Primacy Arrival, Axiom Chaos have fused the devastating impact of Death Metal with the untamable capricious might of pandemonium, invoking strange, compelling visions tailored for admirers of the genre. Hence, if you want to get in touch with such a talented and brutal American duo, you can find those guys on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and of course show them your utmost support by purchasing a copy of their incendiary, evil debut from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore. The stairways to the new world are open and the drums of destruction are calling. The fires of war are alight to the sound of Primacy Arrival, a demented display of savagery that will surely please anyone in search for endless violence but with a huge slab of dexterity and melody.

Best moments of the album: The King, I Am, The Gift of Recognition and Exodus Into Oblivion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. The King, I Am 4:24
2. Primacy Arrival 4:30
3. The Gift of Recognition 4:53
4. Extraterrestrial Necrotic Urge 3:54
5. Antediluvian Origin Unknown 4:25
6. Wormhole Pathways of Conquest 4:22
7. Exodus Into Oblivion 5:24

Band members
Justin Vølus – vocals
Ben Vanweelden – guitars, bass, drums

Album Review – Ominous Ruin / Requiem (2025)

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San Francisco, California-based tech death juggernauts are back with their infuriated sophomore opus, representing a powerful exploration of the human psyche, the ravages of time, and the inevitable descent into oblivion.

San Francisco, California-based Ominous Ruin, the ruthless Death Metal juggernaut known for their intricate compositions and unrelenting sonic brutality, has returned to the battlefield with their highly anticipated new album, simply titled Requiem, following up on their critically acclaimed 2021 opus Amidst Voices That Echo in Stone. Written, produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s own guitarist Alex Bacey, recorded by Cody Fuentes at Rapture Recordings and by Petr Oplatka at Petropolys Media, and displaying a striking artwork by world renowned illustrator Pär Olofsson, the new album by newcomer Crystal Rose on vocals, Alex Bacey and Joel Guernsey on the guitars, Mitch Yoesle on bass, and Harley Blandford on drums is a formidable leap forward in both musical complexity and emotional depth, while also representing a powerful exploration of the human psyche, the ravages of time, and the inevitable descent into oblivion.

The album starts with a delicate, atmospheric Intro, setting the stage for Ominous Ruin to demolish our senses in Seeds of Entropy, with the intricate yet visceral guitar lines by Alex and Joey providing Crystal with exactly what she needs to roar like a true she-wolf in a killer display of Technical Death Metal. Crystal continues to vociferate rabidly in Eternal, while Harley delivers a bestial performance behind his drums, resulting in six minutes of first-class extreme music; and after the eerie instrumental interlude Bane of Syzygial Triality the band will smash us like putrid insects with Divergent Anomaly, with Harley once again pounding his drums manically supported by the rumbling bass by Mitch, sounding beautifully insane from start to finish.

In Fractal Abhorrence they continue with their undisputed feast of Technical Death Metal infused with sheer brutality and rage, with their riffs and bass lines sounding utter metallic while Crystal keeps blasting her venomous roars for our total delight. And get ready for eight minutes of demented, intricate and visceral sounds in Architect of Undoing, the most detailed of all songs, starting with a beyond thrilling instrumental piece before crystal arrives growling like a demon, not to mention Harley sounds beyond inhumane on drums. Then the band shows no sign of mellowing down their sound in Staring into the Abysm, again blasting our ears with their ruthless Death Metal, with Mitch simply sounding infernal on bass; whereas lastly, we’re treated to the Archspire-like title-track Requiem, another lecture in dexterity, speed and insanity by the band led by the phenomenal riffage by Alex and Joey.

Requiem is, at its core, a continuation of Amidst Voices that Echo in Stone, having its conception spawned from the raw emotion of personal issues and turmoil, as it was created during a dark time in the band’s lives. All that darkness translates into first-class extreme music as expected, turning the album into a must-listen for fans of the genre. Hence, don’t forget to check what Ominous Ruin are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to check more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and to grab a copy of the incendiary Requiem by clicking HERE. The album might be a new phase in the band’s career, but their core savagery, violence and intricacy is intact, inviting us all to join them in the battlefield while they take another giant step forward in their exciting career.

Best moments of the album: Seeds of Entropy, Divergent Anomaly, Architect of Undoing and Requiem.

Worst moments of the album: Bane of Syzygial Triality.

Released in 2025 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. Intro 0:56
2. Seeds of Entropy 4:03
3. Eternal 6:05
4. Bane of Syzygial Triality 2:39
5. Divergent Anomaly 5:17
6. Fractal Abhorrence 5:14
7. Architect of Undoing 7:59
8. Staring into the Abysm 3:16
9. Requiem 5:01

Band members
Crystal Rose – vocals
Alex Bacey – guitars
Joel Guernsey – guitars
Mitch Yoesle – bass
Harley Blandford – drums

Album Review – Leper Colony / Those of the Morbid (2025)

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The unstoppable Marc Grewe and Rogga Johansson are back with their infuriated sophomore album, once again bringing forth a ruthless, violent fusion of German and Swedish Death Metal styles with classic American influences.

The ruthless, violent result of wedding German and Swedish Death Metal styles with classic American influences, Death/Thrash Metal entity Leper Colony is back with  Those of the Morbid, the follow-up to their 2023 self-titled album, blasting our faces once again with their harsh, no shenanigans blend of extreme music. Recorded by Rogga Johansson at The Rotpit, with vocals and moth harp recorded by Marc Wüstenhagen at Daily Hero Recording Studios, mixed and mastered by Håkan Stuvemark at Necrotic Audio Productions, and featuring a classic Death Metal artwork by Felipe Mora, the new album by the infernal duo formed of Marc Grewe (Morgoth, Insidious Disease, Asinhell) on vocals and Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, Revolting) on guitars and bass, supported by Håkan Stuvemark (Wombbath) on lead guitars, and Jon Rudin (Monstrous, Dead Sun) on drums is perfect for fans of Obituary, Death, Pestilence and Insidious Disease, delivering a pure, unfiltered fusion of Death and Thrash Metal with no fillers, just killers.

Håkan  and Rogga waste no time and kick off their shredding attack in Facing the Faceless, with Marc quickly joining his bandmates with his demented screams, followed by Masters Voice, a pulverizing fusion of Death and Thrash Metal led by the crushing beats by Jon, being perfect for some demented action inside the pit. Their hammering sounds continue to pound our cranial skulls in The Age of Insanity, with the band’s guitar duo extracting sheer aggression from their axes, and it’s time for a brutal, demented metal attack by Leper Colony titled Flesh to Rot to Ashes, with Jon demolishing his drums manically. and it looks like their thrashing Death Metal party has no time to end, as Realm of Madness once again presents the trademark scorching riffs by Rogga burning our skin mercilessly.

Then the metallic riffs and bass lines by Rogga set the tone in the also infuriated Those of the Morbid Inclination, offering more of the band’s blend of Death and Thrash Metal while Marc vociferates like a devilish creature; whereas it’s pedal to the metal in the frantic Apocalypse Whore, with Håkan kicking off the song with a wicked guitar solo before everything converges into a hurricane of thrashing and deadly sounds. Then featuring guest Oliver Recker armed with his mouth harp, Leper Colony crafts an overdose of heaviness in the gruesome, evil Creature from the Deep, an excellent depiction of their core sound. Lastly, after endless devastation the band offers the horror movie-inspired track A Story in Red, sounding dark and heavy albeit lacking the same punch as the rest of the album.

Rogga Johansson is undoubtedly one of the most hardworking musicians to ever arise from the Swedish metal scene, making it impossible to keep track of all of his bands and projects, but if there’s one band that deserves a listen from all of his endeavors, that’s Leper Colony. His partnership with Marc Grewe is amazing, and that synergy translates into an overdose of aggression and rage in the music by Leper Colony. Those unstoppable metallers are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, they’re ready to kick your ass with their putrid sounds on Spotify, and you can obviously purchase Those of the Morbid from the band’s own BandCamp, from the Testimony Records’ webstore, or by clicking HERE, showing your support and admiration to the underground as a whole. Because it doesn’t matter if it’s with Leper Colony, Paganizer, Ribspreader or any other of his projects, Rogga Johansson is going to get you, no matter how far, nor how morbid.

Best moments of the album: Flesh to Rot to Ashes, Those of the Morbid Inclination and Apocalypse Whore.

Worst moments of the album: A Story in Red.

Released in 2025 Testimony Records

Track listing
1. Facing the Faceless 3:21
2. Masters Voice 3:40
3. The Age of Insanity 3:35
4. Flesh to Rot to Ashes 3:10
5. Realm of Madness 3:23
6. Those of the Morbid Inclination 3:49
7. Apocalypse Whore 3:31
8. Creature from the Deep 3:40
9. A Story in Red 4:14

Band members
Marc Grewe – vocals
Håkan Stuvemark – lead guitars
Rogga Johansson – guitars, bass
Jon Rudin – drums

Guest musician
Oliver Recker – mouth harp on “Creature from the Deep”

Album Review – Solfatare / Asservis par l’espoir (2025)

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This incandescent Black Metal entity from Belgium will burn your soul with their debut offering, exploring the depths of existential anguish and plunging into humanity’s long-lasting quest of meaning, only to find none.

Trapped between barren cobblestones and leaden sky, Belgian Black Metal entity Solfatare (a name that finds its origin in a specific volcano from the Phlegraean Fields region of Italy, believed by ancient Romans to be a mythological entrance to the underworld) emerges from the sullen maze of the Brussels region armed to the teeth with their debut full-length opus, entitled Asservis par l’espoir, or “enslaved by hope” from French. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jeremie Bezier at Black Out Studio, the new album by T.S.G.H. on vocals and guitars, N.C.P.M. on bass, and T.G.T.H. on drums explores the depths of existential anguish and plunges into humanity’s long-lasting quest of meaning, only to find none, defiantly embracing the absurd and wielding French poetry as a weapon of absolute lyricism, in an attempt to adorn our torment.

The trio arises from the underworld like demonic creatures in Des monarques anhedoniques (or “anhedonic monarchs” from French), suddenly exploding into a fulminating Black Metal onrush led by T.G.T.H.’s crushing drums; and T.S.G.H. delivers haunting, desperate vocals and grim riffs in D’Hommes et d’Isopteres (“of men and isoptera”), a detailed, multi-layered tune tailored for fans of the genre. Their Stygian sounds keep permeating the air like an evil creature lurking in the shadows in Du deuil affaire (“of mourning”), with the bass and drums by N.C.P.M. and T.G.T.H. transpiring hatred; whereas the piercing riffs by T.S.G.H. sound even more metallic in Ozymandias, offering more of the band’s unrelenting modern-day Melodic Black Metal. It’s then pedal to the metal in the ruthless Sous des Cieux absents (“under absent skies”), offering more of T.G.T.H.’s pulverizing yet intricate beats, and this talented Belgian squad ends the album with the breathtaking, suffocating Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne (“when your brain is gnawing at your skull”), with all instruments sounding as enfolding and obscure as possible.

Drawing from the roots of traditional Black Metal while embracing a more avantgarde touch, weaving dissonance, glorious melodies, and visceral riffs into an unrelenting journey toward the heights of despair, Asservis par l’espoir invites us all to “enslave ourselves”, which you can do by simply start following the band on Facebook, and of course by purchasing a copy of the album from the Signal Rex’s BandCamp. In the end, Solfatare will submerge you in the fervent magma of chaotic, visceral Black Metal found in Asservis par l’espoir, leaving you eager to have your entire body and soul consumed again and again by their eternal fire, just the way we love it in modern-day Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: D’Hommes et d’Isopteres, Sous des Cieux absents and Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Signal Rex

Track listing
1. Des monarques anhedoniques 6:45
2. D’Hommes et d’Isopteres 7:07
3. Du deuil affaire 7:16
4. Ozymandias 5:09
5. Sous des Cieux absents 7:16
6. Quand ton cerveau te surine le crâne 8:48

Band members
T.S.G.H. – vocals, guitars
N.C.P.M. – bass
T.G.T.H. – drums

Album Review – Spiritwood / The Apparition of Horns (2025)

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This Finnish Black Metal entity arises once again with a sulfurous new album, a deep plunge into the experimental and avantgarde abyss, where every note is a lament and every silence, an omen.

From the deepness of the eternal night, Finnish Atmospheric Black Metal entity Spiritwood rises from the underworld with a brand new album titled The Apparition of Horns, the project’s sixth studio album delivering an aural ritual of isolation and decay enfolded by an avantgarde fusion of Atmospheric Black Metal with Doom Metal and occult mysticism, all masterfully crafted by the lone wolf known as Mr. Spiritwood. A deep plunge into the experimental and avantgarde abyss, where every note is a lament and every silence, an omen, the album is highly recommended for fans of Burzum, Blut Aus Nord, Shining, Dolorian, Leviathan, Gehenna, and Darkspace, among others, intertwining the coldness of nature with echoes of suffocating anguish.

Mr. Spiritwood wastes no time and fills every single space in the air with his vile gnarls and atmospheric sounds in Woodland Meditation, as raw and phantasmagorical as it can be, followed by the title-track The Apparition of Horns, a lecture in classic Black Metal with atmospheric and doom influences, with the dirty guitars by our lone wolf exhaling sulfur. Harbinger of Scourges sounds even more sluggish, grim and devilish, with the pounding drums by Mr. Spiritwood smashing our souls mercilessly, whereas in The Circle we’re treated to truly cryptic, haunting lyrics (“It accentuates the rotting bodies / And their pervasive aura of death / Eventually tightening the grip like the beast on it’s prey / Call to erase the memories of those already abandoned / Fell whispers that brought you and your kind here / Nothing but carrion under the veil of dusk / Succumbed and quiet empty souls / Haunting in oblivion”) amidst a Stygian wall of sounds. Such a demonic being speeds things up in Ascending Through the Contours of Emptiness, also vociferating with tons of anguish and darkness in his heart, flowing into the obscure and piercing closing tune Diagrams of the Dying Multiverse, with his visceral riffs and drums matching perfectly with his devilish gnarls.

A dreadful atmosphere where philosophy and wilderness collide in pure, unearthly darkness, the follow-up to the project’s 2023 album Plaguescape Dimensions definitely showcases a macabre evolution in the music by Mr. Spiritwood, who’s awaiting for you at his lair on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course you can join him in absolute darkness by purchasing his excellent new album by clicking HERE. Grim, obscure and eerie sounds set the tone throughout The Apparition of Horns, spreading sulfur across the earth and, consequently, inspiring Mr. Spiritwood to drag more and more unbelievers to the darkest side of music with his creations.

Best moments of the album: The Apparition of Horns, The Circle and Diagrams of the Dying Multiverse.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Loudriver Records

Track listing
1. Woodland Meditation 6:44
2. The Apparition of Horns 7:48
3. Harbinger of Scourges 7:02
4. The Circle 5:32
5. Ascending Through the Contours of Emptiness 8:35
6. Diagrams of the Dying Multiverse 9:24

Band members
Mr. Spiritwood – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Amalekim / Shir Hashirim (2025)

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This obscure horde from Italy and Poland returns with their caustic third studio offering, encasing more dissonant sounds while embracing once again the occult, the profane, and the hermetic.

Formed in 2020 by vocalist and guitarist Mróz, Italian/Polish Black Metal horde Amalekim (by the way, Amalek was a nation that harassed the rear caravan of Israelites during the Exodus, seen as the absolute nemesis of the Jews) continues to trace their obscure path in 2025 with their third full-length offering, titled Shir Hashirim, or “שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים‎”, a Hebrew phrase that translates to “Song of Songs”, the follow-up to their 2023 opus Avodah Zarah. Mixed and mastered by the band’s own bassist Azghâl, with a stunning cover illustration once again painted by Igor Datkiewicz, the new album by the aforementioned Mróz and Azghâl alongside guitarist Atanor and drummer Ktulak walks a more innovative path, encasing more dissonant sounds while embracing once again the occult, the profane, the hermetic, not only in the music, but also in the concept and lyrics. The parable of the two mothers and Solomon, as shown on the cover, lends itself to a complex interpretation, such as the role of power and the choice to submit to it, dogmatic authority, divine law, and how these references, crystallized and widespread in everyday existence, are in reality fragile and not so unshakeable.

Their devilish Black Metal mass begins with the beyond phantasmagorical Chant I: Ra’al Zorem, offering an overdose of blast beats, venomous gnarls and an endless sense of hatred and despair; whereas as imposing as the opening tune, the title-track Chant II: Shir Hashirim will demolish your senses to the slashing riffs by Mróz and Atanor while also presenting haunting background sounds and vocalizations, flowing into Chant III: Mesharet HaShilton, which after a serene, eerie start explodes into an overdose of Black Metal led by Ktulak’s hammering drums. And their fourth offering, entitled Chant IV: Sodot HaYekum, exhales a humongous amount of darkness and sulfur, with Mróz roaring with tons of anger and anguish in his blackened heart.

Mróz and his henchmen continue to crush our putrid bodies in Chant V: Tanur Nitzchi, with Azghâl and Ktulak bringing forward their caustic Marduk-inspired kitchen; and there’s no sign of peace or hope in Chant VI: Tisha Daltot, with the visceral riffage by Mróz and Atanor walking hand in hand with Ktulak’s unstoppable blast beats in the name of Black Metal. Then such an amazing horde presents their most demonic side in Chant VII: Haka’as HaNachash, a lecture in old school and modern-day Black Metal where Mróz sounds deeply infuriated on vocals. Lastly, the album ends on a high and Mephistophelian note with Chant VIII: Mishteh Malkhuti, a slab of devilish Black Metal magic spearheaded by the always demented drums by Ktulak.

As in their previous work, the biblical metaphor is at the heart of Shir Hashirim, while the music remains as caustic, venomous, occult and devilish as it has been a constant in the music by Amalekim. There are so many layers and different ways to interpret their music it’s hard to put all that into words; however, you can always check what the band’s up to on Facebook and on Instagram to get to know more about them, their music, beliefs and ideas, as well as their tour dates, and not only stream their unique creations on Spotify, but also show them your utmost support by purchasing their newborn spawn from their own BandCamp, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp, or from Sound Cave. The music found in Shir Hashirim might not be an easy listen for the average rock and metal fan, but once you dive deep into their world of harsh and occult Black Metal, you won’t ever want to come back.

Best moments of the album: Chant II: Shir Hashirim, Chant IV: Sodot HaYekum and Chant VII: Haka’as HaNachash.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Chant I: Ra’al Zorem 5:14
2. Chant II: Shir Hashirim 4:33
3. Chant III: Mesharet HaShilton 4:03
4. Chant IV: Sodot HaYekum 4:56
5. Chant V: Tanur Nitzchi 4:55
6. Chant VI: Tisha Daltot 4:23
7. Chant VII: Haka’as HaNachash 4:17
8. Chant VIII: Mishteh Malkhuti 5:50

Band members
Mróz – vocals, guitars
Atanor – guitars, backing vocals
Azghâl – bass, backing vocals
Ktulak – drums

Album Review – Encelado / Pillars of Creation EP (2025)

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A debut EP of classic Death Metal made in Italy, paying tribute to the elephant trunks of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula photographed by the Hubble Telescope from NASA on April 1, 1995.

Created by two old time friends sharing a passion for Extreme Metal, with its name taken from “Enceladus”, the sixth largest moon of Saturn, Italian Death Metal duo Encelado is set to unleash upon us their debut EP, entitled Pillars of Creation. Recorded and mixed at Umbra Studio, with band logo and album artwork designed by the band’s own Damien, and featuring guest drummers Max and Devin, the new EP by the aforementioned Damien on the guitars, bass, synths and backing vocals alongside Simone on vocals pays tribute to the elephant trunks of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula photographed by the Hubble Telescope from NASA on April 1, 1995, with lyrics dealing with topics including space exploration, artificial intelligence, human consciousness, and death, while the music displays a solid mix of Aborted, All Shall Perish, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, and Suffocation.

Simone’s deep, otherworldly guttural will send shivers down your spine in Dark Nebulas, while Damien fires some sick Death Metal riffs and metallic bass lines and guest Max demolishes his drums mercilessly. Gravety, the second song of the EP, keeps the atmosphere dense and grim, with the bass lines by Damien sounding truly menacing, all boosted by the devilish guest drums by Devin. Then an overdose of hammering drums, visceral growls and classic Death Metal riffs will smash you like an insect in Fragments Of Fear, perfect for some wild headbanging, and the EP ends on a high note with the title-track Pillars Of Creation, where Simone’s deep, vile gnarls match perfectly with the brutal yet technical sounds crafted by Damien and Max, beautifully depicting their passion for Death Metal and, therefore, leaving us eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

Pillars of Creation, which is available for purchase from the band’s own Big Cartel, might be short in duration, with only four songs in total, but it’s indeed an amazing debut by the duo formed of Simone and Damien, and a very good indication of where they’re headed to with Encelado. Who knows, maybe they’ll reach an unknown constellation in the near future with new music, right? And if you want to get in touch with the boys, you can find them on Instagram, as I’m sure they would love to hear what you have to say about their cosmic Death Metal music. I don’t think it will take long for them to release their first full-length album, and if it’s just half as good as Pillars of Creation, we’ll surely be very happy Death Metal fans.

Best moments of the album: Dark Nebulas and Pillars Of Creation.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Regenerate Records

Track listing
1. Dark Nebulas 4:11
2. Gravety 3:25
3. Fragments Of Fear 3:34
4. Pillars Of Creation 2:58

Band members
Simone – vocals
Damien – guitar, bass, synths, backing vocals

Guest musicians
Max – drums on “Dark Nebulas”, “Fragments Of Fear” and “Pillars Of Creation”
Devin – drums on “Gravety”

Album Review – Listless / Listless (2025)

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Behold the debut opus by this one-man Depressive Black Metal project from Canada, aiming to capture an isolated sense of solitude through melancholic introspection.

A solo Depressive Black Metal project based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, from the mind of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Aidan Crossley, the vocalist and guitarist for the excellent Atmospheric Black Metal band Liminal Shroud, Listless aims to capture an isolated sense of solitude through melancholic introspection. Recorded and mixed by Aidan himself, who was also responsible for all visual design, mastered by Cody Baresich at Circle A Studios, and with photography by Rob Hehr, the project’s self-titled debut aims to hypnotize listeners into a dark, endless oblivion with its emotionally resonant guitars, desperate howls, and sorrowful keys, being highly recommended for fans of Austere, Woods of Desolation, Coldworld, None, and Gris, among others.

Devoid starts in a lugubrious, grim manner to the minimalist guitar lines by Aidan, gradually evolving into a dense display of Depressive Black Metal while at the same time exploding into his anguished gnarls; and Aidan speeds things up in Burning Sky, blending his core Depressive Black Metal with Post-Metal elements, and the final result is simply amazing. Then we have Bloodstained Memories, back to a more introspective mode, with Aidan extracting minimalist sounds from his guitar, sounding caustic and despondent until the end. Aidan keeps dragging us down to his Stygian lair in Futility, an interlude that sounds bitterly harsh before we face Absence, one of the darkest, most depressive of all songs, with Aidan once again extracting unsettling sounds from his instruments while also gnarling deeply. Passerine, the longest song of the album, also brings to our avid ears a harsh onrush of Depressive and Atmospheric Black Metal, with his guitar lines and drums exhaling melancholy, whereas lastly, Aidan brings forward A Final Yearning Breath, a serene, grim outro that will darken our hearts for all eternity.

In summary, Listless channels the songwriting, intensity, and surging expansiveness of Liminal Shroud while focusing more on emotive aspects of musical expression in its debut album, resulting in a must-listen opus for admirers of contemporary Depressive Black Metal. You can check what Aidan and his Listless are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of its caustic debut offering from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’  BandCamp, worldwide store or Canada/US store (CD only), letting the project’s harsh and atmospheric music penetrate deep inside your soul. There’s always some controversy surrounding Depressive Black Metal as a whole, but when the artist is question is as talented and focused as Aidan, bringing to us the striking sounds of Listless, any type of preconception should be ignored, simply letting the music do its wonderful job.

Best moments of the album: Burning Sky and Absence.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Hypnotic Dirge Records

Track listing
1. Devoid 5:41
2. Burning Sky 4:00
3. Bloodstained Memories 6:21
4. Futility 3:31
5. Absence 7:41
6. Passerine 8:29
7. A Final Yearning Breath 3:12

Band members
Aidan Crossley – vocals, all instruments