Tag Archives: brisbane

Album Review – Deciduous Forest / Fields of Yore (2025)

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Behold the debut offering by this Australian lone wolf, guiding listeners on a richly atmospheric journey through memory, emotion, and myth.

As the creative vessel for Brisbane, Australia-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Snjór, the stunning Atmospheric Black Metal entity Deciduous Forest guides listeners on a richly atmospheric journey through memory, emotion, and myth, offering deeply captivating immersive soundscapes where melancholy and grandeur coexist, weaving together elements of Atmospheric Black Metal, Neofolk, and cinematic ambient music. Recorded by Adam Merker at Anders Debeerz, mastered by Chris Themelco at Monolith Studios, featuring guest drummer Chris Chapman, and with photography by Snjór, layout by David Mir, and logo by Luke Mills, the enfolding Fields of Yore is the debut album by Snjór’s newborn solo endeavor, offers inspiring and emotionally charged music that stands firmly among the genre’s most evocative storytellers, being therefore perfect for fans of Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Midnight Odyssey.

The Formless Dark is undoubtedly an imposing and enfolding tune by Snjór, with his keys adding an extra touch of epicness to the sound while Chris brings sheer heaviness through his beats, whereas Ghost Of Lies continues to pave the album’s darkened path, with Snjór’s visceral riffs and deep vociferations hammering our cranial skulls in the name of Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding even more Stygian than the opening tune. The song that carries the name of the album, Fields Of Yore, lives up to the legacy of Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding impressive from start to finish with its ethereal rhythm and classy keys, a multi-layered, dynamic and charming tune that will beautifully darken the skies for all eternity; followed by Ages Past, the longest song of the album, also offering an array of layers, striking roars and riffs, epic keyboards and Doom Metal-infused drums, dragging us into Snjór’s cryptic lair and embracing us in pitch black darkness. Lastly, Snjór brings some peace to our blackened hearts with Anemoia, starting in a beyond ethereal manner before morphing into a Blackened Doom-inspired aria.

In a nutshell, Fields of Yore is a richly textured and absolutely vibrant journey, sounding at the same time haunting and luminous, with the introspective beauty of the aforementioned Agalloch, the expansive bleakness of Wolves in the Throne Room, and the cosmic scope of Midnight Odyssey being all woven into one evocative sonority. Hence, you can get more details about Snjór and his Deciduous Forest from the project’s official Instagram, and of course grab a copy of such a unique and immersive album from BandCamp. If this is just the debut album by Deciduous Forest, I can’t even imagine what’s next in Snjór’s musical path, leaving us eager for more as we wander through his vast fields of yore.

Best moments of the album: Fields Of Yore and Ages Past.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Gutter Prince Cabal

Track listing
1. The Formless Dark 6:34
2. Ghost Of Lies 9:24
3. Fields Of Yore 12:16
4. Ages Past 13:25
5. Anemoia 5:08

Band members
Snjór – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musician
Chris Chapman – drums (session)

Album Review – Resin Tomb / Cerebral Purgatory (2024)

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A remarkably cohesive mix of Dissonant Death Metal, gravelly Grindcore and somehow even thick Blackened Sludge crafted by an up-and-coming squad from Down Under.

After releasing their 2020 self-titled debut EP followed by their 2022 EP Unconsecrated // Ascendancy, Brisbane, Australia-based Sludge/Death Metal band Resin Tomb has perfected their sound for their highly awaited debut full-length album, entitled Cerebral Purgatory, and it’s everything you’ve come to expect from them and more. Recorded and mixed by the band’s own Brendan Auld at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Arthur Rizk, and displaying a fantastic artwork by Mitchell Nolte (who’s by the way responsible for all cover arts for Baest and Werewolves), with layout and graphic design by Mitch Long, the new album by vocalist Matt Budge (Consumed), guitarists Brendan Auld (Descent, Feculent) and Matt Gordon, bassist Mitch Long (Consumed), and drummer Perry Vedelago (Siberian Hell Sounds) is highly recommended for fans of Terra Builder, Replicant, and Vermin Womb, just to name a few, offering our avid ears a remarkably cohesive mix of Dissonant Death Metal, gravelly Grindcore and somehow even thick Blackened Sludge.

The opening tune Dysphoria is absolutely devastating and infernal, not recommended for the lighthearted, with Mitch and Perry generating a venomous wall of sounds with their respective bass and drums; and featuring additional vocals by guest Scott Tabone (Burial Pit), Resin Tomb show no mercy for our damned souls in Flesh Brick, a dissonant, violent onrush of Sludge and Death Metal with hints of Grindcore where the guitars by Brendan and Matt will darkly pierce your mind. Then the metallic, sulfurous bass jabs by Mitch will smash your skull in Scalded, a lecture in brutality and insanity by Resin Tomb that should sound amazing if played live on their shows, whereas the title-track Cerebral Purgatory is another heavy bass-infused tune by the band, with the guitars by Brendan and Matt once again cutting our skin deep (albeit a bit too repetitive).

It’s then time for a dark and sinister composition titled Human Confetti, offering the band’s dissonant sounds while Matt vociferates rabidly until the very last second. Needless to say, this song will darken your thoughts without a shadow of a doubt, followed by Purge Fluid, a disruptive, groovy and melodic chant where their guitars and bass sound absolutely heavy and evil, while Perry keeps hammering his drums in a fusion of classic Death Metal and Experimental Death Metal. Their second to last explosion of madness and heaviness is offered to us all under the name of Concrete Crypt, one of the most devastating songs of the album, if not the most, thanks to the visceral screams by Matt and the always thunderous drums by Perry, flowing into the closing extravaganza titled Putrescence, demolishing everything and everyone that’s still standing after all the violence presented in the album, also showcasing an amazing guitar job done by the band’s axe duo as usual.

If high-quality Death Metal is your cup of tea, then you must spend some time Down Under to enjoy the pulverizing new album by Resin Tomb, which is available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp page of from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a digipak CD, a gatefold LP, a cassette, or a special CD + shirt combo. Furthermore, don’t forget to also give the guys from Resin Tomb a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream all of their sick creations on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Resin Tomb. Cerebral Purgatory is an untamed, noisy beast of death, sludge and doom, positioning the band as one of the must-see acts of the year hands down, consequently leaving us eager for more of their wicked sounds in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Flesh Brick, Scalded and Concrete Crypt.

Worst moments of the album: Cerebral Purgatory.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Dysphoria 2:39
2. Flesh Brick 3:09
3. Scalded 4:20
4. Cerebral Purgatory 4:20
5. Human Confetti 4:20
6. Purge Fluid 3:06
7. Concrete Crypt 2:46
8. Putrescence 4:20

Band members
Matt Budge – vocals
Brendan Auld – guitar
Matt Gordon – guitar
Mitch Long – bass
Perry Vedelago – drums

Guest musician
Scott Tabone – additional vocals on “Flesh Brick”

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 – As Paradise Falls / Madness / Medicine EP (2022)

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Let’s bang our heads to the new EP by a Deathcore duo aiming at redefining what the Australian metal scene is capable of.

“They laugh at me because I am different… I laugh at them because they are all the same…”

Aiming at redefining what the Australian metal scene is capable of, Brisbane-based Deathcore duo As Paradise Falls (also known as APF) has been on a dark rollercoaster of pure emotion in the pursuit to find where they truly fit in the world both as people and as a band. After the releases of their 2014 debut EP Save Yourself and their 2017 debut full-length album Digital Ritual, As Paradise Falls dropped off the radar and halted the progress of the band with no explanation, but it looks like they’re back on track with their 2020 single Bleed for the Crown, and more important than that, with their brand new EP titled Madness / Medicine. Produced by Shane Edwards at Studio 28 in Thailand, Madness / Medicine is a new breed of Deathcore that has raised the archetype of heavy music, proving how talented vocalist Ravi Sherwell and guitarist Danny Kenneally are while also providing music lovers with a very good reason to bang their heads nonstop to the sound of the EP’s five incendiary tracks.

BATS is simply sinister and caustic from the very first second, where Ravi’s enraged, demonic vocals will pierce your mind mercilessly while Danny hammers his guitar in great fashion, resulting in a fantastic opener for the EP. If you’re a diehard fan of Deathcore you’ll fall in love for this tune without a shadow of a doubt, whereas Captain Hero is even more demented than its predecessor, with the heaviness exhaling from the song’s bass and drums being outstanding while the duo adds elements from classic Death and Groove Metal to their core sound to make things even more violent. Then we have KFBR392, slightly more alternative as if Slipknot ventured through the realms of Deathcore, where once again Ravi barks and roars like a demented beast while Danny will haunt your damned soul with his riffage; and get ready for another round of insanity and heaviness by As Paradise Falls entitled Mechanical Hannibals, a lecture in Deathcore showcasing all elements we love in the genre such as wicked vociferations, rumbling bass lines and pulverizing riffs. Finally, closing the EP we’re treated to two minutes of dementia in the form of TR4K 1, with Danny cutting our skin deep with his sick riffs, therefore inspiring us all to succumb to the dark side of Deathcore.

As already mentioned, As Paradise Falls want to show the world the Deathcore scene in Australia is stronger than ever, with their new EP representing that evolution and, consequently, where we should expect to see the duo in the coming years. Hence, you can keep track of all things As Paradise Falls by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram and by listening to more of their wicked creations on Spotify, and don’t forget to obviously purchase a copy of Madness / Medicine sooner than you can say “Deathcore” by clicking HERE. Hopefully, Ravi and Danny will continue to deliver awesomeness in their upcoming releases without having to put the band on hold again, expanding their reach to new, unexplored lands and showing the world what Australian Deathcore is all about, just like what they have to offer us all in their entertaining new release.

Best moments of the album: BATS and Mechanical Hannibals.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. BATS 3:08
2. Captain Hero 3:38
3. KFBR392 2:52
4. Mechanical Hannibals 3:05
5. TR4K 1 2:11

Band members
Ravi Sherwell – vocals
Danny Kenneally – guitar

Album Review – Vyrion / Nil (2020)

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A fantastic concept album of bone-crushing Black Metal made in Australia, telling the stories of civilizations from the cradle to their eradication by disease.

With Black N’ Roll rotting its heart, Nil, the brand new opus by Brisbane, Australia-based Progressive Black Metal horde Vyrion, brings a relentless bone-crushing, soul-fucking, thrashing element to the otherwise intricate formula the band comprised of Dale Williams on vocals and lead guitars, Mark Boyce also on the guitars, Mitch Rogers on bass and vocals, and James Daly on drums perfected on their 2014 album Geo. A concept album telling the stories of civilizations from the cradle to their eradication by disease, Nil takes all prisoners on a vivid journey, basking in the glory of our war-mongering past and looking eagerly towards our decrepit future, all embraced by the distinctive, aggressive and progressive Extreme Metal carefully (and furiously) crafted by this four-piece Black Metal entity who has been on a constant rise since their inception in 2007, having already carved their name in the history of Australian underground metal.

The piercing riffage by Dale and Mark ignites the furious Beleaguered, leaning towards classic Black Metal with James showing no mercy at all for his drum set (and consequently for our necks), but of course presenting the band’s core progressiveness and harmony, and more of their metallic wall of sounds will hammer our cranial skulls in Squall, a lesson in Progressive Black Metal spearheaded by Dale and Mark’s Stygian guitars, with Mitch and James generating a menacing atmosphere with their infernal kitchen. Then we have Avalanche, which as the name already states is an avalanche of old school Black Metal the likes of Dark Funeral and the early days of Enslaved infused with Progressive Black and Doom Metal, with Dale sounding like a creature from the abyss with his demonic gnarls, and you better get ready for another fulminating exhibit of the band’s undisputed talent and deep passion for Extreme Metal in Erupt, a mid-tempo feast of Black and Doom Metal where James provides hellish but at the same time very detailed beats throughout the entire song.

Time for a one-way voyage to the pits of the underworld to the sound of the 8-minute aria Crave, where all band members are on fire with their razor-edged riffs, rumbling bass punches and crisp drums, therefore inspiring you to bang your head nonstop and succumb to their otherworldly, venomous music; whereas atmospheric sounds are suddenly enfolded by an incendiary riffage in Monuments, where Dale couldn’t have sounded more bestial on vocals, resulting in the the epitome of Australian Black Metal, sounding and feeling menacing and thrilling form start to finish. In the vile and grim Dethrone the band brings forward their classic sonority with James delivering sheer brutality on drums accompanied by the once again flammable riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo, albeit a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, and last but not least Vyrion darken the skies one final time with Infect, starting in a Stygian way before morphing into a neck-breaking Black Metal hymn where James once again takes the lead with his unstoppable drumming until the song’s cryptic ending.

After all is said and done, the hellish, blackened sounds blasted by Vyrion in Nil definitely deserve our respect and appreciation, as those Australian black metallers are not only extremely talented and focused, but the way they managed to transform such interesting concept into extreme music is also beyond outstanding. Hence, keep an eye on all things Vyrion by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and grab your copy of Nil from their own BandCamp page to show your true support to Black Metal from Down Under. As it seems like humanity will never learn with the mistakes and issues that caused civilizations to crumble into pieces throughout history, there’s nothing left for us to do but to enjoy the first-class, eye-opening Black Metal played by bands like Vyrion, pointing to a bright future for such amazing Australian horde and, unfortunately, to an even darker and more frightening destiny for our rotten and decaying world.

Best moments of the album: Squall, Erupt and Monuments.

Worst moments of the album: Dethrone.

Released in 2020 Independent

Track listing
1. Beleaguered 6:25
2. Squall 4:57
3. Avalanche 6:25
4. Erupt 3:18
5. Crave 8:01
6. Monuments 6:49
7. Dethrone 6:42
8. Infect 5:24

Band members
Dale Williams – vocals, lead guitars
Mark Boyce – guitars
Mitch Rogers – bass, vocals
James Daly – drums

Album Review – Resin Tomb / Resin Tomb EP (2020)

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A newborn Australian quartet offers in their debut effort a thrilling blend of dissonant Death Metal with flesh-ripping Black Metal and visceral grind madness.

Formed just two years ago by members of the underground Australian bands Hell Sounds, Descent and Snorlax, the furious Brisbane, Australia-based Death Metal/Grindcore unity Resin Tomb is unleashing upon us their debut self-titled EP, offering a blend of dissonant, intricate and soul-crushing Death Metal with flesh-ripping Black Metal and visceral grind madness at times as their signature sound, exuding a vibe not too far removed from one of their other projects, Snorlax. Recorded and mixed at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Simon at Empty Hall Studio, and featuring an old school, cadaverous artwork by Ethan Lee McCarthy (from bands like Primitive Man and Vermin Womb), the EP will decimate your senses with its five grotesque tracks full of bestial and serpentine riffs coupled with a skull-crushing percussion and guttural vocals, showcasing how vile the Dissonant Death Grind played by vocalist Matthew Budge, guitarist Brendan Auld, bassist Mitch Long and drummer Perry Vedelago can be.

Get ready to be smashed like an insect by Resin Tomb in the eerie and acid opening track Abrogate, blending the savagery of Grindcore with the obscurity of Black Metal while Matthew gnarls rabidly and Brendan cuts your skin deep with hi riffs, whereas Penance is even more devastating, sinister and atmospheric, presenting an amazing job done by Perry with his intricate and demonic beats, while Mirch’s bass generates a thunderous background perfect for the piercing roars by Mathew, therefore resulting in a lesson in contemporary Death and Black Metal infused with Deathcore elements. Then the strident riffs by Brendan ignite the also menacing Surfacing, an infernal Black Metal extravaganza spearheaded by the crushing drums by Perry while Matthew’s gruesome gnarls penetrate deep inside your psyche; and rumbling, vicious guitars and bass lines permeate the air in the short and absolutely violent Prostrated, with Brendan once again firing sheer darkness and wrath through his riffs, accompanied by the pounding beats by Perry and the always hellish growls by Matthew. And last but not least we have Bestial, where the name of the song says it all, bringing to our avid ears a brutal and of course bestial display of extreme music displaying the most visceral elements from Black and Death Metal. Furthermore, Brendan and Mitch are on fire with their stringed weapons, providing Matthew all he needs to shine with his deranged screams and gnarls, ending the album on a truly demented note.

Not only you can show your support to this sinister, up-and-coming horde from Australia by listening to their debut EP in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can (and should) also purchase a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or webstore in LP format or as an LP + longsleeve shirt bundle, or from Amazon. Also, don’t forget to give the boys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with their upcoming releases, live concerts (whenever this COVID-19 madness is over, of course) and other nice-to-know details about the band, keeping the flames of extreme music burning bright in the always prolific Australian metal scene.

Best moments of the album: Penance and Bestial.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Brilliant Emperor Records

Track listing
1. Abrogate 1:53
2. Penance 3:02
3. Surfacing 3:59
4. Prostrated 1:35
5. Bestial 5:16

Band members
Matthew Budge – vocals
Brendan Auld – guitars
Mitch Long – bass
Perry Vedelago – drums