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Album Review – Grog / Sphere Of Atrocities (2025)

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After 34 years pushing their creation forward with the precision of a scalpel, this cult Portuguese Death Metal and Grindcore beast is back once again with another chapter of extremeness and gore in their undisputed career.

After 34 years doing what they’ve always done to perfection, pushing their creation forward with the precision of a scalpel, in the most raw, brutal and sharp form imaginable, Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal-based Death Metal/Grindcore cult entity Grog is back once again with another chapter of extremeness and gore in their undisputed career, titled Sphere of Atrocities, a deadly album that will make you bleed for speed, push you to the corner, and beat you relentlessly. Recorded, produced and mastered by the band’s drummer Rolando Barros at Undergrind Studios, with cover concept by the band’s vocalist Pedro Pedra, and illustration and final art by Victor Costa, the new bestial opus by the aforementioned Pedro Pedra and Rolando Barros alongside guitarist Ivo Martins and bassist Alexandre Ribeiro offers bass lines that will melt your face, a wall of exorcizing guitar riffs and a voice directly coming from down under, turning it into a must-listen for worldwide Death Metal and Grindcore fanatics.

The band needs less than two seconds to kick off their metallic extravaganza in E.xit G.lobal O.bliteration, pulverizing everything and everyone that dares to cross their path led by Pedro’s inhumane growling, whereas Rolando crushes his drums with endless fury in Vegetative Techuman, a visceral display of Death Metal infused with Grindcore madness. Ivo and Alexandre sound utterly rabid in Inborn Sickness, with their riffs and bass transpiring Death Metal while Pedro keeps vomiting unfriendly words nonstop; and Alexandre pounds his bass in absolute darkness in Heart Of Darkness, a lecture in violence by Grog that will leave you completely disoriented after all is said and done. After that, Ivo continues to fire his scathing riffs in Cosmic Placenta, while his bandmates showcase an avalanche of gore and insanity.

Pineal Turmoil brings to our avid ears two and a half minutes of pure, unfiltered Grindcore led by the demolishing beats and fills by Rolando; and there’s no sign of peace or hope in their music, as it’s a blast of annihilating sounds in Reproductive Extinction, with Ivo once again sounding ruthless on the guitar, which is also the case in Phantom Anihilation, bringing forward their trademark riffs, rumbling bass and pounding drums. NecroEarth nicely depicts the band’s strength, essence and passion for extreme music, with Pedro barking viciously until the very end, and I have no idea how they managed to sound even heavier in Lucidity, most probably due to another demented performance by Rolando behind his drums. Finally, we’re treated to Grog’s last three minutes of absurdly heavy and evil sounds in the form of Terrorithm, with the strings by Ivo and Alexandre reverberating in great fashion.

After listening to the unrelenting Sphere Of Atrocities, you’ll quickly acknowledge Grog are still one of the greatest names in the underground, putting their musical effort at the top of the highest mountain and continuing to be a fearless and ruthless monster avalanche for your senses, elevating their legacy to a new level of severe musical brilliance. Having said that, it’s time to “pulverize yourself” to the sound of Sphere Of Atrocities by purchasing a copy of the album from the Hellprod Records’ BandCamp or webstore, as well as by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram. Because Grog are out for blood armed with Sphere Of Atrocities, and you will most definitely want to be their next victim.

Best moments of the album: E.xit G.lobal O.bliteration, Heart Of Darkness and NecroEarth.

Worst moments of the album: Phantom Anihilation.

Released in 2025 Helldprod Records/Murder Records

Track listing
1. E.xit G.lobal O.bliteration 3:01
2. Vegetative Techuman 3:08
3. Inborn Sickness 2:49
4. Heart Of Darkness 3:39
5. Cosmic Placenta 2:14
6. Pineal Turmoil 2:41
7. Reproductive Extinction 2:42
8. Phantom Anihilation 2:28
9. NecroEarth 3:09
10. Lucidity 3:22
11. Terrorithm 3:09

Band members
Pedro Pedra – vocals
Ivo Martins – guitars, backing vocals
Alexandre Ribeiro – bass, backing vocals
Rolando Barros – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Colosso / Apocalypse EP (2020)

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Pestilence, War, Death and Famine masterfully turned into brutal and obscure Death Metal by a heavier-than-hell unity hailing from Portugal.

What if a vicious horde hailing from Portugal decided to turn the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, the Book of Revelation by John of Patmos, into gruesome and raw Death Metal? That’s exactly what a project formed in 2011, currently comprised of Max Tomé on guitars, keyboards and vocals, Alexandre Ribeiro (Grog) on bass and Robin Stone (Norse) on drums, collectively known as Porto, Portugal-based Death Metal unity Colosso, has to offer us all in their brand new EP simply titled Apocalypse, translating into modern and sharp Death Metal all the darkness flowing from the four riders Pestilence, War, Famine and Death.

After years of toiling in the underground, putting out six releases of ever-evolving Death Metal such as their debut full-length opus Peaceful Abrasiveness, in 2012, and more recently Rebirth, in 2018, Colosso seem to have reached their most demonic shape and form in Apocalypse, being highly recommended for fans of the music by Norse, Morbid Angel, Nile, Incantation and Suffocation, among other behemoths of extreme music. Mixed and mastered by Max Tomé himself, and featuring a beyond obscure album art by Phlegeton Art Studio, as well as guest vocals by Guilherme Henriques of Oak and Gaerea, Diogo Santana of Analepsy, and Sérgio Afonso of Bleeding Display, Apocalypse is an undoubtedly breathtaking and refreshingly diverse album, showcasing the myriad aspects of this bold and innovative Death Metal band without compromising on their aggressive, apocalyptic sound.

And pestilence and plague permeate the air in the vicious and heavy-as-hell Pestilence, blending the violence of Death Metal with the grim and infernal sounds of Blackened Doom while guest vocalist Guilherme Henriques barks and roars like a creature from the netherworld. Not only that, Robin smashes his drums mercilessly nonstop, with that disturbing and evil onrush of sounds going on and on until the song’s visceral ending. Then guest Sérgio Afonso lends his guttural vocals to Colosso in the also Stygian tune War, with the sounds of machine guns and explosions making the whole song even more realistic, leaning towards classic Death Metal. Moreover, Alexandre’s bass jabs and Robin’s beats feel like the epitome of evil, resulting in a pulverizing display of extreme music for lovers of the genre.

Max himself is responsible for the vocal duties in Death, a lot more melodic and crisper than its predecessors while still providing the band’s characteristic rawness and darkness. Furthermore, Max is spot-on with his razor-edged riffs accompanied by Robin’s intricate drums and, as a surprise, Max fires clean, ethereal vocals instead of the album’s characteristic putrid gnarls, bringing elements from Atmospheric Black and Doom Metal to Colosso’s core savagery. And last but not least, Diogo Santana provides his share of deep guttural roars to Famine, where the band gets back to their most demented and hellish mode, showcasing all band members in total sync led by Max’s strident riffs, while Robin sounds like a stone crusher on drums and, as a consequence, flirting with Brutal Death Metal at times.

In summary, if you’re an admirer of the meanest and heaviest side of Death Metal you must give these Portuguese metallers a very good try as Max and his henchmen have all it takes to explode your mind and darken your soul with their brand new installment Apocalypse, which by the way will soon be available from the band’s own BandCamp page and from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore in distinct formats such as the awesome T-shirt + CD + Digital Download bundle. Also, don’t forget to show your support to Colosso by following them on Facebook and by listening to more of their somber creations on Spotify. As the four dreadful figures in the Book of Revelation who symbolize the evils to come at the end of the world get closer and closer to us, there’s nothing better than the avalanche of Death Metal roars crafted by Colosso to provide them a warm and friendly welcome, don’t you agree?

Best moments of the album: War and Famine.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Pestilence 8:14
2. War 4:07
3. Death 4:11
4. Famine 4:14

Band members
Max Tomé – guitars, keyboards, vocals on “Death”
Alexandre Ribeiro – bass
Robin Stone – drums

Guest musicians
Guilherme Henriques – vocals on “Pestilence”
Sérgio Afonso – vocals on “War”
Diogo Santana – vocals on “Famine”