Tag Archives: blackened death metal

Album Review – Snorlax / The Necrotrophic Abyss (2023)

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An Australian one-man Blackened Death Metal entity strikes with his sophomore album, an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

Born in unexpected circumstances during an experimental recording session in mid-2017 at Black Blood Audio in Brisbane, Australia, when recording engineer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendan Auld was trialing new recording techniques, Blackened Death Metal outfit Snorlax (and before you ask, that’s indeed the name of a famous Pokémon) is unleashing upon humanity its sophomore opus, entitled The Necrotrophic Abyss, the follow-up to the project’s 2020 debut album II. Recorded and mixed by Brendan himself at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Arthur Rizk, and displaying a wicked artwork by Blasphemator Art, The Necrotrophic Abyss clocks in at just under 30 minutes, delivering a concise, ruthless display of sonic violence and despair. In addition, the album is presented as a concept, with an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

It’s always impressive how just one person is capable of crafting a demented wall of sounds the likes of Reawaken, a furious hybrid of Blackened and Experimental Death Metal where Brendan’s riffs sound scorching, followed by The Repudiation ov Disharmony, even more demented and thunderous, with Brendan delivering both deep guttural roars and obscure clean whispers, uniting the most venomous elements from contemporary Black and Death Metal. Fortification is another dense and Stygian aria by Brendan and his Snorlax, firing his trademark riffs and intricate beats and, therefore, keeping the album as caustic as it can be; whereas investing in an even darker, more demonic sonority it’s time for the pulverizing Book ov Serpents, where Brendan growls and gnarls like a creature form the underworld.

Brendan shows no sign of slowing down nor sounding mellow at all; quite the contrary, it’s absolute chaos and madness in the form of Eternal Decrepitude, where he hammers his drums and extract razor-edged riffs from his guitar nonstop, and the title-track The Necrotrophic Abyss sounds blacker than its predecessor thanks to the hellish screams by Brendan, who also crushes his drums in the name of evil, resulting in the perfect depiction of how insane the music by Snorlax can be. After that we have Regenesis Arrival, the most experimental of all tracks, working more like an instrumental, noisy interlude and sounding a bit weird (albeit it makes sense to be placed where it is in the album), flowing into the grim The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation, starting in a sluggish, doomed way before exploding into one final Black Metal attack by Brendan where his beats and riffs once again sound infernal.

The multi-talented Brendan Auld and his Snorlax are waiting for you on Facebook with news and other details about such interesting project, and don’t forget to also stream all of Snorlax’s heavy and visceral creations on Spotify. Above all that, you can purchase a copy of The Necrotrophic Abyss in different formats and from several locations, including Snorlax’s own BandCamp page, the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, Sound Cave as a digipak CD or an LP, the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or Big Cartel (as a CD, an LP, or a very special LP + long-sleeve shirt bundle), Sound Pollution also as a CD or an LP, Barnes & Noble, and Head Records, among others. The planet painted by Brendan in the album is laid to waste for eons, resulting in a desolate baron abyss only creatures of the undead have a chance of surviving, showing a slight glimpse of hope at the end as the story eludes to an unlikely rebirth of evolution and a potentially inhabitable future after all. If that means such awesome album will have a sequel, no one really knows for sure, but we can all rest assured whenever Brendan strikes again with his Snorlax, if it’s just half as good as The Necrotrophic Abyss, we’ll all have a very good reason to keep raising our horns high in the darkened sky.

Best moments of the album: The Repudiation ov Disharmony, Book ov Serpents and The Necrotrophic Abyss.

Worst moments of the album: Regenesis Arrival.

Released in 2023 Brilliant Emperor Records/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Reawaken 3:09
2. The Repudiation ov Disharmony 2:50
3. Fortification 3:13
4. Book ov Serpents 2:45
5. Eternal Decrepitude 5:03
6. The Necrotrophic Abyss 3:38
7. Regenesis Arrival 2:09
8. The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation 5:41

Band members
Brendan Auld – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Burial Hordes / Ruins (2023)

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An uncanny force hailing from Greece attacks again with their fifth full-length opus, a beautifully balanced yet fearsome album of Blackened Death Metal.

Emerging from the scorching pits of Athens, Greece after a five-year hiatus, Black/Death Metal outfit Burial Hordes brings forth an outstanding slab of Blackened Death Metal that harnesses both chaos and atmosphere in equal parts, which is exactly what they have to offer us all in their brand new opus Ruins. The follow-up to their 2018 album Θανατος αιωνιος (The Termination Thesis), and featuring a classy artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, the excellent Ruins is a beautifully balanced yet fearsome album right off the bat, wit the band formed of D.T. (Ravencult) on vocals, and T.K. (Dead Congregation) and D.D. (Enshadowed, Anticreation) on the guitars and bass, supported by session drummer Eugene Ryabchenko (Fleshgod Apocalypse), slipping into different dimensions only to come back with renewed anger, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Incantation, Dead Congregation, Deathspell Omega, and Enshadowed, just to name a few.

The opening track In the Midst of a Vast Solitude is simply infernal and devastating from the very first second, with Eugene sounding bestial on drums and, therefore, offering D.T., T.K. and D.D. everything they need to generate a beyond Stygian and captivating ambience of Black and Death Metal. T.K. and D.D. keep darkening the skies with their scorching riffs in Insubstantial, a headbanging creation by the band where D.T. continues to roar like a demonic entity, followed by Perish, bringing forward another five minutes of absolute darkness and insanity by Burial Hordes where Eugene once again dictates the song’s pace with his sick blast beats, feeling solid and sulfurous while presenting Doom Metal elements in its second half. And investing in a hammering, heavy-as-hell sound it’s time for the Blackened Doom-infused aria Wandering Stream of Wind, with the guitars by T.K. and D.D. piercing our souls mercilessly.

Then tribal beats ignite the flawless, pulverizing Black and Death Metal extravaganza Infinite Sea of Nothingness, a demonic composition showcasing the always visceral growls by D.T., or in other words, succumb to the dark side of music to the sound of this precious gem of the underground extreme scene. There’s no sign of slowing down; quite the contrary, their Black Metal madness goes on in Isotropic Eradication, where Eugene crushes his drums supported by the devilish riffage by his bandmates, followed by Purgation, offering our putrid ears more of the band’s hellish sounds. Moreover, it will penetrate deep inside your psyche and demolish your hopes and dreams, with D.T.’s deep guttural sounding inhumane and absolutely evil. Lastly, the ending of the album could have been a little heavier and darker than what’s offered in …to the Threshold of Silence, but the song is still amazing and brings forward more of their evil roars, harsh riffs and pounding drums.

This ruthless Greek horde is waiting for you on Facebook to join them in their battle for extreme music, and if you want to show them your utmost support you can stream Ruins in its entirety on Spotify and purchase a copy of it from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon. Easily one of the best albums of late in the Blackened Death Metal spectrum, Ruins represents an evolution in the sound of Burial Hordes, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such powerful and important name of the always prolific Greek underground scene.

Best moments of the album: In the Midst of a Vast Solitude, Infinite Sea of Nothingness and Purgation.

Worst moments of the album: …to the Threshold of Silence.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. In the Midst of a Vast Solitude 4:57
2. Insubstantial 4:46
3. Perish 5:06
4. Wandering Stream of Wind 5:54
5. Infinite Sea of Nothingness 5:24
6. Isotropic Eradication 4:51
7. Purgation 4:23
8. …to the Threshold of Silence 5:44

Band members
D.T. – vocals
T.K. – guitars, bass
D.D. – guitars, bass

Guest musician
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums (session)

Album Review – Thron / Dust (2023)

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Behold the majestic fourth album by this unrelenting German Black Metal horde, explicating the undeniable fact that everything will turn to dust someday.

Forged in 2015 in the deep darkness of the Black Forest, a mountainous region in southwest Germany, bordering France, the unrelenting Black Metal horde Thron is back with a fantastic new opus, titled Dust, their fourth full-length album following up on their 2021 effort Pilgrim. Currently formed of Samca on vocals, PVIII and Raven Dust on the guitars, SXIII on bass and J on drums, the band incorporated new elements to their sound in Dust by going back to their very roots which lie in the early 80’s, when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate ruled the field, while at the same time taking inspiration from the 90’s when bands like Tiamat, Edge of Sanity and Sentenced expanded their horizons. This fusion of sounds, combined with serious dedication to the glorious Progressive Rock dinosaurs of the 70’s, the love for the dark extreme musical arts with blasting fury and aggressive vocals, the crisp recording at Black Halo Studios Rheinfelden, Chäuer Studios Bärn and RL Studios Freiburg, the first-class mixing and mastering by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios, and the sinister artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, turn Dust into a must-listen for admirers of the music by Dissection, Watain, Necrophobic, Unanimated and Tribulation, just to name a few.

The devilish guitars by PVIII and Raven Dust will send shivers down your spine in Dying In The Mud, kicking off the album on a beyond dark note with Samca gnarling nonstop in the name of Black Metal; and such talented German horde puts the pedal to the metal in Return…, delivering classic Black Metal spearheaded by the massive drums by J while the band’s guitar duo keeps firing sheer obscurity from their axes, sounding furious, insane and evil just the way we like it. SXIII adds his share of heaviness to the music through his bass lines in The True Belief, leaning towards Melodic Black Metal while Samca keeps vociferating manically, being therefore perfect for some vicious headbanging, whereas back to a more infernal mode the band will demolish our souls with The Golden Calf, once again showcasing a superb guitar job and demonic blast beats, not to mention its welcome breaks and variations. And not a single second of peace is offered to us all in Monologue, another straightforward, Stygian Black Metal extravaganza showcasing the usual demolishing drums by the infuriated J.

The intro in The Eve is certainly spine-chilling, and that sulfurous, demonic vibe grows in intensity before exploding into old school Black Metal with hints of Death Metal. Needless to say, Samca sounds utterly grim on vocals, whereas Into Oblivion is another very harmonious and piercing creation by Thron venturing through the realms of modern-day Melodic Black Metal where all riffs and solos are absolutely incendiary. More of their razor-edged riffs will penetrate deep inside our psyche in The Tyranny Of I, with J dictating the song’s venomous pace with his intricate but also violent beats; followed by Face Of Despair, darker and more demonic than its predecessors thanks to its hints of Doom Metal while remaining loyal to the band’s core essence, presenting another superb vocal performance by Samca and overflowing desperation, hatred and sulfur. Their second to last breath of blasphemy comes in the form of The Wrong God, with PVIII and Raven Dust cutting our skin deep with another flawless riff attack, while lastly the band still has time to fulminate our senses with Martyr, where J is bestial behind his drums supported by the rumbling bass by SXIII throughout the song’s almost seven minutes of pure Black Metal awesomeness.

In summary, Thron more than nailed it with the apocalyptic Dust, delivering a collection of eleven Black Metal anthems that will undoubtedly place it among the best Black Metal albums of the year. Furthermore, such sensational blast of extreme music made in Germany can be appreciated in all of its obscure glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and if you consider yourself a true servant of the underworld you should definitely purchase a copy of it from the Listenable Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping the fires of Black Metal burning bright until the very end. Because you know, as the band itself stated, everything will turn to dust someday.

Best moments of the album: Return…, The Golden Calf, The Eve and The Tyranny Of I.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Listenable Records

Track listing
1. Dying In The Mud 5:08
2. Return… 4:52
3. The True Belief 4:06
4. The Golden Calf 6:13
5. Monologue 3:31
6. The Eve 5:52
7. Into Oblivion 3:58
8. The Tyranny Of I 5:42
9. Face Of Despair 4:20
10. The Wrong God 4:48
11. Martyr 6:55

Band members
Samca – vocals
PVIII – guitars
Raven Dust – guitars
SXIII – bass
J – drums

Album Review – Okkultist / O.M.E.N. (2023)

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Get ready to have your sinful soul dragged to hell by this Portuguese Blackened Death Metal outfit to the sound of their infernal sophomore opus.

The result of loss and sacrifice, the culmination of pain, and absolute detachment from life, O​.​M​.​E​.​N., or Omnis Malum Et Noceo, which translates from Latin as “everything evil and harmful”, is the sophomore opus by Lisbon, Portugal-based Black/Death Metal horde Okkultist, representing the band’s strongest effort since their inception in 2016 and, consequently, a huge step forward in the career of one of the most interesting names of the current Portuguese scene. The journey of an obsolete sense of desperateness from walking out of the void weighting us down that is depression, into the high state of spiritual healing, O​.​M​.​E​.​N. has everything a diehard fan of Blackened Death Metal desires and more, showcasing the undeniable talent and passion for the occult by vocalist, lyricist and visionary Beatriz Mariano, lead guitarist and co-founder Leander Sandmeier, rhythm guitarist João Corceiro (who by the way pre-produced the album), bassist David J. Rodrigues and drummer Eduardo Sinatra, all of them more than ready to drag your sinful soul to the pits of hell.

The title-track O​.​M​.​E​.​N. feels like the band is summoning evil spirits from the underworld (“In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas / Luciferi Excelsi / Ave”), resulting in a very extensive intro that opens the gates of hell for Okkultist to attack our senses with Death to Your Breed, where the Melodic Death and Black Metal drums by Eduardo create a rumbling ambience for the witch-like roars by Beatriz, providing us with everything we love in extreme music, being fast, furious, heavy and absolutely evil. The band continues to fire their acid fusion of Death and Black Metal in Meet Me in Hell, inviting us all to bang our heads nonstop to the devilish, piercing riffs by Leander and João; whereas the hellish sound of their guitars permeate the air in Blood on Satan’s Claw, bringing to our ears four minutes of undisputed heaviness and obscurity. And in Demonic Warfare we face another round of first-class Black and Death Metal spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Beatriz while Eduardo dictates the pace with his pounding drums, not to mention the striking solos by Leander.

9th Layer of the Abyss is a song that can be considered Okkultist’s ultimate black mass, taking us on a one-way journey to the pits of the netherworld while Eduardo brings forward sheer doom through his slow and steady beats; whereas back to a more infuriated mode, this unstoppable horde will darken our minds with the brutality and harmony found in Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice, showcasing once again striking riffs and solos, devilish blast beats, and the always mesmerizing she-demon gnarls by Beatriz. Then in loving memory of the one and only Alexi Laiho (RIP), it’s time for their rendition of Children of Bodom’s hit Sixpounder (check out the original one HERE) from their 2003 critically acclaimed album Hate Crew Deathroll, presenting a fantastic job done by the entire band from start to finish. Lastly, closing the album we’re invited to slam into the pit one last time to the sound of Crimson Ecstasy, with Beatriz growling viciously while David’s bass and Eduardo’s drums make the earth tremble in the name of Extreme Metal. In addition, not even the unnecessary lengthy silence at the end of the song (before one final invocation of around one minute comes up) ruins the track’s overall quality. I wonder if they had to release an album with over 40 minutes of duration as requested by their record label, and that was their way of doing it.

The caustic and thrilling O​.​M​.​E​.​N., which is available in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and on sale from the Alma Mater Records’ BandCamp page and webstore, as well as from Apple Music (or you can click HERE for links to the album and all other things Okkultist), will certainly open countless doors worldwide for the band, and you can also show them your support and admiration by following them on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. “Dark times exist so we can harness that power through them, and rise above anything or anyone that has tried to put us down. This album is for YOU – YOU who have survived through the worst of your days, YOU who didn’t know what to do when things got tough, YOU who’ve felt hopeless, blind, beaten up, not knowing where you have to be in life. You are not alone. Take this album, and use its strength to show you how endless your inner power is. It’s all in your hands,” commented Beatriz about their newborn spawn, an album that will feature among the best hailing from Portugal this year hands down.

Best moments of the album: Death to Your Breed, Meet Me in Hell, Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice and, obviously, Sixpounder.

Worst moments of the album: None, except for the length of the first track and the extensive silent break of the last track.

Released in 2023 Alma Mater Records

Track listing
1. O​.​M​.​E​.​N. 4:00
2. Death to Your Breed 3:24
3. Meet Me in Hell 4:31
4. Blood on Satan’s Claw 4:05
5. Demonic Warfare 4:33
6. 9th Layer of the Abyss 4:13
7. Thy Blood, Thy Flesh, Thy Sacrifice 4:05
8. Sixpounder (Children of Bodom cover) 3:26
9. Crimson Ecstasy 10:12

Band members
Beatriz Mariano – vocals
Leander Sandmeier – lead guitars
João Corceiro – rhythm guitars
David J. Rodrigues – bass
Eduardo Sinatra – drums

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022

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“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins

And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).

However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich.  Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.

1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW)
Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles

2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW)
The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy

3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW)
The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell

4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW)
Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst

5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW)
A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata

6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW)
One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher

7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW)
Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch

8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW)
Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings

9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW)
There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice

10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW)
Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement

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

11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 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. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? 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 or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – 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 2023!

And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!

Album Review – Ryth / Deceptor Creator (2022)

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Raise your horns to this four-piece Death Metal act from Bahrain, bringing to our ears their unique and brutal blend of extreme music in their debut album.

Formed in 2008 in Bahrain (a country not known for its metal scene for many reasons), the four-piece Death Metal act that goes by the name of Ryth is unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, entitled Deceptor Creator, offering our ears 44 minutes of what can be described as Blackened Death Metal with a technical and progressive edge. Mixed by Hani Taqi at Studio 77, mastered by legendary mastering engineer Alan Douches at West West Side Music, and displaying a Stygian artwork designed by Lucas Ruggieri, Deceptor Creator beautifully represents all the hard work and passion by vocalist and bassist Mohammed AlMeshkhas, guitarists Abdulrahman Rashed and Hisham AlAnsari, and drummer Mahmood AlAnsari, who despite all the struggles faced by any metal band in the Middle East never gave up their dream and were finally able to release their debut effort, forging their unique and brutal blend of extreme music.

The atmospheric, cryptic intro Firmament sets the stage for Ryth to crush our souls in Auto-Autonomous, with the guitars by Abdulrahman and Hisham exhaling hatred and animosity while Mohammed roars manically form the bottom of his devilish heart. Put differently, it’s in-your-face Death Metal the likes of Unleashed, flowing into Self Destruct, which begins in a somber manner to the minimalist riffage by the band’s guitar duo and the rhythmic beats by Mahmood while Mohammed continues to vociferate the song’s lyrics in great fashion. White Portrait is even more detailed and progressive than its predecessors, with Mahmood sounding fantastic behind his drums in a lecture in modern-day Progressive Death Metal; whereas Spiral Flood is more direct and infernal, with the riffage by Abdulrahman and Hisham cutting your skin deep while Mahmood keeps hammering his drums nonstop.

The second part of the album begins with the futuristic, eerie interlude Spectre, showcasing an obscure background voice and growing in intensity until exploding into Facade, another puissant, heavy-as-hell tune that brings to our ears more of the gruesome vociferations by Mohammed. Moreover, although the band’s trademark brutality is present, the song loses a bit of its punch after a while. Then sinister and atmospheric from the very first second, the multi-layered The Rise of Erebus will embrace you in pitch black darkness to the venomous growls by Mohammed and the puissant drums by Mahmood; and lastly, Explicit Name is another solid hybrid of classic Death Metal with more modern and progressive nuances, with their guitars walking hand in hand with both their wicked growls and anguished clean vocals.

In summary, if you’re a fan of bands such as Gojira, Dark Fortress, Shining and Opeth you must take a listen at Deceptor Creator, as the album will bring to your avid ears a massive dose of heaviness, groove and progressiveness altogether. Hence, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for all things Ryth, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, to stream their creations on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase Deceptor Creator by clicking HERE. It’s always a pleasure seeing metalheads from the Middle East going against all odds and delivering first-class metal even with all the hassles and prohibitions imposed by their authoritarian governments, and the band simply nailed it with Deceptor Creator, proving once again the Middle East could be an excellent source of metal music if only there was a little bit more freedom for talented musicians like the guys from Ryth.

Best moments of the album: Self Destruct, White Portrait and The Rise of Erebus.

Worst moments of the album: Facade.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Firmament 0:35
2. Auto-Autonomous 5:23
3. Self Destruct 5:20
4. White Portrait 6:41
5. Spiral Flood 5:48
6. Spectre 1:51
7. Facade 8:31
8. The Rise of Erebus 5:15
9. Explicit Name 4:51

Band members
Mohammed AlMeshkhas – vocals, bass
Abdulrahman Rashed – guitars
Hisham AlAnsari – guitars
Mahmood AlAnsari – drums

Album Review – Hiss From The Moat / The Way Out Of Hell (2022)

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There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by one of the best bands of the current Italian scene.

Following their 2019 acclaimed sophomore record The Harrier, Italian Black/Death Metal beats Hiss From The Moat are back in action with their impending, monstrous third full-length opus, entitled The Way Out Of Hell, an extension of their signature, menacing sound while it carves out a unique place in the blackened underground as they search for the light amidst the darkness. Produced by the band’s own bassist Carlo Cremascoli at The Obscure Country Recording Studio, The Way Out Of Hell is the representation of how vocalist and guitarist Max Cirelli,  guitarist Jack Poli, bassist Carlo Cremascoli and drummer James Payne feel that life is, a very difficult thing to go through with a lot of pain and challenges to deal with. “This album is our way to express the feelings about how life is a hard, complicated and confusing way out of hell, there are many things, emotions and people that get in your way, but that’s what life is: getting out of it going through as less suffering as possible,” commented James about their amazing new album.

Arising from the dark pits of the underworld the band comes ripping with the infuriated title-track The Way Out Of Hell, where James sounds utterly infernal on drums while Max roars manically nonstop in a great display of Blackened Death Metal, and the caustic guitars by Max and Jack will penetrate deep inside your skin in I Am Deceived, continuing their path of destruction tailored for lovers of the music by bands such as Behemoth and Septicflesh. More savagery and darkness are offered to us all in Staring At The Abyss, with Carlo and James making the earth tremble with their respective bass and drums, therefore providing Max with all he needs to vociferate like a demonic creature; and get ready for another onrush of Black and Death Metal by those Italian metallers entitled Generation Of Cowardice, sounding brutal and visceral from start to finish with the band’s guitar duo being on absolute fire with their devilish riffage.

Let’s keep raising our horns in the name of evil with The Killing Of Innocence, very progressive and groovy with Carlo sounding amazing with his bass jabs accompanied by the always massive beats by James, whereas a melodic and heavy start morphs into an ode to death and obscurity titled Bury Me, perfect for breaking our necks headbanging while Max rabidly growls the song’s acid lyrics. There’s absolutely no sign of the band slowing down; quite the contrary, their onrush of metallic sounds will hammer our heads mercilessly in All I Have, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his demented drums, followed by A Gallows Of Mirrors, a no shenanigans, Stygian creation by the quartet that exhales Blackened Death Metal for our total delight, showcasing a fantastic guitar work as usual. Lastly, there’s still time for The Magnificent Vision, one final explosion of Extreme Metal by the band where Max leads his horde with his hellish roaring and riffage while Jack and Carlo join him with their stringed weapons in a fulminating onrush of darkened sounds.

Such precious gem of the extreme music scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but as I like to say if you want to show your utmost support to the underground you should definitely purchase a copy of The Way Out Of Hell from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or as a special bundle including a CD, a shirt and a poster, or simply click HERE for all locations here you can find the album available. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more darkness in the form of music. In a nutshell, Hiss From The Moat have seriously stepped up their game with their new album, proving that if there’s a way out of hell, that needs to happen to the sound of first-class underground Blackened Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: The Way Out Of Hell, Generation Of Cowardice, The Killing Of Innocence and A Gallows Of Mirrors.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. The Way Out Of Hell 4:10
2. I Am Deceived 4:44
3. Staring At The Abyss 4:17
4. Generation Of Cowardice 4:22
5. The Killing Of Innocence 4:27
6. Bury Me 4:37
7. All I Have 3:46
8. A Gallows Of Mirrors 4:48
9. The Magnificent Vision 4:17

Band members
Max Cirelli – vocals, guitar
Jack Poli – guitar
Carlo Cremascoli – bass
James Payne – drums

Album Review – Behemoth / Opvs Contra Natvram (2022)

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A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.

Opvs Contra Natvram, or “a work against nature”. That’s the name of the brand new album by Polish Blackened Death Metal institution Behemoth, their twelfth studio album and a beastly follow-up to their 2018 album I Loved You At Your Darkest. Mixed by Joe Barresi, mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios, and displaying a stylish and blasphemous artwork by Anton Pavsyuk, Opvs Contra Natvram showcases a band that’s on absolute and eternal fire, taking us back to the austere sonority of their sensational 2014 effort The Satanist and, therefore, proving vocalist and guitarist Adam “Nergal” Darski, guitarist Patryk Dominik “Seth” Sztyber, bassist Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski and drummer Zbigniew Robert “Inferno” Promiński still have a lot of fuel to burn in the name of evil while at the same time always fighting against any type of religious oppression.

Otherworldly sounds accompanied by the tribal percussion by guest Einar Selvik are the main ingredients in the fantastic intro Post-God Nirvana, darkening the skies to the wicked vociferations by Nergal and setting the tone for the demolishing Malaria Vvlgata, showcasing devilish lyrics (“Let all bibles preach the sermon ov vengeance / Let the hallowed verses call for war / Behold as seraphs fall from ebonising skies / Let’s stab the world and halt the cosmic lie / Spare no one / Show them no pity / Tooth for a tooth / Eye for an eye”) amidst less than three minutes of pure Black and Death Metal savagery. The Deathless Sun, one of the first singles of the album, sounds very atmospheric while Orion and Seth generate a dense, menacing base with their inhumane kitchen, followed by Ov My Herculean Exile, another one of the band’s blasphemous, imposing tunes, with Nergal roaring deeply while Seth extracts darkness from his axe. And there’s no time to breathe as blasphemy keeps permeating the air in Neo-Spartacvs, with Nergal and Seth being in an infernal guitar sync supported by the thunderous bass by Orion.

The second half of the album begins in full force with Disinheritance, and Behemoth’s demolishing Blackened Death Metal burns majestically, again presenting visceral, hammering drums by Inferno for our total delight; whereas Off to War! is simply perfect for their live performances, or in other words, it’s a brutal, flawless Black and Death Metal attack displaying stunning lyrics declaimed by Nergal (“Am I ov god, Satan or an obsidian hemisphere? / Am I the fated sovereign or sanctitude inverse? / Consider the great solitude ov the truly liberated man / Set forth to raze frail humanity once again”). Less violent and a lot more melodic and rhythmic, Once upon a Pale Horse is a decent composition albeit not as thrilling as the rest of the album, while guest vocalist Zofia Fraś joins Nergal and his horde in Thy Becoming Eternal, a straightforward, classic Behemoth tune showcasing an excellent guitar work by Seth with Inferno crushing his drums like a demonic beast. Lastly, it’s time to darken the skies and surrender to the Blackened Death Metal by Behemoth in the obscure, somber Versvs Christvs, alternating between sheer heaviness and more atmospheric moments, therefore ending the album on a beyond Stygian note.

Behemoth Opvs Contra Natvram Mailorder Edition White Vinyl Boxset

After all is said and done, it’s more than clear that Behemoth keep standing tall in their Blackened Death Metal castle with the release of Opvs Contra Natvram, which is by the way available in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, with their importance and influence in the world of extreme music growing exponentially with each one of their albums. Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked videos (such as their brilliant live performance playing four songs form the new album atop the Palace of Culture in Poland), to stream all of their sulfurous creations on Spotify, and of course to purchase Opvs Contra Natvram by clicking HERE, where you can also find the lavish Opvs Contra Natvram Mailorder Edition White Vinyl Boxset, limited to 1,000 copies and including a 180g yolk crystal/gold LP in a gatefold, a CD digibook, a 100x100x flag, a vinyl slipmat, and a cut out patch and pin, or simply click HERE for all things Behemoth. More than just an album of extreme music, Opvs Contra Natvram is a work against all types of religion, and may Behemoth keep on fighting against the darkness of the church until their very last breath.

Best moments of the album: Malaria Vvlgata, Disinheritance, Off to War! and Thy Becoming Eternal.

Worst moments of the album: Once upon a Pale Horse.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Post-God Nirvana 3:10
2. Malaria Vvlgata 2:18
3. The Deathless Sun 4:43
4. Ov My Herculean Exile 4:43
5. Neo-Spartacvs 4:18
6. Disinheritance 4:22
7. Off to War! 4:47
8. Once upon a Pale Horse 4:16
9. Thy Becoming Eternal 4:09
10. Versvs Christvs 6:29

Band members
Adam “Nergal” Darski – lead vocals, guitars
Patryk Dominik “Seth” Sztyber – guitars
Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski – bass guitar
Zbigniew Robert “Inferno” Promiński – drums and percussion

Guest musicians
Zofia Fraś – vocals on “Thy Becoming Eternal” and “Versvs Christvs”
Einar Selvik – tribal percussion on “Post-God Nirvana”
Michał Łapaj – piano on “Versvs Christvs”
Jan Stokłosa – orchestral arrangements
Piotr Wróbel – tuba
Wawrzyniec Dramowicz – percussion, timpani

Album Review – Nafrat / Veins EP (2022)

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This Singaporean horde returns after a hiatus with a new EP, exploring darker atmospheric soundscapes coupled with their familiar blistering style of Blackened Death Metal.

Mixed and Mastered by Zoteng at Masterplan Studio and displaying an obscure artwork by the band’s own bassist Firdaus Kadir, Veins is the brand new three-track EP by Singapore-based Dissonant/Technical Death Metal horde Nafrat, following up on their 2018 full-length opus Abnegation after the band went on a hiatus due to personal reasons. Formed in 2003 and currently comprised of Han Shah on vocals and guitars, Iskandar Zul also on the guitars, the aforementioned Firdaus Kadir on bass and Islam Falmi on drums, Nafrat venture through new territories in their new EP with the exploration of darker atmospheric soundscapes coupled with the familiar blistering style of Blackened Death Metal that they produced in previous releases, turning such short and sweet record into a must-listen for fans of bands the likes of Hate Eternal, Immolation and Svart Crown.

Sinister sounds permeate the air in the Stygian instrumental intro Veins, dragging our souls to the obscure realms ruled by Nafrat before the quartet begins hammering our heads with In Absentia, a brutal, malignant Death Metal onrush spearheaded by the venomous beats by Islam while Firdaus extracts rumbling tones form his bass, all of course spiced up by the visceral guttural by Han in a solid, straight-to-the-point display of the band’s core sonority. Then more of their primeval, tribalistic music comes in the form of Oculus, with the guitars by Han and Iskandar decimating our ears while Islam sounds like a demented beast on drums, feeling absolutely bestial from start to finish with Han roaring deeply just the way we like it in Death Metal. Put differently, this might be a very good sign of what to expect from Nafrat in their upcoming releases.

You only need 12 minutes of your time to let Nafrat crush your cranial skull with their music by either streaming the EP in full on Spotify or by purchasing it from their own BandCamp page (or click HERE for all locations where you can buy or stream the album, among other cool links). In addition, let’s show our support to underground metal made in Singapore by giving the guys from Nafrat a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, showing them how much we appreciate their devilish music. Veins might be short in duration but the quality of the music found in it is outstanding, which leaves me wondering what those Singaporean metallers will bring to our avid ears next, especially if they release a full-length album, always in the name of our good old Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Oculus.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Veins 2:02
2. In Absentia 4:31
3. Oculus 4:59

Band members
Han Shah – vocals, guitars
Iskandar Zul – guitars
Firdaus Kadir – bass
Islam Falmi – drums

Album Review – Konvent / Call Down the Sun (2022)

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Denmark’s own Doom Metal institution returns with a masterful sophomore offering, doubling down on the band’s songwriting talent and brutal, heavy sound.

Two years after taking the entire Doom and Heavy Metal scene by storm with the release of their boisterous debut full-length album Puritan Masochism, Copenhagen, Denmark’s own Death/Doom Metal institution Konvent returns with a sophomore offering entitled Call Down the Sun that doubles down on the band’s songwriting talent and brutal, heavy sound. Recorded and mixed by Lasse Ballade at Ballade Studios, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Studio, displaying a Stygian artwork by Mads Berg, and undoubtedly inspired by recent dark times, the ongoing pandemic and cancellation of live performances, the new album’s thunderous apocalyptic sound is impossible to escape, with the four-piece entity formed of Rikke Emilie List on vocals, Sara Helena Nørregaard on the guitars, Heidi Withington Brink on bass, and Julie Simonsen on drums unleashing hurricanes of Blackened Death and Doom Metal upon us all, sounding even more pissed-off, fast-paced and pitch-black than ever.

The cryptic words barked by Rikke (“Climb into the distance / Aiming for the price / Seeking a device / Climb into the distance / High”) are the main ingredient in the sluggish and atmospheric Into the Distance, darkening the skies to the slow and steady beats by the talented Julie, whereas Sara and Heidi hammer their stringed weapons mercilessly in Sand is King, sounding utterly perfect for breaking your neck headbanging in the name of doom, not to mention Rikke’s roars get even more demonic and obscure. Julie continues to deliver her trademark tribal beats in In the Soot, another solid fusion of Death and Doom Metal where Sara’s Black Sabbath-inspired riffs will penetrate deep inside your lost soul; and Stygian clouds keep blocking all sunlight in Grains, with Heidi providing those low-tuned bass lines we darkly love so much while Sara keeps slashing her axe in great fashion for our total delight.

And the reverberating bass by Heidi kicks off the superb Fatamorgana, with its somber, poetic lyrics being powerfully vociferated by Rikke (“Time to venture out again through the sand to Neverend / Every step is poorly cast / Leave them in the past / Forever, the orb is a guide / Endeavour from morning till night”) while the music flows flawlessly in a lecture in contemporary Doom Metal, all spiced up by its cult-like backing vocals, morphing into a massive, sinister instrumental Interlude for the also venomous Never Rest, bringing forward the quartet’s undisputed heaviness spearheaded by another brutal work done by Julie on drums, with Rikke once again haunting us all with her inhumane, deep gutturals. Then adding hints of Stoner and Sludge Metal to their core sonority, it’s time for the thunderous Pipe Dreams, where the synchronicity between Sara and Heidi is superb form start to finish as usual. Lastly, we’re treated to Harena, perhaps the band’s deepest and most detailed composition of all time. The melodic but extremely sharp riffs by Sara are a thing of beauty, supported as always by the demolishing kitchen by Heidi and Julie while Rikke roars from the bottom of her blackened heart, resulting in a stunning, dense and climatic ending to the album.

Such delicious masterpiece of Death and Doom Metal can be fully appreciated on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course I highly recommend you purchase your favorite copy of the album by clicking HERE, adding an amazing touch of darkness to your private collection. Also, don’t forget to follow the girls from Konvent on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with news, their plans for the future and their tour dates, and I’m more than sure that watching Konvent playing live might be a fantastic experience. Who knows, maybe one days they’ll tour across Canada? Anyway, having said all that, let’s all call down the sun to the undisputed doom played by those four Danish metallers, and enjoy their beyond sweet companionship in darkness for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Sand is King, Fatamorgana and Harena.

Worst moments of the album: In the Soot.

Released in 2022 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Into the Distance 5:23
2. Sand is King 4:12
3. In the Soot 4:52
4. Grains 6:05
5. Fatamorgana 5:54
6. Interlude 2:00
7. Never Rest 5:39
8. Pipe Dreams 4:05
9. Harena 7:13

Band members
Rikke Emilie List – vocals
Sara Helena Nørregaard – guitars
Heidi Withington Brink – bass
Julie Simonsen – drums