Tag Archives: doom metal

Album Review – Soul of Anubis / Ritual (2026)

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This Portuguese duo returns with their fourth full-length opus, capturing the full scope of their signature sound, a visceral blend of aggression and dynamic shifts that refuses to be confined to a single genre.

Formed in 2010 in Northern Portugal, Sludge/Doom Metal creature Soul of Anubis has carved out a distinct place within the European underground thanks to their explosive fusion of Thrash, Sludge, Doom and Post-Metal, channeling the raw urgency of Mantar, the primal energy of early Mastodon, and the relentless drive of High On Fire and Black Cobra. Now in 2026 the duo formed of Hugo Ferrão on vocals and guitars, and Rui Silva on drums returns with their fourth full-length opus, titled Ritual, following up on their 2019 album The Last Journey. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Lote 71 in Portugal, Ritual captures the full scope of the band’s signature sound, a visceral blend of aggression and dynamic shifts that refuses to be confined to a single genre.

The duo wastes no time and kicks off their groovy and visceral attack with the title-track Ritual, where Hugo screams with tons of anguish while Rui crushes his drums in the name of sludge and doom. Then featuring guest vocalist Keijo Niinimaa from Rotten Sound, it’s pedal to the metal in the demented Mind Crusher, bringing elements of Hardcore, Punk Rock and Crust to their trademark insanity, followed by Incarnation, the first single of the album, keeping the fires of Doom Metal burning, with Hugo not only roaring manically but his riffs also exhale aggression. And Vermin is by far the least dynamic and exciting of all songs, although it still presents the band’s core essence (but not as strong as the other songs).

Death Cult carries the perfect name for a song by any band in the heavy music spectrum, and Soul of Anubis crush our spinal cords with their undisputed blend of absolute doom, as heavy as a thousand riffs in their “version” of it. Let’s keep headbanging like true maniacs to the sound of God’s Burial, where the duo builds a rumbling atmosphere with their caustic riffs and beats; and it’s then time to put the pedal to the metal and speed things up in Human Torch, with Hugo once again bursting his lungs screaming. Last but not least, we face the longest and most obscure of all songs, Unholy Tomb, with Hugo’s riffage and Rui’s drums making the earth tremble until the very last second of such a groovy-as-hell aria.

Pushing the sonic boundaries by Soul of Anubis even further, expanding upon their trademark blend of massive riffs, dark groove, and emotional gravity, while highlighting a newfound sense of urgency and compositional versatility, Ritual is undoubtedly their strongest effort to date, and you can put your damned hands on such an incendiary album by purchasing it from BandCamp, from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore, or simply by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the duo on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their austere creations on Spotify. With their new album, Hugo and Rui have crafted a true metallic ritual, pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them and, consequently, keeping us metalheads as happy as we can be with another demolishing underground band.

Best moments of the album: Mind Crusher, Dead Cult and Human Torch.

Worst moments of the album: Vermin.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Ritual 6:17
2. Mind Crusher 4:46
3. Incarnation 4:49
4. Vermin 3:29
5. Death Cult 5:20
6. God’s Burial 4:32
7. Human Torch 3:41
8. Unholy Tomb 8:30

Band members
Hugo Ferrão – vocals, guitars
Rui Silva – drums

Guest musician
Keijo Niinimaa – vocals on “Mind Crusher”

Album Review – Witches Coven / Soul Reaper (2026)

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This enigmatic Singaporean Doom Metal creature arises from its Stygian lair with its sophomore opus, offering a sonic journey through introspection and remembrance. 

Arising from its Stygian lair in Singapore, the enigmatic Doom Metal creature Witches Coven, the brainchild of vocalist and instrumentalist Imran Manaff (of Funeral Hearse and Splinter), is ready to darken the skies once again with its sophomore offering, entitled Soul Reaper, following up on the project’s 2022 debut World on Fire. Mixed and mastered by Rambow-Musis, Soul Reaper brings forward seven tracks of heavy, atmospheric doom, shifting focus from the fiery exploration of global unrest of the project’s 2022 debut to a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, offering a sonic journey through introspection and remembrance.

The maniacal bass by Imran kicks off the opening track Tomorrow’s Dream, soon joined by his hammering drums in the best Sludge Metal style, sounding electrifying from start to finish. Then he offers our avid ears a very melodic and gripping Stoner Metal tune titled Chasing Smoke, with his inebriate vocals adding even more gasoline to the music; and it’s pedal to the metal in the Rock N’ Roll feast titled Come Fly Away, where his riffs and solos are truly incendiary. And back to a more sluggish sonority he offers our avid ears Hollow, again blasting his raspy vocals while his beats and fills keep the song at a decent pace and vibe (despite being a bit too lengthy in the end).

Get ready to break your necks headbanging to the power of the riff crafted by Imran in October Flames, offering our putrid ears an overdose of Doom and Sludge Metal throughout its seven minutes of a descent into total madness; whereas his hammering drums are boosted by his thunderous bass lines in Intolerable Dissent, again presenting that rockin’ riff smell we all adore so much. Not only that, it’s impressive just to think it’s only one guy making all that good noise. And last but definitely not least, let’s drive through the lands of Stoner, Sludge and Doom Metal one final time with Plains of Yesterday, where all instrumental pieces exhale Rock N’ Roll, in special his fast-paced riffs and killer solos.

“I spent the last three years in a state of reflection,” commented Imran Manaff. “This album is a product of that. I wanted to create something that felt heavy, not just musically, but emotionally – like the burden of a memory you can’t shake. The title Soul Reaper isn’t about death, but about confronting those parts of our past that have shaped us, for better or worse.” Put differently, Soul Reaper promises to be a powerful addition to the genre, cementing Witches Coven’s place as a formidable force in the underground music scene, and you can join Imran Manaff on Instagram to know more about Witches Coven (as well as his other bands), stream the project’s creations on Spotify or Apple Music, and of course buy a copy of Soul Reaper from BandCamp. The second offering by Witches Coven sounds darker, heavier, more introspective and, therefore, more engaging than World on Fire, and if such a darkened path is what Imran Manaff has in mind for the future of Witches Coven, we can rest assured album number three will be even more haunting, if that’s humanly possible.

Best moments of the album: Tomorrow’s Dream, Come Fly Away and Intolerable Dissent.

Worst moments of the album: Hollow.

Released in 2026 Spy Satellite Records

Track listing
1. Tomorrow’s Dream 6:45
2. Chasing Smoke 6:30
3. Come Fly Away 3:30
4. Hollow 9:37
5. October Flames 7:07
6. Intolerable Dissent 5:07
7. Plains of Yesterday 6:03

Band members
Imran Manaff – vocals, guitars, bass, synth, drums programming

Album Review – Fossilization / Advent Of Wounds (2026)

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Brazil’s own death and doom creature returns with its sophomore beast, a summoning of despair that drags the listener into a chasm where brutality and anguish entwine.

Emerging once again from the abyssal depths of the underground, São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Doom Metal creature Fossilization returns with their sophomore opus entitled Advent of Wounds, a work of sheer ferocity and oppressive gloom, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 debut Leprous Daylight. Produced by the band’s own vocalist, guitarist and bassist V. (aka Thiago “Vakka” Oliveira of Sludge/Death/Doom Metal band Jupiterian) and guitarist Z. (aka Fernando “Zozi” da Silveira of Thrash Metal band Blackning), engineered by Marcos Cerutti at Hellspass Studio, mixed and mastered by Gabriele Gramaglia at Crepuscular Sound Studio, featuring guest musician F. on drums, and displaying a cadaverous artwork by Chinese artist Guang Yang, Advent of Wounds is a relentless onslaught where its frantic and inexorable rhythms hammer with suffocating intensity, while riffs coil like sepulchral invocations in a maelstrom of death, doom, and blackened chaos highly recommended for fans of Dead Congregation, Krypts, Spectral Voice, and Antaeus.

Cremation of a Seraph already kicks off like a bulldozer, demolishing everything and everyone that dares to cross their path, with V.’s abyssal, deep guttural matching perfectly with the infernal drums by F., whereas Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages is just as demonic and devastating as the opening tune, an overdose of Doom Metal-infused death madness where V. and Z. deliver the most scathing riffs imaginable. Scalded by His Sacred Halo, featuring guest vocalist Justin Stubbs, portrays a very poetic name for another ruthless aria of darkness by Fossilization where F. once again hammers his drums like there’s no tomorrow; followed by Terrestrial Mold, the sonic representation of total Armageddon, or a top-of-the-line Death and Doom Metal beast where V. vociferates like a creature from the netherworld. Then in Servo a Stygian start gradually morphs into a rumbling sonority not recommended for the faint at heart, while While the Light Lasts offers an even stronger Doom Metal vibe, as dark as the night, with the riffs by V. and Z. being boosted by the pounding drums by F. Lastly, Temple of Flies and Moss might be the shortest of all songs, but its incandescent violence makes it look like a true giant, ending the album on the most obscure note you can think of.

“From the start, my goal was to make an album even more brutal than Leprous Daylight, from sheer death metal brutality to the miserable melancholy of the doom-laden spirit of early Anathema, Paradise Lost, and early Katatonia. You can also hear many of black metal influences across the record, the opening riff of ‘Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages’ is a direct nod to one of my all-time favorite bands, Antaeus,” commented V., and you can get in touch with him and his Fossilization via Facebook and Instagram, stream their obscure music on any platform such as Spotify, and of course purchase Advent of Wounds via mailorder or from BandCamp. Bleak, crushing and claustrophobic, Advent of Wounds is a summoning of despair that drags the listener into a chasm where brutality and anguish entwine. A suffocating testament to extremity that confirms Fossilization as one of the most formidable forces in contemporary Death and Doom Metal.

Best moments of the album: Cremation of a Seraph, Terrestrial Mold and Temple of Flies and Moss.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Cremation of a Seraph 5:11
2. Disentombed and Reassembled by the Ages 5:34
3. Scalded by His Sacred Halo 4:20
4. Terrestrial Mold 5:51
5. Servo 5:08
6. While the Light Lasts 5:52
7. Temple of Flies and Moss 3:57

Band members
V. – vocals, guitars, bass
Z. – guitars

Guest musicians
F. – drums (session)
Justin Stubbs – vocals on “Scalded By His Sacred Halo”

Album Review – Sanctvs / De l’Abîme au Plérôme (2026)

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Always treading further towards the abyss, this Montreal, Quebec-based Black Metal entity returns with six hymns of devotion and transformation.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity…

Always treading further towards the abyss, Montreal, Quebec’s own Black Metal entity Sanctvs returns with six hymns of devotion and transformation. Staring at the face of Death, De l’Abîme au Plérôme, or “From the Abyss to the Pleroma” in English, is an elegy to our own mortality, a dirge to the passing of time and the changes it inevitably brings. Masterfully crafted by the project’s sole member, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mortheos (aka Xavier Berthiaume), known for his work with some incredible bands from the underground scene like Atramentus, Gevurah, Oriflamme, Atonement, Down to Ruins, and Cauchemar, De l’Abîme au Plérôme is another beast of the always captivating Métal Noir Québécois scene, turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the darkest side of Black Metal.

A grim start suddenly explodes into absolute Black Metal violence in Rex Hominum, where Mortheos shows no mercy for his axe nor for his drums, also vociferating rabidly in the name of total darkness. Sacrifié sur l’autel de la rédemption, which is French for “sacrificed on the altar of redemption”, meaning something (or someone) is given up or destroyed for the sake of achieving salvation, atonement, or a greater good, already starts in full force to Mortheos’ carnivorous riffage, flowing majestically until its very last second; followed by Thrène pour un monde révol, or “a rouse to a bygone world”, with once again his devilish guitar lines setting the tone for his hellish vociferations and crisp, pounding Black and Doom Metal beats and fills. Tabula Rasa, the absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals, offers us all first-class, in-you-face Black Metal beautifully crafted by our lone wolf, whereas Tour d’ivoire, or “ivory tower” in English, referring to a state of privileged seclusion or detachment from practical realities and the common world (originating from French literature to describe secluded intellectual life), brings forward another overdose of violence ad hatred, with his desperate gnarls sounding amazing. Lastly, get ready for a descent into the underworld with La Lumière de l’infini, or “The Light of Infinity” or “Infinite Light,” referring to a divine, endless, or eternal radiance,  filling our avid ears with more of Mortheos’ chaotic screams, riffs and drums.

Following up on the releases of the project’s 2019 debut Mors Aeterna, and its 2025 split Inter Mortuos Liber (with French Black Metal outfit Sotherion), the caustic, harsh De l’Abîme au Plérôme can be purchased from the Osmose Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, and you can also click HERE for all digital links. Mortheos and his Sanctvs can also be found on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can also enjoy the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify. Pleroma (Greek for “fullness”) refers to a state of completeness or abundance, and that’s exactly what Mortheos wants you to feel while listening to the new Sanctvs new offering, an abundance of first-class Black Metal just before you’re dragged back into the abyss.

Best moments of the album: Rex Hominum and Tabula Rasa.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Osmose Productions

Track listing
1. Rex Hominum 7:16
2. Sacrifié sur l’autel de la rédemption 5:54
3. Thrène pour un monde révolu 8:48
4. Tabula Rasa 6:22
5. Tour d’ivoire 5:46
6. La Lumière de l’infini 8:52

Band members
Mortheos – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Evoked Eclipse / The Cries Of Evil (2026)

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A seasoned duo hailing from Italy will darken your soul armed with their debut offering of arcane, devilish and dramatic Atmospheric Black Metal.

Led by vocalist, guitarist and bassist Max Havler (Ophidian, Shrivel), with Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Beheaded, Vomit the Soul) taking care of additional vocals, drums and keyboards, Milan, Italy-based Atmospheric Black Metal entity Evoked Eclipse has its sound closely tied to the Scandinavian Black and Death Metal scene, primarily Swedish, with references to Dissection and Naglfar, but also the Melodic Death Metal of Dark Tranquillity and Opeth and the melancholic Doom and Gothic Metal elements of early Katatonia. Recorded and mixed by Davide Billia at MK2 Recording Studio, mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, showcasing a cryptic artwork by the beyond talented Gogo Melone (presenting the album’s visual representation in its most arcane, dark and dramatic essence), and with layout by Francesco Palumbo of MKM Graphix, their debut effort The Cries Of Evil represents a new vision of extreme music, positioning the project as one of the must-see names of the new scene worldwide.

The ethereal intro Enchantment will transport us all to the Stygian realm ruled by Evoked Eclipe, flowing into the title-track The Cries Of Evil, where Max roars with tons of anger in his blackened heart while Davide delivers a mix of Black Metal blast beats and sluggish Doom Metal sounds. After that we have Land Of The White Spirit Lady, featuring guest vocals by Kyrah Aylin (of Aresea and Elegy of Madness), a beautiful, dark ballad of Blackened Doom, with their riffs and drums matching perfectly with Kyrah’s stunning vocal lines; and then we face the melancholic, grim interlude Mournishments, setting the stage for The Watch Of Spirits, with Max delivering sharp, crisp riffs and bass lines while Davide continues to hammer his drums mercilessly. In Drops Of Blood we see the band adding hints of Progressive Metal to their core Atmospheric Black Metal sonority, showcasing more of their fiery riffage, followed by Illusions Of The Life, another classic blast of atmospheric madness, sounding as dark and visceral as it can be, morphing into the outro Ascension, feeling utterly epic and leaving us eager for more of their stylish music in the near future.

Max and Davide are waiting for you with their Evoked Eclipse on Facebook and on Instagram, including news, more of their music, and who knows, maybe some live performances in a not-so-distant future, stream the album in full on Spotify, and of course you can put your hands on the excellent The Cries Of Evil from Club Inferno’s BandCamp, from My Kingdom Music, by clicking HERE, as well as from several other online retailers such as MDV Shop, Waterloo Records, and Groovespin.com. The fusion of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal with Death, Doom and Gothic Metal nuances found in The Cries Of Evil will certainly darken your already blackened heart even more, fueling the duo to keep blasting their undisputed extreme music for many years to come under their sinister, grim Black Metal eclipse.

Best moments of the album: The Cries Of Evil, The Watch Of Spirits and Illusions Of The Life.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Club Inferno Ent./My Kingdom Music

Track listing
1. Enchantment 1:11
2. The Cries Of Evil 4:17
3. Land Of The White Spirit Lady 5:58
4. Mournishments 1:25
5. The Watch Of Spirits 7:01
6. Drops Of Blood 5:48
7. Illusions Of The Life 5:17
8. Ascension 2:15

Band members
Max Havler – vocals, guitars, bass
Davide Billia – vocals, drums, keyboards

Guest musician
Kyrah Aylin – female vocals on “Land Of The White Spirit Lady”

Album Review – Urne / Setting Fire to the Sky (2026)

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Whipping up a firestorm of grit, swagger and grandiosity, the new opus by this UK entity snarls hardcore, extreme inflections, and a strong sense of Heavy Metal’s inherent classicism.

Whipping up a firestorm of grit, swagger and grandiosity, Setting Fire to the Sky, the brand new album by UK’s own Stoner/Sludge Metal/Metalcore cult act Urne, snarls hardcore, extreme inflections, and a strong sense of Heavy Metal’s inherent classicism, all burn together within their own burial chamber, propelling the band forward. Recorded and produced by SikTh co-vocalist Justin Hill, mixed by Johann Meyer at Silvercord Studios, and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studio, the follow-up to their 2023 album A Feast on Sorrow sees vocalist and bassist Joe Nally, guitarist Angus Neyra, and drummer James Cook expand their sound to even further lands, sounding and feeling heavier, tighter and more captivating than ever.

The acoustic guitars by Angus ignite the band’s festivities in Be Not Dismayed, suddenly exploding into a Progressive Sludge Metal aria where Joe’s vocals sound dark and visceral just the way we like it in extreme music; and James hammers his drums mercilessly in Weeping to the World, with their Mastodon-inspired riffs and bass punching us hard in the head while the music alternates between more introspective moments and sheer heaviness. Joe’s rumbling bass walks hand in hand with the pounding beats by James in the headbanging The Spirit, Alive, a serious candidate for becoming a permanent part of their live concerts, whereas the title-track Setting Fire to the Sky brings to our ears a sinister, grim intro that gradually morphs into a Doom and Sludge Metal creature, with James taking the lead armed with his undisputed, intricate and pulverizing beats and fills, followed by The Ancient Horizon, a more cadenced (yet still heavy-as-hell) creation by the trio, offering an overdose of caustic riffs by Angus.

We’re then treated to the also obscure Towards the Harmony Hall, carrying a poetic name for a hard hitting Progressive Metal beast where Angus’ carnivorous riffs clash in great fashion with the brutality blasted by James on drums. Then featuring the indomitable Troy Sanders of Mastodon as a guest vocalist, Urne will melt our faces with nine minutes of absolute metal magic in Harken the Waves, presenting several distinct layers that together form the most detailed of all songs, where melody and violence unite in the name of heavy music. Cellist Jo Quail adds pure melancholy to the band’s already deep and dark sonority in Breathe, providing Joe with exactly what he needs to shine with his introspective vocals, and as a CD and digital only bonus track we have Nocturnal Forms, certainly worth the investment in those formats as it’s another excellent song of no shenanigans Progressive Death and Sludge Metal.

“I feel like I’m in Metallica in 1988 with what we do,” commented Joe about the current state of Urne, and of course about the music found in Setting Fire to the Sky. You can also set fire to your music collection by purchasing such an amazing album from their own Big Cartel, from Rough Trade, or simply by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also follow Urne on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their news and tour dates, and to stream their massive creations on any platform like Spotify. As aforementioned, Urne are moving forward with their newborn opus, leaving us eager for more in the near future by one of the most captivating band’s of the current British scene.

Best moments of the album: The Spirit, Alive, Setting Fire to the Sky and Harken the Waves.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Spinefarm Records

Track listing
1. Be Not Dismayed  5:54
2. Weeping to the World 3:42
3. The Spirit, Alive 3:52
4. Setting Fire to the Sky 6:38
5. The Ancient Horizon 4:41
6. Towards the Harmony Hall 7:14
7. Harken the Waves 9:23
8. Breathe 4:19

CD and Digital bonus track
9. Nocturnal Forms 3:54

Band members
Joe Nally – vocals, bass
Angus Neyra – guitars
James Cook – drums

Guest musicians
Troy Sanders – vocals on “Harken the Waves”
Jo Quail – cello on “Breathe”

Album Review – Profane Elegy / Herezjarcha (2026)

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This American Black Metal horde attacks with their debut full-length album, a harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration.

A harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism, Herezjarcha, the brand new opus by Bangor, Pennsylvania-based Black Metal horde Profane Elegy, sees the band expand every element of their vision, sounding heavier, more dynamic, more refined, and deeply introspective. Produced by J Gulick and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios, the new offering by vocalist Mikael L , guitarist J Gulick, bassist David G, and drummer Sean M is more than an album. It is a record built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration, exploring themes of nihilism, mortality, philosophy, and religious symbolism, often invoking figures like Satan not as dogmatic statements, but as metaphors in a broader spiritual and existential dialogue.

There’s no time to breathe as the band attacks in full force with Exeunt Omnes, which is Latin for “all go out,” a phrase drawn from Shakespeare’s Richard III, where Mikael’s grim vocals will lacerate your minds in a perfect fusion of Black and Death Metal. Then Sean’s hammering drums dictate the pace in the devilish Haunted, also presenting those classic Black Metal riffs we love so much by J, followed by The Accuser, drawing from the Biblical role of Satan as prosecutor, with the song representing both indictment and rejection. Put differently, it’s another undisputed blast of savagery by such an uncanny horde, led by J’s classic riffage and supported by David’s rumbling bass. The band then offers one of the heaviest songs of the album, titled As My Heart Turns to Ash, while also showcasing an overdose of melody and progressiveness, reminding me of some of the best bands from the current Nordic extreme scene.

In the pulverizing I AM, with its title drawn from the book of Exodus, taking the phrase spoken by God “I am that I am” and transforming it into a proclamation of human rebellion, we’re all invited to slam into the pit to the unstoppable beats and fills by Sean, once again ending on a more pensive, melancholic vibe. Immutable explores the inescapable traits and traumas we are born into, keeping the album at a high level of violence while blasting our damned souls with the band’s scathing Black Metal; whereas And Then We Are Gone might not be a bad tune, but it’s way below the rest of the album in terms of violence, speed and electricity despite its doomed vibe. Finally, we face Herezjarcha, a sprawling, conceptual narrative about a man transformed by his own heresy. In visions and madness, he births a new ideology, becoming one with darkness in pursuit of hidden truths, and the music perfectly depicts that by sounding very intricate and detailed, with Mikael’s roars exhaling endless anger and hatred while his bandmates craft thunderous and hypnotizing sounds before the song’s nocturnal ending.

The name Herezjarcha is a neologism meaning “arch-heretic,” and the record embodies this fully, an oath against complacency, a testament of defiance, and a new scripture of darkness, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Mayhem, Woods of Ypres, Swallow the Sun, and Emperor. Hence, you can get to know more about the band via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their sulfurous music on Spotify, and of course, purchase their excellent new opus from BandCamp. Fusing the atmospheric elements of Black Metal with the weight of Doom Metal, the precision of Death Metal, and the unexpected textures of orchestration and clean vocals, Herezjarcha rejects genre purity in favor of vision. This is what Profane Elegy stand for. This is a new heresy.

Best moments of the album: Exeunt Omnes, As My Heart Turns to Ash and Herezjarcha.

Worst moments of the album: And Then We Are Gone.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Exeunt Omnes 4:57
2. Haunted 3:31
3. The Accuser 5:20
4. As My Heart Turns to Ash 5:23
5. I AM 3:49
6. Immutable 3:56
7. And Then We Are Gone 4:02
8. Herezjarcha 5:55

Band members
Mikael L – vocals, orchestrations
J Gulick – guitars, orchestrations
David G – bass, orchestrations
Sean M – drums

Album Review – Malignant Aura / Where All of Worth Comes to Wither (2026)

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Prepare your soul for a descent into the depths of human despair, courtesy of a tortured and lumbering Death and Doom Metal creature from Down Under.

Crawling from beneath the bloody earth in 2022, more specifically from our beloved Australia, Death/Doom Metal creature Malignant Aura will consume our souls with their sophomore opus, poetically entitled Where All of Worth Comes to Wither, continuing the dark path which started back in 2022 with Abysmal Misfortune Is Draped upon Me. Comprising concise and powerful 46 minutes spread across five songs, the new offering by vocalist Tim Smith, guitarists Chris Clark and Dalton Quade Wilson, bassist Jonathan Ennis, and drummer Pete Robertson sees the band both expanding and contracting their sound, broadening its sonic possibilities whilst focusing the songwriting for maximum, abyss-ward effect. The esteemed Paolo Girardi lends his signature touch to the album’s cover artwork, completely suiting the dark, dreadful emotion of its contents inspired by a pool as varied as Incantation, Paradise Lost, Virgin Black, Hooded Menace, Mournful Congregation, Candlemass, Disembowelment, Pallbearer, Katatonia, Asphyx, and My Dying Bride.

The title-track Where all of Worth Comes to Wither is actually an extended intro, sounding grim and diabolical from the very first second, dragging us to the band’s Stygian lair in The Pathetic Festival, with Pete hammering his drums in a demolishing fusion of Death and Doom Metal, all boosted by the cadaverous guttural by Tim while the sound of the guitars by Chris and Dalton is utterly evil. After such a demented tune let’s all dive deep into the realms of doom with the 13-minute beast Languishing in the Perpetual Mire, arising from the pits of the underworld to the rumbling sounds blasted by Jonathan and Pete, sounding and feeling like four or five songs in one. Then after an ethereal, cryptic start, Beneath a Crown of Anguish morphs into the most sluggish form of Doom Metal imaginable, with the grim Death Metal vocals by Tim adding an extra touch of insanity to it; whereas lastly, get ready to be smashed like a putrid insect to the sound of An Abhorrent Path to Providence, with their riffs and bass lines walking hand in hand with another visceral vocal performance by Tim.

A full-length descent into the depths of human despair, Where All of Worth Comes to Wither is a harrowing blend of Death and Doom Metal, sounding vicious, somber, and triumphant. Hence, if you have what it takes to face the band’s own brand of tortured and lumbering doom-death, you can find those talented Australian on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their heavy-as-hell creations on Spotify or on any other platform, and above all that, put your damned hands on Where All of Worth Comes to Wither by purchasing it from their own BandCamp, from the Grindhead Records’ BandCamp. from the Primitive Moth’s BandCamp, from Memento Mori, or simply click HERE for all things Malignant Aura. In the end, Where All of Worth Comes to Wither doesn’t just carry a bold and penetrating name; its music is absurdly dense, deep and frightful, exactly the way we love in the always menacing fusion of Death and Doom Metal.

Best moments of the album: Languishing in the Perpetual Mire and An Abhorrent Path to Providence.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Memento Mori/Grindhead/Primitive Moth

Track listing
1. Where all of Worth Comes to Wither 3:27
2. The Pathetic Festival 6:56
3. Languishing in the Perpetual Mire 13:00
4. Beneath a Crown of Anguish 10:05
5. An Abhorrent Path to Providence 12:08

Band members
Tim Smith – vocals
Chris Clark – guitars
Dalton Quade Wilson – guitar
Jonathan Ennis – bass
Pete Robertson – drums

Album Review – Invictus / Nocturnal Visions (2026)

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Behold the path of destruction by this unrelenting Japanese trio armed with their sophomore album, exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage.

Conceived in Nagano, Japan back in 2015, the original goal by the ruthless beast known as Invictus was to play Death Metal with hints of technicality and a strong Thrash Metal edge, combining the morbid grooves and abhorrent atmospherics of all archaic Death Metal gods like Death, Malevolent Creation, Monstrosity, Brutality, Mercyless, Morbid Angel, Gorguts, Obituary, Decapitated, Sadistic Intent, and Cannibal Corpse, and prioritizing the creation of songs crammed with commanding riffs over any other aspect of their putrescent music. Now in 2026 the band formed of Takehitopsy Seki on vocals and guitars, Toshihiro Seki on bass, and Haruki Tokutake on drums returns to action with their sophomore opus, titled Nocturnal Visions, following up on their 2020 debut The Catacombs of Fear. Embraced by a compelling, era-authentic artwork courtesy of Juanjo Castellano, the album sees the band exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage, exuding a more pernicious aural decay and bludgeoning the listener into submission by some of the meatiest and most vitriolic Death Metal conceivable.

After a short and sinister Intro, the trio is ready to devour our souls with their infuriated Death Metal attack in Abyssal Earth Eradicates, with the bass by Toshihiro sounding as dirty as it is violent while Takehitopsy barks like a putrid entity form the underworld. Haruki then shows absolutely no mercy for his drums nor for our frail bodies in Altar of Devoted Slaughter, sounding like a Death Metal stone crusher from hell, not to mention Takehitopsy’s demented guitar solo. And the trio continues their path of absolute demolition in Lucid Dream Trauma, not as fast but absurdly heavy thanks to another killer performance by Haruki on drums, followed by Persecution Madness, a lecture in both old school and contemporary Death Metal in the vein of Immolation and Cannibal Corpse.

Dragged Beneath the Grave is another song with a poetic name, with those Japanese death dealers going mental with their relentless riffs, bass and blast beats, as well as Takehitopsy’s maniacal vocals; and he keeps delivering his visceral guttural in Frozen Tomb, again perfect for some wild headbanging and slamming while Haruki continues to pound his drums manically. Wandering Ashdream is still an excellent song overflowing brutality and gore, albeit a bit generic and basic compared to the rest of the album (the guitar solo by Takehitopsy is still pretty solid, though); whereas last but not least, get ready for over eight minutes of total Death Metal madness and fury in Nocturnal Visions, also presenting hints of our good old Doom Metal to give it an even more primeval vibe.

In summary, if you love Death Metal, true and morbid, then don’t miss out on these Japanese masters of putridity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their corrosive, vicious Death Metal sounds on any platform such as Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of their demented new album from their own BandCamp, from Me Saco Un Ojo’s BandCamp or webstore, or from Memento Mori. If in Japanese fantasy and science fiction movies and television programs we have the pleasure of seeing those gigantic kaiju destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path, in Death Metal it’s Invictus who are the real kaiju, sounding absolutely devastating and ruthless armed with their breathtaking new offering.

Best moments of the album: Altar of Devoted Slaughter, Persecution Madness and Dragged Beneath the Grave.

Worst moments of the album: Wandering Ashdream.

Released in 2026 Memento Mori/Me Saco Un Ojo

Track listing
1. Intro 0:40
2. Abyssal Earth Eradicates 4:43
3. Altar of Devoted Slaughter 3:50
4. Lucid Dream Trauma 4:09
5. Persecution Madness 3:31
6. Dragged Beneath the Grave 3:00
8. Frozen Tomb 3:35
7. Wandering Ashdream 3:56
9. Nocturnal Visions 8:01

Band members
Takehitopsy Seki – vocals, guitars
Toshihiro Seki – bass
Haruki Tokutake – drums

Album Review – Karloff / Revered by Death (2026)

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The sophomore opus by this German Black Metal and Punk Rock beast sounds moodier and murkier than their debut offering, while also portending a deeper doom and gloom.

Hailing from Germany, Black Metal/Punk Rock brigade Karloff was formed in 2018 initially as a means for erstwhile Graveyard Ghoul member Tom Horrified to blow off some punk-oriented steam with a couple close comrades. Three years after the release of their 2022 debut The Appearing, the band currently formed of Tom Horrified on vocals and guitar, 733 on bass, and H. T. Steinbrecher on drums and percussion returns in full force with their sophomore installment, the incendiary Revered by Death. Following logically from The Appearing, Revered by Death sounds moodier and murkier, living up to its lofty title while its songwriting definitely feels punchier, portending a deeper doom and gloom.

The scorching, visceral riffage by Tom kicks off the trio’s beyond devilish festivities in Pessimistic Soaring, presenting a deep Punk Rock rebelliousness intertwined with the raw, obscure sounds of Black Metal, whereas the relentless bass by 733 and the pounding drums by H. T. will smash your skull in Die Wiederkehr der Dunkelei, or “the return of the dark egg” (if that makes any sense). The band then blends elements from Doom and Post-Metal to their core sound in When the Flames Devour You All, with Tom once again delivering absolutely caustic vocals and riffs.

Then the atmospheric (yet a bit too lengthy) interlude On Weathered Altar sets the tone for Prince of Parasites, where we’re treated to a caustic, electrifying fusion of Black Metal and Punk Rock, in special through the rebellious riffs by Tom and the classic beats by H. T. The band then ventures through the vast realms of Death Metal in Regicide, with the song’s vicious, deep riffage matching perfectly with its bass lines and crushing beats; and it’s pedal to the metal in the slamming tune Crown Cvlt Fate, perfect for some wild action inside a hot and humid circle pit at one of those infernal metal pubs, while Elisabetha’s Revenge, their last blast of insanity and rage, will simply demolish your soul, again presenting the raspy, harsh vociferations by Tom.

Ghouls and ghosts, thugs and thieves, Karloff are back and calling upon you to be Revered by Death, and if you believe you have what it takes to face such a harsh and visceral album of Black Metal and Punk Rock you can find those talented guys on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their acid creations on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Revered by Death from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or webstore as a CD, an LP or a special edition LP on oxblood vinyl including an insert, a poster, a sticker, a post card, a woven patch, and a download code. Because Revered by Death is not just Black Metal, nor only Punk Rock; it’s everything at once, offering an amalgamation of violent and obscure sounds that will certainly haunt your souls for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: A Pessimistic Soaring, Prince of Parasites and Crown Cvlt Fate.

Worst moments of the album: On Weathered Altar.

Released in 2026 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing
1. A Pessimistic Soaring 2:52
2. Die Wiederkehr der Dunkelei 3:05
3. When the Flames Devour You All 5:53
4. On Weathered Altar 4:08
5. Prince of Parasites 2:47
6. Regicide 3:52
7. Crown Cvlt Fate 2:30
8. Elisabetha’s Revenge 4:52

Band members
Tom Horrified – vocals, electric rhythm & lead guitar
733 – electric bass guitar
H. T. Steinbrecher – drums & percussion