Tag Archives: a coruña

Album Review – Akouphenom / Connections To The Erebus EP (2025)

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Coming from the same recording sessions of their 2023 album, the new EP by this uncanny Spanish horde continues the exploration of dark themes and complex compositions.

Known for their fusion of Blackened Death Metal with elements of Doom Metal and Noise, aiming to reflect absolute evil in their creations, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain-based entity Akouphenom returns from the netherworld with a brand new EP titled Connections To The Erebus, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 full-length offering Death·Chaos·Void. Coming from the same composition and recording sessions of Death·Chaos·Void, their new four-track EP continues the exploration of dark themes and complex compositions by DraGon on vocals and guitars, Pandemia also on the guitars, Korgüll on bass, and Prgich on drums, further establishing their presence in the extreme metal scene.

Absurd of the Arkhe already brings to our putrid ears 11 minutes of ruthless Blackened Death Metal, with the crushing drums by Prgich setting the tone for DraGon to roar like an evil creature. Not only that, the guitars by Pandemia transpire malignancy while Korgüll hammers his bass nonstop, resulting in a true aria of absolute darkness. Then switching to their native language Spanish, the songs Extrema Uncion and Abismo, as described by Akouphenom themselves, are “a denial to Christianity and the idea of a paradise after death in exchange of an entire living as sheep and following the rules,” while musically speaking Extrema Uncion sounds as demented as it can be, with the infernal vociferations by DraGon penetrating deep inside your putrid soul, while Abismo showcases an even harsher vibe with the vocals by DraGon sounding truly inhumane, supported by the crushing drums by Prgich. And lastly, we’re treated to a whimsical instrumental track titled Limbo, where the haunting sound of the piano will bring some peaceful obscurity and melancholy to our hearts.

“We are atheists, we do not believe in nothing, and we accept that Death is the main end,” commented the band, and if you also want to follow Akouphenom in their dark path you can find more information about the band on Facebook and on Instagram, including their demonic live concerts, stream their music on any available platform like Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the excellent Connections To The Erebus from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp, or from Sound Cave, and you can always click HERE for all things Akouphenom. Those Spanish servants of the black arts are on an absolute roll after the releases of Death·Chaos·Void in 2023 and now Connections To The Erebus, proving why the extreme music scene in their homeland cannot be ignored at all; quite the contrary, Spain hosts an ever-growing manifestation of first-class Black and Death Metal, with Akouphenom being one of the torchbearers of such an exciting movement.

Best moments of the album: Absurd of the Arkhe and Abismo.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Absurd of the Arkhe 11:50
2. Extrema Uncion 6:42
3. Abismo 3:55
4. Limbo 3:03

Band members
DraGon – vocals, guitars
Pandemia – guitars, backing vocals
Korgüll – bass, backing vocals
Prgich – drums

Album Review – Akouphenom / Death·Chaos·Void (2023)

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A rising force of the Spanish Black and Death Metal scene will destroy your soul with their first full-length album, a hymn to the three ruling powers of existence – death, chaos and the void.

Embodying different influences from Doom Metal to Noise with the ambition to reflect absolute evil in their creations, A Coruña, Spain-based Blackened Death Metal horde Akouphenom (a name that comes from a twist on the word tinnitus, a real consequence of the band’s prolific live activities) is unleashing upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Death·Chaos·Void. Mixed and mastered by Simón Da Silva at The Empty Hall Studio, Death·Chaos·Void is a hymn to the three ruling powers of existence – death, chaos and the void, leaders, kings and conquerors for all eternity, all carefully brought into being by DraGon on vocals and guitars, Pandemia also on the guitars, Korgüll on bass, and Prgich on drums. Furthemore, Death·Chaos·Void is a concept album divided into six chapters, which Akouphenom explain as a journey to unveil the truths of the Arkhé, the natural law, which is no more than an extension of the chaotic reality of the human condition.

The obscure, atmospheric intro Tritone Descent will drag your soul to the pits of the underworld before the band comes crushing our souls in Devour, offering our damned ears over eight minutes of a first-class fusion of Black and Death Metal where Prgich sounds demolishing with his blast beats accompanied by the demonic riffage by DraGon and Pandemia, flowing into the 12-minute beast titled Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails, a lecture in Blackened Death Metal where DraGon and Pandemia once again extract pure insanity and darkness form their guitars, while DraGon roars and vociferates nonstop for our total delight. And the song will haunt our souls until its very last second, being immediately followed by Flesh Sublimation, where the quartet keeps blasting their devilish sounds mercilessly, with Korgüll and Prgich making the ambience feel truly heavy, dense and grim armed with their heavy-as-hell kitchen, alternating between pounding, infernal moments and sheer Black Metal attack. The title-track Death·Chaos·Void begins in full force with another thrilling display of savagery by the band’s guitar duo, resulting in a hurricane of blackened, demonic sounds not recommended for the lighthearted, not to mention DraGon’s vocals sound insanely heavy and grim; whereas lastly, get ready for one final blast of the band’s infernal sounds in Incorporeal, trapping our minds in pitch black darkness to the sound of the demented drums by Prgich, therefore resulting in a twisted, vile conclusion to the album.

Death·Chaos·Void, which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, certainly places Akouphenom as one of the new driving forces of the Spanish underground scene, and you can help the band go even higher (or lower, depending if you consider hell the ultimate place to be for a Black and Death Metal band) by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course by purchasing a copy of their amazing new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page or webstore (as a CD or an LP), or simply by clicking HERE and choosing your favorite version of the album. Akouphenom are among us to bring death, chaos and void to our lives armed with their debut album, and once you listen to their music you better be prepared because there’s no coming back from the dark side.

Best moments of the album: Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails and Death·Chaos·Void.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Tritone Descent 1:35
2. Devour 8:17
3. Upper Cycle of Infinite Tails 11:57
4. Flesh Sublimation 9:52
5. Death·Chaos·Void 8:07
6. Incorporeal 5:12

Band members
DraGon – vocals, guitars
Pandemia – guitars, backing vocals
Korgüll – bass, backing vocals
Prgich – drums

Album Review – Bloodhunter / Knowledge Was the Price (2022)

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Spain’s most ferocious Melodic Death Metal entity offers us all an impressive 55-minute album full of incendiary riffs, blast beats, and the always venomous roars by Diva Satanica.

Almost five years after the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album The End of Faith, Spanish Melodic Death Metal outfit Bloodhunter is finally back in action with their third full-length installment, beautifully titled Knowledge Was the Price. Formed in 2008 in A Coruña, Galicia, but currently located in the Spanish capital Madrid, the band comprised of the stunning Diva Satanica on vocals, Dani Arcos and Guillermo Starless on the guitars, Daniel Luces on bass and Adrián Perales on drums is on fire throughout the album’s impressive 55 minutes of flammable metal music, all of course spiced up by the top-notch production by Dani Arcos, the production, mixing and recording by Carlos Santos at Sadman Studio, the mastering by Víctor García at Ultramarinos Mastering, the recording by Daniel Luces, and the stylish cover art by Antonio Sicre, turning the album into a must-listen for fans of a good mix of melody, rage and storytelling with venomous vocals.

The opening tune Sharpened Tongues Spitting Venom Inside is very progressive and sinister, spiced up by its wicked lyrics barked by Diva Satanica (“Sharpened tongues spitting venom inside, / The disease is growing, you’re falling, it’s your last sigh. / Repulsive minds create a world full of lies, / Your false awareness infected the world’s demise.”), whereas Adrián kicks off the title-track Knowledge Was the Price with his rhythmic beats accompanied by the strident guitars by Dani and Guillermo in another ass-kicking display of sharp, devilish Melodic Death Metal. In A Twist of Fate to Come the band drinks from the same fountain as renowned acts the likes of Arch Enemy and Soilwork, with Adrián hammering his drums nonstop and, therefore, providing Diva Satanica with exactly what she needs to vociferate like a true she-wolf; and an eerie intro evolves into a neck-breaking feast in Medea’s Guidance, with the metallic bass by Daniel beautifully reverberating in the air. The song could have been a little shorter, though, but nothing to worry about. Then featuring the sensational guest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, KK’s Priest, Beyond Fear, Iced Earth, Charred Walls of the Damned) we’re treated to Never Let It Rest, where Ripper makes an incendiary, devilish duo with Diva Satanica while the music is simply bestial thanks to the fantastic guitar work by Dani and Guillermo; and more of their piercing guitars are offered to us all in Find Your Inner Fire while Diva Satanica darkly declaims the song’s inspiring lyrics (“Blind Faith – There’s no “tomorrow can wait”. / The Shame – Will be your final disgrace. / All Ends – Even darkness and despair. / Be Brave – Open your arms to self-defense.”).

Investing into a more ferocious, thrilling sonority it’s time for the band to crush us all in The Eye of the Serpent, once again showcasing an amazing job by Adrián with his rhythmic but always demented beats. Put differently, it’s first-class Melodic Death Metal made in Spain, which is also the case in Spreading Your Disease, starting in a somber way to the minimalist guitars by Dani and Guillermo before exploding into another frantic sonority perfect for slamming into the circle pit, also showcasing some sick guitar solos for our total delight. In Nothing Beyond the Realms of Death we face another round of their fusion of melodic, rage and progressiveness, with the intricacy flowing from Adrián’s drums walking hand in hand with the riffage by the band’s guitar duo, whereas an enfolding start to the sound of their harmonious guitars that lasts for almost two minutes morphs into a Stratovarius-ish instrumental tune titled A Relentless Force, followed by The Forsaken Idol, featuring guest vocals by Rosalía Sairem of Therion, a wicked creation by the band that will please all fans of extreme music with Diva Sanatica’s gnarls generating an interesting paradox with Rosalía’s clean vocals. The last original song of the album, The Hunters, brings forward more of the excellent string work by Dani, Guillermo and Daniel while Adrián hammers his drums mercilessly, and as a beyond infernal and heavy-as-hell treat the band blasts their cover version for Children of Bodom’s hit Bodom After Midnight, from their 2000 classic Follow the Reaper (check the original version HERE), with Diva Satanica stealing the spotlight with her roars as usual.

After all is said and done, we can all agree Bloodhunter have outdone themselves with Knowledge Was the Price, stepping up their game and positioning themselves as one of the driving forces of Melodic Death Metal in their homeland. Having said that, you can enjoy their newborn beast in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, and purchase their new album by clicking HERE or HERE. Diva Satanica and the boys are on absolute fire from start to finish in Knowledge Was the Price, and I’m sure after such intense album they’ll advance even further in their already solid career, cementing their name among other giants of the Melodic Death Metal scene worldwide and, consequently, leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future.

Best moments of the album: Sharpened Tongues Spitting Venom Inside, Never Let It Rest, The Eye of the Serpent and The Forsaken Idol.

Worst moments of the album: Medea’s Guidance and A Relentless Force.

Released in 2022 Maldito Records

Track listing
1. Sharpened Tongues Spitting Venom Inside 3:34
2. Knowledge Was the Price 3:45
3. A Twist of Fate to Come 2:49
4. Medea’s Guidance 5:23
5. Never Let It Rest 4:39
6. Find Your Inner Fire 3:40
7. The Eye of the Serpent 5:05
8. Spreading Your Disease 5:16
9. Nothing Beyond the Realms of Death 4:47
10. A Relentless Force 4:05
11. The Forsaken Idol 4:03
12. The Hunters 4:30
13. Bodom After Midnight (Children of Bodom cover) 3:38

Band members
Diva Satanica – vocals
Dani Arcos – guitars
Guillermo Starless – guitars
Daniel Luces – bass
Adrián Perales – drums

Guest musicians
Tim “Ripper” Owens – vocals on “Never Let It Rest”
Rosalía Sairem – vocals on “The Forsaken Idol”
Raúl Plaza – bass