One of the most interesting names of the Vancouver, Canada scene is back with an amazing new EP, an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet.
Exploring various forms of metal within their music, resulting in a symphonic mix of nature, atmosphere, and technically precise musicianship, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Melodic/Symphonic Death Metal act Atavistia is ready to unleash a brand new EP titled Inane Ducam, which translates as “I will lead into nothingness”, and sometimes you’ll even find the album labeled as Inane Ducam (I Will Lead Into Nothingness), an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet. Produced and engineered by Mattias Sippola and Max Sepulveda, recorded at Atavistic Studios, mixed by Mattias Sippola, and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, the album includes some of the most complex guitar riffs, fastest drums, and bellowing screams by vocalist and guitarist Mattias Sippola, newcomers Elia Baghbaniyan on the guitars and Spencer Budworth on bass, and drummer Max Sepulveda, perfectly depicting the diversity of Atavistia much like a forest in the full bloom of spring.
The title-track Inane Ducam is an atmospheric, cryptic intro that kicks things off by setting the stage for the band to darken the skies in Timeless Despair, an explosive Melodic Death Metal aria bursting with epicness thanks to all symphonic elements in the background, while Max hammers his drums in the name of extreme music, perfectly supporting Mattias’ devilish vocals. Then we have Dark Isolation, sounding even more imposing and bold, a multi-layered composition showcasing the caustic riffs by Mattias and Elia while Spencer keeps the ambience as heavy and it can be with his bass lines. Unattained Creation is another wicked creation by the band where the austere, harsh roars by Mattias match perfectly with the rumbling bass and drums by Spencer and Max, respectively, flowing into the closing song of the EP, titled The Void, which is also the most detailed grim and infernal of all tracks, with Mattias leading his horde with his hellish growls while Max keeps blasting his drums like a demented beast, resulting in over seven minutes of first-class metal music that put a beyond climatic ending to the album.
If you want to know more about Atavistia, their music, tour dates and so on, you can start following and supporting one of the most interesting names of the current Canadian metal scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the excellent Inane Ducam from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Atavistia keep exploring new lands in Inane Ducam while always remaining loyal to their origins, and that translates into some amazing heavy music that I’m sure you’ll enjoy a lot as soon as you take your very first listen to their new release, undoubtedly one of the best EP’s of 2024 so far.
Best moments of the album:Dark Isolation and The Void.
The Hellenic beast of extreme music is back with their imposing fourteenth studio effort, a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge.
Celebrating 35 years of existence in the name of extreme music, Athens, Greece’s own Melodic Black/Gothic Metal institution Rotting Christ is unleashing upon us all their fourteenth studio opus, titled Προ Χριστού (Pro Xristou), or “Before Christ” in Greek, the follow-up to their excellent 2019 album The Heretics. Recorded at Devasoundz Studios, produced by the band’s iconic mastermind Sakis Tolis, mixed by Jens Borgen and mastered by Tony Lidgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a stunning artwork by Thomas Cole (which title is “Destruction”, and part of the painting series “The Course of Empire”) with digital processing by Adrien Bousson, the new album by the aforementioned Sakis Tolis on vocals and guitars, Kostas Foukarakis also on the guitars, Kostas Cheliotis on bass, and Themis Tolis on drums serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.
Pro Xristou (Προ Χριστού) is a superb, impressive intro, taking the album to a whole new level of epicness and obscurity and getting us more than ready for The Apostate, beginning with the incendiary trademark riffs by Sakis and Kostas Foukarakis and with all background sounds and choir turning it into a whimsical musical voyage tailored for longtime fans of the band. Like Father, Like Son, the first single of the album, presents more of the band’s trademark fusion of Black and Gothic Metal, with of course hints of Epic Metal to make things even more compelling; whereas the riffs by Sakis and Kostas Foukarakis will embellish the airwaves in the smooth but dark The Sixth Day, sounding at times like the most recent creations by Insomnium. Then featuring guest vocalist Amdroniki Skoula we have La Lettera Del Diavolo, or “the devil’s letter” from Italian, and every single time Sakis makes a duet with a woman the final result is stunning, with his bandmates crafting a beyond massive, bold sound in the background, therefore resulting in one of the most epic of all songs (if not the most); and a Black Sabbath-inspired riff guides the music in The Farewell, perfect for some vigorous headbanging to the pounding drums by Themis.
Pix Lax Dax is one of those eerie, mysterious creations by Rotting Christ where the background choir adds tons of epicness and power to the overall result, also with Themis once again hammering his drums in great fashion, followed by Pretty World, Pretty Dies, carrying a very distinct name to an embracing, majestic creation by the band, exhaling Epic Black Metal, and all spearheaded by the unparalleled dark vocals by Sakis,. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see this song played live. More of their puissant Black Metal is offered to us all in Yggdrasil, again blending their caustic, visceral riffs with ethereal and imposing background elements, which makes me believe it will easily become a fan-favorite; while the last song from the regular version of the album, titled Saoirse, takes their atmospheric and epic power to a whole new level, with Sakis and Themis sounding on absolute fire until the very last second. Furthermore, if you go for the limited edition box version of the album, you’ll get the bonus tracks Primal Resurrection and All For One, both really good songs that are worth the investment in such special version of the album, plus of course all the perks included in the package.
You can put your heretic hands on Προ Χριστού (Pro Xristou) by purchasing it from the Season of Mist webstore, including the already mentioned more-than-special LP box + digital limited edition, a collector’s edition limited to 500 copies worldwide that comes in a box size 32.5cm x 32.5cm x 5cm with gold foil and linen-like lamination, including the album on gold and black marbled 12” double vinyl, cut in 45 rpm for optimum fidelity, in gatefold with gold foil and linen-like lamination with 12-page insert, the aforementioned bonus tracks on black 7″ vinyl in jacket with linen-like lamination, the album with the bonus tracks on CD in digipak with gold foil and linen-like lamination with 16-page booklet, a 240 gsm, 120cm x 180cm linen printed shroud, a stainless steel pendant and necklace in linen bag with the band’s logo, and a numbered certificate, or click HERE to select your favorite version of the album (including all streaming options). Don’t forget to also check what the most important metal band in the history of Greece is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream their superb discography on Spotify. Those Hellenic metallers will take you back to the time before Christ in their stunning new album, keeping the spirit of true extreme music alive, and of course, leaving us all proud for always supporting them in their brilliant journey.
Best moments of the album:The Apostate, La Lettera Del Diavolo, Pretty World, Pretty Dies and Yggdrasil.
Worst moments of the album:Like Father, Like Son.
Released in 2024 Season of Mist
Track listing 1. Pro Xristou (Προ Χριστού) 1:29
2. The Apostate 5:01
3. Like Father, Like Son 4:35
4. The Sixth Day 3:56
5. La Lettera Del Diavolo 4:01
6. The Farewell 6:15
7. Pix Lax Dax 4:33
8. Pretty World, Pretty Dies 4:51
9. Yggdrasil 5:04
10. Saoirse 6:17
LP Box + Digital Limited Edition bonus tracks 11. Primal Resurrection 5:32
12. All For One 3:37
Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
Kostas Foukarakis – guitars
Kostas Cheliotis – bass
Themis Tolis – drums
Guest musicians Amdroniki Skoula – vocals on “La Letra Del Diavolo”
Nikos Kerkiras – keyboards
Christina Alexiou, Maria Tsironi, Alexandros Loyziotis & Vasilis Karatzas – choir
Andrew Liles – narration on ‘The Apostate” and “Pretty World, Pretty Dies”
Kim Diaz Holm – narration on “Ygdrassil”
Putting a foot back into the roots of the band’s inception, these American veterans return to the battlefield with their striking fourth full-length opus, turning the failure of all into first-class Thrash and Groove Metal.
Putting a foot back into the roots of the band’s inception, New Orleans, Louisiana’s own Thrash Metal veterans Exhorder return to the battlefield with their striking fourth full-length opus, titled Defectum Omnium, the Latin phrase for “the failure of all”. Produced by the band itself, mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by Travis Smith of Seempieces Design Studio, the album is highly recommended for fans of Dark Angel, Nuclear Assault, Exodus, Death Angel, Testament, Machine Head, and Pantera, among others, with the band currently formed of Kyle Thomas on vocals and guitars, Jason Viebrooks on bass, and Sasha Horn on drums now being joined by former Cannibal Corpse heavyweight guitarist Pat O’Brien, just to give their sound an even edgier and more austere taste.
Let’s slam into the pit like true metalmaniacs to the sound of Wrath of Prophecies, a Pantera-infused onrush of thrashing sounds led by the piercing riffs by Kyle and Pat, kicking things off in an amazing way, followed by Under the Gaslight, a more cadenced, Groove Metal-ish tune by Exhorder recommend for some vigorous headbanging to the massive beats by Sasha and the always visceral roars by Kyle. Forever and Beyond Despair offers us then absolutely acid lyrics (“Designs of murder ending all / Last call, then curfew comes / Take your meds and go / The gods bring on the wars / Send the troops, let ’em burn / The girls will work butter churns, all pregnant with babes”) amidst a fusion of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Punk Rock, whereas letting their Southern Metal vein pulse harder than ever we face The Tale of Unsound Minds, with Jason and Sasha delivering sheer heaviness and groove through their devilish kitchen. After that we have Divide and Conquer, another Thrash and Groove Metal feast by the quartet where their riffs and solos sound striking, meaning it should work really well if played live; and an eerie intro quickly explodes into the venomous Year of the Goat, a slamming tune that will invite us all into the circle pit to the rumbling bass by Jason.
After a slower yet still heavy-as-hell start, the band will will hammer your heads mercilessly in Taken by Flames, offering modern-day Thrash Metal overflowing rage and insanity, all led by the boisterous beats by Sasha; and get ready for over seven minutes of darkness in the form of Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope, starting in a hypnotic way before the band comes ripping with a venomous mid-tempo attack, with the riffage by Kyle and Pat penetrating deep inside our damned souls. It’s then time for some pure American hatred flowing from all instruments in Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well, with their riffs, bass jabs and blast beats generating the perfect ambience for some wild circle pits and crowd surfing; followed by Sedition, bringing forward three minutes of savagery and brutality blasted by the quartet, once again offering our avid ears an overdose of dirty riffs, raspy vocals and demolishing drums, and they keep destroying our cranial skulls with their visceral Thrash Metal in Desensitized, where the enraged growls by Kyle walk hand I hand with the unstoppable beats by Sasha. Last but not least, they present another shot of their hybrid of Southern Rock with Thrash and Groove Metal in Your Six, feeling sluggish, dirty and inebriate until the very last second.
Exhorder are not in a good mood throughout the entire Defectum Omnium, and of course that’s an amazing thing when it comes to violent and frantic Thrash Metal. Hence, don’t forget to start following those American thrashers on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, to stream more of their wicked music on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase a copy of the incendiary Defectum Omnium by clinking HERE or HERE. The entire world as we know it has failed miserably, and that’s exactly what Exhorder needed as fuel for their fulminating new album, keeping the fires of heavy music burning bright while our rotten society comes to its inevitable end.
Best moments of the album:Wrath of Prophecies, Year of the Goat and Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well.
Worst moments of the album:Under the Gaslight.
Released in 2024 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Wrath of Prophecies 4:14
2. Under the Gaslight 4:21
3. Forever and Beyond Despair 3:03
4. The Tale of Unsound Minds 5:01
5. Divide and Conquer 2:38
6. Year of the Goat 3:27
7. Taken by Flames 5:19
8. Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope 7:13
9. Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well 6:46
10. Sedition 2:56
11. Desensitized 4:59
12. Your Six 4:28
Band members Kyle Thomas – vocals, guitars
Pat O’Brien – guitars
Jason Viebrooks – bass
Sasha Horn – drums
Guest musicians Rick Wartell – guitars
Bruce Franklin – guitars
Germany’s own rising metal force strikes back with their sophomore beast, a stirring, intense and dynamic Death Metal affair that is both heavily brutal and dark, yet full of melodic melancholy.
Formed in 2020 in the city of Hanover, the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony, the unstoppable Melodic Death Metal beast Hiraes strikes back with their highly anticipated sophomore effort, titled Dormant. Produced by the band itself, recorded at LCHQ Studio (vocals), Warehouse Studio (drums) and K-Sound Studio (guitars and bass), mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren and Ricardo Borges at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a stylish artwork by the band’s own frontwoman Britta Görtz, Dormant is a stirring, intense and dynamic Death Metal affair that is both heavily brutal and dark, yet full of melodic melancholy, masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned she-wolf Britta Görtz alongside guitarists Lukas Kerk and Oliver Kirchner, bassist Christian Wösten, and drummer Mathias Blässe.
Futuristic sounds are quickly joined by the slashing riffs by Lukas and Oliver in Through The Storm, exploding into a feast of modern-day Melodic Death Metal led by the hypnotizing roars by Britta; followed by We Owe No One, one of the coolest songs of the current Melodic Death Metal scene where Britta and the boys are on absolute fire throughout its entirety, presenting amazing riffs supported by the rumbling bass and hammering drums by Christian and Mathias, respectively, being therefore perfect for their live performances. Then slowing things down a bit we have the ballad Undercurrent, while at the same time sounding epic, introspective and delicate, with Britta alternating between her trademark screams and gentle clean vocals; and back to a more visceral sonority it’s time for sheer heaviness spiced up by the striking riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo in Chance To Fail, not to mention how bestial yet intricate the drumming by Mathias sounds. And the proof of the band’s musical evolution is offered to us all in About Lies, bringing forward almost seven minutes of top-of-the-line contemporary Melodic Death Metal, starting in an enfolding manner and growing in intensity until all spaces are filled with the band’s sharp sounds, resulting in a lecture in the style.
After such insane avalanche of heavy and melodic music, the band offers the cryptic, Stygian interlude Come Alive, a cinematic creation by Hiraes that will hold you in a dark embrace before they come crushing once again in Ocean Child, a hammering, multi-layered tune overflowing passion and hatred, with Britta vociferating rabidly nonstop supported by the headbanging beats by Mathias and the always caustic riffs by Lukas and Oliver, flowing into the breathtaking, menacing Nightflight, a violent onrush of metal music by the quintet that will smash your cranial skull mercilessly, with Britta’s soaring vocals matching perfectly with the electrifying riffage and solos by the band’s axe duo, and with Mathias once again pounding his drums in great fashion. They still have a lot of fuel to burn in Red Soil, a neck-breaking extravaganza bringing forward a massive wall of sounds, including hints of Melodic Black Metal, while also sounding mysterious and utterly obscure; whereas the title-track Dormant closes the album on a whimsical mode, not as striking as the rest of the album, but it’s still a solid composition full of love, rage and darkness.
Due to the use of varying keys and sonic elements, Dormant is undoubtedly fresh without sacrificing the nuances that caused their first album to connect so successfully with fans, and if you want to put your hands on such awesome release you can purchase it from their own webstore, from Napalm Records in the US or in Europe, and by clicking HERE, or you can also stream it in full on Spotify. Don’t forget to also give Britta and the boys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things Hiraes including their incendiary live dates. Dormant will certainly feature among the top metal albums of the year of 2024 due to its endless energy, superb musicianship, and first-class quality of its overall production, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for one of the most electrifying names of the current metal scene worldwide.
Best moments of the album:We Owe No One, Chance To Fail, About Lies and Nightflight.
Worst moments of the album:Dormant.
Released in 2024 Napalm Records
Track listing 1. Through The Storm 4:04
2. We Owe No One 4:11
3. Undercurrent 5:23
4. Chance To Fail 4:13
5. About Lies 6:50
6. Come Alive 1:54
7. Ocean Child 4:21
8. Nightflight 3:48
9. Red Soil 5:44
10. Dormant 5:11
Band members Britta Görtz – vocals
Lukas Kerk – guitars
Oliver Kirchner – guitars
Christian Wösten – bass
Mathias Blässe – drums
This newborn Mexican unity is ready to kill armed with their debut opus of ass-kicking Melodic Death Metal deeply rooted in the Gothenburg sound.
Born in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, Sense of Noise are a Mexico City, Mexico-based Melodic Death Metal band that mixes the speed and strength of Death Metal with catchy melodies, clean vocals, a modern production and several musical influences from metal and non-metal genres. Comprised of vocalist Jero Chanona, guitarist and vocalist Fede d’Empaire, guitarist Diego Caná, bassist Mao Rubio, keyboardist Nibsen and drummer Bart Chanona, all with a remarkable experience in different areas of the music industry within and outside metal, this six-piece act is unleashing upon humanity their debut self-titled effort, presenting a collection of songs deeply rooted in the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound. Produced, recorded and mixed by guitarist Fede himself, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a straightforward artwork by the band’s own frontman Jero, the album is highly recommended for fans of Soilwork, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, At the Gates and Scar Symmetry, among others, positioning the band as one of the strongest names of the current Mexican metal scene.
The cinematic intro A Forgotten Oath will captivate your senses and prepare you for Sense of Noise’s metal attack in The Broken Hope, where Fede and Diego are on absolute fire with their Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal-inspired riffage, setting the tone for Jero to scream like a beast (not to mention the utterly metallic bass jabs by Mao), whereas once again drinking from the same fountain as bands like In Flames, Soilwork and Arch Enemy, it’s time for Bart to hammer his drums in War Within, showcasing a very pleasant balance between guttural roars and clean vocals. Then you better get ready for a headbanging, melodic extravaganza titled Morning Glory, again presenting classic riffs spiced up by the whimsical keys by Nibsen. In other words, it will surely please all fans of the genre, putting everyone to bang their heads nonstop to their solid metal music.
Investing into a darker and groovier sound, the band fires the smashing March of the Fallen, with Jero growling the song’s austere words manically accompanied by the rumbling bass by Mao and the always classy keys by Nibsen; and featuring the one and only Björn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) on vocals, Zero Killed is a pure, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune that will inspire you to slam into the pit, and Björn adds tons of violence and feeling to the band’s already rumbling sonority as expected. Then after a serene, acoustic start the band offers more of their fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Groove Metal in Our Dying Light, presenting a stylish paradox between their deep roars and ethereal keys; whereas guest Antony Hämäläinen (Meridian Dawn) lends his sick growling to the band in Rage of Existence, another solid composition showcasing their traditional heavy riffs, low-tuned bass punches and crushing drums. And finally, let’s bang our heads one more time with Sense of Noise in Sense of Darkness, where Jero vociferates rabidly as usual supported by Fede’s clean vocals and the Groove Metal bass by Mao.
You can get to know more about such promising band of the Mexican metal scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about those six skillful metallers, by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by streaming their ass-kicking music on Spotify, and by clicking HERE for all that plus the links to pre-save or pre-order their debut album. As already mentioned, Sense of Noise will undoubtedly face among the biggest names in their home country when the music in question is not only Melodic Death Metal, but heavy music in general, and based on the quality of the music found in their debut effort I’m pretty sure they’ll spread their wings and fly even higher, reaching fans from all over the world with their detailed and sharp compositions, and if you consider yourself a true admirer of the Gothenburg sound (albeit made in Mexico) you better hurry and add this melodic gem to your personal collection.
Best moments of the album: War Within, March of the Fallen and Zero Killed.
Worst moments of the album:Rage of Existence.
Released in 2021 Independent
Track listing 1. A Forgotten Oath 1:54
2. The Broken Hope 3:37
3. War Within 3:39
4. Morning Glory 3:44
5. March of the Fallen 3:35
6. Zero Killed 3:59
7. Our Dying Light 4:40
8. Rage of Existence 4:17
9. Sense of Darkness 4:34
Band members Jero Chanona – harsh and clean vocals
Fede d’Empaire – guitars, clean vocals
Diego Caná – guitars
Mao Rubio – bass
Nibsen – keyboards
Bart Chanona – drums
Guest musicians Björn “Speed” Strid – vocals on “Zero Killed”
Antony Hämäläinen – vocals on “Rage of Existence”
It’s time to wake up once again and smell the bloody and melodic new album by one of the most important bands in the history of extreme music.
If you have a craving for bloody, raw Extreme Metal, get ready to be stunned by Torn Arteries, the brand new opus by Liverpool, UK-based Grindcore masters Carcass, unleashing hell, violence and gore upon us all mere mortals. Recorded at Ghost Ward Studio and The Stationhouse, mixed at Ghost Ward Studio, mastered at Fascination Street Studios and featuring a beautiful artwork by Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak, Torn Arteries is not only the band’s seventh studio album, but their first in eight years since the majestic Surgical Steel, released in 2013, and the wait was absolutely worth it as vocalist and bassist Jeff Walker, guitarist Bill Steer and drummer Daniel Wilding are on fire from start to finish, showcasing all their refined skills while blending the aggressiveness of extreme music with their trademark melody and visceral lyrics.
Daniel kicks off their splatter show with the title-track Torn Arteries, with Jeff’s sick gnarls sounding better than ever for our total delight. What a pulverizing start to the album I might say, not to mention the demented riffs and solos by Bill, and it’s time to crack your neck headbanging to Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B), less violent but extremely melodic and sharp with Bill stealing the spotlight with his unmatched riffage, whereas a wicked guitar solo ignites another Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore extravaganza titled Eleanor Rigor Mortis, accompanied by the always raw and vile growling by Jeff while Daniel’s drums dictate the song’s old school pace. Then we have Under the Scalpel Blade, the only song to feature in their 2020 EP Despicable (and we already know how infernal this tune is), while more of their putrid, acid metal music is brought into being in The Devil Rides Out, again proving why they’re a reference in both Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore, with Bill’s riffs and solos being awesome as usual.
Carcass Torn Arteries Limited Box Set
As heavy and aggressive as its predecessors, Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited is a fulminating tune where Jeff is not only bestial on vocals but his bass also sounds hellish, being the perfect option for banging your head like a maniac together with the band throughout its almost 10 minutes where savagery and harmony collide in a vicious way, therefore offering our ears a unique metal voyage. The groovy beats by Daniel once again ignite a Grindcore attack entitled Kelly’s Meat Emporium, with Jeff and Bill being in absolute sync with their respective bass lines and riffs, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit, whereas in In God We Trust a sinister start quickly evolves into a rhythmic and heavy-as-hell sound spearheaded by Daniel’s classy drums, all spiced up by Bill’s undisputed, sharp solos. Then paying homage to themselves, the trio blasts the headbanging tune Wake Up and Smell the Carcass / Caveat Emptor, showcasing another awesome guitar job by Bill while Jeff continues to haunt our souls with his demonic gnarls. And their last breath of insanity and gore comes in the form of The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing, where Jeff, Bill and Daniel smash their sonic weapons in great fashion offering us all another solid tune to close such austere and melodic album.
As Carcass are not only an awesome band but also a group of very nice gentlemen, they’ve made the full album available on both YouTube and Spotify for our vulgar delectation, but of course let’s support the masters of Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by purchasing a copy of their bloodthirsty new album from Nuclear Blast by clicking HERE or HERE, and if I were you I would go for the sick Torn Arteries boxset limited to 2,000 worldwide, including the album on CD and veggie splatter vinyl, a 24-page booklet, and a porcelain plate with a stainless steel fork and knife dinnerware set. It’s time to wake up and smell the carcass to the sound of Torn Arteries, knowing that as long as Carcass remain active, their smell will continue to be a thrilling fusion of metal music, blood, speed and violence.
Best moments of the album: Torn Arteries, Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited and Kelly’s Meat Emporium.
Worst moments of the album:Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B).
Released in 2021 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Torn Arteries 4:00
2. Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B) 4:29
3. Eleanor Rigor Mortis 4:14
4. Under the Scalpel Blade 3:56
5. The Devil Rides Out 5:22
6. Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited 9:42
7. Kelly’s Meat Emporium 3:24
8. In God We Trust 3:57
9. Wake Up and Smell the Carcass / Caveat Emptor 4:36
10. The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing 5:20
Japanese Edition bonus track 11. NWOBHEAD 3:03
Band members Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Daniel Wilding – drums
Guest musician Tom Draper – guitars (live)
Per Wiberg – organ, piano
Fredrik Klingwall – keyboards
A sensational concept album based on Quadrivium embraced by a fusion of Thrash, Groove and Progressive Metal, masterfully crafted by the best Brazilian metal band of all time.
In case you’re form another dimension and haven’t listened to Quadrayet, let me tell you that the fifteenth studio effort by Brazilian Thrash/Groove Metal titans Sepultura is much more than just another metal album. With a concept based on Quadrivium, which are the four subjects or arts (namely arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy), taught after teaching the trivium, Quadra, meaning “four ways” from Latin, is a 12-track album divided into four sections of three songs each. The first being Thrash Metal songs based on the classic Sepultura sound; the second section is inspired by the groove-percussion oriented sound the band explored in Roots; the third part has more progressive songs inspired by the track Iceberg Dancesfrom Machine Messiah, albeit not all are instrumental tracks; and side four features slow-paced and melodic tracks similar to the song Machine Messiah. Add to that the undeniable talent by the band’s four horsemen Derrick Green on vocals, Andreas Kisser on the guitars, Paulo Jr. on bass and Eloy Casagrande on drums, and there you have the band’s most successful record since 1998’s Against.
Recorded and produced by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden, and featuring a bold artwork by Christiano Menezes from Darkside Books revolving around the meaning of the number four, Quadra is also the Portuguese term for sports court. “We all come from different Quadras. The countries, all nations with their borders and traditions; culture, religions, laws, education and a set of rules where life takes place. Our personalities, what we believe, how we live, how we build societies and relationships, all depends on these set of rules that we grew up with. Concepts of creation, gods, death and ethics. Money, we are enslaved by this concept. Who’s poor and who’s rich, that’s how we measure people and material goods. Regardless of your Quadra you need money to survive, the prime rule to play this game called life. Hence the coin. The coin is forged with the senator skull, who represents the set of rules and laws we live by; the world map on his head delimiting the borders of all nations, imaginary lines separating people by concepts of race and the sacred,” explained Andreas about the concept behind the album art.
Tribal beats and futuristic sounds ignite the brutal and groovy Isolation, an old school Thrash Metal chant with Sepultura’s unique twist, where Derrick already tells us all this album is going to be fantastic through his enraged roars, whereas Means to an End is another ass-kicking, trademark creation by the quartet with the talented Eloy bringing tons of progressiveness and fury to the musicality, while Paulo continues to be precise and groovy as usual on bass. And there’s no sign of slowing down in Last Time, where Derrick and Eloy represent the brutality in the music while Andreas showcases his infinite talent as a shredder as well as with his fantastic solos; and adding primeval elements and beats from the band’s cultural background it’s time for one more round of savagery and groove united in the name of metal in Capital Enslavement, with Andreas slashing his strings beautifully accompanied by the unstoppable Eloy on drums. Back to a more traditional sound blending Thrash, Groove and Progressive Metal, Andreas, Paulo and Eloy generate a bold and reverberating atmosphere in Ali, sounding beyond perfect for Derrick to fire his beastly growls.
Raging Void is a mid-tempo, neck-breaking tune led by Eloy and his pounding drums where Derrick is effectively supported by all backing vocals, while Andreas keep stunning us all with his whimsical guitar. Then a sensational acoustic intro by Andreas sets the stage for an austere and multi-layered metal feast entitled Guardians of Earth (which has one of the best and most touching official videos of the past decade), with all choirs and orchestrations making the whole song even more impactful and thrilling; followed by The Pentagram, bringing to our ears a classic Death Metal sonority infused with endless progressiveness and rage. Furthermore, Andreas is superb on the guitars as usual, while Paulo brings the groove with his minimalist but precise bass jabs, resulting in an excellent instrumental composition. After that we have Autem, uniting the past, present and perhaps the future of Sepultura by alternating between old school thrashing moments and the obscurity and hatred from Death and even Black Metal. Needless to say, Eloy and Andreas are in absolute sync throughout the entire song, and after the brief but beautiful acoustic intermission Quadra, it’s time for a darker, more introspective side of Derek in Agony of Defeat, where once again all background choirs and orchestrations bring a touch of finesse to the overall result, albeit not as majestic as the rest of the album, though. And last but not least, the delicate, sexy vocals by guest Emmily Barreto make a superb paradox with the raspy growls by Derrick in Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering, with the music sounding grim, melodic and vibrant form start to finish, or in other words, a great composition showcasing the band’s endless creativity and passion for heavy music.
After all is said and done, it’s more than fair to give such amazing album of heavy music four of our rating skulls, especially as the album revolves around the various meaning of the number four, right? In addition, in case you haven’t done so yet, I recommend you follow the best and most influential band of the Brazilian metal scene of all time on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their official YouTube channel for more of their unique and heavy-as-hell songs and videos, and of course purchase or stream Quadra by clicking HERE. When Derrick was asked during an interview with BraveWords “Which Sepultura album are you most proud of?”, he replied, “Definitely Quadra. It’s the latest album, and we really worked so hard on it. We have so many different elements from the past that have helped us get to here – where we are at right now. So, without a doubt in my mind, this is the strongest album that we’ve done together. And I’m extremely proud of it.” I guess we must all agree with Derrick that Quadra is hands down the most detailed, diverse and electrifying album of his era fronting Sepultura, raising the flag of Brazilian metal higher and higher for the delight of all of their loyal and diehard fans.
Best moments of the album: Isolation, Capital Enslavement, Guardians of Earth and Fear and Pain, Chaos, Suffering.
Worst moments of the album:Agony of Defeat.
Released in 2020 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Isolation 4:56
2. Means to an End 4:39
3. Last Time 4:27
4. Capital Enslavement 3:40
5. Ali 4:12
6. Raging Void 3:57
7. Guardians of Earth 5:11
8. The Pentagram 5:20
9. Autem 4:06
10. Quadra 0:46
11. Agony of Defeat 5:51
12. Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering 4:09
Alive in Brazil Digipack and Earbook bonus disc (recorded live at “Audio” in São Paulo, Brazil on June 20, 2015) 1. Choke 3:46
2. Convicted in Life 3:31
3. Sepulnation 4:41
4. Apes of God 3:22
5. Sepultura Under My Skin 3:45
6. Manipulation of Tragedy 4:19
7. The Vatican 6:34
8. Cut-Throat 2:55
Band members Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars
Paulo Jr. – bass
Eloy Casagrande – drums, percussion
Guest musicians Bruna Zenti – violin
Kadu Fernandes – percussion on “Capital Enslavement”
Renato Zanuto – keyboards, orchestrations on “Isolation”, “Means to an End”, “Capital Enslavement” and “Guardians of Earth”, choir arrangements
Francesco Ferrini – orchestrations on “Last Time” and “Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering”
Robertinho Rodrigues – acoustic bass
Chorus Mysticus – choir vocals
Jens Bogren – backing vocals
Paulo Cyrino – effects on “Ali”
Gunnar Misgeld – choir arrangements on “Isolation”, “Last Time”, “Guardians of Earth” and “Agony of Defeat”
Emmily Barreto – female vocals on “Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering”
This new Symphonic Black Metal band from Russia has what it takes to conquer the world of heavy music.
Although the Winter Olympics 2014 are over, let’s stay in Russia and enjoy the obscure Imminence, the debut album from Symphonic Black Metal band Bjarm. Formed in 2009 and based in the city of Severodvinsk, in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, the name of the band was not chosen in vain: Bjarmaland (also spelled Bjarmland or Bjarmia) was a territory mentioned in Norse sagas up to the Viking Age, and it usually referred to the southern shores of the White Sea and the basin of the Northern Dvina River, which today comprise a part of the Arkhangelsk Oblast of Russia. In other words, the band has a very creative and strong name, but what about their music?
Honestly, it’s very difficult to find anything from Russian Heavy Metal bands on the web and even harder at any music store (at least here in Canada), so I didn’t know what to expect from Bjarm. I personally don’t remember listening to or reading about any bands from Russia except for Symphonic Power Metal band Арктида (Arktida) and Epic Pagan Metal band Аркона (Arkona), and even in those two cases the information is usually very scarce. However, I went to a Helloween concert during my vacation last year in Saint Petersburg and was able to see how passionate Russian fans are for heavy music, so in my mind I started to imagine their music as something at least full of passion and feeling.
And for my total happiness, I was not wrong: the final result in Imminence outdid all my expectations in terms of creativity, intensity and professionalism. Bjarm might be essentially a Black Metal band, but by adding many elements from Symphonic Metal and Death Metal in their music they were able to create a more complex musicality than just some raw generic Black Metal. Not only that, the fact that Imminence was mixed at a good studio such as Stone Oil Studio and mastered by Tony Lindgren (who has already worked with great bands like Paradise Lost and Kreator) at Fascination Street Studios, provided the album a very good and professional sound quality too.
The imposing intro Approaching Of The Close opens the album in a way that would make the guys from Cradle of Filth very proud, as it reminds me of their famous intros from the albums Dusk and Her Embrace and Cruelty and the Beast, followed by the dark and heavy Knowledge Of Doom, a pure Black Metal song with amazing female vocals and atmospheric keyboards, and without any doubt one of the best tracks in Imminence. The obscurity goes on with Ominous Dreams, with highlights to the deep growling by Andrey and the extremely heavy riffs mixed with some more strong keyboard notes.
The next track, The Nine Worlds, is one of the fastest of all (if not the fastest) especially due to the Death Metal elements found in it; it’s not less symphonic, though, as the keyboards are always there to give it that Black Metal touch. Fire Lord’s Torment sounds like if it was extracted from a horror movie soundtrack, with a beautiful piano in the beginning that works as an intro to a very heavy and dense sequence, while the title-track, Imminence, is an instrumental song very well-executed by all band members, especially the keyboards by the gorgeous Anastasiya. By the way, what’s the secret with the girls in Russia? I’ve never seen a single Russian girl that is not pretty!
Getting back to the music in Imminence, the next track, Oracle, is very melancholic and evil, and has lots of elements from Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir in it, especially the diabolic vocals by Andrey that seem to be really inspired by Shagrath, while Secret Of The Immortals gets back to a more symphonic sonority with total focus on the sound of the keyboards together with the rhythmic drums.
The last part of Imminence is composed by the song The Highest Hall, another evil track that sounds a lot like some old Dimmu Borgir songs with a pretty decent job done by drummer Vitaliy, and Tree On The Bones, a truly grim track that, although not as creative as the rest of the album, ends it in a way that will let all listeners with a very good impression of the work done by the band, eager for more of Bjarm’s Symphonic Black Metal and to see them recreating all that dark atmosphere in a live concert.
The album art, designed by artist Al.Ex, from the Mayhem Project, is also very professional, and of course, dense and obscure as expected, increasing the overall quality of Imminence even more. I’m pretty sure all band members are extremely proud of their “child”, and let’s hope new good bands like Bjarm keep coming from Russia or any other countries to provide us metalheads more unique and interesting music like what’s found in Imminence.
Best moments of the album:Knowledge Of Doom, Ominous Dreams and Oracle.
Worst moments of the album:Fire Lord’s Torment and Tree On The Bones.
Released in 2014 Fono Ltd.
Track listing 1. Approaching Of The Close 3:32
2. Knowledge Of Doom 6:33
3. Ominous Dreams 6:23
4. The Nine Worlds 5:55
5. Fire Lord’s Torment 6:04
6. Imminence 3:46
7. Oracle 3:47
8. Secret Of The Immortals 4:33
9. The Highest Hall 4:13
10. Tree On The Bones 5:30
Band members Andrey – Vocal
Egor – Guitar
Anastasiya – Keyboards
Aleksey – Guitar
Mikhail – Bass
Vitaliy – Drums
Exploring various forms of metal within their music, resulting in a symphonic mix of nature, atmosphere, and technically precise musicianship, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Melodic/Symphonic Death Metal act Atavistia is ready to unleash a brand new EP titled Inane Ducam, which translates as “I will lead into nothingness”, and sometimes you’ll even find the album labeled as Inane Ducam (I Will Lead Into Nothingness), an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet. Produced and engineered by Mattias Sippola and Max Sepulveda, recorded at Atavistic Studios, mixed by Mattias Sippola, and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, the album includes some of the most complex guitar riffs, fastest drums, and bellowing screams by vocalist and guitarist Mattias Sippola, newcomers Elia Baghbaniyan on the guitars and Spencer Budworth on bass, and drummer Max Sepulveda, perfectly depicting the diversity of Atavistia much like a forest in the full bloom of spring.
If you want to know more about Atavistia, their music, tour dates and so on, you can start following and supporting one of the most interesting names of the current Canadian metal scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the excellent Inane Ducam from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Atavistia keep exploring new lands in Inane Ducam while always remaining loyal to their origins, and that translates into some amazing heavy music that I’m sure you’ll enjoy a lot as soon as you take your very first listen to their new release, undoubtedly one of the best EP’s of 2024 so far.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 