Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Nuclear Winter / Seagrave (2023)

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Zimbabwe-based Gary Stautmeister and his outer-ego Nuclear Winter attack again with their fourth full-length effort, dripping in symphonic atmospheres, powerful distorted guitar riffage and deep melancholic undertones.

Fusing thundering heavy rhythms with haunting choirs and dynamic electronic textures, the breathtaking Seagrave, the fourth full-length offering by Harare, Zimbabwe-based Melodic/Industrial Death Metal one-man army Nuclear Winter, unleashes a powerful wall of sound highly recommended for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Wintersun, Rammstein and Lorna Shore, to name a few. Dripping in symphonic atmospheres, powerful distorted guitar riffage and deep melancholic undertones, while still maintaining the signature Progressive Metal elements by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gary Stautmeister, Seagrave is the perfect follow-up to Nuclear Winter’s 2020 EP Stormscapes and the 2021 full-length opus Greystone, taking the listener on a voyage through darkening and cinematic realms.

Gary wastes no time and distills his fusion of the music by Fear Factory, Soilwork and Rammstein in the opening tune The Glimmering Landscape, where his harsh roars walk hand in hand with all background epic elements and his infernal riffs. Then we have Starward Longing, heavy but at the same time very melodic and orchestral, with Gary once again doing a great job with his galloping bass and drums, therefore generating a grandiose atmosphere for admirers of the genre; and there’s no time to breathe as Gary’s hybrid of Industrial, Symphonic and Death Metal comes crushing our souls once again in Fates Mysteries, showcasing his trademark roars and clean vocals, followed by Thy Shadows Fall, even more phantasmagorical, groovy and sinister than its predecessors with Gary adding nuances of Black Metal to the music through his devilish gnarls, sounding solid and electrifying from start to finish. After that we face The Grave is Wide, a lot more industrial and mechanized than its predecessors, feeling like some of the latest creations by Fear Factory but with more demonic vocals.

The Dusk and the Song is perfect for banging your head nonstop while enjoying the sinister ambience crafted by Gary through his whimsical vocals, classic riffs and pounding, industrialized beats, spiced up by all background elements; whereas blending the most electrifying elements of Industrial, Groove and Death Metal, Gary once again barks and roars in great fashion until the very last second in Pale Memories, a great song to be added to your workout playlist. Gary’s second to last breath of industrial and orchestral sounds is offered to us all in Black Waters, with his hammering drums and low-tuned bass bringing tons of groove to the overall result, before such electrifying metal party reaches its epic finale with his cover version for German pop group Bad Boys Blue’s hit House of Silence, from their 1991 album House of Silence (check the original version HERE), the perfect depiction of “Pop Metal” by Gary and his Nuclear Winter, adding his own metallic twist to the original song.

“Get ready for my latest Nuclear Winter album – Seagrave. With a deliberate focus on heavier sounds and a simpler approach to songwriting, Seagrave isn’t just about pure aggression. This album also showcases a bigger incorporation of choir elements that help add an epic dimension to the sound. The result I feel is a step forward from my previous work,” commented Gary about his newborn spawn, and you can show him your support and admiration by following Nuclear Winter on Facebook, by subscribing to the project’s YouTube channel, by streaming his multi-layered creations on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of Seagrave from the MDD Records’ BandCamp page. The music by Nuclear Winter is always in constant evolution thanks to the creative mind of Gary, with Seagrave representing another step forward in his career and, therefore, fueling our multi-talented Zimbabwean musician for a lot more of Nuclear Winter in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: The Glimmering, Thy Shadows Fall and Pale Memories.

Worst moments of the album: The Grave is Wide.

Released in 2023 MDD Records

Track listing
1. The Glimmering Landscape 4:26
2. Starward Longing 4:23
3. Fates Mysteries 4:00
4. Thy Shadows Fall 4:11
5. The Grave is Wide 4:19
6. The Dusk and the Song 4:25
7. Pale Memories 4:29
8. Black Waters 4:10
9. House of Silence (Bad Boys Blue cover) 4:19

Band members
Gary Stautmeister – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Delyria/ III; Oracles And Tentacles (2023)

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An introspective journey into the deepest fears and disbelief that keeps humanity on the religious and irreligious leash of doubt, brought into being by an unrelenting Italian Death and Thrash Metal squad.

Having their name inspired by the 1987 thriller/horror movie Deliria, by Michele Soavi, Grosseto, Italy-based Death/Thrash Metal squad Delyria was founded back in 2005 and coils in the Lovecraftian concept of some kind of unnamable horrors from beyond the known boundaries of the universe. Now in 2023 the band formed of Synder (Eyeconoclast, Promaetheus Unbound, Hideous Divinity) on vocals, Fabio Barbetti and Franco Piras on the guitars, Dario Capitani on bass and Kyle Mencucci on drums returns in full force with III; Oracles And Tentacles, the third full-length album in their career. Recorded at Fugu Studios,  mixed and mastered at Tide Studios, and with the participation of Giuseppe “Tat0” Tatangelo (Zora, Defechate, Glacial Fear, Spiral Wounds, Throne Of Flesh, Unscriptural) and artwork by Francesco “Basthard” Moretti (Southern Drinkstruction, Corpsefucking Art), the album is an introspective journey into the deepest fears and disbelief that keeps humanity on the religious and irreligious leash of doubt, blindly reading an hypothetical anti-book of Doom – The Book Of Nihil.

A humongous amount of heaviness will smash your cranial skull in the opening tune The Glyph, with Kyle dictating the song’s demented pace and, therefore, offering Synder all he needs to roar manically; and  their Thrash Metal vein arises stronger than ever in Irreligious Fallout, while also presenting their more violent Death Metal side and an amazing guitar job done by Fabio and Franco with their guitars, exhaling pure electricity. The band keeps the momentum going with another circle pit feast titled Serpents In Your Churches, again showcasing the heavy and groovy kitchen by Dario and Kyle, and the always demonic roars by Synder; followed by From Outer Spheres, another solid and aggressive creation by the quintet bringing to our ears a well-balanced fusion of modern-day Thrash and Death Metal. After such vibrant tune we have Book Of Nihil, one of the most exciting and caustic of all songs, where Synder sounds infernal on vocals while Fabio and Franco add their share of intricacy and darkness to the music with their classy riffage.

Then investing in a more detailed sound by bringing elements from Progressive Death Metal to their music the band offers us all Republic Of The Obscene, which is not a bad song but it sounds confusing at times as it doesn’t decide if it’s a straightforward heavy tune or a more progressive one. Putrid Monarch Crowned is utterly sinister and evil thanks to the deep growls by Synder, while Dario makes the earth tremble with his bass, again blending the most visceral elements from Thrash and Death Metal, and it’s pedal to the metal as those Italian metallers are on absolute fire in Scourges Of The Sybilline, with Fabio and Franco distilling their metallic venom through their stringed axes supported by the massive beats by Kyle in a great display of contemporary extreme music. Last but not least, the band will hammer our heads one final time with the pulverizing Gazmasked Reaper, ending the album on a high and venomous note with Synder once again stealing the spotlight with his sick roars.

The dark and furious III; Oracles And Tentacles is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show those Italian metallers your utmost support you should purchase a copy of the album from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from Season of Mist or from Apple Music. Don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook to stay updated with all things Delyria, letting your inner demons and deepest fears arise to the sound of the band’s devilish new album of contemporary Death and Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Irreligious Fallout, Book Of Nihil and Scourges Of The Sybilline.

Worst moments of the album: Republic Of The Obscene.

Released in 2023 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. The Glyph 4:01
2. Irreligious Fallout 3:18
3. Serpents In Your Churches 3:00
4. From Outer Spheres 4:23
5. Book Of Nihil 3:06
6. Republic Of The Obscene 3:46
7. Putrid Monarch Crowned 4:50
8. Scourges Of The Sybilline 2:45
9. Gazmasked Reaper 3:39

Band members
Synder – vocals
Fabio Barbetti – guitar
Franco Piras – guitar
Dario Capitani – bass
Kyle Mencucci – drums

Guest musicians
Giuseppe “Tat0” Tatangelo – additional vocals

Album Review – The Bleeding / Monokrator (2023)

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A ruthless UK Death and Thrash Metal squad attacks with their third full-length album, a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

After forming in the city of London, England in 2010, the infernal Death/Thrash Metal squad The Bleeding has been on a demolishing roll with the release of an array of EP’s and albums offering their fans top-of-the-line extreme music made in the UK. Now in 2023 the band formed of Jamie Stungo on vocals, Tasos Tzimorotas on the guitars, Jordan Muscatello on bass, and James Loh on drums attacks again with the pulverizing Monokrator, the third full-length opus in their career. Produced by Ronnie Björnström and Tasos Tzimorotas, mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström at Björnström Sound & Production, and displaying an old school artwork by Juanjo Castellano, Monokrator combines thrash elements comparable to latter day Exodus, Kreator and Destruction with the ferocity of Demolition Hammer, and a vocal attack akin to Jeff Walker and Chuck Schuldiner, to create a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

Pedal to the metal as it’s time to slam your dammed body into the pit to the sound of Chemical Lobotomy, a fantastic display of Death Metal spearheaded by the venomous blast beats by James while Jamie vociferates rabidly nonstop, followed by Chainsaw Deathcult, absolutely incendiary from the very first second, where the riffs by Tasos will penetrate deep inside your skin while Jordan makes the earth tremble with his sick bass lines. Put differently, if the album had ended here it would have already been a phenomenal release by The Bleeding. After such demented display of extreme music we have Mutation Chamber, slightly slower but still brutal and vile, showcasing another superb job done by Tasos with his demonic riffage, whereas Union of Horror is just as bestial as its predecessors, a beyond electrifying Death Metal onrush once again presenting an insane James on drums supported by the metallic bass punches by Jordan.

Get ready to be smashed like an insect by The Bleeding in Screams of Torment, bringing forward all their dexterity and fury, being therefore tailored for lovers of classic Death Metal; and Tasos will cut your ears with his strident axe in On Wings of Tribulation, another bestial display of Death Metal sounding very technical while Jamie screams mercilessly. The title-track Monokrator is a lecture in Death and Thrash Metal, with Jamie’s devilish roars walking hand in hand with the thunderous instrumental parts crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect soundtrack for some frantic action inside the circle pit. And lastly, the band invites us all to kill inside the pit in Throes of Repulsion, sounding and feeling absolutely fast, furious and insane from start to finish, with the caustic riffs by Tasos and the unstoppable beats by James leaving you totally disoriented after all is said and done.

This beast of an album can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you think you have what it takes to get into the pit together with The Bleeding, you should purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the United States (CD or LP) or in Europe (CD or LP), from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram. The Bleeding are not just aiming at putting the UK back on the Thrash and Death Metal map with Monokrator, but they also want to put a huge smile on your face while you listen to the album, keeping their evil motor running for many years to come in the name of good extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Chemical Lobotomy, Chainsaw Deathcult and Monokrator.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records

Track listing
1. Chemical Lobotomy 3:16
2. Chainsaw Deathcult 3:50
3. Mutation Chamber 4:22
4. Union of Horror 3:50
5. Screams of Torment 4:09
6. On Wings of Tribulation 3:47
7. Monokrator 3:59
8. Throes of Repulsion 3:07

Band members
Jamie Stungo – vocals
Tasos Tzimorotas – guitars
Jordan Muscatello – bass
James Loh – drums

Album Review – Orphalis / As The Ashes Settle (2023)

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Counterbalancing Technical Death Metal with brutal elements, this ruthless Teutonic horde will crush your senses with their beautifully tempered, vibrant and energetic new album.

Counterbalancing Technical Death Metal with Brutal Death Metal elements, Dortmund, Germany-based outfit Orphalis might have found the perfect stylistic balance for the kind of music they are playing on their fourth full-length album, titled As The Ashes Settle, sounding astonishingly fluid given its dynamic and multifaceted nature. Displaying another sinister artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, As The Ashes Settle is a beautifully tempered, vibrant and energetic album that is bound to leave an indelible mark in the style, all masterfully crafted by Thomas Szczecina on vocals, Jens Dürholt and Morten Formeseyn on the guitars, Thomas Köhler on bass, and Phillip Hatcher on drums, being therefore recommended for fans of Benighted, Cutterred Flesh, Aborted, and Enragement, among several others.

The title-track As the Ashes Settle is a fantastic hurricane of brutality blasted by Orphalis where Thomas Szczecina roars in great fashion supported by the technical yet violent drums by Phillip and the scorching riffs by Jens and Morten, whereas Ritual of Conflagration sounds as infernal and detailed as the opening track, resulting in another lesson in Technical Death Metal by the quintet where Thomas Köhler and Phillip craft a thunderous and menacing atmosphere with their respective bass and drums. The unstoppable Jens and Morten deliver sheer electricity, fury and insanity through their riffs and solos in Watch Them Descend, a lecture in Death Metal that will please all fans of the genre; followed by The Wolves Draw Near, absolutely demolishing from the very first notes delivered by Jens and Morten, being therefore perfect for slamming into the circle pit while Thomas Szczecina’s guttural roars get deeper and more demented as time passes by. And investing in a more technical and intricate sonority without forgetting to add their trademark aggressiveness to the music we have An Effigy to Humanity, where Phillip is once again bestial behind his drums.

Such unrelenting Teutonic horde keeps hammering our cranial skulls mercilessly in Staring into Ruin, with their strident, piercing riffs walking hand in hand with the low and thunderous kitchen by Thomas Köhler and Phillip. Then after the unnecessary electronic interlude Moon Supremacy the band returns in full force with From Shadows Arisen, a neck-breaking extravaganza where the guitars by Jens and Morten couldn’t have sounded any heavier, or in other words, it’s first-class Brutal Death Metal with some welcome progressive elements. There’s no sign of slowing down as their technical yet visceral sounds keep coming strong in Labyrinth Configuration, showcasing another vile vocal performance by Thomas Szczecina; while the second to last song of the album, titled To Embrace Defeat, is also perfect for headbanging like a metalmaniac, with their fulminating riffs and beats darkening the entire atmosphere for our total delight. Lastly, get ready to be crushed into tiny pieces by Orphalis in Crowned in Hatred, starting in a grim, obscure manner before exploding into more of their Technical Death Metal. Furthermore, Thomas Szczecina leads his horde with his inhumane, deep growls, not to mention how metallic the bass by Thomas Köhler sounds.

In summary, Orphalis know exactly how to explode our senses with their refined hybrid of progressiveness and brutality, and As The Ashes Settle is the perfect depiction of the top-notch quality of their work. Hence, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify, and above all that, to add the breathtaking As The Ashes Settle to your personal (and devilish) collection by purchasing a copy of it from their BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon. As The Ashes Settle is a beast of an album highly recommended for anyone who loves Death Metal, it doesn’t matter if it’s old school, modern, technical or brutal, leaving us eager for more of the pulverizing music by one of the most interesting names of the current German scene hands down.

Best moments of the album: As the Ashes Settle, Watch them Descend and Crowned in Hatred.

Worst moments of the album: Moon Supremacy.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. As the Ashes Settle 4:34
2. Ritual of Conflagration 3:58
3. Watch Them Descend 3:35
4. The Wolves Draw Near 4:21
5. An Effigy to Humanity 4:01
6. Staring into Ruin 4:33
7. Moon Supremacy 0:57
8. From Shadows Arisen 3:34
9. Labyrinth Configuration 3:46
10. To Embrace Defeat 4:58
11. Crowned in Hatred 4:48

Band members
Thomas Szczecina – vocals
Jens Dürholt – guitars, backing vocals
Morten Formeseyn – guitars
Thomas Köhler – bass
Phillip Hatcher – drums

Album Review – Snorlax / The Necrotrophic Abyss (2023)

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An Australian one-man Blackened Death Metal entity strikes with his sophomore album, an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

Born in unexpected circumstances during an experimental recording session in mid-2017 at Black Blood Audio in Brisbane, Australia, when recording engineer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendan Auld was trialing new recording techniques, Blackened Death Metal outfit Snorlax (and before you ask, that’s indeed the name of a famous Pokémon) is unleashing upon humanity its sophomore opus, entitled The Necrotrophic Abyss, the follow-up to the project’s 2020 debut album II. Recorded and mixed by Brendan himself at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Arthur Rizk, and displaying a wicked artwork by Blasphemator Art, The Necrotrophic Abyss clocks in at just under 30 minutes, delivering a concise, ruthless display of sonic violence and despair. In addition, the album is presented as a concept, with an overarching story that flows throughout, each song a chapter depicting a world so vile its own death is forced by the hands of nature.

It’s always impressive how just one person is capable of crafting a demented wall of sounds the likes of Reawaken, a furious hybrid of Blackened and Experimental Death Metal where Brendan’s riffs sound scorching, followed by The Repudiation ov Disharmony, even more demented and thunderous, with Brendan delivering both deep guttural roars and obscure clean whispers, uniting the most venomous elements from contemporary Black and Death Metal. Fortification is another dense and Stygian aria by Brendan and his Snorlax, firing his trademark riffs and intricate beats and, therefore, keeping the album as caustic as it can be; whereas investing in an even darker, more demonic sonority it’s time for the pulverizing Book ov Serpents, where Brendan growls and gnarls like a creature form the underworld.

Brendan shows no sign of slowing down nor sounding mellow at all; quite the contrary, it’s absolute chaos and madness in the form of Eternal Decrepitude, where he hammers his drums and extract razor-edged riffs from his guitar nonstop, and the title-track The Necrotrophic Abyss sounds blacker than its predecessor thanks to the hellish screams by Brendan, who also crushes his drums in the name of evil, resulting in the perfect depiction of how insane the music by Snorlax can be. After that we have Regenesis Arrival, the most experimental of all tracks, working more like an instrumental, noisy interlude and sounding a bit weird (albeit it makes sense to be placed where it is in the album), flowing into the grim The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation, starting in a sluggish, doomed way before exploding into one final Black Metal attack by Brendan where his beats and riffs once again sound infernal.

The multi-talented Brendan Auld and his Snorlax are waiting for you on Facebook with news and other details about such interesting project, and don’t forget to also stream all of Snorlax’s heavy and visceral creations on Spotify. Above all that, you can purchase a copy of The Necrotrophic Abyss in different formats and from several locations, including Snorlax’s own BandCamp page, the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, Sound Cave as a digipak CD or an LP, the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or Big Cartel (as a CD, an LP, or a very special LP + long-sleeve shirt bundle), Sound Pollution also as a CD or an LP, Barnes & Noble, and Head Records, among others. The planet painted by Brendan in the album is laid to waste for eons, resulting in a desolate baron abyss only creatures of the undead have a chance of surviving, showing a slight glimpse of hope at the end as the story eludes to an unlikely rebirth of evolution and a potentially inhabitable future after all. If that means such awesome album will have a sequel, no one really knows for sure, but we can all rest assured whenever Brendan strikes again with his Snorlax, if it’s just half as good as The Necrotrophic Abyss, we’ll all have a very good reason to keep raising our horns high in the darkened sky.

Best moments of the album: The Repudiation ov Disharmony, Book ov Serpents and The Necrotrophic Abyss.

Worst moments of the album: Regenesis Arrival.

Released in 2023 Brilliant Emperor Records/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Reawaken 3:09
2. The Repudiation ov Disharmony 2:50
3. Fortification 3:13
4. Book ov Serpents 2:45
5. Eternal Decrepitude 5:03
6. The Necrotrophic Abyss 3:38
7. Regenesis Arrival 2:09
8. The Bastard Seed ov Terraformation 5:41

Band members
Brendan Auld – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Krigsgrav / Fires in the Fall (2023)

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Behold this grandiose, atmospheric and haunting album of Black, Death and Doom Metal masterfully crafted by an amazing band from Dallas, Texas.

The sky darkens, the wildfires roar, and Fires in the Fall, the new album by American Black/Death/Doom Metal entity Krigsgrav emerges from the smoke. Formed in 2004 in Dallas, Texas, Krigsgrav (which by the way means “war grave” in Swedish) approach two decades as a project co-created by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist David Sikora, appealing to the autumnal heart beating within fans of Agalloch, Mother Of Graves, and My Dying Bride alike. Mixed and mastered by Owe Inborr at Wolfthrone Studios, and displaying a classy artwork by Cameron Hinojosa, Fires in the Fall offers the listener over 52 minutes of darkness and doom (or as the band likes to call it, Atmospheric Blackened Doom) carefully brought into being by the aforementioned David Sikora on drums, clean vocals and bass alongside Justin Coleman on vocals, guitars and synths, and Cody Danielson also on the guitars, resulting in the perfect follow-up to their 2021 album The Sundering.

Like a creature arising from the underworld the band comes crushing our senses in The opening tune An Everflowing Vessel, dark and sinister from the very first second, showcasing poetic yet acid lyrics (“Man’s foolish pride and perdition / Seems our hereditary mission / with blindness and ignorance / only a toxic future awaits”) while the guitars by Justin and Cody will pierce your mind mercilessly; and more of their first-class Doom Metal-infused riffs and bass lines permeate the air in The Black Oak, again showcasing a deep, demonic vocal performance by Justin while David keeps hammering his drums in the name of darkness. There’s not a single space left empty by those three skillful musicians in The World We Leave Behind, where Justin and Cody are on fire with their riffs and solos generating a menacing atmosphere tailored for admirers of the genre, exploding into the visceral and heavy-as-hell In Seas of Perdition, a brutal composition by Krigsgrav overflowing rage and madness where David sounds fantastic with both his blast beast and rumbling bass.

Then featuring guest vocals by Chris “Blutjäger” Sweigart (who was the band’s vocalist from 2004 until 2010, and also former vocalist of Obsidian Throne), it’s time for the Stygian hymn Shadowlands, with the band blasting obscure Doom Metal for the masses while their bass lines couldn’t have sounded heavier and more metallic. In Journeyman the lyrics reek of desolation (“Through times fertile, but wrought with storms / Traversing paths to an unknown end / A beacon lit and a brother’s code / May we never again kneel in suppression”) while the music is a grandiose and imposing hybrid of Black, Death and Doom Metal dictated by David’s galloping drums, followed by Alone With the Setting Sun, the last song of the regular version of the album, offering us all melancholic passages and a pensive ambience while also being full of breaks and variations, alternating between absolute darkness and ethereal moments, and with David once again stealing the show with his infernal drums. And if you go for the CD version of the album you’ll be treated to When I’m Gone, Let the Wolves Come, definitely worth the investment in the physical copy, a top-notch extension of the album presenting all elements that make it so compelling.

The talented guys from Krigsgrav are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and don’t forget to also stream their creations on Spotify and to purchase a copy of Fires in the Fall from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. “We wrote Fires in the Fall almost immediately after we completed writing The Sundering, so it almost feels like a double album, but they are very different,” shared Justin Coleman about their new opus. “We intentionally approached writing Fires in the Fall with the idea that it would be more atmospheric, and we would let the music breathe a bit more. That’s why the songs have more of a tempo change than those on The Sundering. With Fires, we wanted everything to be grandiose and bigger, but really emphasize giving each song a haunting feel.” Well, we must all agree they more than succeeded in making the music found in their new album even more atmospheric and epic than before, setting fire to the current underground scene and paving an even more interesting path ahead of them.

Best moments of the album: The Black Oak, In Seas of Perdition and Journeyman.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Wise Blood Records

Track listing
1. An Everflowing Vessel 6:27
2. The Black Oak 6:21
3. The World We Leave Behind 6:12
4. In Seas of Perdition 4:27
5. Shadowlands 7:49
6. Journeyman 7:31
7. Alone With the Setting Sun 7:27

CD bonus track
8. When I’m Gone, Let the Wolves Come 6:39

Band members
Justin Coleman – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, synths
David Sikora – drums, clean vocals, bass
Cody Daniels – lead and rhythm guitars, bass on “Alone With the Setting Sun”

Guest musician
Chris “Blutjäger” Sweigart – vocals on “Shadow Lands”

Concert Review – Fall of Earth (The Rockpile, Toronto, ON, 06/18/2023)

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A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night.

INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…

It doesn’t mater if it’s a brand new Heavy Metal band no one knows about, a cover band of classic Rock N’ Roll or Industrial Metal, or a rock and metal karaoke night, the old school venue The Rockpile will always receive everyone with open arms, keeping the fires of rock music burning no matter what. Although it’s promoted as being in Toronto, it’s actually located in Etobicoke, an administrative district and former city within Toronto, a bit far from downtown but just a 15-minute walk from the Kipling subway station. Just don’t walk for THREE HOURS to get there like a very nice photographer named Cord Allman who was there last night. Take the subway or drive to the venue, enjoy the shows, their beer (for a very decent price), and have a good time with all the nice people who are always there.

Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and I were there for FALL OF EARTH, a young and rising metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, but The Rockpile also had other attractions as part of their Father’s Day celebration, those being AL REILLY’S CATALYST performing classics from Led Zeppelin, at 7:30pm, and PERFECT STRANGERS, a famous Canadian cover band founded in 1989 in the city of Brampton, Ontario that pays homage to  one of the greatest bands of all time, Deep Purple, playing from Smoke On The Water to Highway Star, and so on. Both tribute bands were awesome, and if you’re in the area and wants to experience the true Canadian rock scene, go check The Rockpile’s schedule for several other bands like those, and even some wrestling events, which is awesome in my opinion!

FALL OF EARTH

As mentioned, right after Al Reilly’s Catalyst and before Perfect Strangers, more specifically at 8:30pm, it was time for Edmonton, Alberta-based Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore outfit FALL OF EARTH to hit the stage with their enraged but very melodic music, putting a pin on Toronto (for the second time this month) as part of their Eastern Canada tour to promote their brand new album From the Ashes, which will soon be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose. Formed in 2019 by Alex Rye on vocals, Brody Bauer on the guitars, Aaron Winklmeier on bass, and Brendan Meilleur on drums, the band plays a fusion of the music by Mastodon, Gojira, Trivium, Whitechapel and so on, with lots of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore influences and nuances as well, and if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.

Despite the small audience, those four guys put their hearts and souls into their performance, and I can imagine how amazing it would have been with more people at the venue and some circle pits. All songs from their setlist, from both their 2020 self-titled debut album and from From the Ashes, worked really well live, like for example the title-track From the Ashes where Alex was screaming at the top of his lungs (and he can also deliver some classy clean vocals, by the way), and the lack of some mosh pit action didn’t mean the people present at the venue didn’t enjoy their concert; quite the contrary, everyone had a very good time watching those kids kicking ass on stage, banging their heads and clapping their hands all the time, and I’m sure word-of-mouth will attract a lot more people to their next concert in Toronto when they do another big Canadian tour this fall already with a second guitarist, which will surely add even more depth to their live music.

If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can enjoy all of their creations on Spotify and watch their official videos on YouTube (and click HERE for all things Fall of Earth), showing your support to another up-and-coming metal act from Edmonton. After the show I had the pleasure to chat with Alex, Brody, Aaron and Brendan, and their passion for heavy music is just as great as their talent on stage. They’re huge fans of bands like Gojira, Trivium, Megadeth, Whitechapel, and other metal giants, and it’s nice to see them crafting high-quality new music by mixing their influences with their own twist. Keep an eye on Fall of Earth because those guys are going places, and who knows, maybe we’ll already see them touring the United States or playing at some amazing European summer festivals in 2024. and last but not least, thanks a lot to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for inviting us to the event, and to Kristen Cholak and Paul Husband of The Next Level Entertainment Consulting Inc. for supporting such promising band of the Canadian scene.

Band members
Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums

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Album Review – Burial Hordes / Ruins (2023)

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An uncanny force hailing from Greece attacks again with their fifth full-length opus, a beautifully balanced yet fearsome album of Blackened Death Metal.

Emerging from the scorching pits of Athens, Greece after a five-year hiatus, Black/Death Metal outfit Burial Hordes brings forth an outstanding slab of Blackened Death Metal that harnesses both chaos and atmosphere in equal parts, which is exactly what they have to offer us all in their brand new opus Ruins. The follow-up to their 2018 album Θανατος αιωνιος (The Termination Thesis), and featuring a classy artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, the excellent Ruins is a beautifully balanced yet fearsome album right off the bat, wit the band formed of D.T. (Ravencult) on vocals, and T.K. (Dead Congregation) and D.D. (Enshadowed, Anticreation) on the guitars and bass, supported by session drummer Eugene Ryabchenko (Fleshgod Apocalypse), slipping into different dimensions only to come back with renewed anger, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Incantation, Dead Congregation, Deathspell Omega, and Enshadowed, just to name a few.

The opening track In the Midst of a Vast Solitude is simply infernal and devastating from the very first second, with Eugene sounding bestial on drums and, therefore, offering D.T., T.K. and D.D. everything they need to generate a beyond Stygian and captivating ambience of Black and Death Metal. T.K. and D.D. keep darkening the skies with their scorching riffs in Insubstantial, a headbanging creation by the band where D.T. continues to roar like a demonic entity, followed by Perish, bringing forward another five minutes of absolute darkness and insanity by Burial Hordes where Eugene once again dictates the song’s pace with his sick blast beats, feeling solid and sulfurous while presenting Doom Metal elements in its second half. And investing in a hammering, heavy-as-hell sound it’s time for the Blackened Doom-infused aria Wandering Stream of Wind, with the guitars by T.K. and D.D. piercing our souls mercilessly.

Then tribal beats ignite the flawless, pulverizing Black and Death Metal extravaganza Infinite Sea of Nothingness, a demonic composition showcasing the always visceral growls by D.T., or in other words, succumb to the dark side of music to the sound of this precious gem of the underground extreme scene. There’s no sign of slowing down; quite the contrary, their Black Metal madness goes on in Isotropic Eradication, where Eugene crushes his drums supported by the devilish riffage by his bandmates, followed by Purgation, offering our putrid ears more of the band’s hellish sounds. Moreover, it will penetrate deep inside your psyche and demolish your hopes and dreams, with D.T.’s deep guttural sounding inhumane and absolutely evil. Lastly, the ending of the album could have been a little heavier and darker than what’s offered in …to the Threshold of Silence, but the song is still amazing and brings forward more of their evil roars, harsh riffs and pounding drums.

This ruthless Greek horde is waiting for you on Facebook to join them in their battle for extreme music, and if you want to show them your utmost support you can stream Ruins in its entirety on Spotify and purchase a copy of it from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon. Easily one of the best albums of late in the Blackened Death Metal spectrum, Ruins represents an evolution in the sound of Burial Hordes, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such powerful and important name of the always prolific Greek underground scene.

Best moments of the album: In the Midst of a Vast Solitude, Infinite Sea of Nothingness and Purgation.

Worst moments of the album: …to the Threshold of Silence.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. In the Midst of a Vast Solitude 4:57
2. Insubstantial 4:46
3. Perish 5:06
4. Wandering Stream of Wind 5:54
5. Infinite Sea of Nothingness 5:24
6. Isotropic Eradication 4:51
7. Purgation 4:23
8. …to the Threshold of Silence 5:44

Band members
D.T. – vocals
T.K. – guitars, bass
D.D. – guitars, bass

Guest musician
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums (session)

Concert Review – Kreator & Sepultura (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2023)

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The world is in flames and the people divided, but Kreator, Sepultura and their fans were united last night in Toronto to prove once again everything gets better with some first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Spiritworld and Death Angel

Insane traffic, heavy smoke from the wildfires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, and temperatures dropping below seasonal. If you think those “nice” factors would stop the metalheads in Toronto from setting The Danforth Music Hall on fire last night together with SPIRITWORLD, DEATH ANGEL, SEPULTURA and KREATOR as part of their Klash of the Titans North America 2023, another awesome event brought to the city by Embrace Presents, you’re absolutely wrong. It seems that Torontonian metallers fear nothing when it comes to enduring several external threats to attend metal concerts in the city, and when they’re inside the venue, oh boy, it’s fuckin’ madness! It was a sold out night of mosh pits, walls of death, bodies emerging from the pit, horns and fists in the air, a lot of screaming and jumping, and above all that, seeing our metalhead friends once again to celebrate music and life. What else can we ask for, right? And on a side note, it looks like a few concert goers got injured inside the pit during one of the bands, with one guy bleeding real bad (I think he landed on his head); however, the venue security was on it fast and even had their own trained medical staff. That’s a huge display of professionalism, so kudos to security for being so fast and effective.

Due to traffic (and hunger, as I spent hours driving before being able to eat anything, which had to happen outside The Danforth Music Hall because they don’t sell any food inside the venue), this guy here had to unfortunately miss the opening band, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore act SPIRITWORLD, but at least my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was here to capture some amazing shots of the band and tell me a little about their performance, saying it was very energetic and fun to watch. The doors opened at 5pm, and the band played from 6:30pm to around 7pm, just to give you an idea of how bad traffic was. Anyway, if you know nothing about the band, go check their BandCamp and Spotify, in special their 2022 album Deathwestern, which is quite entertaining in my opinion.

Setlist
Comancheria
Lujuria Satanica
The Bringer of Light
Committee of Buzzards
Unholy Passages
U L C E R
Relic of Damnation
Pagan Rhythms

Band members
Stu Folsom – vocals
Justin Fornof – vocals, sampling
Randy Moore – lead guitars
Matt Schrum – rhythm guitars
Nick Brundy – bass
Preston Harper – drums

It was precisely 7:20pm when San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal institution DEATH ANGEL hit the stage with a flawless performance, igniting some intense mosh pits for the delight of all fans present at the venue. Still promoting their 2019 album Humanicide, the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Mark Osegueda, who by the way had a superb vocal performance last night reaching some really high notes in great fashion, put on a solid and vibrant show, albeit a bit short in duration. The songs The Dream Calls for Blood, The Moth and Thrown to the Wolves sounded absolutely fantastic last night, with the razor-edged guitars by Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar piercing our souls mercilessly. Closer to the end of the show, Mark took a moment to tell Toronto how much he loves the city, saying he remembers playing at El Mocambo (a very, very small underground venue) twice on the same day during their first ever visit to Toronto back in 1987, and saying that they might have been prohibited to play their album The Ultra-Violence (in special the song Voracious Souls) back then in their homeland, but that Canada received them with open arms. Well, we’ll always receive Death Angel with open arms (and open circle pits) in Toronto.

Setlist
Lord of Hate
Voracious Souls
The Dream Calls for Blood
The Moth
Humanicide
The Ultra-Violence / Thrown to the Wolves

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Rob Cavestany – guitar
Ted Aguilar – guitar
Damien Sisson – bass
Will Carroll – drums

KREATOR

It was still bright ay 8:30pm outside the venue (well, not that bright due to the smoke, but it wasn’t dark yet) when Teutonic Thrash Metal titans KREATOR took the city of Toronto by storm with a beyond pulverizing performance, and when I say pulverizing I’m not kidding, it was insane from the very first second until the last notes of Pleasure to Kill. Also, despite the fact they released what’s in my opinion the best album of 2022, the superb Hate Über Alles, they’re only playing the title-track during this current tour, but that’s just a minor detail compared to the endless energy, rage and violence happening on and off stage. The iconic Mille Petrozza led the Torontonian hordes of chaos brilliantly throughout their entire set, resulting in some of the sickest circle pits of all shows in the city this year.

Mille interacted a lot with the crowd, always asking for more circle pits, crowd surfing and walls of death, but he didn’t actually need to ask for that as everyone inside the pit went nuts as soon as the first notes of Hate Über Alles hit. Some of the songs sounded so brutal, such as Enemy of God, Flag of Hate and Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite), that the whole pit looked like one of those insane Royal Rumble moments where it’s everyone against everyone, and the band simply loved to witness that while delivering a lecture in German thrash on stage. The giant inflatable devil on stage (from the artwork from their latest album) was a very nice touch to their performance, in special when Satan is Real was played, whereas Mille declaiming the chorus to the rebellious single 666 – World Divided before starting the song itself was another beautiful moment for the entire crowd. Of course, as expected, the most demented circle pit and wall of death of the night happened during their all-time classic Pleasure to Kill, leaving everyone at the venue eager for more Kreator in the city anytime they wish to return. As a matter of fact, I would be extremely happy if they somehow played in Toronto once a week or even more than that if they wanted to.

Setlist
Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
Hate Über Alles
Awakening of the Gods (Intro)
Enemy of God
People of the Lie
Betrayer
Satan Is Real
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
666 – World Divided
Flag of Hate
The Patriarch
Violent Revolution
Pleasure to Kill
Apocalypticon

Band members
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar
Frédéric Leclercq – bass
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums

SEPULTURA

I honestly thought Kreator were going to be the headliners during the entire tour, but it looks like they adopted the “alternating headline mode” that so many bands are using these days, just like Gojira and Mastodon are doing now in North America. Having said that, Toronto had the pleasure of having as the closing act of the night the unparalleled Brazilian Groove/Thrash Metal beast SEPULTURA, who brought a lot of heaviness and groove to our avid ears during their solid performance. Derrick Green, Paulo Jr. and Eloy Casagrande were precise as usual, but it was Andreas Kisser who stole the show with another distinct performance on the guitars. I just think the band would benefit a lot from having a second guitarist to provide Andreas with some background support during his solos, filling out the empty spaces left, but that’s just an idea and nothing that would make their show less fun.

Still promoting their 2020 album Quadra, the band played a mix of new songs with old school Sepultura, as roared by Derrick right at the beginning of their concert, and while new songs like Isolation and Kairos worked amazingly live, others like Guardians of Earth and Agony of Defeat cooled down the atmosphere a bit, despite being sensational and very detailed compositions. Needless to say, it was when they played their classics including Territory, Refuse/Resist, Arise and Ratamahatta that the crowd jumped up and down nonstop, slammed into the pit, and raised their horns screaming, with one of the most rebellious metal songs ever, the unique Roots Bloody Roots, being the icing on the cake of their show. Andreas also took a moment to say how much the guys from Sepultura love Toronto, and I guess it won’t take long for them to return. After all was said and done, the traffic to get out of the city was brutal even after midnight, but who cares? After witnessing Kreator and Sepultura destroying everything and everyone last night in Toronto, nothing could erase the smile on the faces of the Torontonian metalheads.

Setlist
Polícia (Titãs song)
Isolation
Territory
Means to an End
Kairos
Propaganda
Guardians of Earth
Ali
Agony of Defeat
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Eloy Casagrande – drums

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Album Review – A Pretext To Human Suffering / Endless Cycle Of Suffering (2023)

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Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, this multinational horde will crush your soul to the sound of their new album of first-class Technical and Brutal Death Metal.

Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, revealing the rancid meat sculpture that is our dystopian present, United States/Canada/Mexico-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal act A Pretext To Human Suffering will crush your damned soul with their debut full-length album, entitled Endless Cycle Of Suffering, highly recommended for fans of Cryptopsy, Origin, Beneath The Massacre and Ingested, among others. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Floor van Kuijk at GLDCHN Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Vladimir “Smerdulak” Chebakov and a sinister logo by Steve Crow of Malevolent Icons Logos, Endless Cycle Of Suffering compels us to confront the unending nightmare of our own existence, and the horror which we have labored to construct, all masterfully brought into being by Chris Mathis on vocals, guitar and drum programming, Beto Vipe and Wesley Van Hook also on the guitars, and Spencer Atkinson on bass.

The short and sweet intro Indoctrinated reminds us all we’re not free, exploding into sheer brutality and rage to the massive riffs by Chris, Beto and Wesley in Endless Cycle of Suffering, a psychological and absolutely somber metal attack by such demonic band. Chris keeps roaring manically in Architect of Reality, another infernal yet very technical Death Metal feast where it’s impressive how organic their programmed drums sound; followed by Hollow Sanctuary, heavy and groovy from the very first second with the bass lines by Spencer making our heads tremble. In Formless Collective we’re treated to wicked lyrics (“Pray to old gods / Altars of antiquity / Watch them die slow / Unleash their final form / Of existence / Cleanse of this virus / Wasting away / It is time to reap what weve sewn”) embraced by a demonic instrumental led by the demented riffage by Chris, Beto and Wesley; and taking their heaviness and insanity to a whole new level, Void sounds and feels almost pure Brutal Death Metal.

Then an atmospheric, sinister intro evolves into a very melodic sound in Toxic Dreams, showcasing inhumane, deep growls, strident riffs and fulminating blast beats, leaning towards the more technical and progressive side of Death Metal, whereas Shadow of Time follows a similar pattern as the previous song, with the band’s guitar triumvirate shredding their axes mercilessly. In Paradox the band once again pierces our minds with their caustic words (“Peripheral shadows move rapidly / The familiar feelings of lunacy / They keep calling-give into lunacy / Entranced and lost-I feel”) amidst a hurricane of demonic sounds, sounding amazing from start to finish; followed by their second to last blast of insanity, titled Clandestine, bringing forward more of Chris’ deep guttural and devilish screeches supported by the song’s Cannibal Corpse-like riffs. And lastly, it’s time to slam into the pit one final time like a maniac to the sound of Cult(ure), where once again the rumbling bass by Spencer sounds insanely heavy and metallic.

The demented sounds found in Endless Cycle Of Suffering can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously purchase a copy of the album from the Realityfade Records’ BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. In addition, you can also show all your support to this multinational entity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. Be ready for when you hit play in Endless Cycle Of Suffering, because A Pretext To Human Suffering are not just coming to present you with a scenario of futility and despair; they are coming to ask you a question. What can be done, and what will you do?

Best moments of the album: Endless Cycle of Suffering, Formless Collective and Paradox.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Realityfade Records

Track listing
1. Indoctrinated 0:05
2. Endless Cycle of Suffering 3:50
3. Architect of Reality 2:32
4. Hollow Sanctuary 5:26
5. Formless Collective 2:56
6. Void 3:40
7. Toxic Dreams 1:24
8. Shadow of Time 2:55
9. Paradox 2:44
10. Clandestine 2:48
11. Cult(ure) 4:40

Band members
Chris Mathis – vocals, guitars, drum programming
Beto Vipe – guitars
Wesley Van Hook – guitars
Spencer Atkinson – bass