Tag Archives: hardcore

Album Review – Odiosa / Selva de Pedra (2024)

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Enjoy 18 minutes of first-class Crossover Thrash made in Brazil, courtesy of an amazing band in their fight against social inequality, physical and psychological violence, fascism and other social struggles.

Formed in 2017 in the Brazilian city of Recife, in the state of Pernambuco, the vicious Crossover Hardcore four-piece outfit Odiosa, the feminine Portuguese word for “hateful”, has been conquering audiences of the most diverse age groups with the proposal of provoking reflections on social issues in their homeland. Formed of the venomous Luísa Cunha on vocals, Rafa Farias on the guitars, Thalys Rossi on bass, and  Vitor Lima on drums, the quartet has just released their new album titled Selva de Pedra, or “concrete jungle”, the follow-up to their 2021 EP Mil Motivos Para Te Odiar. Produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s own guitarist Rafa Farias, the album offers thirteen ass-kicking original tracks portraying all the social inequality, physical and psychological violence, fascism and other social struggles from their homeland Brazil, bringing to our avid ears elements from Groove Metal, Crust, and Grindcore to make things as caustic and heavy as possible.

In the intro Caos, absolute chaos, disorder and the always threatening sound of cop sirens warm us up for the pulverizing Sistema Imundo, or “filthy system”, with the band blasting a Ratos de Porão-style Punk Rock sonority led by the crushing beats by Vitor, kicking off the album on a visceral mode. Then enhancing their animosity to a whole new level we have Povo Desolado (“desolate people”), with Luísa barking like a beast during the song’s intense 22 seconds, followed by Alienados (“alienated”), a song about the current political situation in Brazil, with Luísa once again vociferating the song’s acid lyrics while Rafa pierces our minds with his sick riffs. Slowing things down but sounding beyond caustic and aggressive, Traje do Fascismo (“fascism costume”) offers two minutes of top-notch Hardcore where Luísa’s raspy vocals add an extra touch of obscurity to the song’s already grim vibe, whereas it’s time for a quick break to the calm and melancholic Viver Sem Medo, or “to live without fear”, working as an interlude with Luísa this time declaiming the song’s lyrics in a pensive way, flowing into the breathtaking Repúdio, or “repudiation”, putting the pedal to the metal and offering us a circle pit feast where Thalys blasts his bass in the name of old school Punk Rock.

They only need a minute to kick us hard in the ass in Sucateando Nossa História, or “scrapping our history”, where their riffs, bass and drums match perfectly with Luísa’s rebellious vocals, while Absurdo (“absurd”) brings to our ears more of their fusion of Brazilian Hardcore, Punk Rock and Thrash Metal, and the final result is fantastic, turning it into one of the most exciting moments of the album. The quartet shows no signs of slowing down or softening their music; quite the contrary, their infuriated Hardcore extravaganza goes on in Nossa Voz, or “our voice”, led by the hammering beats by Vitor, and there’s still more fuel to burn in Selva de Pedra, starting with Oprimido, Opressor!, or “oppressed, oppressor!”, where Rafa’s riffage will pierce our minds as usual. In the second to last explosion of Hardcore made in Brazil, titled Fracasso, or “failure”, Luísa sounds absolutely demented on vocals while her bandmates don’t let the energy go down not even a tiny bit. And how about one last minute of pure savagery? That’s exactly what the quartet offers us in the title-track Selva de Pedra, ending the album in great fashion.

If you’re eager to slam into a mosh pit while listening to first-class Hardcore, you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and start following the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to enjoy more of their music and stay updated with their live concerts. And of course, go grab a copy of Selva de Pedra from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE, putting a huge smile on the faces of those talented Brazilian musicians. Living in a concrete jungle is never easy, but fortunately we have bands like Odiosa to keep our eyes and ears open to all issues faced by the people who live in those urban areas, a relationship of love and hate that translates perfectly to the band’s acid Hardcore.

Best moments of the album: Sistema Imundo, Traje do Fascismo and Absurdo.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Caos 0:30
2. Sistema Imundo 1:34
3. Povo Desolado 0:22
4. Alienados 0:56
5. Traje do Fascismo 2:06
6. Viver Sem Medo 1:04
7. Repúdio 2:08
8. Sucateando Nossa História 0:57
9. Absurdo 1:34
10. Nossa Voz 1:23
11. Oprimido, Opressor! 2:21
12. Fracasso 2:20
13. Selva de Pedra 1:06

Band members
Luísa Cunha – voclas
Rafa Farias – guitars
Thalys Rossi – bass
Vitor Lima – drums

Concert Review – Thy Art Is Murder (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/12/2024)

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If you love mosh pits from the bottom of your blackened heart, then Friday night in Toronto was the place to be, courtesy of four insane bands in a feast of pure, brutal Deathcore.

OPENING ACTS: Snuffed on Sight, Signs of the Swarm and Angelmaker

I have no idea what’s happening with the traffic to get to Toronto. I mean, it has always been bad, but this weekend it seems that things got even worse, which delayed my arrival at The Phoenix Concert Theatre to see SNUFFED ON SIGHT, SIGNS OF THE SWARM, ANGELMAKER and THY ART IS MURDER kill everything and everyone during the Toronto stop of their Godlike North America Tour 2024, another fantastic event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and “day 1” of my more-than-awesome “metal weekend” with three days of shows in a row. Besides the heavy traffic to get in and out of the city, there was also a lot of wind and rain, but nothing that could stop a horde of avid Deathcore and Death Metal fans to invade the venue and generate some of the wildest mosh pits I’ve ever seen live. Holy shit, the kids were mental inside the pit, with the action flowing nonstop until the very last second.

Due to traffic, I couldn’t make it in time to see San Francisco, California-based Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore act SNUFFED ON SIGHT, but fortunately my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there to take some wild pictures of the band, and to confirm what I suspected after listening to their 2023 album Smoke, that they’re extremely heavy and really fun to see live. If you want to experience their fury, you can stream their sick creations on BandCamp, Spotify, or any other streaming service, as well as get to know more about the band by clicking HERE, and as soon as you realize how brutally amazing this band is, you’ll be smarter than me and plan your trip ahead of time to be able to see them kicking some serious ass on stage.

Setlist
Intro
Blunt Cough
Time 2 Dip
Dummy
(smoke break)
Smoke
All Talk
Slippin

Band members
Seven Kane – vocals
Walid Gad – guitars
Spencer Metala – bass
Kendric DiStefano – drums

Although I had to miss Snuffed on Sight, I was lucky enough to witness live one of the heaviest, most insane concerts ever, courtesy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own Deathcore beast SIGNS OF THE SWARM. Led by the amazing frontman David Simonich, the band delivered sheer violence, groove and fire during their short but extremely destructive set, playing songs form their most recent album Amongst the Low & Empty such as the title-track Amongst the Low & Empty, Tower of Torsos and Pray for Death. The circle pits, walls of death and crowd surfing were freakin’ insane during their whole concert, showing how electrifying their music is (and you can check it out yourself on Spotify or by clicking HERE). I can’t wait to see those guys again live, but I’ll be sure I have some sort of body armor to endure their sick mosh pits, no doubt about that.

Setlist
Amongst the Low & Empty
Tower of Torsos
Pray for Death
Borrowed Time
Between Fire & Stone
Dreamkiller
Malady

Band members
David Simonich – vocals
Carl Schulz – guitars
Michael Cassese – bass
Bobby Crow – drums

Next on the bill was North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Deathcore infantry ANGELMAKER, and yet again The Phoenix Concert Theatre became a hurricane of mosh pits thanks to their incendiary performance on stage. It’s interesting that they were able to fit all seven members of the band on stage, because not only they have three guitarists, but they also have two demented vocalists, Casey Tyson-Pearce and Mike Greenwood, and oh boy, their double vocal attack is beyond infernal. Playing songs the likes of Godless, Hollow Heart and Leech, it was a wild ride together with those Canadians, keeping the action in the mosh pit moving as fast as a shark hunting for food. Go check their crazy creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and don’t miss the chance to see those seven wicked musicians live whenever they hit your city, as it’s absolutely worth it.

Setlist
Radiance in the Light of a Dying Sun
The Bridge Between
Suffer Forever
Day/Day
Godless
Gutless
Shia LaBeouf
Vengeance
A Dark Omen
Hollow Heart
Leech

Band members
Casey Tyson-Pearce – vocals
Mike Greenwood – vocals
Colton Bennett – guitars
Matt Perrin – guitars
Johnny Ciardullo – guitars
Cole Rideout – bass
Steven Sanchez – drums

THY ART IS MURDER

After three insane openers, it was then time for the main attraction of the night, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia’s own Deathcore institution THY ART IS MURDER, to crush the souls of all concert goers with their visceral, harsh and furious performance. Promoting their 2023 album Godlike, the band now fronted by the talented Tyler Miller, of Australian Technical Deathcore band Aversions Crown (as the iconic Chris “CJ” McMahon has recently quit music for good, starting a career in real estate) kicked some ass during their solid performance (just as good as the last time I saw them opening for Cannibal Corpse back in 2019), with songs like Slaves Beyond Death, Death Squad Anthem, Make America Hate Again, Godlike, and of course Puppet Master, driving all fans crazy inside the wild mosh pits that kept moving frantically in the middle of the floor section. Leaving concerts earlier than the end seems to be the new norm in Toronto, maybe due to public transportation hours, maybe due to the increase in violence at night, but I would say more than 90% of the crowd stayed at the venue until the very last second, and hopefully it won’t take long for the band to return to the city for another demented concert like Friday night.

Setlist
We Like to Party (Vengaboys song)
Destroyer of Dreams
Slaves Beyond Death
Death Squad Anthem
Make America Hate Again
Blood Throne
Join Me in Armageddon
Holy War
The Purest Strain of Hate
Godlike
Keres
Everything Unwanted
Reign of Darkness
Puppet Master

Band members
Tyler Miller – vocals
Andy Marsh – lead guitar
Sean Delander – rhythm guitar
Kevin Butler – bass
Jesse Beahler – drums

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Album Review – Exhorder / Defectum Omnium (2024)

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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

Album Review – Midnight / Hellish Expectations (2024)

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Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, the new opus by this american lone wolf offers the listener 25 minutes of blasphemy and depravity that live up to the legacy of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal.

Slaying the metal and punk underground with its own highly addictive brand of lust, filth and sleaze dating back to the band’s inception in 2003, Cleveland, Ohio-based Black/Speed Metal one-man cult Midnight, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Athenar (aka Jamie Walters), is back with its sixth full-length offering, titled Hellish Expectations, following up on the critically acclaimed album Let There Be Witchery, released in 2022. Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, Hellish Expectations offers the listener 25 minutes of blasphemy and depravity split into ten infuriated, austere compositions that live up to the legacy of Black, Thrash and Speed Metal, setting fire to the underground scene while Athenar continues to worship Satan armed with his always irreligious and impure sounds.

Get ready to be crushed like an insect by the Punk Rock-infused Speed Metal by Midnight in Expect Total Hell, with Athenar delivering classic 80’s raspy vocals and electrifying riffs nonstop, followed by Gash Scrape, another harsh and visceral creation by Midnight that will surely ignite some fun mosh pits, with Athenar kicking some ass on drums while he keeps roaring and vociferating like a maniac for our total delight. Masked and Deadly keeps the album at a high level of animosity, although not as dynamic as the previous songs; whereas in Slave to the Blade we face a Motörhead-inspired sound that will drag us all into the pit while Athenar sounds ruthless on the guitars and bass, delivering striking riffs and rumbling bass lines throughout the entire song. And let’s keep banging our heads and raising our horns to that sweet trademark depravity from the 80’s in Dungeon Lust, with Athenar once again taking us back in time with his dirty guitars and inebriate vocals.

It’s pedal to the metal as Athenar and his Midnight will attack our senses in Nuclear Savior, again showcasing an amazing fusion of Hardcore and Punk Rock with Blackened Speed Metal, all spiced up by a thrilling guitar solo, and he continues his descent into the pits of hell with the blasphemous and frantic Deliver Us to Devil, with his Speed Metal riffage adding an extra touch of dementia to the overall result, resulting in what’s undoubtedly one of the best songs of the album. Then investing in a heavier headbanging sound, let’s break our necks to the raging Mercyless Slaughtor, where his Black Metal vein pulses stronger than ever; and once again inspired by the dirty Rock N’ Roll blasted by the iconic Lemmy and his crew we have Doom Death Desire, excellent for some beer drinking while Athenar hammers his drums in the name of evil, while F.O.A.L. offers one last explosion of raw, rebellious sounds by our multi-talented lone wolf, with its Speed Metal riffs walking hand in hand with the massive Punk Rock drums.

“It’s a knuckle dragger with a fat cutoff. Pure testosterone meat. Probably the most concise and straight to the point Midnight album to date, and all written in a weekend.  The album was written on pure reaction upon leaving the studio after listening to raw tracks from the previous album Let There Be Witchery.  The final mix of that album was good, but at the time of laying it down in the studio, I didn’t like what I was hearing and demanded a new leviathan of an album to be written that weekend,” commented the unstoppable Athenar about Hellish Expectations, which is by the way available from Midnight’s own BandCamp page or from the Metal Blade Records webstore, and don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram (because Midnight might be a one-man band in the studio, but Athenar surely summons some wicked musicians to join him on stage for some depraved concerts), and to stream his sick creations on Spotify and on all other streaming services. It’s always midnight in the land of Black and Speed Metal, and I’m sure you’re more than ready to raise your horns nonstop in the name of sheer blasphemy to the sound of this precious gem of the underground.

Best moments of the album: Slave to the Blade, Nuclear Savior and Deliver Us to Devil.

Worst moments of the album: Masked and Deadly.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Expect Total Hell 3:29
2. Gash Scrape 2:18
3. Masked and Deadly 2:50
4. Slave to the Blade 1:51
5. Dungeon Lust 2:13
6. Nuclear Savior 2:38
7. Deliver Us to Devil 2:23
8. Mercyless Slaughtor 2:45
9. Doom Death Desire 2:16
10. F.O.A.L. 2:48

Band members
Athenar – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Ways. / Are We Still Alive? EP (2024)

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Continuing to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots, one of the best bands of the current French scene returns with their electrifying third EP.

Following up on their previous releases Watching From Afar, from 2016, and Aftermath, released in 2018, Paris, France-based Post-Hardcore/Alternative Metal act Ways. is back in action with their third EP, titled Are We Still Alive?, where they continue to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots. Mixed and mastered by Nicolas Exposito (Landmvrks) and Robin Mariat (Resolve), the new EP by vocalist Clément, guitarists Bruno and Nico, and newcomers Anthony on bass and Etienne on drums offers more of their trademark powerful, dynamic and melodic sounds, being recommended for fans of Architects, Alexisonfire, The Ghost Inside, Thrice, Underoath and more.

The band wastes no time and begins their electrifying feast of Alternative Metal and Hardcore in Forgiveness, showcasing a more violent side of their sound thanks to the awesome screams by Clément while Bruno and Nico bring forward sheer melody and rage through their riffs. Why Do We Fall? is a neck-breaking creation by Ways. that will work amazingly whenever played live, with Etienne presenting his welcome card by smashing his drums in great fashion; followed by World Worn Out, showcasing the story of a world at the end of its tether, a world exhausted by human behavior in its entirety, offering us all poetic lyrics (“I must seek Bellerophon / To defeat those monsters / Who spew their flames / A fin to eat / Blood to drink / It makes me sick / Pull the trigger / No wonder they smile on their thrones / When I see what they do for stones”) amidst a very melodic yet visceral sound crafted by such talented band. Bruno and Nico keep slashing their axes supported by the classic bass by Anthony in Erase, while Clément continues to roar manically in the name of Hardcore and Metalcore, flowing into So Far So Good (Redux), a revamp of one of the songs from their 2018 EP, sounding groovier and more metallic than the original one, which proves the evolution in their musicianship.

“Are we still alive? It’s a question we’ve faced regularly over the past three years, regarding the state of the band. Between the two years of COVID-related crisis that have prevented us from seeing each other, rehearsing and playing live, line-up changes and certain upheavals in the lives of certain band members that have impacted the way we work, compose and record, we’ve spent a lot of time hanging on and finding solutions to continue to exist. We’re proud to be here and to present this new EP. Of course, the various themes addressed by the songs on this EP are also consistent with this question,” commented the band about their brand new offering, and if you want to show those French metallers your support you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Are We Still Alive? from their own BandCamp page (or click HERE for all things Ways.). In the end, the question is, are you still alive? If your answer is yes, what are you waiting for to enjoy the first-class fusion of Post-Hardcore and Alternative Metal by one of the best bands of the modern metal music scene hailing from France?

Best moments of the album: Forgiveness and Why Do We Fall?.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Forgiveness 3:40
2. Why Do We Fall? 4:04
3. World Worn Out 2:54
4. Erase 3:44
5. So Far So Good (Redux) 3:45

Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar, vocals
Anthony – bass
Etienne – drums

Album Review – Walking Corpse / Our Hands, Your Throat (2023)

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Let these Swedish Grindcore beasts put their hands around your throat to the sound of their infernal sophomore opus.

It’s not too often that you come across a Grindcore album that gives you the kind of thrilling intensity that you’ve come to expect from this style of music, and at the same time there’s unpredictability in the writing which keeps you hooked. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Our Hands, Your Throat, the sophomore beast by Gothenburg, Sweden-based Grindcore animals Walking Corpse, following up on their 2020 debut The Fear Takes Hold. Displaying a sick artwork by Portuguese artist CVSPE (aka André Trindade), the new album by vocalist Henrik Blomqvist, guitarist and bassist Fredrik Rojas, and drummer and bassist Magnus Dahlin showcases the band’s most aggressive and innovative side, providing variations to break monotony and even predictability without compromising on the pure blistering, cathartic expression of Grindcore and, therefore, being highly recommended for fans of Rotten Sound, Fuck the Facts, Bathtub Shitter, Terra Builder, Spurn, Antigama, and Ernia, just to name a few.

Dreamflesh Navigator is absolutely devastating and evil from the very beginning, a demented Grindcore tune led by the unrelenting drums by Magnus while Henrik sounds inhumane on vocals. Then, Fredrik hammers his guitar in great fashion in Born in Hell, adding a touch of progressiveness and dementia to the trio’s already incendiary metal music, or in other words, it’s one of the most infuriated Grindcore songs you’ll listen to this year, followed by the title-track Our Hands, Your Throat, bringing forward more of their wicked sounds with Magnus crushing his drums like there’s no tomorrow in a lecture in extreme music and insanity by such talented group. And investing in a more melodic sonority with elements from Hardcore and Thrash Metal we have The Wheel, perfect for “dancing like a monkey” to the slashing riffage by Fredrik, whereas in Brainworm we face less than two minutes of pure violence spearheaded by the venomous, deranged roars and barks by Henrik.

Slowing things down a bit while also enhancing their obscurity, the trio fires the metallic Falling Through A World of Wounds, with their bass jabs hitting you hard in the face, and nonstop savagery and hatred flows from their riffs, bass and drums in Malediction, while Henrik continues to growl like a beast, followed by The Last Laugh, one of the most depraved songs of the album where Henrik sounds even more infuriated than before, resulting in a Swedish Grindcore party at its finest. Nothing Grows Here, the longest of all songs, will drag your soul to a realm of insanity and evil, where Magnus once again kicks some ass behind his drums supported by the razor-edged riffs by Fredrik. And how about one minute of pure aggression as the second to last song of the album? That’s what you’ll get in Forever Sleep, setting the tone for the obscure closing tune Eye of an Angry God, where Magnus dictates the song’s pace with his caustic beats while Fredrik will pierce your souls with his riffs, putting a brilliant ending to the album.

Those merciless Swedish Grindcore marauders are waiting for you on Facebook with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know information about their music, and of course you can also stream all of their insane creations on Spotify to properly disturb the peace of your neighborhood. Furthermore, above all that, don’t forget to show those unrelenting Swedish metallers your utmost support by purchasing a copy of the excellent Our Hands, Your Throat from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore as an 8-panel digipak CD (in the US or the EU), or as a very special CD + shirt combo (also in the US or the EU) sooner than you can say “violence”, letting Walking Corpse put their damned, blood-soaked hands around your throat in the name of classic Grindcore.

Best moments of the album: Born in Hell, Our Hands, Your Throat, The Last Laugh and Eye of an Angry God.

Worst moments of the album: Malediction.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Dreamflesh Navigator 1:37
2. Born in Hell 3:58
3. Our Hands, Your Throat 3:36
4. The Wheel 4:57
5. Brainworm 1:38
6. Falling Through A World of Wounds 3:38
7. Malediction 1:48
8. The Last Laugh 2:27
9. Nothing Grows Here 5:17
10. Forever Sleep 1:09
11. Eye of an Angry God 3:58

Band members
Henrik Blomqvist – vocals
Fredrik Rojas – guitars, bass
Magnus Dahlin – drums, bass

Album Review – Angelus Apatrida / Aftermath (2023)

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Spain’s Thrash Metal masters are back with a vicious and vital response to the chaos we see all around us, offering our avid ears all titanium-plated modern thrash of the highest order.

The world has taken a battering over the last few years, but Spanish Thrash Metal masters Angelus Apatrida are leading the fightback. Two years after their breathtaking self-titled album, the band formed of vocalist and guitarist Guillermo Izquierdo, guitarist David G. Álvarez, bassist José J. Izquierdo and drummer Víctor Valera returns to the battlefield with a striking new opus titled Aftermath, a vicious and vital response to the chaos we see all around us. Produced by the band itself, recorded by Juanan López at Baboon Records, mixed and mastered by Zeuss at Planet-Z, and displaying a classy artwork by longtime collaborator Gyula Havancsák of Hjules Illustration and Design, the eighth studio album in their undisputed career is titanium-plated modern thrash of the highest order, marking a pinnacle in the band’s determined and always fruitful career.

Their most thrashing side arises like a beast from the underworld in Scavenger, with Víctor showcasing a superb performance on drums while the guitars sound as caustic as they can be, followed by Cold, a very rhythmic yet visceral tune with its awesome lyrics being declaimed by Guillermo in great fashion (“I find myself in places that I’ve never been before / Tried to beat the weakness but I’m not even close / The sands of time are falling and it’s hard to get this far / Left behind in chaos I keep going the best I can”). Then, featuring guest vocals by the iconic Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, it’s time to add an extra dosage of Hardcore to their sound in Snob, where Guillermo and Jamey make a sensational vocal duo while the instrumental pieces sound pulverizing; whereas Fire Eyes is a darker, more introspective tune where Guillermo and David, plus guest guitarist Pablo García of Warcry, sound ruthless with their sharp riffage and solos. And Rats is faster, more brutal and electrifying, another Thrash Metal beast by Angelus Apatrida that will generate some insane circle pits during their live shows.

A slow and dark start quickly evolves into another thrashing attack by the quartet in To Whom It May Concern, with Víctor once again hammering his drums nonstop, not to mention it’s beautiful breaks, variations and guitar solos, and they keep blasting their instruments in Gernika, perfect for some action inside the pit to the venomous roars by Guillermo and the rumbling kitchen by José and Víctor. Are you still alive? If so, get ready to be crushed to pieces in I Am Hatred, with the guitars by Guillermo and David piercing our ears mercilessly; and featuring guest vocals by Sho-Hai of Violadores del Verso, What Kills Us All brings forward more of their acid Thrash Metal for our total delight, with Víctor stealing the spotlight with his classic beats and fills. Lastly, featuring guest vocalist Todd La Torre of Queensrÿche, we’re treated to the stunning Vultures and Butterflies, showcasing a beautiful chorus (“As deadly as a vulture / As fragile as a butterfly / Both dancers within nature / Circling till they die”) amidst a lecture in heavy music blending heaviness, melancholy and darkness in a sensational way. Furthermore, the digital edition of the album contains two killer bonus tracks, those being live versions of Indoctrinate and Give ‘Em War that sound absolutely insane, with Guillermo sounding flawless on vocals on both.

In a nutshell, Angelus Apatrida nailed it once again with Aftermath, proving why they’re one of the most respected, talented and hardworking names of the Thrash Metal scene worldwide. Hence, you can feel all the adrenaline and violence flowing form their bestial new album by streaming it in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing your desired version of the album by clicking HERE. You can also start following the guys from Angelus Apatrida on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about them, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their insane music and videos. “We can describe ‘Aftermath’ as what metal means to us,” commented Guillermo. “It contains the best songs we’ve ever written. It is just very difficult to pick just one or two highlights on this album since every single track could be a single itself.” Let’s say that he basically summarized the album perfectly, and if you consider yourself a true thrasher, don’t waste a single second and go slam into the circle pit while listening to such metal masterpiece.

Best moments of the album: Scavenger, Snob, Rats and Vultures and Butterflies.

Worst moments of the album: Fire Eyes.

Released in 2023 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Scavenger 3:47
2. Cold 5:53
3. Snob 4:33
4. Fire Eyes 5:26
5. Rats 5:12
6. To Whom It May Concern 8:38
7. Gernika 3:59
8. I Am Hatred 3:27
9. What Kills Us All 5:02
10. Vultures and Butterflies 4:44

Digital Edition bonus tracks
11. Indoctrinate (Live in Bilbao 2023) 6:27
12. Give ‘Em War (Live in Barcelona 2023) 3:30

Band members
Guillermo Izquierdo – vocals, guitars
David G. Álvarez – guitars
José J. Izquierdo – bass
Víctor Valera – drums

Guest musicians
Jamey Jasta – vocals on “Snob”
Pablo García – guitars on “Fire Eyes”
Todd La Torre – vocals on “Vultures and Butterflies”
Sho-Hai – vocals on “What Kills Us All”

Album Review – Infernal Throne / Caelum Et Infernum (2023)

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This Blackened Thrash Metal beast from Greece will crush us all with their first full-length album, a tour de force that is nothing short of an auditory journey through chaos and darkness.

Formed in 2019 in Corinth, a city in south-central Greece, by vocalist and guitarist Panos Hliopoulos (of Corinthian thrash metallers Massive Pain) and vocalist and guitarist Greg Barlas (of legendary Corinthian Technical Thrash/Death Metal horde Extremity Obsession), but currently a one-man band comprised of Panos Hliopoulos,  the demonic Blackened Thrash Metal beast Infernal Throne has just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length album, titled Caelum Et Infernum, or “heaven and hell” from Latin. Produced, mixed and mastered by Panos Hliopoulos himself, and displaying a sick artwork by by Haris Burekas (with booklet and layouts by Rafael Tavares), not to mention all special guests featured in the album, Caelum Et Infernum is a must-listen for metal aficionados, offering our avid ears a 50-minute tour de force that is nothing short of an auditory journey through chaos and darkness, solidifying the band’s status as a rising force in the current Greek extreme music scene.

The atmospheric intro A World Of Chaos will darken the skies and get deep inside our minds before Panos comes ripping in Wings Of Winter, featuring his former bandmate Greg Barlas on vocals, bringing forward a massive wall of sounds crafted by the band’s mastermind offering classic Black Metal blast beats while the vocals by Greg are pure Hardcore. Then featuring Kerveros (Athos) on vocals, Desolation is a more cadenced metal hymn where all vocals sound a lot darker and more desperate, leaning towards old school Black Metal, which in the end works extremely well; and Greg Barlas returns in the pulverizing Among Two Worlds, showcasing damned words (“The light is lost / The light comes out / Thin red lines / They sacrifice your thought / You do their will / You follow the path / This path haunts you / Among two worlds”) amidst a heavy-as-hell fusion of Black and Thrash Metal, whereas the title-track Caelum Et Infernum presents the project in its most venomous form, with the caustic riffs and the hellish drums by Panos exhaling aggressiveness while his vocals sound utterly evil.

Panos keeps hammering his guitar, bass and drums in And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, resulting in a Blackened Thrash Metal onrush not recommended for the lighthearted while also showcasing some Atmospheric Black Metal nuances and passages. In Thy Flame Of Darkness, the ruthless Panos shows no mercy for our souls once again, blending the obscurity of Black Metal with the visceral Thrash Metal by Slayer, resulting in one of the most electrifying of all songs. Put differently, the whole song is pure madness, with his riffs sounding simply incendiary. And Greg Barlas returns for one final round in Cataclysm Of The Soul, also featuring Michalis Kripasis on bass and Nodens (Temple of Katharsis, Prometheus) on drums, with all  guests blasting their instruments nonstop until the very end ruthlessly; followed by Αιώνια Ζωή (Eternal Life), featuring Archon (Celtefog, Empathy) on vocals, bringing forward over seven minutes of Infernal Throne’s caustic Black Metal sonority, another tune where desperate vocals match perfectly with the thrashing riffs and beats by Panos, flowing into the obscure outro No Hope, No Pain, which is a good way to conclude the album albeit a bit too long (or maybe it needed to be more dynamic).

You can enjoy such sulfurous metal attack by Infernal Throne in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show your utmost support to the multi-talented Panos Hliopoulos you can purchase a copy of the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, or from the Theogonia Records’ webstore. Don’t forget to also start following Infernal Throne on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their caustic music. Panos did an amazing job representing the chaos between heaven and hell in the new album by Infernal Throne, proving once again why Greece has become the ultimate source of extreme music worldwide, therefore paving a very interesting path ahead of such talented and hardworking Greek musician (and I can’t wait to see what’s next in his thrilling career).

Best moments of the album: Desolation, Caelum Et Infernum and Thy Flame Of Darkness.

Worst moments of the album: No Hope, No Pain.

Released in 2023 Theogonia Records

Track listing
1. A World Of Chaos (Intro) 2:04
2. Wings Of Winter 3:03
3. Desolation 6:45
4. Among Two Worlds 5:27
5. Caelum Et Infernum 6:27
6. And Lead Us Not Into Temptation 5:57
7. Thy Flame Of Darkness 5:43
8. Cataclysm Of The Soul 4:09
9. Αιώνια Ζωή (Eternal Life) 7:10
10. No Hope, No Pain (Outro) 3:46

Band members
Panos Hliopoulos – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Greg Barlas – vocals on “Wings Of Winter”, “Among Two Worlds” and “Cataclysm Of The Soul”
Kerveros – vocals on “Desolation”
Nodens – drums on “Cataclysm Of The Soul”
Archon – vocals on “Αιώνια Ζωή (Eternal Life)”
Michalis Kripasis – bass on “Cataclysm Of The Soul”

Album Review – Ringworm / Seeing Through Fire (2023)

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Cleveland’s own Hardcore, Death and Thrash Metal masters are ready to kill armed with their ninth studio album, pushing the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent.

Ever since emerging from the Cleveland underground, the unrelenting American Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore horde Ringworm has garnered the immediate attention of all types of heavy music fans, always displaying endless ferocity and, consequently, always fascinating metalheads with their unorthodox melodies for over 30 years. Now in 2023 the band formed of James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch on vocals, Matt Sorg and Mike Lare on the guitars, and Ed Stephens on bass has just unleashed their ninth studio album, titled Seeing Through Fire, the follow-up to their 2019 installment Death Becomes My Voice. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Mercinary Studios, Seeing Through Fire showcases the abundant complexities in the music by Ringworm and pushes the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent, being highly recommended for fans of Integrity, Earth Crisis, Converge and American Nightmare, among others.

The title-track Seeing Through Fire is utterly harsh and infuriated from the very first second, with James’ vocals exhaling despair and aggressiveness amidst a hurricane of Thrash Metal and Hardcore crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect way to start such sick album. There’s no time to breathe as their feast of pulverizing sounds goes on in Carved in Stone, where the guitars by Matt and Mike will penetrate deep inside your skin and burn your muscle tissue mercilessly in the name of the darkest form of Hardcore you can think of. Then let’s all slam into the circle pit together with ringworm to the sound of the high-octane No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, a lecture in modern-day Thrash Metal with Hardcore elements spearheaded by the brutal vocals by James, followed by Death Hoax, sounding like some of the most insane creations by Slayer from their Divine Intervention and Undisputed Attitude albums, with the song’s fierce blast beats matching perfectly with the rabid roars by James. And the band continues their path of destruction in Thought Crimes, another frantic, sharp and caustic tune showcasing more of the scorching riffs by Matt and Mike.

The second half of the album begins in full force with Unavoidable Truth, bringing to our avid ears more of the band’s infernal fusion of Thrash Metal and Hardcore while Ed keeps hammering his bass nonstop, bringing an extra touch of groove and heaviness to the music; and if you think those American metallers would slow down anytime, you’re absolutely wrong, as they keep speeding things up and inviting us into the pit in House of Flies, with James growling rabidly supported by the wicked riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo. You Want It To is another feast of Death and Thrash Metal infused with Hardcore nuances where Ed’s bass sounds thunderous, not to mention the song’s demented drums; and let’s keep banging our heads in the name of evil in Mental Decontrol, with James bursting his lungs screaming while Matt, Mike and Ed are ruthless armed with their axes. There’s no mercy for our souls in the demonic Power and Blood, an incendiary lecture in Thrash Metal and Hardcore by Ringworm that will smash you like an insect, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his sick, visceral growls; whereas closing Seeing Through Fire we have the outro Playing God, which is not bad but another ferocious tune would have added more taste to the album.

“We wanted to go with a slightly different approach and look than the previous records, it’s a new era for us,” explained James. “It’s a little bit of a return to our roots, you have those moments every so often where you wanna get back to your comfort zone, but at the same time you want to expand that comfort zone. On the production side, we definitely wanted something that was raw, more in your face, and way more sonically abrasive than the last several albums. Vocally it’s the same approach on every record, my voice is just a hammer, and every song looks like a nail to me.” Hence, if you want to experience all that raw, massive violence blasted by Ringworm in Seeing Through Fire, you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their insane music. As aforementioned, Seeing Through fire is at the same time modern and old school, showing how the band knows what they do, staying loyal to their foundations without forgetting to always move forward in their career, and to always invite us for some action inside the circle pit.

Best moments of the album: No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, House of Flies and Power and Blood.

Worst moments of the album: Playing God.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Seeing Through Fire 3:17
2. Carved in Stone 2:49
3. No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy 3:09
4. Death Hoax 2:51
5. Thought Crimes 2:53
6. Unavoidable Truth 2:41
7. House of Flies 2:56
8. You Want It To 2:02
9. Mental Decontrol 2:29
10. Power and Blood 2:39
11. Playing God 3:09

Band members
James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch – vocals
Matt Sorg – guitar
Mike Lare – guitar
Ed Stephens – bass

Guest musician
Daniel Mongrain – guitar solo on “Death Hoax”

Album Review – Violent Life Violent Death / Break. Burn. End. (2023)

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The demonic new album by these North Carolina-based Metalcore and Deathcore heavyweights takes the band’s sound to a whole new level of intensity, resulting in their most assaultive effort yet.

Sometimes violence is the answer. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Break. Burn. End., the incendiary first full-length opus by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Metalcore/Deathcore heavyweights Violent Life Violent Death, following up on their critically acclaimed EPs The Color of Bone (2020), Sadness Rains (2019), Come, Heavy Breath (2018), and V-EP (2016). Mixed and mastered by Kyle Dameron at Rareform Recordings, and featuring a Stygian artwork by Mark De Gruchy, the new album by vocalist Scott Cowan, guitarists Joseph Benham and Daniel Knight, bassist Justin Campbell, and drummer David Holquin takes the band’s sound to a whole new level of intensity, resulting in their most assaultive release since their inception in 2016 and, therefore, placing the album as a must-listen for fans of the more metallic form of Hardcore blasted by Hatebreed, Every Time I Die, Zao, A Life Once Lost and Ringworm, among others.

A dark and cryptic intro ignites the visceral metal feast titled Weapon of Pain, with Scott already delivering his demonic gnarls while David crushes his drums in the name of old school Hardcore, not to mention how austere the riffs by Joseph and Daniel sound; and more of the band’s acid fusion of Metalcore with Hardcore and Death Metal is offered to us all in The Snapping of Teeth, a neck-breaking extravaganza by VLVD that will keep your blood boiling while Scott sounds utterly demonic on vocals. Then grim, devilish guitar sounds kick off the also obscure Deceit Welcomed by Blind Grace, exploding into the band’s trademark heavy music spearheaded by the unstoppable drums by David, supported by the always groovy bass by Justin; whereas the band shows no mercy for our damned souls in Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue, a pulverizing Metalcore and Deathcore onrush perfect for slamming like a beast inside the circle pit, with Scott once again delivering an inhumane performance on vocals. After such infernal tune, they keep the adrenaline flowing in The Light Behind, offering two minutes of pure savagery where Joseph and Daniel alternate between scorching riffs and more melodious lines.

The title-track Break. Burn. End. brings to our avid ears one minute of eerie noises and a wicked narration, working as a demonic interlude to the bestial Saying Your Name is to Choke on Ash, another circle pit feast that will explode your ears to the infernal growls by Scott and the classic blast beats by David, with Justin once again sounding thunderous armed with his bass. There’s no sign of slowing down for those ruthless metallers, with Maintain the Quiet being the perfect depiction of how technical yet brutal and vile their music can be, sounding absolutely pulverizing and thrilling from start to finish; followed by Heaven so Far Away, the second to last breath of evil by VLVD, starting in a more somber, phantasmagorical way before evolving into a rumbling feast of harsh roars, slashing riffs and pounding drums (albeit not as electrifying as its predecessors); and there’s time for one final dive into the mosh pit together with VLVD in Come Armageddon, with the Punk Rock and Hardcore-fueled beats by David speeding things up considerably, offering Scott all he needs to burst his lungs screaming before the song ends in a truly visceral note.

In a nutshell, the guys from VLVD did it again, bringing forward in Break. Burn. End. their undisputed amalgamation of Hardcore with more traditional metal styles in great fashion. Hence, you can get in touch with the band directly on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their caustic music and videos, stream their venomous creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Break. Burn. End. From the Innerstrength Records’ BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or from Amazon. This world is broken, burning, and soon coming to its inevitable end, and there’s nothing better than the music offered by VLVD in their newborn opus to guide us through our violent lives into our (most probably) violent deaths.

Best moments of the album: The Snapping of Teeth, Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue and Maintain the Quiet.

Worst moments of the album: Heaven so Far Away.

Released in 2023 Innerstrength Records

Track listing
1. Weapon of Pain 3:24
2. The Snapping of Teeth 2:58
3. Deceit Welcomed by Blind Grace 1:58
4. Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue 2:09
5. The Light Behind 2:25
6. Break. Burn. End. 1:07
7. Saying Your Name is to Choke on Ash 2:18
8. Maintain the Quiet 2:14
9. Heaven so Far Away 3:04
10. Come Armageddon 3:07

Band members
Scott Cowan – vocals
Joseph Benham – guitar
Daniel Knight – guitar
Justin Campbell – bass
David Holquin – drums