Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Putrid Defecation / Tales from the Toilet (2025)

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The debut album by these Finnish Brutal Death Metal newcomers delivers seven tracks that embody the unapologetically brutal themes and aggressive soundscapes characteristic of the toilet slam genre.

Originally envisioned as a one-man project in 2019, Espoo, Finland’s own Brutal Death Metal/Deathslam newcomers Putrid Defecation are set to unleash upon humanity their debut opus, titled Tales from the Toilet, showcasing the band’s raw intensity, moving beyond the programmed drums of earlier works to feature a complete recording lineup. Mixed by Atte Karm, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and with a perverse, gory artwork by Lucker Riquelme, the album delivers seven tracks that embody the unapologetically brutal themes and aggressive soundscapes characteristic of the toilet slam genre, all carefully crafted by vocalist Joona Pätsikkä (who unfortunately left the band in November 2024), guitarists Peter Halin and Petteri Sillanpää, bassist Johnny Grinds and drummer Alpo Laitinen, being therefore recommended for fans of Cumbeast, Torsofuck, Cerebral Incubation, and Monumental Discharge.

Introduction to Constipation is a brutal slab of Death Metal overflowing gore and madness from Joona’s deep gutturals, whereas the guitars by Peter and Petteri will inspire you for some sick slamming in Airborne Backdoor Evacuation, supported by the ruthless drums by Alpo, followed by Whirlwind of Excrement, another three minute onrush of putrid sounds led by the gruesome gnarls by Joona. Then a weird intro evolves into more of their trademark Brutal Death Metal in Unremitting Hematochezia, with the sound of their guitars exhaling violence yet feeling very melodious.

Not only the title-track Tales from the Toilet is the longest of all songs, but it’s also the most dynamic, with the pounding drums by Alpo inspiring us all to slam like true bastards, followed by Impending Anal Leakage, a one minute demented assault with the guest vocals by Jori Kemppi of Discreant and Aleksi Kiianlehto of What Awaits Us being absolutely demented; and of course the album ends with more brutality and gore in Erfurt Latrine Disaster, with Johnny blasting his bass manically while Joona keeps vomiting the song’s depraved words.

As gory and putrid as it is technical and vibrant, Tales from the Toilet is definitely an album not recommended for the lighthearted, bringing to our ears an overdose of violence crafted with endless fury and blood by those talented Finnish rockers. If you want to get your hands dirty with the music by Putrid Defecation, you can stream their wicked creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase their new album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, but you better be warned that once you’re caught in a mosh of toilet slam, your soul will become so grimy and smelly you will never be able to leave their cesspool of filth.

Best moments of the album: Airborne Backdoor Evacuation and Tales from the Toilet.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Stadin Rec

Track listing
1. Introduction to Constipation 1:29
2. Airborne Backdoor Evacuation 3:05
3. Whirlwind of Excrement 2:58
4. Unremitting Hematochezia 3:03
5. Tales from the Toilet 3:55
6. Impending Anal Leakage 0:56
7. Erfurt Latrine Disaster 3:11

Band members
Joona Pätsikkä – vocals
Peter Halin – guitar
Petteri Sillanpää – guitar
Johnny Grinds – bass
Alpo Laitinen – drums, vocals

Guest musicians
Jori Kemppi – vocals on “Impending Anal Leakage”
Aleksi Kiianlehto – vocals on “Impending Anal Leakage”

Album Review – Hierarchies / Hierarchies (2025)

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Let’s all embark on a one-way trip to incessant and inevitable hallucinations to the sound of the debut opus by this Dissonant Death Metal creature.

Members of Acausal Intrusion and Dwelling Below conspired amongst themselves to create Dissonant and Technical Death Metal that pushes the limits of reality under a newborn beast named Hierarchies, labelling their own music as “low gain high energy aggressive jazzy tech death with lots of weird timing and insane riffage,” which is exactly what they have to offer in their self-titled debut album. Mixed by Nick Turner at Malevolent Sound Studios, mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, and displaying a deadly artwork by Belial NecroArts, the album showcases vocalist and drummer Jared Moran (Dwelling Below, Acausal Intrusion), guitarist Nicholas Turner (Dwelling Below, Acausal Intrusion) and bassist Anthony Wheeler (Dwelling Below, Hollowed Idols) bringing into being a truly frightening experience not merely outwardly but one that is also psychologically scarring for the listener, and endlessly fascinating all the same.

The guitar lines by Nicholas sound utterly dissonant from the very first second in Entity, accompanied by the pounding drums and demonic gnarls by Jared, being full of breaks, variations, demented moments and grim passages. Consecrate Phenomenon is another experimental beast by the trio where Anthony hammers his bass nonstop while Nicholas keeps firing strident, piercing riffs for our total delight; and the band shows no mercy for our souls in Dimension, blasting an amalgamation of the visceral sounds of Death Metal with progressive and experimental nuances, with Jared roaring like a demonic entity. Then adding elements from Doom Metal to their already evil sonority we have Twilight Tradition, turning the song into a blackened, sluggish creature.

Abstract brings forward an ever-evolving, maniacal feast of harsh gnarls and cryptic riffs, all boosted by another hammering performance by Anthony on bass, followed by Complexity Parallels, perhaps the craziest of all tracks of the album, with the visceral guitar riffs by Nicholas sounding absolutely disturbing for our vulgar delectation. Subtraction presents their second to last display of insanity and heaviness compressed into five minutes of a truly unique sonic experience led by the intricate drumming by Jared, sounding as perturbing and experimental as it can be, and Vultures displays a more than proper name for a song to end such a wicked, vile album of Dissonant Death Metal, with all band members simply crushing their instruments with endless dexterity, madness and rage.

The debut album by Hierarchies is a dark, murky, nightmarish dive into a realm where trajectories from multiple dimensions manifest to intersect and overlap before dissipating, taking different temporal forms. Nothing is permanent in their world; the tunes change every few seconds and so does everything around them – the implications are in real-time and catastrophically mind-melting. Hence, if you want to experience all that and more, you can find the band on Facebook and purchase a copy of their caustic album from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, Europe store, or US store, joining the band on a downward spiral of your consciousness where the out-of-control thoughts overwhelm and overpower, taking you on a one-way trip to incessant and inevitable hallucinations.

Best moments of the album: Entity, Dimension and Complexity Parallels.

Worst moments of the album: Abstract.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Entity 7:30
2. Consecrate Phenomenon 5:02
3. Dimension 6:04
4. Twilight Tradition 6:43
5. Abstract 6:03
6. Complexity Parallels 5:07
7. Subtraction 4:56
8. Vultures 4:46

Band members
Jared Moran – vocals, drums
Nicholas Turner – guitars
Anthony Wheeler – bass

Album Review – Greh / Dysphoric Devotion (2025)

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A beyond talented German trio will take you on a Blackened Death Metal journey through a dark universe in which light and shadow constantly alternate.

A musical journey through a dark universe in which light and shadow constantly alternate, Dysphoric Devotion, the first full-length album by Karlsruhe, Germany-based Blackened Death Metal outfit Greh,  is a “world of sound” that is characterized by both raw violence and intense rage. Recorded and produced by Greh, mixed and mastered by Hard Drive Sounds, and displaying a sinister artwork by Aaron Bonogofsky, the new opus by Martin Kocula (Grau, Lethes Fluten) on vocals, Gjero Krsteski (Hellgreaser) on the guitar, and Maurice Monne (Act of Rage, Hard Strike) on drums is highly recommended for fans of Hexis, Konvent, Triptykon, and Primitive Man, among others, representing a reflection of human existence, full of contradictions, abysses and an irrepressible longing for redemption.

Maurice slams his drums mercilessly in the opening tune Chained Thoughts, generating a reverberating atmosphere boosted by the Stygian riffage by Gjero; whereas the title-track Dysphoric Devotion brings more of the trio’s hammering hybrid of Doom and Death Metal, with Martin’s brutal vocals spreading hatred and fear majestically. Illusional Cenotaph brings forward another three and a half minutes of heaviness and sluggish sounds perfect for some sick headbanging, followed by Thy Breath Not Mine, based on a true story about a near-death experience caused by a blood clot in the lungs during sleep, exploring the painful struggle between life and death and the eventual realization and fascination of nothingness; musically speaking, they blast our faces with one more round of demented Death Metal for our total delight.

The trio goes full Doom Metal in All Flesh Decays, with Gjero leading the pace with his damned riffage, not to mention how visceral the roars and gnarls by Martin sound from start to finish, and there’s no sign of the band slowing down or sounding any softer in Growth In Pain, with Maurice pounding his drums nonstop. The second to last song of the album, titled Through The Eye, will darken your minds and thoughts to the venomous growls by Martin in a slow, steady and evil celebration of darkness; whereas they conclude the album on a very high note with the pulverizing Enter My Oblivion, again showcasing their passion for all things heavy and grim, with Martin once again sounding infernal with his guttural roars.

Immerse yourself in powerful Death Metal riffs that collide with Atmospheric Doom Metal passages in Dysphoric Devotion, while distorted walls of guitars, booming drums and dark vocals create an oppressive atmosphere that will stay with you for a long time, and you can do so by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their hard hitting creations on Spotify, and obviously by purchasing their new album from BandCamp (or simply click HERE for all things Greh). Light and shadow, rage and violence, and a humongous dosage of heaviness in the form of blackened music. This is exactly what you’ll get in Dysphoric Devotion, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this talented trio hailing from Germany.

Best moments of the album: Dysphoric Devotion, Thy Breath Not Mine and Enter My Oblivion.

Worst moments of the album: Growth In Pain.

Released in 2025 Fetzner Death Records

Track listing
1. Chained Thoughts 3:03
2. Dysphoric Devotion 3:52
3. Illusional Cenotaph 3:36
4. Thy Breath Not Mine 3:28
5. All Flesh Decays 3:46
6. Growth In Pain 3:16
7. Through The Eye 2:54
8. Enter My Oblivion 5:07

Band members
Martin Kocula – vocals
Gjero Krsteski – guitar
Maurice Monne – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Laura Nardelli

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From lucidity into darkness…

Another year begins, another badass bassist arrives at The Headbanging Moose to kick your goddamn ass mercilessly! A true she-demon who masters the dark arts of Black, Death and Doom Metal, she’s not only a beast armed with her bass, but she’s also a guitarist, a tattoo artist, a body artist and an illustrator with a massive portfolio. Her name is Laura Nardelli, also known as Aura Negativa or Daphoene, the bassist for Italian Black/Death Metal horde Askesis, who’s also part of the bands Bottomless, and who was also involved in a very interesting project named Ponte del Diavolo under the moniker Laurus. Oh Yeah, Laura is an unstoppable force of extreme music, and you’re certainly going to be mesmerized by her undeniable talent both as a musician and as an artist, darkening our hearts in the best way imaginable.

Born on January 25, 1993 in Italy, which means our humble tribute to her contributions to the world of heavy music will also be our birthday gift to her, Laura seems to be quite reserved in terms of her personal life, letting her music and her art speak on her behalf. There aren’t any interviews with her available anywhere, which makes it difficult to talk about her origins, her idols and influences, and even her opinion in non-music or arts subjects, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve to be feature on The Headbanging Moose; quite the contrary, it will be a true pleasure reviewing her amazing career so far, starting with her main band, the sulfurous Askesis.

Forged in the fires of Venice in 2013, the ruthless entity Askesis, or ἄσκησις, meaning “ascetism” or “self-discipline” in Ancient Greek, has been blasting a beyond caustic mix of Black and Death Metal in their sound, delivering a listening experience that is raw and violent while simultaneously captivating and hypnotic. Since the band’s genesis, the core lineup has featured Laura Nardelli on bass (as well as on the guitars from 2018 to 2022) and Samuele Scalise on drums, who have been joined by vocalist Nico Fabbri and guitarists Gregorio Di Angilla and Juri Vatova in 2022. Their songs are linked by an existentialist theme that takes up concepts from Ancient Greek myths, projecting them into today’s world. The band invites the listeners to confront their own fears, contradictions, and desires, encouraging introspection and contemplation on the complexities of existence.

Under the moniker of Aura Negativa, Laura has released with Askesis the EP The Path to Absence, in 2016, followed by a 2018 demo titled Black Ontology, and more recently their 2023 debut full-length opus Beyond the Fate of Death, this one in particular drawing inspiration from The Myth Of Sisyphys by Albert Camus to express their personal visions of our “non-existence”, plus a split with Italian Black Metal band Nox Interitus titled Wrecks from Cosmos (which you can listen in full HERE and HERE), released in 2016.

As aforementioned, the band’s name, meaning “asceticism” from Ancient Greek, is “man’s horror of the being of which his own phenomenon is an expression, of the will to live, of the core and essence of a world recognized as full of pain,” and you can experience all that in their music by streaming or purchasing their albums on BandCamp and on Spotify, plus you can also enjoy some live footage of the band like this full show at Summer Metal Festival in Codroipo, Italy, in 2019, or simply click HERE for all things Askesis, letting their blackened sounds penetrate deep inside your psyche.

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Laura is also the bassist for two other amazing bands, Bottomless and Restos Humanos. Bottomless are an Italian Doom Metal band hailing from Treviso, Veneto and Bologna, Emilia-Romagna formed in 2016 by drummer David Lucido, vocalist and guitarist Giorgio Trombino, and bassist Sara Bianchin, with Sara being replaced by Laura in 2023. The band already had two albums released when Laura joined them, but in 2024 they released a split named Graveyard Thunder together with Brazilian Doom Metal band Witching Altar, with each band recording three songs for the split, and you can enjoy all six songs on BandCamp and on Spotify, with the songs by Bottomless being titled Burning of the Vampire, Lightning in the Realms of Death, and Shadows Call. If the music by Bottomless is dark and sluggish, Italian/Colombian act Restos Humanos play a visceral fusion of Death Metal and Grindcore, and while Laura was part of the band in the mid-2010’s (replacing Sara Bianchin as their bass player on stage in a few concerts) they recorded the live album Grindin’ the Garage, in 2016, available in full on BandCamp.

Apart from those, you can also find her contributions to a phenomenal Italian Blackened Doom Metal band named Ponte del Diavolo, which means means “devil’s bridge” in Italian, formed in the winter of 2020 in a jam involving members of Feralia, Inchiuvatu, Abjura and Askesis. Laura, who went by the monicker of Laurus during her period with the band from 2020 until 2024, played bass in three of their EPs, those being Mystery of Mystery (2020), Sancta Menstruis (2022), and Ave Scintilla! (2022), and in their 2024 full-length album Fire Blades from the Tomb. You can enjoy all of those albums on Spotify or any other streaming service, as well as the official videos for the songs Demone, Covenant and Nocturnal Veil.

As aforementioned, Laura is also an accomplished dark and esoteric tattoo and body artist, specializing in black work, dotwork, linework, medievale, sketchy, and hatching, working at Iguana Tattoo, while she’s also responsible for several artworks for different metal bands out there, always under her darkly beautiful nickname Aura Negativa. For instance, she took care of the artwork for the 2016 EP The Path to Absence, by her band Askesis; of the artwork for the 2024 single Moth to a Flame, by Italian Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal band Bloody Unicorn; of the artworks and logos of all her releases with Ponte del Diavolo, those being Mystery of Mystery, Sancta Menstruis, Ave Scintilla! and Fire Blades from the Tomb; or the artwork for the 2020 album Necrofagia, by Italian Avantgarde Black Metal band Prometeus; of the artwork for the 2020 single The Hanged Ballad and the 2021 EP Dark Italian Art, by Italian Progressive Black/Heavy Metal horde Selvans; and last but certainly not least, of the design for the 2023 album Helvegr, by Norwegian Black Metal masters Tsjuder. She’s indeed a determined, inexorable she-wolf of heavy music as you can see, and I honestly can’t wait to witness the next steps in her already solid and vibrant career both as a musician and as an artist.

Laura Nardelli’s Official Facebook page
Laura Nardelli (Tattoo & Graphic Artist)’s Official Facebook page
Laura Nardelli (Tattoo & Body Artist)’s Official Instagram
Laura Nardelli (Artworks)’s Official Instagram
Askesis’ Official Facebook page
Askesis’ Official Instagram

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2024

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“Fans still compare me to Bruce Dickinson. I have people coming up to me and saying, Don’t you know that could’ve been you? And I tell them, That was me! I just didn’t want it..” – Paul Di’Anno

It’s hard to put into words the loss of our beloved Paul Andrews (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024), better known by his stage name Paul Di’Anno, one of the most iconic musicians in the history of heavy music, helping Iron Maiden be what they’re today by giving that edgier vibe to the albums Iron Maiden and Killers, therefore influencing all future generations of musicians not only in Heavy Metal, but also in Punk Rock and Rock N’ Roll. He was a legend and will be sorely missed by anyone who loves good music. There’s not much we can do at The Headbanging Moose to honor his life and work, but we’ll keep celebrating heavy music in his name for as long as we can. I wish he could have played one final show in Toronto so Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I could have registered such a unique moment in the city, but unfortunately time is not always in our favor. Anyway, it might be a very sad year to the metal community worldwide with an irreplaceable loss like that, but heavy music lives on, and that’s why here we have once again The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2024, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, to keep the spirit alive and keep raising our horns to countless metal musicians like our great Paul Di’Anno.

1. Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (REVIEW)
Nothing can stand in the way of the Metal Gods as they raise the invincible shield of Heavy Metal.
Best song of the album: The Serpent and the King

2. Werewolves – Die For Us (REVIEW)
Australia’s most savage beast is back with their fifth studio opus, a lecture in Death Metal perfect for beating anyone back to life.
Best song of the album: Spittle-Flecked Rant

3. Aborted – Vault of Horrors (REVIEW)
These Death Metal and Deathcore beasts open their demonic vault of horrors to bring brutality, gore and evil to our damned souls.
Best song of the album: Death Cult

4. Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal (REVIEW)
This French Blackened Death Metal horde returns blacker than ever with a magnificent opus dedicated to the Islamic Antichrist.
Best song of the album: Vae Victis

5. Gaerea – Coma (REVIEW)
The torchbearers of present-day Black Metal arise again, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world.
Best song of the album: Coma

6. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (REVIEW)
Blood Incantation offer us all two sensational compositions that are as confounding as they are engaging in their scope.
Best song of the album: The Stargate [Tablet I]

7. Benighted – Ekbom (REVIEW)
Let’s dive into the auditory abyss with this Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore entity armed with their newborn beast.
Best song of the album: Fame of the Grotesque

8. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Opera (REVIEW)
One of the torchbearers of Symphonic Death Metal worldwide returns with their strongest opus to date.
Best song of the album: I Can Never Die

9. Arhat – Secrets of Ancient Gods (REVIEW)
The newborn spawn by this Ukrainian horde will take you on a journey into the world of ancient gods and mysterious rituals.
Best song of the album: Abyss of Flame

10. Grand Magus – Sunraven (REVIEW)
Sweden’s own Heavy and Doom Metal institution is back with a new collection of battle hymns inspired by the tale of Beowulf and Grendel.
Best song of the album: Skybound

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

11. Ecclesia – Ecclesia Militans (REVIEW)
12. The Last of Lucy – Godform (REVIEW)
13. Rotting Christ – Προ Χριστού (Pro Xristou) (REVIEW)
14. Rage – Afterlifelines (REVIEW)
15. Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams (REVIEW)
16. Blaze Bayley – Circle of Stone (REVIEW)
17. Striker – Ultrapower (REVIEW)
18. Kerry King – From Hell I Rise (REVIEW)
19. Accept – Humanoid (REVIEW)
20. Hiraes – Dormant (REVIEW)

In addition, as I always like to say, sometimes a band doesn’t need to release a full album to kick some ass, and that’s why we also have our Top 10 EP’s of 2024 to show that sometimes less is more, or maybe I should say, less is heavier!

1. Rifftera – Coda (REVIEW)
2. Trollwar – Tales from the Frozen Wastes (REVIEW)
3. Atavistia – Inane Ducam (REVIEW)
4. Ways. – Are We Still Alive? (REVIEW)
5. Enforced – A Leap Into The Dark (REVIEW)
6. Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (REVIEW)
7. Onslaught Kommand – Visions of Blood and Gore (REVIEW)
8. Golgothan Remains – Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death (REVIEW)
9. Infernalivm – Conquering the Most High (REVIEW)
10. Dragoncorpse – Fall of House Abbarath (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2024? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show!

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2025!

In the end, there’s no Christmas-inspired song this year, nor anything festive like that, but I’ll leave you with the official video for one of the most important songs ever recorded by Iron Maiden, one with a strong punk and thrash vibe, with the one and only Paul Di’Anno on vocals. Let’s raise our horns to him forever and ever, my fellow metalheads! RIP legend!

Album Review – Misanthropia / Envy The Dead (2024)

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These Dutch Black Metal veterans are back with a concept album that conjures a dark, gritty atmosphere inspired by historical horrors like Jack The Ripper and necromancy.

For over 20 years, Nijmegen, Netherlands-based Melodic Black Metal horde Misanthropia has been carving a path through the metal scene with their unique blend of blackened fury and Death Metal aggression, and that grim path continues now in 2024 with their fifth full-length offering, entitled Envy The Dead. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), Envy The Dead is a concept album that conjures a dark, gritty atmosphere inspired by historical horrors like Jack The Ripper and necromancy. Moving away from symphonic elements, it embraces a Progressive Death and Thrash Metal vibe with influences from Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Necrophobic, Mayhem, and Death, all carefully brought into being by Bram Koller on vocals and guitars, Dennis Schoenmaker also on the guitars, Pepijn Heilbron on bass, and Hugo de Waal on drums.

The cryptic, cinematic intro Envy the Dead will drag you to the world of horrors ruled by Misanthopia before they crush your soul in Malediction and Laughter, where Bram leads his horde with his austere, sulfurous gnarls supported by the violent yet intricate beats and fills by Hugo. Bram and Dennis showcase their passion for the riff in Organs, for a Fair Price, evolving into a bestial fusion of Death and Black Metal; followed by Prosperity by Cocaïne, presenting over five minutes of Melodic Black Metal for the masses spearheaded by the rumbling drums by Hugo with the help of Pepijn’s massive bass lines. And Hugo continues his path of devastation in Maze of Madness, enhancing the visceral reach of the riffage blasted by Bram and Dennis.

River Dumplings reminds me of some old school creations by Dimmu Borgir with the bands own Melodic Death and Black Metal twist, in special the harsh, piercing vociferations by Bram, whereas the quartet delivers another round of their flammable, caustic sounds in Coughing in the Coffin House, led by the classic beats by Hugo and supported by Pepijn’s devilish bass. Fade into the Abyss, the second single of the album, brings forward the band’s most aggressive side, resulting in a feast of Black and Death Metal where Bram’s vocals sound and feel truly haunting; and their last breath of obscurity and fear, entitled A Deadly Embrace, a Sinister Grace, will pierce our minds with it Melodic Black Metal vocalizations and riffs, not to mention how thrilling the drums sound and feel throughout the entire song.

The incendiary, harsh and devilish Envy The Dead is already available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can join Misanthropia in their darkened path by purchasing your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow those talented Dutch metallers on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, helping them keep the spirit of both old school and present-day Black Metal alive, therefore inspiring the band to keep moving forward in the name of extreme music for at least another 20 years.

Best moments of the album: Malediction and Laughter, Prosperity by Cocaïne and Fade into the Abyss.

Worst moments of the album: Maze of Madness.

Released in 2024 WormHoleDeath

Track listing
1. Envy the Dead 2:23
2. Malediction and Laughter 6:12
3. Organs, for a Fair Price 5:47
4. Prosperity by Cocaïne 5:37
5. Maze of Madness 6:25
6. River Dumplings 4:21
7. Coughing in the Coffin House 5:10
8. Fade into the Abyss 4:15
9. A Deadly Embrace, a Sinister Grace 0:41

Band members
Bram Koller – vocals, rhythm guitars
Dennis Schoenmaker – lead & rhythm guitars
Pepijn Heilbron – bass
Hugo de Waal – drums

Album Review – Gore Force V / At Full Force (2024)

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Get ready for an overdose of visceral Death Metal, acid humor, violence, and of course, pigs, in the new album by this unrelenting Belgian brigade.

Formed in the already distant year of 2007 in Zwijndrecht, both a village and a municipality located in the Flemish province of Antwerp, in Belgium, the Death Metal squad known as Gore Force V (or Gore Force 5) is back in action after three EPs, those being Happy as Pigs in Shit (2011), It Came from Behind (2012) and Metally Challenged (2017), with their first full length opus, titled At Full Force. Recorded by Sennen, Joshua K and Sasha B at Soundhound Studio, mixed by Sennen, and mastered by Sven Janssens, the new album by the aforementioned Sennen on vocals, Wesley Heyndrickx and Buysse Jeroen on the guitars, Dominique Michiels on bass and Jan de Maeyer on drums is a ruthless feast of violence, heaviness and (why not?) comedy, with the album’s artwork showing that once you hit play, get ready for some laughs while you’re brutally assaulted inside the circle pit by some nasty pigs.

Molokai Deathslam 2.0 : The Re-Slammening carries a wicked name for an even wilder sound, with Wesley and Buysse extracting sheer heaviness from their riffs, sounding absolutely brutal from start to finish; and the story progresses in Superior Mating Rituals, quickly exploding into a boisterous fusion of Death Metal and Deathslam, with Sennen barking manically until the end. The names of their songs are a thing of beauty, and in the case of Rudolph The Red Nosed Rapist the music is also pulverizing, as heavy as it can be spearheaded by the pounding drums by Jan. Jean Baptiste : De indoctrineer beer sounds a bit weird compared to the other songs, but it’s still a good option for slamming into the pit; then back to a more in-your-face, venomous sound and approach we have The Doryhole, with the infuriated beats by Jan matching perfectly with the guttural by Sennen. Their second to last explosion of demented Death Metal is offered to us all in Panda Porking Power Ranger, with the band’s stringed triumvirate formed of Wesley, Buysse and Dominique hammering their axes mercilessly; and last but not least, let’s all dive into the circle pit to Domates Soslu Pit Ninjalar (or “pit ninjas in tomato sauce” from Turkish), the most pulverizing of all songs, with Sennen sounding inhumane on vocals.

The band has  already stated that mid-2025 they will be dropping another EP to finish off the Grinding Nemo trilogy in order to keep everyone’s attention for the next full album, which will drop somewhere 2026. Hence, while we wait for their new material next year and in 2026, you can enjoy At Full Force in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and of course click HERE to grab a copy of the album and supported those Belgian death metallers. Gore Force V definitely know how to mix good quality Death Metal with a huge dosage of acid humor, some violence, and of course, pigs, and they’re coming at us ruthlessly armed with their new album, inviting us all for some quality slamming at full force.

Best moments of the album: Rudolph The Red Nosed Rapist and Domates Soslu Pit Ninjalar.

Worst moments of the album: Jean Baptiste : De indoctrineer beer.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Molokai Deathslam 2.0 : The Re-Slammening 3:40
2. Superior Mating Rituals 3:31
3. Rudolph The Red Nosed Rapist 2:30
4. Jean Baptiste : De indoctrineer beer 2:03
5. The Doryhole 2:21
6. Panda Porking Power Ranger 2:39
7. Domates Soslu Pit Ninjalar 3:18

Band members
Sennen – vocals
Wesley Heyndrickx – guitars
Buysse Jeroen – guitars
Dominique Michiels – bass
Jan de Maeyer – drums

Album Review – Zen Disdain / Inanition (2024)

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An up-and-coming Netherlands-based Blackened Doom/Death Metal outfit will reach deep inside your soul with their incendiary first full-length opus.

Formed in 2021 by the creative minds behind the Symphonic Extreme Metal band Esperoza, Enschede, Netherlands-based Blackened Doom/Death Metal outfit Zen Disdain has quickly expanded into a full-bodied act, drawing talented musicians from different bands, having already released their debut EP Premonition in 2023. Now the band formed of Zoya Belous (Zoya, Esperoza) on vocals, Dmitrii Prihodko (Esperoza) on the guitars, Ivo Bijker (Krijs, Dimensional Psychosis) on bass, and Ronny Meinders (Diseased Brains, Death Squad) on drums will unleash their highly anticipated debut album, Inanition, an album that will surely captivate new audiences and solidify their place in the metal world.

The scorching, strident riffs by Dmitrii ignite the venomous opener Everpresent, with its deep guttural vocals sounding haunting and absolutely impressive throughout its almost seven minutes of a first-class hybrid of Death and Doom Metal; whereas a tempest-infused intro explodes into a feast of Blackened Doom in The Shore, also presenting elements from old school Black Metal, in special in the riffage by Dmitrii, with Zoya also delivering classy operatic vocals. It’s truly interesting how the band managed to add hints of an amalgamation of styles to their music, like in The Woods, where we can sense some Gothic and Symphonic Metal nuances thanks to the dynamic vocals by Zoya.

The title-track Inanition will darken your minds and thoughts in the name of extreme music, with the metallic, reverberating bass by Ivo and the pounding drums by Ronny hitting us hard until the very last second; and then investing in a much heavier, more electrifying sonority led by the hammering drums by Ronny we face Spiritual Desert, while Zoya continues to hypnotize us all with her powerful vocals. Symbols again presents a strong and hammering Doom Metal vibe, with the piercing riffs by Dmitrii walking hand in hand with the blast beats by Ronny, and the closing tune What Remains of Us is sluggish and pensive from the very first second, with Zoya delivering her most melancholic, somber vocals lines of the whole album, sounding and feeling like a classic by Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride.

Blending diverse influences to craft a style that’s as haunting as it is dynamic, Zen Disdain are on fire throughout their entire first full-length opus, which you can grab a copy from their own BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and stream their music on Spotify, letting the dark and mesmerizing music by those Dutch metallers reach deep inside your soul while they conquer the world of heavy music with more excellent albums like Inanition, setting the bar high for any other band hailing from their stunning homeland and, of course, darkening the skies with a huge dosage of high quality doom for our total delight.

Best moments of the album: Everpresent, Spiritual Desert and Symbols.

Worst moments of the album: Inanition.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Everpresent 6:48
2. The Shore 6:07
3. The Woods 6:01
4. Inanition 5:57
5. Spiritual Desert 6:37
6. Symbols 7:30
7. What Remains of Us 8:42

Band members
Zoya Belous – vocals
Dmitrii Prihodko – guitars, harsh vocals
Ivo Bijker – bass
Ronny Meinders – drums

Album Review – Noitasapatti / Sankarin matka (2024)

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This ruthless Finnish Black Metal horde returns with a scorching yet cold and vile concept album where its dreamlike story slowly advances towards indescribable horrors.

Formed in the spring of 2017 in Pori, a city in Finland and the regional capital of Satakunta, the unrelenting Black Metal horde known as Noitasapatti, which is Finnish for “witch’s sabbath”, is set to darken the skies with the release of their sophomore album, titled Sankarin matka, or “a hero’s journey”, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Kuolemattomille maille. Displaying a broad range of sounds while also bringing a lot of fresh soundscape to their music, Sankarin matka is a concept album consisting of an intro and seven songs where its dreamlike story slowly advances towards indescribable horrors, which waver between dream and reality until the truth is exposed in all of its heinousness, while the music is clearly inspired by 90’s Black Metal, British Death and Doom Metal, and even Progressive Rock, showcasing all the talent and dexterity by Erakko on vocals, bass, mouth harp and horns, Liekkiö on the guitars, Kadonnut on keyboards, and Häviö on drums.

Tulikipuna, or “red fever”, is a beyond cinematic intro, a phantasmagorical start to the album that nicely flows into Tuhatkasvoinen, or “thousand faced”, where Erakko begins screaming like a maniac supported by the classic Black Metal riffs by Liekkiö. After that, we have the the title-track Sankarin matka, bringing to our avid ears more of their fusion of Black Metal with experimental sounds, with the intricate beats by Häviö and the wicked keys by Kadonnut sounding absolutely electrifying; and their fusion of raw Black Metal with atmospheric and melodic sounds works really well in Paluu liekkeihin (“back to the flames”), the most Atmospheric Black Metal song of the entire album.

Käskyläisen sanat (“orderly words”) continues with their piano-infused extreme music attack, sounding even more piercing and devilish to the caustic riffage by Liekkiö while Erakko barks the song’s Finnish lyrics like a creature of the underworld, whereas Henkien polulla (“on the path of spirits”) sounds haunting and captivating from the very first second, reminding me of some of the songs from the early days of Cradle of Filth. Moreover, Kadonnut has mastered the art of devilish keys, making the song feel truly experimental at times. Then creepy guitars and bass lines will penetrate deep inside your skin in Matka halki myrskyjen, or “a journey through storms”, despite lacking more energy and getting stale after a while, though. Finally, let’s embark on a 10-minute voyage through the realms of cryptic Black Metal with Noitasapatti in Tähtivaeltaja, or “star trek”, where the bitterly cold gnarls by Erakko match flawlessly with the phantasmagorical sounds crafted by his bandmates, with its piano outro exhaling melancholy for our total delight.

A hero’s journey can be dark, evil and very demanding, just like what Noitasapatti have to offer us all in their new beast Sankarin matka, and if you think you have what it takes to face that infernal path you can get in touch with the band via Facebook or Instagram, stream their wicked creations on Spotify, and purchase their venomous new opus on BandCamp or from the Inverse Records webstore. However, be warned you’re going to face unimaginable horrors as soon as you hit play, proving once and for all the devilish power of Black Metal hailing from the North, sounding scorching and caustic while at the same time bitterly cold and chilling.

Best moments of the album: Sankarin matka, Käskyläisen sanat and Tähtivaeltaja.

Worst moments of the album: Matka halki myrskyjen.

Released in 2024 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Tulikipuna 1:33
2. Tuhatkasvoinen 4:09
3. Sankarin matka 5:10
4. Paluu liekkeihin 6:21
5. Käskyläisen sanat 6:42
6. Henkien polulla 4:18
7. Matka halki myrskyjen 5:48
8. Tähtivaeltaja 9:50

Band members
Erakko – vocals, bass, mouth harp, horns
Liekkiö – guitars
Kadonnut – keyboards
Häviö – drums