Tag Archives: deathcore

Album Review – Cytolysis / Surge Of Cruelty (2025)

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This one-man Technical and Brutal Death Metal machine is back with its ruthless sophomore opus, constructed from eleven sonic acts of torture.

Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, but currently based in Boston, Massachusetts, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Darren Cesca, the demented drummer with Goratory, Eschaton and previously Deeds Of Flesh, has returned with Surge Of Cruelty, the second album from his unconscionably brutal solo project, Cytolysis, following up on his 2020 debut Portraits of Malevolence. Mixed and mastered by Darren Cesca himself, adorned in the hypnotically horrifying artwork of Vladimir Cebakov (Six Feet Under, 1914, DeadHead), and featuring brutal guest vocal performances from Mac Smith (Eschaton), Brian Forgue (Syphilic), Adam Mason (Goratory) and Flo Butcher (Tortured), Surge Of Cruelty is constructed from eleven sonic acts of torture, where twisted technicality and methodical precision collide with frenzied explosions of fury and unnerving alien atmospheres, offering exactly what we’re always looking for in high-quality Technical and Brutal Death Metal in the vein of Cannibal Corpse, Deeds Of Flesh, In Asymmetry, and Incinerate.

Darren wastes no time and ignite his demented metal attack in the form of Your Slow Demise, where his infernal gnarling matches perfectly with his killer blast beats; and featuring guest vocals by Mac Smith, Devout Sacrifice is a beyond demented creation where the sound of his riffs is truly piercing and austere, resulting in a lecture in violence and gore. Then in the title-track Surge of Cruelty our dauntless Darren keeps barking like a demented creature while also firing some of his most intricate and visceral riffage, and get ready to headbang until your neck breaks in half to the sound of Consenting Brood, with Darren’s metallic bass and pounding drums boosting his visceral growls in great fashion. After such an insane tune, guest Brian Forgue lends his demented gnarls to A Blood-Soaked Offering, leaning towards the most gruesome form of Brutal Death Metal.

The Stygian, atmospheric interlude Ritual Carnage will darken the skies before Darren comes ripping once again with Tribal Savagery, where his deep pig-like screeches will disturb your frail mind while he keeps blasting his drums in the name of extreme music. Then featuring guest vocals by Adam Mason, Tortured Flesh brings forward more of the inhumane fusion of Brutal Death Metal and classic Deathcore by Cytolysis, spiced up by some nicely inserted cryptic nuances; and of course with a guy like Flo Butcher as a guest vocalist the final result was going to be demolishing to say the least in Mark of the Demons, offering those downtempo breaks perfect for some brutal slamming. Darren doesn’t sound human with his deep guttural and unstoppable beats and fills in Innocence is Raped, offering an avalanche of first-class Brutal Death Metal, whereas the last song of the album, titled Hung from the Rafters, is just as insane and demented, with Darren hammering his guitars and bass until the very end.

Not only a seasoned musician who has already played with tons of amazing underground bands the likes of Eschaton, Goratory, Pillory, Serpent of Gnosis, Vile, In Asymmetry, Virulence, Hideous Deformity, Arsis, Blasphemer, Deeds of Flesh, Incinerate , Burn in Silence, Strappado, and Embers from Cremation, Darren has also studied Performance: Percussion at Berklee College of Music, and appeared as a guest drummer in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops II, just to give you an idea of how talented he is, and how he crafted Surge of Cruelty to sound as catchy as razor wire through flesh, offering a blend of Technical and Brutal Death Metal of the highest order. You can find more information about him on Facebook, and put your dirty hands on Surge Of Cruelty via Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore, supporting such an amazing underground musician in his quest for extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Devout Sacrifice, A Blood-Soaked Offering and Innocence is Raped.

Worst moments of the album: Ritual Carnage.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Your Slow Demise 4:29
2. Devout Sacrifice 4:29
3. Surge of Cruelty 4:32
4. Consenting Brood 3:19
5. A Blood-Soaked Offering 3:41
6. Ritual Carnage (Instrumental) 1:34
7. Tribal Savagery 3:40
8. Tortured Flesh 4:58
9. Mark of the Demons 5:07
10. Innocence is Raped 3:48
11. Hung from the Rafters 4:03

Band members
Darren Cesca – vocals, all instruments

Guest musician
Mac Smith – vocals on “Devout Sacrifice”
Brian Forgue – vocals on “A Blood-Soaked Offering”
Adam Mason – vocals on “Tortured Flesh”
Flo Butcher – vocals on “Mark of the Demons”

Album Review – Shadow of Intent / Imperium Delirium (2025)

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These American Symphonic Deathcore masters are back with their majestic fifth opus, expanding their signature blend with new industrial and atmospheric textures.

Since their formation in 2014, Connecticut’s own Shadow of Intent have garnered a reputation for crafting mind-blowingly melodic, technical, prog-tinged Symphonic Deathcore. Widely acknowledged as one of the forerunners of the current Deathcore renaissance, the band currently formed of Ben Duerr on vocals, Chris Wiseman on the guitars and samples, Andrew Monias on bass, and Bryce Butler on drums is back in action with their fifth studio opus, entitled Imperium Delirium, following up on their 2022 album Elegy. Produced, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio, with additional mixing by Mike Low, and displaying a sinister artwork by Dan Seagrave, Imperium Delirium expands the band’s signature blend of symphonic grandeur, blackened melody, and Deathcore precision with new industrial and atmospheric textures, being highly recommended for fans of Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Lorna Shore, and Cattle Decapitation, among others.

Prepare to Die is utterly imposing and symphonic from the very first moments, quickly morphing into a Deathcore beast where Ben’s deep, enraged guttural walk hand in hand with the killer drumming by Bryce, followed by Flying the Black Flag, one of the first singles of the album, showcasing darkly poetic lyrics (“A subterfuge emerges from the confusion / Corrupting patterns, piercing the timeline / A trail left emblazoned with no regard / They fly the black flag high”) amidst an infernal sonority. Infinity of Horrors offers us all another explosion of ferocity and symphonic elements, with the guitars and samples by Chris generating a thrilling, cinematic wall of sounds, whereas Mechanical Chaos is one of the most technical and complex of all songs, with Bryce sounding like a stone crusher on drums for our total delight. There’s not a single space left empty in the air in They Murdered Sleep, a massive Deathcore extravaganza where Chris sounds once again infernal armed with his axe and samples; and Ben roars and vociferates deeply like a wild beast in The Facets of Propaganda, enhancing the song’s already demented heaviness to a whole new level.

Then featuring guest vocals by the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of the mighty Cannibal Corpse, Feeding the Meatgrinder presents more of the band’s wicked words (“Violent attrition / Salivating for the kill / Brutality is to be redefined / They aim to dominate / Hordes metastasize a vengeance indiscriminate / Disregard for human life is in the nature of the business”) while the music is ruthless Deathcore at its finest; while Vehement Draconian Vengeance carries a stylish name for another blast of Deathcore by the band, where Chris and Andrew generate a Stygian ambience with their respective riffs and bass lines. Beholding the Sickness of Civilization is a neck-breaking, downtempo tune by Shadow of Intent where all background elements give it a haunting vibe, followed by Apocalypse Canvas, a fun and vibrant instrumental composition by the quartet where the guitar lines by Chris and the rumbling, intricate bass by Andrew sound insanely gripping. Their Symphonic Deathcore onrush goes on in full force in No Matter the Cost, with Ben roaring like a demented creature while Chris slashes his sonic weapons nonstop, and the title-track Imperium Delirium is undoubtedly the most complete, detailed and incendiary of all songs, spearheaded by Bryce’s phenomenal drumming. Put differently, it’s epic, apocalyptic and absurdly engaging until the very end.

A scathing anti-imperialist statement, tackling war, propaganda, and the machinery of modern violence with nihilistic clarity, Imperium Delirium cements the band’s name as one of the most important forces in the history of Deathcore worldwide, and if you’re from another dimension and don’t know anything about Shadow of Intent, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream their music on any available service like Spotify, and of course show them your total support by purchasing their new album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Imperium Delirium likely refers to the concept of an “empire in delirium,” describing an empire or ruling power experiencing a state of madness, chaos, or a loss of control. That’s exactly what our decaying society is experiencing nowadays pretty much in every single part of the world, and the music brought forth by Shadow of Intent in their new album certainly represents that chaotic situation to perfection, showing that although our world might be coming to an end, at least let’s go down in style listening to some first-class Deathcore.

Best moments of the album: Flying the Black Flag, Infinity of Horrors, Feeding the Meatgrinder and Imperium Delirium.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent/Blood Blast Distribution

Track listing
1. Prepare to Die 4:00
2. Flying the Black Flag 3:57
3. Infinity of Horrors 4:13
4. Mechanical Chaos 3:50
5. They Murdered Sleep 4:01
6. The Facets of Propaganda 5:19
7. Feeding the Meatgrinder 4:03
8. Vehement Draconian Vengeance 3:54
9. Beholding the Sickness of Civilization 4:30
10. Apocalypse Canvas 5:08
11. No Matter the Cost 4:16
12. Imperium Delirium 7:34

Band members
Ben Duerr – vocals
Chris Wiseman – guitars, samples, backing vocals
Andrew Monias – bass
Bryce Butler – drums

Guest musician
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals on “Feeding the Meatgrinder”
Francesco Ferrini – additional keyboards

Album Review – When Plagues Collide / Kingmaker EP (2025)

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Like a savage beast ready to kill, this Belgian Symphonic Deathcore outfit will crush your soul with their new EP, offering some of their most destructive compositions to date.

Like a savage beast ready to kill, Aarschot, Belgium’s own Symphonic Deathcore behemoth When Plagues Collide arises once again from the underworld with another blast of their undisputed extreme music, the incendiary five-track EP Kingmaker, following up on their critically acclaimed full-length albums Tutor of the Dying, from 2018, and An Unbiblical Paradigm, released in 2023. The band’s lineup is the same as before, formed of Wouter Dergez on vocals, Santy Van der Mieren and Joris Dergez on the guitars, Joshua Kinsbergen on bass, and Siebe Hermans on drums, but it feels like those guys decided to take their ferocity to a whole new level in Kingmaker, offering some of their most destructive compositions to date without obviously forgetting to add a good amount of melody and symphonic elements to their core sonority.

Wouter shows no mercy for our souls with his deep, enraged guttural in Mother of Exiles, already offering the band’s classic fusion of violence with symphonic and ethereal elements, not to mention how thunderous the beats by Siebe sound. Then the title-track Kingmaker brings to our avid ears and even heavier version of When Plagues Collide, with Santy and Joris slashing their axes nonstop in the name of extreme music, followed by Persona Non Grata, and with an aggressive name like that we couldn’t have expected anything less violent and harsh, led by the gruesome vociferations by Wouter while the music transpires sulfur and hatred. Their Symphonic Deathcore vein pulses harder than ever in A Grim Counselor, again presenting their fusion of visceral riffs and pounding drums with whimsical background sounds; and ending the EP we have the unrelenting, absolutely demolishing and grim Harvesting the Uterus, with once again Wouter’s bestial growls walking hand in hand with the heavier-than-hell sounds crafted by his bandmates.

You can get in touch with those beyond talented Belgian guys via Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with all things When Plagues Collide, including their live concerts (and how I wish they would cross the pond and demolish the stages in Toronto and rest of Canada in a near future), stream their amazing discography on Spotify or any other streaming service, or simply go straight into Kingmaker by clicking HERE. When Plagues Collide are already a reference in Symphonic Deathcore and in Deathcore in general, growing their fanbase with each of their demolishing releases, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in their more-than-solid career. Needless to say, if their next full-length album is just half as good as Kingmaker, we will all be a bunch of happy headbangers.

Best moments of the album: Mother of Exiles, Persona Non Grata and Harvesting the Uterus.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Seek & Strike

Track listing
1. Mother of Exiles 4:54
2. Kingmaker 3:47
3. Persona Non Grata 4:23
4. A Grim Counselor 3:29
5. Harvesting the Uterus 4:22

Band members
Wouter Dergez – vocals
Santy Van der Mieren – guitar
Joris Dergez – guitar
Joshua Kinsbergen – bass
Siebe Hermans – drums

Album Review – Coffin Feeder / Big Trouble (2025)

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This Belgian Death Metal and Deathcore supergroup will crush their enemies armed with their debut opus, see them driven before them, and hear the lamentation of their women.

Formed in 2021 in Waregem, a municipality and city located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Death Metal/Deathcore beast Coffin Feeder has just spewed upon humanity their first ever full-length album, titled Big Trouble, the follow-up to their 2022 EPs Stereo Homicide and Over the Top. Recorded by Lander Cluyse and Jeroen Camerlynck, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio Studio, and displaying a marvelous artwork that pays homage to all action movies from the 80’s and 90’s we all love so much, the new offering by frontman Sven de Caluwé (Aborted), guitarists Jeroen Camerlynck and Bart Govers (Fleddy Melculy), bassist Jan Hallaert (Leng Tch’e, Motormouth), and drummer Siebe Hermans (Reverse the Sun, When Plagues Collide) goes above and beyond with their fusion of extreme music and action flicks, resulting in 12 tracks of ultimate brutality that will surely inspire you to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women.

Not sure if the intro There Will Be Trouble was inspired by Big Trouble in Little China or by a quote from Robocop, but anyway it’s a very cool and cinematic warmup for the pulverizing Porkchop Express, featuring guest vocalist Julien Truchan of Benighted, with their slamming feast being led by the hammering drums by Siebe in the best Brutal Death Metal style imaginable. Then featuring guest vocals by Ben Duerr of Shadow of Intent, If It Bleeds, inspired by one of the most famous quotes from the 1984 cult movie Predator, is absolutely mental, with Sven sounding inhumane on vocals in this newborn masterpiece of violence and bloodshed. Conan couldn’t have been left out of the party, and the song in his honor, The Destroyer, will crush your spinal cord to the ruthless riffage by Jeroen and Bart (because they know what’s best in life); whereas the rumbling bass by Jan will make your head tremble in Love at First Death, accompanied by the always demented beats and fills by Siebe. And Plain Zero, with guest vocals by Mark Hunter of Chimaira, is a song that will pulverize your frail body mercilessly, with all vocals and instruments exhaling sheer violence and hatred.

Sven continues to bark like a demonic creature in Obey, offering more of the band’s trademark ferocity, with Jan and Siebe once again crafting utterly thunderous sounds through their infernal kitchen. Then it’s time to bang our heads like rabid maniacs in Get to the Party, with the entire band inviting our “beloved” Richter to a brutal slamming feast made in Belgium; followed by Let Off Some Steam, a lecture in Death Metal infused with Deathcore and endless dementia, with Sven once again bursting his lungs by roaring like an evil beast. Needless to say, Bennett must be proud of the boys from Coffin Feeder. H.I.S.S. is by far the least exciting of all songs, never really taking off despite its strong atmosphere, whereas A Good Day to Die offers another blast of venomous riffs and bass lines by Jeroen, Bart and Jan, bringing nuances of Groove Metal and Djent added to their core essence, not to mention its epic background elements. There’s time for one last dive into the circle pit to the sound of The Wrong Arm of the Law, offering a ruthless slab of Deathcore where Sven and Siebe are in absolute sync with their respective roars and beats.

In a nutshell, if you love a good amount of brutality played to perfection, infused with endless adrenaline, and paying homage to all movies that helped put the word “action” in Hollywood the likes of Predator, Commando, and Cobra, you must give a listen to the infuriated Big Trouble, available for purchase from the Listenable Records’ BandCamp or by clicking on these links for the physical or digital edition of the album. You can also “get to da choppa” and start following this demonic supergroup on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and stream their bestial creations on Spotify. If it bleeds, we can kill it. And if it’s a ruthless fusion of Death Metal and Deathcore like what they have to offer us in Big Trouble, then we can slam.

Best moments of the album: If It Bleeds, Plain Zero, Let Off Some Steam and The Wrong Arm of the Law.

Worst moments of the album: H.I.S.S.

Released in 2025 Listenable Records

Track listing
1. There Will Be Trouble 0:56
2. Porkchop Express 2:57
3. If It Bleeds 3:10
4. The Destroyer 3:02
5. Love at First Death 3:18
6. Plain Zero 3:29
7. Obey 2:32
8. Get to the Party 3:25
9. Let Off Some Steam 3:48
10. H.I.S.S. 1:44
11. A Good Day to Die 3:28
12. The Wrong Arm of the Law 3:22

Band members
Sven de Caluwé – vocals
Jeroen Camerlynck – guitars, backing vocals
Bart Govers – guitars, backing vocals
Jan Hallaert – bass
Siebe Hermans – drums

Guest musicians
Mark Hunter – vocals on “Plain Zero”
Julien Truchan – vocals on “Porkchop Express”
Ben Duerr – vocals on “If It Bleeds”

Album Review – Eschaton / Techtalitarian (2025)

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This Technical Death Metal and Deathcore juggernaut returns after a gap of six years with a reinvigorated, star-studded lineup, offering us all their breathtaking, intricate and demented third studio album.

Formed in 2006 and based in both Naugatuck, Connecticut and Lowell, Massachusetts, Technical Death Metal/Deathcore juggernaut Eschaton returns after a gap of six years with a reinvigorated, star-studded lineup that undoubtedly elevates their sound to hitherto unexplored heights, exploding our senses with their third full-length offering, entitled Techtalitarian. Displaying an Aliens-inspired artwork by Dave Melvin, the new beast by vocalist Mac Smith (Apogean, Abyssalis, Hammer of Dawn), guitarists Christian Muenzner (Retromorphosis, Eternity’s End, Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid) and Josh Berry (the band’s founder), bassist Scott Bradley (Inanimate Existence), and drummer Darren Cesca (Goratory, Serpents of Gnosis, Pillory, Deeds of Flesh, Arsis) is the perfect follow-up to their 2019 album Death Obsession, standing on its own without having to be necessarily pitted against any of the aforementioned bands’ past efforts.

Their futuristic Death Metal attack begins with Inferior Superior, with Darren simply demolishing everything and everyone that dares to cross his path while Mac fires inhumane roars for our total delight, and the sick shredding by Christian and Josh set the tone in Devour the Contrarian, another bestial tune overflowing heaviness and insanity. Then their violent sounds will hammer our heads mercilessly in Blood of the People, where they showcase all their dexterity while also staying loyal to the foundations of the most ruthless form of Death Metal, whereas more demented riffs, solos, blast beats and demonic vociferations are offered to our avid ears in Hellfire’s Woe, perfect for some wicked headbanging, with Scott’s bass lines sounding utterly metallic. And The Bellicose Duality sounds even more infuriated and insane than its predecessors, with the entire band melting our faces with their undisputed Technical Death Metal sounds.

The album continues on a high and visceral note with Econocracy, with Darren once again demolishing his drums with tons of rage and dexterity while Mac barks and growls like a rabid beast nonstop; and in Antimatter the rabid Mac vociferates the song’s wicked lyrics manically (“Bleeding from inanimate spiracles / Metonymy of our existence / Our roaming stative / Repelling forces within all existence”) amidst a hurricane of aggressive yet complex Death Metal. Techtalitarian, the song that carries the name of the album, perfectly summarizes Eschaton’s current sound, a striking combination of violence with the most technical form of extreme music you can imagine. Darren also dictates the pace in The Sufferer’s Dichotomy, while Christian and Josh extract sheer insanity from their axes; followed by the closing tune Castle Strnad, which might be their homage to Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, who sadly passed away on May 11, 2022. Not sure if that’s the case, but even if it’s not, this is another neck-breaking, unrelenting display of first-class Death Metal by the band.

You can put your tech death hands on Techtalitarian by purchasing a copy of it from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ main store, Bandcamp, Europe store or US store, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream more of their demented creations on Spotify or any other streaming service. Eschaton are back into the Death Metal battlefield stronger and sharper than ever, staying loyal to their foundations but of course with the renewed energy brought by the band’s new members turning their heat and aggression up to 11, and if you consider yourself a loyal servant of the extreme music arts, always staying tech, then Techtalitarian is a must-have in your dark and heavy collection.

Best moments of the album: Hellfire’s Woe, The Bellicose Duality and Techtalitarian.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Inferior Superior 4:12
2. Devour the Contrarian 3:46
3. Blood of the People 4:51
4. Hellfire’s Woe 5:04
5. The Bellicose Duality 4:24
6. Econocracy 5:28
7. Antimatter 4:02
8. Techtalitarian 4:00
9. The Sufferer’s Dichotomy 4:20
10. Castle Strnad 5:21

Band members
Mac Smith – vocals
Christian Muenzner – lead guitars
Josh Berry – guitars
Scott Bradley – bass
Darren Cesca – drums

Album Review – Dissociated / No Connections EP (2025)

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This talented Spanish Metalcore act is ready to take their message of liberation and solidarity to  audiences all around the world armed with their striking debut EP.

Forged inside the creative mind of vocalist Kevin Soto during the years of 2019 and 2020 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, with a deep desire to break free from the traditional bounds of classic Metalcore, the up-and-coming unit Dissociated is ready to take their message of liberation and solidarity to  audiences all around the world armed with their debut EP entitled No Connections, proving that even in the darkest moments, music can be a powerful act of release and transformation. Currently formed of the aforementioned Kevin Soto on lead vocals alongside guitarist Raúl Muñoz, bassist Toni P. Sánchez and drummer Lucas, the band delivers a powerful mix of emotional intensity and technical precision in their debut EP, leaving us eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

The opening track Self-Destructive Chains sounds very introspective and modern from the very first second, exploding into a demented fusion of Metalcore and Deathcore with Djent and dissonant elements while Kevin showcasing his evil creature-like gnarls; and their Progressive Metalcore vein pulses even harder in No Connections, with Toni’s metallic bass hammering our cranial skulls mercilessly. Endless Waves offers another overdose of insanity in the form of modern, visceral Metalcore by the band, where the riffs by Raúl sound at the same time caustic and very melodic, also presenting those downtempo, punishing breaks for our total delight. Then the desperate screeches by Kevin will haunt your damned souls in Timeless Remorse, bringing forward an avalanche of violence amidst an ethereal, grim atmosphere, resulting in the most detailed and dynamic of all songs. Lastly, more of the dissonant yet harmonious riffs by Raúl permeate the air in Lost in Traces, with the entire band sounding tight and sharp until the very end.

You can find more information about this very promising Spanish band on Instagram, and of course show them your support and bang your heads to their sick creations by purchasing their striking EP from Art Gates Records as an “Endless Waves” shirt + fitted cap + CD combo, a “No Connections” hoodie + “Chains” shirt + CD combo, or as a “No Connections” shirt + tote bag + CD combo, or simply click HERE for all things Dissociated. The next step for those Spanish rockers is undoubtedly releasing their first full-length album, and if it’s just half as good as No Connections, we can rest assured the world of Metalcore will be in very good hands in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: No Connections and Timeless Remorse.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Art Gates Records

Track listing
Self-Destructive Chains 3:15
No Connections 3:59
Endless Waves 4:16
Timeless Remorse 4:26
Lost in Traces 4:27

Band members
Kevin Soto – lead vocals
Raúl Muñoz – guitars
Toni P. Sánchez – bass, vocals
Lucas – drums

Album Review – Devine Defilement / Ruthless (2025)

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This ruthless Icelandic crew returns in full force with their third opus, stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality.

When you think of Scandinavia, let’s say that slamming and brutality aren’t the first things to come to mind. That’s until the Reykjavík-based Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore slam crew of Devine Defilement spewed onto the Icelandic scene in late 2016, drawing inspiration from a variety of Death Metal sub-genres and having concocted a brutal cocktail of groove, slams, blasts and ferocity that has made them a force to be reckoned with. Now in 2025 such an insane horde formed of Freyr Hreinsson and Ingólfur Ólafsson on vocals, Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson and Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson on the guitars, Arek Alenjikov on bass, and Stefán Friðriksson on drums returns in full force with Ruthless, their third full-length offering, following up on their 2024 beast Age of Atrocities. Mixed and mastered by Floor VK at GLDCHN Studios, Ruthless is stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality, focusing more on the groove and amplifying what makes the crowd move, with its lyrics about murderers, neglect, suicide, cannibalism, and violence being tailored for fans of Ingested, Vulvodynia, Whitechapel, and Pathology, among countless others.

Human Sewer is a beyond bestial and devastating way to kick off the album, with Stefán’s stone crushing drums inviting us all to slam into the pit like a bunch of headbanging bastards, followed by Abusement Park, the perfect fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore, with the demented guttural by both Freyr and Ingólfur sounding utterly inhumane. Then the Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffage by Guðmundur and Sigurjón match perfectly with all haunting background sounds in Terror Tales, whereas massive blast beats and a striking guitar solo ignite the also ruthless Excreted Entity, with their monstrous dual vocal attack melting our faces mercilessly. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind carries a very Death Metal name for what’s perhaps the most Death Metal of all songs, with Stefán demolishing everything and everyone that crosses his path on drums, while Pulverised Secretions is simply pulverizing from start to finish, with Freyr and Ingólfur unleashing their deepest, most infuriated growls of the album.

The two-part song “Anthropophagic Apocalypse” kicks off in full force with Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse, a slab of sheer brutality by this Icelandic squad spearheaded by the cryptic riffs blasted by their unrelating guitar duo, whereas Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh is another demonic onrush of Brutal Death Metal with symphonic elements, elevating the album’s reach and punch to a whole new level. Get ready to have your head smashed in the curb to the sound of Curbstomp the Predator, perfect for some “no holds barred” action inside the pit; and the infernal, metallic bass by Arek and the unstoppable beats and fills by Stefán will make the earth tremble in Draco Dominus, followed by the beautifully titled Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam, starting with a TV ad-like intro for some sort of “action figures” before all hell breaks loose to the demented vociferations by the band’s two-headed vocal beast. Lastly, the album ends on a dark and mysterious note with Beyond the Veil of Death, offering over five minutes of melodic yet hard hitting Brutal Death Metal with lots of Deathcore nuances.

The guys from Devine Defilement are eagerly waiting to consume your putrid body on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can obviously stream all of their vicious, demented creations on Spotify, and purchase a copy of the unrelenting Ruthless from BandCamp, from Time to Kill Records, or simply click HERE for all things Devine Defilement. There’s no better word to describe the music found in Ruthless than its own title. It’s a ruthless album, a putrid Death Metal and Deathcore attack made in Iceland, and once you’re caught inside their gory mosh pit, you’ll never see the light of day again.

Best moments of the album: Abusement Park, Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind, Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh and Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam.

Worst moments of the album: Draco Dominus.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Human Sewer 3:46
2. Abusement Park 2:46
3. Terror Tales 3:09
4. Excreted Entity 4:10
5. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind 2:54
6. Pulverised Secretions 3:51
7. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse 5:08
8. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh 3:36
9. Curbstomp the Predator 2:10
10. Draco Dominus 2:27
11. Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam 2:45
12. Beyond the Veil of Death 5:49

Band members
Freyr Hreinsson – vocals
Ingólfur Ólafsson – vocals
Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson – guitar
Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson – guitar
Arek Alenjikov – bass, backing vocals
Stefán Friðriksson – drums

Concert Review – Arch Enemy (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/09/2025)

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The classy Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto became a huge circle pit this Friday night in a celebration of pure fuckin’ metal.

OPENING ACTS: Thrown Into Exile, Baest and Fit For An Autopsy

Only two days after absolute chaos and carnage in Toronto, the city was ready for another round of insanely heavy and vibrant music this Friday night, courtesy of THROWN INTO EXILE, BAEST, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and ARCH ENEMY during their North American Blood Dynasty 2025 Tour at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, another ass-kicking event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. This time I was able to arrive to the venue in time to enjoy all bands together with my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, and as expected it was indeed a celebration of pure fuckin’ metal with four fantastic bands that truly deserve our total respect, admiration and support for making the world of Heavy Metal a much better (and heavier) place. The venue selected for this concert was also excellent in my opinion, because not only it is a well structured one, but its location is also very convenient for anyone driving or taking public transportation, making our lives a lot easier and, therefore, saving our energy for the circle pits. And hell yeah, there were plenty of circle pits for our vulgar delectation.

Los Angeles, California-based Metalcore outfit THROWN INTO EXILE kicked off the festivities around 6:30pm, already setting fire to the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with their pounding, unfriendly sounds. I must say the venue was way too empty for Thrown Into Exile, which makes me wonder if most people were still stuck at work, traffic, or some type of appointment, but that didn’t stop Evan, Mario, Austin Monzon, Javier Quinto and Tom Tierney from bringing forth an amazing performance, jumping up and down and headbanging nonstop alongside the crowd. You can check all of their sick creations on Spotify, including their latest EP Passageways (which was the base of their setlist, by the way), and whenever they schedule a show in your city don’t miss the chance of seeing those LA bastards live, because they kick some serious ass.

Setlist
The Forsaken
Caskets Beyond Creation
Desolation
Eternal Nothingness
You’ve Fallen so Far

Band members
Evan – vocals
Mario – guitars
Austin Monzon – guitars
Javier Quinto – bass
Tom Tierney – drums

After the short and sweet display of savagery by Thrown Into Exile, it was time for the also short and sweet explosion of pure heaviness by Denmark’s own Death Metal creature BAEST, who sounded ruthless and brutal onstage just the way we like it in old school Death Metal. Spearheaded by the iconic frontman Simon Olsen, the band nailed it with their infernal performance, with their new songs Colossus and Misfortunate Son, from their upcoming album Colossal (to be released on August 15) sounding amazing live. Furthermore, it was Simon’s birthday that night, which means that not only he got a happy birthday and a cake onstage, but he decided to celebrate it by getting offstage during Necro Sapiens and singing it in the middle of the circle pit, showing how much he loves what he does and his admiration for fans of extreme music. Go check those guys on Spotify because they’re phenomenal, one of the must-see bands in the current Death Metal scene, and I honestly can’t wait to see them again live in Toronto playing a much bigger setlist, pretty please.

Setlist
Genesis
Colossus
Misfortunate Son
Gargoyles
Necro Sapiens

Band members
Simon Olsen – vocals
Lasse Revsbech – guitars
Svend Karlsson – guitars
Mattias Melchiorsen – bass
Sebastian Abildsten – drums

The venue only got truly busier when New Jersey’s cult Deathcore brigade FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY hit the stage for an absolute insane performance, with the circle pits getting so wild to the point a guy right beside me, who was about to enter the circle pit, stopped, looked at me, said “nope, too fast and too dangerous”, turned his back and gave up joining the action. The band spearheaded by the demented Joe Badolato was on fire from start to finish, with songs like Warfare and The Sea of Tragic Beasts, plus the new one Savior of None / Ashes of All, from their 2024 album The Nothing That Is (available on Spotify), inspiring an already packed venue to keep running like maniacs inside the pit. This is the type of show that requires fans who have floor tickets to be extremely fit. Maybe not “fit for an autopsy” per se, but you better work out, do some cardio and so, otherwise the name of the band will make total sense if you’re out of shape and try to venture inside their wicked circle pits.

Setlist
Lower Purpose
Red Horizon
Warfare
Hostage
Pandora
The Sea of Tragic Beasts
Savior of None / Ashes of All
Far From Heaven

Band members
Joe Badolato – lead vocals
Pat Sheridan – guitars, backing vocals
Tim Howley – guitars
Will Putney – guitars
Peter “Blue” Spinazola – bass
Josean Orta – drums

ARCH ENEMY

Ticket prices in Toronto are way too expensive these days, with the exception being the show this Friday, in special when you have as the main attraction of the night the one and only Swedish Melodic Death Metal machine ARCH ENEMY. I’m not joking, it was a very, very cheap concert for the quality of all bands on the bill, and if you’ve never seen Arch Enemy live, well, they’re one of the most professional and electrifying bands you can think of, making every penny invested beyond worth it. Having recently released the excellent Blood Dynasty (also available on Spotify), such an amazing band currently formed of the stunning Alissa White-Gluz on vocals, Michael Amott and Joey Concepcion on the guitars, Sharlee D’Angelo on bass, and Daniel Erlandsson on drums was flawless with their mix of new songs the likes of Dream Stealer and Liars & Thieves, and undisputed classics including Ravenous, My Apocalypse and Dead Bury Their Dead, one of the heaviest songs of the night and, therefore, one of my favorites.

All fans at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre were having a superb time together with Arch Enemy, with the circle pit going absolute mental, plus tons of crowd surfers giving a lot of work to security, while the band kept blasting their slab of melody and brutality. The only song I think could have been replaced in their setlist was Avalanche, but overall it was a near perfect selection of songs, with the closing tune Nemesis making me and several other fans lose our voices screaming. There were some giant balloons at the end of the show that gave it a very festive touch, proving extreme music brings happiness to our hearts, and not the opposite like non-metalheads like to “vomit” out there. Let’s see when the band returns to Canada if they’ll deliver the same amount of energy onstage, or even more, and whenever that happens I’ll certainly be there, because when Michael Amott takes your city by storm with his phenomenal riffs and solos accompanied by his spectacular crew, that’s definitely a no-brainer for anyone who loves good quality music.

Setlist
Deceiver, Deceiver
Ravenous
Dream Stealer
Blood Dynasty
War Eternal
My Apocalypse
A Million Suns
Liars & Thieves
The Eagle Flies Alone
First Day in Hell
Saturnine
As the Pages Burn
Sunset Over the Empire
Dead Bury Their Dead
We Will Rise

Encore:
Avalanche
Nemesis
Fields of Desolation

Band members
Alissa White-Gluz – vocals
Michael Amott – lead guitars, backing vocals
Joey Concepcion – lead guitars, backing vocals
Sharlee D’Angelo – bass
Daniel Erlandsson – drums

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Metal Chick of the Month – Valis Volkova

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I plan to polymerise your flesh and bone… With fire and void to best serve me!

Our metal lady of this month of May will definitely burn your hearts. She is an English singer, keyboardist, actress, and model, combining her stunning looks, undeniable charisma and a powerful voice to provide us with a unique sensorial experience. Better known as the vocalist and keyboardist for London, England-based Symphonic Deathcore outfit She Must Burn, she might be one of the most talented classically trained vocalists and performing artists of the current metal scene worldwide, always showcasing her deep passion for heavy music and for all things dark. Her name is Portia Valis Volkova (born Portia Victoria Graham-Jones), or simply Valis Volkova, and once you get to know more about her and her music, you’ll certainly get addicted to her Stygian and hypnotizing universe.

Born on September 22, 1993 in Liverpool, the hometown of The Beatles and a port city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, Valis trained as an opera singer at The Royal Northern College of Music from the age of 12, later joining the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company, where she appeared on BBC Songs of Praise and Aled Jones MBE’s New Horizons album, released in 2005. After finishing her studies at the RNCM, she trained in musical theatre at The Elliott-Clarke Performing Arts, where she developed her acting and dance skills. She diversified her knowledge by studying popular music performance and music business at BIMM University in 2021. Valis excels in creating her own backing vocals and layered choral harmonies, blending classical and popular vocal techniques to shape her distinctive sound. She thrives on collaboration, offering guest vocals and songwriting services for artists spanning rock, metal, synth wave, and goth genres.

Known for her solo performances worldwide, Valis then joined Symphonic Deathcore sensation She Must Burn back in 2017. She Must Burn had been formed a few years before that, back in 2014, having released the EPs Under the Shadows (2014) and She Must Burn (2015), plus the full-length album Grimoire (2017), before the addition of Valis to their lineup. Delivering a lethal blast of Deathcore, Symphonic, Gothic, and Black Metal that invokes names like Cradle of Filth, Bleeding Through and Make Them Suffer, the band currently formed of Valis on vocals and keyboards alongside vocalist Kyle Lamb, guitarists James Threadwell and Jack Higgs, bassist Frankie Keating, and drummer Steve Padley released back in 2022 their sophomore opus Umbra Mortis, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, earning a nomination for “album of the year” and securing a spot in the Top 50 metal albums of 2022 by Metal Hammer UK readers.

The paradox between Kyle’s harsh growls and Valis’ clean vocals really stands out in the music by She Must Burn, bringing a more than welcome balance to their music and, therefore, adding extra layers to their core sound, turning the band into a must-listen for fans of the violence of Deathcore with the finesse of classical and symphonic music, as you can enjoy in the stunning videos for the songs Incantation, Misery Eternal, Eulogy, and Of Blood & Bone, plus you can also watch an Interview with She Must Burn for Rockflesh at Tech Fest 2023 to know more about Valis and the band backstage. A band that Valis was part of is called Dead Dolls, also known as Glamorous Ghouls, UK’s original rock and metal-goes-vintage vocal duo formed of Valis and Katja Macabre until 2024. “This project is in addition to She Must Burn and is a completely separate project. I’m a firm believer that we all need multiple channels to stream our creativity in different ways,” commented Valis, who joined the project back in 2022. Unfortunately we won’t see Valis singing together with Katja anymore, but back in 2022 they released two excellent videos for the songs I’m Not Okay, by My Chemical Romance, and Misery Business by Paramore, which will certainly warm up your darkened hearts and souls.

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Valis is also an accomplished actress, working regularly in theatre, TV and film, performing on stages all over the world including Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and The Hippodrome in London’s West End, and having already made cameo appearances in television and film, including seasons 5 and 6 of HBO’s Game of Thrones, season 2 of Hulu’s The Great, and the 2022 indie thriller film Graphic Desires. Furthermore, she was only 17 years old when she played the role of Ariel in a touring production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest back in 2011, saying that Ariel has always been a “dream role” of hers since she was a little girl, and she’s also featured in the music videos for the songs The Hand is Quicker Than The Eye, by Inferno; Loops, by Amber States; So Automatic, by Jupiter In Velvet; Fun Gun, by Chemia; and Dirty Little Secret, by Massive Wagons.

Not only that, she was also featured in the stage play of The Swell Mob, playing Madame Vestris, at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in in 2019 in South Australia; and in Magic Mike Live, playing ‘closer performer’ at The Hippodrome in Leicester Square, in London, UK, from October 2018 to October 2019. She also won the public vote and the title “Miss Popularity – London” after competing in Miss England 2019, fundraising for Beauty With A Purpose, and placed 3rd runner up in Miss Cheshire 2019 (a regional heat for Miss Great Britain), despite living in London at the time, and can be found in several magazines including the cover of Olympus Magazine (UK) in May and in December 2015, Liverpool Echo (UK) in April 2015, Scratch (UK) in November 2013, and Casting Magazine Paris (France) in September 2013.

Lastly, Valis was also crowdsourcing a few years ago to fund an alien horror movie called The Spawning, to be filmed in Liverpool (and later released in 2017), teaming up with her partner, Simon Riley. Simon, who’s from St Helens, wrote and directed the movie, while Valis produced and had a small role in it. “We want to create a genuinely frightening and original full-length horror feature film,” commented Valis during the crowdfunding campaign. “Everyone on the team is a huge horror fan, but few of us can remember a recent horror film that actually left us wanting to hide under our bed covers at night with the lights on! We want to change that and make a film that really gets under your skin and leaves you terrified and shaken to the core.” I still have to find a way to watch the movie, but one thing is certain even before doing that, and that’s the undeniable talent of a woman who’s not only an amazing musician, but also a great performer and artist, always sharing her passion for heavy music and the dark arts with us fans and, therefore, making the world a much better and more exciting place to live.

Valis Volkova’s Official Facebook page
Valis Volkova’s Official Instagram
She Must Burn’s Official Facebook page
She Must Burn’s Official Instagram
She Must Burn’s Official YouTube channel

““I’m a firm believer that we all need multiple channels to stream our creativity in different ways.” – Valis Volkova

Concert Review – Warbringer & Allegaeon (The Garrison, Toronto, ON, 03/31/2025)

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The unstoppable Allegaeon and Warbringer joined forces to take the city of Toronto by storm in another breathtaking night of the best of the underground.

OPENING ACTS: Summoning the Lich and Skeletal Remains

Only two days after the humongous metal attack by Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse and Carcass, it was time to pay a visit to The Garrison on a Monday night for a wild feast of the best of the underground with the bands SUMMONING THE LICH, SKELETAL REMAINS, ALLEGAEON and WARBRINGER during their The Vortex Of Violence Tour 2025, another awesome event brought to Toronto by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Any concert on a Monday night doesn’t have the same appeal as a weekend concert at a casino, of course, but that doesn’t mean that the four bands on the bill didn’t kick some serious ass, proving why they’re the future of extreme music worldwide. And as weird as this might sound, getting to Toronto on a Monday night is actually easier than on any other day of the week, maybe because it’s not a chosen day for entertainment or because a lot of people take the day off or simply work from home, making traffic a lot more manageable than usual. I was very excited to see all bands live for the first time, in special Allegaeon, one of the best bands of the current scene, and I wasn’t disappointed at all with their performances; quite the contrary, I’m more than happy I decided to spend a cold Monday night in Toronto enjoying their undisputed heavy music. Furthermore, Keith couldn’t make it to the show, unfortunately, but our friend Afrida Nawar was more than happy to help us with the photos this time (soon to be added to this review, I promise!).

The doors at the venue opened at 6:30pm, and just 30 minutes after that the first attraction of the night, St. Louis, Missouri-based Melodic Death Metal/Deathcore act SUMMONING THE LICH, kicked off the festivities with a beyond energetic and vibrant performance according to some friends already at the venue (as I had to miss them due to a private appointment). Having recently released the album Under the Reviled Throne, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band set the stage at The Garrison on fire, and if some brutality in the form of music is your cup of tea, you must listen to this band and go see them live. Well, next time they come to Toronto, I’ll try my best to be there in time to witness their visceral performance.

Setlist
My Horrors Unending
Descend
Demon of the Snow
The Nightmare Begins
Return to the Soil
Reviled Crystal Wielders
The Forest Feast

Band members
David Bruno – vocals
Muck – guitars
Ryan Felps – guitars
John Flynn – bass
TJ Chilton – drums

I made it to the venue with plenty of time to see the performance by California’s own Death Metal horde SKELETAL REMAINS; however, their vocalist Chris Monroy didn’t. Apparently he wasn’t allowed to cross the US-Canada border for a reason beyond my knowledge, and what we got from the other three band members was a feast of instrumental Death Metal that despite sounding a bit weird without the vocal parts, was also totally devastating. Playing songs from their latest opus Fragments of the Ageless, available on Spotify or any other streaming platform, plus of course some of their older material, the trio put on their hearts and souls into their concert, doing everything they could to entertain us even without their vocalist, and in the end they got a huge positive reaction from fans who recognized all their effort and passion for heavy music. The show must go on, and Skeletal Remains did exactly that.

Setlist
Void of Despair
Beyond Cremation
Relentless Appetite
To Conquer the Devout
Devouring Mortality
…Evocation (The Rebirth)
Unmerciful

Band members
Chris Monroy – vocals, guitars*
Mike De La O – guitars
Brian Rush – bass
Pierce Williams – drums

*Chris couldn’t make it to the show in Toronto as he had his entry in Canada denied.

ALLEGAEON

It was getting close to 9pm when the band I wanted to see the most hit the stage for a flawless performance, proving why they’re the best band in the world to mix Melodic and Technical Death Metal in a beyond exciting manner. I’m talking about Fort Collins, Colorado-based outfit ALLEGAEON, who were simply demolishing with their blend of dexterity, violence and heaviness, spearheaded by their returning charismatic frontman Ezra Haynes. Their concert was phenomenal, and I think they deserved to have played at a bigger venue like Lee’s Palace or even The Opera House, but of course they made sure their performance was memorable even with the limited space onstage. Blending old school material with two songs of their brand new album album The Ossuary Lens (available on BandCamp and on Spotify), those being The Swarm (the best song of the night in my humble opinion) and Driftwood, the band sounded tight, ruthless and electrifying from start to finish, and again I hope they get a bigger venue next time they headline a concert in Toronto, because their music demands more space, as well as a bigger audience to go wild inside the circle pit while they shred like there’s no tomorrow.

Setlist
All Hail Science
The God Particle
To Carry My Grief Through Torpor and Silence
The Swarm
Terrathaw and the Quake
Driftwood
Dyson Sphere
Of Beasts and Worms
Proponent for Sentience III – The Extermination
Parthenogenesis
1.618
Behold (God I Am)

Band members
Ezra Haynes – vocals
Greg Burgess – guitars
Michael Stancel – guitars, backing vocals
Brandon Michael – bass, backing vocals
Jeff Saltzman – drums

WARBRINGER

And last but definitely not least, it was already past 10pm when Ventura, California-based Thrash Metal brigade WARBRINGER brought total war to the stage with one of the most electrifying, visceral and fun performances of the year in the city. All of their songs sounded amazing, in special the new metal hymn The Sword And The Cross, from their brand new album Wrath and Ruin (already available on BandCamp and on Spotify), with their lunatic frontman John Kevill even yielding a sword onstage (although he was missing the cross, right?), and of course the hard hitting Total War, which closed their show on a high note. The circle pits were insane, the crowd surfing was pure madness, and the band was having an amazing time to the point even John himself went crowd surfing and played a little “jungle gym” with the venue’s lighting equipment attached to the roof, leaving all concert goers absolutely happy and ready for more Warbringer in a not-so-distant future. Again, hopefully at a bigger venue, because just as Allegaeon, Warbringer are undoubtedly one of the best bands of the current metal scene worldwide.

Setlist
Severed Reality
A Better World
The Black Hand Reaches Out
Woe to the Vanquished
Crushed Beneath the Tracks
Firepower Kills
The Sword And The Cross
Through a Glass, Darkly
Hunter-Seeker
Remain Violent

Encore:
Total War

Band members
John Kevill – vocals
Adam Carroll – guitars
Chase Becker – guitars
Chase Bryant – bass
Carlos Cruz – drums