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.
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”
The Scandinavian war machine rolls on, as these Swedish Death Metal beasts still sound adrenalized, bloodstained and glorious in their demolishing album number fourteen.
The Scandinavian war machine rolls on. After twenty seven years, thirteen full-length studio albums and an ever growing brood of EP’s, split releases, live albums and compilations, Swedish Death Metal beasts Paganizer still sound adrenalized, bloodstained and glorious in their album number fourteen, beautifully titled As Mankind Rots. Mixed and mastered by long term collaborator Ronnie Björnström, with the package completed by the haunting artwork of Ivan Bragin (The Gathering, October Tide, Woods Of Ypres), the new opus by the unstoppable Rogga Johansson on vocals and guitars, Dennis Blomberg on lead guitars, Martin Klasén on bass, and Matthias Fiebig on drums is an unmissable Death Metal treat for fans of Entombed, Ribspreader, Grave, and Vomitory.
Rogga and Dennis present their violent business card right from the beginning in As Mankind Rots, offering an overdose of Death and Thrash Metal riffs with a Punk Rock attitude, therefore inviting us all to slam into the pit like true bastards. Then it’s Matthias who shows no mercy for our putrid bodies in Devoured, hammering his drums and, consequently, our cranial skulls in the name of extreme music; followed by Aftermath Bleeder, leaning towards the more cadenced but absurdly heavy Death Metal blasted by giants like Unleashed, sounding as visceral as it can be. It’s pedal to the metal in the infuriated Only Maggots, offering our avid ears an avalanche of Death Metal riffs and blast beats perfect for some wild headbanging; and I simply love how they add hints of Crust to their core sound like in Put on Your Gasmask, making it even more demented, with Rogga’s roars sounding deep and evil. And there’s just no sign of slowing down or selling off in Hollow, as it’s pure, unfiltered Death Metal where Martin and Matthias’ kitchen sounds like an earthquake of heavy music.
The band then brings forward a mid-tempo, haunting tune titled A Testament to Madness, with Rogga again vomiting the song’s vile words mercilessly; whereas like a rabid creature from the abyss, the quartet comes ripping with Afterworld, where the guitars by Rogga and Dennis exhale hatred and obscurity. The Rotting End is another song where a melodic start morphs into absolute chaos and madness spearheaded by the ruthless beats and fills by Matthias, followed by One Way to the Grave, perhaps the most destructive of all songs (from an already destructive album), with Matthias crushing his drums mercilessly while Rogga barks and roars like a demented beast of Death Metal. Lastly, we’re treated to a new recording of Vanans Makt (a Swedish phrase that translates to “the power of habit”), which appeared on the Compiled Ammunition compilation back in 2020, with guest vocals from Bulten of Swedish Punk Rock band Lastkaj 14, and this new rendition is the perfect example of Death Metal meets Punk Rock.
There’s no intro, no samples, nor anything like that in As Mankind Rots. The album is simply headfirst into riffs and mayhem, offering us all avid metalheads pure Swedish Death Metal magnificence, and you can add such an incendiary album to your private collection by purchasing it from the Xtreem Music’s BandCamp or webstore. You can also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course stream their ruthless discography on any platform like Spotify. As mankind rots, Paganizer keep blasting our ears with their undisputed blend of old school Death Metal, with their new album perfectly depicting the current state of our rotten and decaying society.
Best moments of the album:As Mankind Rots, Only Maggots and One Way to the Grave.
Worst moments of the album:A Testament to Madness.
Released in 2026 Xtreem Music
Track listing 1. As Mankind Rots 3:15
2. Devoured 3:51
3. Aftermath Bleeder 3:14
4. Only Maggots 3:48
5. Put on Your Gasmask 2:46
6. Hollow 3:23
7. A Testament to Madness 4:32
8. Afterworld 3:53
9. The Rotting End 3:16
10. One Way to the Grave 3:39
11. Vanans Makt 3:38
Band members Rogga Johansson – vocals, guitars
Dennis Blomberg – lead guitars
Martin Klasén – bass
Matthias Fiebig – drums
Behold the first full-length opus by this ruthless Polish entity, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.
After the releases of their debut EP The Curse of Ferrius, in 2022, and the live album Resurrection Clarity (Live at 2 Koła ’24), in 2024, Gdańsk, Poland-based Blackened Death/Thrash Metal duo Büddah are ready to crush our frail bodies and souls with their first ever full-length installment, entitled Amyotrophy (a progressive wasting of muscle tissues). Recorded by Damian Bednarski (of Unborn Suffer), produced by the same Damian Bednarski alongside Marcin Skowroński (of Fatigue), who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album, and displaying a killer artwork and layout by vocalist Julian Schutta, the new album by Julian Suchtta on vocals and Marek Gross on vocals, guitars and bass, with the support of session drummer Igor Jażdżewski, takes no prisoners in their quest for extreme, ruthless music, offering nine anthemic hymns of destruction for admirers of the darkest side of Death and Thrash Metal.
The duo wastes no time and kick off their demented festivities with Amyotrophy I, with their devilish gnarls and the ruthless blast beats by Igor sounding absolutely explosive; whereas Bowel Fane presents cryptic, vile words vociferated by the duo (“Awakened in the cryptic maze / Helpless cries shove off the walls / My blind soul tries to find the exit”) amidst a devastating Blackened Thrash Metal sonority. Then they invest in a pure Death Metal sound in Waste of Flesh, with the dirty, slashing riffage by Marek walking hand in hand with their raspy guttural; and a song title like Disfigured Ones reeks of Death Metal, and Julian and Marek make sure the music also lives up to the genre with their demolishing roars and riffs, supported by Igor’s demented drumming. After that, Fiend then presents hints of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Crust, perfect for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.
The rumbling bass by Marek ignites another display of undisputed Death Metal in Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV, with the old school beats and fills by Igor adding an even more primeval touch to the song. Then we face the dark, sinister interlude Law of the Snake, setting the stage for Büddah to destroy our senses with Serpent’s Scourge, by far the heaviest of all songs, featuring guest vocalists Damian Bednarski and Łukasz Pieszczyński, and with its cryptic lyrics (“I faced the mask of thousand tongues / with eyes surrounding its mouth / It’s lurking voice crawling under my nails / oviposited on my bearing / On my bearing…”) matching perfectly the sonic savagery blasted by Julian and Igor. Finally, they go full circle with the second “part” of the album title, Amyotrophy II, where Marek does an amazing job with both his riffs and solos, going experimental halfway through it before ending on a melodic, introspective manner.
Julian and Marek need a little less than 40 minutes in Amyotrophy to show the entire world of heavy music that the name Büddah is already a reality, blasting our speakers and melting our faces with their undisputed fusion of extreme music genres and subgenres in the best Polish style imaginable. Furthermore, if you want to show such a hardworking duo your admiration and support, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic compositions on any available platform such as Spotify, and above all that, purchase their incendiary debut offering from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. Amyotrophy is the strongest effort to date by such an up-and-coming duo hailing from the fires of Poland, and based on the quality of the music found throughout the album, we can rest assured we’ll hear a lot more from them in the foreseeable future.
Best moments of the album:Amyotrophy I, Disfigured Ones and Serpent’s Scourge.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Amyotrophy I 5:33
2. Bowel Fane 2:41
3. Waste of Flesh 3:27
4. Disfigured Ones 4:41
5. Fiend 5:11
6. Mouth Full of Bones MMXXV 4:33
7. Law of the Snake 1:34
8. Serpent’s Scourge 4:26
9. Amyotrophy II 6:58
Band members Julian Suchtta – vocals, djembe on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Marek Gross – vocals, guitars, bass, shakers on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Guest musicians
Igor Jażdżewski – drums (session)
Damian Bednarski – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”
Łukasz Pieszczyński – vocals on “Serpent’s Scourge”
I’m always on my own… Even in my dreams I die alone… Loneliness is a garment… Made of shadows hanging above…
There’s nothing better than kicking off the short but always freezing cold month of February than with an ultra talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who personifies the underground like our metal lady of this month, setting fire to the atmosphere with her undisputed blend of Extreme Metal. Known for her involvement with some amazing underground bands the likes of Zion Code and Cordiscord Elysium, and more recently for her undisputed solo career, releasing an array of first-class albums, she brings the noise directly from Germany to The Headbanging Moose, taking no prisoners in her quest for heavy music. Her name is Vanessa Funke, and after knowing more about her life and her career, I’m sure you’ll get addicted to her fusion of Melodic Death and Gothic Metal with an overdose of raw emotions and, therefore, feel beyond eager to get caught in a mosh while she kicks some serious ass both in the studio and onstage.
Hailing from Finnentrop, a municipality in Olpe district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Vanessa said in one of her interviews that music has been all around her basically her entire life, mentioning she remembers hearing the intro to Thin Lizzy‘s version of Whiskey In The Jar as a child and imagining that she would play it herself. “It took a while for me to pick up an instrument though, which was about 2009. I was absolutely fascinated with Mike Oldfield around that time, especially that he can play all those different instruments and basically creates albums almost on his own. That really was the impulse that led me to playing guitar and later keyboards. When I got into metal about two years later, I started to play it myself too.”
She believes the first ever metal song she learned on the guitar was Weather The Storm, by Finnish melodeath masters Insomnium, becoming the rhythm guitarist shortly after for a band named Storm Unleashed, which was basically her first step into the music business, naturally evolving more and more even after she decided to pursue her solo career. Clearly a huge fan of the Melodic Death Metal from the 90’s and 2000’s, she also started incorporating elements from Gothic Metal into her music, giving it even more depth, which consequently allowed her to explore darker emotions in her compositions.
Speaking of her solo career, it all began in 2017 when she started recording a few demos, which only came to light in 2022 as a compilation encompassing those demos from 2017 until 2021. After that, she kept firing her own blend of Melodic Death and Gothic Metal through the 2022 EPs Sorted Out and Broken, followed by the split Ode to Hopelessness (alongside French Depressive Black Metal act Angel of Suicide), her first full-length album Solitude, plus the splits Nothing Left… (with UK-based Black Metal outfit Black Apathy) and Anthems of Gomorrah / Vanessa Funke (with Pinellas County, Florida-based Black/Death Metal horde Anthems of Gomorrah), all also in 2022.
Then in 2023 she released the EP Reflections, the splits Lonely Suicide (with American Atmospheric Black Metal creature Nymphrenia), In the Shadow of the Lights (with a band named Luroga), A Road to Nowhere (with Panama’s own Black Metal entity The Last Weapon), and Barely Living on the Edge… (with the bands Nymphrenia, Black Apathy, Shallow Existence, and Have a Nice Life…), and her sophomore full-length opus entitled Dawn. In 2024, the EP Lament and the full-length Void saw the light of day, while in 2025 she brought into being the split Locomotion of Escape (with a band called Tachanka), and her fourth full-length installment, titled Requiem. All of those releases can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, and on her official YouTube channel you can also find her official videos for songs such as Worthless, Broken Ground, Infelicity, and I Need You Tonight, among several others. Not only that, her music is also featured in a few interesting compilations, including the songs Solitude on the LDP Smörgåsbord Series #2 (released by Liminal Dread Productions in December 2023), Sorrow on Mind Over Metal 4: Volume 1 (released by Cave Dweller Music in May 2024), Buried on Black Metal Against Blackout (released in January 2024), and Dead Souls on Heavy for the Hollers (released by Liminal Dread Productions in November 2024).
One very interesting fact about her solo albums is that all of them have just one word in the title (Solitude, Dawn, Void, and Requiem), not to mention she keeps an impressive streak of one album per year. “I actually try to keep up the pace with one full length release every year. I’ve written so many songs that I have enough material for at least another album right now and several rough sketches and demos. When I get into this certain creative flow, I try to let it all out. Later I come back to these ideas and refine them. Having just one word as the title wasn’t something I planned. I released an EP called Broken in 2022, after that my first album Solitude followed and I basically just stayed with those one word titles since then. Fun fact: the album title never appears as a song title on the same album, but I do tend to use it later. For example, Solitude is the title of my first album, but also the title of the first song on Requiem,” explained our unstoppable metal diva.
Furthermore, she also explained the reason why the song titles in her latest album Requiem also have just one word, like Useless, Worthless, Sorrow, Death, and Buried, but that doesn’t mean her music should be labeled as Depressive Black Metal. “On this album I came up with the song names before I had the music. I wanted to be inspired by those simple words, like what do I feel when thinking about them and translate that feeling to music. Of course reading those titles can definitely imply something depressive, which is partially true because of the story behind it. But the music isn’t depressive black metal in my opinion, more a mixture between atmospheric black metal and funeral doom. The melodic death and gothic influence isn’t that strong here.”
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Apart form her undisputed solo career, Vanessa is (or was) also part of an interesting music project assembled to celebrate the 36th birthday of Alicia Cordisco (of Arizona’s own Thrash Metal beast Transgressive), with its collaborators spanning countries across three continents, including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The name of such a unique project is Cordiscord Elysium, a Melodic Death and Power Metal outfit with several guest musicians from different underground bands, and that released their debut EP titled Alicia Cordisco’s Amazing Birthday, in 2025, followed by the EP Alicia Cordiscord Autumnal Ball, and the single All Carols are Bangers, both also from 2025, and all available on BandCamp. From all songs recorded so far by the project, the most interesting one is hands down their cover version for Eagle Fly Free, by Helloween.
Prior to flying solo, Vanessa was a member of a Zanesville, Ohio-based Progressive Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore band named Zion Code, taking care of their vocal duties from 2022 to 2024, plus playing guitars, bass and keyboards for the band between 2023 and 2024. Formed in 2021 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Mitchell, the band has already released seven full-length albums and two EPs, with Vanessa being part of the 2023 albums Zion Code and Festung, and the 2024 albums Apocrypha and New Dawn Rising. Curiously enough, nothing is available on BandCamp nor on Spotify anymore for reasons beyond our knowledge. Anyway, apart from recording vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and drums in those albums, Vanessa was also responsible for the production, mixing and mastering, and even the artwork for the 2023 album Festung. I’m curious to listen to Zion Code as I haven’t had a chance yet, but apparently there’s nothing available anywhere, not even unofficial videos uploaded on YouTube by random users.
She can also be found as a guest musician for some very interesting bands and projects. For instance, she recorded vocals for the 2025 album The Burden of I, by Tucson, Arizona’s own Melodic Black/Death Metal musician Alicia Cordisco; vocals for the 2023 single We Can Win, by California-based Avantgarde Black/Power Metal act Black Stag Rising; the dialogue on the song Lebenssinn, from the 2023 EP Die Welt schläft ein, by French Black Metal entity Myrkyttää; additional vocals on the song Remember Me, from the 2025 album Down the Drain, by American Depressive/Atmospheric Black Metal act Nymphrenia; and additional vocals on the song Writhing in Agony I: Reopening Wounds I Have Once Forgotten, from the 2023 EP Writhing in Agony, by UK’s Depressive Black Metal act Shallow Existence. Not only that, Vanessa was also responsible for the artwork for the 2023 album Broken Cleansing and the 2023 EP Afuckt Up Mess, both by American Metalcore/Technical Death Metal act A Karmic Gray, and for the artwork for the 2023 EP Chaos Undivided, by Ohio’s own Death Metal brigade Bloodthirster.
When asked about how she feels having the drum arrangements (as well as the mixing and mastering) done by Michael Easley for her latest album Requiem, she said that it was an exception under her one-woman band project. “I usually do everything myself. This one album is actually the exception. I used a pretty old drum plugin initially, which lacked some human feel. As Michael is a drummer, he offered me to change it a bit and put a bit more life into it, which I gladly accepted. But nothing was done without my approval of course. Also a lot of the music was recorded at a time where my mixing skills weren’t that good. So Michael basically polished it to make it sound similar to my previous albums. For the next album I already have a higher standard I set for myself, so I’m pretty sure right now that if I get it right the way I imagine it, there’s no need for changes afterwards.” Furthermore, she also shared a few words about her writing and composing style. “When I start to write a song, I only have one chords progression or a melody from which I build up the whole song. So most things actually just happen during the recording process. There’s not much planning ahead usually.”
One very interesting thing about her album Requiem is that it is based on her own experiences as a teenager. “If you look at the album in two different sides (songs 1-5 and songs 6-8), there are two different things I wrote about: the first side deals with the feeling of spiraling deeper into depression, while the second side deals with intrusive thoughts. I couldn’t be completely neutral, but I still tried to keep things vague enough so others can find their own story in this. For me personally this story is deeply tied to dysphoria, something that was really strong when I was younger, the fear of coming out and not being able to live as myself. Even if I’ve come a long way since then and it isn’t that bad anymore, I still felt the need to have an outlet for all these emotions.”
Last but not least, Vanessa is not the type of person that’s very active in social media. “I do use Instagram and Bluesky apart from Bandcamp, but generally I’m not that good in this social media game, so my accounts there are definitely not as professional as bands often have them. But I generally don’t feel the need to change that, as it feels more comfortable for me like this,” she commented, and we must all agree she’s doing the right thing. Focusing on her music, on the quality of her final product, is way more important to us listeners than having an active Facebook or Instagram account. And don’t worry, Vanessa, because your music is so good we can take care of the social media posting on your behalf, spreading your emotional music to the four corners of the earth. Because, in the end, that’s what good music is all about.
This uncanny Belarusian Death Metal creature will unleash hell in its third studio opus, offering nine independent compositions united by the idea of searching for inner support in an era of turbulence.
Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum, the Minsk, Belarus-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal entity whose name is usually shortened to simply Eximperitus, has acquired quite some attention not only for their 51-letter long name, but also for their austere, no shenanigans blend of extreme music. Famously secretive, with their members using pseudonyms like Dave 1 (guitars), Dave 2 (bass), Dave 3 (drums), and potentially Dave 4 (vocals), as they intentionally keep their identities hidden, making it nearly impossible to find personal details and, therefore, essentially making them “the Daves” of Belarusian metal, Eximperitus are unleashing upon humanity their third studio album, titled Meritoriousness of Equanimity, following up on their 2021 sophomore Šahrartu. Containing nine independent compositions united by the idea of searching for inner support in an era of turbulence, the album offers an acid exposure and scourging of social dogmas and morbid tendencies on the ruins of the old world, continuing to pave the band’s dark path which started in the already distant year of 2009.
The album couldn’t have started in a more demented mode than with One Step Long Infinity, an avalanche of vile riffs and blast beats not recommended for the lighthearted; followed by Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality, carrying a beautiful name for a feast of Brutal Death Metal magic while also offering our avid ears razor-edged riffs and those evil guttural vocals we all love so much. Then after the whimsical interlude Twelve Centuries of Triumph of the Third Kingdom… we face Finding Consistency in the Fourth Quadrant of Eternity, where their Blood Incantation side blends with their core brutality and their guitar riffs and solos penetrate deep inside our souls; followed by the absolutely mental The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid, bringing forward more of the band’s austere, visceral fusion of extreme music sounds, not to mention how heavy and groovy their bass and drums feel.
Golden Chains for the Construction of Individual Greatness is another ruthless explosion of their Technical and Brutal Death Metal madness, offering those demented blast beats perfect for some good slamming inside the pit; and after another ethereal, cosmic interlude entitled Molecular Disintegration of an Unattainable Solitary Will in a Vessel of Wisdom…, we’re treated to the venomous Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future, where their crying guitars clash with their deep guttural in a striking metallic paradox. And before all is said and done, those uncanny Belarusian metallers bring forth Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time), an extensive outro that could have been a bit shorter, and maybe even less experimental, but that still puts an otherworldly ending to the album.
“In times when despair overflows human hearts… when the chasm of strife between civilizations widens… when loyalty to ideologies tears blood ties apart… when the world stands still, poised for the final leap of prolonged self-destruction… We can draw strength solely from internal sources, which are filled only by the multifaceted power of Death Metal…,” commented the band, as cryptic as their own members, and you can be part of their unique metal cosmos by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their sick creations on Spotify, and of course by ordering their demented new album from BandCamp or from Willowtip Records. Because it doesn’t matter if you have no idea how to pronounce Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum – those Belarusian death dealers are among us to crush our damned souls with their music, and their newborn spawn Meritoriousness of Equanimity will surely keep their insanity burning for many years to come, darkly reverberating through the fours corners of the earth.
Best moments of the album:Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality, The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid and Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future.
Worst moments of the album:Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time).
Released in 2026 Willowtip Records
Track listing 1. One Step Long Infinity 2:26
2. Contemplation of the Plastic Fibers of Perfection at the Second Level of Reality 5:05
3. Twelve Centuries of Triumph of the Third Kingdom… 1:24
4. Finding Consistency in the Fourth Quadrant of Eternity 5:13
5. The Untimely Fruit of the Unsaid 5:41
6. Golden Chains for the Construction of Individual Greatness 4:07
7. Molecular Disintegration of an Unattainable Solitary Will in a Vessel of Wisdom… 1:39
8. Chalkionic Wandering Among the Wreckage of the Future 3:29
9. Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (…on the Other Side of Man and Time) 4:52
Band members Dave 4 – vocals
Dave 1 – guitars
Dave 2 – bass
Dave 3 – drums
This American Black Metal horde attacks with their debut full-length album, a harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration.
A harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism, Herezjarcha, the brand new opus by Bangor, Pennsylvania-based Black Metal horde Profane Elegy, sees the band expand every element of their vision, sounding heavier, more dynamic, more refined, and deeply introspective. Produced by J Gulick and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios, the new offering by vocalist Mikael L , guitarist J Gulick, bassist David G, and drummer Sean M is more than an album. It is a record built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration, exploring themes of nihilism, mortality, philosophy, and religious symbolism, often invoking figures like Satan not as dogmatic statements, but as metaphors in a broader spiritual and existential dialogue.
There’s no time to breathe as the band attacks in full force with Exeunt Omnes, which is Latin for “all go out,” a phrase drawn from Shakespeare’s Richard III, where Mikael’s grim vocals will lacerate your minds in a perfect fusion of Black and Death Metal. Then Sean’s hammering drums dictate the pace in the devilish Haunted, also presenting those classic Black Metal riffs we love so much by J, followed by The Accuser, drawing from the Biblical role of Satan as prosecutor, with the song representing both indictment and rejection. Put differently, it’s another undisputed blast of savagery by such an uncanny horde, led by J’s classic riffage and supported by David’s rumbling bass. The band then offers one of the heaviest songs of the album, titled As My Heart Turns to Ash, while also showcasing an overdose of melody and progressiveness, reminding me of some of the best bands from the current Nordic extreme scene.
In the pulverizing I AM, with its title drawn from the book of Exodus, taking the phrase spoken by God “I am that I am” and transforming it into a proclamation of human rebellion, we’re all invited to slam into the pit to the unstoppable beats and fills by Sean, once again ending on a more pensive, melancholic vibe. Immutable explores the inescapable traits and traumas we are born into, keeping the album at a high level of violence while blasting our damned souls with the band’s scathing Black Metal; whereas And Then We Are Gone might not be a bad tune, but it’s way below the rest of the album in terms of violence, speed and electricity despite its doomed vibe. Finally, we face Herezjarcha, a sprawling, conceptual narrative about a man transformed by his own heresy. In visions and madness, he births a new ideology, becoming one with darkness in pursuit of hidden truths, and the music perfectly depicts that by sounding very intricate and detailed, with Mikael’s roars exhaling endless anger and hatred while his bandmates craft thunderous and hypnotizing sounds before the song’s nocturnal ending.
The name Herezjarcha is a neologism meaning “arch-heretic,” and the record embodies this fully, an oath against complacency, a testament of defiance, and a new scripture of darkness, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Mayhem, Woods of Ypres, Swallow the Sun, and Emperor. Hence, you can get to know more about the band via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their sulfurous music on Spotify, and of course, purchase their excellent new opus from BandCamp. Fusing the atmospheric elements of Black Metal with the weight of Doom Metal, the precision of Death Metal, and the unexpected textures of orchestration and clean vocals, Herezjarcha rejects genre purity in favor of vision. This is what Profane Elegy stand for. This is a new heresy.
Best moments of the album:Exeunt Omnes, As My Heart Turns to Ash and Herezjarcha.
Worst moments of the album:And Then We Are Gone.
Released in 2026 Independent
Track listing 1. Exeunt Omnes 4:57
2. Haunted 3:31
3. The Accuser 5:20
4. As My Heart Turns to Ash 5:23
5. I AM 3:49
6. Immutable 3:56
7. And Then We Are Gone 4:02
8. Herezjarcha 5:55
Band members
Mikael L – vocals, orchestrations
J Gulick – guitars, orchestrations
David G – bass, orchestrations
Sean M – drums
Prepare your soul for a descent into the depths of human despair, courtesy of a tortured and lumbering Death and Doom Metal creature from Down Under.
Crawling from beneath the bloody earth in 2022, more specifically from our beloved Australia, Death/Doom Metal creature Malignant Aura will consume our souls with their sophomore opus, poetically entitled Where All of Worth Comes to Wither, continuing the dark path which started back in 2022 with Abysmal Misfortune Is Draped upon Me. Comprising concise and powerful 46 minutes spread across five songs, the new offering by vocalist Tim Smith, guitarists Chris Clark and Dalton Quade Wilson, bassist Jonathan Ennis, and drummer Pete Robertson sees the band both expanding and contracting their sound, broadening its sonic possibilities whilst focusing the songwriting for maximum, abyss-ward effect. The esteemed Paolo Girardi lends his signature touch to the album’s cover artwork, completely suiting the dark, dreadful emotion of its contents inspired by a pool as varied as Incantation, Paradise Lost, Virgin Black, Hooded Menace, Mournful Congregation, Candlemass, Disembowelment, Pallbearer, Katatonia, Asphyx, and My Dying Bride.
The title-track Where all of Worth Comes to Wither is actually an extended intro, sounding grim and diabolical from the very first second, dragging us to the band’s Stygian lair in The Pathetic Festival, with Pete hammering his drums in a demolishing fusion of Death and Doom Metal, all boosted by the cadaverous guttural by Tim while the sound of the guitars by Chris and Dalton is utterly evil. After such a demented tune let’s all dive deep into the realms of doom with the 13-minute beast Languishing in the Perpetual Mire, arising from the pits of the underworld to the rumbling sounds blasted by Jonathan and Pete, sounding and feeling like four or five songs in one. Then after an ethereal, cryptic start, Beneath a Crown of Anguish morphs into the most sluggish form of Doom Metal imaginable, with the grim Death Metal vocals by Tim adding an extra touch of insanity to it; whereas lastly, get ready to be smashed like a putrid insect to the sound of An Abhorrent Path to Providence, with their riffs and bass lines walking hand in hand with another visceral vocal performance by Tim.
A full-length descent into the depths of human despair, Where All of Worth Comes to Wither is a harrowing blend of Death and Doom Metal, sounding vicious, somber, and triumphant. Hence, if you have what it takes to face the band’s own brand of tortured and lumbering doom-death, you can find those talented Australian on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their heavy-as-hell creations on Spotify or on any other platform, and above all that, put your damned hands on Where All of Worth Comes to Wither by purchasing it from their own BandCamp, from the Grindhead Records’ BandCamp. from the Primitive Moth’s BandCamp, from Memento Mori, or simply click HERE for all things Malignant Aura. In the end, Where All of Worth Comes to Wither doesn’t just carry a bold and penetrating name; its music is absurdly dense, deep and frightful, exactly the way we love in the always menacing fusion of Death and Doom Metal.
Best moments of the album:Languishing in the Perpetual Mire and An Abhorrent Path to Providence.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Memento Mori/Grindhead/Primitive Moth
Track listing 1. Where all of Worth Comes to Wither 3:27
2. The Pathetic Festival 6:56
3. Languishing in the Perpetual Mire 13:00
4. Beneath a Crown of Anguish 10:05
5. An Abhorrent Path to Providence 12:08
Band members Tim Smith – vocals
Chris Clark – guitars
Dalton Quade Wilson – guitar
Jonathan Ennis – bass
Pete Robertson – drums
Behold the path of destruction by this unrelenting Japanese trio armed with their sophomore album, exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage.
Conceived in Nagano, Japan back in 2015, the original goal by the ruthless beast known as Invictus was to play Death Metal with hints of technicality and a strong Thrash Metal edge, combining the morbid grooves and abhorrent atmospherics of all archaic Death Metal gods like Death, Malevolent Creation, Monstrosity, Brutality, Mercyless, Morbid Angel, Gorguts, Obituary, Decapitated, Sadistic Intent, and Cannibal Corpse, and prioritizing the creation of songs crammed with commanding riffs over any other aspect of their putrescent music. Now in 2026 the band formed of Takehitopsy Seki on vocals and guitars, Toshihiro Seki on bass, and Haruki Tokutake on drums returns to action with their sophomore opus, titled Nocturnal Visions, following up on their 2020 debut The Catacombs of Fear. Embraced by a compelling, era-authentic artwork courtesy of Juanjo Castellano, the album sees the band exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage, exuding a more pernicious aural decay and bludgeoning the listener into submission by some of the meatiest and most vitriolic Death Metal conceivable.
After a short and sinister Intro, the trio is ready to devour our souls with their infuriated Death Metal attack in Abyssal Earth Eradicates, with the bass by Toshihiro sounding as dirty as it is violent while Takehitopsy barks like a putrid entity form the underworld. Haruki then shows absolutely no mercy for his drums nor for our frail bodies in Altar of Devoted Slaughter, sounding like a Death Metal stone crusher from hell, not to mention Takehitopsy’s demented guitar solo. And the trio continues their path of absolute demolition in Lucid Dream Trauma, not as fast but absurdly heavy thanks to another killer performance by Haruki on drums, followed by Persecution Madness, a lecture in both old school and contemporary Death Metal in the vein of Immolation and Cannibal Corpse.
Dragged Beneath the Grave is another song with a poetic name, with those Japanese death dealers going mental with their relentless riffs, bass and blast beats, as well as Takehitopsy’s maniacal vocals; and he keeps delivering his visceral guttural in Frozen Tomb, again perfect for some wild headbanging and slamming while Haruki continues to pound his drums manically. Wandering Ashdream is still an excellent song overflowing brutality and gore, albeit a bit generic and basic compared to the rest of the album (the guitar solo by Takehitopsy is still pretty solid, though); whereas last but not least, get ready for over eight minutes of total Death Metal madness and fury in Nocturnal Visions, also presenting hints of our good old Doom Metal to give it an even more primeval vibe.
In summary, if you love Death Metal, true and morbid, then don’t miss out on these Japanese masters of putridity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their corrosive, vicious Death Metal sounds on any platform such as Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of their demented new album from their own BandCamp, from Me Saco Un Ojo’s BandCamp or webstore, or from Memento Mori. If in Japanese fantasy and science fiction movies and television programs we have the pleasure of seeing those gigantic kaiju destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path, in Death Metal it’s Invictus who are the real kaiju, sounding absolutely devastating and ruthless armed with their breathtaking new offering.
Best moments of the album:Altar of Devoted Slaughter, Persecution Madness and Dragged Beneath the Grave.
The sophomore opus by this German Black Metal and Punk Rock beast sounds moodier and murkier than their debut offering, while also portending a deeper doom and gloom.
Hailing from Germany, Black Metal/Punk Rock brigade Karloff was formed in 2018 initially as a means for erstwhile Graveyard Ghoul member Tom Horrified to blow off some punk-oriented steam with a couple close comrades. Three years after the release of their 2022 debut The Appearing, the band currently formed of Tom Horrified on vocals and guitar, 733 on bass, and H. T. Steinbrecher on drums and percussion returns in full force with their sophomore installment, the incendiary Revered by Death. Following logically from The Appearing, Revered by Death sounds moodier and murkier, living up to its lofty title while its songwriting definitely feels punchier, portending a deeper doom and gloom.
The scorching, visceral riffage by Tom kicks off the trio’s beyond devilish festivities in Pessimistic Soaring, presenting a deep Punk Rock rebelliousness intertwined with the raw, obscure sounds of Black Metal, whereas the relentless bass by 733 and the pounding drums by H. T. will smash your skull in Die Wiederkehr der Dunkelei, or “the return of the dark egg” (if that makes any sense). The band then blends elements from Doom and Post-Metal to their core sound in When the Flames Devour You All, with Tom once again delivering absolutely caustic vocals and riffs.
Then the atmospheric (yet a bit too lengthy) interlude On Weathered Altar sets the tone for Prince of Parasites, where we’re treated to a caustic, electrifying fusion of Black Metal and Punk Rock, in special through the rebellious riffs by Tom and the classic beats by H. T. The band then ventures through the vast realms of Death Metal in Regicide, with the song’s vicious, deep riffage matching perfectly with its bass lines and crushing beats; and it’s pedal to the metal in the slamming tune Crown Cvlt Fate, perfect for some wild action inside a hot and humid circle pit at one of those infernal metal pubs, while Elisabetha’s Revenge, their last blast of insanity and rage, will simply demolish your soul, again presenting the raspy, harsh vociferations by Tom.
Ghouls and ghosts, thugs and thieves, Karloff are back and calling upon you to be Revered by Death, and if you believe you have what it takes to face such a harsh and visceral album of Black Metal and Punk Rock you can find those talented guys on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their acid creations on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Revered by Death from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or webstore as a CD, an LP or a special edition LP on oxblood vinyl including an insert, a poster, a sticker, a post card, a woven patch, and a download code. Because Revered by Death is not just Black Metal, nor only Punk Rock; it’s everything at once, offering an amalgamation of violent and obscure sounds that will certainly haunt your souls for all eternity.
Best moments of the album:A Pessimistic Soaring, Prince of Parasites and Crown Cvlt Fate.
Worst moments of the album:On Weathered Altar.
Released in 2026 Dying Victims Productions
Track listing 1. A Pessimistic Soaring 2:52
2. Die Wiederkehr der Dunkelei 3:05
3. When the Flames Devour You All 5:53
4. On Weathered Altar 4:08
5. Prince of Parasites 2:47
6. Regicide 3:52
7. Crown Cvlt Fate 2:30
8. Elisabetha’s Revenge 4:52
Band members Tom Horrified – vocals, electric rhythm & lead guitar
733 – electric bass guitar
H. T. Steinbrecher – drums & percussion
“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 HEADBANGING MOOSE 