Tag Archives: hardcore

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

Concert Review – Hatebreed (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 09/05/2023)

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The city of Toronto let the hate flow through its veins and destroyed everything together with the American juggernauts of Hardcore on a beyond hot and fun night.

OPENING ACTS: Jesus Piece, Vein.FM and Terror

What’s the best thing to do when you’re in the middle of a heat wave, with temperatures over +40oC and a scorching sun to burn you alive? Attending a metal concert, of course! And the city of Toronto had the pleasure of hosting the bands JESUS PIECE, VEIN.FM, TERROR and HATEBREED at The Danforth Music Hall this Tuesday during the Rise of Brutality 20th Anniversary Tour 2023, where Hatebreed are celebrating 20 years of their classic album The Rise of Brutality. I honestly thought that the venue was going to feel like a sauna, because that was the case when Kreator and Sepultura played there a few months ago, but apparently the organizers knew that the heat was way too strong outdoors and decided to crank up the AC to the lowest temperature possible, making it quite comfortable inside for all of the concert goers. You probably saved some lives by doing that! Good job!

As traffic wasn’t too crazy yesterday, all fans had a lot of time to enjoy a few beers and buy some merch between the doors opening at 6pm and the first band of the night, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Hardcore/Metalcore/Sludge Metal act JESUS PIECE, kicking off their concert at 7pm. Spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman  Aaron Heard, the band put on a very entertaining concert from start to finish, blending songs from their new album …So Unknown with their older material, already inspiring the crowd to create a massive circle pit where most kids looked like they were squirrels who had a few cans of Red Bull, moving around like rabid creatures. I just couldn’t catch the names of the songs, mainly because whenever Aaron was talking to the crowd his mic sounded a little muffled, but if you’re curious to know more about such explosive band you can find all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Aaron Heard – vocals
David Updike – guitars
John DiStefano – guitars
Anthony Marinaro – bass, backing vocals
Luis Aponte – drums

That mosh pit madness, with everyone following the lesson taught by the mighty Exodus in the classic “Toxic Waltz”, that being “so don’t be a dunce and dance like a runt, just throw your elbows with good friendly violent fun”, continued during the concert by Boston, Massachusetts-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore outfit VEIN.FM. Having released the album This World Is Going To Ruin You last year, the band formed of Anthony DiDio on vocals, Jeremy Martin on the guitars, Jon Lhaubouet on bass and Matt Wood on drums showed no mercy for our souls, crushing their instruments nonstop and, therefore, inviting the crowd to keep moving wildly as if each person in the pit was fighting some sort of “invisible man”. It was a fun and vibrant show that definitely warmed up all Hatebreed fans at the venue, and if you want to enjoy the music by such talented band at home, in your car, at work, at school, at the gym or anywhere else, you can find those guys on BandCamp and on Spotify. Once again it was impossible to catch the names of the songs played, but that’s just a minor detail as their live performance was awesome.

Band members
Anthony DiDio – vocals
Jeremy Martin – guitar, backing vocals
Jon Lhaubouet – bass, backing vocals
Matt Wood – drums

Quickly after Vein.FM finished their show, it was time for Los Angeles, California’s own Hardcore legends TERROR to burn down The Danforth Music Hall with another insane performance, turning the floor section into a massive circle pit where the kids were once again moving like crazy creatures. Frontman Scott Vogel was the main responsible person for that mosh pit madness, as he kept asking the crowd to keep moving around, to keep doing some sick crowd surfing and so on, and let’s say his requests were promptly answered by everyone inside the pit. Playing songs from their latest album, their 2022 beast Pain into Power, including the amazing title-track, plus some of their old school material, those Californians showed Toronto everything they got, and the temperature inside the venue went up considerably due to all the action going on while Terror continued to distill their flammable Hardcore on stage. I’ve already place in another concert review the links to where you can stream their music, but as they’re really cool guys here we go again with the links to their BandCamp and Spotify, and if they ever visit your hometown, don’t think twice and go join the band to unleash some first-class Hardcore terror, alright?

Band members
Scott Vogel – vocals
Martin Stewart – guitar
Jordan Posner – guitar
Chris Linkovich – bass
Nick Jett – drums

HATEBREED

The break between Terror and Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore titans HATEBREED was a little longer than the previous ones for obvious reasons, allowing everyone at the venue to go buy some merch (in case they hadn’t done so already), grab a few beers, smoke a cigarette and have a quality chat with their friends, and all those things energized the crowd to the point that the iconic Jamey Jasta kept repeating how much he loves Toronto, being visibly impressed with the rowdy reaction during each song from their amazing setlist. Playing songs form their entire discography, including the classics Last Breath (dedicated to the memory of the deceased The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad), Driven by Suffering, Tear It Down, Straight to Your Face, Doomsayer, and Confide in No One, the band put on an electrifying show that pleased all fans of their unique fusion of Hardcore with Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and other heavy styles.

My only complaint (and of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, as well as all other photographers at the venue) was the dim lighting used for all four bands, which is becoming something quite common in most shows not only in Toronto, but everywhere. It’s getting tough to see the bands on stage with clarity, but of course, it’s nothing that would stop the fans from enjoying the shows. Well, it is what it is, and when you have a band like Hatebreed on stage let’s admit we must be really aware of our surroundings due to all the mosh pit action going on, leaving us with not a lot of time to actually pay attention to the stage, right? Jokes aside, it was a true pleasure seeing Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec kicking some ass with their guitars while Chris Beattie and Matt Byrne made the venue shake with their insanely heavy kitchen, keeping everyone more than entertained until the very end, with lots of fists and horns in the air, lots of screaming, and the endless insanity inside the circle pit led by the demented vocals by Jamey. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Hatebreed to return to Canadian lands to destroy everything once again, and I bet everyone who attended their concert last night will be there again to celebrate their undisputed Hardcore music.

Setlist
Tear It Down
Straight to Your Face
Destroy Everything
A Lesson Lived Is a Lesson Learned
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Voice of Contention
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Beholder of Justice
This Is Now
Perseverance
Driven by Suffering
Confide in No One
Last Breath (Dedicated to Trevor Strnad)
Doomsayer
Smash Your Enemies
Another Day Another Vendetta
I Will Be Heard

Band members
Jamey Jasta – vocals
Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals
Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chris Beattie – bass
Matt Byrne – drums

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Album Review – GraveRipper / Seasons Dreaming Death (2023)

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The dead will rise and chaos will take over the entire world to the sound of the first full-length album by this venomous American Blackened Thrash Metal horde.

The dead will rise and chaos will take over the entire world to the sound of Seasons Dreaming Death, the newborn beast by Indianapolis, Indiana-based Blackened Thrash Metal horde GraveRipper. The first full-length album in their career, following up on their 2020 debut EP Complete Blinding Darkness and on their 2021 EP Radiated Remains, Seasons Dreaming Death showcases all the dexterity and passion for extreme music by Corey Parks on vocals and rhythm guitars, Keegan Hrybyk on lead guitars, Chris Pilotte on bass and Jacob Lett on drums, all spiced up by the top-notch engineering, mixing and mastering by Wesley Heaton at Postal Recording, and the sick artwork by one of the best illustrators of the current scene, Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, offering fans of bands like Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust and Wraith everything they crave in heavy music and more.

Corey and Keegan begin their ruthless stringed attack in Into the Grave, a frantic fusion of Black, Thrash and Death Metal that will certainly inspire you to slam into the pit like a headbanging bastard, followed by Ripped and Torn Apart, a hard-hitting, no-shenanigans creation by the quartet where Jacob is relentless on drums adding his share of violence and heaviness to the overall result. Let’s keep hammering our skulls inside the circle pit to the sound of Divine Incantations, with Corey barking rabidly while his riffs together with the sounds generated by his bandmates will pierce your damned soul mercilessly; whereas Chris’ bass and Jacob’s drums will make the earth tremble in the Thrash Metal feast Seasons Dreaming Death, once again presenting the band’s animosity infused with intricate and dark sounds. And it’s nonstop action in the high-octane tune Premeditated, again blending the rebelliousness of Thrash Metal with the aggressiveness of Death Metal, spearheaded by the venomous roars by Corey.

The quartet adds hints of Hardcore, Grindcore and even Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority in An Influx of Fear, bringing forward the always caustic riffage by Corey and Keegan, and the complex but demented drumming by Jacob, and it’s then time to speed things up and generate a hurricane of thrashing sounds in Resist Against the Light, by far one of the most breathtaking songs of the album with the low-tuned bass by Chris brutally smashing your cranial skull. As you might have notice, it’s one demented tune after another, and the band keeps crushing our frail bodies in Red Skies, where their riffage sounds utterly acid and incendiary inspired by our good old Punk Rock. Back to a more traditional Thrash and Death Metal mode, Jacob takes the lead with his intricate beats in And I Curse Reality, simply perfect for some vigorous headbanging; and closing such pulverizing album we have Only Coldness, offering more of their gripping hybrid of extreme styles, with Jacob’s Black Metal drums matching perfectly with the riffage by the band’s guitar duo.

“The album title is my take on Halloween/Samhain,” commented Corey, “the day of the year where the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is the thinnest.” Well, let’s say the band truly captured the essence of such mysterious and adored day in Seasons Dreaming Death, which is already available for pre-order from their own BandCamp page and will be unleashed upon us before we can say “death”. Hence, don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and all things GraveRipper, and to stream their sick creations on Spotify. As mentioned, the dead are about to rise when the excellent Seasons Dreaming Death is officially released, and you better be armed with GraveRipper’s demented new album in your hands if you want to join such deadly party.

Best moments of the album: Ripped and Torn Apart, Premeditated and Resist Against the Light.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Wise Blood Records

Track listing
1. Into the Grave 4:11
2. Ripped and Torn Apart 3:58
3. Divine Incantations 2:19
4. Seasons Dreaming Death 3:05
5. Premeditated 4:08
6. An Influx of Fear 1:53
7. Resist Against the Light 3:43
8. Red Skies 3:28
9. And I Curse Reality 3:31
10. Only Coldness 3:31

Band members
Corey Parks – vocals, rhythm guitars
Keegan Hrybyk – lead guitars
Chris Pilotte – bass
Jacob Lett – drums