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Album Review – Ninth Realm / Damnation’s Veil (2026)

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This up-and-coming American Death and Thrash Metal brigade erupts on the scene with a scathing form of extreme music in their debut album, taking a narrative process pertaining to their original dark fantasy world.

Hailing from Maryland, in the United States, the venomous Death/Thrash Metal brigade known as Ninth Realm erupts on the scene with a scathing form of extreme music bearing influences of Hardcore and Heavy Metal, with a slight blackened edge, perfect for fans of bands like Power Trip, Malevolent Creation, Deceased, Ritual Fog, and Glorious Depravity. Now in 2026 the band formed of Ben Hageage on vocals, Liam McMahon and Charles House on the guitars, Amelia Morris on bass, and Joey Burke on drums is ready to crush our souls armed with their debut album, titled Damnation’s Veil. Adorned by a stylish artwork by Jerry “Wyrmwalk” Hionis (Maul, Celestial Sanctuary), the album takes a narrative process pertaining to their original dark fantasy world, Tythorin, while being intense and violent for the most part.

The dark and sinister intro Valigeth will embrace our souls in darkness before we face Damnation’s Veil, which evolves into a massive beast of Death and Thrash Metal led by the striking guitars by Liam and Charles. Joey then takes the lead in Cohorts of the Abyss, hammering his drums nonstop while Ben delivers his trademark visceral gnarls, followed by Imbued in Hellfire, another hard hitting, heavy-as-hell tune by the band, with the enraged roars by Ben being nicely boosted by the stringed attack by Liam, Charles and Amelia. Then we face Rituals in Thar’amath, one of the songs with the strongest Thrash Metal vibe, as violent as it can be, with Ben once again vociferating rabidly like a wild beast, being therefore perfect for some action inside the pit.

After the ethereal (but unnecessary) interlude Orphaned Throne, it’s time for a progressive extravaganza entitled Wyrd of Strideborne, where the thunderous bass by Amelia adds even more heaviness to the already demented beats and fills by Joey. Let’s all travel together with Ninth Realm beyond absolute darkness in Beyond the Void, where the striking guitars by Liam and Charles exhale Melodic Death and Thrash Metal; whereas back to a more ferocious, no shenanigans sound we have Vengeance Unto Rot, a high-octane composition perfect for slamming into the pit to the brutal vocals by Ben. All Hail Treachery continues to spread the same level of insanity and violence as its predecessors, with their strident riffs penetrating deep inside our skulls; and last but not least, let’s raise our swords to the sound of Twilight’s Blade, a headbanging tune led by their flammable riffs and crushing drums.

A fascinating, expressive, and most importantly, exciting album that is sure to please fans of the classic Death and Thrash Metal sound as well as those who dig well-written, nuanced, and invigorating extreme music in general, Damnation’s Veil is only the first step in the promising career by Ninth Realm, who are waiting for you armed with their swords, axes and shields on Facebook and on Instagram to join them in battle. Don’t forget to also stream their powerful music on Spotify, and to purchase their incendiary new album from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. As you prepare to die in battle, there’s nothing better than the crushing heaviness found in Damnation’s Veil to inspire you to fight until your last breath in the name of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Damnation’s Veil, Rituals in Thar’amath and Vengeance Unto Rot.

Worst moments of the album: Orphaned Throne.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Valigeth 1:30
2. Damnation’s Veil 3:49
3. Cohorts of the Abyss 4:09
4. Imbued in Hellfire 3:54
5. Rituals in Thar’amath 4:17
6. Orphaned Throne 1:00
7. Wyrd of Strideborne 3:52
8. Beyond the Void 4:18
9. Vengeance Unto Rot 3:38
10. All Hail Treachery 2:36
11. Twilight’s Blade 3:58

Band members
Ben Hageage – vocals
Liam McMahon – lead guitar
Charles House – rhythm guitar
Amelia Morris – bass
Joey Burke – drums

Album Review – Nuclear Tomb / Epoch Inhumane (2026)

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These Progressive Thrash/Death Metal stalwarts are back with their sophomore full-length album, delivering faster speeds, deeper hooks, and even more dynamic twists than their fans have already come to expect.

Delivering a unique fusion of tight Thrash Metal riffing, noisy Punk Rock aggression, Progressive Rock ambition, and classic Heavy Metal grandeur, Baltimore, Maryland’s own Progressive Thrash/Death Metal stalwarts Nuclear Tomb are back as twisted and vicious as ever with their sophomore full-length album, titled Epoch Inhumane, following up on their 2024 opus Terror Labyrinthian. Engineered and mixed by Matt Michel at Viva Studio, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and showcasing a thrashing, apocalyptic artwork by Brad Moore, the new offering by Michael Brown on vocals and guitar, Matt Ibach also on the guitar, Amelia Morris on bass, and JD Lookabill on drums brings forward faster speeds, deeper hooks, and even more dynamic twists than their fans have already come to expect, being therefore perfect for fans of the music by Voivod, Pestilence, Coroner, and Atheist, just to name a few.

A cryptic warning sets the stage for the band’s maniacal thrashing feast titled Watch The Skies, with the harsh roars by Michael bringing even more adrenaline to their sound, followed by Falling Out The World Of Lies, a lesson in underground Progressive Thrash Metal by those American marauders with the rumbling bass and drums by Amelia and JD sounding absurdly heavy and vibrant. Unbowed / Averse is undoubtedly more experimental than its predecessors, led by the caustic and groovy riffs by Michael and Matt, whereas Faithless Continuum keeps the atmosphere as dark and visceral as possible, with JD once again sounding inhumane behind his drums. And they definitely know how to bring the intricacy of Progressive Metal to their core Thrash Metal insanity without slowing it down not even a bit, which is exactly the case in Broken Promise, Barren Essence.

Get ready to be caught in a nuclear mosh by Nuclear Tomb to the sound of Lifeless Transformation, where they speed things up and offer our avid ears their passion for the 80’s and 90’s infused with their progressive vein; followed by Butcher’s Lament, not their best effort to date, as it sounds a bit dissonant and out of place when compared to all other songs of the album. They get back on track with the razor-edged Terminally Emboldened, where their riffs and solos are effectively supported by the gigantic kitchen sounds crafted by Amelia and JD. The Coward’s Curse is another tune where they experiment with different sounds and tones while keeping blasting their killer thrashing core nonstop, whereas finally we face the multi-layered, rockin’ title-track Epoch Inhumane, showcasing the band’s undisputed dexterity until its eerie, grim finale.

Presenting songs that fearlessly rip and tear through warped tales of real world society’s impending collapse, Epoch Inhumane is a must-listen for fans of the weirdest side of Thrash Metal without forgetting the genre’s core aggression and speed, and if you want to know more about those American thrashers you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic music on any platform like Spotify, and of course put your hands on such a striking album by purchasing it from the band’s own BandCamp or from Rotted Life Records. In other words, be prepared for the horror of the mind thrashing sonic nightmares blasted by Nuclear Tomb. You’ll never be able to sleep again after such a wild ride.

Best moments of the album: Falling Out The World Of Lies, Lifeless Transformation and Terminally Emboldened.

Worst moments of the album: Butcher’s Lament.

Released in 2026 Rotted Life Records

Track listing
1. Watch The Skies 3:17
2. Falling Out The World Of Lies 3:47
3. Unbowed / Averse 3:35
4. Faithless Continuum 3:56
5. Broken Promise, Barren Essence 3:58
6. Lifeless Transformation 3:02
7. Butcher’s Lament 3:30
8. Terminally Emboldened 2:25
9. The Coward’s Curse 3:53
10. Epoch Inhumane 5:02

Band members
Michael Brown – vocals, guitar
Matt Ibach – guitar
Amelia Morris – bass
JD Lookabill – drums

Guest musician
Demir Soyer – additional lead guitars