Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Midnight / Hellish Expectations (2024)

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Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, the new opus by this american lone wolf offers the listener 25 minutes of blasphemy and depravity that live up to the legacy of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal.

Slaying the metal and punk underground with its own highly addictive brand of lust, filth and sleaze dating back to the band’s inception in 2003, Cleveland, Ohio-based Black/Speed Metal one-man cult Midnight, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Athenar (aka Jamie Walters), is back with its sixth full-length offering, titled Hellish Expectations, following up on the critically acclaimed album Let There Be Witchery, released in 2022. Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, Hellish Expectations offers the listener 25 minutes of blasphemy and depravity split into ten infuriated, austere compositions that live up to the legacy of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal, setting fire to the underground scene while Athenar continues to worship Satan armed with his always irreligious and impure sounds.

Get ready to be crushed like an insect by the Punk Rock-infused Speed Metal by Midnight in Expect Total Hell, with Athenar delivering classic 80’s raspy vocals and electrifying riffs nonstop, followed by Gash Scrape, another harsh and visceral creation by Midnight that will surely ignite some fun mosh pits, with Athenar kicking some ass on drums while he keeps roaring and vociferating like a maniac for our total delight. Masked and Deadly keeps the album at a high level of animosity, although not as dynamic as the previous songs; whereas in Slave to the Blade we face a Motörhead-inspired sound that will drag us all into the pit while Athenar sounds ruthless on the guitars and bass, delivering striking riffs and rumbling bass lines throughout the entire song. And let’s keep banging our heads and raising our horns to that sweet trademark depravity from the 80’s in Dungeon Lust, with Athenar once again taking us back in time with his dirty guitars and inebriate vocals.

It’s pedal to the metal as Athenar and his Midnight will attack our senses in Nuclear Savior, again showcasing an amazing fusion of Hardcore and Punk Rock with Blackened Speed Metal, all spiced up by a thrilling guitar solo, and he continues his descent into the pits of hell with the blasphemous and frantic Deliver Us to Devil, with his Speed Metal riffage adding an extra touch of dementia to the overall result, resulting in what’s undoubtedly one of the best songs of the album. Then investing in a heavier headbanging sound, let’s break our necks to the raging Mercyless Slaughtor, where his Black Metal vein pulses stronger than ever; and once again inspired by the dirty Rock N’ Roll blasted by the iconic Lemmy and his crew we have Doom Death Desire, excellent for some beer drinking while Athenar hammers his drums in the name of evil, while F.O.A.L. offers one last explosion of raw, rebellious sounds by our multi-talented lone wolf, with its Speed Metal riffs walking hand in hand with the massive Punk Rock drums.

“It’s a knuckle dragger with a fat cutoff. Pure testosterone meat. Probably the most concise and straight to the point Midnight album to date, and all written in a weekend.  The album was written on pure reaction upon leaving the studio after listening to raw tracks from the previous album Let There Be Witchery.  The final mix of that album was good, but at the time of laying it down in the studio, I didn’t like what I was hearing and demanded a new leviathan of an album to be written that weekend,” commented the unstoppable Athenar about Hellish Expectations, which is by the way available from Midnight’s own BandCamp page or from the Metal Blade Records webstore, and don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram (because Midnight might be a one-man band in the studio, but Athenar surely summons some wicked musicians to join him on stage for some depraved concerts), and to stream his sick creations on Spotify and on all other streaming services. It’s always midnight in the land of Black and Speed Metal, and I’m sure you’re more than ready to raise your horns nonstop in the name of sheer blasphemy to the sound of this precious gem of the underground.

Best moments of the album: Slave to the Blade, Nuclear Savior and Deliver Us to Devil.

Worst moments of the album: Masked and Deadly.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Expect Total Hell 3:29
2. Gash Scrape 2:18
3. Masked and Deadly 2:50
4. Slave to the Blade 1:51
5. Dungeon Lust 2:13
6. Nuclear Savior 2:38
7. Deliver Us to Devil 2:23
8. Mercyless Slaughtor 2:45
9. Doom Death Desire 2:16
10. F.O.A.L. 2:48

Band members
Athenar – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Necrowretch / Swords of Dajjal (2024)

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Branded with the mark of the beast, this French Blackened Death Metal horde returns blacker than ever with a magnificent opus dedicated to the Islamic Antichrist.

Formed in 2008 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Vlad in Valence, a city in southeast France in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with the revival of old school Death Metal while always branded with the mark of the beast, Blackened Death Metal entity Necrowretch has just opened the most ambitious chapter of their career with Swords Of Dajjal, their three-years-in-the-making fifth album. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Francis Caste at Studio Sainte Marthe, Swords of Dajjal isn’t just named after the Islamic Antichrist, but a statement of the devotion to Satan by the aforementioned Vlad on vocals and guitars alongside guitarist and bassist W. Cadaver, and drummer N. Destroyer, being highly recommended for fans of Possessed, Dark Angel, Dissection, Necrophobic, and Merciless, or to anyone who sold their whole souls to the devil just like this French horde. Represented on the cover of the album (masterfully brought into being by Stefan Thanneur, also known as Manifeste) with his double-edged sword and bathed in the same kind of reddish and orangey mesmerizing lights one can experience when the sun sets on wind-beaten deserts, all eight songs on the album are prophecies, past and future, where Dajjal plays the leading role.

The Stygian guitars by Vlad and W. Cadaver ignite the opening tune Ksar Al-Kufar (describing a dark and forbidden land characterized by disbelief and ominous imagery), offering us all pure evil in the form of Blackened Death Metal; whereas N. Destroyer hammers his drums in the name of absolute darkness in The Fifth Door, living up to the legacy of the genre and being tailored for admirers of Behemoth, Belphegor and Septicflesh, while Vlad vociferates rabidly in a pure Black Metal style. Then obscure riffs and menacing vocal lines set the tone in Dii Mauri (or the “Mauran gods” mentioned in Latin inscriptions of the third century in North Africa), a phantasmagorical creation by Necrowretch that should sound insane live, summoning all creatures of the netherworld to their feast of blackened music. And the title-track Swords of Dajjal is a lecture in extreme music, blasphemy and hatred, with the harsh roars by Vlad walking hand in hand with the strident, piercing riffage by W. Cadaver while N. Destroyer keeps demolishing his drum set with endless dexterity and anger.

It’s time to bang your heads nonstop to the visceral sounds blasted by Necrowretch in Numidian Knowledge, another song where their passion for the darkest side of music becomes even stronger, whereas speeding things up and sounding more venomous than ever we have Vae Victis, which is Latin for “woe to the vanquished”, where Vlad is inhumane on vocals, barking and roaring like a beast from the crypts of Hades in a must-listen for admirers of Blackened Death Metal. The second to last burst of sulfur by the band is offered to our ears in Daeva (a supernatural entity of disagreeable nature, an evil spirit, or demon in Zoroastrianism), a more melodic composition, or an instrumental interlude that’s not bad but doesn’t add much to the album, flowing into the cryptic closing tune Total Obliteration, bringing forward six minutes of classy, energetic and grim Black and Death Metal that will haunt your damned souls for all eternity, all spearheaded by the visceral screams by Vlad supported by the always sharp riffs by W. Cadaver.

Armed with the biggest, most complex and intense album of their career, Necrowretch are about to yield their sword of destruction and exterminate everything in sight. The result is, according to Vlad, “our most black metal record, with splashes of death metal here and there. Whereas on the previous album all tempos were pushed to the extreme, there’s far more variety here to be found. It also gave us free reins to reach a more mystical, Biblical if you will vibe” fed by his experience living in Turkey in the late 2010’s. “We choose to focus on the Dajjal character, basically the antichrist in the Muslim religion. The Coran says that he’ll appear as a false prophet only to bring doom to this world, with an army of demons coming from the east.” Hence, if you’re also willing to sell your soul to the devil alongside the guys from Necrowretch, you can stream Swords of Dajjal in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram. Necrowretch are sounding blacker and more sulfurous than ever, bringing doom to our already decaying world just like Dajjal with their new album, and I’m sure you’ll have a blast listening to such masterpiece of darkness.

Best moments of the album: The Fifth Door, Swords of Dajjal, Vae Victis and Total Obliteration.

Worst moments of the album: Daeva.

Released in 2024 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Ksar Al-Kufar 4:21
2. The Fifth Door 5:29
3. Dii Mauri 5:06
4. Swords of Dajjal 4:55
5. Numidian Knowledge 4:11
6. Vae Victis 4:18
7. Daeva 2:49
8. Total Obliteration 6:13

Band members
Vlad – vocals, guitars
W. Cadaver – lead guitars, bass
N. Destroyer – drums

Guest musician
R. Cadaver – bass (live)

Album Review – Onslaught Kommand / Visions of Blood and Gore EP (2024)

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This four-piece brigade form Chile will bring sheer blood and gore to us all armed with their demented new EP, overflowing Death Metal and Grindcore.

Formed in 2022 in Santiago, Chile, the unrelenting Black/Death Metal/Grindcore four-piece brigade Onslaught Kommand is among us to spread gore, perversions and explicit violence with their music, which is what they have to offer us all in their brand new EP entitled Visions of Blood and Gore. Recorded and mastered at Abysm of Burning Corpses, and displaying gore masterpieces by Brian Paulin and layout by Paweł Ozon of XXV The Sign, the EP is a delight for fans of the most ruthless form of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Black Metal nuances, showcasing the passion for all things evil by SplatterHate on vocals and bass, Necromancer and Behemot on the guitars, and Cvnthvnt on drums.

The massive, dirty bass lines by SplatterHate together with the Motörhead-infused riffage by Necromancer and Behemot will drag you to the circle pit in Old Death Ripper, a ruthless Death Metal extravaganza by the quartet that will simply smash your cranial skull mercilessly; and their onrush of brutality, gore and darkness goes on in Headless, with Cvnthvnt dictating the song’s sluggish, menacing pace while SplatterHate continues to roar and bark like a demonic creature from the underworld. It’s then pedal to the metal as the quartet will set fire to the atmosphere in Visions of Blood and Gore, offering our avid ears an onrush of old school Death Metal led by the sick riffs by Necromancer and Behemot. Not only that, it’s actually quite impressive how they managed to sound even more infernal than before. And lastly, we have their rendition for Dead Body Love, by Pungent Stench (check the original version HERE, from their 1989 split Pungent Stench/Disharmonic Orchestra), with their version being just as demolishing and bloodthirsty as the original, and with the deep guttural by SplatterHate sounding utterly inhumane, therefore sending shivers down our spines until the very last second.

The talented and evil Chilean horde named Onslaught Kommand is waiting for you on Instagram with news, tour dates, more of their caustic music and so on, and of course if you want to join their deadly brigade you can purchase a copy of Visions of Blood and Gore from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore as a cassette or as a special cassette bundle including Visions of Blood and Gore plus their 2022 self-titled debut demo. Onslaught Kommand bring pure blood and gore in their incendiary new EP, paving the path for those amazing musicians to deliver their first-ever full-length opus in the near future and, consequently, making the Chilean Death Metal scene stronger and more infernal than ever.

Best moments of the album: Old Death Ripper and Visions of Blood and Gore.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Old Death Ripper 4:08
2. Headless 2:09
3. Visions of Blood and Gore 2:23
4. Dead Body Love (Pungent Stench cover) 4:07

Band members
SplatterHate – vocals, bass
Necromancer – guitars
Behemot – guitars
Cvnthvnt – drums

Album Review – Funeral Winds / 333 (2024)

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Dedicated to the one whose name is three hundred and thirty three, the eighth studio opus by this unstoppable one-man army offers us all raw and cold Black Metal that throws the grit right in your face.

“This album is dedicated to He, whose name is three hundred and thirty three, and that thrice one.”

Poisonous and true Black Metal to the bones, the Stygian, irreligious one-man Black Metal entity Funeral Winds is the true essence of Black Metal music, staying loyal to to the original values of Black Metal, hateful and relentlessly contemptuous in sound and vision, since the project’s inception in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, in the now distant year of 1991. Now in 2024 the unstoppable vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hellchrist Xul (aka Maurits Jansen) returns from the pits of the underworld with his devilish eighth studio opus, titled 333, which refers to the Dweller in the Abyss, the Demon of Dispersion, also known as Choronzon. Seen as the last great obstacle between the adept and enlightenment, Choronzon needs to be faced to be able to move beyond the Abyss. Stylistically, 333 is raw and cold Black Metal that throws the grit right in your face, a worthy follow-up to all of the previous efforts brought into being by Hellchrist Xul and his Funeral Winds.

The winds of Black Metal bring to our putrid ears the venomous opening tune Sovereign of Shadows, where Hellchrist Xul doesn’t waste a single second and begin to roar manically while also offering his usual infernal riffage, exploding into the vile and obscure Eternal Nightmare, an overdose of Black Metal insanity hitting us hard with its demonic guitars and bass, pounding drums, and a strong sense that all hope is lost and that we must all succumb to the void. Cast the Gauntlet of Doom sounds even darker than its predecessors, a haunting chant where Hellchrist Xul delivers Doom Metal-inspired sluggish beats while he keeps vociferating in the name of pure evil; followed by Ancient Wrath Unleashed, a brutal Black Metal attack that exhales heaviness and sulfur, with the strident riffs by Hellchrist Xul walking hand in hand with his classic blast beats.

In The Damned Ones Shall Rise we face nonstop savagery and sulfur flowing from all instruments, another classic Funeral Winds composition that lives up to the legacy of old school Black Metal; whereas Forever Cursed and Bound brings forward four minutes of absolute evil where the project’s core Black Metal is complemented by a grim Blackened Doom vibe, perfect for banging your head in total darkness. Then get ready to be dragged into the Stygian realm ruled by Funeral Winds in Birthed By Pure Malevolence, a nonstop, visceral Black Metal onrush with Hellchrist Xul enhancing the animosity of his harsh gnarls to a whole new level. And last but not least, Hellchrist Xul will darken the skies for all eternity with the seven-minute aria Conjuration of the Blind One, with the howling winds once again opening the gates of the underworld for Hellchrist Xul’s diabolical vociferations, flowing in a vile and somber manner while also bringing forward bursts of old school Black Metal, ending in a beyond phantasmagorical vibe.

Hellchrist Xul is undoubtedly an unstoppable force of the Black Metal scene, with 333 being an amazing depiction of al his passion for the style, his talent and his hard work. Hence, don’t forget to give him and his Funeral Winds a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to his YouTube channel and to stream his wicked creations on Spotify, and obviously to purchase a copy of the sulfurous 333 from his own BandCamp page, from the Osmose Productions’ BandCamp page, or simply by clicking HERE. Dedicated to the one whose name is three hundred and thirty three, the new album by Funeral Winds is a continuation of Hellchrist Xul’s descent into the underworld, cementing his name as one of the driving forces of the underground scene and setting the stage for a new chapter in the coming years, remaining always true to the foundations of our beloved Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Eternal Nightmare, Ancient Wrath Unleashed and Birthed By Pure Malevolence.

Worst moments of the album: Cast the Gauntlet of Doom.

Released in 2024 Osmose Productions

Track listing
1. Sovereign of Shadows 4:01
2. Eternal Nightmare 6:02
3. Cast the Gauntlet of Doom 4:01
4. Ancient Wrath Unleashed 4:53
5. The Damned Ones Shall Rise 3:52
6. Forever Cursed and Bound 4:07
7. Birthed By Pure Malevolence 4:23
8. Conjuration of the Blind One 7:11

Band members
Hellchrist Xul – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Eternal Storm / A Giant Bound to Fall (2024)

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A boundless, always-evolving Spanish Progressive and Melodic Death Metal outfit returns with their hugely ambitious yet still passionate and heartfelt sophomore album, a giant step ahead for the band and for the entire style.

Following up on the release of their 2019 debut album Come the Tide, which was a shockingly accomplished, poignant and evocative album which many still regard to be one of the highlights in the style, Spanish Progressive/Melodic Death Metal outfit Eternal Storm returns to the battlefield four years later with their sophomore opus, titled A Giant Bound to Fall, a worthy effort that doesn’t betray their sound nor dilute it. Produced by the band itself, recorded at The Empty Hall Studio (vocals, guitars, bass) and at Sadman Studio (drums), re-amped, mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound, and displaying a sinister artwork by Leoncio Harmr (with logo by Christophe Szpajdel of Lord of the Logos), the album is far more nuanced, multifaceted and even feels darker than their debut installment, all masterfully brought into being by Daniel R. Flys on lead vocals, guitars, keyboards and bass, Jaime Torres on the guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass and fretless bass, and Daniel Maganto on bass, additional guitars and additional vocals, plus guest musicians Gabriel Valcázar (Wormed, Ernia) on drums and percussion, and Jaboto Fernández (Nexus 6, TodoMal) on additional keyboards and synths, being recommended for fans of Be’lakor, Dyssebeia, Insomnium, and Dark Tranquillity.

Guest Roberto Bustabad (Varunian, Ovakner, Rvinas) brings some noise and additional synths to the opening tune An Abyss of Unreason, starting in an ethereal manner as the drums by Gabriel arise from the underworld, exploding into a dissonant and experimental hybrid of Black and Death Metal where Daniel R. Flys roars manically nonstop, offering us all endless progressiveness and multiple layers of unique sounds and tones in a true aria of darkness. Then featuring guest vocalist Sven de Caluwé (Aborted), A Dim Illusion is another melodious yet visceral and somber creation by the band, a more progressive version of the music by Insomnium highly recommended for some vigorous headbanging to the piercing riffage by Daniel R. Flys and Jaime; and after such intense and bold tune it’s time for a soothing, serene sonority in There was a Wall, bringing forward elements from modern-day Doom Metal, in special in the sluggish beats by Gabriel, while Daniel R. Flys, Jaime and Daniel Maganto extract sheer groove and feeling form their stringed axes. Their mesmerizing feast goes on in Last Refuge, featuring guests Kheryon on additional vocals and Paul R. Flys on violin, a ten-minute journey through the realms of Progressive and Melodic Death Metal showcasing another amazing job done by all band members, with Daniel R. Flys once again leading his horde with his anguished screams.

It’s then time for a gentle, enfolding interlude titled Eclipse, generating a delicate atmosphere to the sound of minimalist guitar lines (albeit going on for a bit too long, but nothing that takes away its vibe), setting the tone for Lone Tree Domain, with guest Eloi Boucherie (Vidres a la Sang, White Stones) on additional vocals, an even more intricate, detailed and visceral creation by Eternal Storm, with their guitar riffs getting boosted by the rumbling bass by Daniel Maganto, sounding beautiful and impactful at the same time. The trio keeps embellishing the airwaves with their complex yet captivating sounds in The Sleepers, featuring Dan Swanö on additional vocals, a Progressive Death Metal aria alternating between deep, enraged moments and atmospheric passages, exploding into the infernal The Void, a lecture in Death Metal infused with progressive, technical and blackened elements tailored for admirers of the genre, with the superb drumming by Gabriel enhancing the song’s punch while Daniel R. Flys roars like a beast, always accompanied by the thunderous bass by Daniel Maganto. Lastly, we’re treated to the title-track A Giant Bound to Fall, featuring Sergi “Bobby” Verdeguer (Persefone) on additional vocals, beginning in a futuristic, whimsical vibe while also offering more of the band’s harsh and demolishing sounds, bringing peace and hope to our damned hearts and, therefore, putting a stunning finale to the album.

A Giant Bound to Fall is a giant step ahead in the logical direction, for the band and for the entire style. There is little doubt that this hugely ambitious and more importantly still passionate and heartfelt album will go down as another towering landmark in the genre, and if you want to show Eternal Storm all your support you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, on YouTube and on any other streaming platform, and above all that, purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a CD (in the US and Europe) or as a very special CD + shirt combo (also in the US and Europe). The storm of Progressive and Melodic Death Metal available in the new album by such talented band from Spain definitely deserves a detailed listen by all of us, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in their boundless and always evolving career.

Best moments of the album: An Abyss of Unreason, Last Refuge and The Void.

Worst moments of the album: Eclipse.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. An Abyss of Unreason 13:35
2. A Dim Illusion 7:18
3. There was a Wall 5:07
4. Last Refuge 10:00
5. Eclipse 4:06
6. Lone Tree Domain 9:27
7. The Sleepers 6:27
8. The Void 6:27
9. A Giant Bound to Fall 6:46

Band members
Daniel R. Flys – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass
Jaime Torres – guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass, fretless bass
Daniel Maganto – bass, additional guitars, additional vocals

Guest musicians
Gabriel Valcázar – drums, percussion (session)
Jaboto Fernández – additional keyboards and synts
Roberto Bustabad – noise and additional synths on “An Abyss of Unreason”
Sven de Caluwé – additional vocals on “A Dim Illusion”
Kheryon – additional vocals on “Last Refuge”
Paul R. Flys – violin on “Last Refuge”
Eloi Boucherie – additional vocals on “Lone Tree Domain”
Dan Swanö – additional vocals on “The Sleepers”
Sergi “Bobby” Verdeguer – additional vocals on “A Giant Bound to Fall”

Album Review – Tanin’iver / Dark Evils Desecrate (2024)

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The blind dragon steed of Lilith will breathe fire upon humanity once again to the sound of his fourth full-length opus, an outpouring of blazing hatred and rage in the form of devilish Blackened Death Metal.

“The heavenly serpent is a blind prince with name of Tanin’iver…he is the bond, the accompaniment and the union between Samael and Lilith. If he were created whole in the fullness of his emanation he would have destroyed the world in an instant.” – The Early Kabbalah

A Black and Death Metal embodiment of one man’s creative spirit, forged in the cold flames of tragedy, loss and personal struggle, an outpouring of blazing hatred and rage at a world blighted by sickness, cursed by violence and intolerance, drowning in greed and ignorance, Adelaide, Australia-based Blackened Death Metal outfit Tanin’iver (the blind dragon steed of Lilith in ancient mythology) is unleashing upon humanity its fourth full-length opus, titled Dark Evils Desecrate, the follow-up to the project’s 2021 album The Lucifer Effect. Produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s mastermind, vocalist and guitarist Steve Lillywhite (aka Skorpa), Dark Evils Desecrate sees Steve (alongside once again guitarist and bassist Liam Mohor) turning his coruscating gaze from the poisonous cesspit of religion and delivering a bombardment of scathing, acidic vitriol onto humanity’s obsessions with war, violence, intolerance and the brain-sapping curse of social media, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Dissection, Belphegor, Mayhem and Svart Crown.

Another World’s Hell hits us hard in the face with its infernal lyrics roared by Steve (“Long, the way, to light  / Out of all this dark / To be precise, / The killing of the night /Will be the end, / Of what I failed to be / Your dreams, are dead”) while the music is as bestial as it can be, with his caustic riffage adding an extra touch of evil to the overall result; followed by Disrepair, another pulverizing, devilish tune by the duo, with Liam sounding thunderous with his bass while also delivering a crisp guitar solo for our total delight. Then we’re treated to Separatist, sounding absolutely devastating from the very first second, with its blast beats and venomous screams and riffs generating a truly demonic atmosphere perfect for some vigorous headbanging, whereas a rumbling, massive wall of sounds will crush your soul in Better the Devil, with its mechanized, pounding rhythm matching perfectly with Steve’s devilish gnarls.

It’s time for another feast of Black and Death Metal titled Freedom Is Never Free, with the guitars by both Steve and Liam grinding your mind in the name of absolute evil and darkness, flowing into Soul Thief, offering our putrid ears six minutes of hatred and fury blasted by the duo, with Steve stealing the spotlight with his most Black Metal, infuriated harsh growls, showcasing a very detailed and dense sonority. Get ready for another Blackened Death Metal onrush by Tanin’iver titled The Seer, where Steve vociferates like a demonic entity nonstop supported by the song’s classic riffs, beast and fills; and a cryptic start evolves into more of the band’s hellish sounds in Drowning on Dry Land, this time also presenting subtle elements from Industrial Metal in special in its drums. It drags for a bit too long, though. And lastly, the band offers us all an ode to the pits of hell titled So Was Red, bringing forward more of Steve’s high-pitched growling, demented riffs and brutal drums, consequently spreading a visceral, demonic stench in the air.

Steve’s story has been one of ongoing struggle, fighting against illness and addiction and processing the impact of heart rending loss, but he has harnessed the chaos that has raged around his life and channeled it into music of profound power and impact. Hence, if you want to show Steve how much you love the music by his Tanin’iver, you can start following him on Instagram, stream more of his music on Spotify, and above all that, purchase the sulfurous Dark Evils Desecrate from his own BandCamp page or from the Morning Star Heresy webstore as a CD or a cassette, letting the music by the blind dragon steed of Lilith reach deep inside your blackened heart.

Best moments of the album: Another World’s Hell, Separatist and The Seer.

Worst moments of the album: Drowning on Dry Land.

Released in 2024 Morning Star Heresy

Track listing
1. Another World’s Hell 4:14
2. Disrepair 5:40
3. Separatist 4:41
4. Better the Devil 4:32
5. Freedom Is Never Free 5:26
6. Soul Thief 6:22
7. The Seer 3:50
8. Drowning on Dry Land 4:34
9. So Was Red 5:30

Band members
Steve Lillywhite – vocals, rhythm guitars, sampling
Liam Mohor – lead guitars, bass

Album Review – Engulf / The Dying Planet Weeps (2024)

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A one-man studio Death Metal act drawing influence from all dark corners of the extreme music realm returns with his massive and savage debut full-length album.

A one-man studio Death Metal act drawing influence from all dark corners of the extreme music realm, New Jersey, United States-based entity Engulf is back with its catchy riffs, gnarly vocals and brutish yet dark vibes in the project’s massive and savage debut full-length album, titled The Dying Planet Weeps. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Chris Kelly, mastered for vinyl by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio, displaying an otherwordly artwork by Pär Olofsson (with additional artwork by Chris Kiesling of Misanthropic-Art, and logo by Steve Crow of Malevolent Icons), and featuring an array of very special guest musicians, the album is the perfect follow-up to the three story-driven EP’s released between 2017 and 2019, showcasing all the talent and passion for heavy music by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hal Microutsicos.

Eerie, cryptic sounds permeate the air in the opening tune Withered Suns Collapse until all explodes into a Technical Death Metal attack by our lone wolf, where he not only extracts sheer violence from his riffage, but his guttural roars also bring endless insanity to the song. Then featuring guest vocals by Kevin Muller (of Alluvial), Bellows from the Aether offers more of Hal’s groovy and dissonant Death Metal, supported by the rumbling bass by session musician Giacomo Gastaldi (of Darkend); and Hal keeps hammering his instruments in The Nefarious Hive, featuring guest vocals by the one and only Sven de Caluwé (of Aborted), who delivers his deep, inhumane growls as expected, making a devilish vocal duo with Hal. After such inspiring metal attack, Ominous Grandeur brings elements from Doom and Black Metal to Engulf’s already demonic sonority, resulting in over five minutes of insanity and heaviness where the bass by Giacomo sounds absolutely rumbling until the very end.

The second half of the album will hit you hard in the head with its even heavier and more venomous sounds, starting with Lunar Scourge, a brutal and evil attack of Death Metal by Hal with its blast beats and sick riffage inviting us all to join Engulf in pitch black darkness, whereas Plagued Oblivion, featuring a guest guitar solo by Pat Bonvin (of Near Death Condition), reminds me of some of the wicked creations by Death Metal veterans Unleashed, also presenting some sick elements from Black Metal in its riffs. Then featuring guest vocals by Enrico “H.” Di Lorenzo (of Hideous Divinity) and a guest guitar solo by Chris Kelly, Earthbore is a six-minute journey through the realms of cryptic and savage Death Metal, starting in a serene manner before morphing into a Dissonant Death Metal extravaganza led by the wicked riffs by Hal, flowing into the title-track The Dying Planet Weeps, an extended instrumental outro that follows the same pattern of the previous song, but that takes away a bit of the album’s energy due to its length.

The multi-talented Hal Microutsicos and his demented beast Engulf are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more nice-to-know details about the entire project, and you can also stream his wicked creations on Spotify and on several other streaming services. Furthermore, in order to show Engulf your utmost support, you can purchase a copy of The Dying Planet Weeps by clicking HERE (physical version) or HERE (digital version), inspiring Hal to keep crafting first-class Death Metal for years to come. The Dying Planet Weeps will surely please most fans of all types of Death Metal due to its versatility and dynamism, once again proving how important one-man or one-woman bands are to the continuity of the underground scene.

Best moments of the album: Bellows from the Aether, The Nefarious Hive and Earthbore.

Worst moments of the album: The Dying Planet Weeps.

Released in 2024 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Withered Suns Collapse 5:51
2. Bellows from the Aether 3:31
3. The Nefarious Hive 3:38
4. Ominous Grandeur 5:19
5. Lunar Scourge 4:28
6. Plagued Oblivion 4:45
7. Earthbore 6:11
8. The Dying Planet Weeps 2:19

Band members
Hal Microutsicos – vocals, all instruments, drum programming

Guest musicians
Giacomo Gastaldi – bass (session)
Kevin Muller – vocals on “Bellows from the Aether”
Sven de Caluwé – vocals on “The Nefarious Hive”
Pat Bonvin – guitar solo on “Plagued Oblivion”
Enrico “H.” Di Lorenzo – vocals on “Earthbore”
Chris Kelly – guitar solo on “Earthbore”

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023

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“Whatever your age may be, when you go to a heavy metal gig, you’re a teenager again.” – Rob Halford

I believe that quote from the Metal God himself perfectly represents the year of 2023 for most of us metalheads, including of course myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi as we’ve been to countless metal gigs this year (and you can see detailed reviews with amazing professional photos for each one of them HERE), keeping our inner fires burning during such difficult times for the entire world. A never-ending economic crisis that’s dragging tons and tons of people to poverty everywhere, the Russo-Ukrainian War that persists for almost two years now, the extremely sad and inhumane Gaza–Israel conflict, all environmental disasters that in the end are all mankind’s fault, and so on. On the heavy music side, we witnessed the final concert ever by KISS, the end of great bands like The Agonist and Betraying the Martyrs, and the deaths of Sebastian Marino (former guitarist of Overkill and Anvil), Michael “Majk Moti” Kupper (former guitarist of Running Wild), Jon Kennedy (former bassist of Cradle of Filth and former vocalist of Hecate Enthroned), Hiroshi “Heath” Morie (bassist of X Japan), Charlie Dominici (former vocalist of Dream Theater), and several other talented musicians.

Despite all those losses, it was a very good year for heavy music, as bands kept fighting for rock and metal no matter what, putting on fantastic albums and memorable tours for us fans, with some already voicing their dissatisfaction against Live Nation and Ticketmaster for their sky-rocketing ticket prices, shady fees, and an obscure ticket reselling “mafia” running in the background that inflates those prices even more. In 2024 we’ll surely (and hopefully) see more of this insurgence against their ticket monopoly, and while we wait for that let’s enjoy The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, offering our avid ears the perfect soundtrack to every single moment in our lives, even if that moment is the apocalypse.

1. UADA – Crepuscule Natura (REVIEW)
One of the rising stars of the current Melodic Black Metal scene returns with their majestic fourth album, unleashing upon us five sonic vessels.
Best song of the album: Retraversing the Void

2. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite (REVIEW)
Fear the devourer of earth in the form of the brand new and absolutely majestic album by California’s own Deathgrind masters.
Best song of the album: We Eat Our Young

3. Overkill – Scorched (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of old school Thrash Metal will scorch the earth to the sound of their breathtaking new album.
Best song of the album: The Surgeon

4. Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (REVIEW)
Behold this infernal storm of Blackened Thrash Metal by a one-man army deeply rooted in his Scottish origins.
Best song of the album: Goat Vomit Nightmare

5. Viscera – Carcinogenesis (REVIEW)
UK’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster returns with their striking sophomore album.
Best song of the album: Sungazer

6. Cannibal Corpse – Chaos Horrific (REVIEW)
The mighty Corpse is back with another pulverizing album of old school, undisputed Death Metal, blasting gore, blood and violence.
Best song of the album: Chaos Horrific

7. Primal Fear – Code Red (REVIEW)
German Power Metal masters are back with their thirteenth opus, a hard-hitting metal lesson and living proof of the healing power of music.
Best song of the album: Play a Song

8. Werewolves – My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (REVIEW)
The most savage Blackened Death Metal band from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.
Best song of the album: I Hate Therefore I Am

9. Vomitory – All Heads Are Gonna Roll (REVIEW)
All heads are gonna roll to the sound of the infuriated new album by one of the most important bands in the history of Death Metal.
Best song of the album: Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead

10. Marduk – Memento Mori (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal is back with a devilish new album, reminding us that we all must die.
Best song of the album: Blood of the Funeral

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Angelus Apatrida – Aftermath (REVIEW)
12. Immortal – War Against All (REVIEW)
13. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II (REVIEW)
14. 4ARM – Pathway to Oblivion (REVIEW)
15. When Plagues Collide – An Unbiblical Paradigm (REVIEW)
16. Hrothgar – Rise of Ragnarök (REVIEW)
17. Mystic Prophecy – Hellriot  (REVIEW)
18. Tsjuder – Helvegr (REVIEW)
19. Hyperia – The Serpent’s Cycle (REVIEW)
20. Sarcoptes – Prayers to Oblivion (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2023 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Imperial Demonic – Beneath the Crimson Eclipse (REVIEW)
2. Spectral Lore – 11 Days (REVIEW)
3. Admire the Grim – Rogue Five (REVIEW)
4. Saint Vermin – Together as None (REVIEW)
5. Lost Brethren – Dimensional Rift (REVIEW)
6. Cryptosis – The Silent Call (REVIEW)
7. Nemesism – Nemesism (REVIEW)
8. Decompose To Ashes – In The Eternal Silence (REVIEW)
9. Dysease – Era of Decay (REVIEW)
10. Throat Locust – Dragged Through Glass (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2023? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some of our latest special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2023 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2024!

And before I go, I need to talk once again about Savage Lands, a nonprofit featuring members of Megadeth, Sepultura, Obituary and other legends of metal to support forests in Costa Rica, who released an amazing single titled The Last Howl back in November. The Last Howl is a howling tribute to the howler monkey, which are endangered in Costa Rica. The song features Savage Lands co-founders Sylvain Demercastel and Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), as well as support from John Tardy (Obituary), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Poun (Black Bomb A) and Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A). 100% of the song royalties will help fund nature sanctuaries, establish green zones and other land preservation projects in Costa Rica. Having said that, why don’t you go and make a nice donation to the cause, and learn more about Savage Lands on their official website? I’m sure Sylvain and Dirk, plus everyone else involved in this magnificent project, will love to receive that Christmas gift from you!

Album Review – Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze / The Fractal Ouroboros (2023)

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A rising force in the American Black Metal scene returns with their stunning, antifascist sophomore album, a brief on occult liberation in seven parts.

Playing what they like to label as “Antifascist Black Metal Liberation Rituals”, the cryptic Colorado, United States-based Black Metal entity Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze stands as a knife pointed to the throat of any who seek to maintain the oppressive systems of white supremacy and fascism that continue to fester in our societies. Formed of Achaierai (aka Cooper Stapleton) on vocals and synths, Athshean (aka Dylan Rupe) on the guitars, bass, harmonium and synths, and Yaeth (aka Jon Lervold) on drums, the band is unleashing upon our rotten society their sophomore opus, titled The Fractal Ouroboros, the follow-up to their 2019 effort Offerings of Flesh and Gold. Mixed and mastered by Jon Lervold at Big Name Recording Studio, and displaying a stunning artwork by Alex CF, The Fractal Ouroboros is as grim and dark as it’s delicate and touching, being a must-listen for admirers of classic Black Metal with a strong atmospheric and epic vein.

As if a ritual was about to begin, tribalistic drums and eerie sounds permeate the air in the opening aria Trophy, growing in intensity until exploding in a dissonant, visceral Black Metal extravaganza led by the harsh roars by Achaierai and the piercing riffs by Athshean, while also morphing into an atmospheric creature during its last part before all erupts once again as majestic Black Metal. Their mysterious, uncanny Black Metal feast goes on in A History of Cages and Broken Bones, with the sinister riffs by Athshean making a beautiful paradox with the Blackened Doom drums by Yaeth; and the guitars by Athshean will darken your thoughts in Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash, also showcasing flammable words majestically growled by Achaierai (“A fire to burn our beginning away / A fire to erase the roots / A fire to destroy indigene / A fire to keep us gasping”), whereas the Atmospheric Black Metal tune Annihilation starts in an ethereal, enigmatic vibe and moves on in a smooth and compelling manner, with Achaierai delivering his deepest, most delicate clean vocals while declaiming the song’s poetic lyrics (“The sunset fires catch / The dust, hanged throughout the air / Screaming glints against a bruising sky”).

More of the trio’s tribal sounds are offered to the listener in Liberation Ritual, an extended interlude that will drag your soul to their Stygian realm, sounding absolutely hypnotizing and working perfectly as the predecessor to Our Overt Apocalypse, bringing forward 13 minutes of dark passages, somber nuances and pensive tones,  with Yaeth sounding bestial behind his drums and, therefore, adding an extra touch of heaviness and insanity to the music while Achaierai continues to bark and roar nonstop. Not only that, the song also offers several different layers, breaks, variations and everything else we love in Atmospheric Black Metal, not to mention how devilish the riffage by Athshean feels. Lastly, Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze will attack our senses one final time with 15 minutes of first-class Black Metal titled Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros, with Achaierai leading his bandmates with his desperate screams while Athshean and Yaeth sound absolutely demolishing and ruthless with their riffs, bass lines and pounding drums, resulting in a fantastic and climatic conclusion to the album that leaves us eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

“Over three years in the making, The Fractal Ouroboros is the embodiment of grief, catharsis, and empowerment”, commented the band about their imposing new album, and if you want to know more about this multi-talented American trio you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab your copy of the demolishing The Fractal Ouroboros from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Vita Detestabilis Records’ BandCamp page, from the Fiadh Productions’ BandCamp page, or from Apple Music. Dismantle the police, dismantle all prisons, protect trans kids, black lives matter, indigineous voices matter. This is Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze, and they’re among us to open our eyes against all that’s wrong in our world with The Fractal Ouroboros, a brief on occult liberation in seven parts that will help them easily cement their names in the Black Metal scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Trophy, Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash and Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Vita Detestabilis Records/Fiadh Productions

Track listing
1. Trophy 11:52
2. A History of Cages and Broken Bones 6:49
3. Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash 10:51
4. Annihilation 9:41
5. Liberation Ritual 5:49
6. Our Overt Apocalypse 13:31
7. Ekstasis, Enstasis, and The Fractal Ouroboros 15:57

Band members
Achaierai – vocals, synths
Athshean – guitars, bass, harmonium, synths
Yaeth – drums

Album Review – Insepultus / Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire (2023)

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One of the most important names of the Romanian Black Metal scene returns after almost 20 years with a thrilling journey into the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a young soldier in the frontline.

A thrilling journey into the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of a young soldier in the frontline, the demonic and pulverizing Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire marks the glorious return of Romanian Black Metal band Insepultus, initially active between 1998 and 2004. Mixed and mastered by Mihai Dinca at Taine Multimedia Studio, and produced by Mihai “Coro” Caraveteanu at Axa Valaha Productions, the new album by Robert “Sepultus” Pieptan on vocals and guitars, Schtephan on bass, and Esmegor on drums shows no glory or grandeur, just death, destruction, pain, wounds and guts, trepidation and distress, or in other words, a Black Metal symphony of death in seven acts for fans of Dark Funeral, Dissection, Emperor, Varathron and Rotting Christ that will bring sheer horror to your mind and soul.

The massive beats by Esmegor will pound your cranial skull mercilessly in the opening tune The Last Battle I, generating a menacing and somber ambience perfect for the band’s Black Metal assault titled The Last Battle II, where Sepultus roars and vociferates in the name of war and Satan accompanied by his own demonic guitar riffs, while Schtephan and Esmegor will make the earth tremble with their kitchen from hell in a lecture in extreme music. Then we have the also multi-layered and Stygian aria The Wreckage of The Earth, showcasing lyrics taken and adapted from Richard Aldington’s poem originally called Bombardment (“Four days the earth was rent and torn / By bursting steel, The houses fell about us; / Three nights we dared not sleep, / Sweating, and listening for the imminent crash, / Which meant our death.”), while the music exhales pure darkness and evil.

The World’s Heart is another hammering creation by those three Black Metal marauders, with Sepultus dictating the pace with his devilish riffs while a siren will pierce your soul in the background, sounding like a march to the abyss until the very last second. Then we’re treated to Hell Upon Earth, a sinister and melancholic interlude where a soldier is writing a letter to his beloved ones to inform about his dark and pitiful fate, flowing into the also destructive The Old Lie, offering our putrid ears another blast of Black Metal venom by the trio, with Sepultus once again sounding infernal on vocals supported by the sluggish, visceral Doom Metal-infused drums by Esmegor. Last but not least, their Black Metal war ends with the also obscure The Trumpet Sound, with Sepultus haunting our damned souls with his screams and razor-edged riffage while Schtephan and Esmegor continue to crush our skeletons with their respective heavier-than-hell bass and thunderous drums.

One of the most obscure hordes to ever arise from Romania is finally back in action after almost 20 years in absolute darkness, and if you want to show Insepultus your support and succumb to their devilish music you can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things surrounding such important entity of the Romanian metal scene. And above all that, go grab your copy of the excellent Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire from the Loud Rage Music’s BandCamp page or webstore, getting ready for a dark war alongside Insepultus. It’s absolute horror in the form of fierce, technical, expressive and imperative Black Metal from the land of Wallachia, and I bet you’ll get addicted to their war-inspired haunting sounds for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: The Last Battle II, The Wreckage of The Earth and The Trumpet Sound.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Loud Rage Music

Track listing
1. The Last Battle I 3:03
2. The Last Battle II 4:02
3. The Wreckage of The Earth 4:31
4. The World’s Heart 4:30
5. Hell Upon Earth 2:57
6. The Old Lie 4:41
7. The Trumpet Sound 4:24

Band members
Robert “Sepultus” Pieptan – vocals, guitars
Schtephan – bass, backing vocals
Esmegor – drums