Album Review – Primal Age / Until The Last Breath (2025)

Combining power and commitment, the striking new album by the trailblazers of French Hardcore and Metalcore marks a new chapter for the band, remaining true to their identity and original values.

The unstoppable pioneers of French Hardcore and Metalcore, Évreux, Normandy-based veterans Primal Age, are back in action after their successful 2021 album Masked Enemy with a brand new offering titled Until The Last Breath, the fourth studio album in their solid career. Recorded and mixed by Guillaume Doussaud at Swan Sound Studio, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, and displaying a classy cover art by Greg of Visual Injuries, the new album by frontman Didier, guitarists Benoit and Florian, bassist Dimitri, and drummer Rudy marks a new chapter for the band who, over 30 years after their debut, remains true to their identity and original values.

The album’s eerie Intro sounds as the calm before the storm, as Didier and his crew are ready to attack in Empire Will Always Fail, with Benoit and Florian showing no mercy for their axes (nor for our necks, of course). Didier also screams manically in False Pretense, supported by the always demented drums by Rudy, whereas in Voiceless Ones we face rebellious lyrics barked by all band members (“In cages small, they live their last and only days / Their freedom gone, in dismal ways / Their cries unheard, their pain unseen / A fucking world of suffering, a silent scream / WE ARE, WE ARE / We are the voice for the voiceless ones / WE ARE, WE ARE / End the cruelty, let love be our course / WE ARE, WE ARE / Their lives matter, / WE ARE, WE ARE / Just like ours”) amidst a lesson in Hardcore. And No Regrets offers another round of frantic, no shenanigans Hardcore made in France, led by the hammering drums by Rudy.

The second half of the album begins in a serene, melancholic manner with Madness, a whimsical interlude that once again brings some peace to our blackened hearts before Shadows Of Intolerance presents the band’s guitar duo formed of Benoit and Florian delivering an overdose of electricity, rage and melody through their energetic riffage. Then we’re treated to Walls Of Stone, bringing forward hints of classic Death Metal in their core sonority while Didier roars like a beast and his bandmates deliver a huge dosage of insanity armed with their incendiary sonic weapons; followed by The Meaning Of Life, their second to last breath of Hardcore infused with Metalcore elements, yet again bringing to our avid ears pure adrenaline flowing from their riffs, bass lines and unstoppable beats. Finally, it’s time for one more dive into the circle pit to the sound of Undisguised Shame, sounding as fast, electrifying and ruthless as we all love in the band’s more metallic version of Hardcore.

Combining power and commitment, Until The Last Breath is a must-listen for admirers of Hardcore infused with Metalcore elements with a strong and meaningful message in the background. Hence, you can get in touch with those French rockers on Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with all things Primal Age including their frantic and electrifying live concerts, stream their awesome creations on Spotify, and of course purchase the excellent Until The Last Breath from Primal Age’s Big Cartel or from the WTF Records’ webstore. Even after three decades on the road, Primal Age are still alive and kicking, sounding as fresh as in their early days in their new album, which means they’ll keep kicking our asses mercilessly for years and years until their very last breath.

Best moments of the album: Empire Will Always Fail, Voiceless Ones and Walls Of Stone.

Worst moments of the album: False Pretense.

Released in 2025 WTF Records

Track listing
1. Intro 1:00
2. Empire Will Always Fail 3:51
3. False Pretense 3:16
4. Voiceless Ones 3:57
5. No Regrets 3:12
6. Madness 2:01
7. Shadows Of Intolerance 3:58
8. Walls Of Stone 3:46
9. The Meaning Of Life 4:01
10. Undisguised Shame 3:56

Band members
Didier – vocals
Benoit – guitars
Florian – guitars
Dimitri – bass
Rudy – drums

Album Review – Soulcarrion / Enthrone Death (2024)

A ruthless Death Metal entity from Poland will demolish your damned souls with their heavy-as-hell sophomore full-length opus.

Formed in 2019 in the always pleasant city of Warsaw, Poland, the ruthless Death Metal duo comprised of Michał on rhythm guitars and bass and Greg on lead guitars, known as Soulcarrion, will demolish your damned souls with their sophomore full-length opus, titled Enthrone Death. Mixed and mastered by Darek Młody at PanzerStudio, and displaying a sick cover art and layout by Maciej Kamuda Art and an evil logo by Paweł Pawłowski Illustration, the follow-up to their 2023 self-titled EP and their 2022 debut album Infernal Agony offers the listener 30 minutes of intense, undisputed Death Metal for the masses, with the support of session musicians Mateusz Sibila (Imperial Sin) on vocals and Darek Młody (Hellfuck, Embrional, Stillborn) on drums adding an extra touch of heaviness and insanity to the whole album.

Starting in a sinister, doomed manner, the opening tune Cage of Nothingness already invades our minds with a demonic onrush of Death Metal boosted by tons of Brutal Death Metal elements thanks to the inhumane gnarls by Mateusz and the boisterous drums by Darek, whereas Night Ceremony keeps the album at a Stygian, venomous vibe with the riffage by both Greg and Michał sounding utterly infernal, albeit a bit repetitive at times. Then featuring guest vocalist Vesper Locust (Dammnatorum), the title-track Enthrone Death offers pure hatred and darkness to our putrid ears, with the ripping sound of the guitars matching perfectly with the blast beats by Darek, and there’s no sign of peace or hope, as Infernal Agony is an overdose of old school Death Metal tailored for fans of the genre, with Mateusz once again roaring and barking like a beast for our total delight.

Oblivion will hit us hard with its two and a half minutes of brutality blasted by those talented Polish metallers, with Greg and Michał once again demolishing our senses and adding endless heaviness to the music armed with their stringed axes; and enhancing the album’s obscurity and malignancy, the Doom Metal-infused aria Revenge is Mine brings forward another round of Darek’s massive beats accompanied by the sick riffage by the band’s guitar duo. After that we have Deathoskullum, following a similar pattern as the previous song, with the deep, hellish riffs and beats blasted by the band penetrating deep inside our rotten corpses, being therefore perfect for some intense headbanging; and lastly, World of Putridity carries a beautiful name and puts a beyond vicious ending to the album, with Mateusz vociferating rabidly in the name of classic Death Metal until the very last second.

The Polish underground has always been one of the most exciting of all, in special if you’re a fan of extreme music, and of course Soulcarrion offer in their new opus a high dosage of all that sonic awesomeness that’s found in Poland. Hence, don’t forget to show the guys from Soulcarrion your utmost support and admiration by purchasing a copy of the sulfurous and infernal Enthrone Death from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD or as an ass-kicking CD + shirt bundle, keeping the flames of Polish Death Metal burning for many years to come. Soulcarrion are on fire throughout the entire Enthrone Death, and they’re more than eager to burn your soul armed with the caustic compositions from such insane album.

Best moments of the album: Enthrone Death, Oblivion and World of Putridity.

Worst moments of the album: Night Ceremony.

Released in 2024 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Cage of Nothingness 4:08
2. Night Ceremony 4:17
3. Enthrone Death 5:03
4. Infernal Agony 3:38
5. Oblivion 2:29
6. Revenge is Mine 3:02
7. Deathoskullum 4:56
8. World of Putridity 2:50

Band members
Michał – rhythm guitars, bass
Greg – lead guitars

Guest musicians
Mateusz Sibila – vocals (session)
Darek Młody – drums (session)
Vesper Locust – vocals on “Enthrone Death”

Album Review – Eteritus / Following the Ancient Path (2016)

Follow the ancient path of old school Death Metal engendered by another promising band from the underground of Polish music.

Rating4

eteritus_coverOnce again, it’s time to take a direct flight to the beautiful Republic of Poland, more specifically to the city of Toruń, for another blast of high-quality Polish metal music. Located in northern Poland, Toruń is not only one of the oldest cities in the country, but also the birthplace of the renowned astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. This charming and important city, which was was added to the list of Seven Wonders of Poland in 2007, might have the nickname “City of Angels” due to the angel in its coat of arms, but after listening to Following the Ancient Path, the debut full-length opus by Death Metal quartet Eteritus, we should also start calling it as “City of Death Metal”.

The band was founded in February 2013, when guitarist Zimny (also known as Zima) and drummer Nitro met, and after vocalist Liam Tailor joined the band one month later they already started working on new material. One year after the band’s inception, the EP Tales of Death was born and Eteritus’ lineup was completed by bassist Greg. After receiving many positive reviews from fans and critics, the band began working on what would become Following the Ancient Path, a storm of old school Death Metal for fans of sheer aggressiveness in music. Featuring a dark and traditional artwork by Polish artist Bartek Kurzok (who has already worked with other amazing underground bands such as Abigail, Ulcer and Deathstorm), this is one of those albums that despite knowing what you’re going to get, you always feel positively surprised with the level of professionalism and dedication from all band members, which always translates into kick-ass metal music.

A metallic Intro presenting eerie guitar sounds warms up the listener until Biocentric kicks off emanating aggressiveness, with vocalist and guitarist Liam Tailor leading the band’s sonic attack boosted by the sharp sounds and endless electricity flowing from the guitars. Moreover, this tune is tailored for some sick headbanging due to its menacing rhythm, which can also be said about the heavy and barbaric Hellish Imagery, where Liam delivers anger and darkness through his growls while Nitro varies between pure groove and demonic blast beats, living up to the tradition of old school Death Metal. And in the demonic composition The Unliving Thing, Liam becomes the creature exhaling brutality through its horror movie-inspired lyrics (“Dark moon reflects in the eye of the beast / He longs for his brood, calls for his kin / Watching with dead eyes / Searching for blood / Running from daylight / Hiding from sun”), with Nitro and Zima supporting him with his blazing beats and riffs, respectively.

eteritus_bandConsider yourself in the eye of a metal storm while listening to the vicious Eye of the Storm, a pure Death Metal chant where all instruments sound boisterous, especially the bass lines à la Alex Webster by Greg. Due to its awesome rhythm, the song never gets boring or tiresome; quite the contrary, it’s bestial in its entirety, maintaining the fire burning in the fantastic Incinerator, with its flammable lyrics (“Walking on the ashes of a scorched, dead world / Burned to the ground in a fiery storm / Cemetery silence, instilling fear / The light in your eye like a tip of a spear”) and its accelerated rhythm led by Nitro. Blending elements from Thrash Metal to their traditional Death Metal, this is not only one of the top moments of the album, but it will also work perfectly when played live.

The bestiality in Following the Ancient Path goes on with another carnivorous composition titled Somber Mind, with the band generating the perfect dark ambience for Liam to fire some really deep gnarls, including some obscure guitar solos and crushing beats, followed by the also solid End of Line.  The second to last song of the album brings forward sheer darkness, with the cutting bass guitar by Greg igniting a feast of visceral growls and intricate drumming, also showcasing poisonous riffs and endless aggressiveness. And if you love kick-ass high-octane Death Metal with hints of Black and Thrash Metal let me tell you that Mortal Prophecy will certainly satisfy your needs, being vile and thunderous from start to finish, also presenting interesting tempo changes and a fiery guitar solo at the end.

You can follow the ancient path of old school Death Metal engendered by Eteritus by liking their Facebook page, and grab your copy of the album at the Godz ov War Productions’ webshop or BandCamp page, as well as at Discogs. Yet again, we’re facing an up-and-coming band from Poland delivering top-of-the-line extreme music, consequently carving their names in the underground Polish scene, and I believe they will soon conquer other parts of Europe and the rest of the world thanks to their honesty, their talent, their passion for heavy music and their electrified attitude.

Best moments of the album: Eye of the Storm and Incinerator.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Intro 1:25
2. Biocentric 4:23
3. Hellish Imagery 4:32
4. The Unliving Thing 4:04
5. Eye of the Storm 3:07
6. Incinerator 3:16
7. Somber Mind 3:41
8. End of Line 3:41
9. Mortal Prophecy 4:16

Band members
Liam Tailor – vocals, guitars
Zima – guitars
Greg – bass
Nitro – drums

Album Review – Henriette B / Red Dawn Of Humanity EP (2014)

Fresh and aggressive music by a Metalcore band as precise as a Swiss watch.

Rating5

FolderFrom the municipality of Tavannes, Switzerland, also home of the world renowned Tavannes watches, comes a five-piece group as precise with their instruments as a Swiss watch: I’m talking about Metalcore/Hardcore band Henriette B (the name comes from the gorgeous Norwegian actress Henriette Bruusgaard, who appeared in the horror movie Manhunt) and their brand new 20-minute violent and polished EP, entitled Red Dawn Of Humanity.

Born in 2009 inspired by excellent bands such as Gojira, Heaven Shall Burn and August Burns Red, and after releasing a three-track demo named First Steps in 2010 and the single Cold Weapon in 2013, which led them to perform not only in Switzerland, but also in France and Belgium, together with names like Anthrax, Ichor and Dirty Fingers, this promising Swiss group has gained a lot of experience and confidence on their path to Red Daw Of Humanity. Besides, as most European bands, those guys know how to add tons of melody amidst all the savagery in their music.

Do not get tricked by the smooth intro in the opening track, Below Us All. When the music starts, it sounds like there will be a female singer coming out of nowhere with some kind of operatic or pop voice, but instead we are assaulted by truly deep guttural vocals and a very solid instrumental, with riffs and drums inspired by Melodic Death Metal enhanced by a more modern approach. And the massacre goes on with Enslave Our Future, heavier, more futuristic and more apocalyptic than its predecessor, including even some elements from Black Metal blended with some characteristic Metalcore rhythmic breaks led by drummer Greg and more brutal vocals by lead singer Ian. The music video, which can be seen below, was directed and produced by Thibaut Schaller and only proves how professional this band is.

promo-2-hd-4096x2731My favorite song of all, the frantic Self Murderer, flirts with old school Death Metal, with its headbanging guitar riffs and some harsh screams by Ian adding lots of brutality and despair to the song; followed by the also strong The Final Procession, with highlights to the great riffs by Jérôme and Vinche. Not only that, the breaks and progressiveness during the last part of the song are really interesting and will surely please all fans of the genre. The last track, Bringer Of Suffering, focuses on more melodic riffs mixed with rawer drums, and it’s even more progressive and modern than the previous track. And you don’t need to understand exactly what the lyrics say to know they’re not happy or optimistic at all.

Visit their official Facebook page to keep updated with everything this nice band has been doing lately, their official YouTube channel to listen to ALL tracks from Red Dawn Of Humanity, and their BandCamp page to purchase their refined music. Henriette B are professional, reliable and precise as the watches from their homeland, and an outstanding addition to your heavy music collection.

Best moments of the album: Enslave Our Future and Self Murderer.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Below Us All 4:23
2. Enslave Our Future 3:55
3. Self Murderer 3:46
4. The Final Procession 4:41
5. Bringer Of Suffering 3:39

Band members
Ian – vocals
Vinche – guitar
Jérôme – guitar
Fabien – bass
Greg – drums