Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Necronomicon Ex Mortis / Zombie Blood Nightmare EP (2026)

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This zombified Death Metal horde returns from the dead with a cadaverous new EP, boasting a sound as sharp and punishing as its subject matter, showcasing a band at their most chaotic and gleefully grotesque, but also their most ambitious.

Formed in 2023 in Chicago, Illinois, horror-death fiends Necronomicon Ex Mortis return with their most ferocious and unhinged release to date, the six-track EP aptly titled Zombie Blood Nightmare. Produced, recorded, and mixed by Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios, mastered by Ernesto Homeyer, and embraced by the sick artwork by Genoicide Artwork, the new EP by John Sawicki on vocals, Michael Nystrom Bala and Manuel Barbara on the guitars, Yusuf Rashid on bass, and Joey Ferretti on drums boasts a sound as sharp and punishing as its subject matter, showcasing a band at their most chaotic and gleefully grotesque, but also their most ambitious, a whirlwind of 90’s Death Metal stomp, 80’s shred obsession, and tongue-in-cheek B-movie gore that cements their identity as both serious riff-worshippers and gleeful purveyors of horror camp.

The EP kicks off in the best Death Metal style with Left To Die, with Michael and Manuel dictating the pace with their frantic, slashing riffage, resulting in a very good excuse for slamming into the pit like a putrid, decaying corpse. And let’s break our necks headbanging to No More Room In Hell, where the band brings forward their darkest mode, almost sounding Blackened Death Metal, in special the evil vociferations by John (not to mention the song’s hellish solos). Chopped Up And Burned carries a Cannibal Corpse-inspired title that lives up to the legacy of venomous Death Metal, spearheaded by Joey’s ruthless drumming while also presenting melodic yet piercing solos; whereas an imposing start gradually morphs into a mid-tempo, devilish feast of Death Metal in Lumbering Blood Sucking Freaks, accelerating its pace as time passes by for our total delight. Hungry For Brains is by far the most “zombified” of all songs, paying homage to all zombie movies we love so much, with John’s raspy gnarls walking hand in hand with their visceral riffage, and there’s no better way to conclude an album of Death Metal than with extreme aggression and savagery like in Démoni, where Yusuf and Joey make the earth tremble with their undisputed kitchen.

With Zombie Blood Nightmare, the band delivers not just another step forward, but a gory leap through the gateway to hell. It’s a record that pays homage to their Death Metal forebears while shamelessly indulging in horror schlock and fretboard excess. It may open new doors, or as the band prefers to put it, “new gateways to hell.” Hence, you can join the band’s army of the dead by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their zombified creations on Spotify, and of course by grabbing a copy of their newborn baby from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It’s time for the dead to rise once again to the sound of the visceral Death Metal by Necronomicon Ex Mortis, because as the mighty Cannibal Corpse say, there’s no other way – you have to kill or become.

Best moments of the album: Chopped Up And Burned and Hungry For Brains.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Left To Die 4:38
2. No More Room In Hell 5:18
3. Chopped Up And Burned 6:59
4. Lumbering Blood Sucking Freaks 3:41
5. Hungry For Brains 4:41
6. Démoni 3:15

Band members
John Sawicki – vocals
Michael Nystrom Bala – guitars
Manuel Barbara – guitars, orchestration
Yusuf Rashid – bass
Joey Ferretti – drums

Album Review – Dissentience / Kaiju EP (2026)

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These monsters of Melodic Thrash and Death Metal are back with a ruthless new offering, a four-track concept EP that fuses cinematic horror, crushing riffs, and lyrical dread into a singular apocalyptic vision.

Hailing from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Melodic Thrash/Death Metal unit Dissentience returns with their most conceptually ambitious and sonically punishing release to date, the EP Kaiju, following up on their 2022 full-length Empire Anatomy. Produced by Corey Pierce and Dissentience, engineered by Matt Menafro at Peach Pie Sound, mixed by Zeuss, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, and displaying an apocalyptic artwork by Matt Stikker, the new offering by Connor Valentin on vocals and guitar, James Vitale also on the guitar, Sean Langer on bass, and Nick Scherden on drums is a four-track concept EP that fuses cinematic horror, crushing riffs, and lyrical dread into a singular apocalyptic vision. Drawing inspiration from classic Japanese monster films and the unknowable terrors of Lovecraftian mythology, the record explores the narrative of a colossal, nameless beast as it decimates a city, and rather than paying tribute to kaiju lore in name alone, the band builds a world where riffs, lyrics, and production align to place the listener in the path of annihilation.

The opener Obsidian Tomb captures the initial moments of catastrophe, and just like in an apocalyptic movie the song starts in a serene, dark manner before turning into a pulverizing Thrash and Death Metal attack, with Connor’s vocals exhaling hatred and fury. Then we have Chaos Absolute, focusing on the political and social collapse that follows the attack, transpiring progressiveness and intricacy while also showcasing an overdose of violence flowing from all instruments. In addition, Nick’s drumming is a thing of beauty throughout the entire song. The title-track Kaiju then represents the climax of the EP, unleashing a relentless barrage of violence and devastation while the metallic bass by Sean crushes our damned souls accompanied by the ultra sharp riffs by James in a lecture in Progressive Death Metal; whereas Death Shroud transitions into the aftermath, a landscape of ash, grief, and existential dread, and that dreadful vibe is perfectly depicted in the grim riffage by James and the hammering drums by Nick, before a killer solo by James concludes the EP on a visceral mode.

With Kaiju, Dissentience have crafted a fully realized conceptual journey that pushes their sound further into new territory, refusing to imitate the past by forging a sound that avoids the trappings of nostalgia, drawing from influences like Trivium, Revocation and Lamb of God. You can get in touch with such an amazing new name of the current metal scene via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, listen to their music on Spotify, and put your monster-like hands on Kaiju from the band’s BandCamp or webstore. Where others nod to monsters, Dissentience gives them voice, weight, and consequence like in Kaiju, sounding and feeling as heavy and thunderous as the giant creatures depicted throughout the entire album.

Best moments of the album: Chaos Absolute and Kaiju.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Obsidian Tomb 6:09
2. Chaos Absolute 5:24
3. Kaiju 4:42
4. Death Shroud 7:23

Band members
Connor Valentin – vocals, guitar
James Vitale – guitar
Sean Langer – bass
Nick Scherden – drums

Concert Review – Belphegor (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 02/22/2026)

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Metalheads from all across Toronto gathered this Sunday night to praise the beast together with one of the most influential Blackened Death Metal bands of all time.

OPENING ACTS: Narcotic Wasteland, Hate and Incantation

In the middle of what’s perhaps the harshest winter in the past few decades in Toronto, NARCOTIC WASTELAND, HATE, INCANTATION and BELPHEGOR brought to Lee’s Palace some welcome heat this Sunday night with their infernal Praise the Beast North America Tour 2026, another massive event organized by the mighty Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such a feast of heavy sounds. There were also two bands billed to play in “The Cave” (aka the room upstairs at Lee’s Palace), those being Nashville, Tennessee’s own Experimental Folk/Black Metal band Primeval Well, who released back in 2021 the excellent album Talkin’ in Tongues with Mountain Spirits (available on Spotify), and Hamilton, Ontario-based Progressive Death Metal act Cryophilic, who released in 2023 their sophomore opus Damned and Decayed (also available on Spotify). The only issue is that due to some delays they ended up playing pretty much at the same time as Incantation and Belphegor, so I have absolutely no idea if anyone was able to watch their performances.

The night started with the awesome performance by South Carolina-based Death Metal trio NARCOTIC WASTELAND, who kicked some ass onstage with their undisputed energy and heaviness. Mixing songs from their two albums with newer singles like the brutal Barbarian, all available on Spotify, the band formed of Dallas Toler-Wade, Kenji Tsunami (who’s not only a phenomenal bassist, like a Death Metal version of Dream Theater’s own John Myung, but his bass is also a thing of beauty) and Austin Vicars took no prisoners in their quest for pure Death Metal, and after they finished playing the closing song of their short but very sweet set, Introspective Nightmares, we were all left wondering when we’ll be able to see those guys live again, perhaps with a bigger set. You can get more details about such a fun extreme music act by clicking HERE, and if they ever take your city by storm, don’t miss the chance of seeing those excellent musicians live.

Setlist
Morality and the Wasp
Faces of Meth
Barbarian
Delirium Tremens
Keeping Up with the Jones
We Agnostics
Introspective Nightmares

Band members
Dallas Toler-Wade – vocals, guitars
Kenji Tsunami – bass, vocals
Austin Vicars – drums

Poland’s own Blackened Death Metal institution HATE also had a very short set, but that didn’t mean the concert by Adam “ATF Sinner” Buszko, Dominik “Domin” Prykiel, Tomasz “Tiermes” Sadlak, and the stone crusher Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski (who returned later that night drumming for the mighty Belphegor) was not heavy enough. Quite the contrary, they made sure they used their limited time to deliver a ruthless, no shenanigans performance for our total delight. Having released the excellent Bellum Regiis in 2025, available on both BandCamp and Spotify, the quartet proved once again why Polish extreme music is so marvelous, leaving us completely disoriented after all was said and done. The mosh pits were already getting out of control, the temperature inside the venue was getting scorching, and the horns were being raised high, all thanks to the fires of Black and Death Metal by one of the heaviest bands to ever arise from the stunning Poland. Toronto wants more Hate. We deserve more Hate. And hopefully they won’t take long to return to the city with another pulverizing concert.

Setlist
Intro
Sovereign Sanctity
Erebos
The Wolf Queen
Bellum Regiis
Iphigenia

Band members
Adam “ATF Sinner” Buszko – vocals, rhythm guitar
Dominik “Domin” Prykiel – lead guitar
Tomasz “Tiermes” Sadlak – bass
Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski – drums

There were a few delays during the entire night, not sure if due to sound issues or something else, which ended up extending the whole event a lot longer than previously planned. Good thing that there’s no curfew at Lee’s Palace, and even better that when the next attraction is Pennsylvania’s Death Metal masters  INCANTATION, it never feels too late to get caught in some of the wildest mosh pits of the entire fest. Their latest releases Unholy Deification, from 2023, and Onward to Golgotha Live, from 2025 (both available on BandCamp and on Spotify) are very good sources if you want to familiarize yourself with their setlist, with songs like Golgotha and Impending Diabolical Conquest sounding sensational live, and of course, it’s always a true pleasure witnessing the talent, passion and charisma of the one and only John McEntee onstage. He’s a true metal warrior, no doubt about it. Furthermore, one very interesting fact about the show in Toronto was the amount of girls doing crowd surfing and stage diving during their concert. I think it was easily over 10 different girls doing those during one of the songs, with one even showing her athleticism and flexibility by doing a few splits onstage, which was pretty badass. Let’s see when Incantation return to Toronto if those girls will have other nice tricks to prove once and for all who runs the world.

Setlist
Golgotha
Carrion Prophecy
Emaciated Holy Figure
Iconoclasm of Catholicism
Concordat (The Pact) I
Blissful Bloodshower
Profanation
Vanquish in Vengeance
The Ibex Moon
Impending Diabolical Conquest

Band members
John McEntee – vocals, guitars
Luke Shively – guitars
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Kyle Severn – drums

BELPHEGOR

Sunday is always a day for regular people to go to the church, but for us metalheads it’s the perfect day to do the exact opposite, and let’s say Austrian Blackened Death Metal beast BELPHEGOR more than helped us succeed in such a blasphemous activity with one of the darkest and heaviest concerts of the past few months in Toronto. Playing a mix of their entire discography with their latest album The Devils, from 2022, plus their two fantastic new singles Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus and Scarlet Beast-Leviathan (a beautifully haunting song, by the way), all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, such a malevolent horde led by the unrelenting Helmuth Lehner was breathing fire and sulfur during their entire show, and if you were on the left side of the stage you would also feel everything tremble to the demented drums by Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski. It was a really fun experience to be honest, despite the fact the trembling got way too heavy at times.

I wonder what some fervent Catholics would say about Belphegor’s music and live performances. Those guys almost cracked the earth in half with their music, allowing Satan himself to arise from the underworld. The mosh pit was like a cauldron of fire, their demonic vocals and reefs exhaled sulfur and blasphemy, and it was easy to see all faces in awe during their satanic and cathartic mass. After their black mass was over, I noticed one girl that’s in pretty much every extreme music show in Toronto with a busted lip and some blood down her chin, and based on her happy face she was more than fine with that. She’s a total badass, she doesn’t fear any mosh pit, and she’s the perfect depiction of the love of Toronto for Black and Death Metal. Belphegor more than deliver it in both genres, usually at the same time, and if they provde us with half of the darkness and electricity from this Sunday next time they visit Toronto, I bet we’ll see more happy faces and busted lips around the venue. Praise the beast, praise all ladies who make heavy music a much better place, and praise the almighty Belphegor.

Setlist
The Procession
Baphomet
The Devil’s Son
Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus
The Devils
Stigma Diabolicum
Pactum in Aeternum
Lucifer Incestus
Virtus Asinaria – Prayer
Scarlet Beast – Leviathan
Totentanz – Dance Macabre

Encore:
Belphegor – Hell’s Ambassador

Band members
Helmuth Lehner – vocals, guitars
Wolfgang Rothbauer – guitars
Chris Bonos – bass, backing vocals
Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski – drums

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Album Review – Daidalos / Dante (2026)

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This German lone-wolf of Symphonic Black Metal returns with a thrilling reinterpretation of the Divine Comedy, where doubt, despair and revelation intertwine.

The brainchild of German composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Tobias Püschner, founded in 2020 as a creative outlet merging Black Metal, orchestration and conceptual storytelling, Brunswick, Germany-based Symphonic Black Metal entity Daidalos (also spelled Daedalus, a legendary Athenian craftsman, inventor, and architect in Greek mythology) returns with a brilliant conceptual album, titled Dante, following up on the project’s 2022 debut The Expedition. Recorded and produced by Tobias  himself, with guitars and bass recorded by Nahuel Lozano of Mental Cruelty (who also took care of the album’s mixing and mastering), and displaying a dark, devilish artwork by Bérénice Tulliez of Noirs Dessins, Dante is a reinterpretation of the Divine Comedy, where doubt, despair and revelation intertwine. Yet the core remains the same, the search for meaning in darkness, expressed through meticulous orchestration, intense vocal delivery and the balance between aggression and melancholy that defines Daidalos. Each track represents a fragment of this descent, from the intro in the forest, through the gates of hell, to the final escape, from storm to silence, from fire to frost.

Cryptic sounds ignite the opening tune Dante, with Tobias beautifully gnarling the song’s dark lyrics (“Straying in the Darkwoods / Raging Demons frighten me / In a Forest, on a Hill / Our Poem has begun / Shadows of a Poet who has lost his Way of Life / Leading down the Underworld / Where withering Sunlight dies”), exploding into Inferno, with his blast beats being boosted by all background orchestrations and the striking riffage by Nahuel in a lecture in Symphonic Black Metal. Ashes continues with Tobias’ incandescent feast of Black and Death Metal, with his haunting keys adding an extra touch of insanity to the music, followed by Storm, and the name of the song says it all. It’s an overdose of pure adrenaline, darkness, heaviness and epicness by Tobias, with his deep guttural bringing even more fury to his already violent Black Metal. Then featuring guest vocals by Erik Püschner (most probably Tobias’ own son) we have Minos, a phantasmagorical interlude that sets the tone for King, attacking us relentlessly with his Dimmu Borgir-like vociferations and keys, always supported by the killer riffs by Nahuel.

Polish brass metal duo :wisielec: (D.Rudzinski and T.Grzyb) brings the power of the mighty gongs to another enfolding interlude Styx, whereas Gate showcases a more cinematic side by Daidalos, both warming us up for Dis, where Tobias goes absolutely mental on drums and orchestrations, generating a grandiose wall of sounds perfect for slamming inside the circle pit (of fire). Phlegethon might be the coolest of all interludes thanks to its church-like organ, flowing into the also cryptic Malebolge, which sounds like it was taken from a movie score, exploding into Euphobia, a song that sounds inspired by some of the more recent creations by Cradle of Filth while also presenting devilish lyrics roared by Tobias (“Far above your faith are laws of sinful rotten Dreams / Flowers grow on / Mirrors and their Roots consume / Suddenly: Clashing Dew, Blossoms fall to Snow / In this loveless Pleasure-fauna / Sins have grown like Thorns”). Finally, Ultimatum closes the album on an apocalyptic, hellish mode, with Tobias firing his undisputed growls, blast beats and epic keys nonstop for our total delight.

For devotees of the Symphonic and Atmospheric Black Metal, Dante undoubtedly resonates with the monumental orchestrations of Fleshgod Apocalypse, the dark theatricality of Dimmu Borgir, and the apocalyptic scope of Septicflesh, and if you want to put your hands on such an amazing album from the always exciting German underground, you can grab a copy of it from the Rockshots Records’ webstore as a CD or an LP, or simply click HERE for all digital versions available of the album. Don’t forget to also give Tobias Püschner and his Daidalos a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things Daidalos, and of course to stream his creations on Spotify or any other platform. The reinterpretation of the Divine Comedy by Daidalos turns Dante into a must-listen for fans not only of extreme music, but also of good storytelling with endless darkness, passion and despair, and if that’s an indication of the path Tobias will follow with his future releases, we can rest assured Symphonic Black Metal will remain strong for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Inferno, Storm and Euphobia.

Worst moments of the album: Gate.

Released in 2026 Rockshots Records

Track listing
1. Dante 2:18
2. Inferno 3:42
3. Ashes 4:22
4. Storm 4:05
5. Minos 0:30
6. King 4:00
7. Styx 2:08
8. Gate 0:20
9. Dis 4:15
10. Phlegethon 1:18
11. Malebolge 0:40
12. Euphobia 4:54
13. Ultimatum 4:19

Band members
Tobias Püschner -vocals, drums, keyboards, orchestrations

Guest musicians
Nahuel Lozano – guitars, bass (session)
Erik Püschner – vocals on “Minos”
:wisielec: – gongs on “Styx”

Album Review – Fossilization / Advent Of Wounds (2026)

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Brazil’s own death and doom creature returns with its sophomore beast, a summoning of despair that drags the listener into a chasm where brutality and anguish entwine.

Emerging once again from the abyssal depths of the underground, São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Doom Metal creature Fossilization returns with their sophomore opus entitled Advent of Wounds, a work of sheer ferocity and oppressive gloom, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 debut Leprous Daylight. Produced by the band’s own vocalist, guitarist and bassist V. (aka Thiago “Vakka” Oliveira of Sludge/Death/Doom Metal band Jupiterian) and guitarist Z. (aka Fernando “Zozi” da Silveira of Thrash Metal band Blackning), engineered by Marcos Cerutti at Hellspass Studio, mixed and mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia at Crepuscular Sound Studio, featuring guest musician F. on drums, and displaying a cadaverous artwork by Chinese artist Guang Yang, Advent of Wounds is a relentless onslaught where its frantic and inexorable rhythms hammer with suffocating intensity, while riffs coil like sepulchral invocations in a maelstrom of death, doom, and blackened chaos highly recommended for fans of Dead Congregation, Krypts, Spectral Voice, and Antaeus.

Cremation of a Seraph already kicks off like a bulldozer, demolishing everything and everyone that dares to cross their path, with V.’s abyssal, deep guttural matching perfectly with the infernal drums by F., whereas Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages is just as demonic and devastating as the opening tune, an overdose of Doom Metal-infused death madness where V. and Z. deliver the most scathing riffs imaginable. Scalded by His Sacred Halo, featuring guest vocalist Justin Stubbs, portrays a very poetic name for another ruthless aria of darkness by Fossilization where F. once again hammers his drums like there’s no tomorrow; followed by Terrestrial Mold, the sonic representation of total Armageddon, or a top-of-the-line Death and Doom Metal beast where V. vociferates like a creature from the netherworld. Then in Servo a Stygian start gradually morphs into a rumbling sonority not recommended for the faint at heart, while While the Light Lasts offers an even stronger Doom Metal vibe, as dark as the night, with the riffs by V. and Z. being boosted by the pounding drums by F. Lastly, Temple of Flies and Moss might be the shortest of all songs, but its incandescent violence makes it look like a true giant, ending the album on the most obscure note you can think of.

“From the start, my goal was to make an album even more brutal than Leprous Daylight, from sheer death metal brutality to the miserable melancholy of the doom-laden spirit of early Anathema, Paradise Lost, and early Katatonia. You can also hear many of black metal influences across the record, the opening riff of ‘Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages’ is a direct nod to one of my all-time favorite bands, Antaeus,” commented V., and you can get in touch with him and his Fossilization via Facebook and Instagram, stream their obscure music on any platform such as Spotify, and of course purchase Advent of Wounds via mailorder or from BandCamp. Bleak, crushing and claustrophobic, Advent of Wounds is a summoning of despair that drags the listener into a chasm where brutality and anguish entwine. A suffocating testament to extremity that confirms Fossilization as one of the most formidable forces in contemporary Death and Doom Metal.

Best moments of the album: Cremation of a Seraph, Terrestrial Mold and Temple of Flies and Moss.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Cremation of a Seraph 5:11
2. Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages 5:34
3. Scalded by His Sacred Halo 4:20
4. Terrestrial Mold 5:51
5. Servo 5:08
6. While the Light Lasts 5:52
7. Temple of Flies and Moss 3:57

Band members
V. – vocals, guitars, bass
Z. – guitars

Guest musicians
F. – drums (session)
Justin Stubbs – vocals on “Scalded By His Sacred Halo”

Album Review – Overtoun / Death Drive Anthropology (2026)

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This Chilean unrelenting outfit offers in their third album a true Book of Death forged in sound, channeling the death drive into a relentless exploration of human rituals, mortality, and cultural collapse.

Expanding their fierce Chilean/American identity, channeling the death drive (Thanatos) into a relentless exploration of human rituals, mortality, and cultural collapse – a true Book of Death forged in sound – Santiago, Chile and Boston, Massachusetts-based Progressive/Technical Death/Thrash Metal beast Overtoun returns in full force with their third offering, entitled Death Drive Anthropology, the follow-up to their 2021 sophomore This Darkness Feels Alive. Recorded at Estudio del Sur, and produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Martín Furia at Somma Productions, the new album by Yoav Ruiz-Feingold on vocals, Matias Bahamondes on the guitar, Matias Salas on bass, and Agustin Lobo on drums further cements the band as one of the most compelling and forward-thinking forces emerging from the Latin American metal landscape. Rooted in the primal force of 90’s death-thrash yet sharpened by a modern, incisive edge, the album fuses Latin rhythms, folk-tinged guitars, and razor-tight riffs, being therefore a must-listen for admirers of the music by Carcass, Atheist, and Revocation, among others.

The album couldn’t have started in a better and more demented way than with What Unites All, featuring guest vocalist Max Phelps (Cynic, Death to All), with Matias Salas and Agustin sounding absolutely mental with their heavy-as-hell, groovy kitchen. Yoav keeps roaring like a beast in the very technical, melodic yet brutal The Final Beat, blending the most caustic elements from Death and Thrash Metal, and after a cryptic intro the music evolves into another feast of progressive violence in Memento Mori, featuring guest vocalist Enrico H. Di Lorenzo (Hideous Divinity), where Agustin once again dictates the pace while Matias Bahamondes slashes his axe nonstop. Their wicked riffs and pounding drums are the main ingredients in the electrifying Dur Khrod, inviting us all to slam into the pit in the name of our good old Death and Thrash Metal; whereas their progressive vein pulses even harder in Jade, Gold, Obsidian, led by the intricate and flammable riffage by Matias Bahamondes. And in Yūrei they offer a more modern side of their core musicality, alternating between groovy moments and extreme aggression.

Matias Salas  beautifully steals the spotlight with his metallic bass in Weeping, as if Sepultura, Dream Theater and Machine Head had a bastard son (who loves Death Metal), which of course translates into total sonic brilliance. Guest Shantanu Vyas (Hazing Over) lends his desperate vocals to the band in Wind and Water, keeping the album at an extreme level of violence and progressiveness; and we then face a killer three-part extravaganza, starting with the 30-second intro The Waves Suite: Siren, setting the stage for The Waves Suite: Ocean, where the band goes almost full tribal with their ruthless sounds, flowing like an arrow on fire in the dark until The Waves Suite: Caleuche puts a very melodic ending to such an interesting aria. The band still has the icing on the cake to offer in the album, the title-track Death Drive Anthropology, inviting us all to slam one last time with them to the sound of the demonic roars by Yoav.

As mentioned, Death Drive Anthropology aims at channeling the death drive into a sonic Book of Death that examines how different cultures confront mortality, violence, collapse, and rebirth through ritual and art, and if you want to feel part of such an exciting metallic ritual, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their amazing music on YouTube or on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of the album from the band’s own BandCamp, as well as from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore. In other words, simply open the Book of Death written by these talented Chilean metallers, and let their sounds bring to your soul the always exciting duality between life and death.

Best moments of the album: What Unites All, Weeping and Death Drive Anthropology.

Worst moments of the album: Wind and Water.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. What Unites All 5:23
2. The Final Beat 4:46
3. Memento Mori 6:38
4. Dur Khrod 3:54
5. Jade, Gold, Obsidian 4:00
6. Yūrei 5:25
7. Weeping 5:28
8. Wind and Water 4:05
9. The Waves Suite: Siren 0:23
10. The Waves Suite: Ocean 4:11
11. The Waves Suite: Caleuche 1:42
12. Death Drive Anthropology 4:23

Band members
Yoav Ruiz-Feingold – vocals
Matias Bahamondes – guitar
Matias Salas – bass
Agustin Lobo – drums

Guest musicians
Max Phelps – vocals on “What Unites All”
Enrico H. Di Lorenzo – vocals on “Memento Mori”
Shantanu Vyas – vocals on “Wind And Water”

Album Review – Malefic / Impermanence (2026)

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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

Album Review – The Day of the Beast / Nightspawn Descendants (2026)

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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

Album Review – Mors Verum / Canvas EP (2026)

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This forward-thinking Canadian band continues to give their own interpretation to the Death Metal style in their new EP, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

“Mors verum” does not have a direct, standard meaning in Latin, but likely combines two separate words, “mors” (death) and “verum” (truth). The intended meaning is probably “truth or death,” or perhaps a variation of a phrase like “nihil verum nisi mors” (“nothing is true but death”), or the concept of “the only truth is death”. It is often used in the context of “truth or death” to imply one would rather die than not have the truth. In heavy music, Mors Verum are a forward-thinking Canadian band who are giving their own interpretation to the Death Metal style, creating music that is simultaneously dissonant, progressive, and atmospheric. Recorded at by Sean Pearson at Boxcar Studio, mixed by Mrudul Kamble at Erb Street Recording, mastered by Topon Das at Apartment 2, and displaying an ass-kicking artwork by Arifullah Ali of KanvasKarat, the new EP by Lyndon Quadros on vocals, Mrudul Kamble on the guitars, Spencer Mitchell on bass, and Greg Carvalho on drums, entitled Canvas, offers exactly that captivating blend of Dissonant and Progressive Death Metal, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

The quartet wastes no time and kick off their idiosyncratic party with the progressive extravaganza Bloodied Teeth, with the pulverizing, demented drumming by Greg adding even more insanity to their already maniacal sounds. Mrudul’s visceral riffage is boosted by the bludgeoning bass by Spencer in Your Apocalypse, resulting in seven minutes of Dissonant Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted; and Lyndon keeps barking and roaring like a beast in Serenade, with the music alternating between absolute savagery and more melodic, groovier moments. Then we face the grim title-track Canvas, offering a hybrid of the sluggish sounds of Blackened Doom with the band’s core Progressive Death Metal essence. Needless to say, Mrudul, Spencer and Greg are phenomenal with their sonic weapons; and they’ll finish burying you six feet deep with their undisputed extreme music in Mortal, again presenting the visceral guttural by Lyndon while Greg sounds inhumane on drums.

Following up on their 2015 EP Indoctrination, their 2019 full-length Deranged, and their 2021 EP The Living, Canvas brings to our avid ears lengthier song which never feel tedious as the band embarks on their newfound path with relative ease and confidence. On Canvas, they have adopted a fascinating approach to the style, one that is beautifully tempered yet adventurous enough to excite, being highly recommended for fans of Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Norse, Ulcerate, and Saevus Finis, among others. Those talented and creative guys are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their unique music on Spotify, and of course to purchase Canvas from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In the end, the experience of listening to Canvas feels at once liberating and cathartic, leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future, perhaps in the form of their sophomore full-length offering, and I bet you’ll be more than excited for that after their short but incendiary new offering.

Best moments of the album: Bloodied Teeth and Canvas.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Bloodied Teeth 4:19
2. Your Apocalypse 7:10
3. Serenade 5:30
4. Canvas 7:00
5. Mortal 6:37

Band members
Lyndon Quadros – vocals
Mrudul Kamble – guitars
Spencer Mitchell – bass
Greg Carvalho – drums

Album Review – Evoked Eclipse / The Cries Of Evil (2026)

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A seasoned duo hailing from Italy will darken your soul armed with their debut offering of arcane, devilish and dramatic Atmospheric Black Metal.

Led by vocalist, guitarist and bassist Max Havler (Ophidian, Shrivel), with Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Beheaded, Vomit the Soul) taking care of additional vocals, drums and keyboards, Milan, Italy-based Atmospheric Black Metal entity Evoked Eclipse has its sound closely tied to the Scandinavian Black and Death Metal scene, primarily Swedish, with references to Dissection and Naglfar, but also the Melodic Death Metal of Dark Tranquillity and Opeth and the melancholic Doom and Gothic Metal elements of early Katatonia. Recorded and mixed by Davide Billia at MK2 Recording Studio, mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, showcasing a cryptic artwork by the beyond talented Gogo Melone (presenting the album’s visual representation in its most arcane, dark and dramatic essence), and with layout by Francesco Palumbo of MKM Graphix, their debut effort The Cries Of Evil represents a new vision of extreme music, positioning the project as one of the must-see names of the new scene worldwide.

The ethereal intro Enchantment will transport us all to the Stygian realm ruled by Evoked Eclipe, flowing into the title-track The Cries Of Evil, where Max roars with tons of anger in his blackened heart while Davide delivers a mix of Black Metal blast beats and sluggish Doom Metal sounds. After that we have Land Of The White Spirit Lady, featuring guest vocals by Kyrah Aylin (of Aresea and Elegy of Madness), a beautiful, dark ballad of Blackened Doom, with their riffs and drums matching perfectly with Kyrah’s stunning vocal lines; and then we face the melancholic, grim interlude Mournishments, setting the stage for The Watch Of Spirits, with Max delivering sharp, crisp riffs and bass lines while Davide continues to hammer his drums mercilessly. In Drops Of Blood we see the band adding hints of Progressive Metal to their core Atmospheric Black Metal sonority, showcasing more of their fiery riffage, followed by Illusions Of The Life, another classic blast of atmospheric madness, sounding as dark and visceral as it can be, morphing into the outro Ascension, feeling utterly epic and leaving us eager for more of their stylish music in the near future.

Max and Davide are waiting for you with their Evoked Eclipse on Facebook and on Instagram, including news, more of their music, and who knows, maybe some live performances in a not-so-distant future, stream the album in full on Spotify, and of course you can put your hands on the excellent The Cries Of Evil from Club Inferno’s BandCamp, from My Kingdom Music, by clicking HERE, as well as from several other online retailers such as MDV Shop, Waterloo Records, and Groovespin.com. The fusion of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal with Death, Doom and Gothic Metal nuances found in The Cries Of Evil will certainly darken your already blackened heart even more, fueling the duo to keep blasting their undisputed extreme music for many years to come under their sinister, grim Black Metal eclipse.

Best moments of the album: The Cries Of Evil, The Watch Of Spirits and Illusions Of The Life.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Club Inferno Ent./My Kingdom Music

Track listing
1. Enchantment 1:11
2. The Cries Of Evil 4:17
3. Land Of The White Spirit Lady 5:58
4. Mournishments 1:25
5. The Watch Of Spirits 7:01
6. Drops Of Blood 5:48
7. Illusions Of The Life 5:17
8. Ascension 2:15

Band members
Max Havler – vocals, guitars, bass
Davide Billia – vocals, drums, keyboards

Guest musician
Kyrah Aylin – female vocals on “Land Of The White Spirit Lady”