Enveloped in shadow, this six-headed German Black Metal beast returns with a new EP encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.
Enveloped in shadow, Trier, Germany-based sextet Der Rote Milan returns to action with more of their intense, melodic, riff-driven Black Metal in their newborn EP Verlust, the German word for “loss.” Produced by the band itself, recorded, mixed and mastered by Markus Stock at Klangschmiede Studio E, and displaying a suffocating artwork by Matt Prison, the follow-up to their 2019 full-length album Moritat and their the 2023 EP Schlund sees the band formed of III on vocals, I and V on the guitars, VII on bass, II on synths, and VI on drums develop further their Atmospheric Black Metal sound and lyrical depth, all steeped in a deep sense of humanity, of indulging in the human condition, even those parts many may wish to avoid, encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.
The EP kicks off in great fashion to the strident, piercing riffs by I and V in Aus der Finsternis, or “out of the darkness” from German, evolving into a bestial fusion of old school Black Metal with Post-Black Metal nuances, sounding utterly hypnotizing and vile from start to finish. Où allez-vous, or “where are you going?”, brings forward more of their trademark sonority, with VI sounding ruthless as usual on drums while III vociferates the song’s devilish words majestically; and there’s no time to breathe as such a demonic horde invades our senses with Skepsis der Existenz, or “skepticism of existence” (referring to a philosophical doubt about the nature and reality of existence itself), perhaps the most Black Metal of all songs, with III once again stealing the show with his raspy growling. Verlust, the song that carries the name of the EP, brings forward an overdose of soul crushing riffs by I and V supported by the classy drumming by VI; and they close the EP on a vile and frantic mode with Der letzte Rubin, or “the last ruby.” inspired by a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Furthermore, I can imagine the speed and size of the circle pits that can be formed during it, all boosted by another rumbling background crafted by VII, II and VI.
Exploring a strange sense of beauty that emerges from despair through the multi-faceted nature in which loss is experienced, the music by Der Rote Milan draws not only from nature, but also from the darker side of humanity’s acts, notably historical wars in Central Europe, anti-religion and, on an individual level, inner conflict. The combination of those elements with the harshness of Black Metal sounds once again fantastic in the band’s newborn EP, and if you want to put your damned hands on it simply go to BandCamp or to Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their austere creations on any platform like Spotify. Because loss exists and purveys through our lives in many forms, one of them being the undisputed Black Metal offered by Der Rote Milan in albums like Verlust, a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of music and life in general.
Best moments of the album:Où allez-vous and Skepsis der Existenz.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork
Track listing 1. Aus der Finsternis 4:46 2. Où allez-vous 4:40
3. Skepsis der Existenz 4:06
4. Verlust 4:12
5. Der letzte Rubin 5:04
Band members
III – vocals
I – guitar
V – guitar
VII – bass
II – synths
VI – drums
Twenty five years since their tale of terror began, the demigods of death return with their long awaited, gory and brutal fourth full-length album.
Twenty five years since their tale of terror began and far too long a time since the release of their last album Purity Through Dismemberment back in 2006, the demigods of death, legends of the underworld, Kings Mountain, North Carolina-based Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore beasts Lust Of Decay have returned, carrying with them in their bloodstained, disease riddled hands something bleak and soul destroying, ten new commandments of depravity and tragedy, new incitements to violence and degradation, their long, long awaited fourth full-length album, Entombed in Sewage. Mixed and mastered by Tony Tipton at Metal Foundry, and displaying a gory, demented artwork by the indomitable Daemorph, the new opus by vocalist Jay Barnes, guitarist Steve Green, bassist Ryan Coulter, and drummer Jordan Varela has a surprisingly bright and vibrant sound that brings every element, every weapon in the Lust Of Decay armory into play to tremendous effect, being therefore perfect for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Psycroptic, Disavowed, and Prostitute Disfigurement.
Prepare your damned bodies for a wild and gruesome ride starting with Parasitic Exsanguination, a demented display of the band’s trademark Death Metal where Jordan sounds absolutely inhumane on drums, and they managed to sound even heavier and more deranged in Hallucinations of the Decrepit, where Jay’s demonic growls are the epitome of madness and violence. The screeching of dirty pigs ignite Nourishing the Swine, another exhibit of pure violence and gore by the quartet where once again Ryan and Jordan make the earth tremble armed with their infernal kitchen; and you’ll be smashed into pieces in the best Cannibal Corpse-style in Fetal Contamination Process, led by Steve’s infuriated, scathing riffage.
Rusty Razor Rimjob requires no comments about its title, while the music is just as gory and depraved, with Jay vomiting its visceral words amidst an overdose of Death Metal insanity. Jay sounds even more demonic in Order 66, inviting us all to crush our damned skulls into the pit, not to mention how fulminating Jordan is once again behind his drums. Put differently, it can’t get any more Death Metal than this, whereas Desiccate the Epithelium sounds beyond perfect for breaking your neck into tiny pieces headbanging like a true maniac to the nonstop riffs by Steve. Finally, they offer our putrid ears the horror movie-like title-track Entombed in Sewage, starting in an cinematic manner before all hell breaks loose to the heavy artillery crafted by Steve, Ryan and Jordan.
Unleashed upon the world like a knife from the dark into the throat of the festive season, Entombed In Sewage is a must-listen for fans of absolute brutality and gore, and you can put your putrid hands on such a precious gem of the extreme scene by grabbing a physical copy of the album and merch by clicking HERE, or from Comatose Music’s BandCamp. Don’t forget to also give those guys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their live concerts, and to stream their sick music on Spotify or any other platform. Needless to say, if you refuse to do so, get ready to be mercilessly entombed in sewage.
Best moments of the album:Hallucinations of the Decrepit, Order 66 and Entombed in Sewage.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Comatose Music
Track listing 1. Parasitic Exsanguination 4:26
2. Hallucinations of the Decrepit 4:01
3. Nourishing the Swine 4:29
4. Fetal Contamination Process 3:58
5. Rusty Razor Rimjob 3:45
6. Order 66 3:41
7. Desiccate the Epithelium 3:45
8. Entombed in Sewage 5:18
Band members Jay Barnes – vocals
Steve Green – guitars, backing vocals
Ryan Coulter – bass
Jordan Varela – drums
This up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble is ready to attack armed with their newborn EP, telling a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement.
Blending elements of Brutal Death Metal, Slam, and Black Metal into a sound defined by relentless aggression and technical intensity, Montreal, Quebec’s own Deathcore beast Discovery Through Torment has been building a reputation in the Canadian underground metal scene for uncompromising heaviness, surgical precision, and a clear artistic identity rooted in themes of Sci-Fi, aliens, and existential decay. Now in 2025 the band formed of vocalist Alexandre Desroche, guitarists Samuel Fortin and Frédéric Ricard, bassist Alexis Lafrance, and drummer Charles-Étienne Lafrance returns to the battlefield with a new EP titled Telesynthetic Rebirth, following up on their demented 2022 sophomore opus The Mangled God. Recorded and produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Maxime Lacroix of House of Gain Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by Mark Erskine of Erskine Designs, the EP tells a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement, following the downfall of a former entity and the rise of a new force that abducts humans, reshapes them into telepathic killing machines, and unleashes them in a genocidal conquest of Earth. The lyrics weave themes of experimentation and domination, closing with a cliffhanger that sets up the next chapter.
Eerie sounds permeate the air in the opening track Dethronement, exploding into a beyond brutal and technical slab of Deathcore led by Charles-Étienne’s demented beats and fills while Alexandre delivers those deep, inhumane growls we all love so much. Their demented feast of Blackened Deathcore goes on in full force in Arcane Inception, showcasing an amazing job done by Samuel and Frédéric on the guitars, being therefore perfect for some action inside the circle pit; and Charles-Étienne doesn’t let the band’s aggressiveness and heaviness go down not even a tiny bit in Veil Unferling, with those insane breakdowns providing Alexandre with exactly what he needs to roar like a demonic entity. Moreover, the song has a nod to the first F.E.A.R. game, with a hidden line straight from Paxton Fettel. Lesions is by far the most infernal (and consequently the most trilling) of all songs from the EP, where Alexis hammers his bass manically accompanied by the thunderous drums by Charles-Étienne; and finally, they add hints of Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority in First Encounter Assault Regiment (a play on the aforementioned game’s acronym), and the final result is obviously incendiary.
As an unsigned and self-produced act, Discovery Through Torment exemplify the raw potential of modern underground metal music, always ambitious, unfiltered, and driven entirely by passion, and their brand new EP is the perfect depiction of all that hard work and focus. Hence, you can show those relentless metallers your total support by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on any platform like Spotify, and of course by purchasing their excellent new EP from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It certainly won’t take long for Discovery Through Torment to attack again with the next chapter in their already solid career, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such an up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble after the striking and incendiary Telesynthetic Rebirth.
Best moments of the album:Arcane Inception and Lesions.
Lionesses are the primary hunters in a pride, working together to bring down prey, and are faster and more agile than males. And in this cold and dark month of December our lioness Aleksandra “Lioness” Stamenković, guitarist for an array of awesome metal bands including Jenner, Frozen Crown, Chaos Rising, and Sigma Epsilon, will shred her prey to pieces armed with her scorching riffs and solos, as our metal lady of the month. Having said all that, get ready for a wild ride together with Aleksandra and her unstoppable axe, bringing absolute fire to The Headbanging Moose and, therefore, leaving you completely disoriented and eager for more of her first-class music. The days might be getting shorter, and the nights are surely getting longer this time of the year but, in the end, that’s the perfect environment for Aleksandra to hunt us down and to crush our damned souls with her electrifying blend of Heavy Metal magic.
Born on August 5, 1996 in Belgrade, the capital of the southeast European country of Serbia, Aleksandra is the younger sister of Marija Dragićević, the drummer for one of her bands Jenner, showing the talent and passion for heavy music runs wild in their family’s DNA. She was first interested in music back in 2011 when she was 13 years old, saying she wanted to play bass guitar, but as she couldn’t afford one she used to borrow it from one of her sister’s friends. However, she said that “destiny” decided she was going to become primarily a guitarist in 2013, having bought her first guitar back then, therefore starting her journey in heavy music.
Although she’s a renowned musician in the world of Heavy, Power, Thrash and Speed Metal, Aleksandra also nurtures a deep passion for medicine and graphic design, having graduated from the Faculty of Medicine from the University of Belgrade in September 2021, and becoming a certified nutrition coach, combining her artistic passion with a commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles. And yes, she’s THAT smart and intelligent. In addition, although she mainly writes original songs, she started a YouTube channel back in 2020 where she posts covers of her favorite songs, like for example Into the Lungs of Hell, by Megadeth, Abigail, by King Diamond, and Coma of Souls, by Kreator, among several others, and apart from the usual social media you can also find her on Linktree, Patreon, and Big Cartel.
It was in December 2013 when the indomitable Stamenković Sisters founded in Belgrade the ruthless Speed/Thrash Metal beast known as Jenner, from the ashes of a Glam Metal band they had named Cat O’ Nine Tailz, in which she played bass, and that disbanded after two years. Aleksandra started playing the guitar back then, and with the support of Marija they started searching for two guys to play with them to form a band in the vein of Madam X, but they ended up meeting two girls instead, vocalist Anđelina Mitić and bassist Jana Bacić, and so Jenner was born. Named by Aleksandra after Dr. Edward Jenner (1749 – 1823), an English physician and scientist known as the “father of immunology” for creating the world’s first vaccine, which was for smallpox, the girls started playing covers of their favorite bands including Warlock, Judas Priest, Grim Reaper, and Saxon, and as a year later they became more interested in Thrash Metal they started playing covers of Agent Steel, Exodus, and Anthrax, just to name a few, as well as they started writing their own songs.
After a few lineup changes, the band is now a trio formed of Aleksandra on vocals and guitar, Marija on drums, and Anja Mirković on bass. Under different lineups, but always with Aleksandra and Marija in their formation, Jenner released a demo back in 2015, their debut full-length album To Live Is to Suffer, in 2017, the EP The Test of Time, in 2020, and their sophomore opus Prove Them Wrong, in 2024, with Aleksandra becoming responsible for the band’s vocal duties starting in 2019, as you can see in their 2020 EP and their 2024 release. Not only that, she also took care of the design and logo of their 2017 debut, and of their 2020 EP, expanding her skills even further as a musician and as an artist. You can enjoy basically their entire discography in places such as YouTube, Spotify, and BandCamp, and of course have an absolute blast with their official videos for songs like Night Without Dawn, The Test of Time, Never Say Die, and No Time for Prayer, among others. Moreover, don’t forget to check Beacons for all things Jenner.
Aleksandra has also been part of two other amazing bands for a few years, those being Sigma Epsilon and Chaos Rising. Regarding Belgrade-based Sigma Epsilon, the band has been delivering a more straightforward, no shenanigans blend of Thrash Metal since its inception back in 2014, when a few members of a Serbian band named Prisoner, those being her boyfriend Emil Ivošević on vocals, Stefan Tomić on the guitar, and Nikola Simonović on drums, left the band and started creating their own music. It was only after Aleksandra joined them that they released their first offering, the 2019 EP Svi putevi vode do smrti (or “all roads lead to death” in English), followed by the 2021 single Ruka koja mrda usta, or “the hand that moves the mouth.” She mentioned in one of her interviews that the band is working on a new conceptual album, but until then simply go to BandCamp or Spotify to enjoy their existing songs, and also go check the official videos for the songs Svi putevi vode do smrti, Kap, and Trofej.
The metal machine Chaos Rising is a collaborative international metal project formed back in 2019 open to every female artist interested in metal music, with the project’s participants and guests offering an amalgamation of styles from Groove and Thrash Metal to traditional Heavy Metal and also Melodic Death Metal. It’s indeed a phenomenal initiative showcasing the power of women in heavy music, and if you don’t have enough time to check all of their songs on BandCamp or Spotify, you must at least listen to the song with our dauntless diva on the guitars, the excellent Prisoner, also featuring Miss ScarRed (Germany) on vocals, Catherine Fearns (Switzerland) on the guitar, and Stéphanie Nolf (France) on bass and drum programming.
Furthermore, starting now in 2025 she has also become one of the guitarists for Italian Power Metal warriors Frozen Crown, joining the also indomitable girls Giada Etro on vocals and Alessia Lanzone on the guitar, as well as Federico Mondelli on guitars, keyboards and vocals, Francesco Zof on bass, and Niso Tomasini on drums. Having already played with Frozen Crown during the summer festivals this year, Aleksandra is already fired up to start working with the band on their future releases, and the band is also extremely excited to have her as a permanent member. “Some may question our decision to include in the band someone who was born so far away from us, in a non-EU country, even! Truth is, you don’t choose your family – you build your own. Aleksandra appeared in a pretty challenging situation, and helped us go through both the shocking realization of Jade’s health conditions and the sudden line-up shake, motivating us and gracing us with her enthusiasm. Her incredible dedication, humility, and constant positivity proved we have just found the perfect fit, and after working together for a while, it just ‘feels right’ to start this new chapter with her, and to entrust her with the Crown and the Sword,” commented the band.
If that’s not enough for you, you can also find Aleksandra as the guitarist for Slovenian Heavy Metal beasts Hellcats from 2017 to 2022. “In 2017 Hellcats needed a female guitarist to play with them in Arena Stožice where they would be supporting Slovenian punk band Pankrti on their 40-year band anniversary. They couldn’t find someone closer, so they asked me. At first I thought that it will be only for that concert, but we got along nicely, and I really liked them as people and as musicians,” commented the lioness. In addition, Aleksandra also played bass live with Serbian Melodic Death Metal band Nemesis a couple of years ago, and with the aforementioned Serbian Speed/Thrash Metal band Prisoner back in 2017.
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Not only that, you can also find Aleksandra shredding her guitar as a guest musician in the song Open Your Eyes, from the 2025 album Retribution, by Hungarian Heavy/Power/Speed Metal band Burning Sun; in the song Cimmeria, from the 2023 compilation By This Sword We Rule: A Decade of Steel, by Serbian Epic Heavy/Power/Doom Metal band Claymorean; in the songs We Fight Like Lions and Fear and Regret, from the 20187 EP II/III/IV by Serbian Stoner/Sludge/Southern Metal band Superhammer; and in the song Creatures from the Depth, from the 2019 album Monuments of Fallacy, by Croatian Thrash/Death Metal band War-Head. She has also played with other bands including Realma and Black Widow Conspiracy, has collaborated with several brands such as Harley Benton, Blackfire Pickups and Safari Pedals, and she is a proud partner with Guitar Pro, Guyker, Drop Strap, Playtronica, Ordyh, and Enya Music, aligning with companies that support her music and gear choices.
Her idols and influences are what anyone would except from an avid thrasher like Aleksandra, including some of the most important names in the history of Thrash Metal like Megadeth, Anthrax, and Testament, all playing a crucial role in her style and career, of course. Moreover, when asked which attributes a brand new Speed or Thrash Metal band should have in order to become unique and successful, her answer was exactly what we all want to hear from hardworking metal musicians like her. “People need to make music the way they feel. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, because listeners can recognize energy and sincerity, even when it comes to metal,” she said, and when asked what would be her ideal live show when performing as a band, she also focused on the importance of feeling you’re doing things right. “I’m not sure there’s an ideal performance. What is important is the feeling on stage. And for that to happen I just need to have no technical problems on stage. I’m not asking much.”
As a huge supporter of the underground, and of course as a proud Serbian, Aleksandra was asked not too long ago about the current scene in her homeland, including bands, fanzines, webzines and anything else connected with heavy music. She said that, unfortunately, the situation looks “complicated” as despite the fact there are tons of excellent bands in Serbia, very few webzines promote them, and therefore very few people attend their concerts. Well, let’s say that’s not an issue exclusive to Serbia, as everywhere you go you’ll face the same lack of proper support, with very few kids these days getting into heavy music and succumbing to to the most generic playlists shoved down their throats via all types of social media.
Aleksandra also proved to be an old school metalhead, maybe like Accept would say, an “analog woman”, as she simply loves when an album is released as a vinyl and/or cassette, supporting the revival of those formats (although she said she prefers CDs because they’re more practical). “I’m not a collector myself, but I have some old vinyl and cassettes which I inherited from my mother and I’m really happy that I had an opportunity to have my music on vinyl and tapes,” she commented. Furthermore, when asked about the impact of digital platforms on the careers of bands and artists, she said that Bandcamp for instance helps a lot, but it shouldn’t be the only way of promoting and selling music. “I still haven’t tried other platforms, but I can notice that they’re widespread. I think the ideal way I promote bands is combining all the available methods,” said our unstoppable lioness.
She was also asked in one of her interviews about the greatest satisfaction that music has brought her, and her answer was once again beyond awesome. “The fact that I achieved my goal. My goal was to have at least one physical release of my music, a CD that I’ll be able to show to my children and grandchildren one day. To have something behind me that other people will be able to see and hear and maybe find themselves in it. To inspire others.” Aleksandra also prefers working with a label instead of going full DIY because she believes there are several things she couldn’t do on her own, like a full-bodied promotion of her albums and tours, which makes sense as she can put all her focus on making music, and that’s what really matters in the end.
Lastly, when asked about what a band should sacrifice in order to be successful, and if she has ever sacrificed anything in her life for a better future of her bands, she mentioned she had to reconsider many times what she wanted with the band and whether it was worth it. “In the end, I decided to dedicate myself to education and family, and for the band to be my hobby. Because of that decision, we often have to sacrifice the time we would spend with the family or learning to have a rehearsal or a gig.” To be fair, at least it looks like she’s been able to balance everything quite well in recent years, managing multiple bands, projects and other aspects of her life, always delivering to us avid fans high quality heavy music, and may our unrelenting lioness keep roaring for many decades to come for our absolute delight.
What an unforgettable night of first-class, undisputed Heavy Metal this Saturday in Toronto at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, courtesy of the most ass-kicking bards in history, the unstoppable BLIND GUARDIAN, supported by SEVEN KINGDOMS and ENSIFERUM, during their must-see Somewhere Far Beyond North American Tour 2025. I need to personally thank Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment for bringing the bards back to the city less than two years after their phenomenal concert at Rebel in 2024, and I must say this time the entire show was even better, more powerful, and more exciting. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were lucky enough the be there to cover such a metallic party, and judging by the reaction of the crowd during the entire night, all metalheads in Toronto will keep talking about the three bands for a long time, wishing they could go back in time to experience everything all over again, and again, and again.
Deland, Florida’s own Power Metal brigade SEVEN KINGDOMS kicked off the festivities around 7:20pm with a highly energetic performance led by frontwoman Sabrina Valentine, properly warming us up for the upcoming attractions of the night. Blending songs from their already solid discography, including their 2022 album Zenith (available on Spotify), the band whose name was taken from The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire did exactly that during their short but sweet performance, setting fire to the atmosphere with their classic blend of Heavy and Power Metal (although I have no idea why they don’t have a bassist). Camden Cruz was absolutely phenomenal armed with his axe, kudos to Kevin Byrd for sporting a classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt (and if you don’t like the TMNT, you’re not a good person), and as the icing on the cake, or maybe I should say on their cheeseburger, we got the indomitable Krista Shipperbottom, former frontwoman for Canadian melodeath band Lutharo, as the night’s cheeseburger. Yes, we definitely need more Seven Kingsdoms and more cheeseburgers in Toronto soon.
Setlist Diamond Handed
A Silent Remedy
The Serpent and the Lotus
Valonqar
Wilted Pieces
Through These Waves
In the Walls
Band members
Sabrina Valentine – vocals
Kevin Byrd – guitars
Camden Cruz – guitars
Colton Zietler – drums
After a short break (and certainly not enough to brave the endless line for merch for all bands) it was time for Helsinki, Finland’s Epic Folk Metal warriors ENSIFERUM to bring a true winter storm to the stage with songs from all of their albums, including of course their latest one Winter Storm, released in 2024, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Petri Lindroos, Markus Toivonen, Sami Hinkka, Pekka Montin, and Janne Parviainen put on a fantastic show for an already packed venue, yielding their sonic weapons in great fashion for the delight of everyone inside the considerable circle pit that was moving frantically in the middle of the floor section. Their maniacal bassist Sami Hinkka didn’t stop screaming, running around the stage, jumping up and down, headbanging, and of course hammering his bass not even for a single second, and it was beautiful witnessing that extreme energy flowing from him into the hearts of all fans at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. What a great performer, my friends. And of course, with a name like that, which if you don’t know is Latin for “sword bearer,” the top moments of their concert were the fighting songs Guardians of Fate, Into Battle, and the classic In My Sword I Trust, turning the venue into a true battlefield. Please return to Toronto as soon as you can, Ensiferum, because you guys rock.
Setlist Aurora
Winter Storm Vigilantes
Way of the Warrior
Andromeda
Fatherland
Heathen Horde
Guardians of Fate
Into Battle
In My Sword I Trust
Band members Petri Lindroos – harsh vocals, guitars
Markus Toivonen – guitars, backing vocals
Sami Hinkka – bass, clean and backing vocals
Pekka Montin – keyboards, clean and backing vocals
Janne Parviainen – drums
I honestly have no idea why Teutonic Power Metal masters BLIND GUARDIAN decided to do this Somewhere Far Beyond North American Tour only in 2025, as they already celebrated 30 years of the album Somewhere Far Beyond back in 2022, having even released in 2024 a live album of that tour recorded at Rock Hard Festival in June 2022, but who am I to complain about that, right? Quite the opposite, it was a dream come true watching the iconic Hansi Kürsch & Co. deliver a flawless live rendition of one of their classic albums, plus of course a bunch of other superb songs. The first part of the set itself was already worth the price of the ticket, as Into the Storm, Blood of the Elves, Nightfall, and Violent Shadows are killer metal tunes, with all fans already losing their voices screaming those songs together with the bards.
Hansi was in an excellent mood, showing once again he’s not just a phenomenal vocalist, but also a great frontman and entertainer, keeping the audience engaged and hypnotized form start to finish. After they started playing Somewhere Far Beyond, with Time What Is Time and Journey Through the Dark sounding incredible, Hansi joked about the fact he was surprised that they said in 2024 they would return soon, and they actually did. The crowd was on cloud 9 with each and every word pronounced by Hansi, but it was of course when they played The Bard’s Song – In the Forest, and The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit, another majestic moment of the show, that the whole venue turned into a true celebration of heavy music and bards. One of those moments in the life of a person that confirms we all made the right choice in becoming metalheads.
And then came the encore. But it wasn’t just an encore. It was THE encore, one of the best I’ve ever experienced in my life. When the crowd started chanting “Majesty! Majesty!” I had on idea the band was actually going to answer our call. Hansi even joked about it saying that we were not allowed to ask for what we wanted to hear, but we were lucky that was exactly what they were going to play anyway. It was beyond orgasmic seeing them playing Majesty live. I pretty much lost my voice screaming. Then came the biggest surprise of the night for me, Lord of the Rings, and then I lost the rest of my voice. Simply incredible. I don’t know how I was still able to scream with the band during the epic Valhalla and Mirror Mirror, and when we all thought the show was over, the band fired upon us the also breathtaking Lost in the Twilight Hall. What an epic conclusion to a concert full of mosh pits, fists and horns in the air, ad the certainty that the bards will return to Toronto again, hopefully sooner than later for the “surprise” of Hansi and his henchmen themselves. Thank you once again, Blind Guardian. I’m a very happy man.
Setlist War of Wrath
Into the Storm
Blood of the Elves
Nightfall
Violent Shadows
Somewhere Far Beyond
Time What Is Time
Journey Through the Dark
Black Chamber
Theatre of Pain
The Quest for Tanelorn
Ashes to Ashes
The Bard’s Song – In the Forest
The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit
The Piper’s Calling
Somewhere Far Beyond
Encore:
Majesty
Lord of the Rings
Valhalla
Mirror Mirror
Lost in the Twilight Hall Sacred Worlds (Orchestral outro)
Band members Hansi Kürsch – vocals
André Olbrich – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Marcus Siepen – rhythm and acoustic guitars
Johan van Stratum – bass, backing vocals
Kenneth Berger – keyboards, backing vocals
Frederik Ehmke – drums
Behold the debut opus by this uncanny duo from Finland, offering a harrowing albeit intriguing sound that’s strangely both alarming and comforting in parts.
Hailing from the darkest and most mysterious corners of Finland, the uncanny duo known as Death Obvious came out of nowhere to release a debut album that coalesces elements of Avantgarde Black, Death and Doom Metal to create a harrowing albeit intriguing sound that’s strangely both alarming and comforting in parts. Showcasing a straightforward, grim artwork by Petri Kiviniemi, the debut offering by Lea LaVey on vocals and Sima Sioux on guitars, bass, keyboards and drums brings to our avid ear eight songs that sound like excursions into pitch-black darkness, not knowing what’s coming next, while the listener remains terrified, haunted by monstrous and spectral voices coming and going, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Thantifaxath, Dodecahedron, Veilburner, Lurk, Blut aus Nord, Hexrot, and Deathspell Omega.
Mercury Off Axis is absolutely dissonant, disturbing and grim from the very first second, gradually adjusting its shape and form to a hammering Sludge Metal beast led by the rumbling bass and riffs by Sima, who keeps pounding his drums until a storm of blackened sounds comes crushing our damned souls in Santuario, with Lea barking and roaring rabidly in the name of total fucking darkness. The Great Gate Theory sounds even more sluggish and introspective, with the bass by Sima once again reverberating beautifully while Lea’s vocals transpire insanity; and it’s pedal to the metal in the Experimental Black Metal attack entitled Total Heavenly Desolation, with Lea sounding demented on vocals while Sima crafts the most caustic sounds imaginable armed with his riffs, bass and drums.
Then leaning towards a more visceral, direct form of Black Metal we face The Third Eye Burning, as primeval as it can be, again offering our putrid ears the absolutely dissonant sounds blasted by the duo, whereas after such an insane display of extreme music the duo brings forward the Stygian tune Suffer The Spectacle, starting in a cryptic manner before Lea begins barking like a venomous beast. Their Sludge and Doom Metal vein pulses harder than ever in As Absence Expands Over Everything, perfect for some vigorous headbanging in absolute obscurity; and lastly, it’s time for the chaotic, ruthless Catechismus For The Plagued, presenting eight and a half minutes of first-class Avantgarde Black and Death Metal spearheaded by the demolishing beats by Sima, ending in utter insanity and violence.
In summary, the Finnish death dealers of Death Obvious are clearly onto something in their first full-length opus, having created an exceptional and mature release right off the bat, one that deserves as much attention as it can possibly get before it gets lost in the annals of history. Hence, you can get to know more about such a promising new entity of the Finnish scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their wicked music on Spotify, and of course purchase their caustic album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. Because Death Obvious is not a rebirth, but a necessary resuscitation.
Best moments of the album:Total Heavenly Desolation, The Third Eye Burning and Catechismus For The Plagued.
Worst moments of the album:Suffer The Spectacle.
Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records
Track listing 1. Mercury Off Axis 5:38
2. Santuario 5:13
3. The Great Gate Theory 5:16
4. Total Heavenly Desolation 4:45
5. The Third Eye Burning 5:56
6. Suffer The Spectacle 6:51
7. As Absence Expands Over Everything 5:53
8. Catechismus For The Plagued 8:30
Band members Lea LaVey – vocals
Sima Sioux – guitars, bass, keyboards, drums
One of the most ruthless beasts of Occult Black Metal returns with their twelfth opus, emerging as both an autopsy and a resurrection, a descent into spiritual death followed by the sublimation of rebirth.
With the release of their twelfth full-length album, entitled Ashspawn, the iconic beast Enthroned marks a new chapter in their three-decade reign of ritualistic and occult Black Metal. Conceived across six years of deliberate creation, the album emerges as both an autopsy and a resurrection, a descent into spiritual death followed by the sublimation of rebirth. Recorded at Ophiussa Studio, produced by the band’s own drummer Menthor, mixed by Stefano Santi at SPVN Studio, mastered by Phil Bashford at The Hive Rooms, displaying a beyond devilish artwork by Jose Gabriel Alegria Sambogal, and written in close collaboration with Gilles de Laval (an occult author known for his works on ceremonial magic and grimoires, such as Sacerdotium Umbrae Mortis and Black Magic Evocation of the Shem ha Mephorash), the new opus by Nornagest on vocals and samplers, T. Kaos on the guitars and bass, and Menthor on drums and percussion channels arcane praxis, metaphysical calculus, and esoteric mapping into a work that is as much ritual invocation as it is music. In other words, it is the culmination of Enthroned’s uncompromising vision, a weapon of transformation forged in fire and darkness.
The gates of the underworld are wide open, and Enthroned are ready to arise from the burning fires of hell and consume our souls in Crawling Temples, with the demented vociferations by Nornagest exhaling pure Black Metal magic. Menthor continues to hammer his drums with endless fury and hatred in Basilisk Triumphant, offering an overdose of the band’s trademark fusion of violence and darkness; whereas T. Kaos fires sheer aggressiveness and sulfur from his axe in Stillborn Litany, another ruthless, old school Black Metal extravaganza that lives up to the band’s own legacy, followed by the title-track Ashspawn, a lecture in classic Black Metal with the inhumane roars by Nornagest walking hand in hand with the infernal drums by Menthor.
T. Kaos will cut our skin deep with his scathing riffage in Raviasamin, while the song’s ritualistic, occult background elements give it an even more Stygian vibe and feel in the name of absolute obscurity. Then the scathing guitar lines by T. Kaos continue to reverberate in the netherworld in Sightless, as evil and visceral as Black Metal can be; and a vile, gruesome scream by Nornagest sets the tone in the just as malignant Chysalid, flowing like a devilish entity running in the dark until its somber ending. That grim atmosphere continues in Ashen Advocacy, presenting almost eight minutes of the blackest of Black Metal by bringing forward the most bludgeoning elements from Doom Metal to spice things up considerably. And last but not least, get ready to be dragged to pitch-black darkness to the sound of Assertion, with the despair and wrath flowing from Nornagest’s roaring sending shivers down our spines.
A true giant of European Occult Black Metal alongside Marduk, Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth and 1349, among others, Enthroned offer their most ambitious and personal statement to date with Ashspawn, embodying a total unity of vision where ferocious blast beats, oppressive mid-tempos, and progressive structures collapse into one another. You can feel the fire blasted by such an infernal horde by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their caustic black masses on Spotify, and of course, by purchasing Ashspawn from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. In the end, Ashspawn is the testimony of the band’s obscure alignment, a ritual weapon that rejects nostalgia and compromise. It is a resurrection of spirit through suffering, and a reaffirmation of Enthroned’s place among Black Metal’s most visionary entities.
Best moments of the album:Basilisk Triumphant, Ashspawn, Raviasamin and Ashen Advocacy.
This unique Atmospheric Black Metal band from the beautiful region of Friûl will hypnotize you with their first full-length album, revolving around the complex yet unavoidable relationship between man and nature.
An Atmospheric Black Metal project hailing from a small land in Mitteleurope called Friûl, where the Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, Latin worlds coalesce in a unique mosaic of nature, people, magic, culture, languages and traditions, Unviâr, which means “winter” in Friulian, is an ode to the band’s homeland and to its people that pits the constant research and reworking of territorial identity against rampant hyperglobalization. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Davide Zago, and showcasing a stunning artwork by Paolo Girardi, Disglaç, or “defrost” in English, is the band’s follow-up to their 2023 debut EP Faliscjis, revolves around the complex yet unavoidable relationship between man and nature, a work that will delight fans of early Ulver, Drudkh, and Agalloch carefully brought into being by Daniele Tollon on vocals and guitars, Manuel Scapinello also on the guitars, Luca Franzin on bass, and Giulia Zuliani on drums.
The cello by guest Massimo Silverio already adds endless darkness to the band’s core sound in Nevere, or “never” in English, exploding into pure, unfiltered Atmospheric Black Metal led by Guilia’s venomous blast beats, not to mention the ferocity flowing from Daniele’s roars. Corints (“currents”) is another dark and visceral tune blending Black Metal with Post-Metal nuances, with the guitars by Daniele and Manuel exhaling fire; and Guilia takes the lead once again and kicks off the headbanging title-track Disglaç, supported by the massive bass lines by Luca, venturing through more melodic and even acoustic lands while also showcasing the band’s trademark heaviness as if it was three or four songs in one. Ritîr, which means “withdrawal” or “retire,” is a more straightforward Atmospheric Black Metal extravaganza, again presenting the striking riffage by Manuel; whereas last but not least, Massimo Silverio returns with his cello in Sul Ôr, which should translate as something like “on the gold,” closing the album on a pensive, grim mode, with even Daniele’s vocals getting deeper and more introspective.
Featuring dark music and a heavy epicness born from a dark naturalistic romanticism, a music that, with penetrating force, will firmly root itself in the listener’s heart, Disglaç brings forward the ancient voice of the land, the innate call of natural theophany, emerging as an intimate and reserved work, but precisely for this reason pure and uncontaminated. You can get to know more details about such an amazing band, including their live performances, on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their undisputed music on any platform like Spotify, and of course purchase their new album from their own BandCamp, from ATMF’s BandCamp, or from Metal Odissey as a CD or as an LP. Unviâr have simply mastered the art of Black Metal with their debut album, crafting music that’s rooted in the early days of the genre while also looking forward, never sounding dull or repetitive. They’re one of the must-see names of the current scene worldwide, and I bet you’ll have an absolute blast once you dive deep into the irresistible world of Disglaç.
Drawing upon the oppressive weight of soul crushing Death and Doom Metal and the violent fervor of Black Metal, this UK beast returns with their most enthralling and disturbing work to date.
Formed in 2012 in the West Midlands in the UK, Suffering are exponents of Occult Black Metal, conjurers of fevered nightmares, and invokers of darkness and madness. Drawing upon the oppressive weight of soul crushing Death and Doom Metal and the violent fervor of the blackest metal music, bringing them together in an elixir of spirit staining, mind warping venom, the band formed of Sturmgeist Fornicator Insultus on vocals, Aýdlig on the guitars, Inquinatus on bass, and Malleus on drums returns with their second full-length album, their most enthralling and disturbing work to date, Things Seen But Always Hidden, following up on their 2024 EP Symphonies: Diabolis, and a must-listen for fans of bands the likes of Akercocke, Shining, Acherontas, and Forgotten Tomb, among other servants of the darkest arts.
Such a ruthless UK horde begins their black mass in style with the Doom Metal-infused aria The House with the Red Door, starting in a lugubrious way before exploding into an overdose of Black Metal spearheaded by the inhumane drums by Malleus; whereas Enthralled follows the same darkened path as the opening track, with Aýdlig’s riffs reeking of malignancy while Sturmgeist vociferates the song’s austere words like a creature from the abyss. Then another cryptic intro will drag our souls into the unknown in The Chamber of Breathtaking Delights, offering a blasphemous blend of Blackened Doom and Black Metal as sluggish and cadaverous as it can be; and again adding an endless dosage of heaviness and fury to their core sound we face Consorting with the Devil, where Aýdlig and Inquinatus sound absolutely phantasmagorical armed with their axes.
The poetically titled What Once Was Shall Be Again and What Is Shall Be No More demanded a truly haunting sound and vibe to match with its name, which is exactly what the band offers to our putrid ears, followed by Apocrypha Through the Keyhole, another lesson in carnivorous Blackened Doom, with Sturmgeist taking the lead with his devilish gnarls. In addition, it couldn’t have sounded heavier nor more obscure. Then back to a more straightforward Black Metal sonority the band presents Hell on Earth New Eden, with Malleus crushing his drums manically while his bandmates blast an overdose of hatred through their vocals, riffs and bass lines. Lastly, the conclusion to Things Seen But Always Hidden comes in the form of the hellish Behind the Green Door, with the band dragging our impious souls to their venomous lair in the name of sheer doom.
“The darkness and truth that lies within is far beyond what we had imagined possible. But remember, things are not always what they seem and some things are right in front of your face,” commented the band about their new beast, and you can join them in total darkness by following the quartet on Facebook and on Instagram, including their unrelenting live performances, stream their Stygian, spine-chilling Black Metal hymns on any platform such as Spotify, and above all that, put your damned hands on Things Seen But Always Hidden from their own BandCamp or from Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings, or click HERE for all things Suffering. However, you must always remember that once you have set foot on this path, there is no way back.
Best moments of the album:Enthralled, Apocrypha Through the Keyhole and Hell on Earth New Eden.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings
Track listing 1. The House with the Red Door 7:17
2. Enthralled 4:30
3. The Chamber of Breathtaking Delights 7:00
4. Consorting with the Devil 4:38
5. What Once Was Shall Be Again and What Is Shall Be No More 3:12
6. Apocrypha Through the Keyhole 3:27
7. Hell on Earth New Eden 4:55
8. Behind the Green Door 9:42
Band members
Sturmgeist Fornicator Insultus – vocals
Aýdlig – guitars
Inquinatus – bass
Malleus – drums
The new album by this Swedish melodeath outfit marks the dawn of a new creative era for the band, one that fuses technical mastery with raw emotional power.
A Melodic Death Metal and Metalcore band that started in autumn 2020 at the Academy of Music & Business, a school for 16 to 19-year-olds situated in Vara near Gothenburg, Sweden, with their musical style having its roots in the melodeath movement that was big in the 90’s and early 2000’s, the up-and-coming Thermality are unleashing upon us their third studio album, titled Concept 42, following the global breakout of their 2024 release The Final Hours (which dominated international metal charts and entered the official Swedish sales rankings). Recorded at the iconic Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, and displaying a cinematic artwork by Andreas Marschall (Kreator, In Flames, Blind Guardian), the new album by Ludvig Sommar on vocals, Noel Hoflund Jonsson and Walter Hamilton on the guitars, Ture Skärfstad Stål on bass, and Hampus Sätterlund on drums marks the dawn of a new creative era for the band, one that fuses technical mastery with raw emotional power where each track is part of a larger conceptual journey.
The band quickly transports us to their wicked world in the opening track Friction, exploding into sheer Melodic Death Metal savagery led by Ludvig’s harsh vociferations, while Noel and Walter take the lead armed with their scorching riffs in Helix, once again inspiring us for some wild action inside the pit. Brainstorm sounds and feels heavily inspired by giants the likes of Soilwork, In Flames and At The Gates, with Ture’s bass and Hampus’ drums making the earth tremble, followed by Inception, not as exciting as the other songs of the album, with even Ludvig’s vocals sounding less aggressive. Concept 42, the song that carries the name of the album, kicks off to the rumbling bass by Ture, evolving into a melodeath beast overflowing harmony and rage, whereas Reminiscence starts in an ethereal, almost melancholic manner, quickly exploding into another blast of heavy and piercing sounds by Thermality.
Breaking Point then blends the classic Gothenburg sound with nuances of modern metal styles, with Noel, Walter and Ture once again giving a lesson in heavy music with their intricate and fierce guitars and bass lines, and it’s time to bang our heads together with those beyond talented Swedish boys in The Hollow, where they speed things up, offering Ludvig exactly what he needs to bark like a demented entity. The band brings forward another song with a more melodic intro that quickly morphs into classic Melodic Death Metal made in Sweden entitled Bright Side, with Hampus making sure there’s plenty of heaviness flowing during the entire song. “SMILE” again showcases that traditional Gothenburg sound led by the striking riffage by Noel and Walter, turning into an excellent option for their live concerts; and get ready to bang your head like a true metalmaniac to the sound of Lost Inside, with Ludvig barking and screaming in great fashion for our total delight. And last but not least, their harmonious yet visceral sounds will penetrate deep inside our minds in Tomorrow, with its guitar solos and breaks adding an extra kick to the music.
“Writing music is absolutely the best thing we know. Music gives us the most support and joy in our daily lives, and we hope it can do the same for those of you who listen to our music. The response we have received since starting this band has been incredible in so many ways. So we wanted to take a sec here and thank you and appreciate all those who came before us in this genre, all the feedback we have received on our previous releases, and everyone who listens to and supports us.
We truly hope you enjoy the album and approach it with an open mind when you listen to the music. With this album, we feel we have taken another step in the direction we want to go-one more step toward reaching the level our music deserves to be at,” commented the band, and if you’re a fan of bands like Gojira, Architects, Lamb of God, In Flames, and Fit For An Autopsy, you should definitely give them a try. You can also find those talented guys on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase their new album from their own BandCamp, from Sound Pollution, or by clicking HERE. Concept 42 will most definitely take Thermality to new heights, keeping the flames of Swedish melodeath burning for many years to come through the band’s undisputed music.
Best moments of the album:Helix, Concept 42, and Lost Inside.
Enveloped in shadow, Trier, Germany-based sextet Der Rote Milan returns to action with more of their intense, melodic, riff-driven Black Metal in their newborn EP Verlust, the German word for “loss.” Produced by the band itself, recorded, mixed and mastered by Markus Stock at Klangschmiede Studio E, and displaying a suffocating artwork by Matt Prison, the follow-up to their 2019 full-length album Moritat and their the 2023 EP Schlund sees the band formed of III on vocals, I and V on the guitars, VII on bass, II on synths, and VI on drums develop further their Atmospheric Black Metal sound and lyrical depth, all steeped in a deep sense of humanity, of indulging in the human condition, even those parts many may wish to avoid, encouraging us to sit with the discomfort, with the pain and acknowledge that change is certain, but it is not hopeless.
Exploring a strange sense of beauty that emerges from despair through the multi-faceted nature in which loss is experienced, the music by Der Rote Milan draws not only from nature, but also from the darker side of humanity’s acts, notably historical wars in Central Europe, anti-religion and, on an individual level, inner conflict. The combination of those elements with the harshness of Black Metal sounds once again fantastic in the band’s newborn EP, and if you want to put your damned hands on it simply go to BandCamp or to Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their austere creations on any platform like Spotify. Because loss exists and purveys through our lives in many forms, one of them being the undisputed Black Metal offered by Der Rote Milan in albums like Verlust, a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of music and life in general.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 