Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Visceral Explosion / Malevolent Dismemberment Of Entire Putrefacted Gastrointestine EP (2023)

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Get ready for a furious blood storm made in South Korea, offering us all Brutal Death Metal of the most fiercely focused and unremittingly battering kind.

Following on from their acclaimed 2022 album Human Meat Distribution Process, Malevolent Dismemberment Of Entire Putrefacted Gastrointestine, the brand new EP by South Korea-based Brutal Death Metal outfit Visceral Explosion, raises the bar for the band in every way. Recorded, mixed and mastered by the band’s own vocalist and guitarist Ryu Gun, and displaying a sick artwork by Ukrainian artist Daemorph (Aborted Fetus, Avulsed, The Black Dahlia Murder), the EP showcases no gradual build up, no warning, nor any sort of introduction by the aforementioned Ryu Gun alongside guitarist Lee Seok Ho, bassist Lee Kyeong Won and drummer Kim Yu Jong, simply offering our putrid ears Brutal Death Metal of the most fiercely focused and unremittingly battering kind, a furious blood storm highly recommended for fans of Guttural Disease, Beheaded, Unfathomable Ruination and Posthuman Abomination, among other masters of unrelenting brutality.

Kim kicks off the band’s gory and truculent party by hammering his drums in Unanesthetized Hypothalamotomy, accompanied by the inhumane screeches by Ryu in an infernal display of South Korean Brutal Death Metal for our total delight. Then the razor-edged riffs by Lee Seok and the metallic bass by Lee Kyeong will pierce your flesh in Rancid Purulent Neonatal Cerebral Cortex, while Ryu continues to bark and gnarl like a creature from the abyss, exhaling blood and gore until the very end; followed by Acute Necrotizing Hemorrhagic Encephalopathy, utterly demented and therefore perfect for slamming into the pit like a ruthless metalmaniac. Moreover, Kim dictates the pace with his crushing beats while Lee Seok extracts sheer heaviness from his guitar in a lecture in venomous Death Metal. There’s time for one final demolishing tune by the quartet titled Asphyxiation by Malignant Neoplasm of Oropharynx, with Ryu growling deeply supported by the extreme, unfriendly sounds blasted by his bandmates, being beyond tailored for admirers of the genre.

Such putrefying EP can be enjoyed in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can add it to your devilish collection by purchasing a copy from their own BandCamp page, from the Brutal Mind’s BandCamp page or webstore, from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also give those brutal South Koreans a shout on Facebook and on Instagram. The ravens soar across vast landscapes formed from the broken bodies of the tortured. They lie in tumbled heaps, hang from hook and branch with every intimate secret of their inner workings torn out and displayed for all to see, while an impossible flicker of agonized life remains within their hopeless eyes. There was no beginning, there will be no ending to the fields of torment, there is only now and always, knee deep in blood forever, with the new EP by Visceral Explosion being the perfect soundtrack for that gory and unfriendly scenario.

Best moments of the album: Acute Necrotizing Hemorrhagic Encephalopathy.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Brutal Mind

Track listing
1. Unanesthetized Hypothalamotomy 3:03
2. Rancid Purulent Neonatal Cerebral Cortex 2:32
3. Acute Necrotizing Hemorrhagic Encephalopathy 2:18
4. Asphyxiation by Malignant Neoplasm of Oropharynx 2:20

Band members
Ryu Gun – vocals, guitar
Lee Seok Ho – guitar
Lee Kyeong Won – bass
Kim Yu Jong – drums

Album Review – Nemesism / Nemesism EP (2023)

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Follow in the footsteps of this Las Vegas-based Brutal Death Metal horde as they tear a bloody path into the future armed with their striking debut effort.

Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, infamously referred to as “Sin City”, the newborn ruthless Brutal Death Metal entity named Nemesism will crush you like an insect to the sound of their debut five-track self-titled EP. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ryan Wechta (Cerebral Incubation, Guttural Secrete, Invirulant) at Sound Horizon Productions, the EP hits with a staggering sonic impact while the haunting artwork created by Bahrull Marta (Asagraum, Centinex, Illdisposed) completes the package perfectly, showcasing all the talent and fury of vocalist Andrew LoMastro (Cerebral Incubation), guitarist Randall Thompson (Euphegenia, Guttural Secrete), bassist Bruno Macias Quezada (Foul Deformity, Guttural Secrete), and drummer Michael Fitzgerald (Guttural Secrete).

From the pits of the underworld comes a sonic attack entitled Mindful Abomination, with Michael sounding like a demonic beast behind his drums while Andrew vomits the song’s darkened words manically in the name of Brutal Death Metal, followed by Absolved in the Abyss, even more demolishing than the opening tune, a bestial onrush of Death Metal by the band with Randall kicking ass with his riffs while Bruno is on fire armed with his rumbling bass. Then sheer hatred flows uninterruptedly in Constricting the Ambient Noise, with Andrew barking and screaming nonstop supported by the inhumane drums by Michael. Terminal Spreading Depolarization is a lesson in brutality, speed and heaviness by Nemesism where Randall doesn’t stop extracting pure electricity from his guitar, while Bruno’s bass will hammer your ears in great fashion, and the band makes sure no one survives their Brutal Death Metal assault by ending the EP with the fulminating Delusions of Morality, very technical and visceral spearheaded by Andrew’s evil roars and screeches.

Follow in the footsteps of Nemesism as they tear a bloody path into the future armed with their self-titled debut effort (available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), and who knows where this journey will end, being highly recommended for admirers of the music by Cryptopsy, Defeated Sanity, Malignancy and Wormed, among others. Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and to purchase a copy of their visceral EP from their own BandCamp page or Big Cartel, adding a relatively short but infuriated dosage of Brutal Death Metal made in the United States to your private collection of first-class extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Absolved in the Abyss and Terminal Spreading Depolarization.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Mindful Abomination 3:51
2. Absolved in the Abyss 2:50
3. Constricting the Ambient Noise 4:05
4. Terminal Spreading Depolarization 2:43
5. Delusions of Morality 4:01

Band members
Andrew LoMastro – vocals
Randall Thompson – guitar
Bruno Macias Quezada – bass
Michael Fitzgerald – drums

Album Review – Skulldozer / Non Stop Ruthless Crushing (2023)

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Behold the debut effort by this ruthless American beast, showcasing a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal.

Blasting a visceral and crushing form of Death Metal since their inception back in 2020 in Texas, but currently located in Long Beach, a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States, Skulldozer will smash your cranial skull with their newborn spawn, entitled Non Stop Ruthless Crushing. Combining elements of traditional Death Metal and modern melodic Sludge Metal, the band comprised of Jason Ramsay on vocals and guitars, Keith Dobson on lead guitars, Mike Spurlock on bass, and Joel Stepp on drums has truly captured a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal, delivering a ten-song offering of powerful and catchy, classic Death Metal that worships at the altar of righteous headbanging.

The title-track Non Stop Ruthless Crushing will darken your soul and crush you like an insect from the very first second, with Jason’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with the venomous riffage by the same Jason and Keith; whereas Joel sounds like a stone crusher in the vile Thy Enemies Driven Before Me, again showcasing the band’s passion for all things Death Metal, sounding visceral and heavy until the end. Kingdom Ossuarium is a neck-breaking, mid-tempo black mass by the quartet spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Jason while Mike hammers his bass mercilessly, and blasting sheer heaviness and hatred it’s time for Hatesworn Shitstorm, one of the most crushing songs of the album with Joel stealing the spotlight with his demonic beats. After that, get ready for two and a half minutes of absolute chaos and insanity titled Scum Beneath the Skin, offering brutal and technical Death Metal for the masses with Jason and Keith kicking ass with their riffs and solos.

Adding hints of obscure Doom Metal to their already damned sonority, the band fires Wolves Amongst Sheeple, showcasing another round of their headbanging riffs and fulminating beats, and more of their old school Death Metal sounds comes in the form of Bastards of Zeus, where not a single second is left empty, overflowing obscurity, rage and heaviness led by the pounding drums by Joel. Then in Bow to None the band alternates between faster moments and pure heaviness with Jason growling deeply during the entire song, supported by Joel’s crushing beats and Mike’s rumbling bass, whereas Deathblessed keeps the album at a high level of animosity, albeit a bit generic if compared to the rest of the album, while once again bringing elements from classic doom. Finally, those American death metallers offer our avid ears the infernal Skullfucking Domination, where the entire band is on fire, in special Joel with his demolishing beats, and with Jason vociferating rabidly in the name of extreme music.

If you want to show your support to this newborn beast named Skulldozer, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, more of their music and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and above all that, grab your copy of Non Stop Ruthless Crushing from their own BandCamp page as well as from the Guts and Blood Records’ BandCamp page. Skulldozer are among us to stay based on the high quality of the music found in their extremely vile debut album, and if I were you I would start warming up your neck for some unstoppable headbanging as soon as those guys hit the road with their venomous and demonic Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Hatesworn Shitstorm, Scum Beneath the Skin and Skullfucking Domination.

Worst moments of the album: Deathblessed.

Released in 2023 Guts and Blood Records/Rotten Records

Track listing
1. Non Stop Ruthless Crushing 4:35
2. Thy Enemies Driven Before Me 4:01
3. Kingdom Ossuarium 4:59
4. Hatesworn Shitstorm 3:58
5. Scum Beneath the Skin 2:30
6. Wolves Amongst Sheeple 4:42
7. Bastards of Zeus 3:47
8. Bow to None 5:05
9. Deathblessed 6:33
10. Skullfucking Domination 4:03

Band members
Jason Ramsay – vocals, guitars
Keith Dobson – lead guitars
Mike Spurlock – bass
Joel Stepp – drums

Album Review – Bloody Falls / Dying is Easy EP (2023)

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This Finnish five-piece metal act is ready to attack with their new EP, a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death.

Formed back in 2017 in the city of Valkeakoski, Finland, the five-piece killer combo known as Bloody Falls combines all kind of elements of the most extreme metal genres, including blasting drums, epic passages and memorable guitar riffs that will make your head explode in a million pieces, while having their sound rooted in contemporary Melodic Black and Death Metal. Now in 2023 the band formed of Antero Hakala on vocals, Stavros Mathios and Marko Mäkinen on the guitars, Mika Lehtinen on bass and Rami Vartiainen on drums is unleashing upon humanity their new EP entitled Dying is Easy, following up on their 2021 album Burn the Witch. Recording and produced by the band’s own guitarist Stavros Mathios at VStudio, and mixed and mastered by Max Morton at Morton Studio, the EP is a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death, all introduced by heavy riffs and guttural vocals.

Are you scared to die, or are you scared to live? Well, Bloody Falls will answer that question to you in Dying is Easy, a brutal explosion of Black, Death and Groove Metal led by the venomous roars by Antero while Stravos and Marko darken the atmosphere with their devilish riffs. Then get ready for six minutes of sheer heaviness and obscurity in the modern-day Black and Death Metal feast titled Dancing with Flames, with Mika’s rumbling bass and Rami’s hammering drums inspiring us all to break our necks headbanging like crazy bastards; whereas Face Your Demise leans towards modern-day Melodic Death Metal with some Metalcore nuances, with Antero’s vocals sounding as evil as possible accompanied by the classic and melodic guitars by Stravos and Marko. It’s time for a headbanging, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune entitled Death By Hanging, with Rami stealing the spotlight with his massive beats while Antero keeps roaring like a beast, and their last blast of extreme music comes in the form of Reaper Is My Neighbor, where the bass jabs by Mika will hit you hard in the face while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing their stringed weapons in great fashion.

Although it would have been nicer to have a full-length album released by the band instead of just an EP, the 25 minutes of music found in Dying is Easy are already incendiary enough to prove how talented and passionate for heavy music those Finnish metallers are, and if you want to show them your support you can find them and start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new EP from the Art Gates Records webstore, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE. As death is inevitable, why not enjoy some good heavy music during our miserable lives like what Bloody Falls have to offer us all until our very last breath?

Best moments of the album: Dancing with Flames and Death By Hanging.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Art Gates Records

Track listing
1. Dying is Easy 5:13
2. Dancing with Flames 5:46
3. Face Your Demise 4:22
4. Death By Hanging 4:10
5. Reaper Is My Neighbor 4:39

Band members
Antero Hakala – vocals
Stavros Mathios – guitars
Marko Mäkinen – guitars
Mika Lehtinen – bass
Rami Vartiainen – drums

Album Review – Obituary / Dying of Everything (2023)

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It’s time to die to the sound of the instantly memorable newborn beast by Florida’s undisputed Death Metal heavyweight champions.

If you’re a diehard fan of old school Death Metal, you already know that legendary Gibsonton, Florida-based death metallers Obituary returned to the battlefield last week with their newborn sonic attack, entitled Dying of Everything, the follow-up to their 2017 self-titled album. Recorded by the band at their home studio named RedNeck Studios, mixed by Joe Cincotta at Full Force Studio, and displaying a beautiful yet sinister artwork by Polish artist Mariusz Lewandowski (R.I.P.), Dying Of Everything destroys in the time-honored tradition of early Obituary classics Slowly We Rot and Cause of Death while maintaining the killer studio sound that the band has been perfecting since their 2007 opus Xecutioner’s Return, therefore solidify their legacy as a Death Metal institution and showcasing all the talent and brutality by frontman John Tardy, guitarists Kenny Andrews and Trevor Peres, bassist Terry Butler and drummer Donald Tardy.

The album begins in full force to the sound of the frantic and demonic Barely Alive, where Donald crushes his drums mercilessly in the name of our good old Death Metal. Put differently, what an insane tune by Obituary, and they continue their violent attack in The Wrong Time, which I had the pleasure of seeing live before the album was released when they opened for Amon Amarth in Toronto in December 2022, being absolutely solid, furious and perfect for some sick headbanging. The dirty bass by Terry together with the razor-edged riffage by Kenny and Trevor offer John exactly what he needs to distill his venomous roars in Without a Conscience, sounding neck-breaking and vibrant until the very end, whereas the band then darken the skies to the sound of the sick and vile War, where John once again growls majestically throughout the entire song in a lecture in old school Death Metal. And putting the pedal to the metal it’s time for the title-track Dying of Everything, showcasing an amazing guitar job done by Kenny and Trevor.

In My Will to Live we’re treated to wicked lyrics vociferated by John (“Bury me with a cross, with the cross tide / My will / Sentence me to the sand, liquify / My will to live / My will to live”) amidst a sinister and heavy atmosphere, followed by By the Dawn, featuring a guest guitar solo by David Austin of Nasty Savage, offering us all more of the band’s classic Death Metal spearheaded by the pounding beats by Donald. Then get ready to crush your damned body into the circle pit to the sound of Weaponize the Hate, with the whole band being in absolute sync and, therefore, turning it into one of the best moments of the album hands down; whereas their guitars keep cutting our skin deep without mercy in Torn Apart, another extremely well-crafted tune that represents the past, present and future of Obituary, with John sounding even more enraged than before. Lastly, although heavy and obscure, the mid-tempo Be Warned doesn’t bring the same energy as the rest of the album. John has an excellent vocal performance as usual, though, and the song is still very enjoyable.

In a nutshell, Obituary killed again with dying of Everything, which is by the way available for a full listen on Spotify, proudly keeping the torch of old school Death Metal burning bright wherever they go. Hence, don’t forget to follow those veterans on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos, and above all that, to grab a copy of such flammable album from their own BandCamp page, from the Relapse Records webstore, or simply click HERE to get your desired version of the album. Dying Of Everything is instantly memorable, and it will surely inspire the band to keep moving forward no matter what. “I think it comes down to passion,” said John. “I say this all the time, but if something’s not fun, I’m not gonna do it. And we’re having more fun than ever.” Well, thank you, John and the rest of Obituary, for such fun album!

Best moments of the album: Barely Alive, War, Weaponize the Hate and Torn Apart.

Worst moments of the album: Be Warned.

Released in 2023 Relapse Records

Track listing
1. Barely Alive 3:32
2. The Wrong Time 4:28
3. Without a Conscience 4:28
4. War 4:25
5. Dying of Everything 4:43
6. My Will to Live 5:20
7. By the Dawn 4:35
8. Weaponize the Hate 4:00
9. Torn Apart 3:37
10. Be Warned 5:49

Band members
John Tardy – vocals
Kenny Andrews – lead guitars
Trevor Peres – rhythm guitars
Terry Butler – bass
Donald Tardy – drums

Guest musician
David Austin – guitar solo on “By the Dawn”

Album Review – Leper Colony / Leper Colony (2023)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

I’m very much of the opinion that Rogga Johansson doesn’t sleep! How can he sleep with a list of bands and projects that would keep a civil servant happy for a decade? His latest endeavour is the Death/Thrash Metal triumvirate Leper Colony, who have chosen Friday the 13th of January as a suitable date to unleash their debut self-titled album through Transcending Obscurity Records.

You can’t ask for a more powerful opener than The Human Paradox; a blistering track of intensive Death Metal ferocity and wild thrashing aggression. Deep growled vocals bring to life a very captivating chorus section whilst chugging riffs and frenzied drumming complete with punishing bass and extravagant guitar melodies. ‘Perdition’s End’ is a more direct and hard-hitting track with simpler riffs and in-your face vocals, though the rhythm guitar here has a cold tinge to it that is rather enigmatic.

There is little variation to this opus which spans just over the half an hour mark, save for the odd passage of slower, groovier rhythm such as during tracks like Rapture Addict. However, the ferocious aggression, raging guitar solos and fuck you attitude certainly make up for that! A very listenable album full to the gills with mighty riffs, energetic urgent drumming styles and unadulterated violence.

Best moments of the album: The roaring opener that is The Human Paradox.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 by Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. The Human Paradox 4:22
2. Perdition’s End 3:19
3. The Surgical Undeadvors 3:43
4. Tar and Feathers 3:15
5. Rapture Addict 4:40
6. Leper Colony 4:35
7. A Flow So Greatly Macabre 3:20
8. Flesh Crawl Demise 3:24
9. Gruesome End 2:55

Band members
Marc Grewe – vocals
Rogga Johansson – guitars, bass
Jon Skäre – drums

Links
Leper Colony Facebook | YouTube | BandCamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon

Album Review – Seven Doors / Feast of the Repulsive Dead (2023)

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Behold the spine-chilling debut album by this one-man outfit from the UK, flawlessly combining his passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal.

A one-man horror-themed Death Metal band formed in 2020 in Cornwall, located in the southwest of the UK, the unrelenting Seven Doors, whose name is inspired by the name of the hotel in Lucio Fulci’s 1981 film The Beyond, is ready to take everything to the next level of horror with the project’s debut full-length album Feast of the Repulsive Dead, the follow-up to its 2021 debut EP The Gates of Hell. Recorded by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wills, mixed by Ben King at Cryptic Sound, mastered by JB Van Der Wal at Hewwetover Studio, and displaying an 80’s horror flick-themed cover art by Dedy Badic Art, Feast of the Repulsive Dead flawlessly combines Ryan’s passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal, with his musical influences stemming from renowned acts like Death, Gorguts, Asphyx, Malevolent Creation and Cannibal Corpse, resulting in a banger of a record that will certainly grab the attention of Death Metal enthusiasts worldwide.

Fully created by Slasher Dave of Acid Witch, A Quiet Night in the Cemetery is a great intro absolutely inspired by all of those awesome slasher flicks form the 80’s, sending shivers down your spine before Ryan begins decimating his guitar in the title-track Feast of the Repulsive Dead, a lesson in brutality and gore where he roars and gnarls deeply like a creature taken from a horror movie. And Ryan keeps distilling his visceral, in-your-face Death Metal in the also demolishing Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed, displaying an amazing job done with his riffage and his vile but intricate beats; followed by The Morbid Mortician, with the guest solo by Paul Nazarkardeh of De Profundis bringing an extra touch of insanity to the music, therefore living up to the legacy of the genre, with the song’s infuriated riffage being a thing of beauty. Ryan’s fusion of Death Metal and horror continues to impress in Welcome Back to Life, offering more of his demonic growls amidst a neck-breaking sonic devastation, whereas inspired by giants the likes of Immolation, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel, it’s time for a mid-tempo, heavy-as-hell tune titled I’ll Swallow Your Soul, with Ryan once again being on fire with all instruments.

It’s then time to slam into the circle pit to the sound of the Death Metal extravaganza titled The Hack Shack, showcasing a huge dosage of violence and gore spiced up by the hard work Ryan put into each second of the song, feeling very detailed, exciting and brutal, and there’s no time to breathe as Ryan continues to crush our damned souls in Isolated Existence, another Cannibal Corpse-inspired tune presenting hammering drums and demented riffs. After such demolishing tune, a serene intro explodes into sheer violence and hatred in The Graves of Matool. Needless to say, Ryan sounds infernal with both his guttural roars and unstoppable Death Metal riffs; and Ryan still has a lot of fuel to burn with Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, featuring the guest solos by Chris Monroy and Mike De La O of Skeletal Remains, another bestial composition where his bass and drums will hit you hard in the head. Lastly, we have his rendition of Malevolent Creation’s Eve of the Apocalypse (check the original one HERE from their 1992 album Retribution), and I must say what a beautiful tribute by Ryan and his Seven Doors, sounding as demented and obscure as the original version.

“The key theme here for me is density: protein-packed riffs rip along with satisfying retro thickness, sometimes shifting gears up into buzzing tremolo passages, and everything from the kick drum to the vocals just packs onto the satisfying impact. That’s not to say anything is overcrowded, but thin and lifeless death metal this is not. Classic staples of the genre, like larger-than-life solos floating on top of the mix and gnarly bass runs helping to kick off songs, keep Feast of the Repulsive Dead grounded and viciously enjoyable throughout. Whether or not you’re in the right climate to share my mindset, the end of the year – and this year specifically – tends to be rough for many reasons. Let Seven Doors drive away some of those worries through sheer force,” commented Ryan about his fantastic, must-listen new opus, and if you want to show him your support you can follow Seven Doors on Facebook and Instagram, stream his music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of Feast of the Repulsive Dead from his own BandCamp page, or from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the US (as a CD or an LP) and in Europe (also as a CD or as an LP) sooner than a dead body can resuscitate as a zombie.

Best moments of the album: Feast of the Repulsive Dead, The Morbid Mortician, The Hack Shack and Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records

Track listing
1. A Quiet Night in the Cemetery 1:08
2. Feast of the Repulsive Dead 4:56
3. Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed 3:55
4. The Morbid Mortician 5:00
5. Welcome Back to Life 4:20
6. I’ll Swallow Your Soul 4:01
7. The Hack Shack 3:38
8. Isolated Existence 4:13
9. The Graves of Matool 5:40
10. Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers 3:13
11. Eve of the Apocalypse (Malevolent Creation cover) 3:05

Band members
Ryan Wills – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Slasher Dave – everything on “A Quiet Night in the Cemetery”
Paul Nazarkardeh – guitar solo on “The Morbid Mortician”
Chris Monroy – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”
Mike De La O – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”

Album Review – Nothingness / Supraliminal (2023)

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Raise your horns to the cauldronous mix of multiple extreme styles carefully crafted by this remorseless Death Metal entity from Minnesota.

Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Death Metal purveyors Nothingness are finally back with their sophomore album, entitled Supraliminal, following up on their critically acclaimed 2019 debut album The Hollow Gaze of Death. Tracked, mixed, and mastered by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording, produced by Nothingness and Adam Tucker, and displaying a sick artwork by Mark Voortallen (aka Vulture), Supraliminal brings to our ears a cauldronous mix of multiple extreme styles carefully crafted by Barclay Olson on vocals, Alex Walstad on the guitars, bass, syntsh, 12 string and backing vocals, and Jason Hirt on drums, always respecting the history of metal and, therefore, being recommended for admirers of Gorguts, Gojira, Morbid Angel and Iniquity, among others extreme music giants.

Featuring DgS of Suffering Hour on guest vocals, the opening tune Curse of Creation brings forward sick lyrics barked by Barclay (“Formed gilded rotted repeated / Malformed deities adorn Gardens of / Spiritual decay / Death feeds / Mankind breeds / The Flame consumes / resplendently / Life is a curse”) amidst sheer groove, violence and intricacy, and Alex keeps hammering his guitar and bass supported by the massive beast by Jason in the old school Death Metal feast titled Horrendous Incantation, blasting a no shenanigans, in-your-face sonority that will please all fans of the genre. Catapulted Into Hyperspace, featuring guest guitars by YhA of Suffering Hour and guest vocals by XH, offers more of the band’s vicious metal attack, with Jason once again kicking some ass behind his drums, whereas Temple of Broken Swords brings to our ears over six minutes of a disturbing atmosphere generated by the band, resulting in an infernal display of Death Metal spearheaded by the visceral roars by Barclay.

And that heavy and somber ambience keeps darkening our minds in Festering Abstraction, presenting hints of Blackened Doom for our total delight; followed by Inviolate Viscera, featuring guest Jubjy on vibraslap and YhA once again on the guitars, the shortest of all songs but exhaling pure evil spiced up by its vile lyrics (“Wandering down writhing corridors / Twisting turning / Coming apart at the seams / Tunnels worming ever inward / Fluid leaking from in between”). Then blending Death and Doom Metal in a meticulous manner, the band fires seven Stygian minutes in Beacon of Loss, where Jason pounds his drums manically while Barclay vociferates deeply until the very last second, and get ready to have your skull crushed by the band in The Anvil, one of the heaviest songs of the album led by the venomous growling by Barclay, overflowing groove and sulfur. Lastly, DgS is back on vocals in Decimation Mechanism, starting in a very sinister way before morphing into one final onrush of obscure death, also showcasing an amazing job done on the guitars by Alex.

You can soon put your dirty, damned hands on Supraliminal by purchasing the album from the Everlasting Spew Records’ BandCamp page or webstore in CD or tape format, and don’t forget to also start following Nothingness on Facebook and on Instagram for all things surrounding the band, and to stream more of their wicked creations on Spotify. In a nutshell, those Minneapolis guys definitely know how to create crushing, visceral, heavy-as-hell Death Metal, with Supraliminal presenting a big step in their career and, consequently, pointing to a bright future ahead of them without a shadow of a doubt.

Best moments of the album: Horrendous Incantation, Temple of Broken Swords and The Anvil.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Curse of Creation 4:31
2. Horrendous Incantation 4:19
3. Catapulted Into Hyperspace 4:37
4. Temple of Broken Swords 6:36
5. Festering Abstraction 5:10
6. Inviolate Viscera 2:37
7. Beacon of Loss 7:11
8. The Anvil 3:42
9. Decimation Mechanism 4:43

Band members
Barclay Olson – vocals
Alex Walstad – guitar, bass, synth, 12 string, backing vocals
Jason Hirt – drums

Guest musicians
DgS – additional vocals on “Curse of Creation” and “Decimation Mechanism”
YhA – additional guitars on “Catapulted Into Hyperspace” and “Inviolate Viscera”
XH – additional vocals on “Catapulted Into Hyperspace”
Jubjy – vibraslap on “Inviolate Viscera”

Concert Review – Walter Froebrich Memorial Show (The Rockpile, Toronto, ON, 01/07/2023)

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A beautiful tribute to the life of the Metal Mayor of Toronto and his undisputed passion for heavy music. 

INTRODUCTION: AM HERE…

If you have no idea who Walter Froebrich was, let’s say he was the Metal Mayor of Toronto, as I’ve seen many people referring to him as. He was in pretty much every metal concert we all attended i the city in the past 20 years, from Heavy Metal to Death and Black Metal, from Thrash Metal to Deathcore and Viking Metal, and so on, always holding a few beers, always raising the horns, always surrounded by friends, and always supporting metal music no matter what. He even had his own motto, “AM HERE.” Sadly, in November 2022 due to lack of proper healthcare by the Toronto authorities Walter passed away at home after several visits to the hospital, and that brought a lot of grief to all metal fans in the city. If he had received a proper service, if he had been through the required scans and so on, he would still be around us. He will be extremely missed by the metal community in all upcoming concerts in Toronto, no doubt about that. I was going to use the common expression “may his soul rest in piece”, but I’m sure Walter himself would prefer a slight adaptation of it, “may his soul rest in metal”.

WALTER FROEBRICH MEMORIAL SHOW

That’s why on January 7 the Toronto scene came together to celebrate Walter’s life and his passion for heavy music at The Rockpile with the Walter Froebrich Memorial Show, an event organized by Steve Hoeg, Drew Masters, Junior Jr LeClerc and Jake Disman, among others, with no more, no less than TWENTY SEVEN bands playing from 1pm until midnight to a sold out venue, while money for Walter’s family was raised through a silent auction and a 50/50 draw. Unfortunately due to personal reasons I could not attend the celebration, but my friend and photographer Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was there to capture some amazing shots of the entire show, and to provide us with a sense of how awesome everything was and how happy Walter must be whenever he is right now with his homage.

In Keith’s own words, “we raised over 17,000 dollars for Walter’s family. It was a sold out show. All the bands were absolutely amazing! Drew Masters was the MC for the evening. The friends Walter made over his concerts outings just blew my mind! Each one is family, the metal community is one big family, they come together for each other like no other.” And as you can see from the photo gallery below, it was indeed a night to remember, a celebration of life and metal, exactly how Walter would have liked it to be. Here are all the fantastic bands that were on the bill, and as many people have said Walter would have certainly taken a selfie with each one of them…

The House of Haunt
Snake River Redemption
Dominant Species
Madam
Anger by Design
GFU
Dawn Vally
Cowboys from Hell (Pantera tribute)
Disciple (Slayer tribute)
King Moonracer
Byrdy
Fury 44
Sons Of Sabbath
Freeloader
Spades GT
MLC
Omnivert
Devil Witch
The Dominion
The Android Meme
Burdizzo
Crème Flesh
Pillars of Eternity (Down tribute)
Red Lowe (circus performer)
Phear
Chainfall
Gen-X (90’s rock cover band)

In the Facebook page to the event you can find a lot more details about the whole thing, see other photos taken by different attendees, other posts and discussions around Walter and the metal community in Toronto, and so on, as well as a very nice summary of the night on the video below. RIP WALTER! AM HERE!

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Album Review – Fatalismo / Dominate to Exterminate EP (2023)

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Bang your heads to the debut EP by this Puerto Rican Melodic Death Metal horde, telling the story of how sometimes we feel dominated by dark thoughts or by someone with evil intentions.

Hailing from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, the newborn Melodic Death Metal squad known as Fatalismo is ready to crush our souls with their debut EP, entitled Dominate to Exterminate, highly recommended for fans of The Crown, Hypocrisy, Dark Tranquility and Kataklysm, among others. Recorded at Music Rite Studio, produced by the band’s own vocalist Abraham Baez, mixed and mastered by their own guitarist Joel Rodriguez, and displaying a sick artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, Dominate to Exterminate tells the story of how sometimes we feel dominated by dark thoughts or by someone with evil intentions, showcasing all the talent and passion for extreme music by the aforementioned Abraham and Joel alongside bassist Jose Ortiz and drummer Norman Saez.

Joel (with the help of guest guitarist Rafael Sanchez) ignites the band’s Puerto Rican attack with his infernal riffs in Dominate to Exterminate, while Jose blasts his bass manically. Moreover, although their core sound is rooted in Melodic Death Metal, there’s a lot of classic Death Metal to enjoy in their music, and they continue their infuriated onrush in Undeceased, with Norman crushing his drums and inviting us all to slam our cranial skulls into the circle pit while Abraham roars and screams in the name of extreme music. Then adding elements from traditional Thrash Metal to their core sonority the quartet keeps hammering our heads nonstop with their piercing riffs and rumbling bass lines in Darkest Thoughts, not to mention how demented Abraham sounds on vocals; whereas the melodic riffs by Joel and Rafael will penetrate deep inside your mind in The Devil Came to Play, sounding extremely heavy and groovy thanks to the excellent job done by the band’s kitchen of Jose and Norman. Finally, closing such powerful EP we have Sacred Hills, a vicious, neck-breaking extravaganza led by the classic beats by Norman while Abraham keeps vociferating like a beast for our total delight, ending their metallic feast on a high note.

In summary, Dominate to Exterminate might be short in duration, but it effectively represents everything Fatalismo are capable of, and if you want to show your utmost support to the Puerto Rican metal scene you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel and stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Dominate to Exterminate by clicking HERE. The band offers us all in their new album five songs that at the same deal with fictional stories and the state of mind and emotions of humanity these days, and after listening to its intense 18 minutes of music you’ll quickly realize there’s no better music style to perfectly represent our rotten reality than our good old Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Undeceased and Sacred Hills.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Dominate to Exterminate 4:33
2. Undeceased 2:46
3. Darkest Thoughts 3:16
4. The Devil Came to Play 3:26
5. Sacred Hills 3:49

Band members
Abraham Baez – vocals
Joel Rodriguez – guitars
Jose Ortiz – bass
Norman Saez – drums

Guest musician
Rafael Sanchez – guitars