Tag Archives: destroyer of worlds

Album Review – Werewolves / My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (2023)

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The most savage Blackened Death Metal band to ever arise from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.

Formed in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia, the ruthless Technical Black/Death Metal horde that goes by the name of Werewolves has been making a name for themselves in the worldwide extreme music scene not only by the undeniable quality of their music, but also by their hard work and passion for what they do, as now in 2023, only a few years after the band’s inception, they’re unleashing upon humanity their impressive fourth studio album, the annihilating My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Recorded by Chris Themelco at Anubis Studios (drums), Matt Wilcock and Sam Johnson at Holes & Corners Studio (guitars and bass), Jack Hartley at Jack Hartley Audio (vocals), and Marc Russo at Beveridge Road Studio (additional vocals), mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, and displaying a sick artwork by Mitchell Nolte (with design and layout by Sam Dishington), My Enemies Look and Sound like Me is a lecture in hatred, nihilism and violence by Sam Bean on vocals and bass, Matt Wilcock on the guitars, and David Haley on drums, taking the band’s fury to a whole new level in the majestic follow-up to their critically acclaimed albums The Dead Are Screaming (2020), What a Time to Be Alive (2021), and From the Cave to the Grave (2022).

There’s no peace in the music by Werewolves, and the opening tune Under The Ground is the perfect depiction of that, already offering our putrid ears the demonic drumming by David accompanied by the rumbling bass and devilish roars by Sam; whereas the title-track My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me sounds like a hurricane of Black and Death Metal that will demolish your senses, or a bestial devastation by the trio with Matt showcasing all his dexterity, rage and passion for extreme music armed with his axe. Get ready to break your freakin’ neck headbanging and to slam into the pit like a beast to the sound of Bring To Me The Kill, another infernal Black and Death Metal aria where David continues to hammer his drums manically, and those Aussie metallers show no mercy for our damned souls in Brace For Impact, blasting more of their frantic Blackened Death Metal spearheaded by the thunderous blast beats by David.

In Destroyer of Worlds we’re treated to devilish, obscure words vociferated by Sam (“Plead my cause against an unfaithful nation / Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked / An abomination / Nausea and tears / I am become Fake / Destroyer of worlds / We are not his image / Creature of blasphemy / Spitting in their eye / Pissing holy water”) while the music is the most cryptic form of Black Metal you can think of; and back to their more ferocious, ruthless vibe it’s time for a circle pit feast titled Neanderhell, with Sam roaring nonstop supported by the caustic riffage by Matt. I Hate Therefore I Am carries a beautiful name for a demonic, pulverizing hymn by Werewolves, making it impossible to stand still to the venomous riffs by Matt in one of the best songs of the album hands down. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now is another song with a classy name, offering our ears one more round of the band’s visceral Black and Death Metal. Put differently, simply bang your head nonstop to the stone crushing drums by David, and be prepared for the last tune from such hellish opus, titled Do Not Hold Me Back, which will punch you hard in the head one final time with Sam sounding darkly evil on vocals.

The demolishing, unrelenting My Enemies Look and Sound like Me can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if I were you I would certainly grab a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow Werewolves on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping your damned heart as black and evil as it can be while listening to the first-class extreme music by this amazing Australian band. Will Werewolves keep the momentum going and release another jaw-dropping full-length album in 2024? Do your enemies look and sound like you? Hopefully the answer to those two questions is yes, as Werewolves are quickly becoming one of the must-see names of both the Australian and the worldwide Black and Death Metal scenes, offering us all nonstop action, adrenaline and hatred in the form of their sick creations.

Best moments of the album: My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me, Bring To Me The Kill, Neanderhell and I Hate Therefore I Am.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Prosthetic Records

Track listing
1. Under The Ground 2:29
2. My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me 3:46
3. Bring To Me The Kill 3:01
4. Brace For Impact 3:14
5. Destroyer of Worlds 5:41
6. Neanderhell 3:28
7. I Hate Therefore I Am 3:23
8. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now 4:07
9. Do Not Hold Me Back 4:52

Band members
Sam Bean – vocals, bass
Matt Wilcock – guitars
David Haley – drums

Album Review – Warcrab / Scars of Aeons (2016)

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Enjoy one of the most complete and thrilling Sludge Metal albums of the past few years, courtesy of six exceptional musicians from the UK.

Rating4

coverIt’s time to get extremely heavy with the precise fusion of Death, Sludge and Doom Metal blasted by British squad Warcrab, a sextet that has been on the road since 2009 offering their warlike music to fans of the dark side of underground metal, starting with their self-titled debut EP in 2012 and then with their 2014 EP named Ashes of Carnage. Hailing from Plymouth, a city on the south coast of Devon, England, Warcrab are back with new material and will crush your head with the darkened and sluggish compositions found in Scars of Aeons, their debut full-length album and one of the best of the genre from the past few years in my humble opinion.

The music by Warcrab is not only highly recommended for connoisseurs of Sludge Metal, but it’s also an amazing alternative for fans of bands like Bolt Thrower, Amon Amarth and Slayer due to the more aggressive approach coming from their Death Metal influences. That exciting mix of different types of extreme music led them to play numerous shows across the UK in 2015, sharing the stage with renowned artists such as Vader, Incantation and Desecration, which also turned out to be an excellent source of creativity and potency for the music found in Scars of Aeons. If there’s a word that can be used to define their musicality, I would say that word is “heaviness”.

The intro to the opening track Conquest couldn’t be more obscure and damned, but it’s when drummer Rich Parker starts pounding his drums that a dark feeling truly impregnates the air. Martyn Grant’s vociferations boost the vileness of the song, with guitarists Paul “Budgie” Garbett and Leigh Jones being spot-on with their heavy and demonic riffs throughout the song’s eight raw and fierce minutes, ending with a sensational solo by lead guitarist Geoff Holmes. The following song, Destroyer of Worlds, is tailored for breaking your neck and pulverizing your spinal cord, with the Death Metal vocals by Martyn matching perfectly with the musicality generated by the rest of the band. It is a kick-ass combination of the heaviness and moodiness of Sludge Metal with the belligerence of Death Metal, or in other words, the level of brutality in this amazing composition is definitely not for the lighthearted. And increasing their speed a bit and leaning towards a more Death Metal vibe, Warcrab keep attacking us all with their visceral music in the solid In the Shadow of Grief, where all guitarists are in perfect sync while Rich continues to fire his rhythmic and potent beats.

group-photoIn the sensational Bury Me Before I’m Born, Geoff’s soulful solos are exactly what’s needed to give more balance to the overall inhumanity generated by the band in the beginning of the song, before Martyn growls his possessed words in a demonic way. Moreover, it has a primeval and tribal feel that gets mesmerizing as the song progresses, with the thunderous bass by Dave “Guppy” Simmonds snarling like an evil monster in the background. Warcrab still have a 10-minute ode to darkness and hate to offer us all, the title-track Scars of Aeons, a groovy and powerful composition where Martyn leads the band’s Doom Metal assault with his deranged growls and screams. Despite being a neck-breaking tune, it also brings forward a good amount of melody and harmony to the listener, proving how talented the whole band is, gradually slowing down and getting more and more blackened and melancholic until all is said and done.

As aforementioned, I consider Scars of Aeons one of the most complete and thrilling Sludge/Doom Metal albums of the past few years, offering all the elements traditionally found in this type of music and at the same time presenting a fresh vibe thanks to the sensational job done by all Warcrab guys with their instruments. They deserve our respect and support for carrying the flag of extreme music in such a classy way, and in order to do that we should all give them a shout at their Facebook page, bang our heads to their music at their YouTube channel, and obviously purchase Scars of Aeons at the Black Bow Records’ BandCamp page.

Best moments of the album: Destroyer of Worlds and Scars of Aeons.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Black Bow Records

Track listing
1. Conquest 8:29
2. Destroyer of Worlds 4:47
3. In the Shadow of Grief 5:56
4. Bury Me Before I’m Born 4:51
5. Scars of Aeons 10:09

Band members
Martyn Grant – vocals
Geoff Holmes – lead guitar
Paul “Budgie” Garbett – guitar
Leigh Jones – guitar
Dave “Guppy” Simmonds – bass
Rich Parker – drums