Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review – Intolerance / Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void (2024)

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This insane Spanish Death Metal outfit attacks again with their sophomore offering, continuing their masterful march and finding themselves in the embrace of evil.

Hailing from Zaragoza, Spain, the Death Metal mongrels collectively known as Intolerance have been paying homage to timeless Death Metal (and the fetid stench that exuded from the malicious tones of the bands that populated the scene and helped define the genre back in the late ’80s and the early ’90s) since their inception back in 2015, culminating now in 2024 with the release of their sophomore opus, titled Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Moontower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Juan Alberto Hernandez, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Dark Paths of Humanity is a beast of an album where vocalist and guitarist P., guitarist W., bassist J. and drummer D. continue their masterful march and find themselves in the embrace of evil.

Like a creature arising form the underworld, the ominous intro Towards Perdition will darken the skies before all hell breaks loose in the pulverizing Fade Into Oblivion, an old school Death Metal extravaganza led by the vicious growls by P. and the decimating drums by D. highly recommended for some sick headbanging and of course some action inside the circle pit; followed by The Dark Forest, a violent, brutal and demonic display of the band’s Death Metal, with their guitars exhaling heaviness while P. continues to roar in a lecture in extreme music. And Rite of Passage is a straightforward creation by the quartet with the riffs by P. and W. sounding truly evil and caustic throughout the entire song for our vulgar delectation.

After that we face Hand of Glory, offering our avid and putrid ears six minutes of top-of-the-line extreme music made in Spain, with once again the vocals by P. sounding inhumane and gory, not to mention how intricate the drums by D. are, giving the song extra layers of insanity; and D. keeps hammering his drums in Devourer of Worlds, with his bandmates slashing their stringed axes nonstop, in special J. with his heavy-as-hell bass lines,or another song highly recommended for breaking your neck headbanging. The sulfurous Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void will inspire you to slam into the circle pit like a demented creature to the visceral riffs by P. and W. and the always pounding drums by D., resulting in one of the most destructive of all songs; and last but not least, a wild roar by P. kicks off the closing aria Melting Skies, presenting all elements form the band’s core sonority, plus a few haunting moments inserted halfway through the song; however, it’s not as exciting as the rest of the album.

Spanish extreme music has always been an absolute blast for us metalheads, and of course Intolerance keeps fueling our Death Metal inner flame in great fashion with their newborn opus. Hence, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their sick music on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void from Memento Mori or from Godz ov War Productions, joining such an amazing and hardworking band on their quest for old school Death Metal towards an endless void.

Best moments of the album: The Dark Forest, Hand of Glory and Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void.

Worst moments of the album: Melting Skies.

Released in 2024 Memento Mori/Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Towards Perdition 1:06
2. Fade Into Oblivion 4:17
3. The Dark Forest 4:37
4. Rite of Passage 3:58
5. Hand of Glory 6:09
6. Devourer of Worlds 4:15
7. Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void 5:58
8. Melting Skies 6:46

Band members
P. – vocals, guitars
W. – guitars
J. – bass
D. – drums

Album Review – Atavistia / Inane Ducam EP (2024)

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One of the most interesting names of the Vancouver, Canada scene is back with an amazing new EP, an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet.

Exploring various forms of metal within their music, resulting in a symphonic mix of nature, atmosphere, and technically precise musicianship, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Melodic/Symphonic Death Metal act Atavistia is ready to unleash a brand new EP titled Inane Ducam, which translates as “I will lead into nothingness”, and sometimes you’ll even find the album labeled as Inane Ducam (I Will Lead Into Nothingness), an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet. Produced and engineered by Mattias Sippola and Max Sepulveda, recorded at Atavistic Studios, mixed by Mattias Sippola, and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, the album includes some of the most complex guitar riffs, fastest drums, and bellowing screams by vocalist and guitarist Mattias Sippola, newcomers Elia Baghbaniyan on the guitars and Spencer Budworth on bass, and drummer Max Sepulveda, perfectly depicting the diversity of Atavistia much like a forest in the full bloom of spring.

The title-track Inane Ducam is an atmospheric, cryptic intro that kicks things off by setting the stage for the band to darken the skies in Timeless Despair, an explosive Melodic Death Metal aria bursting with epicness thanks to all symphonic elements in the background, while Max hammers his drums in the name of extreme music, perfectly supporting Mattias’ devilish vocals. Then we have Dark Isolation, sounding even more imposing and bold, a multi-layered composition showcasing the caustic riffs by Mattias and Elia while Spencer keeps the ambience as heavy and it can be with his bass lines. Unattained Creation is another wicked creation by the band where the austere, harsh roars by Mattias match perfectly with the rumbling bass and drums by Spencer and Max, respectively, flowing into the closing song of the EP, titled The Void, which is also the most detailed grim and infernal of all tracks, with Mattias leading his horde with his hellish growls while Max keeps blasting his drums like a demented beast, resulting in over seven minutes of first-class metal music that put a beyond climatic ending to the album.

If you want to know more about Atavistia, their music, tour dates and so on, you can start following and supporting one of the most interesting names of the current Canadian metal scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the excellent Inane Ducam from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Atavistia keep exploring new lands in Inane Ducam while always remaining loyal to their origins, and that translates into some amazing heavy music that I’m sure you’ll enjoy a lot as soon as you take your very first listen to their new release, undoubtedly one of the best EP’s of 2024 so far.

Best moments of the album: Dark Isolation and The Void.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Inane Ducam 1:41
2. Timeless Despair 3:55
3. Dark Isolation 5:23
4. Unattained Creation 5:17
5. The Void 7:06

Band members
Mattias Sippola – vocals, guitars
Elia Baghbaniyan – guitars
Spencer Budworth – bass, backing vocals
Max Sepulveda – drums

Album Review – Disloyal / Divine Miasmata (2024)

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One of Poland’s most ruthless Death Metal bands returns to action armed with their most complex, atmospheric and obscure record to date.

Recorded at Monroe Sound Studio and engineered, mixed and mastered by Arkadiusz “Aro” Jablonski, with the main cover artwork by NaphulaArt adding a visually stunning dimension to the release, the heavy-as-hell Divine Miasmata is the fifth studio effort by Polish Death Metal veterans Disloyal, marking the band’s natural progression in their already infernal path. Divine Miasmata is a proposal that simply cannot be ignored, easily the band’s most complex, catchiest, most atmospheric, grooviest, and darkest record to date, combining hard-labor musical craftsmanship with top-notch artistic finesse, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist Konstantin Kolesnikov, guitarists Artyom Serdyuk and Yahor Liatkouski, bassist Kolya Kislyi, and drummer Jaroslaw Paprota, proving why the band has been standing strong since their inception in 1997.

Just hit play and the ominous intro Divine Miasmata will drag you to Disloyal’s devilish realm, decimating your putrid soul in Silent Revolution by offering us all five minutes of ruthless, deep and evil Death Metal spearheaded by the gruesome roars by Konstantin, with the dissonant guitars by Artyom and Yahor sounding truly haunting. Jaroslaw keeps crushing his drums in the name of old school Death Metal in The Black Pope, an infernal creation by the quintet where the deep gnarls by Konstantin get more demonic than ever; and it’s impressive how they sound so heavy and evil, but at the same time very melodic, which is also the case in 1347-1352, where the band’s guitar duo will slash your ears with their strident riffs and solos in over six minutes of first-class Polish Death Metal. Then it’s  time to bang our heads like there’s no tomorrow and break our necks like demented beasts is Stella Peccatorum, again presenting their characteristic riffage supported by the rumbling bass by Kolya.

Jaroslaw dictates the massive, heavy-as-hell rhythm behind his drums in Betrayed Faith, a hammering tune by Disloyal that should ignite some sick mosh pits whenever played live; whereas the band continues to breathe sulfur and hatred in Religion of Warfare, a pulverizing song showcasing all their passion for Death Metal, with Konstantin once again sounding inhumane on vocals by growling and gnarling nonstop. The band enhances their progressiveness in Ravens of Starvation, based on a poem by Diana Suhova, delivering an almost Technical and Progressive Death Metal extravaganza tailored for admirers of the genre, all boosted by the infernal deep roars by Konstantin; and closing the album we have the also pounding, visceral The Ascension of Abaddon, a direct, in your-face Death Metal onrush that will smash your skeleton mercilessly thanks to the vile riffage by the band’s guitar duo and the always crushing beats by Jaroslaw, ending in a somber, melancholic and climatic way.

If you want to put your hands on Divine Miasmata and show your utmost support to one of the most important bands of the current Polish extreme music scene, you can buy your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE or HERE, and also find more information about Disloyal on Facebook and on Instagram (including their ass-kicking live shows), and stream their amazing creations on Spotify, keeping the fires of Death Metal burning bright while you enjoy one of the most visceral and demented albums of the year hailing from Poland.

Best moments of the album: The Black Pope, Stella Peccatorum and The Ascension of Abaddon.

Worst moments of the album: Silent Revolution.

Released in 2024 Black Lion Records

Track listing
1. Divine Miasmata 2:20
2. Silent Revolution 5:10
3. The Black Pope 5:28
4. 1347-1352 6:34
5. Stella Peccatorum 6:20
6. Betrayed Faith 6:43
7. Religion of Warfare 5:43
8. Ravens of Starvation 5:15
9. The Ascension of Abaddon 6:37

Band members
Konstantin Kolesnikov – vocals
Artyom Serdyuk – guitars
Yahor Liatkouski – guitars
Kolya Kislyi – bass
Jaroslaw Paprota – drums

Album Review – Wound Collector / Begging For Chicxulub EP (2024)

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Professional saxophonist and composer Peter Verdonck and his henchmen are back with a striking new EP, offering us all four songs of first-class Progressive Death Metal made in Belgium.

The brainchild of Peter Verdonck, a renowned professional saxophonist and composer who has earned his stripes in performances across the globe with Thelema Trio, Manngold de Cobre, The Rhythm Junks, De Pandoering, Ambrassband and many more, although his heart truly beats for Death Metal, Melsele, East Flanders, Belgium-based Progressive Death Metal outfit Wound Collector is set to unleash upon us a brand new four-track EP titled Begging For Chicxulub, the follow-up to their 2020 sophomore album Depravity. Currently formed of Peter Verdonck on vocals, saxophone and arrangements alongside Poncho Gavall (Pestifer) and Guy Van Campenhout (Hangman’s Hymn, Splendidula) on the guitars, Stijn Deldaele (Beat Love Oracle, Vesper) on bass and Nico Veroeven (Serial Butcher, Carrion) on drums, Wound Collector play an amalgamation of styles perfect for fans of Nile, Imperial Triumphant, Sarpanitum, Immolation and so on, with their new short and sweet EP beautifully showing a good sample of what they’re capable of.

The band puts the pedal to the metal in the opener River Of Scalded Corpses, with Nico delivering violent but intricate beats while Poncho and Guy sound insane armed with their riffs and solos in a multi-layered Progressive Death Metal feats tailored for admirers of the style; and  they continue their feast of brutal yet detailed Death Metal in Progress Through Dishonor, with the saxophone by Peter adding an extra touch of insanity to their music, not to mention how deep and enraged Peter’s vocals sound and feel. Then the striking fusion of the delicacy of the saxophone with the bestial roars by Peter and the caustic riffage by Poncho and Guy set the tone in Dehumanized By The Auburn System, flowing smoothly until the very last second, while Chicxulub is a ruthless explosion of Progressive and Technical Death Metal by the band where Nico once again dictates the pace with his demented drumming, not to mention Peter’s saxophone adds even more electricity to it, resulting in the best song of the EP hands down.

The multi-talented Peter and his henchmen are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and so on, and of course don’t forget to stream more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of their excellent EP from their Big Cartel, BandCamp, or by clicking HERE. If you’ve never experienced Death Metal infused with the smooth and powerful sound of a saxophone, you’ll have an absolute blast listening to Wound Collector, with their new EP being exactly what you need to “relax inside a mosh pit”, if you know what I mean.

Best moments of the album: River Of Scalded Corpses and Chicxulub.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. River Of Scalded Corpses 3:30
2. Progress Through Dishonor 3:40
3. Dehumanized By The Auburn System 3:41
4. Chicxulub 3:20

Band members
Peter Verdonck – vocals, saxophone, arrangements
Poncho Gavall – lead guitars
Guy Van Campenhout – guitars
Stijn Deldaele – bass guitar
Nico Veroeven – drums

Album Review – Axel Rudi Pell / Risen Symbol (2024)

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Bochum, Germany’s own metal institution strikes again with their twenty second studio album, flying the Melodic Hard Rock flag without watering down their style.

Following up on their 2022 album Lost XXIII, and continuing their streak of one album every two years, Bochum, Germany’s own Heavy Metal/Hard Rock institution Axel Rudi Pell will attack our senses once again with their twenty second opus, entitled Risen Symbol, flying the Melodic Hard Rock flag without watering down their style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks. Displaying a fiery artwork taking up where their 1996 album Black Moon Pyramid left off, the band formed of the unstoppable guitarist Axel Rudi Pell and his henchmen Johnny Gioeli on vocals, Volker Krawczak on bass, Ferdy Doernberg on keyboards, and Bobby Rondinelli on drums offers a well-balanced and thrilling mix of catchy rhythms and powerful riffs, resulting in one of their strongest albums of the past decade.

The Resurrection, one of those characteristic intros by Axel Rudi Pell, sounds atmospheric, magical and whimsical, revving up their engines for Forever Strong, where Axel already begins slashing his guitars in great fashion supported by the always pounding drums by Bobby in a lecture in old school Heavy Metal and Hard Rock without sounding outdated, almost feeling like a Power Metal attack. Then we’re treated to Guardian Angel, one of the two singles released before the official album saw the light of day, which couldn’t have sounded more Axel Rudi Pell than this, where Johnny as usual steals the spotlight with his soaring, striking vocal lines; followed by their incendiary cover for Led Zeppelin’s all-time classic Immigrant Song, and Axel and his crew made sure they delivered a stunning rendition of the original one, with Johnny being simply flawless on vocals. And Darkest Hour, the first single of the album, is an amazing Hard Rock tune with Volker, Ferdy and Bobby crafting a rumbling ambience for Axel to slash his stringed axe, delivering incendiary riffs and solos nonstop.

Then you better get ready for ten minutes of undisputed, beautiful Heavy Metal and Hard Rock in the form of Ankhaia, bringing to our ears another explosion of soaring vocals, striking riffs and classic beats, resulting in an imposing aria that presents everything we love in the music by Axel Rudi Pell and more; whereas Hell’s On Fire is another classic tune by the quintet where the keys by Ferdy walk hand in hand with the magical riffage by Axel. Of course there had to be a stylish ballad by the band, in this case titled Crying In Pain, where the crying guitar by Axel embellishes the airwaves while Johnny proves why he’s one of the best Hard Rock vocalists of the current scene, all embraced by Ferdy’s charming keys. Volker hammers his thunderous bass nonstop in Right On Track, offering more of the band’s trademark sounds, with Axel once again kicking some ass with his strident riffs and solos in a Rock N’ Roll party perfect for raising our glasses and horns together with the boys; and the melancholic guitar lines by Axel ignite the closing song Taken By Storm alongside Johnny’s passionate vocals, flowing in a classy way until the very end while bringing to our ears more of their stylish riffs, rumbling bass lines, ass-kicking vocals and crushing drums.

In summary, Mr. Axel Rudi Pell and the boys did it again, delivering another solid album of heavy music in a relatively short period of time, which is not only good for us fans as it gives us more music for our daily activities, but it also expands the options for their live concerts, and if you want to catch one of the most hardworking and focused bands of the current European scene live you can see what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their beyond vast catalogue on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Risen Symbol by clicking HERE, including the more than special Risen Symbol box set, including two exclusive red and white splatter vinyl in gatefold, two neon orange vinyl in gatefold, a jewel case CD, a shirt, an exclusive flacon with perfume (created by Axel Rudi Pell), a guitar pick, an A1 poster, a sticker, and an A5 photo card. It won’t take long for Mr. Axel Rudi Pell to release a new album, as I like to say every time I review his music, and that’s a very good thing for the metal community because as long as he keeps delivering great albums like Risen Symbol, we can rest assured Heavy Metal and Hard Rock will never die.

Best moments of the album: Forever Strong, Ankhaia and Right On Track.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 SPV/Steamhammer

Track listing
1. The Resurrection (Intro) 1:42
2. Forever Strong 4:42
3. Guardian Angel 5:27
4. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) 5:47
5. Darkest Hour 5:32
6. Ankhaia 10:09
7. Hell’s On Fire 4:46
8. Crying In Pain 6:49
9. Right On Track 4:45
10. Taken By Storm 7:35

Band members
Johnny Gioeli – vocals
Axel Rudi Pell – guitar
Volker Krawczak – bass
Ferdy Doernberg – keyboards
Bobby Rondinelli – drums

Album Review – Paradise In Flames / Blindness (2024)

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Behold the new album by this sulfurous Symphonic Black Metal horde from Brazil, portraying religion as a psychological illness, and how men become blind in the pursuit of power.

Telling part of the story of a philosophical work that portrays religion as a psychological illness, illustrating how men become blind in the pursuit of power, the incendiary Blindness, the band new offering by Santa Luzia/Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil-based Symphonic Black Metal band Paradise In Flames and the follow-up to their 2021 album Act One, will be a blast for anyone with an interest in Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, and Satyricon. Produced by André Carvalho, mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen, and displaying a sinister artwork by Marcelo Almeida, representing Plato’s allegory of the cave, the new album by O. Mortis on vocals, A. Damien on vocals and guitars, R. Aender on bass, G. de Alvarenga on keyboards and backing vocals, and S.J. Bernardo on drums sounds dark, imposing, multi-layered and sinister just the way we like it in extreme music, undoubtedly taking the band’s name to new heights in their already solid career.

The eerie, phantasmagorical intro Desolate World, inspired by present-day Cradle of Filth, sets the stage for the band to haunt our souls with Concerto No.6 in C Minor, Cold Spring, with the keys by G. de Alvarenga bringing an extra touch of darkness to the already venomous sound blasted by his bandmates, not to mention A. Damien and O. Mortis make a fantastic vocal duo. Then in the pulverizing Black Wings the entire band takes their insanity and passion for the dark side of music to a whole new level, offering layers and layers of powerful metal music infused with classical and operatic moments, therefore resulting in a full-bodied aria of Symphonic Black Metal; followed by Reasons To Not Believe, offering another round of whimsical keyboards intertwined with the caustic riffs by A. Damien and R. Aender, with A. Damien once again roaring like a demonic creature. Their imposing sounds permeate the air in I Feel The Plague, showcasing the band’s trademark Stygian wall of sounds led by the infernal beats by S.J. Bernardo in one of the most detailed songs of the album; and they keep distilling their evil sounds and tones in The Cure, once again blending the fury of S.J. Bernardo’s drums with the finesse of G. de Alvarenga’s keys.

Then a moment of serenity invades our minds in The Priest, before all morphs into more of their chaotic Black Metal with O. Mortis stealing the spotlight with her powerful operatic vocals in paradox with the harsh gnarls by A. Damien. In Endless Night Battle, one of the most epic of all songs, their guitars sound utterly caustic during the entire song, not to mention how S.J. Bernardo pounds his drums like a beast; whereas War Sonata sounds and feels absolutely inspired by the recent sluggish, grim creations by Dani Filth and his horde, and Paradise In Flames sound truly majestic throughout the entire song, with all background elements supporting the vocals by A. Damien and O. Mortis majestically. There’s still a lot of fuel to burn (in hell) starting with Age Of Death, another solid composition bringing forward more of the delicate yet devilish keys by G. de Alvarenga amidst a dense and enfolding musical extravaganza; and last but not least, the band will attack our senses with Angels & Devils, with A. Damien alternating between evil screeches and deep, brutal guttural lines while R. Aender and S.J. Bernardo will make your cranial skull tremble armed with their ruthless kitchen.

There are countless places where you can purchase the excellent Blindness, including the band’s own webstore and Linktree, as well as Apple Music, and don’t forget to also give those Brazilians servants of darkness a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream their music on Spotify. Religion  is indeed a psychological illness that’s driving humanity to its doom, and the fantastic music found in Blindness represents exactly all the darkness and evil we’re marching towards if that doesn’t change anytime soon.

Best moments of the album: Black Wings, I Feel The Plague and War Sonata.

Worst moments of the album: Reasons To Not Believe.

Released in 2024 Xaninho Discos/Demoncratic Records

Track listing
1. Desolate World 1:00
2. Concerto No.6 in C Minor, Cold Spring 3:37
3. Black Wings 4:00
4. Reasons To Not Believe 3:32
5. I Feel The Plague 4:17
6. The Cure 3:13
7. The Priest 3:26
8. Endless Night Battle 4:18
9. War Sonata 3:28
10. Age Of Death 4:15
11. Angels & Devils 3:52

Band members
O. Mortis – vocals
A. Damien – vocals, guitars
R. Aender – bass
G. de Alvarenga – keyboards, backing vocals
S.J. Bernardo – drums

Album Review – Werewolves / Die For Us (2024)

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Australia’s most savage beast is back with their fifth studio opus, a lecture in Death Metal perfect for beating anyone back to life.

If you weren’t there in 1992, your taste in music’s shit. This is the exact message that Melbourne, Australia’s most savage horde, the ruthless Technical Death/Black Metal beast Werewolves, in sending out with their amazing new album, simply titled Die For Us, the follow-up to their also insane 2023 album My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Recorded by Matt Wilcock and Adam Calaitzis at Toyland Recording Studio (guitars), by Sam Bean (bass), by Jack Hartley at Jack Hartley Audio (vocals), and by Joe Haley at AAA Studios (drums), mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, and once again displaying a visceral artwork by Mitchell Nolte, the new opus by the aforementioned Sam Bean on vocals and bass, Matt Wilcock on the guitars, and David Haley on drums is a lesson in violence recommended for fans of Hate Eternal, Deicide, Krisiun and so on, ticking every box for modern Death Metal with excruciatingly violent blasting straight out the gates and very little let-up until the bitter end, being the perfect depiction of what the band likes to call “Caveman Death Metal.”

The album already starts in full force as one of their traditional sick intros explodes into the most brutal form of Death Metal in the title-track Die for Us, with David showcasing already all his dexterity, violence and passion for heavy music behind his drums; whereas a demented laugh by Sam kicks off the fulminating Beaten Back to Life, where Matt sounds ruthless armed with his scorching riffs while David continues to hammer our cranial skulls mercilessly. Furthermore, it’s indeed a beautiful song about the glory of 90’s Death Metal (“If you weren’t there in 1992 / Your taste in music’s shit / Fuck you / If you never tape traded / Or raided corner stores for vinyl / You’re lacking something spinal / Fuck you”). The trio keeps delivering sheer animosity and rage in Fuck You Got Mine, another awesome tune that will certainly ignite some wild mosh pits whenever played live, and featuring guest vocals by Australian veteran Rok (of Sadistik Exekution) we have My Hate Is Strong, even more infernal and brutal than its predecessors, carrying the perfect name for its sonority with Sam roaring and barking like a rabid creature.

If you think they’re going to slow down or sell off, you’re absolutely wrong; quite the contrary, it’s pedal to the metal in an infernal Death Metal attack by those demented Aussie wolves titled The Company Wolves, followed by Spittle-Flecked Rant, another fantastic Death Metal onrush by the trio with its riffs sounding inspired by Cannibal Corpse while David once again blasts his drums nonstop in a lecture in savagery and rage. We All Deserve to Be Slaves, the second single of the album, is as acid, visceral and brutal as it can be, with Sam barking the song’s rebellious lyrics like a beast, flowing into Under a Urinal Moon, the darkest of all songs, with Matt extracting Stygian, cryptic sounds form his axe, being therefore perfect for some neck-breaking activity. And their violence keeps going strong in the closing tune Stay Down, where once again Sam and Matt slash their axes in the name of pure old school Death Metal.

Having already expressed the purpose of releasing ten albums in ten years after their inception back in 2019, Werewolves are hitting the halfway mark with Die For Us, and let’s say they’re just getting better and better with each one of their demonic, austere albums. Hence, go check what those middle-aged bastards are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and grab a copy of the infuriated Die For Us from their own website or BandCamp page, as well as from Direct Merch in Australia and New Zealand, Night Shift in the United States, and Plastic Head Distribution (CD or LP) in the UK and Europe. Just to make things clear to you all, they will beat you back to life to the sound of their newborn beast, because their hate is strong and you all deserve to be slaves, until you die again in the name of ruthless Death Metal. I think you got the idea now, right?

Best moments of the album: Die for Us, Beaten Back to Life, My Hate Is Strong and Spittle-Flecked Rant.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Die for Us 4:48
2. Beaten Back to Life 3:22
3. Fuck You Got Mine 4:16
4. My Hate Is Strong 4:07
5. The Company Wolves 3:30
6. Spittle-Flecked Rant 2:51
7. We All Deserve to Be Slaves 3:21
8. Under a Urinal Moon 4:46
9. Stay Down 4:25

Band members
Sam Bean – vocals, bass
Matt Wilcock – guitars
David Haley – drums

Guest musician
Rok – vocals on “My Hate Is Strong”

Album Review – Odio Deus / Spiritual Syphilis (2024)

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The debut album by this Norwegian Black Metal horde will attack your senses mercilessly, unveiling the inherent ‘evil’ embedded in organized religions.

Meticulously crafted for approximately two years, evolving from a mere idea to a finished product, Spiritual Syphilis, the debut opus by Oslo, Norway-based Black Metal horde Odio Deus, unveils the inherent ‘evil’ embedded in organized religions, particularly those led by fanatical leaders. Presenting a fusion of traditional Norwegian and Swedish Black Metal heavily influenced by the American Death Metal scene, Spiritual Syphilis is a beast of an album brought into being by Braatebrann on vocals, guitars and bass, Winterheart on the guitars, and the band’s mastermind Telal on drums and bass, or in other words, a collaborative effort with all three members working in unison from inception to completion, being highly recommended for all fans of old school Black and Death Metal.

As soon as you hit play, an ominous start suddenly explodes into chaotic, fierce Black Metal led by the demented drumming by Telal in Curse of Jehovah, definitely not recommended for the lighthearted, setting fire to the atmosphere before the sulfurous The Con Man makes things even more scorching, with Braatebrann’s harsh, devilish vocals being an ode to classic Black Metal. After such an explosive song we have The Chosen People, a massive Black Metal onrush by Odio Deus in the vein of Behemoth where Braatebrann sounds inhumane on vocals, exhaling rage, darkness and evil, whereas the title-track Spiritual Syphilis will smash you like a putrid insect, with Telal crushing his drums mercilessly in an amazing display of both classic and modern-day Melodic Black Metal.

Then the slashing riffs by Braatebrann and Winterheart set the tone in Deceiver, another solid composition by the trio that should work really well if played live; and leaning towards a darker, doomed version of Black Metal, we’re treated to Lenkene er brutt, which means “the chains are broken” from Norwegian, keeping the album at a high level of obscurity thanks to all demonic sounds blasted by the band. Svik, the Norwegian word for “betrayal”, brings forward more of their caustic riffs and hammering drums, with Braatebrann once again leading his horde with his devilish, grim roars and gnarls, whereas Glossolalia is by far the heaviest of all songs thanks to the brutal bass lines by Braatebrann and the always pounding drums by Telal, switching gears to a venomous Black Metal sound halfway through it, therefore resulting in a complete aria. And lastly, Til evig tid, or “for eternity” in English, sounds haunting and multi-layered, albeit not as exciting as the other songs, also presenting a way too lengthy ending but still being very enjoyable.

In a nutshell, Odio Deus simply nailed it with Spiritual Syphilis, with everything related to the album, from its title to its artwork, from its lyrics to its violent and caustic music, perfectly representing all the evil that religion does to mankind. Hence, don’t forget to start following the band on Facebook if you also believe fanatic religion leaders will bring humanity to its downfall, and also to grab a copy of the album from Amazon (and soon from other sources). Odio Deus can be translated from Latin as something like “I hate God”, and that’s exactly what the band proposes with their music, staying true to Black Metal not only regarding its sound, but also its principles, all beautifully offered to us all in the form of Spiritual Syphilis.

Best moments of the album: The Con Man, Spiritual Syphilis and Glossolalia.

Worst moments of the album: Til evig tid.

Released in 2024 WormHoleDeath

Track listing
1. Curse of Jehovah 6:23
2. The Con Man 5:49
3. The Chosen People 4:22
4. Spiritual Syphilis 4:47
5. Deceiver 4:07
6. Lenkene er brutt 4:47
7. Svik 5:44
8. Glossolalia 4:36
9. Til evig tid 6:40

Band members
Braatebrann – vocals, guitars, bass
Winterheart – guitars
Telal – drums, bass

Album Review – Anthropophagus Depravity / Demonic Paradise (2024)

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Beneath the burning skies the moment of victory arrives, with the new album by this Indonesian Brutal Death Metal horde being the perfect soundtrack for a demonic paradise.

Following on from the pulverizing attack of their 2021 debut album Apocalypto, Yogyakarta, Indonesia’s own Brutal Death Metal brigade Athropophagus Depravity has returned with a new collection of terror inducing hymns of horror, entitled Demonic Paradise. Mixed and mastered by Indra Cahya at Texas Soundlab, with a sick artwork by Bvllmetalart and layout by Yoga Beges, the sophomore album by vocalist Pandu Herlambang, guitarist Eko Aryo Widodo, bassist Yohanes Widiasmoro and drummer Sahrul Ramadhan showcases a band that has taken the chilling atmosphere and bludgeoning violence of their debut effort and elevated all that to new levels of intricate performance and accomplished brutality, being therefore perfect for fans of Devangelic, Immolation, Cryptopsy and Incantation, or in other words, a tour de force of Brutal Death Metal, and an absolute master class in sonic savagery.

The opening track The Obscure Realm is utterly sick and brutal from the very first second, with Sarhul showing no mercy for our necks and bodies, slamming his drums like a demented creature while Pandu roars and barks manically in a beyond visceral start to the album, whereas Dogma Weakened Souls is another hurricane of Brutal Death Metal by the quartet with Eko extracting some classic Cannibal Corpse riffs from his guitar. Sahrul takes the lead with his unstoppable blast beats in Malicious Catastrophe, generating a thunderous atmosphere perfect for Pandu to keep firing his deep guttural roars, while Obliterate the Sanctified sounds even heavier and more infernal, with Eko’s riffs being supported in great fashion by Yohanes’ low-tuned, rumbling bass, feeling extremely brutal and vile. Then get ready to slam into the pit like there’s no tomorrow to the sound of Preaching Above Depravity, where the band’s intense sounds fill every single space in the air in the name of Death Metal.

The title-track Demonic Paradise brings forward more of the quartet’s hellish and vile Death Metal, with Sahrul once again stealing the spotlight with a beyond ruthless performance behind his drums, and things get really dark and devilish in When the Darkthrone Reigns, a phantasmagorical interlude that could have been slightly shorter, setting the stage for the band to kill in Pseudo Salvation, an inhumane creation by Anthropophagus Depravity where the deep, visceral vociferations by Pandy will haunt your damned soul for all eternity, resulting in one of the most infernal of all songs; followed by …of Condemnation, offering our putrid ears two and a half minutes of pure Brutal Death Metal instrumental insanity while also showcasing lots of technical and intricate moments, with Eko slashing his axe nonstop for our vulgar delectation. Finally, the band hammers our cranial skulls one last time in Delusions of the Unholy, with the savage roars by Pandu walking hand in hand with the scorching riffs, rumbling bass and demented beats by his bandmates.

Beneath the burning skies the moment of victory arrives, and just before all hell breaks loose you can grab a copy of the new album by Anthropophagus Depravity by clicking HERE (CD and merch) or HERE (digital), and don’t forget to also give those talented Indonesian guys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, to stream more of their music on Spotify, and also click HERE for all things Anthropophagus Depravity, letting their devilish music penetrate deep inside your soul, turning you into a fallen angel in their brutal and visceral demonic paradise.

Best moments of the album: The Obscure Realm, Obliterate the Sanctified and Pseudo Salvation.

Worst moments of the album: When the Darkthrone Reigns.

Released in 2024 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. The Obscure Realm 2:54
2. Dogma Weakened Souls 3:33
3. Malicious Catastrophe 2:59
4. Obliterate the Sanctified 3:10
5. Preaching Above Depravity 3:54
6. Demonic Paradise 3:16
7. When the Darkthrone Reigns 3:00
8. Pseudo Salvation 3:11
9. …of Condemnation 2:23
10. Delusions of the Unholy 3:16

Band members
Pandu Herlambang – vocals
Eko Aryo Widodo – guitar
Yohanes Widiasmoro – bass
Sahrul Ramadhan – drums

Album Review – Unborn Generation / …and All We Forget (2024)

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These Finnish veterans strike again with a post-apocalyptic album comprised of ten songs of brutally frost-bound Grindcore and Crust.

Describing a world long after an apocalypse where rebuilding has begun, but where yet the post-apocalypse generations have learnt nothing and remain ignorant as the sins of the fathers are repeated all over again, …and All We Forget is the brand new opus by Jyväskylä, Finland-based act Unborn Generation, offering ten songs of brutally frost-bound Grindcore and Crust for admirers of the genre. Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s own vocalist and guitarist Herkko Huttunen, with drums recorded by Tuomas Kokko at Electric Fox Studios, the seventh studio album by the aforementioned Herkko Huttunen alongside bassist Arto Kettunen and drummer Eetu Huttunen brings to our avid ears the band’s trademark intense sound, a fight-or-flight response inducing, yet at the same time tingling the backsides of melancholics with northern melodies.

And the band wastes no time and begin their furious feast of Grindcore and Death Metal with Kivun kuilu, or “abyss of pain” from Finnish, with Herkko sounding absolutely demented on vocals, whereas Eetu continues to smash his drums like a beast in Rattus (or “bike”), another pulverizing creation by the trio that will leave you completely disoriented after its three minutes of insanity are over. Herkko roars and slashes his axe nonstop in Kruunu, which means “crown”, supported by the always rumbling kitchen by Arto and Eetu, followed by Puppets, another blast of pure Grindcore perfect for slamming into the pit, with Herkko screaming manically until the very last second. And Burst sounds even more demented, sharp and visceral than its predecessors, with Eetu dictating the song’s infernal pace supported by the massive bass lines by Arto.

Then blending the speed and rebelliousness of Punk Rock with their core fusion of Death Metal and Grindcore we have Heritage, and the final result is another beast of a song led by the hammering drums by Eetu. Swamp is a more cadenced tune, yet still extremely caustic and grim, with Herkko once again bursting his lungs barking nonstop, and I’m not sure how those three Finnish metallers can generate so much noise and insanity all by themselves like in Consunation, where after a sinister start all explodes into bestial Grindcore for our total delight; whereas Juuret, or “roots”, is a stunning display of sheer violence by the trio, sounding and feeling demented from start to finish with Eetu stealing the show with his unstoppable beats and fills. There’s still time for one last Grindcore attack by the band, titled Cycle, with Arto’s bass bringing tons of heaviness to their sound while Herkko extracts electricity, adrenaline and rage from his guitar.

You can enjoy the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show them your support and passion for the extreme you can grab a copy of the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Inverse Records webstore, or from Apple Music. Also, don’t forget to start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, joining the band on their post-apocalyptic world full of violence and evil, but at the same time to the sound of the band’s demented Grindcore to make things a lot more fun and enjoyable, therefore fueling the band to keep hammering our cranial skulls with several more albums in the upcoming years.

Best moments of the album: Rattus, Burst and Juuret.

Worst moments of the album: Swamp.

Released in 2024 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Kivun kuilu 1:53
2. Rattus 3:11
3. Kruunu 2:51
4. Puppets 3:44
5. Burst 2:22
6. Heritage 3:21
7. Swamp 3:46
8. Consunation 3:50
9. Juuret 2:29
10. Cycle 4:20

Band members
Herkko Huttunen – vocals, guitars
Arto Kettunen – bass
Eetu Huttunen – drums