Drawing influence from Black, Death, and Thrash Metal, this unrelenting Atlanta horde wrestles with themes such as politics, drug use, existentialism, perseverance, and the lasting consequences of one’s choices in their debut opus.
Drawing influence from Black, Death, and Thrash Metal, the unrelenting Atlanta, Georgia-based visionaries Malefic are unleashing upon us their debut offering, entitled Impermanence. Having roared onto the Atlanta metal scene in 2007 with ambitions to modernize the Black Metal genre, the band currently formed of Aaron Baumoel on vocals and drums, Jason Davila and Sam Williams on the guitars, and Andy McGraw on bass wrestles with themes such as politics, drug use, existentialism, perseverance, and the lasting consequences of one’s choices in their debut opus, being therefore highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Old Man’s Child, Carcass, Testament, Dissection, and Opeth.
Jason and Sam rev up the band’s malefic engine with their scathing riffs in Blood of the Throne, evolving into a blackened feast of Thrash Metal led by Aaron’s raspy roars and unstoppable beats and fills; and he keeps hammering his drums in In Darkest Dreams, accompanied by the caustic riffs and rumbling bass lines by Jason, Sam and Andy, resulting in the perfect excuse for some wild mosh pit action. Of Gods and Man presents a more sinister, introspective start, before exploding into a demented Black Metal extravaganza, and let’s bang our heads nonstop to the sound of Idiocracy, spearheaded by the always rhythmic drumming by Aaron. After that, it’s time for some insane slamming to the sound of Deserter, where their strident riffs give it an even edgier vibe.
The second half of the album kicks off to the sound of acoustic guitars in Disembodiment before all hell breaks loose in another display of caustic Blackened Thrash Metal madness, followed by Obsidian Earth, one of the most detailed and sulfurous songs of the album, with Aaron stealing the show with his demonic gnarls and killer blast beats. After such an infernal display of extreme sounds the band brings forward Echoes of Silence, starting again in an acoustic manner and evolving into a bestial sonic devastation as expected from such a talented and enraged ensemble. Lastly, the album closes with the first single released, It Haunts, blasting our ears with their Skeletonwitch-inspired ferocity and the always venomous roaring by Aaron.
Offering a fresh, modern take on metal that is unrivaled in the United States, Impermanence represents the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication, along with a deep love for music beyond strict genre boundaries, and if you want to know more about such an unstoppable force of extreme music, you can follow Malefic on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on most platforms like Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their flammable debut from Terminus Hate City’s BandCamp or webstore. The year of 2026 is definitely going to be a blast for admirers of Blackened Death and Thrash Metal, and the first full-length album by Malefic will undoubtedly fuel our inner demons to keep slamming into the pits of the underworld, always in the name of the most extreme of extreme music.
Best moments of the album:Blood of the Throne, Deserter and Obsidian Earth.
Worst moments of the album:Of Gods and Man.
Released in 2026 Terminus Hate City
Track listing 1. Blood of the Throne 3:16
2. In Darkest Dreams 3:44
3. Of Gods and Man 3:54
4. Idiocracy 3:56
5. Deserter 3:53
6. Disembodiment 4:39
7. Obsidian Earth 4:14
8. Echoes of Silence 4:45
9. It Haunts 5:33
Band members Aaron Baumoel – vocals, drums
Jason Davila – guitar
Sam Williams – guitar
Andy McGraw – bass
The Day of the Beast is upon us once again to the sound of their infuriated fifth opus, undoubtedly their heaviest, darkest and most dynamic record to date.
Combining elements of Death, Thrash and Black Metal into their core sound, Virginia’s own Blackened Thrash Metal creature The Day of the Beast returns from the pits of the underworld with their infuriated fifth studio offering, titled Nightspawn Descendants, following up on their venomous 2021 album Indisputably Carnivorous. Mixed by Ricardo Borges and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, the newborn spawn by vocalist Steve Harris, guitarists Steve Redmond and Bobby Phippins (by the way, Bobby sadly passed away back in 2024, which means Nightspawn Descendants is his “swan song”), Justin Shaw on bass, and Jeremy Bradley on drums is undoubtedly the band’s heaviest, darkest and most dynamic record yet, sounding massive and pummeling from start to finish.
The breathtaking With Drakkonian Force offers us all a bestial start to the album, with Steve Harris roaring and barking like a rabid beast supported by the fulminating riffs by Steve Redmon and Bobby, and there’s no time to breathe as those death dealers will crush your spinal cords with A Leering Grotesqueness, with Jeremy bringing an overdose of Thrash Metal to their Stygian core with his ruthless beats and fills. Fangbearer, themed around a Clive Barker short story called Rawhead Rex, continues their path of Blackened Thrash Metal led by the unstoppable drums by Jeremy, whereas in Exsanguination we face infernal lyrics barked by Steve Harris (“Forsaken flesh upon the earth / Derelict anomalies perceive this harsh reality / inner sanctum in a state of mystified perplexity / taste the filth, inhale the void / in misanthropic ecstacy / Unending dissection / of all attempts to reason / Scratching and clawing the path to unconsciousness / Paranoid deception / Terminate sympathy / Feast with the spawning shadows in your heart”) amidst an overdose of dark and ruhless Extreme Metal madness; followed by Revocation of the Black Talons, less vicious but extremely heavy and vile, with Justin and Jeremy making the earth tremble with their demonic kitchen.
The band shows no sign of slowing down at all, as Steve Redmond and Bobby slash their axes like true metallic beats in Their Flesh to the Father, sounding fast, furious and, therefore, perfect for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow. Jeremy keeps demolishing everything and everyone that crosses his path in To the Edge of Abyss, enhancing the song’s violence while their guitars exhale harmony and electricity, all boosted by another bestial vocal performance by Steve Harris. Then we have Dire Omens, one of the last tracks Bobby wrote for The Day of the Beast, which means let’s honor him by letting it rip through our speakers, sounding as hellish and grim as its predecessors; and the band shows no mercy for our frail bodies in Embodiment, with Steve Harris delivering some of his deepest, most demonic vocals of the entire album while the drums by Jeremy sound inhumane from start to finish. Last but certainly not least, we face the massive, Stygian and somber title-track Nightspawn Descendants, with Steve Harris roaring nonstop accompanied by the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo and the always thunderous kitchen by Justin and Jeremy.
Crafting their own brand of apocalyptic Extreme Metal that shines a light on the darkest, filthiest corners of the human psyche since their inception back in 2006, The Day of the Beast are definitely going to reach new heights with Nightspawn Descendants, hopefully fueling them to take their music to stages all across the world including places like the UK, the EU, Japan, Brazil, and of course, Canada. Hence, you can stay up to date with all things The Day of the Beast and tell them how much you want to see them live on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic creations on Spotify, and of course put your damned hands on Nightspawn Descendants by purchasing it from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Nightspawn Descendants is heavy, dark, and sulfurous. It’s an ode to Black, Death and Thrash Metal. and above all that, it’s a tribute to Bobby, a man who lived and breathed heavy music until the very end. Horns up for Bobby, and bang your heads nonstop to Nightspawn Descendants.
Best moments of the album:With Drakkonian Force, Exsanguination, Their Flesh to the Father and Embodiment.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Prosthetic Records
Track listing 1. With Drakkonian Force 5:04 2. A Leering Grotesqueness 3:52
3. Fangbearer 4:06
4. Exsanguination 4:52
5. Revocation of the Black Talons 6:41
6. Their Flesh to the Father 4:36
7. To the Edge of Abyss 3:49
8. Dire Omens 3:09
9. Embodiment 5:00
10. Nightspawn Descendants 9:43
Band members Steve Harris – vocals
Steve Redmond – guitars
Bobby Phippins – guitars
Justin Shaw – bass
Jeremy Bradley – drums
Behold the first full-length opus by this ruthless Polish entity, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.
After the releases of their debut EP The Curse of Ferrius, in 2022, and the live album Resurrection Clarity (Live at 2 Koła ’24), in 2024, Gdańsk, Poland-based Blackened Death/Thrash Metal duo Büddah are ready to crush our frail bodies and souls with their first ever full-length installment, entitled Amyotrophy (a progressive wasting of muscle tissues). Recorded by Damian Bednarski (of Unborn Suffer), produced by the same Damian Bednarski alongside Marcin Skowroński (of Fatigue), who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album, and displaying a killer artwork and layout by vocalist Julian Schutta, the new album by Julian Suchtta on vocals and Marek Gross on vocals, guitars and bass, with the support of session drummer Igor Jażdżewski, takes no prisoners in their quest for extreme, ruthless music, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.
The duo wastes no time and kick off their demented festivities with Amyotrophy I, with their devilish gnarls and the ruthless blast beats by Igor sounding absolutely explosive; whereas Bowel Fane presents cryptic, vile words vociferated by the duo (“Awakened in the cryptic maze / Helpless cries shove off the walls / My blind soul tries to find the exit”) amidst a devastating Blackened Thrash Metal sonority. Then they invest in a pure Death Metal sound in Waste of Flesh, with the dirty, slashing riffage by Marek walking hand in hand with their raspy guttural; and a song title like Disfigured Ones reeks of Death Metal, and Julian and Marek make sure the music also lives up to the genre with their demolishing roars and riffs, supported by Igor’s demented drumming. After that, Fiend then presents hints of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Crust, perfect for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.
The rumbling bass by Marek ignites another display of undisputed Death Metal in Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV, with the old school beats and fills by Igor adding an even more primeval touch to the song. Then we face the dark, sinister interlude Law of the Snake, setting the stage for Büddah to destroy our senses with Serpent’s Scourge, by far the heaviest of all songs, featuring guest vocalists Damian Bednarski and Łukasz Pieszczyński, and with its cryptic lyrics (“I faced the mask of thousand tongues / with eyes surrounding its mouth / It’s lurking voice crawling under my nails / oviposited on my bearing / On my bearing…”) matching perfectly the sonic savagery blasted by Julian and Igor. Finally, they go full circle with the second “part” of the album title, Amyotrophy II, where Marek does an amazing job with both his riffs and solos, going experimental halfway through it before ending on a melodic, introspective manner.
Julian and Marek need a little less than 40 minutes in Amyotrophy to show the entire world of heavy music that the name Büddah is already a reality, blasting our speakers and melting our faces with their undisputed fusion of extreme music genres and subgenres in the best Polish style imaginable. Furthermore, if you want to show such a hardworking duo your admiration and support, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic compositions on any available platform such as Spotify, and above all that, purchase their incendiary debut offering from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Amyotrophy is the strongest effort to date by such an up-and-coming duo hailing from the fires of Poland, and based on the quality of the music found throughout the album, we can rest assured we’ll hear a lot more from them in the foreseeable future.
Best moments of the album:Amyotrophy I, Disfigured Ones and Serpent’s Scourge.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Amyotrophy I 5:33
2. Bowel Fane 2:41
3. Waste of Flesh 3:27
4. Disfigured Ones 4:41
5. Fiend 5:11
6. Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV 4:33
7. Law of the Snake 1:34
8. Serpent’s Scourge 4:26
9. Amyotrophy II 6:58
Band members Julian Suchtta – vocals, djembe on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Marek Gross – vocals, guitars, bass, shakers on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Guest musicians
Igor Jażdżewski – drums (session)
Damian Bednarski – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Łukasz Pieszczyński – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”
This unrelenting three-headed beast from Poland is back with their trademark avalanche of speed and violence in the form of their new and explosive eight-minute EP.
“We are a sword, you are a head…”
Formed in 2021 in the beautiful city of Gdańsk, a port city on the Baltic coast of Poland, the unrelenting three-headed beast known as Scrüda is back wwith more of their barbarian hybrid of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal in their new EP poetically titled Extreme Speed Violence, less than one year after their fulminating debut full-length opus Fury Among Ruins. Recorded by Michał Daschke at Black Peak Records, mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, and with a killer, primeval artwork by Fda and layout by WS Artworks, the brand new offering by vocalist and bassist The Conqueror, guitarist Firecracker and drummer Wall of Flesh picks up where Fury Among Ruins left off, bringing forward the band’s trademark avalanche of speed and violence in the form of first-class Extreme Metal.
The title-track Extreme Speed Violence is definitely a bestial way to kick off the EP, with Wall of Flesh demolishing his drums while The Conqueror vomits the song’s demented words rabidly (“I’m totally insane / My heart pumping rage / Completely possessed / Under the demon of revenge / Extreme speed violence”). Their infernal feast of Blackened Thrash Metal goes on in Like a Dog, where Firecracker sets fire to the atmosphere with his unstoppable riffage, and they put the pedal to the metal in the chaotic extravaganza titled Chaos, with Wall of Flesh once again hammering his drums supported by The Conqueror’s menacing bass lines. Get ready to slam into the pit like a true metalmaniac with It’s About You, with their razor-edged, no shenanigans blend of Thrash and Speed Metal sounding demonic. Then Firecracker ignites a Motörhead-infused Speed Metal attack entitled Shameless, reminding me of the early days of Megadeth (which is obviously awesome); followed by Pain, one minute of sheer savagery showcasing another round of demented words roared by The Conqueror (“I feel the pain, my body’s worn and broken / I wear my crown of suffering and pride / All is lost, not a hopeful word is spoken / I see the emptiness, in a grief I drown inside”).
The Conqueror, Firecracker and Wall of Flesh need less than nine minutes to simply destroy everything and everyone that crosses their path in Extreme Speed Violence, and I’m sure it won’t take long for those relentless metallers to return with another slab of sheer aggression in the vein of their new EP. If you want to know more about the band, their music, their live performances (which should be simply phenomenal) and so on, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their depraved thrashing tunes on any platform like Spotify, and of course to grab a copy of their explosive eight-minute EP from their own BandCamp or from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Scrüda are gearing up for their next hunt armed with Extreme Speed Violence, and if you decide to not join their demonic brigade, I feel sorry for you body and soul.
Best moments of the album:Extreme Speed Violence and Shameless.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Extreme Speed Violence 1:33
2. Like a Dog 1:24
3. Chaos 1:35
4. It’s About You 1:03
5. Shameless 1:54
6. Pain 1:12
Band members The Conqueror – vocals, bass
Firecracker – guitars, backing vocals
Wall of Flesh – drums
This relentless German Blackened Speed Metal horde is unleashing upon us their debut beast, a fresh breath of old air exhibiting both the fury of youth and the ageless wisdom of the ancients.
Part of the Leipziger Meuten, along with Dolchstoß and Wrahha, German Thrash/Speed Metal brigade Morbyda was founded in 2022 by vocalist and guitarist Chris (Indian Nightmare) and drummer Joris (Boundless Chaos, Lemongrab) with the intention to shred some skull-crushing Blackened Speed Metal. Now in 2025, after the addition of second guitarist Julez (Sintage) and bassist Antonio (Pursuit) to the band’s lineup, the band is ready to kill armed with their debut full-length offering, titled Under the Spell, a fresh breath of old air, wild yet locked-in, exhibiting both the fury of youth and the ageless wisdom of the ancients, therefore remaining a Heavy Metal album above all, fully embraced by an ass-kicking, classic artwork by Bronze and Bones.
Just like a demented entity arising from the pits of hell, the quartet will spread hatred and sulfur in the frantic Evil, where the guitars by Chris and Julez exhale pure Thrash Metal for our total delight. Then investing in an old school, 80’s-inspired Speed Metal sonority we have Mother Of Decay, with Chris’ deranged vocals being boosted by the classic beats and fills by Joris, whereas blending the fastest sounds from the early days of Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Running Wild and Megadeth we’re treated to Open The Gates Of Fire, spearheaded by the razor-edged riffs by the band’s guitar duo. And a sinister intro evolves into six minutes of scorching metal music entitled Turning The Wheel Of Steel, where their fast and furious riffs will inspire you to bang your heads nonstop as well as the electrifying beats by Joris.
The album continues to move forward at full speed with The Curse, offering an overdose of caustic riffs and solos, rumbling bass sounds and pounding drums, all in the name of our good old Thrash Metal, and their minimalist yet cryptic guitar lines gradually set fire to the atmosphere in Sacrifice, not reaching the same level of insanity of the other songs but still very enjoyable; followed by the scathing Under Her Spell, with Chris and Julez once again making a rabid dual riff attack, melting our faces with their incendiary Thrash and Speed Metal. Lastly, let’s party inside the mosh pit one final time to the sound of Morbid Ways Of Dying, with the striking riffs and solos by Chris and Julez penetrating deep inside our skin, therefore putting a beyond frantic ending to the album.
After all is said and done, it’s guaranteed you’ll fall Under the Spell, where old-days references could include Japan’s Sabbat, millennial Nifelheim, the late and great Eidomantum, early Tribulation, or Hungary’s Tormentor, but all that’s to underline just how advanced Morbyda are at this early stage. Don’t forget to follow those speed thrashers on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, and of course to grab a copy of their caustic and infuriated new album from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Chris, Julez, Antonio and Joris are casting a spell upon us of an undisputed, harsh and scorching blend of Blackened Thrash and Speed Metal, and you better get ready because once that spell hits your damned soul, there’s no way out.
Best moments of the album:Mother Of Decay, Open The Gates Of Fire and Under Her Spell.
Worst moments of the album:Sacrifice.
Released in 2025 Dying Victims Productions
Track listing 1. Evil 3:33
2. Mother Of Decay 5:44
3. Open The Gates Of Fire 4:43
4. Turning The Wheel Of Steel 6:19
5. The Curse 3:48
6. Sacrifice 4:36
7. Under Her Spell 6:18
8. Morbid Ways Of Dying 5:08
Band members Chris – vocals, guitars
Julez – guitars
Antonio – bass
Joris – drums
Playing old school Death Metal with Thrash Metal and Grindcore influences, this Polish horde attacks again with their ruthless sophomore beast.
Playing old school Death Metal with Thrash Metal and Grindcore influences the likes of Carcass, Exhumed, Demolition Hammer and Sepultura, Gdańsk, Poland-based outfit Frightful is back in action with their second full-length installment, entitled What Lies Ahead, continuing the path of destruction initiated with their 2021 debut full-length Spectral Creator. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Maciej Nejman at Studio 147, with a classy yet venomous cover art by N. Zuki of Belial NecroArts (and layout by Paweł Ozon of XXV The Sign), the new album by Oskar Wańka on vocals and bass, Paweł Snarski and Eryk Jakubczyk on the guitars, and Krzysztof Pochranowicz on drums offers exactly what admirers of classic Death Metal need, positioning the band as a force to be reckoned with not only in their homeland, but anywhere in the world where high quality Death Metal is properly appreciated.
The opener Cloaked by Nothingness already provides us with a harsh, raw and visceral sonority boosted by its cryptic words (“Embraced by spectred deny / Forming disease in the absence of light / Levitating inside / Extinction is a matter of time”), inviting us all to slam into the pit and succumb to the dark side of metal; and Paweł and Eryk’s infuriated thrashing riffs set the tone in Disincarnate Sower, resulting in a caustic metal feast where Oskar gnarls like a demon nonstop. Krzysztof then hammers his drums like a demented beast in What Lies Ahead, offering more of the band’s frantic fusion of Black, Death and Thrash Metal, whereas the band attacks in full force in No Fear, with Oskar growling rabidly while firing low-tuned, menacing bass lines at the same time, supported by the bestial drumming by Krzysztof.
Into the Phantom Hearts is perhaps the song with the darkest lyrics (“At beginning of curse / So pure, unsullied / By permanent abuse / Now be left with grief / Punctured hearts turns quickly into frost / Unable to take them strokes / Hardened in acts and riven in thoughts / As result left with nothing”), while the music is a true hurricane of Blackened Death and Thrash Metal sounds; whereas Paweł and Erik continue to distill their devilish riffs in Farewell, sounding tailored for fans of the dark arts and pure circle pit action. The album gets better and better as the music progresses, with the fulminating Cathedrals of Creation bringing forward the slashing riffs by the band’s guitar duo while Oskar growls and barks in the name of evil; and last but not least, Frightful will destroy our frail bodies without mercy in Inexplicable, speeding things up while also adding an extra dosage of sulfur to their music.
If you believe you have what it takes to join Frightful in their quest for the harshest, most inhumane form of Death Metal you can think of, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, and of course stream more of their caustic creations on YouTube, on Spotify or on any other streaming platform. And above all that, don’t forget to purchase a copy of the excellent What Lies Ahead from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, supporting the band in their dark path and, therefore, adding more fuel to the always beautiful Polish Death Metal scene, inspiring other bands like Frightful to keep releasing excellent albums like what they masterfully crafted in their newborn spawn.
Best moments of the album:Into the Phantom Hearts, Farewell and Cathedrals of Creation.
Worst moments of the album:What Lies Ahead.
Released in 2025 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Cloaked by Nothingness 5:45
2. Disincarnate Sower 4:46
3. What Lies Ahead 4:57
4. No Fear 4:27
5. Into the Phantom Hearts 6:01
6. Farewell 3:37
7. Cathedrals of Creation 4:38
8. Inexplicable 5:42
Band members Oskar Wańka – vocals, bass
Paweł Snarski – guitars
Eryk Jakubczyk – guitars
Krzysztof Pochranowicz – drums
On a Monday night in what has been a complete shitshow of city incompetence with regards to snow removal, Toronto’s metal denizens were treated to a great night at The Velvet Underground with the titans of Greek extreme metal SEPTICFLESH along with friends VLTIMAS and STORMRULER in support for the Modern Primitive in North America Tour 2025. Toronto being their first stop on the Canadian leg of the tour. Originally this show was supposed to be at The Concert Hall on Yonge Street but ticket sales were not as strong as were anticipated and so a change in venue had to take place as The Concert Hall would have been too large of a venue for the smaller crowd. Quite a shame if you ask me because it is a superior venue, but this dark cloud had a silver lining, if anything, it just made the show at The Velvet Underground feel more intimate.
The weather was finally a bit more cooperative with milder temperatures but the city’s mismanagement of snow removal this year has been such a joke and sidewalks were still inundated with snow and garbage and other such messiness that walking the streets had become such an ordeal for most people. Lining up for the show was a bit of a challenge because there was barely enough room for pedestrians to get by but we all made the best of it. Finally security let us inside at around 7pm and as soon as we had got in the first thing we all noticed was that the merch was priced in American dollars which was a little odd all things considering. It didn’t bother me much though, I was way too excited to see Septicflesh for any of that shit to bother me. The place filled up nicely and I made sure that I got close to the stage because the sight lines at the Velvet Underground are shit if you are short like me. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the show to begin. St. louis Missouri’s STORMRULER kicked off the show with a blistering 5 song set of delicious melodic black metal complete with some solos for desert. Stormruler are filling in for Ex Deo as they are no longer on the tour because of unforeseen circumstances. It was my first time seeing them and I found them to be quite entertaining. I would definitely check them out if or when they visit us again.
Setlist
Sacred Rites & Black Magic
Reign of The Wicked Duke
In The Eye Of The Mirror
Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations
Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers
Band members
Jason Asberry – vocals, guitars
Nick Burks – guitars
Dalton Moore – bass
Jesse Schobel – drums
Up next was the extreme metal powerhouse that is VLTIMAS. They are a kind of supergroup consisting of ex Morbid Angel Frontman David Vincent (USA) on vocals, ex Mayhem and current Aura Noire guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (NOR), Canada’s own Flo Mounier of Cryptopsy on drums, Dutch Bassist Ype TWS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portugal’s Joao Duarte of the band Corpus Christii on guitar as well. Vltimas proceeded to tear the roof off with a brutal onslaught of extremity and I was surprised that the pits of hell didn’t open up in the middle of the floor. These guys are so polished and professional that they had the crowd instantly energized. The house was about 85% full but it felt like more than that. Everyone was waiting for Septicflesh to get on before they let loose in the pit. Vltimas absolutely killed it! 10/10!
Setlist
Epic
Something Wicked Marches In
Invictus
Mephisto Manifesto
Exercitus Irae
Last Ones Alive Win Nothing
Scorcher
Diabolus Est Sanguis
Everlasting
Band members
David Vincent – vocals
Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen – guitars
Joao Duarte – guitars
Ype TWS – bass
Flo Mounier – drums
The crowd was thoroughly rabid when the mighty SEPTICFLESH got on stage. The circle pit was instantaneous and the crowd never let up. Neuromancer was the second song they played and it blew the lid off the place. It was epic! definitely a crowd favourite as well as my own personal favourite song of theirs. I swear that riff lives in my head. The crowd was beside themselves with utter joy and satisfaction and you could tell that this band has a special connection with their fans, almost personal. This was my first time seeing them live and I fucking loved every second of it. Septicflesh belted out banger after banger the whole entire set. They are such an incredible band to see live! 10/10, would love to see them again! Overall it turned out to be a great night and a hell of a good show.
Setlist
The Vampire From Nazareth
Neuromancer
Pyramid God
Heirophant
Portrait Of A Headless Man
Coming Storm
Martyr
We, The Gods
A Desert Throne
Virtues Of The Beast
Communion
The Collector
Anubis
Dark Art
Behold the last recorded testimony before the war is over for one of the most important Blackened Thrash Metal bands of all time.
The moment you hear it, you know it’s Necrodeath. Formed back in 1984 in the Italian city of Genoa, this unrelenting act is one of the real iconic Blackened Thrash Metal bands of all time, helping to shape the Italian metal scene and the international underground as it is today throughout their 40 years of existence. However, as all good things must come to an end, the band formed of Flegias on vocals, Pier on the guitars, GL on bass and Peso on drums is set to release their last recorded testimony before the definitive dissolution of the band, entitled Arimortis, followed by a farewell tour which will last throughout 2025, and after which the curtain will fall. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Pier Gonella, and featuring a sinister artwork by Max Bottino, Arimortis is everything you’ve learned to love in the music by Necrodeath and more, representing a beyond amazing conclusion to the band’s demolishing and thrilling path.
The quartet wastes no time and invites us all for one last wild ride inside the pit in Storytellers of Lies, with Flegias sounding like a demented beast on vocals, or in other words, this is how anyone should start a Thrash Metal album. Then a sinister start evolves into another blackened attack by the band titled New God, spearheaded by the Slayer-inspired riffs by Pier; and Peso puts the pedal to the metal in Necrosadist, offering our putrid years another explosion of visceral Thrash Metal perfect for some mosh pit action, whereas Arimortis is another song with a sinister, atmospheric intro that quickly morphs into their undisputed thrashing madness, with Flegias roaring manically supported by the pounding drums by Peso. And to make things even more infernal we have Near-Death Experience, the perfect soundtrack for (guess what?) almost dying, with Pier once again delivering sheer animosity through his riffage.
Necrodeath still have a lot more fuel to burn in Arimortis, starting with Alien, with the creepy vociferations by Flegias exhaling pure Black Metal, followed by No More Regrets, a cadenced, grim and melodic creation by the quartet that will sound great during their upcoming last tour. It’s then time for over seven minutes of first-class, no shenanigans Thrash Metal the likes of Exodus and Anthrax entitled Metempsychosis (part two), inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop to the demolishing beats by Peso, while Hangover sounds even more ferocious and thunderous thanks to the rumbling bass by GL and the always hammering drums by Peso, putting a demented ending to the album and to their entire discography.
“Arimortis is a term of Latin origin which indicates the end of a war, the moment in which the fallen are honoured and altars are erected in their name (‘arae mortis’, the altars of death). Even today in some parts of Italy the term ‘arimo’ is used to declare the end of the games. We wanted to use this allegory to seal a path that lasted forty years, full of satisfactions, disappointments and revenge. The songs that make up the album contain several references to our long career,” commented Flegias, and you can fight alongside Necrodeath in their last crusade by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their evil music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing their final beast from BandCamp or from Time To Kill Records, or by clicking HERE. And as their blackened war nears the end, may their putrid souls rest in pieces.
Best moments of the album:Storytellers of Lies, Necrosadist and Hangover.
Worst moments of the album:Alien.
Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records
Track listing 1. Storytellers of Lies 3:37
2. New God 3:12
3. Necrosadist 3:57
4. Arimortis 3:39
5. Near-Death Experience 3:07
6. Alien 4:21
7. No More Regrets 5:37
8. Metempsychosis (part two) 7:21
9. Hangover 3:46
Band members Flegias – vocals
Pier – guitars
GL – bass
Peso – drums
As the days get shorter and the nights grow darker and colder, our metal lady of the month of November at The Headbanging Moose definitely had to represent all the heaviness that fills the air in preparation for the coming winter. She’s the epitome of underground heavy music, lending her raw and intuitive bass sound to amazing bands like Sacrifizer and Triumph of Death, always with a badass attitude, while at the same time also venturing through non-extreme lands like with her Coldwave project named Letten 94. Her name is Jamie Lee Cussigh, also known as SlaughterWytch or Dolorès, depending on which band she’s working on at a specific point in time, and she will kick your ass mercilessly with her more than thunderous bass lines.
Half Bulgarian and half Italian, but born in Switzerland (where she currently resides), Jamie nurtures a deep passion for all things heavy music from a very young age. “I started to listen to metal very young, around 11 or 12 years old and the first album I discovered and bought was the Kill Em All by Metallica. I started to play bass at 13.” Also a private music teacher, either online or in person, Jamie went to Conservatoire de Musique de Neuchâtel, in Switzerland, where she perfect her skills as a musician, which is probably one of the reasons why she can fluctuate between styles without any effort, always sounding sharp and in sync with the rest of the band she’s working with.
Her main band or project since 2019 has been undoubtedly Zurich, Switzerland-based Speed/Thrash/Black Metal entity Triumph of Death, Tom Gabriel Fischer aka Tom G Warrior’s personal tribute to his iconic band Hellhammer, with the name of the band being inspired by the infamous title-track of Hellhammer’s 1983 cult demo. The vast body of Hellhammer’s work remained unperformed for years, with Tom’s other bands Triptykon and Celtic Frost only playing a couple of songs here and there, until the inception of Triumph Of Death. Currently formed of the aforementioned Tom Gabriel Warrior on vocals and guitar, our diva Jamie Lee Cussigh on bass, André Mathieu also on the guitar, and Tim Iso Wey on drums, the band has already has played a number of highly acclaimed concerts, such as Hellfest (France), Wacken Open Air (Germany), Party.San (Germany), Brutal Assault (Czech Republic), Psycho Las Vegas (USA), Merry Christless (Poland), Inferno Festival (Norway), Maryland Deathfest (USA), UK Deathfest, and Mexico Metal Fest, among others.
“I was lucky to be contacted by Tom Gabriel Fischer and he gave me this big chance and opportunity. I also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to him. He’s a beautiful person and I’m very thankful to him,” commented Jamie, who also mentioned the release of new material when she joined the project. “It’s a long-term and permanent project. We will release live material (Hellhammer music) and likely eventually even a studio album with our own material in the style of Hellhammer.” Well, after that interview the promise of releasing live material has already become a reality with the release of the amazing live album Resurrection of the Flesh by the end of 2023, recorded during three festival performances in 2023 in Houston (United States), Munich (Germany) and Barroselas (Portugal). Some of the songs became official videos on their official YouTube channel, including the excellent Decapitator and Massacra, but the band also offers live footage from other festivals in their channel like the songs Massacra, Visions of Mortality, Aggressor and The Third of The Storms (Evoked Damnation), from their 2022 concert at Maryland Deathfest, and you can also click HERE to grab your favorite version of their live album.
Apart form Triumph of Death, Jamie can be found as the bassist for a fantastic French Blackened Speed/Thrash Metal band named Sacrifizer, in this case under the moniker SlaughterWytch, having joined the band a little after their inception back in 2017, and having already recorded with them the 2019 EP La Mort Triomphante, and more recently the full-length album Le Diamant de Lucifer, back in 2022, and both can be appreciated in full on Spotify. According to the band, they were “created after a midnight ritual”, and our dauntless SlaughterWytch alongside Sexumer on vocals, NightReaper and H.K.A. on the guitars, and Lethal on drums continues to pave a path of destruction with their only goal being “to spread the mighty words of our lord Lucifer.” I highly recommend a detailed listen at both their 2019 EP and their 2022 album, as both are ass-kicking beasts of blackened thrash, as you can easily see in this incendiary live version of Le Diamant de Lucifer.
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However, don’t think that Jamie is simply blasting the heaviest of sounds all the time with her bass, or that she only loves heavy music, as she has also been part of a very interesting Coldwave project called Letten 94 since 2019, going by the name of Dolorès in this case. “Letten 94 is a project we created with a friend, Freddy Van Ballast. I’m on vocals, bass and soon guitar and he plays synthesizers, samplers, drum machines etc.,” commented Jamie. This Swiss Coldwave duo takes a mental image of Letten (as the disused Letten station in Zurich was the largest open drugs scene in Europe in 1994), and more widely of Europe in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall, as a starting point to try to create electronic music which is sometimes aggressive and syncopated, sometimes dark and mysterious.
Letten 94 is a band that plays music for its own sake, carrying no political message, therefore having a zero-tolerance policy for racism and discrimination, such as discrimination based on gender, ability, or age. This includes all political ideologies that are extremist, totalitarian and/or oppose fundamental human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Hence, you can enjoy Letten 94’s music in their official video for Empty Landscapes, listen to their other songs on Spotify, or click HERE for all things Letten 94. She was also involved with a French Black Metal horde named Myrkvid, playing bass with the band between 2019 and 2020, although she didn’t record anything with them. “The vocalist and guitarist, Myrk, is a friend of mine since a long time ago and he needed a new bass player. I played with them for a year but I decided to leave the band,” she commented, and you can also find her as the bassist for a band named Trauma, again with very few information about her involvement with the band available online, including zero details on when she started playing with them, or if she’s still with them.
As you might have noticed, Jamie has a lot of different influences in music. “At the very beginning of my teenage years I started with Thrash and Speed, and then I discovered Extreme Metal around 14 years old. I’m mostly on Black/Thrash, Black, some old school Death Metal sometimes and some Heavy/Speed but besides Metal I’m a fan of coldwave and post-punk music and it’s also a part of my inspirations. Jazz music too.” Moreover, when asked to list her top five albums of all time, she said that it’s tough to mention only five albums because she loves a lot more than that, but she would try to list some that struck her. Those albums are Blood Fire Death, by Bathory, Envoy of Lucifer, bu Nifelheim; Sister, by In Solitude; Black Metal, by Venom; and Dawnrazor, by Fields of the Nephilim.
In addition, she mentioned a very interesting list of newer bands she enjoys, including Division Speed, Hällas, Flagellant, Whoredom Rife, Blaze of Perdition, Denouncement Pyre, Drab Majesty, Lebanon Hanover, Condor, Hellripper, Antichrist, In Solitude, Saqra’s Cult, Tryptikon, Tragediens Trone, Riot City, Ultra Silvam, Beastmilk, Heresi, Tribulation, Matterhorn, Satan Satyrs, Vulture, Quintessenz, Whiskey Ritual, Warmoon Lord, Midnight and Nocturnal Graves, also saying that live she really enjoys to see Aura Noir, Satan Satyrs, Venom and Midnight. When asked about new or mainstream metal, she said she doesn’t like those labels, as she believes what really matters is to play with (and for) passion before anything else. “When this is the case, everyone who plays with his guts and works hard deserves his success.” And guess what’s the definition of true metal music for Jamie? “You feel it or not!”
This Canadian horde is offering us all the Songs of the Dead in their new opus, a fusion of ripping Thrash Metal and abrasive Black Metal.
Formed in 2011 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, the unrelenting Blackened Thrash Metal horde known as Torrefy has just unleashed upon humanity their fourth full-length beast, titled Necronomisongs, following up on their 2020 album Life Is Bad. Recorded by Torrefy and Cody Baresich at Circle A Studios, mixed by Cody Baresich, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and displaying a cadaverous artwork by Blackstory, the new album by John Ferguson on vocals, Adam Henry and Ben Gerencser on the guitars, Simon Smith on bass, and Daniel Laughy on drums brings to our avid ears ripping Thrash Metal and abrasive Black Metal as its prime elements, yet the band’s self-described unorthodox approach to composition has paid big dividends, as the album slashes, burns, and genre-bends with unhinged ferocity, all without sacrificing an ounce of memorability.
Of Wind and Worm offers a ruthless attack from the very first second, with a demonic roar by John already welcoming everyone to the band’s thrashing extravaganza while the wicked solos by Adam bring an extra dosage of fury to their sound. Adam and Ben put the pedal to the metal in Street Reaper, with the support of the rumbling bass and drums by Simon and Daniel, respectively, resulting in a sulfurous display of Thrash Metal by the band, followed by Corpseback Rider, portraying a beautiful name for a heavy and grim creation by Torrefy, with the deep gnarls by John sounding inhumane. And Arachnomancer starts in an eerie way, kinda jazzy to the low-tuned bass by Simon, exploding into a Skeletonwitch-like sound to the massive, venomous beats by Daniel.
Back to a more infernal sonority, the band will crush our damned souls to pieces in Enslaved New World, a true Blackened Thrash Metal beast where John’s demented vociferations are nicely supported by the riff, bass and drum hurricane crafted by his bandmates, whereas Nature Vs Torture is another song with a very peculiar name surpassing the six-minute mark, with the strident and piercing riffs by Adam and Ben sounding absolutely thrashy and vile. Those guys certainly know how to name their songs in a fun way, which is the case with Apex Shredatorr, and the song’s epic, somber intro once again evolves into a metallic party by the band, showcasing their love for the riff and sheer violence. And last but not least, the band ventures through more melodic lands in Total Perspective Vortex without forgetting their usual rage and heaviness, and the final result is perfect for some action inside the pit with Daniel dictating the pace with his intricate beats and fills.
You can join the dark side of Thrash Metal by listening to Necronomisongs in full on YouTube and on Spotify, by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram to stay updated with all of their news and tour dates, and of course, by purchasing their sulfurous new opus from their own BandCamp page, from the Witches Brew webstore, or by clicking HERE. The Necronomicon might be the Book of the Dead, but let’s say Torrefy are bringing to our putrid ears the Songs of the Dead with their caustic new album, and you better be ready because once you start listening to it, you’ll begin your one-way descent into the underworld.
Best moments of the album:Of Wind and Worm, Enslaved New World and Total Perspective Vortex.
Worst moments of the album:Arachnomancer.
Released in 2024 Witches Brew
Track listing 1. Of Wind and Worm 5:34
2. Street Reaper 4:18
3. Corpseback Rider 4:38
4. Arachnomancer 5:49
5. Enslaved New World 5:48
6. Nature Vs Torture 6:20
7. Apex Shredatorr 6:06
8. Total Perspective Vortex 6:25
Band members John Ferguson – vocals
Adam Henry – lead guitar
Ben Gerencser – rhythm guitar
Simon Smith – bass
Daniel Laughy – drums
Drawing influence from Black, Death, and Thrash Metal, the unrelenting Atlanta, Georgia-based visionaries Malefic are unleashing upon us their debut offering, entitled Impermanence. Having roared onto the Atlanta metal scene in 2007 with ambitions to modernize the Black Metal genre, the band currently formed of Aaron Baumoel on vocals and drums, Jason Davila and Sam Williams on the guitars, and Andy McGraw on bass wrestles with themes such as politics, drug use, existentialism, perseverance, and the lasting consequences of one’s choices in their debut opus, being therefore highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Old Man’s Child, Carcass, Testament, Dissection, and Opeth.
Offering a fresh, modern take on metal that is unrivaled in the United States, Impermanence represents the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication, along with a deep love for music beyond strict genre boundaries, and if you want to know more about such an unstoppable force of extreme music, you can follow Malefic on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on most platforms like Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their flammable debut from Terminus Hate City’s BandCamp or webstore. The year of 2026 is definitely going to be a blast for admirers of Blackened Death and Thrash Metal, and the first full-length album by Malefic will undoubtedly fuel our inner demons to keep slamming into the pits of the underworld, always in the name of the most extreme of extreme music.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 