Category Archives: Album Reviews

Concert Review – Dark Tranquillity & Amorphis (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 10/01/2024)

Posted on by
Reply

And everyone enjoyed a very melodic, heavy, fun and sold out night of Nordic metal music in the city of Toronto.

OPENING ACT: Fires In The Distance

One day after a beyond wild night with Hatebreed, Toronto hosted another brilliant metal extravaganza with DARK TRANQUILLITY and AMORPHIS, plus very special guests FIRES IN THE DISTANCE, at the always cozy The Opera House, again organized by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. And let me tell you that I wasn’t expecting the venue to be so jam packed on a Tuesday night, proving once again how passionate the fans in the city are about heavy music. Seriously, I think someone forgot to stop selling tickets after the venue’s maximum capacity was reached, because it was really hard to move around the venue and to get downstairs to the floor section to enjoy the shows, with a lot of people just standing close to the bar at the back, behind the sound table. Even raising our horns or clapping our hands in the pit was difficult, but of course, nothing that would have made the night less enjoyable.

One major problem before the show was the insane traffic to get to the city, plus the fact there were absolutely no parking spots available anywhere near the venue, and because of that I sadly missed the show by Newington, Connecticut-based Melodic Doom/Death Metal act FIRES IN THE DISTANCE. I was dying to see those guys live as both their albums, Echoes from Deep November (2020) and Air Not Meant for Us (2023), both available on Spotify, are a thing of beauty and I’m sure their songs sounded even more powerful on stage. At least my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there to take some crazy photos of their concert, and I promise next time they visit Toronto I’ll skip work if needed to get to their show on time.

Setlist
Harbinger
Wisdom of the Falling Leaves
Crumbling Pillars of a Tranquil Mind
Idiopathic Despair

Band members
Craig Breitsprecher – bass, vocals
Kristian Grimaldi – guitars, vocals
Yegor Savonin – guitars, keyboards
Jordan Rippe – drums

AMORPHIS

I was just able to get inside the venue around 15 minutes before the first headliner of the night, Helsinki, Finland’s own Melodic Heavy Metal/Rock institution AMORPHIS, kicked off their ultra melodic, vibrant and colorful show, and I say colorful because the way they set up their stage was very appealing to my eyes. Also, the talented frontman Tomi Joutsen and his henchmen did a very good job in blending their new material that’s clearly more inclined to Progressive Rock, like the songs Northwards, On the Dark Waters, The Moon and The Wolf, from their 2022 album Halo, with old classic including the always stunning Doom Metal aria My Kantele, and that fusion of past and present was really well received by all fans that were almost smashed on the floor section. The entire band sounded sharp and spot-on, and their connection with the crowd was also fantastic during the whole show.

Setlist
Northwards
On the Dark Waters
Sky Is Mine
The Moon
The Castaway
Silver Bride
The Wolf
Wrong Direction
My Kantele
Magic and Mayhem
Black Winter Day
House of Sleep
The Bee

Band members
Tomi Joutsen – lead vocals
Esa Holopainen – lead guitar
Tomi Koivusaari – rhythm guitar
Olli-Pekka Laine – bass
Santeri Kallio – keyboards
Jan Rechberger – drums

DARK TRANQUILLITY

As a lot of people left the pit to grab some merch, a beer or go outside for a smoke, I could then find a spot on the floor section to enjoy the other headliner, the unstoppable Gothenburg, Sweden-based Melodic Death Metal entity DARK TRANQUILLITY, and fortunately I had my concert earplugs with me because those guys were maybe too loud for such a small venue. The multi-talented, iconic, awesome Mikael Stanne alongside his band of first-class musicians also did a beautiful job mixing songs from their excellent new album Endtime Signals, like Shivers and Voids and Not Nothing, with their older material, and all songs sounded so electrifying the circle pit formed in the middle of the floor section looked like one from a pure Death Metal show, putting a huge smile on everyone’s faces including of course Mikael, who was visibly touched by the beyond warm reaction from the sold-out venue. Everyone was singing along with the band, raising their fists, headbanging, and so on, fueling those Swedish rockers to keep hammering our heads with their top-notch metal music until the very end of the night, and after all was said and done it was visible on their faces that it won’t take long for the mighty Dark Tranquillity to take the city of Toronto by storm again.

Setlist
Shivers and Voids
Hours Passed in Exile
Forward Momentum
Unforgivable
Atoma
The Last Imagination
Nothing to No One
Wayward Eyes
One Thought
Cathode Ray Sunshine
Not Nothing
Empty Me
Phantom Days
Lost to Apathy
Misery’s Crown

Band members
Mikael Stanne – vocals
Johan Reinholdz – guitars
Christian Jansson – bass
Martin Brändström – keyboards
Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – Odious Spirit / The Treason Of Consciousness (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

Terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, the debut opus by this Avantgarde Black and Death Metal entity describes an infinite cycle of creation, transformation and destruction of which we are unaware prisoners.

The brainchild of James Oskarbski, a musician from Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States, already active in Execrable and 8 Hour Animal, the ruthless Avantgarde Black/Death Metal entity Odious Spirit plays dark, experimental heavy music with hypnotic and minimal guitars, succeeding in the miraculous aim of fusing together Voivod, Immolation and Mick Barr’s Ocrilim in long and trance-inducing songs, exactly like what can be found in the project’s debut effort The Treason of Consciousness. Written, recorded and mixed by James himself, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, wrapped in a majestic cover painting by Martín Riveros Baxter (with visual design by Francesco Gemelli), and featuring guest musicians Cullen Gallagher on bass and Daniel Torgal on drums, the album is characterized by James’ dense intertwining of guitars, capable of creating cosmic psychedelic vortices that engulf everything and which are often pushed towards heights of paroxysmal violence, terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, while the philosophical themes of the lyrics are refracted in its fractal folds, centered on concepts of space and time, repetition and decadence, thus describing an infinite cycle of creation, transformation and destruction of which we are unaware prisoners.

Like a creature oozing sheer doom and darkness, the trio begins their infernal feast of Black and Death Metal in Long Stretch of Bleeding Light, with James’ cadaverous roars walking hand in hand with the experimental, intricate kitchen by Cullen and Daniel; whereas 11 minutes of wicked experimentations, caustic riffs and venomous beats and fills are offered by such an amazing entity hailing form the United States in The Hissing Pyre, presenting a sick guitar work by James who delivers nonstop scorching riffs that will burn your soul mercilessly. In other words, it can’t get any more intricate and demented than this, flowing into the one hundred percent experimental tune Illuminations, a phantasmagorical creation by Odious Spirit that will drag you to the netherworld before Gnawing the Fabric of Time offers an overdose of cryptic, poetic lyrics gnarled by James (“Placed him there / To fight the strand / Bleeding man / Bleeding man / To fight the strand / Denied”) while the music is a hurricane of unrelenting, visceral Black and Death Metal.  Lastly, we’re treated to over eight minutes of the hammering drums by Daniel and the rumbling bass lines by Cullen in Unbending Follicle, Unending Blight, while James continues to extract darkness and rage from his axe, therefore piercing our damned minds ruthlessly.

James and his untamed beast named Odious Spirit are waiting for you on Instagram with more details about such an interesting project of the underworld, and if you’re brave enough to put your hands on one of the most caustic albums of the current scene (available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), you can grab your copy of it from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page, as well as from Metal Odissey in both the United States and Europe in CD format. The violence and heaviness found in The Treason Of Consciousness, plus of course its unique psychedelic and experimental vibe, make it a must-listen for anyone looking for a breathe of fresh air in heavy music, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Odious Spirit as the years go by and the project continues to explore new lands and sounds exactly like what was done in its debut effort.

Best moments of the album: The Hissing Pyre and Gnawing the Fabric of Time.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Long Stretch of Bleeding Light 6:46
2. The Hissing Pyre 11:02
3. Illuminations 5:18
4. Gnawing the Fabric of Time 4:02
5. Unbending Follicle, Unending Blight 8:31

Band members
James Oskarbski – vocals, guitars

Guest musicians
Cullen Gallagher – bass
Daniel Torgal – drums

Album Review – Barathrum / Überkill (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold this beast of an album by one of Finland’s very first Black Metal bands that proves why they are eternal.

Formed in the distant year of 1991 in the land of ice and snow, Helsinki, Finland-based Black/Doom Metal horde Barathrum needs no introduction, remaining as one of Finland’s very first Black Metal bands and, more importantly, one of the longest-running. Now seven years after the release of their 2017 beast Fanatiko, the band comprised of Demonos Sova on vocals, Ruttokieli on lead guitars, Nuklear Tormentörr on bass, and Vendetta on drums returns in full force with their tenth studio album, the highly anticipated metal attack titled Überkill. A no shenanigans, in-your-face blast of extreme music, Überkill proves that the Finns are, above all, a very great Heavy Metal band, just one that’s jet-black, ass-kicking, and bass-driven as fuck. Simple-yet-sublime pleasures, now and forever. Again, Barathrum are eternal!

Death by Steel is absolutely dark and evil from the very first second, with the dirty riffs by Ruttokieli infesting the atmosphere before Demonos Sova attacks with his demonic gnarls; and blending the obscurity of Black Metal with Hardcore and Rock N’ Roll, the band offers the headbanging Mountain of Bones, led by the classic drumming by Vendetta, whereas a wicked intro gradually morphs into the harsh, metallic feast titled Spark Plugs of Purgatory, again with Demonos Sova crushing our damned souls with his goblin-like vociferations. More of their infernal Punk Rock-infused riffs will penetrate deep inside your dirty mind in Black Magick Rites, while Nuklear Tormentörr and Vendetta craft a rumbling base with their respective bass and drums, and investing in a much darker sound we have Ritual Murder, with Nuklear Tormentörr hammering his bass manically until the music evolves into an absolute chaotic vibe perfect for slamming into the pit.

White Red Black and Pale is another rock and metal extravaganza by those Finnish blasphemers led by the venomous gnarls by Demonos Sova, sounding slow, steady and evil from start to finish, followed by Denial of God, a beautiful name for another impious tune by Barathrum, offering our putrid ears an overdose of harsh sounds while Vendetta pounds his drums in the name of old school Black and Thrash Metal. It’s then time for seven minutes of sheer obscurity and blasphemy in the form of Dark Sorceress, where the cryptic, ritualistic vocals by Demonos Sova match flawlessly with the Doom Metal-inspired sounds blasted by his bandmates, and closing the album we’re treated to the venomous sounds of the title-track Überkill, oozing Barathrum from the very first second, with Ruttokieli stealing the spotlight armed with his wicked, scorching riffs.

Evil has many forms as people like to say, and after listening to Überkill you’ll quickly realize Barathrum are definitely one of the manifestations of everything that’s immoral, sinful and blasphemous. That means they more than nailed it with Überkill, and if you want to join one of the most important hordes in the history of Finnish Black Metal you can start following the band on Facebook, stream their hellish creations on Spotify or any other streaming service, and above all that, purchase their incendiary new spawn from their own BandCamp page or from the KVLT shop. Überkill is the perfect example as to why Barathrum are still alive and kicking (and therefore haunting our damned souls) after so many decades, and I bet those devilish creatures will keep on decimating us all with their undisputed extreme music for many years to come with amazing albums like their newborn beast.

Best moments of the album: Spark Plugs of Purgatory, Ritual Murder and Überkill.

Worst moments of the album: White Red Black and Pale.

Released in 2024 Hammer of Hate

Track listing
1. Death by Steel 4:32
2. Mountain of Bones 4:33
3. Spark Plugs of Purgatory 4:00
4. Black Magick Rites 3:22
5. Ritual Murder 3:44
6. White Red Black and Pale 4:24
7. Denial of God 3:45
8. Dark Sorceress 7:06
9. Überkill 4:59

Band members
Demonos Sova – vocals
Ruttokieli – lead guitars, backing vocals
Nuklear Tormentörr – bass
Vendetta – drums

Guest musicians
Grimharm – bass, backing vocals (live)
Naz – guitars (live)

Album Review – Adorior / Bleed on My Teeth (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

This old school beast will attack once again with their brand new album, a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal.

An expression in Latin meaning “to rise up to attack”, Adorior are a  Black and Death Metal beast formed in 1994 in London, England that has always been the essence and the epitome of Extreme Heavy Metal. Now, after nearly two decades, this avalanche of fist-fucking, speed-thrashing, pitch-black death is about to bury the conformist and comfortable dreamland of nowadays domesticated metal culture with their new album titled Bleed on My Teeth, a nightmare absolute, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal. Recorded and mixed by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios, mastered by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and displaying a demonic artwork by Belial NecroArts, the new opus by vocalist Jaded Lungs, guitarists T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, bassist R.C., and drummer D. Molestör has a lot of dirt under its fingernails, but it finally reanimates the corpse of mind-fucking, repulsive and dangerous music serving the devil, without giving an inch to newer, shitty genre definitions.

Like a train directly from hell the quintet arrives in full force in Begrime Judas, blending Black and Death Metal with endless sulfur and rebelliousness led by the she-demon vocals by Jaded Lungs, not to mention its scorching thrashing riffs; and the rumbling bass by R.C. kicks off the also demented Ophidian Strike, with the galloping drums by D. Molestör inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop before exploding into a demented feast of old school Black Metal. Once again adding an endless amount of Thrash Metal and Hardcore elements to their core essence we’re treated to L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard, while D. Molestör crushes his drums in the most visceral Death Metal way imaginable, whereas in Precipice of Fire the band offers more of the guitar madness blasted by T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, resulting in an infernal metal attack that sounds like it was taken directly from the 80’s.

Jaded Lungs is a beast incarnate in the seven-minute aria of hell titled Sips of Sarin, where her bandmates blast their sonic weapons in the name of evil, allowing her to scream and gnarl with tons of despair, therefore turning it into one of the best moments of the album. It’s quite interesting how all of their songs go beyond the five or six minute mark, and Scavengers of Vengeance couldn’t have been any different than that, sounding insane from start to finish thanks to the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo, whereas the second to last blast of old school blasphemy by Adorior is entitled Moment of Mania, with Jaded Lungs gnarling rabidly amidst a hurricane of chaotic, demented sounds blasted by her bandmates, and with the sound of their riffs being a thing of beauty. Lastly, let’s all face almost seven minutes of impious, sulfurous Death and Thrash Metal made in the UK in the title-track Bleed on My Teeth, with D. Molestör sounding ruthless on drums and, consequently, putting a beyond infernal conclusion to the band’s blackened death and thrash attack.

Bleed on my Teeth is a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, and you will certainly feel this record like it has been tattooed into your bones, but if you don’t, then fuck off and pray that you never will. Hence, keep an eye on their Facebook for news and tour dates, stream their depraved creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the sulfurous Bleed on my Teeth from their own BandCamp page, from the Sepulchral Voice’s BandCamp page, or from the Dark Descent Records webstore as a digisleeve CD, a black LP, a red and black LP, or a cassette. Adorior are still alive and kicking after so many decades on the road, and you better be prepared for their ruthless attack to the sound of their high-octane, unfiltered new album as you’re quickly consumed by evil.

Best moments of the album: Ophidian Strike, Precipice of Fire and Sips of Sarin.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Dark Descent Records/Sepulchral Voice

Track listing
1. Begrime Judas 5:55
2. Ophidian Strike 5:33
3. L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard 6:16
4. Precipice of Fire 5:40
5. Sips of Sarin 7:08
6. Scavengers of Vengeance 6:29
7. Moment of Mania 5:52
8. Bleed on My Teeth 6:51

Band members
Jaded Lungs – vocals
T. Slutsodomizer – guitars
S. Assassinator – guitars
R.C. – bass
D. Molestör – drums

Album Review – Solitary / Embrace The Darkness (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most important Thrash Metal bands to ever arise form the UK is back in action with a caustic new album, their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.

We live in dark times; times of war, pandemics, grief and horror. These are the days of division, where we turn against each other in politically driven hatred and against ourselves, choking on a social media diet of self-loathing and isolation. Hailing from Preston, a city in Lancashire, northern England, UK’s resolute and relentless kings of Thrash Metal, Solitary, have tapped into the thick, black blood that pulses sluggishly through the fat and filth congested veins of society, culminating with the birth of their caustic new album titled Embrace The Darkness, the follow-up to their 2020 beast The Truth Behind the Lies. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Simon Efemey at Headline Music Studios, and embraced by a sick artwork by Koot (which would look amazing as a tattoo), the new beast by Richard Sherrington on vocals and rhythm guitar, Andy Mellor on lead guitar, Gareth Harrop on bass, and Roy Miller on drums is their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.

The intro III.XXIII.MMXX offers a modern-day, visceral and acid start that will darken the skies before Solitary come crushing our damned souls in the title-track Embrace the Darkness, with Richard already roaring manically from the bottom of his blackened heart supported by the hammering drums by Roy and an overdose of caustic riffs. It’s then pedal to the metal to the sound of the infuriated Settle Scores the Old Way, a sharp, ruthless Thrash Metal attack perfect for a good brawl at the pub, whereas Richard and Andy continue to extract total chaos and heaviness from their axes in Virtues, an old school thrashing hurricane that will put you to headbang like a beast. And the band once again speeds things up and delivers a demolishing sound in Bury It Now, another amazing display of their undisputed Thrash Metal where their scorching riffs and rumbling bass match perfectly with the venomous vocals by Richard.

The circle pit keeps moving fast and wildly in Beneath the Surface, with the hammering drums by Roy and the low-tuned, massive bass lines by Gareth building a solid foundation for the harsh vociferations by Richard; and the band shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, offering more of their violent and strident music in the form of The Disappeared, with Richard and Andy delivering an endless dosage of fury through their riffs. Then a Slayer-inspired riff will crush your damned skull to pieces in Section 21, where the band showcases their trademark sonority originally crafted back in the 90’s without sounding outdated or boring at all, followed by Filtering Hindsight, the last song of the digital version of the album which will inspire you to break your neck headbanging together with Solitary, although it lacks the same demented energy of the rest of the album. Furthermore, if you go for the vinyl edition of the album you’ll be treated to the bonus song Divided And Demented, absolutely worth every penny invested in the vinyl version as it’s pure British thrash spearheaded by the infernal growling by Richard; whereas if you buy the CD version you’ll get their cover version for The Exploited’s hit Beat the Bastards (check the official live video by The Exploited for the original song HERE), and as you can already imagine Solitary simply nailed it with their undisputed, electrifying thrashing twist.

The world as we know it is coming to its inevitable dark end, but of course at least we have amazing bands like Solitary among us to provide us with high quality music perfect for doomsday, like what they have to offer us all in Embrace The Darkness. Hence, don’t forget to give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their wicked creations on Spotify (or any other streaming platform), and grab a copy of their austere new album from their own website, from BandCamp, or by clicking HERE. It’s time to join Solitary in their quest for Thrash Metal, and of course, prepare to Embrace The Darkness!

Best moments of the album: Settle Scores the Old Way, Bury It Now and The Disappeared.

Worst moments of the album: Filtering Hindsight.

Released in 2024 Twisted into Form

Track listing
1. III.XXIII.MMXX 1:01
2. Embrace the Darkness 4:49
3. Settle Scores the Old Way 3:43
4. Virtues 4:42
5. Bury It Now 3:30
6. Beneath the Surface 3:34
7. The Disappeared 2:08
8. Section 21 3:49
9. Filtering Hindsight 3:33

Vinyl bonus track
10. Divided And Demented 3:20

CD bonus track
11. Beat the Bastards (The Exploited cover) 2:20

Band members
Richard Sherrington – vocals, rhythm guitar
Andy Mellor – lead guitar
Gareth Harrop – bass
Roy Miller – drums

Album Review – Demiser / Slave to the Scythe (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

Like a lumbering, ferocious beast, this South Carolina-based Blackened Thrash Metal behemoth will destroy everything in their path armed with their sophomore opus.

Like a lumbering, ferocious beast awoken from a centuries-long slumber, the Blackened Thrash Metal behemoth known as Demiser emerged from the primordial ooze of the South Carolina metal scene in 2017, unleashing their debut effort Through the Gate Eternal back in 2021. Now in 2024 the band formed of Demiser the Demiser on occult liturgic blasphemy (vocals), Gravepisser on six-stringed satanic fukklord (guitars), Phallomancer on abysmal rhythm of death (guitars), Defiler on dismal baritone curator (bass), and Infestor on purveyor of percussive bile (drums) brings forward their sophomore opus, titled Slave to the Scythe, a devastatingly intense slab of work, an aural harbinger of hellish intent that sees the band blend 80’s Thrash Metal, first-wave Black Metal, Death Metal and a healthy dose of NWOBHM. Recorded by Chase McGuckin at Seaboard Recording Studio, and displaying a demonic artwork by Lucas Ruggieri, Slave to the Scythe is the work of a band of men determined to destroy everything in their path. Musically, of course.

Infestor kicks off the band’s depraved party in Feast, a devastating Death and Thrash Metal tune where Demiser the Demiser gnarls nonstop in the name of evil; whereas Gravepisser and Phallomancer deliver sheer rage through their caustic riffs in the title-track Slave to the Scythe, another fast-paced, circle pit catalyst by the quintet. Then inspired by other amazing underground bands like Midnight, it’s time for Defiler and Infestor to make the earth shake in Carbureted Speed, offering Demiser the Demiser exactly what he needs to roar manically in this Punk Rock-infused thrashing extravaganza, and it’s pedal to the metal with the band’s guitar duo showing no mercy for our souls in Phallomancer the Phallomancer, slashing their axes like there’s no tomorrow.

After that we have a serene, acoustic Interlude, working as the calm before the storm titled Total Demise, where Infestor speeds things up with his demented beats and fills, inviting us all to slam into the mosh pit like true metal maniacs. Their thrashing feast with hints of Death Metal goes on in full force in Hell Is Full of Fire, with Demiser the Demiser and Infestor sounding ruthless armed with their respective roars and beats, and those demonic beasts will carve their teeth deep inside your flesh in Infernal Bust, offering more of their rumbling bass and drums courtesy of Defiler and Infestor, while Demiser the Demiser continues to vociferate like a demented creature of darkness. Finally, we face In Nomine Baphomet, the most epic and detailed of all songs, showcasing layers of sulfur, wrath and aggression by such an amazing name of the underground where all band members are on fire during the whole song, with Infestor once again stealing the show with his fusion of Black, Thrash and Death Metal beats and fills, putting a darkly and insanely epic finale to the album.

The band’s influences include the likes of Venom, Bathory, Slayer, Motörhead, and Deströyer 666, plus movies like Terminator 2, Commando, and Predator (or pretty much anything Arnold Schwarzenegger, to be fair), with the overarching themes on Slave to the Scythe being essentially “hell, fire and hellfire.” There are no ballads, no love songs, just plain devilish music for devilish people that was largely written on the road, and if you want to feel that fire burning your putrid body for all eternity you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and obviously purchase a copy of the excellent Slave to the Scythe from their own BandCamp page or from the Blacklight Media Records’ webstore. In other words, if your impure soul is going to burn in hell, may that happen to the sound of one of the most bestial thrashing albums of the year.

Best moments of the album: Carbureted Speed, Hell Is Full of Fire and In Nomine Baphomet.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records/Blacklight Media Records

Track listing
1. Feast 4:10
2. Slave to the Scythe 4:37
3. Carbureted Speed 3:39
4. Phallomancer the Phallomancer 4:39
5. Interlude 2:45
6. Total Demise 4:54
7. Hell Is Full of Fire 3:48
8. Infernal Bust 3:49
9. In Nomine Baphomet 8:03

Band members
Demiser the Demiser – vocals
Gravepisser – guitars
Phallomancer – guitars
Defiler – bass
Infestor – drums

Album Review – Fleshgod Apocalypse / Opera (2024)

Posted on by
4

After emerging back in full force in 2023, one of the torchbearers of Symphonic Death Metal worldwide returns with their strongest opus to date.

Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, produced by Francesco Paoli and Francesco Ferrini, and displaying a striking artwork by Felicita Fiorini and Francesco Esposito, the breathtaking Opera, the brand new album by Italian Symphonic/Technical Death Metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse, is much more than just the follow-up to their 2019 album Veleno. Opera is their first album after the band’s frontman and mastermind Francesco Paoli was involved in a near death climbing accident, resulting in years of recovery and the band’s temporary hiatus; however, after emerging back in full force in 2023, commanding audiences on tours throughout Europe, the band formed of Francesco Paoli alongside Veronica Bordacchini on vocals, Fabio Bartoletti on lead guitars, Francesco Ferrini on the piano and orchestrations, and Eugene Ryabchenko on drums is on absolute fire during their entire new album, a life affirming release that will surely please all fans of the band and feature among the best albums of the year worldwide.

Ode to Art (De’ sepolcri) feels like the opening scenes of a classic movie, with the operatic elements in the background spiraling inside our minds until all hell breaks loose in I Can Never Die, with Francesco Paoli roaring its poetic lyrics (“This life is mine forever / Who free from fears I smile at death / As I become immortal / Writing with my blood on this wall, words that you’ll never forget / My story engraved with these bones and no regret / I burned my nerves / I ripped my heart out to feel alive / I made a pact with my own devils / Thus, I can never die”) amidst a lecture in Symphonic Death Metal. Pendulum sounds even heavier and more neck-breaking than the previous tune, with Eugene hammering his drums like a demented Death Metal beast, whereas the heaviness flowing form the guitars by Francesco Paoli and Fabio in Bloodclock is insane, boosted by the whimsical, cinematic keys by Francesco Ferrini. And the mesmerizing vocals by Veronica add a touch of finesse to At War with My Soul, a demented aria of Symphonic Death Metal with Eugene’s beats and fills sounding yet again inhumane.

Despite the heaviness and speed in Morphine Waltz, the music sounds out of place compared to the epicness of the other songs of the album, albeit Fabio’s guitar solo is amazing; and his guitar work is also superb in Matricide 8.21, redefining the meaning of Metal Opera, where Francesco Paoli and Veronica make a darkly hypnotizing vocal duo embraced by the classy piano and orchestrations by Francesco Ferrini. Per Aspera ad Astra, a Latin saying going back 2000 years which translated means “through adversity to the stars”, is another vicious Symphonic Black and Death Metal onrush by Fleshgod Apocalypse with all instruments sounding in absolute sync, setting total fire to the atmosphere. There’s still time for more symphonic madness in Till Death Do Us Part, starting in a serene manner to the passionate vocals by Veronica, evolving into a touching, obscure ballad before the album ends with Opera, a cinematic, cryptic outro led by the classic piano by Francesco Ferrini.

The guys (and girl) from Fleshgod Apocalypse are more than eager to know what you have to say about their new album (which you can purchase by clicking HERE, and also stream in its entirety on Spotify and on YouTube) on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can also stay updated with all of their amazing concerts and tours, and don’t forget to also stream more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify. Opera is an absolute beast of an album, and after his near death experience I’m sure Francesco Paoli will keep bringing that terrifying yet stunning darkness to the music by Fleshgod Apocalypse just like what he did in the band’s newborn opus, by far one of the strongest of the genre from the past few years.

Best moments of the album: I Can Never Die, At War with My Soul, Matricide 8.21 and Per Aspera ad Astra.

Worst moments of the album: Morphine Waltz.

Released in 2024 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Ode to Art (De’ sepolcri) 2:18
2. I Can Never Die 4:30
3. Pendulum 3:58
4. Bloodclock 5:14
5. At War with My Soul 5:06
6. Morphine Waltz 3:36
7. Matricide 8.21 5:35
8. Per Aspera ad Astra 4:48
9. Till Death Do Us Part 5:31
10. Opera 2:44

Band members
Francesco Paoli – lead vocals, guitars, bass
Veronica Bordacchini – vocals (soprano)
Fabio Bartoletti – lead guitars
Francesco Ferrini – piano, orchestrations
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums

Album Review – Hell Is Other People / Moirae (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

This Canadian entity will show you that hell is other people with their excellent newborn spawn of Black Metal, imbibing influences from several of its related subgenres.

Hailing from Windsor, a city in Ontario, Canada, across the Detroit River from the US city of Detroit, Post-Black Metal outfit Hell is Other People (by the way, “Hell Is Other People” is a quote from Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit) has elegantly and passionately crafted a brilliant Black Metal album, titled Moirae (which means “goddesses of fate or destiny” in Greek), that imbibes influences from several of its related subgenres such as Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal and even DSBM in parts, forming a cohesive, expressive and all-encompassing sound that the band is comfortable in carrying throughout. Displaying a stunning cover art by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Nathan Ferreira on vocals and bass, Nathan Boots and Nicholas Luck on the guitars, and James Ditty on drums is a beautifully tempered opus with a remarkable range of expression that comes across as genuine and heartfelt, being recommended for fans of Agalloch, Altar of Plagues, Winterfylleth, White Ward, and Drudkh.

The dark, caustic riffs by Nathan Boots and Nicholas walk hand in hand with the sluggish Doom Metal beats by James in the title-track Moirae, while the vocals by Nathan Ferreira exhale pure Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding anguished and grim. Moreover, it’s impressive how they sound devilish while at the same time so elegant and delicate throughout the entire song. Fates keeps the ambience as somber and pensive as possible, with the hammering drums by James dictating the pace while Nathan Ferreira continues to roar and gnarl in a great fusion of Black Metal with Post-Metal, followed by Degrade, offering us all almost eight minutes of breathtaking, deep and meaningful music that will tear your soul apart to the minimalist yet sharp and austere riffage by the band’s guitar duo, starting in a serene manner before the band attacks once again with their visceral Post-Black Metal, building an instant bridge with the also venomous Loss, where Nathan’s enraged growls are nicely boosted by the intricate yet demented drumming by James while their guitars continue to exhale the harshest and most piercing sounds found in contemporary extreme music. And all comes to a climatic and epic conclusion in Atropos, offering our damned ears an overdose of heaviness and atmospheric elements, with James kicking our asses on drums, while Nathan Boots and Nicholas continue to cut our skin deep with their razor-edged axes, with all layers, breaks, passages and variations turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

If you want to put your damned, dirty hands on the excellent Moirae, you can find the album available from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page, main store, US store, or EU store in different formats and as part of some very special bundles, and don’t forget to also give those talented Canadian musicians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on the announcements of their live concerts, to stream their music on Spotify, and to stay updated with all things Hell Is Other People by clicking HERE. In the end, after listening to Moirae, you’ll finally realize that hell is indeed other people, and that the Post-Black Metal by this amazing Canadian band is perfect for representing all that darkness and melancholy found inside each one of us.

Best moments of the album: Moirae and Atropos.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Moirae 6:58
2. Fates 6:43
3. Degrade 7:48
4. Loss 8:45
5. Atropos 13:28

Band members
Nathan Ferreira – vocals, bass
Nathan Boots – guitars
Nicholas Luck – guitars
James Ditty – drums

Album Review – Surtalog / Ragnarök – Schicksal der Götter, Tod der Menschen und Ende der Welten (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

Ragnarök is upon us all, and there’s nothing better than enjoying it to the sound of some first-class Progressive and Pagan Black Metal made in Germany.

Combining storming Black Metal with progressive influences in order to create their unique sound, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s own Progressive/Pagan Black Metal horde Surtalog is unleashing upon us their new beast titled Ragnarök – Schicksal der Götter, Tod der Menschen und Ende der Welten (or “Ragnarök – Fate of Gods, Death of Men and End of Worlds” in English), a concept album about the end of the world in Norse Mythology. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Florian Dammasch at Nightside Audio, and with logo and artwork by Timon Kokott, the album is a must-listen 75-minute sonic journey for fans of bands such as Helrunar, Windir, ​Kampfar, Fimbulvet, Graveland, and Falkenbach, all masterfully crafted by Lukas “Surtuz” S. on vocals, guitars and orchestrations, Alex W. on lead guitars, Kolja “Centrox” B. on bass, and Nils “Phobos” S. on drums.

Prolog – Weissagung (“Prologue – Prophecy”) is an epic, cinematic start to the album, offering nine minutes of atmospheric passages and imposing sounds, with the guitars by Lukas and Alex exhaling heaviness and harmony while also overflowing progressiveness and intricacy, flowing into the instrumental interlude Praeludium ad Fortunam Deorum (“Prelude to the Fate of Gods”), before  exploding into I. Akt – Hass und Missgunst (“I. Act – Hate and Resentment”), with the harsh vociferations by Lukas matching perfectly with all background sounds and tones, all spearheaded by the classic drumming by Nils. Then venturing through the realms of Doom Metal, it’s time for II. Akt – Fimbulwinter (“II. Act – Awful, Mighty Winter”), offering us all 11 minutes of progressiveness, heaviness and epic passages, with the sound of their drums and riffs penetrating deep inside our minds.

After that, we have the epic interlude Heimdalls Horn Ruft Uns Nun (“Heimdall´s Horn Calls Us Now”), inviting us all to join the band into the battlefield to the sound of III. Akt – Die Letzte Schlacht (“III. Act – The Last Battle”), bringing forward 13 minutes of sheer devastation and power, with the piercing riffs by Lukas and Alex exhaling Black Metal magic supported by the rumbling bass by Kolja, with its second half being a lecture in progressiveness and experimentations. We then face the Progressive Death Metal attack titled IV. Akt – Weltenbrand (“IV. Act – Burning of Worlds”), where Nils once again sounds ruthless behind his drums; followed by Die Leere der Welten (“The Emptiness of Worlds”), offering us all four minutes of serene, melancholic sounds, albeit it could have been slightly shorter, but it does its job of prepping us for V. Akt – Untergang (“V. Act – Downfall”), a 14-minute feast of harsh vociferations, strident riffs, rhythmic beats, and a strong sense of darkness and melancholy, before all morphs into an atmospheric passage and ends in an epic and climatic manner. Lastly, hope arises in the closing song Epilog – Neubeginn (“Epilogue – New Beginning”), where a mysterious female vocalist brings joy and peace to our blackened hearts while the band delivers delicate acoustic sounds until the very last second.

In summary, the bold and multi-layered Ragnarök – Schicksal der Götter, Tod der Menschen und Ende der Welten is the perfect soundtrack for the end of the world, it doesn’t matter if in Norse Mythology or in our present-day society, and you can show your support and admiration for those Teutonic bringers of doom by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their music on Spotify (or any other platform), and obviously by purchasing their new album from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Because you know, if Ragnarök is truly upon us, let it be to the sound of some first-class Progressive and Pagan Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: I. Akt – Hass und Missgunst, III. Akt – Die Letzte Schlacht and V. Akt – Untergang.

Worst moments of the album: Die Leere der Welten.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Prolog – Weissagung 9:06
2. Praeludium ad Fortunam Deorum 4:04
3. I. Akt – Hass und Missgunst 5:46
4. II. Akt – Fimbulwinter 11:39
5. Heimdalls Horn Ruft Uns Nun 2:31
6. III. Akt – Die Letzte Schlacht 13:01
7. IV. Akt – Weltenbrand 5:38
8. Die Leere der Welten 4:00
9. V. Akt – Untergang 14:41
10 .Epilog – Neubeginn 4:34

Band members
Lukas “Surtuz” S. – vocals, rhythm & acoustic guitars, orchestrations
Alex W. – lead guitars
Kolja “Centrox” B. – bass, backing vocals
Nils “Phobos” S. – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Invocation / The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures) (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

This ruthless Chilean horde returns with more of their “Ritualistic and Hypnotic Black and Death Metal”, canvassing past, present, and future in their first full-length offering.

At long last, nearly a decade after their formation, Valparaíso, Chile-based Black/Death Metal horde Invocation are unleashing their first full-length opus, beautifully entitled The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures), the follow-up to their 2020 EP Attunement to Death. Recorded and mixed by E. Brisso at Equinox Studio, mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio, and displaying a Stygian artwork by Abomination Hammer, the new album by Sense of Premonition on vocals and guitars, Sense of Clairvoyance on bass, and Sense of Clairaudience on drums offers us all more of what the band likes to call “Ritualistic and Hypnotic Black and Death Metal”, canvassing past, present, and future and fittingly framing it with another gritty analog recording rich with sulfurous fire and sepulchral echoes.

Extreme aggression and obscurity flows from all instruments in Ecstatic Trance, where you can sense the fumes emanating from the deep roars by Sense of Premonition, who’s also infernal armed with his stringed axe, followed by The Serpent of Faardal, just as hellish and grim as the opening track, with the rumbling sounds blasted by Sense of Clairvoyance and Sense of Clairaudience showcasing a spot-on balance between Death and Black Metal. Opium Thebiacum (Somniferum) again presents the darkest elements of Black Metal while Sense of Premonition’s primeval gnarls exhale old school Death Metal; and it’s pedal to the metal as the trio will crush our cranial skulls to pieces in Metamorphosis, a vile, demonic attack where the hammering drums by Sense of Clairaudience sound truly evil.

The band shows absolutely no mercy for our rotten souls in Horn of Colima, again blasting sheer Black and Death Metal madness through the scorching riffs by Sense of Premonition and the thunderous, low-tuned bass by Sense of Clairvoyance, and there’s still a lot of fuel to burn, starting with The Psicopompos, offering more of the band’s trademark extreme sounds, with Sense of Clairaudience stealing the spotlight with his unstoppable blast beats. There’s no sign of the trio slowing down or playing any type of mellow music; quite the contrary, they offer the sulfur-infused aria Venus of Laussel, another blast of the underground led by the gruesome vociferations by Sense of Premonition, whereas last but not least the trio will evoke the powers of the underworld in Hypnosis, sounding absolutely harsh, raw and demonic.

It was only a matter of time before Invocation delivered a debut album to capitalize on the massive potential they displayed on their short-lengths, and with The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures), they now can enter the hallowed ranks of fellow cult countrymen Force of Darkness, Slaughtbbath, and the sorely missed Hades Archer, among others, for standard-bearers of classic South American madness. Hence, if you want to feel that metal madness flowing through your veins, you can find more about the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and above all that, purchase their sulfurous newborn spawn from their own website or from their BandCamp page, inspiring Invocation to keep spearheading the Chilean underground with their endless rage, blasphemy and heaviness for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Ecstatic Trance, Metamorphosis and The Psicopompos.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Iron Bonehead

Track listing
1. Ecstatic Trance 3:49
2. The Serpent of Faardal 3:31
3. Opium Thebiacum (Somniferum) 3:54
4. Metamorphosis 4:07
5. Horn of Colima 3:57
6. The Psicopompos 4:17
7. Venus of Laussel 4:52
8. Hypnosis 5:36

Band members
Sense of Premonition – vocals, guitars
Sense of Clairvoyance – bass
Sense of Clairaudience – drums