Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Diabállein / Anti Sacra (2025)

Posted on by
1

One of the driving force of the current Brazilian Black Metal scene returns with their sulfurous fourth studio album, going against any type of religious oppression.

Forged in the fires of Monte Alto, São Paulo, Brazil in the year of 2010, the ruthless Black Metal horde known as Diabállein, a Greek verb that means “to throw across” or “to slander” (or the root of the word diabolos, which means “slanderer”, as diabolos is the origin of the English word “devil”), is a true exponent of Brazilian Black Metal, being highly influenced by cult bands the likes of Sarcófago, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Enthroned, Songe d’Enfer, Venom, and Motörhead, among others. Now in 2025 the band formed of Octavius Voxum on vocals, Jean Misfortune and Caio Blackthorn on the guitars, Maicon Alastor on bass, and Ivam Phobos on drums returns with their fourth full-length opus, entitled Anti Sacra, the follow-up to their 2022 album Misanthropy Chronicles. Recorded at Arte Estúdio, produced by the band itself in partnership with Danilo Penharbel Nogueira (who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album), and displaying a sinister artwork by Rubens Snitram of Azoth Artwork, Anti Sacra is an intense and provocative work that comes to challenge dogmas and conventions, addressing themes such as criticism of institutionalized religion, rebellion against social norms, deconstruction of myths and exploration of individual spirituality.

The phantasmagorical, cryptic intro Aurora will set the stage for the band to crush our putrid souls in Incipit Tragoedia, where Jean and Caio begin their vicious Black Metal riff attack supported by the unstoppable blast beats by Ivam. Eternal Vortex, the first single of the album, showcases frontman Octavius gnarling rabidly in the name of total darkness supported by the visceral riffage by the band’s guitar duo. Deteriorated By Time (Dust) sounds and feels a bit generic compared to the previous songs, but still exhaling evil and hatred, whereas the title-track Anti Sacra offers our impious ears an overdose of Black Metal magic led by the hammering drums by Ivam while Octavious barks manically until the very last second. And such an amazing Brazilian horde will burn your immoral souls to the sound of Burn The Morals And Dogma, again showcasing a great balance of devilish riffs and harsh vociferations; while lastly we’re treated to an overdose of heavier-than-hell, venomous sounds in Wisdom And Solitude, living up to the legacy of classic Black Metal.

Digitally released via Sangue Frio Records, while the physical release is supported by several labels, including Impaled Records, Sangue Underground Records, Luceferian Gnosis, Belial Songs, Infernal Dimension Distro, Nyarlathotep Records, and Rocketz Records, Anti Sacra reaffirms the band’s position as one of the driving forces of the current Brazilian Black Metal scene. Hence, don’t forget to join their devilish horde by following them on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their wicked creations on Spotify, and of course by purchasing or streaming your favorite version of Anti Sacra by clicking HERE. It’s time to succumb to the darkest side of Brazilian extreme music to the sound of the sulfurous new album by Diabállein, going against any type of religious oppression, and therefore inspiring us all to keep fighting for our freedom in the name of the always liberating Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Eternal Vortex, Anti Sacra and Wisdom And Solitude.

Worst moments of the album: Deteriorated By Time (Dust).

Released in 2025 Sangue Frio Records

Track listing
1. Aurora 1:11
2. Incipit Tragoedia 5:28
3. Eternal Vortex 6:10
4. Deteriorated By Time (Dust) 5:40
5. Anti Sacra 5:36
6. Burn The Morals And Dogma 6:11
7. Wisdom And Solitude 6:20

Band members
Octavius Voxum – vocals
Jean Misfortune – lead guitar
Caio Blackthorn – rhythm guitar
Maicon Alastor – bass
Ivam Phobos – drums

Album Review – Frightful / What Lies Ahead (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

Playing old school Death Metal with Thrash Metal and Grindcore influences, this Polish horde attacks again with their ruthless sophomore beast.

Playing old school Death Metal with Thrash Metal and Grindcore influences the likes of Carcass, Exhumed, Demolition Hammer and Sepultura, Gdańsk, Poland-based outfit Frightful is back in action with their second full-length installment, entitled What Lies Ahead, continuing the path of destruction initiated with their 2021 debut full-length Spectral Creator. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Maciej Nejman at Studio 147, with a classy yet venomous cover art by N. Zuki of Belial NecroArts (and layout by Paweł Ozon of XXV The Sign), the new album by Oskar Wańka on vocals and bass, Paweł Snarski and Eryk Jakubczyk on the guitars, and Krzysztof Pochranowicz on drums offers exactly what admirers of classic Death Metal need, positioning the band as a force to be reckoned with not only in their homeland, but anywhere in the world where high quality Death Metal is properly appreciated.

The opener Cloaked by Nothingness already provides us with a harsh, raw and visceral sonority boosted by its cryptic words (“Embraced by spectred deny / Forming disease in the absence of light / Levitating inside / Extinction is a matter of time”), inviting us all to slam into the pit and succumb to the dark side of metal; and Paweł  and Eryk’s infuriated thrashing riffs set the tone in Disincarnate Sower, resulting in a caustic metal feast where Oskar gnarls like a demon nonstop. Krzysztof  then hammers his drums like a demented beast in What Lies Ahead, offering more of the band’s frantic fusion of Black, Death and Thrash Metal, whereas the band attacks in full force in No Fear, with Oskar growling rabidly while firing low-tuned, menacing bass lines at the same time, supported by the bestial drumming by Krzysztof.

Into the Phantom Hearts is perhaps the song with the darkest lyrics (“At beginning of curse / So pure, unsullied / By permanent abuse / Now be left with grief / Punctured hearts turns quickly into frost / Unable to take them strokes / Hardened in acts and riven in thoughts / As result left with nothing”), while the music is a true hurricane of Blackened Death and Thrash Metal sounds; whereas Paweł  and Erik continue to distill their devilish riffs in Farewell, sounding tailored for fans of the dark arts and pure circle pit action. The album gets better and better as the music progresses, with the fulminating Cathedrals of Creation bringing forward the slashing riffs by the band’s guitar duo while Oskar growls and barks in the name of evil; and last but not least, Frightful will destroy our frail bodies without mercy in Inexplicable, speeding things up while also adding an extra dosage of sulfur to their music.

If you believe you have what it takes to join Frightful in their quest for the harshest, most inhumane form of Death Metal you can think of, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, and of course stream more of their caustic creations on YouTube, on Spotify or on any other streaming platform. And above all that, don’t forget to purchase a copy of the excellent What Lies Ahead from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, supporting the band in their dark path and, therefore, adding more fuel to the always beautiful Polish Death Metal scene, inspiring other bands like Frightful to keep releasing excellent albums like what they masterfully crafted in their newborn spawn.

Best moments of the album: Into the Phantom Hearts, Farewell and Cathedrals of Creation.

Worst moments of the album: What Lies Ahead.

Released in 2025 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Cloaked by Nothingness 5:45
2. Disincarnate Sower 4:46
3. What Lies Ahead 4:57
4. No Fear 4:27
5. Into the Phantom Hearts 6:01
6. Farewell 3:37
7. Cathedrals of Creation 4:38
8. Inexplicable 5:42

Band members
Oskar Wańka – vocals, bass
Paweł Snarski – guitars
Eryk Jakubczyk – guitars
Krzysztof Pochranowicz – drums

Album Review – Vultur / Cultores de Perdas e Linna (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

One of the very first Black Metal acts featuring lyrics in Sardinian Campidanese language returns with a magnificent opus dedicated to the occultism and folk superstitions of their homeland.

Aggressive, unmerciful and fast-paced, showcasing intriguing riffs and a certain degree of dark violence, Portoscuso, Sardinia, Italy’s most devilish Black Metal horde Vultur, one of the very first Black Metal acts featuring lyrics in Sardinian Campidanese language, with themes about Sardinian occultism and folk superstitions, returns to the battlefield with their third full-length opus, entitled Cultores de Perdas e Linna, following up on their critically acclaimed 2014 album Ogu Liau. Recorded by Alberto Bandino at Cut Fire Mixing Studio, and displaying a grim artwork by the band’s own bassist Maristella Spanu (taking inspiration from the Sardinian popular mask “Su Boe”, one of the most important characters of Sardinian Carnival tradition), Cultores de Perdas e Linna, which means “stone and woods worshippers” (which is how Christians derogatorily defined the ancient Nuragic population), features eight songs overflowing darkness, brutality and, of course, Sardinian occultism and folklore, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist and guitarist Nicola Fulgheri (aka Attalzu), guitarist Nicola Spaziani, bassist Maristella Spanu, and drummer Lorenzo Balia.

Attalzu wastes no time and begins vociferating rabidly from the very first second in Su Frastimu, a pulverizing, sinister Black Metal onrush that gets even more cryptic thanks to its words in Sardinian Campidanese; and Maristella and Lorenzo fire a Marduk-like evil kitchen in Eternu Trumentu, again darkening the skies in the name of classic Black Metal. The band shows absolutely no signs of slowing or toning down their music in Su Spegu, with Lorenzo smashing his drums like a beast accompanied by the visceral riffage by Attalzu and Nicola. And Maristella continues to hammer her ruthless bass in Femina Mala, while Attalzu summons absolute darkness through his devilish growls.

After such a hurricane of Black Metal, we have the atmospheric interlude Arestis, setting the stage for Vultur to crush our damned souls in Cultores Lapides et Lignea, with the deep, imposing vociferations by Attalzu sending shivers down our spines while Lorenzo once again sounds demonic behind his drums, not to mention the scorching riffage by Nicola transpires Black Metal magic. Then adding the heaviest elements from Death Metal to their core sonority, its time for a deep, infernal tune by the quartet named Umbras, where all instruments sound as austere as possible, in special the demented drums by Lorenzo, flowing into the beyond atmospheric Nemini Parco, starting in a somber Gregorian chant manner before exploding into one final blackened attack by the band, led by the infuriated riffs and bass by Nicola and Maristella, respectively.

Sardinia is the island whose ancient population dates back to the Bronze Age, featuring a rich archaic history and culture, and whose folklore still breaths nowadays within its fond population. Having said that, it’s truly amazing that a band like Vultur also helps to keep that spirit alive through Black Metal, which is in my humble opinion the perfect music genre to represent any form of folklore or occultism, and Cultores de Perdas e Linna is a flawless depiction of the band’s talent and devotion to their homeland, being highly recommended for fans of Satyricon, Marduk, Mayhem, Immortal, Dissection, and Rotting Christ, among others. You can find those Italian creatures on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and above all that, purchase their new album from the Masked Dead Records’ BandCamp or webstore as a CD or as a very special Cultores de Perdas e Linna CD + Unholy Impurity CD bundle. Sardinian folklore has always been a very interesting and vibrant topic, but let’s say Vultur definitely know how to spice it up considerably armed with their breathtaking Black Metal attack.

Best moments of the album: Su Frastimu, Cultores Lapides et Lignea and Umbras.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music

Track listing
1. Su Frastimu 4:11
2. Eternu Trumentu 5:30
3. Su Spegu 3:53
4. Femina Mala 4:33
5. Arestis 2:25
6. Cultores Lapides et Lignea 5:20
7. Umbras 4:01
8. Nemini Parco 5:20

Band members
Nicola Fulgheri – vocals, lead guitars
Nicola Spaziani – guitars
Maristella Spanu – bass
Lorenzo Balia – drums

Guest musician
Federico Ruggiu – acoustic guitar and bass, effects

Album Review – Light Dweller / The Subjugate (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch strikes again with his fifth album, delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time.

Founded in December 2017 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, Dissonant Death/Black Metal entity Light Dweller is set to release its fifth offering, entitled The Subjugate. Inspired by a broad spectrum of dissonant and melodic influences, including Cosmic Putrefaction, Defacement, Mesarthim, Convulsing, Violet Cold, Mare Cognitum, and more, Light Dweller has forged a unique path through the darker, more obscure realms of metal, with The Subjugate spanning six tracks delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time, presenting a cohesive journey through these concepts, all embraced by another ass-kicking artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration.

Cameron begins his riff and growl attack in full force in Echoes from the Spectral Void, offering our avid ears four minutes of top-of-the-line Progressive Death Metal; whereas Cessation of Time sounds as demolishing and experimental as the opener, with Cameron’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with his intricate yet heavy-as-hell drumming. Then a sinister intro evolves into another darkened amalgamation of sounds in Fracturing Light, where Cameron lets his Progressive Metal vein pulse harder than ever, and with his demonic gnarling matching perfectly with the music; followed by the eight-minute title-track The Subjugate, where Cameron invests in a very diverse and progressive sound by bringing into being several breaks, variations, and experimental and sharp sounds, all combined in a harmonic yet visceral way. In the second to last song of the album, titled Phasing Through the Veil, our one-man band shows no mercy for our souls with his demented riff, bass and drum attack, with its phantasmagorical ending flowing into Adrift the Expanding Nothingness, another bestial tune overflowing insanity and heaviness where he fires his most experimental riffs of the entire album, smashing our minds and souls mercilessly during its hellish seven minutes.

With each release, Light Dweller has evolved, skillfully weaving dissonance with melody, and balancing intense aggression with haunting, introspective passages, culminating now in 2025 with the excellent The Subjugate, and of course pointing to an even more interesting path ahead for Cameron. You can get to know more about him, his music and other details by following Light Dweller on Facebook and on Instagram, and show him your utmost support by streaming his music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing The Subjugate from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or from Sound Cave. This is undoubtedly Cameron’s strongest opus to date, but I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the near future, and we’ll say the same about his upcoming albums, as Light Dweller is always evolving, always looking forward, and always ready to surprise us all with its unique sounds.

Best moments of the album: Echoes from the Spectral Void and The Subjugate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Echoes from the Spectral Void 4:29
2. Cessation of Time 5:20
3. Fracturing Light 4:45
4. The Subjugate 8:10
5. Phasing Through the Veil 4:38
6. Adrift the Expanding Nothingness 7:39

Band members
Cameron Boesch – vocals, all instruments

Concert Review – Septicflesh (The Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON, 02/24/2025)

Posted on by
Reply

***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Stormruler and Vltimas

On a Monday night in what has been a complete shitshow of city incompetence with regards to snow removal, Toronto’s metal denizens were treated to a great night at The Velvet Underground with the titans of Greek extreme metal SEPTICFLESH along with friends VLTIMAS and STORMRULER in support for the Modern Primitive in North America Tour 2025. Toronto being their first stop on the  Canadian leg of the tour. Originally this show was supposed to be at The Concert Hall on Yonge Street but ticket sales were not as strong as were anticipated and so a change in venue had to take place as The Concert Hall would have been too large of a venue for the smaller crowd. Quite a shame if you ask me because it is a superior venue, but this dark cloud had a silver lining, if anything, it just made the show at The Velvet Underground feel more intimate.

The weather was finally a bit more cooperative with milder temperatures but the city’s mismanagement of snow removal this year has been such a joke and sidewalks were still inundated with snow and garbage and other such messiness that walking the streets had become such an ordeal for most people. Lining up for the show was a bit of a challenge because there was barely enough room for pedestrians to get by but we all made the best of it. Finally security let us inside at around 7pm and as soon as we had got in the first thing we all noticed was that the merch was priced in American dollars which was a little odd all things considering. It didn’t bother me much though, I was way too excited to see  Septicflesh for any of that shit to bother me. The place filled up nicely and I made sure that I got close to the stage because the sight lines at the Velvet Underground are shit if you are short like me. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the show to begin. St. louis Missouri’s STORMRULER kicked off the show with a blistering 5 song set of  delicious melodic black metal complete with some solos for desert. Stormruler are filling in for Ex Deo as they are no longer on the tour because of unforeseen circumstances. It was my first time seeing them and I found them to be quite entertaining. I would definitely check them out if or when they visit us again.

Setlist
Sacred Rites & Black Magic
Reign of The Wicked Duke
In The Eye Of The Mirror
Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations
Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers

Band members
Jason Asberry – vocals, guitars
Nick Burks – guitars
Dalton Moore – bass
Jesse Schobel – drums

Up next was the extreme metal powerhouse that is VLTIMAS. They are a kind of supergroup consisting of ex Morbid Angel Frontman David Vincent (USA) on vocals, ex Mayhem and current Aura Noire guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (NOR), Canada’s own Flo Mounier of Cryptopsy on drums, Dutch Bassist Ype TWS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portugal’s Joao Duarte of the band Corpus Christii on guitar as well. Vltimas proceeded to tear the roof off with a brutal onslaught of extremity and I was surprised that the pits of hell didn’t open up in the middle of the floor. These guys are so polished and professional that they had the crowd instantly energized. The house was about 85% full but it felt like more than that. Everyone was waiting for Septicflesh to get on before they let loose in the pit. Vltimas absolutely killed it! 10/10!

Setlist
Epic
Something Wicked Marches In
Invictus
Mephisto Manifesto
Exercitus Irae
Last Ones Alive Win Nothing
Scorcher
Diabolus Est Sanguis
Everlasting

Band members
David Vincent – vocals
Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen – guitars
Joao Duarte – guitars
Ype TWS – bass
Flo Mounier – drums

SEPTICFLESH

The crowd was thoroughly rabid when the mighty SEPTICFLESH got on stage. The circle pit was instantaneous and the crowd never let up. Neuromancer was the second song they played and it blew the lid off the place. It was epic! definitely a crowd favourite as well as my own personal favourite song of theirs. I swear that riff lives in my head. The crowd was beside themselves with utter joy and satisfaction and you could tell that this band has a special connection with their fans, almost personal. This was my first time seeing them live and I fucking loved every second of it. Septicflesh belted out banger after banger the whole entire set. They are such an incredible band to see live! 10/10, would love to see them again! Overall it turned out to be a great night and a hell of a good show.

Setlist
The Vampire From Nazareth
Neuromancer
Pyramid God
Heirophant
Portrait Of A Headless Man
Coming Storm
Martyr
We, The Gods
A Desert Throne
Virtues Of The Beast
Communion
The Collector
Anubis
Dark Art

Band members
Spiros Antoniou – harsh vocals, bass
Sotiris Vayenas – guitars, clean vocals
Christos Antoniou – guitars, orchestrations, samples
Psychon – guitars
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – Grima / Nightside (2025)

Posted on by
1

This cryptic, haunting Atmospheric Black Metal entity returns with its sixth offering, a dark ritual of ancient forest magic honoring the spirit of the Siberian Taiga.

With already 10 years of scene-stealing experience behind them, the cryptic, looming stars of Siberian Atmospheric Black Metal known as Grima are unleashing upon humanity their sixth full-length offering, the breathtaking Nightside, a dark ritual of ancient forest magic following up on their critically acclaimed 2022 opus Frostbitten. Produced by the band itself alongside Vladimir Lehtinen, recorded by Vilhelm and Serpentum at Grima The Mighty Studio, mixed and mastered by Vladimir Lehtinen at Blastbear Sound, and displaying a somber and classy artwork by Paolo Girardi, the new album by twin brothers Vilhelm on vocals and guitars, and Morbius on the guitars, with the support of session musicians Serpentum on bass, Vlad (Morokh, Solarfall, Ultar) on drums, Valentina Astashova (Eoront, WirgHata) on keyboards, and Sergey Pastukh on the bayan, is set to honor the spirit of the Siberian Forest, Taiga, while also bringing to our avid ears an overdose of high quality atmospheric and extreme music.

Serene, gentle sounds permeate the air in the atmospheric intro Cult, with the bayan by Sergey adding an extra touch of finesse to the overall result, exploding into Beyond the Dark Horizon, where Vilhelm’s harsh, devilish gnarls will send shivers down your spine supported by the classic Black and Doom Metal beats by Vlad, therefore resulting in a bold, dense and multi-layered aria of darkness by Grima. Then the striking sound of the bayan once again brings sheer magic to Flight of the Silver Storm, with the guitars by Vilhelm and Morbius exhaling Black Metal, being perfect for some vigorous headbanging in the bitterly cold darkness of the Siberian Tundra; and the gentle guitar lines by the Siberian twins ignite the also enfolding Skull Gatherers, with Serpentum and Vlad generating a heavy, pounding ambience tailored for Vilhelm’s venomous roars. Then featuring guest vocals by Savely Nevzorov (Deafknife, Ultar) and Ilya Panyukov, Impending Death Premonition is a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal showcasing striking yet melodious riffs intertwined with sheer violence, anger and obscurity.

The second half of the album begins with the breathtaking The Nightside, with its menacing wall of sounds dragging us all to the cold landscapes of Siberia while their riffs and blast beats, supported by the whimsical keys by Valentina, sound utterly dynamic and captivating. They continue to darken the Siberian skies with their harsh but extremely beautiful music in Where We Are Lost, with Vilhelm and Morbius delivering a thrilling riff attack; whereas Savely and Ilya return in full force in Curse of the Void, starting again in an embracing, mysterious manner before such an amazing metal entity from Russia crushes our souls with their stylish Atmospheric Black Metal sounds. Lastly, the band invests in a more melancholic, cadenced sonority in Mist and Fog, bringing more elements from Doom Metal and even Depressive Black Metal to their core sound, with Vilhelm taking the lead with his sharp, devilish gnarling before all flows into the climatic outro Memories of a Forgotten Home, bringing some peace to our hearts and soothing our souls as we succumb to the enfolding darkness of the Taiga in the harshest of winter.

In addition to their unforgettable sound, the band’s eerie, piercing looks, towering like living trees with intimidating carved wooden masks and branched fingers, adds another haunting element to their brutal yet beautiful output. Hence, with their mysterious visual aura and intriguing sound, on Nightside, Grima continue to prove themselves as an unmissable band to watch within the genre, and you can explore their distinguished realm by following them on Facebook, Instagram, and VKontakte, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase their newborn beast from BandCamp, from Napalm Records, or simply by clicking HERE, letting the darkly menacing beauty of the night sky from the Taiga penetrate deep inside your soul to the sound of one of the best albums of extreme music of the year.

Best moments of the album: Flight of the Silver Storm,  Impending Death Premonition, The Nightside and Curse of the Void.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Intro (Cult) 2:00
2. Beyond the Dark Horizon 3:36
3. Flight of the Silver Storm 6:01
4. Skull Gatherers 5:37
5. Impending Death Premonition 6:25
6. The Nightside 7:29
7. Where We Are Lost 6:31
8. Curse of the Void 4:35
9. Mist and Fog 5:09
10. Outro (Memories of a Forgotten Home) 2:03

Band members
Vilhelm – vocals, guitars
Morbius – guitars

Guest musicians
Serpentum – bass (session)
Vlad – drums (session)
Valentina Astashova – keyboards (session)
Sergey Pastukh – bayan (session)
Savely Nevzorov & Ilya Panyukov – vocals on “Impending Death Premonition” and “Curse of the Void”

Album Review – Christ Dismembered / Ov Vampiricy (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

An infernal Black Metal horde from Down Under is ready to ride out into the world once more, bringing with them the heretical gospel that is their sophomore opus.

A tolling bell, a howling wind and chants of dire imprecation announce the return of Black Metal horde Christ Dismembered, Australia’s chief advocates of apostasy and servants of the beast. Forged in the fires of the city of Millicent, South Australia in 2012, the band now formed of Arch Worm on vocals and guitars, Doomsayer on lead guitars, Winter Demon on rhythm guitars, Skorpa on bass, and Plague on drums is ready to ride out into the world once more, bringing with them the heretical gospel that is Ov Vampiricy, the follow-up to their 2017 self-titled debut, their second full-length album of blood hungry Black Metal in their crusade against the light, being tailored for admirers of the music by Nifelheim, Immortal, Dark Funeral and Behexen, among many others.

The howling winds of evil will embrace you in the album’s intro, taking you on a one-way journey to the underworld in Fool’s Gambit, already offering a vibrant fusion of Melodic Black Metal with old school Black Metal, with Plague sounding simply infernal on drums for our total delight. Then the strident riffage by Doomsayer and Winter Demon will mercilessly pierce your damned minds in Mother of Demons, a lecture in Black Metal by the quintet exhaling pure hatred and obscurity, followed by The Numbers Oppose You, offering an extra dosage of sulfurous Black Metal with Arch Worm gnarling like a demonic entity; and there’s no sign of slowing down nor anything like that, as it’s pedal to the metal in an ode to all things Black Metal titled Under the Cross, perfect for some blasphemous action inside the pit.

After that, we have the atmospheric interlude The Banishment, the calm before the storm as this Australian horde will crush your putrid souls in A Ritual Most Foul, where Plague dictates the song’s pace with his intricate yet demolishing blast beats, keeping the album at a high level of blasphemy. Sorcerer of Nazareth is a pure old school Black Metal extravaganza showcasing all the passion for the dark arts by the band, followed by Child Devouring Servants of Satan, one of the most infernal of all tracks of the album, with Doomsayer and Winter Demon stealing the show with their flammable riffage. Their second to last offering from the pits of the netherworld, entitled See You In Hell, showcases another vicious gnarling attack by Arch Worm, whereas last but definitely not least, this horde from Down Under will burn your frail bodies to the sound of the fiery Riddled With Sin, with Skorpa and Plague making the earth tremble with their beyond venomous and rumbling kitchen.

The children of the night will be unbound and their infernal music will echo through the darkness once more to the sound of Ov Vampiricy, and you can join such an amazing horde from Down Under by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their vile creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of their impious new album from their own BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from MSH Music Group. After all is said and done, simply open your ears to the cries of the children of the night, open your arms to their embrace to the sound of their blasphemous and vile new opus, or grip your crucifix in shaking hands and weep, because Christ Dismembered will take no prisoners in their quest for old school Black Metal armed with their excellent new offering.

Best moments of the album: Mother of Demons, Under the Cross and Child Devouring Servants of Satan.

Worst moments of the album: A Ritual Most Foul.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Intro 1:45
2. Fool’s Gambit 5:21
3. Mother of Demons 4:15
4. The Numbers Oppose You 4:12
5. Under the Cross 4:34
6. The Banishment 2:30
7. A Ritual Most Foul 4:27
8. Sorcerer of Nazareth 6:29
9. Child Devouring Servants of Satan 4:33
10. See You In Hell 5:54
11. Riddled With Sin 5:13

Band members
Arch Worm – vocals, guitars
Doomsayer – lead guitars
Winter Demon – rhythm guitars
Skorpa – bass
Plague – drums

Album Review – Greyember / Blooming in Antarctica EP (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

This talented Australian freelance music and video creator strikes with a three-track extreme music EP that explores some of life’s harshest realities.

Hailing from the beautiful city of Melbourne, the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, Greyember is the Progressive/Blackened Death Metal alter-ego of metal and dark alternative themes freelance music and video creator Richard Grimm, also known for his contributions to the bands Dracorex, Bentham’s Head, and Dreamworm. Produced, mixed and mastered at Big Vibe Creative, Blooming in Antarctica is the debut EP by Richard and his Greyember, a three-track offering that explores some of life’s harshest realities, from existential fears about climate change to his personal struggles with mental health and identity, all through the lens of metal, while also featuring incredible guest contributions from Richard White (Grim Demise) and Nikki Harrison aka Luna Starchild (With Witch).

Featuring guest vocalist Luna Starchild, Richard delivers an overdose of harsh riffs, deep guttural roars in paradox with Luna’s melodic clean vocals in Reflections, resulting in a killer Blackened Death Metal beast. Then we have the massive title-track Blooming in Antarctica, with guest vocals by Richard White, drawing inspiration from the stark reality of flowers now growing in Antarctica, a harbinger of the climate crisis and its devastating implications (“There is a debt, that we’ve burned through the century / the carbon reaper set free / Consuming all, driving life to extinction / a thriving land now devoid / it will consume, arctic surfaces break down / transforming glaciers to brine / Our heaving lungs choking down poison fumigation / 1 million tonnes to exhaust”). Musically speaking, it reminds me of some of the most recent tunes by Behemoth, which is obviously a good thing. And lastly, Richard transpires darkness and insanity in madness., transforming his inner demons into a fusion of Black and Death Metal through his classic beats, caustic riffs and a beyond grim atmosphere.

Blooming in Antarctica is already available in full on all streaming platforms including YouTube and Spotify, but of course if you want to show Richard your utmost support you can purchase a copy of the album from BandCamp, and don’t forget to also give Richard a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, or simply click HERE for more details on all of his bands and projects. As mentioned by Richard himself in the description of his official video for the title-track, our world is dying and a small handful of people are responsible for it, people with names and addresses, and we must do something to avoid the terrible fate that lurks in the shadows and waits for us all in a not-so-distant future. Let’s spread the music by Greyember all over the world, inspiring other musicians like Richard to fight for our planet, and metalheads like us to use our powerful music to make a positive change in our decaying society.

Best moments of the album: Blooming in Antarctica.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Reflections 4:08
2. Blooming in Antarctica 5:40
3. madness. 4:20

Band members
Richard Grimm – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Nikki Harrison – vocals on “Reflections”
Richard White – vocals on “Blooming in Antarctica”

Album Review – Pyrrhic Salvation / When Society Crumbles EP (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast strikes again with a caustic new EP, exploring themes of societal collapse, humanity’s potential, and the inevitability of self-destruction.

Two years after their striking 2022 debut EP Manifestum I, Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast Pyrrhic Salvation returns to action with another vicious and extremely experimental EP, entitled When Society Crumbles. Displaying a sick artwork by Austin Weber of The Lung Swarm Art, the new EP by Michael Altobello on the guitars and Sagar Nadgir on drums and bass, plus newcomer Shawn Ferrell on vocals (who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album), is split into three cohesive movements, each forming a track within the title piece, exploring themes of societal collapse (“Infrastructures”), humanity’s potential (“Insight”), and the inevitability of self-destruction (“Inferiority Complexed”), concluding with a standalone track which ventures into themes of existential dread and humanity’s moral decay, adding an introspective complement to the tripartite title composition.

When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure already starts in full force to the venomous roars by Shawn and the always demented riffage by Michael, sounding and feeling very experimental and progressive, yet exhaling pure Death Metal, making an instant bridge with When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight, continuing their overdose of experimentations and harsh sounds, with Sagar taking the lead with both his sick drums and metallic bass lines, flowing into When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed, where the guitar lines by Michael add an extra dosage of insanity to the overall result, not to mention how rabid Shawn sounds on vocals. Lastly, closing the EP we face Every Last Soul Unmade, a demented Experimental Death Metal attack by the trio where Michael sounds possessed with his riffs and solos, all boosted by the inhumane growls by Shawn.

While When Society Crumbles distances itself from the Black Metal elements of the debut, the group’s affinity for spiraling tenebrous sounds remains evident, churning out songs that are deliberately disorienting and chaotic with a barrage of musical complexity, experimentation, and sporadic strange melodies. Hence, if you want to explore this unique amalgamation of sounds by those talented metallers, you can find them on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase their caustic new EP from BandCamp, leaving the fires of experimental music burning bright until Pyrrhic Salvation stun us all once again in the near future with, who knows, maybe their first ever full-length offering.

Best moments of the album: When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure and Every Last Soul Unmade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure 4:50
2. When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight 4:43
3. When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed 4:23
4. Every Last Soul Unmade 5:43

Band members
Shawn Ferrell – vocals
Michael Altobello – guitars
Sagar Nadgir – drums, fretless bass

Album Review – Hållbar / Nemesis (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold this excellent album of “Contemporary Black Metal” made in Poland, reminding us all that sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

Forged in the fires of Warsaw, Poland in 2023, Melodic Black/Death Metal horde Hållbar, a Swedish word that translates to “durable” or “sustainable” in English, is ready to crush our souls with their first full-length album, simply titled Nemesis. Self-recorded at Okrutnik Studio, mixed and mastered by Filip “Heinrich” Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio, and with artwork and design by Dariusz Barabaś from Seeg Design and Bartosz Rybitwa, the debut opus by Gosia Marczak on vocals, Przemysław Janusz Gracel and Jakub Bałdyga on the guitars, Bartosz Wietnam Mitura on bass and Sebastian Kredek Cieciera on drums brings to our avid ears a crossover between Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal with Deathcore-like female screams, or in other words, a unique belnd that the band likes to call as “Contemporary Black Metal”.

The cryptic, eerie intro Ambiguous Loss will darken our minds before the band comes ripping in Mental Apraxia, with Sebastian hammering his drums manically, offering Gosia all she needs to bark and roar like a true she-demon; and the guitars by Przemysław and Jakub exhale heaviness and sound as sharp as a knife in Face to the Ground, presenting a great fusion of Melodic Death and Black Metal. The title-track Nemesis brings forward obscure lyrics barked by Gosia (“You’re the hero of your personal myth / You’re an obdurate cancer running through my veins / You’re the buffalo with predator’s teeth / Nemesis! Oh! / Show me everything it is worth to die for / Nemesis! / Show me everything you just want to die for / Let them free!”), whereas Bartosz and Sebastian make the earth tremble with their metallic kitchen in the venomous Love/Hate Language.

After such a hurricane of blackened sounds, we face a more introspective, serene start in Fears, with Gosia gnarling deeply before all explodes into a headbanging extravaganza led by the massive drums by Sebastian, resulting in maybe the most Black Metal of all songs. The band continues to pave their darkened path in Voodoo Doll, another excellent option for some vigorous headbanging with the riffs by Przemysław and Jakub transpiring sulfur; and there’s no time to breathe as their caustic fusion of Death and Black Metal keeps penetrating deep inside our souls in Aposiopesis, while Gosia blasts an overdose of harsh roars in Tormentor, supported by the thunderous sounds crafted by her bandmates. Puppet String, the second to last song of the album, again ventures through darker lands, sounding perfect for some mosh pit action, whereas lastly we have Possibilities, a solid tune that puts a visceral yet melodic ending to the album.

“Nemesis is a tale of unprocessed experiences and emotions that, difficult and aggravating at first, eventually teach important lessons – stories of mental illness, codependency, perfectionism, patterns of unreflective behavior and loneliness. Nemesis is about each of us, because we are sometimes our own worst enemies,” commented Gosia about the band’s debut offering, and you can join the band in that never-ending fight against our inner demons by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their music on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of Nemesis from BandCamp or from DistroKid. We’re definitely our worst enemies in life, which is why we have high quality bands like Hållbar among us, to give us strength through their music to continue moving forward no matter what.

Best moments of the album: Face to the Ground, Fears and Aposiopesis.

Worst moments of the album: Tormentor.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Ambiguous Loss 0:41
2. Mental Apraxia 3:54
3. Face to the Ground 3:19
4. Nemesis 3:10
5. Love/Hate Language 3:47
6. Fears 3:33
7. Voodoo Doll 4:45
8. Aposiopesis 3:29
9. Tormentor 3:24
10. Puppet String 4:05
11. Possibilities 3:51

Band members
Gosia Marczak – vocals
Przemysław Janusz Gracel – guitar
Jakub Bałdyga – guitar
Bartosz Wietnam Mitura – bass
Sebastian Kredek Cieciera – drums