Tag Archives: blackened deathcore

Album Review – Discovery Through Torment / Telesynthetic Rebirth EP (2025)

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This up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble is ready to attack armed with their newborn EP, telling a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement.

Blending elements of Brutal Death Metal, Slam, and Black Metal into a sound defined by relentless aggression and technical intensity, Montreal, Quebec’s own Deathcore beast Discovery Through Torment has been building a reputation in the Canadian underground metal scene for uncompromising heaviness, surgical precision, and a clear artistic identity rooted in themes of Sci-Fi, aliens, and existential decay. Now in 2025 the band formed of vocalist Alexandre Desroche, guitarists Samuel Fortin and Frédéric Ricard, bassist Alexis Lafrance, and drummer Charles-Étienne Lafrance returns to the battlefield with a new EP titled Telesynthetic Rebirth, following up on their demented 2022 sophomore opus The Mangled God. Recorded and produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Maxime Lacroix of House of Gain Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by Mark Erskine of Erskine Designs, the EP tells a video game-inspired story of collapse and replacement, following the downfall of a former entity and the rise of a new force that abducts humans, reshapes them into telepathic killing machines, and unleashes them in a genocidal conquest of Earth. The lyrics weave themes of experimentation and domination, closing with a cliffhanger that sets up the next chapter.

Eerie sounds permeate the air in the opening track Dethronement, exploding into a beyond brutal and technical slab of Deathcore led by Charles-Étienne’s demented beats and fills while Alexandre delivers those deep, inhumane growls we all love so much. Their demented feast of Blackened Deathcore goes on in full force in Arcane Inception, showcasing an amazing job done by Samuel and Frédéric on the guitars, being therefore perfect for some action inside the circle pit; and Charles-Étienne doesn’t let the band’s aggressiveness and heaviness go down not even a tiny bit in Veil Unferling, with those insane breakdowns providing Alexandre with exactly what he needs to roar like a demonic entity. Moreover, the song has a nod to the first F.E.A.R. game, with a hidden line straight from Paxton Fettel. Lesions is by far the most infernal (and consequently the most trilling) of all songs from the EP, where Alexis hammers his bass manically accompanied by the thunderous drums by Charles-Étienne; and finally, they add hints of Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority in First Encounter Assault Regiment (a play on the aforementioned game’s acronym), and the final result is obviously incendiary.

As an unsigned and self-produced act, Discovery Through Torment exemplify the raw potential of modern underground metal music, always ambitious, unfiltered, and driven entirely by passion, and their brand new EP is the perfect depiction of all that hard work and focus. Hence, you can show those relentless metallers your total support by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on any platform like Spotify, and of course by purchasing their excellent new EP from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It certainly won’t take long for Discovery Through Torment to attack again with the next chapter in their already solid career, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such an up-and-coming Deathcore ensemble after the striking and incendiary Telesynthetic Rebirth.

Best moments of the album: Arcane Inception and Lesions.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dethronement 4:36
2. Arcane Inception 3:40
3. Veil Unferling 4:29
4. Lesions 3:35
5. First Encounter Assault Regiment 4:19

Band members
Alexandre Desroche – vocals
Samuel Fortin – guitar
Frédéric Ricard – guitar
Alexis Lafrance – bass
Charles-Étienne Lafrance – drums

Album Review – A Wake In Providence / I Write To You, My Darling Decay (2024)

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These Staten Island, New York-based Deathcore titans are back with their incendiary fourth studio album, a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

Formed in Staten Island, New York in 2010, American Blackened and Symphonic Deathcore titans A Wake In Providence are unleashing upon us their fourth studio opus, beautifully entitled I Write To You, My Darling Decay, the follow-up to their 2022 album Eternity. Formed of Adam Mercer on vocals, D’Andre Tyre on the guitars, orchestrations and vocals, Jorden Felion on the guitars, and Jesse Mcenneny on drums, A Wake In Providence are on absolute fire throughout their entire new installment, turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the music by Lorna Shore, Chelsea Grin, and many others renowned acts of the current Deathcore scene.

The Maddening sounds absolutely cinematic, epic and somber from the very first second, until all hell breaks loose to a demonic roar by Adam, with their Deathcore essence being nicely complemented by all orchestral elements by D’Andre in the background. Then featuring guest vocals by Ben Duer (of Shadow Of Intent), Mournful Benediction presents a great fusion of melodious sounds with sheer heaviness and rage, with the hammering drums by Jesse and the keys by D’Andre haunting our souls for all eternity; flowing into the piano-infused phantasmagorical interlude Agony, My Familiar before the quartet comes ripping once again in Agonofinis, a lecture in Blackened Deathcore that will crush your minds an skulls mercilessly to the austere, sulfurous riffs by D’Andre and Jorden, not to mention how brutal the drums by Jesse sound. And in And Through The Fog She Spoke the band offers seven minutes of stunning and visceral passages, with all harsh and clean vocals elevating the song’s epicness and punch considerably.

They keep delivering first-class Deathcore to the masses in the also detailed and grim In Whispers, where D’Andre once again does a superb job with all orchestrations supported by the infernal drums by Jesse; and it looks like those guys have mastered the art of crafting multi-layered, detailed Deathcore hymns, as the title-track I Write To You, My Darling Decay is the perfect depiction of that, spearheaded by the venomous growls by Adam amidst a neck-breaking, imposing wall of sounds. Then despite showcasing most elements that make the music by A Wake In Providence so compelling, the song The Unbound sounds a bit generic and repetitive in the end; whereas back to a more vicious and dynamic sonority we face Pareidolia, with Jesse once again taking the lead with his inhumane drumming while Adam deeply roars for our total delight. Lastly, the closing song of the album, titled I, The Mournful, also presents the band’s share of fury and melancholy in a climatic way, with the infernal roars by Adam being boosted by all orchestrations, demonic riffs and bass, and pulverizing beats.

If Deathcore infused with symphonic and blackened elements is your cup of tea, you have to give I Write To You, My Darling Decay a shot, as A Wake In Providence not only sound extremely heavy and vile during the entire album, but also very melodic and obscure, giving the whole record an amazing vibe that will surely last until their next opus is released. Hence, don’t forget to follow those guys on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all news, including their upcoming shows, to stream their demented creations on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase I Write To You, My Darling Decay by clicking HERE or HERE. This is Deathcore at its finest, and I’m sure once you get in contact with their music, you’ll get addicted to it and succumb to the darkest side of modern-day American Deathcore.

Best moments of the album: Mournful Benediction, Agonofinis and I Write To You, My Darling Decay.

Worst moments of the album: The Unbound.

Released in 2024 Unique Leader Records

Track listing
1. The Maddening 5:37
2. Mournful Benediction 6:20
3. Agony, My Familiar 2:16
4. Agonofinis 4:52
5. And Through The Fog She Spoke 7:12
6. In Whispers 6:54
7. I Write To You, My Darling Decay 7:51
8. The Unbound 6:02
9. Pareidolia 7:03
10. I, The Mournful 6:21

Band members
Adam Mercer – vocals
D’Andre Tyre – guitars, orchestrations, vocals
Jorden Felion – guitars
Jesse Mcenneny – drums

Guest musician
Ben Duer – vocals on “Mournful Benediction”

Album Review – Mental Cruelty / Zwielicht (2023)

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A German Blackened Deathcore outfit arises from chaos with their fourth studio album, pushing the band’s sound to new blacker intensities.

Rising from the ashes of personal and professional chaos, Karlsruhe, Germany-based Blackened Deathcore outfit Mental Cruelty has been blasting our ears with their incendiary fusion of Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Symphonic Deathcore and Brutal Deathcore since their inception in 2016, becoming standard-bearers for the sound in Europe. Now in 2023 the band currently formed of newcomer Lukas Nicolai on vocals, Nahuel Lozano and Marvin Kessler on the guitars, Viktor Dick on bass and Danny Straßer on drums returns in full force with Zwielicht, or “twilight” in German, the fourth studio album in their career. Mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome! Recording Studio, and displaying a classy artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski (R.I.P.), the album pushes the band’s sound to new blacker intensities forged in emotional riffing, heavy “back to the roots” breakdowns, and epic orchestral arrangements that surpass the already elite standards that have become synonymous with their name, being highly recommended for fans of Lorna Shore, Ingested and Vulvodynia, just to name a few.

The cinematic intro Midtvinter will embrace your soul and take you to Mental Cruelty’s demonic lair for all eternity, exploding into Obsessis a Daemonio (or “possessed by a demon” in Latin), where Lukas sounds truly possessed on vocals while Danny smashes his drums nonstop, all spiced up by grandiose, epic background sounds in a flawless fusion of Symphonic Black Metal and Deathcore. As imposing and sinister as the previous track, Nahuel and Marvin continue to deliver sheer aggressiveness and insanity through their riffs in Forgotten Kings, another pulverizing creation by the quintet; whereas not a single space is left empty in Pest thanks to the rumbling bass by Viktor and the stone crushing beats by Danny, making a beautiful paradox with the orchestral and symphonic elements in the background. Then drinking form the same Stygian fountain as Lorna Shore we have Nordlys (“Northern Lights” in Norwegian and Danish), offering more of the demonic, enraged roars by Lukas and sounding absolutely grim and infernal form start to finish.

Leaning towards pure Symphonic Black Metal, the band will darken the skies in Mortal Shells, showcasing their always thunderous kitchen supporting the venomous riffs by Nahuel and Marvin, whereas the interlude Zwielicht brings to our ears an embracing dosage of poetry declaimed in German by Lukas, before the band takes our minds and souls by storm with Symphony of a Dying Star, bringing forward more of their undisputed hybrid of Black Metal and Deathcore with symphonic elements, sounding absolutely thrilling from start to finish with Danny stealing the show with his demolishing drums. In The Arrogance of Agony we’re treated to wicked lyrics (“The glance of death as I look into the mirror / The faceless staring back at me can’t recognize this person / This is something that I used to be”) amidst a solid display of extreme music, followed by the breathtaking A Tale of Salt and Light, offering us all one final round of their poetic words (“Blessed are the ones who walk the salty desert / Blessed are the ones who conquer their fear in the ocean / Every second I battle the current / Swim against the whim of nature / Hunters of the deep circle of my path / Hopes washed away by the pull of the tide”) while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing our ears with their riffs and solos, resulting in a climatic conclusion to such diverse and vibrant album.

“Let us embrace a new era of darkness by bringing the ‘black’ into blackened heavy music. Join us on the way down to infernal gates of hell to be rebirthed back to life. The album will contain the most mind-bending variety of different heavy musical influences and sounds. Epic symphonic orchestras accompanied by slam breakdowns; this will have it all. Inspired from metaphors written by nature, death, and inner demons,” the band commented about their newborn beast, available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can purchase a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE, not to mention the guys from Mental Cruelty are also eagerly waiting for your feedback on their music on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. Just like the name of the album, the music by Mental Cruelty perfectly depicts the feeling we all sense during twilight, as their music gets darker and darker while there’s still fragments of light in our sight throughout the album, and may this new version of the band keep on delivering amazing albums like Zwielicht to us fans of heavy music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Obsessis a Daemonio, Symphony of a Dying Star and A Tale of Salt and Light.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. Midtvinter 1:43
2. Obsessis a Daemonio 5:07
3. Forgotten Kings 5:57
4. Pest 5:52
5. Nordlys 5:19
6. Mortal Shells 6:11
7. Zwielicht 1:33
8. Symphony of a Dying Star 4:11
9. The Arrogance of Agony 5:22
10. A Tale of Salt and Light 7:31

Band members
Lukas Nicolai – vocals
Nahuel Lozano – guitars
Marvin Kessler – guitars
Viktor Dick – bass
Danny Straßer – drums

Album Review – Ov Sulfur / The Burden ov Faith (2023)

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Behold the debut album by this Las Vegas-based Blackened Deathcore beast, overflowing blasphemy, sulfur and obscurity.

The sound of a musical left-hand path that is nothing short of sonically jarring, lyrically blasphemous and utterly epic in its delivery, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Blackened Deathcore entity Ov Sulfur has just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, entitled The Burden ov Faith, the follow-up to their 2021 debut EP Oblivion. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder and produced by Morgoth Beatz, the album challenges the genre’s conventions while inviting comparisons to Dimmu Borgir or Behemoth in their prime, with an ominous sense of melody dotting the dark musical landscapes brought into being by frontman Ricky Hoover (Suffokate), guitarist Chase Wilson (Collisions, Sigil), bassist Ding (Efnisien) and drummer Leviathvn (Empyrean Throne, Dawn of Ashes, Deadcheck, Urilia), supported by an array of magnificent guest musicians the likes of Alex Terrible (Slaughter To Prevail) and Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage, Light The Torch).

It’s hell on earth in just a few seconds in the opening tune Stained in Rot, with Ricky already growling like a beast while Leviathvn dictates the song’s demented pace in a lecture in Blackened Deathcore by the quartet; and the band continues to pulverize our ears in Befouler, featuring the aforementioned Alex Terrible on guest vocals, with Ricky’s inhumane roars walking hand in hand with the heavy-as-hell riffage by Chase. Then we have Unraveling, featuring Taylor Barber (Left to Suffer) as a guest vocalist while epic background keys add an extra touch of sulfur to the music. Needless to say, Ding’s bass and Leviathvn’s drums sound infernal from start to finish, which is also the case in Death ov Circumstance, where its wicked lyrics (“The sky above is cloaked in endless dark / Ashes, once life, coat the lungs ov all those in sight / What a foul stench – that ov charred innocence”) spice up an already venomous sonority, or in other words, it’s demonic Deathcore at its finest; whereas hellish barks, piercing riffs and whimsical background orchestrations and sounds will embrace your soul in Earthen.

After the atmospheric, enfolding interlude A Path to Salvation?, the band will crush our senses with the grandiose I, Apostate, where Ricky showcases not only his deep guttural roars, but he also delivers more devilish Black Metal-inspired screeches, sounding perfect for breaking our necks headbanging. Poetic lyrics are darkly screamed by the duo formed of Ricky and guest Howard Jones in Wide Open (“One of us, accept your feelings / One of us, let go of it all / One of us, this is the real truth / One of us, break their control over you”), while Chase, Ding and Leviathvn are merciless armed with their sonic weapons in the most sulfurous of all songs. Their second to last breath of darkness and blasphemy comes in the form of The Inglorious Archetype, with the massive drums by Leviathvn and the visceral roars by Ricky sounding awesome despite the fact that the song loses its punch after a while; and lastly, featuring guests Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) and Lindsay Schoolcraft (Cradle of Filth), the title-track The Burden ov Faith is a spot-on depiction of everything the band stands for, with the charming vocals by Lyndsay bringing some peace to our hearts amidst the band’s metallic savagery.

Such incendiary album can be appreciated in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you should purchase your favorite copy of The Burden ov Faith by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on. Ov Sulfur offer us all in their debut opus everything we love in this type of music, sounding absolutely devilish, caustic and blasphemous from start to finish, paving the band’s path to the underworld and, therefore, placing them among one of the new driving forces of the current Deathcore scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Stained in Rot, Death ov Circumstance and Wide Open.

Worst moments of the album: The Inglorious Archetype.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. Stained in Rot 4:14
2. Befouler 3:43
3. Unraveling 4:46
4. Death ov Circumstance 4:33
5. Earthen 5:24
6. A Path to Salvation? 1:13
7. I, Apostate 4:40
8. Wide Open 5:07
9. The Inglorious Archetype 3:46
10. The Burden ov Faith 6:50

Band members
Ricky Hoover – vocals
Chase Wilson – guitars
Ding – bass
Leviathvn – drums

Guest musicians
Alex Terrible – vocals on “Befouler”
Taylor Barber – vocals on “Unraveling”
Howard Jones – vocals on “Wide Open”
Kyle Medina – vocals on “The Burden ov Faith”
Lindsay Schoolcraft – vocals on “The Burden ov Faith”

Album Review – Fifth Ring / Masochist (2022)

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This ruthless trio based in Taiwan and the United States will break your bones with their debut full-length monstrosity, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode.

With the soul focus on creating the heaviest riffs, the sickest slams and the filthiest breakdowns, the members of Tainan, Taiwan/Atlanta, Georgia, United States-based Blackened Deathcore horde Fifth Ring have been creatively active with other musical projects for over ten years now and have come together once again to create a whole new monstrosity, entitled Masochist. Following on directly from their 2022 three-track EP Dawn, Masochist is a huge leap forward for Fifth Ring in every department, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode, therefore showcasing all the talent and fury by Zachary Kepley on vocals, bass and drum programming, Christopher Williamson on the guitar and Q. Keith Brown Jr. on drums, and being highly recommended for fans of Cattle Decapitation, Bog Wraith, Sun Speaker and Katabasis, among others.

The opening tune Ten Horns is noisy, vile and brutal from the very first second, with the infernal vociferations by Zachary walking hand in hand with his own demonic bass punches in an awesome fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore where the riffs by Zachary and Christopher will pierce your skull mercilessly. The Snake is just as demonic as its predecessor, with Q. Keith crushing his drums in the name of Blackened Deathcore, exhaling groove and rage for our total delight; whereas in Crimson Mask we face sick words barked by Zachary (“Stretch out the spine / Broken neck / Barbed wire / Guillotine / Now the wound has opened up”) amidst a hurricane of metallic sounds perfect for slamming into the circle pit. Then bringing forward elements from classic Thrash and Death Metal we have Head on a Pike, where Q. Keith once again does a great job behind his drums; and switching gears to a more melodic, pensive sonority, get ready for six intense minutes in Dust to Dust, which loses its grip after a while, consequently sounding a bit tiresome in the end.

Back to a more Hardcore sound, the trio drinks form the same fountain as renowned acts the likes of Lorna Shore and Whitechapel in Maggot King, showcasing a violent riff attack by Zachary and Christopher, whereas in Waste we’re treated to another round of their acid lyrics (“Dead in the waste / By the time I was saved / I never / Prayed to a god / Who forsakes / Everyone who’s praises / Dead on cross / With no head / Upside down and rancid”) while the music brings to our ears endless savagery and heaviness. The Pit is a brutal, neck-breaking creation by the trio that will please all fans of the darkest side of Deathcore, with Zachary sounding inhumane on vocals while Q. Keith continues to kick ass on drums, resulting in the heaviest of all songs hands down. Lastly, ending the album on a demonic mode, more of the trio’s trademark aggressiveness is offered to us all in Lurking in the Open Wound, while also presenting some cryptic, somber passages until its melancholic finale.

You can enjoy Masochist and all of its heaviness and gore on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show your support to the underground extreme scene you should buy the album from their own BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE, proving you’re indeed a circle pit connoisseur. In addition, go check what the trio is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their demented music. Listen to Masochist and feel your mind forcibly expanded while your bones are remorselessly broken, and may Fifth Ring keep destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path with more first-class releases such as their new album in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Ten Horns, Crimson Mask and The Pit.

Worst moments of the album: Dust to Dust.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Ten Horns 4:16
2. The Snake 4:05
3. Crimson Mask 3:20
4. Head on a Pike 4:59
5. Dust to Dust 6:02
6. Maggot King 3:39
7. Waste 3:47
8. The Pit 4:12
9. Lurking in the Open Wound 6:12

Band members
Zachary Kepley – vocals, bass, drum programming
Christopher Williamson – guitar
Q. Keith Brown Jr. – drums

Album Review – Cabal / Magno Interitus (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

This is my first experience of Danish band Cabal and I can only describe the sound they create as weaponized music. This their third album to date, entitled Magno Interitus and released through Nuclear Blast Records, is a sort of conglomeration of Blackened Deathcore, Djent, Dubstep, Doom and Hardcore.

What the band strive to achieve is a sort of gloomy, doom laden atmosphere, and this they achieve. Underneath that atmosphere however is something far more sinister. Whilst this kind of music isn’t my thing, I can certainly appreciate what has been pieced together here. So instead of banging on about what bands this reminds me of, (None, I have very little knowledge of this style) I’ll instead try to describe how this album makes me feel and what it brings to mind.

If I were a film maker engaged in creating a movie about two warring factions, one a desperate bedraggled remnant of humanity and the other a sleek, mechanical army of robots, (Yes, I am aware I’m essentially talking about the later Terminator films) then this would be my soundtrack. For this album sounds like mechanized Armageddon, and its unstoppable unwavering post-industrial style that fuses the disjointed nature of Djent with a more scattergun Dubstep element, as well as hostile crushing Deathcore, would be the perfect fit for my soundtrack.

In my opinion, a band like Cabal defies genre boundaries. If a band can take someone like me who has no real appreciation for Deathcore and make me think about what I’m experiencing, then they have to be a very talented and creative band indeed. So whilst a true Deathcore fan would give this a higher grade, a novice to the style like me to give it a seven I think says even more about why you should listen to Magno Interitus.

Best moments of the album: The album ends very strongly with Exsanguination and Plague Bringer.

Worst moments of the album: Nothing to massively complain about.

Released in 2022 by Nuclear Blast Records

Track listing
1. If I Hang, Let Me Swing 3:14
2. Insidious 2:09
3. Magno Interitus 3:27
4. Existence Ensnared 3:25
5. Insatiable 3:26
6. Blod af Mit 4:17
7. Exit Wound 2:43
8. Violent Ends 2:41
9. Like Vultures 3:05
10. Exsanguination 3:20
11. Plague Bringer 3:45

Band members
Andreas Bjulver Paarup – vocals
Christian Hammer Mattesen – guitars
Chris Kreutzfeldt – guitars
Malthe Strøyer Sørensen – bass
Nikolaj Kaae Kirk – drums

Guest musicians
Simon Olsen – vocals on “Insidious”
Joe Bad – vocals on “Magno Interitus”
John Cxnnor – industrial noises on “Blod af Mit”

Links
Cabal Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube