I find a lot of the cover art that is created by Skadvaldur to be very impressive, but the artwork for Carnal Heresy is a step above even his usual work. This is the sophomoric album from Swedish Death Metal band Wretched Fate and has been put out on CD and LP through those purveyors of all things excellent and dark, Redefining Darkness Records.
Right from the opening moments of Mind Desecrator the carnage on display is all encompassing. A sonically brutal apocalypse of malicious intent laden guitar tones combined with a deep and ominous sounding bass display, as well as a thuggish old school drumming style and gripping vocal work from frontman Adrian Selmani whose rumbling growls are harrowing and yet draw you into every chorus!
Whereas some Death Metal bands like to create a dark and gloomy atmosphere, Wretched Fate sticks doggedly to brutality over everything else, with a viciously technical underbelly in the form of twisting and writhing guitar rhythms. So whilst other bands are focusing on layered atmospherics, Wretched Fate are too busy chugging you into the abyss for any of that!
I wouldn’t expect anything less from an album entitled Carnal Heresy than a full blooded Death Metal beatdown, and these Swedish purveyors of riffs and decimation deliver up a grueling display of powerful and sickening hostility and barbaric violence.
Best moments of the album: I love how the vocals draw you into each chorus!
Worst moments of the album: Nothing, it’s a strong album in all areas.
Released in 2023 by Redefining Darkness Records
Track listing 1. Mind Desecrator 3:24
2. Momentary Suicide 3:25
3. Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue 3:05
4. Cry from Beyond 4:25
5. Umbilical Suffocation 5:26
6. Harlots for Suffering 4:02
7. Upon the Weak 4:40
8. Morbid Testament 4:36
9. Spineless Horror 5:55
Band members Adrian Selmani – vocals
Mats Andersson – guitars, backing vocals
Fredrik Wikberg – guitars, guitar solo on “Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue”
Robin Magnusson – bass
Samuel Karlstrand – drums
Guest musicians Alexander Högborn – additional vocals on “Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue”
Mikael Hanni – additional vocals on “Harlots for Suffering”
FesterDecay are a quartet of Goregrind fanatics who hail from Fukoaka in Japan. Since their 2016 inception the band have put together a decent list of demo and split releases, however 2023 sees the band’s first full length offering; a fourteen track opus of filth and degradation that they have called Reality Rotten to the Core. Rather appropriately, Everlasting Spew Records have unleashed this putrid beast on both CD and cassette.
Leave it to the Japanese to do Goregrind properly. Rather than simply churn out a series of breakdowns, pig squeals and audio samples, FesterDecay have given their sound a firm foundation of old school Death Metal with the inclusion of thunderous and bleak sounding riffs and a sturdy and pummeling back line of throbbing bass tones and thumping aggression from behind the kit. From there the pestilent vocal work of KK2 kicks in to add a layer of grime and detritus, whilst the riffs take on a thuggish and belligerent tone.
Sporting a heady mixture of bowel trembling bass lines and wildly erratic guitar solos, Fall in Grind starts out with a grueling and abrasive sound and only gets sicker and more devastating as more time passes. It isn’t until fourth track Disintegration of Organs that the band really unleash a fully Goregrind sounding style; meaty chugging riffs, furious and violent drum tones and a bass line you could garotte with, whilst all the while the vocals gurgle and boil away to themselves before spewing forth a hostile tirade of bile and pus!
If you want sickening song names attached to mind bending aggressive bouts of malicious, blood curdling sickness, look no further than Aborticide. Not a track for the pro-lifer brigade as I’m sure you could imagine. I like the tracks that slow things down though, the tracks that let the bass tones fester in their juices and riffs take on a deranged, predatory air before unleashing a vicious volley of blood soaked anal fluid in your face; such as the appropriately named Stench of Decay.
In the midst of all of this putridity and carnage, thuggery and hooliganism, there sits From the Dark Tomb which for the most part is a lesson in brooding, oppressive sounding OSDM that then degrades into a maelstrom of pus splattering riffs and maniacal drumming which then plays out over the next few tracks as a purge style rout of blistering heaviness and uncontrollable animosity and animalistic tendencies truly take hold.
In all seriousness, Reality Rotten to the Core is a good blend of the barbaric, the groove drenched and the needlessly silly; everything I want from a good Grindcore album. Plus the OSDM influence which so few bands of this kind utilize. Well played squires.
Best moments of the album: The infusion of an OSDM foundation to their sound. Plus, Aborticide & From the Dark Tomb.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 by Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Rotten Fester Decay 2:16
2. Hash the Tongue 1:36
3. Fall in Grind 2:07
4. Disintegration of Organs 2:13
5. Aborticide 2:17
6. Stench of Decay 3:38
7. Psychopharmacist 1:06
8. From the Dark Tomb 2:45
9. Exposing the Skin Tissue 1:47
10. Carcasses’ Revenge 2:38
11. Cryptic Wounds 1:26
12. Liquidized Gallbladder 0:44
13. Scum’s Karma 2:28
14. Reconstruction of Malignant Miasma 3:53
Band members KK2 – vocals
Haru – guitar, vocals
⻲頭 – bass, guitar
Ryozy – drums
A newborn Texas-based outfit will attack your senses with the merciless Death Metal from their debut effort, emerging straight out of the impending doom.
Formed in 2022 and influenced by classic Florida Death Metal, but seasoned with Bolt Thrower and Pantera’s Texas groove, Corpus Christi, Texas-based Death Metal outfit Throat Locust seeks to create extreme music with a broad appeal, producing merciless Death Metal that emerges straight out of the impending doom as it can be seen in their debut EP, entitled Dragged Through Glass. Formed of Gil Perez on vocals, Eric Calvert and Alex Gregory on the guitars, Adrian Cavazos on bass, and Rob Cantu on drums, the band has been focusing on refining their brutal sound and preparing to start cracking skulls in a basements of the touring circuit armed with their newborn opus, showcasing an epic insight into the quintet’s heavy realms and, therefore, being highly recommended for admirers of Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Dismember and Gatecreeper, among several others.
The dirty, raw riffs by Eric and Alex ignite the infuriated Death Metal tune entitled Death Lurker, preparing the stage for Gil to roar like a demonic beast in a straightforward, in-your-face metal attack with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements. Then we have Corruption & Greed, even more demented than the opening song, with the band taking their heaviness and rage to a whole new level while Rob keeps hammering his drums in the name of classic Death Metal, always supported by the solid bass lines by Adrian. In other words, I would love to hear more of this version of Throat Locust in their future releases. Lastly, closing the EP it’s time for a headbanging feast named Axe Grinder, offering more of the band’s brutalizing music with Gil once again barking and growling deeply while Eric and Alex pierce our ears with their razor-edged riffs and solos.
In a nutshell, the pulverizing Dragged Through Glass, which will soon be available on Spotify and also on sale from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music and from Amazon, represents exactly what the band itself explained about their music, being violent yet melodic, raw yet groovy, working as a great start to the new path being paved by Throat Locust. Hence, don’t forget to get in touch with those talented Texans through Facebook and Instagram, or simply click HERE for all things Throat Locust. Both the name of the band and of the EP already tell you that the music is going to be brutal, which is exactly Throat Locust’s goal, and they more than succeeded in their quest for violence throughout the EP’s 12 minutes of music. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see what’s next for those guys when they’re able to release a full-bodied album in the near future.
“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins
And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).
However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich. Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.
1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW) Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles
2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW) The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy
3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW) The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell
4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW) Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst
5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW) A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata
6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW) One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher
7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW) Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch
8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW) Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings
9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW) There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice
10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW) Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement
And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:
11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)
In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.
1. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)
Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?
Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2023!
And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!
Failure of State is the third full length instalment from San Franciscan Death/Thrash quartet Absolute Darkness. Part album, part call to arms, Absolute Darkness’s first opus since 2018’s Disaster Awaits is a rabble rousing affair as well as a slamming indictment of modern day society and those that pretend to govern us.
Opening tracks Rounded Up and Mob Rules are anger fueled slabs of hatred that talk of sparking rebellion and standing for what’s right, and those messages are delivered through fast paced riffs and drumming on top of a bass heavy rhythm and powerful growling vocal work. This is not a band calling for a peaceful resolution, that’s for damn sure.
Some tracks despair at the state of the world, such as Sanity Is Gonewhilst others come at things from a different perspective, as is the case during My Forever Rulein which the band put themselves into the shoes of a dictator and ask the question; why do the people oppose me?
A very interesting album and thematically engaging and varied. Musically the fare is direct and well performed though a little unspectacular. Absolute Darkness create music with a mainly Thrash mentality (And a few hardcore sensibilities) and then thrown in more Death Metal style vocals, as well as some meatier DM riffs. Certainly anyone of a political leaning should check this out; it will stoke the fires of your anger.
Best moments of the album: The rabble rousing stomp and ceremony of Mob Rules.
Worst moments of the album: No bad moments though the album is a little samey.
Released in 2022 by Sliptrick Records
Track listing 1. Rounded Up 4:13
2. Mob Rule 4:49
3. Sanity Is Gone 4:28
4. My Forever Rule 4:00
5. Failure Of State 4:42
6. My Assassination 4:00
7. The Republic 3:59
8. Unite! 3:37
Bonus tracks 9. Chaos Unleashed 4:33
10. Mad King 5:35
11. On My Way To Death 4:55
Band members Ron Dorn – vocals, guitars
Douglas Vetter II – lead guitars, backing vocals
Orson Sojo – bass
Emad Dajani – drums
It’s time to slam into the pit to the vicious Death Metal spawned by this incendiary French band, dealing with a dystopian universe inspired by science-fiction literature.
The vicious Death Metal spawned by Saint-Nazaire, Pays de la Loire, France-based act Atrocia correlates with diversity and energy, being inspired by the major figures from the 90’s scene in the United States such as Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Death with elements of Thrash Metal and a nuance of Grindcore added to their trademark sound. Dealing with a dystopian universe in their lyrics since their inception in 2003, particularly inspired by science-fiction literature, Atrocia are back in action now in 2022 with their third full-length album, entitled Contamination, with the crisp recording and mixing by Arthur Lauth at Brown Bear Recording, the mastering by Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Productions, and the futuristic artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre while also showcasing all the talent by vocalist and guitarist Julien Lésébos, guitarist Sebastian Fuentes, bassist Arnaud Beilvert, and drummer Pierre Garcia.
The fulminating riffs by Julien and Sebastian kick off the brutal Unleashing The Insurgency, with Pierre’s crushing beats adding even more fuel to the band’s Death Metal machine without showing a single second of peace, whereas more of the band’s vile Death Metal comes in the form of Corridors Of The Living Dead, with Julien barking deeply à la Chris Barnes while Arnaud’s bass and Pierre’s drums fill out every empty space in the atmosphere. In Incorporeal Killer the unrelenting Julien keeps vomiting the song’s bloodthirsty words while Pierre dictates the song’s pace, also bringing forward sick, strident guitar solos; and a beyond sinister intro gradually morphs into a putrid sonority in Monolith, an old school Death Metal extravaganza where the whole band will demolish our senses with their heavy-as-hell artillery.
The second half of the album begins in full force with Iron Corps Icy Stalk, presenting truly melodic riffs and solos by Julien and Sebastian while Arnaud and Pierre show no mercy for our damned souls with their wicked kitchen (despite its second part getting a bit repetitive), whereas Lies brings to our avid ears more of their old school Death Metal for our total delight, with Pierre once again stealing the spotlight with his infernal blast beats. Then a cinematic, cryptic start permeates the air until the band returns with their hellish wall of sounds in Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra, where their riffs will pierce our minds mercilessly, sounding and feeling absolutely pulverizing in an ode to all things Death Metal. Lastly, the band brings forth over seven minutes of pure savagery titled Embrace The Venom, perfect for headbanging like a beast while Pierre hammers his drums with tons of groove, supported by the diabolical riffs and bass by his bandmates.
In summary, Atrocia more than nailed it with Contamination, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, perfectly adding their dystopian lyrics into their core (and extremely brutal) Death Metal, and if you want to show those French metallers how much you love their music you can buy their new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music, or from Amazon, as well as by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. It might have taken a few years after the band’s inception before they could release their first full-length effort, but now we can say such French brigade has been on a roll since their 2012 album Inward Chaos, with Contamination cementing their name in the French underground extreme music scene.
Best moments of the album:Unleashing The Insurgency, Incorporeal Killer and Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra.
Worst moments of the album:Iron Corps Icy Stalk.
Released in 2022 Great Dane Records
Track listing 1. Unleashing The Insurgency 4:59
2. Corridors Of The Living Dead 3:42
3. Incorporeal Killer 4:49
4. Monolith 7:09
5. Iron Corps Icy Stalk 4:50
6. Lies 4:51
7. Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra 5:34
8. Embrace The Venom 7:25
Band members
Julien Lésébos – vocals, guitar
Sebastian Fuentes – guitar
Arnaud Beilvert – bass
Pierre Garcia – drums
A Melodic Death and Doom Metal one-man band from Armenia is ready to conquer all to the sound of his newborn beast, dealing with insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption and loss.
Formed in 2016 in Yerevan, the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, by vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Artak Karapetyan, the thrilling Melodic Doom/Death Metal one-man act Eternally Scarred has been combining slower tempos with faster, melodic guitars and a raw, dirty production since their 2017 debut effort …of Wisdom, and that’s also the case with Artak’s newborn beast, titled Echoes From Beneath. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Artak himself, and displaying a sinister artwork by Vladimir Prokofiev from Paint-It-Black Design, Echoes From Beneath depicts an amalgamation of subjects such as insanity, nightmares, powerlessness, corruption, loss, coping with all aforementioned topics, or being overcome by them, all embraced by the multi-layered, bold music brought into being by this lone wolf from Armenia.
The opening tune Deviance begins in a very atmospheric and pensive manner, with the minimalist sounds by Artak growing in intensity until his riffs enfold us all in a Doom and Death Metal musicality, with his vociferations bringing even more obscurity to the song. Then leaning towards the music played by bands the likes of Insomnium, Artak slashes his guitar and pounds his drums in great fashion in Divinations, a lot heavier and more dynamic than its predecessor with the extra rage coming from its Death Metal nuances being fantastic; and Artak keeps blasting his drums in the name of doom in Brothers In Arms, bringing tons of groove and heaviness through his bass and piercing riffs. After that, Artak’s visceral guitar lines will decimate your senses in Parasomnia, with his deep, enraged guttural growls growing in intensity as the music progresses in a lecture in Melodic Death and Doom Metal.
Adding elements from Stoner and Sludge Metal to his already acid riffs, it’s time for Stone Cold Blood, where its experimental passages might not be bad but they end up taking part of the song’s punch; whereas back to a more doomed, gloomier sound our Armenian metaller offers us all The Absence, showcasing beautiful guitars, slow and steady drums, and his trademark devilish vocalizations. Then prepare your mind for an eight-minute journey through the realms of Atmospheric Doom Metal entitled If The Walls Could Talk, where Artak beautifully alternates between gentle, somber passages and sheer heaviness, followed by Voices Underneath, investing in a grandiose and melodic sound while bringing the same vibe as the music by several Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal icons such as Soilwork and In Flames, resulting in a multi-layered creation that will cut your skin deep majestically. Finally, ending such inspiring and deep album we have Eternally Scarred (Part II), where Artak once again blends melancholy and anger through his riffs, bass and drums, again vociferating rabidly until the very last second.
Such precious gem of the Armenian metal scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and obviously purchased from the project’s own BandCamp page, from the Satanath Records’ BandCamp page, or from Discogs, if you want to show all your support and admiration for the music by Artak. You can also find him and his Eternally Scarred on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, letting him know that although he’s a one-man metal band, he’s definitely not alone. We’ll always carry the scars we get in our lives, even after our deaths, but that’s not a problem at all if that happens to the sound of the excellent Melodic Death and Doom Metal crafted by Eternally Scarred.
Best moments of the album:Divinations, If The Walls Could Talk and Voices Underneath.
Worst moments of the album:Stone Cold Blood.
Released in 2022 Satanath Records
Track listing 1. Deviance 6:40
2. Divinations 7:01
3. Brothers In Arms 4:30
4. Parasomnia 5:09
5. Stone Cold Blood 7:46
6. The Absence 8:00
7. If The Walls Could Talk 8:19
8. Voices Underneath 4:28
9. Eternally Scarred (Part II) 6:54
Band members Artak Karapetyan – vocals, all instruments
Let’s all have a lesson in violence to the sound of the awesome first full-length album by this ruthless Death and Thrash Metal band from France.
Formed in 2011 in Val d’Oise, a department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France, Death/Thrash Metal troopers My Own Fear have just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Violence Made History, enhancing the heaviness, rage and fury from their 2014 debut EP Rise to a whole new level. Currently formed of Nicolas Benloulou on vocals, Stéphane Neraud and Fabrice Darmon on the guitars, Gilles Sala on bass, and Sébastien Geley on drums, My Own Fear will inspire you to slam into the circle pit to the sound of their newborn spawn dealing with controversial topics like death, inner struggles and the horrors of historical events the likes of the Spanish Inquisition, being highly recommended for admirers of the vicious and intricate music blasted by renowned acts such as Death, Sepultura and The Haunted, among several others.
The atmospheric, cinematic intro Once Upon a Fall works as the calm before the storm, as the band comes crushing our senses in 6:1 – 8, a frantic thrashing feast where Sébastien sounds demonic behind his drums accompanied by the dirty and piercing riffs by Stéphane and Fabrice, being perfect for some sick headbanging. The quintet keeps delivering sheer animosity and rage through their infernal music in Dux Bellarum, with Nicolas roaring manically in the name of Thrash Metal; and deadly and sinister from the very first second, the demolishing Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) brings to our ears the pounding beats by Sébastien while Gilles hammers his bass nonstop, resulting in an excellent option for their live concerts. Then we have Torquemada, which starts in a cryptic manner to the sound of acoustic guitars before exploding into the band’s vicious fusion of Death and Thrash Metal, or in other words, it’s another neck-breaking tune by those French metallers that also presents exciting and melodic breaks and passages.
Ghosts on the Warpath is a lot more obscure and groovier than its predecessors, with the bass by Gilles sounding thunderous in a lesson in modern-day Death Metal with Hardcore nuances, and it looks like the band will keep firing their most vicious form of Death Metal in Salem, where Nicolas is bestial on vocals, roaring the song’s lyrics from the bottom of his blackened heart (not to mention the song’s wicked guitar solos). After that, the “Era of the Rats Trilogy” begins with 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1, an instrumental interlude that sounds as if the band is getting ready for war, evolving into the ass-kicking Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2, blending the best elements from Death and Thrash Metal with European Hardcore where Stéphane and Fabrice are once again demented with their riffage and solos, and finally ending the album the band brings forward five minutes of Death Metal darkness entitled Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3, with Gilles and Sébastien being in perfect sync by adding endless groove to the overall result.
In a nutshell, the excellent Violence Made History, which is available in full on Spotify, definitely sets the bar high for My Own Fear regarding their upcoming releases, but I’m sure those talented French musicians will find a way to sound even heavier and more compelling in the future. Hence, go check what My Own Fear are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course grab your copy of Violence Made History from Rock Metal Market, iMusician, Best Buy, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Record Store Day. My Own Fear are opening up our eyes to the undeniable truth that violence indeed made what we know today as History, and violence is what will keep fueling not only the future of humanity, but also the first-class music crafted by such skillful and focused band from France.
Best moments of the album:Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.), Ghosts on the Warpath and Salem.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2022 M.U.S.I.C. Records
Track listing 1. Once Upon a Fall 1:09
2. 6:1 – 8 5:41
3. Dux Bellarum 4:13
4. Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) 4:08
5. Torquemada 4:20
6. Ghosts on the Warpath 4:04
7. Salem 5:09
8. 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1 1:36
9. Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2 3:51
10. Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3 5:02
Band members Nicolas Benloulou – vocals
Stéphane Neraud – guitars, backing vocals
Fabrice Darmon – guitars
Gilles Sala – bass
Sébastien Geley – drums
Australian horde Eskhaton had a lot of momentum on the run up to the end of the decade, and then the pandemic hit. Now though, the band has returned with a Hell’s Headbangers Records released, a five track EP entitled Horracle.
Eskhaton perform with a frenetic, urgent energy, and they aren’t averse to dabbling in unorthodox time signatures which break up the flow of their blistering brutality. Horracle is a combination of ruthless, menacing growled vocals, intensive cavernous sounding drum tones, as well as thundering bass play and maniacal, scorching guitar leads and riffs.
When Eskhaton aren’t ploughing a deep groove of bleak Death Metal savagery, their guitarists engage in frequent bouts of technical barbarity in the form of colossal guitar solos that sound out at will and rise from the gloom and up into the toxic atmosphere created by this malevolent and crushing release.
I think the artwork for this release really hits the spot, for just like the album art there is a shocking current of damaging energy that runs through this release, whether it be from the controlled pummelling from the man behind the drum kit, the unstoppable ferocity of the vocalist or the marauding aggression from the guitarists.
With only five tracks to play with, Eskhaton do keep things pretty similar throughout, so you could say a lack of variety in their play is a downside, however this is picking fault when there is very little to be had. This EP makes up for this shortcoming with stunning brutality and technical wizardry, and the end result is a very solid slab of Aussie Death Metal.
Best moments of the album: The vocals. Utterly ruthless growling fury. Also the guitar tones, furious and bleak.
One of the most interesting names of the current Swedish scene will crush your skull with their new album, blending their trademark Deathcore with tons of progressiveness and groove.
Hailing from Bollnäs, a Swedish locality and the seat of Bollnäs Municipality in Gävleborg County, Sweden, the up-and-coming Deathcore outfit known as Faustus plays what they like to call “a freight-train-full-of-sledgehammers-headed-straight-towards-your-whole-family” sound, adding elements from Death Metal, Progressive Metal and Djent, among others, to their vicious core sonority. Now in 2022 the band comprised of Ludvig Setterlind on vocals, Anton Pärlenskog and Mattias Lövhaga on the guitars, Nils Hedberg on bass and Oskar Pärlenskog on drums is ready to attack armed with their sophomore effort, entitled Memoriam, following up on their 2018 debut album Laments of an Obscure Mind. Produced, mixed and mastered by Robert Kukla at Obsidian Recording Studios, and displaying a classic artwork by Jani Stefanovic of Dreamdecipher Productions, “this album can be regarded as a tribute/homage to what has been. Both in regards to people from our past as well as things in life that have had a big impact on us. We felt that we needed an outlet for these feelings and took to our trade of choice to fulfil that need, and here we are. The music in itself is fuelled by these feelings and brings a sort of anger and sorrow. Not a gloomy one mind you, but more something that represents honour. With that said, we didn’t skimp out on the groove or heaviness of the music, no it’s quite the contrary. It’s our best and most complete album yet,” commented the band.
In the opening tune Deprived of Liberty we’re treated to a groovy riff attack by Anton and Mattias accompanied by the thunderous bass by Nils, kicking off the album on a high note and flowing into the also visceral Psychogenic, with Ludvig roaring and screaming in anger nonstop while Oskar dictates the pace with his pounding drums, sounding as heavy as it is intricate and melodic. Let’s keep banging our heads to the sound of Anhedonia, where Nils and Oskar sound like an earthquake together, therefore providing Ludvig with all he needs to scream manically, whereas Existence, Death? begins in the most Progressive Metal way possible, morphing into another solid tune where all instruments sound sharp, caustic and detailed. And following such pulverizing tune, The Creation of What’s Called Hell is an infernal Deathcore and Death Metal creation spiced up by its sinister lyrics (“In utter darkness / Death is my only friend / Corrupting everything / Tearing the soul apart / In the silence I scream / Rots with the corpses / No incoming sources / Creating what’s called hell”).
Ludvig continues to growl like a beast in Architect of Ruin, more modern than its predecessors with the guitars by Anton and Mattias piercing our ears mercilessly; and blending elements from the Melodic Death Metal by bands such as Arch Enemy and Soilwork in their sonority Faustus offer us all Sleep, once again hammering our heads with their venomous drums and bass. Then leaning towards contemporary Groove Metal we have Tempus, sounding darker and more demonic than the rest of the album and with Ludvig stealing the spotlight with his devilish roars; while Obscurity is slightly generic compared to the other songs albeit still presenting the band’s core sonority, with the guitars by Anton and Mattias sounding incendiary. Back to a more obscure sound, it’s time for the band to blast the multi-layered From the Beginning to the End where Nils is as usual fantastic on bass while Oskar keeps the energy level truly high with his beats, morphing into the atmospheric outro XI, putting a serene and pensive ending to Memoriam.
If you want to enjoy all the fury and melody blasted by Faustus in Memoriam you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase it by clicking HERE or HERE. Also, don’t forget to give the guys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their visceral music. The Swedish metallers from Faustus did a very good job with Memoriam, blending a vast array of styles into their trademark Deathcore without losing their essence and without sounding confusing; as a matter of fact, I would love to see more of their experimentations and progressiveness in their upcoming albums as those elements brought a very welcome touch to their music, placing them among the most interesting names of the modern metal scene without a shadow of a doubt.
Best moments of the album:Psychogenic, The Creation of What’s Called Hell and Tempus.
Worst moments of the album:Obscurity.
Released in 2022 Independent
Track listing 1. Deprived of Liberty 3:56
2. Psychogenic 5:01
3. Anhedonia 3:29
4. Existence, Death? 4:41
5. The Creation of What’s Called Hell 5:58
6. Architect of Ruin 4:15
7. Sleep 3:57
8. Tempus 4:06
9. Obscurity 3:19
10. From the Beginning to the End 5:43
11. XI 2:44
Band members Ludvig Setterlind – vocals
Anton Pärlenskog – guitar
Mattias Lövhaga – guitar
Nils Hedberg – bass
Oskar Pärlenskog – drums
***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***
Whereas some Death Metal bands like to create a dark and gloomy atmosphere, Wretched Fate sticks doggedly to brutality over everything else, with a viciously technical underbelly in the form of twisting and writhing guitar rhythms. So whilst other bands are focusing on layered atmospherics, Wretched Fate are too busy chugging you into the abyss for any of that!
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 