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Album Review – Reanimated / Vomit The Plague EP (2025)

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A horde of old school German metalheads will crush us all with their debut EP, celebrating carnage and domination just the way we like it in classic Death Metal.

A horde of old school Death Metal heads who worship the brutal god of the rotten, Kassel, Hesse, Germany-based entity Reanimated was formed in the beginning of 2022 from the ruins of different old Death Metal cults to spread mischief and showcase their passion and devotion for extreme music. Currently formed of vocalist Mike (from Melodic Death/Black Metal horde Dark Horizon, who released in 2024 the excellent album Darkness Falls Upon Mankind), guitarists Alex and Jörg, bassist Benni, and drummer Andre, Reanimated are ready to attack armed with their debut offering, a five-track EP entitled Vomit The Plague, celebrating carnage and domination just the way we like it in classic Death Metal.

Just hit play and you’ll face a cinematic intro titled Rebirth, with the desperate screams by an unknown woman setting a horrific tone in Infant Decapitation, a brutal, no shenanigans Death Metal avalanche blasted by the band where Mike sounds ruthless as usual on vocals supported by the classic beats by Andre. The title-track Vomit The Plague is even more infuriated thanks to the harsh riffage by Alex and Jörg, while Benni and Andre craft a beyond heavy kitchen for our total delight; whereas The Extinction is the perfect follow-up to the title-track, with the sirens in its intro warning the listener of the absolute chaos and despair that’s about to come, evolving into a demonic feast of old school Death Metal led by the harsh guitar lines by Alex and Jörg. Finally, let’s slam into the pit to the pulverizing two and a half minutes found in Flesh Collector, where Andre shows no mercy for his drums nor for our necks.

The ruthless horde known as Reanimator is waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates, and more of their music, and of course in order to show them your total support and admiration you can grab a copy of  Vomit The Plague from BandCamp, as well as stream it in full as many times as you want on Spotify. Now that Reanimated have finally left their obscure lair to spread evil across the world, I don’t think it will take too long for the band to unleash upon us their first ever full-length album, and if there’s one thing that can be said about that is that if they follow a similar pattern as the destructive music found in Vomit The Plague, it will be total chaos, violence and blood, always in the name of our beloved Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Vomit The Plague and The Extinction.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Rebirth 1:07
2. Infant Decapitation 5:06
3. Vomit The Plague 5:31
4. The Extinction 5:38
5. Flesh Collector 2:38

Band members
Mike – vocals
Alex – guitar
Jörg – guitar
Benni – bass
Andre – drums

Album Review – Agrypnie / Erg (2024)

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This German Progressive and Post-Black Metal force is back with its seventh studio album, their most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle.

Founded in 2004 by songwriter Torsten, who is also active in the bands Nocte Obducta, Theotoxin, and Suel, as well as other musical projects, Groß-Gerau, Hesse, Germany-based Progressive/Post-Black Metal act Agrypnie has developed into a significant force in the Black Metal scene over the years. Now in 2024 the duo formed of the aforementioned Torsten on vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and programming, and Flo (Benighted, Schammasch) on drums returns with their seventh studio album, titled Erg, Agrypnie’s most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle, almost overwhelmingly so if not for the clear and cutting recording and the band’s enviously sharp execution. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Phil Hillen and Torsten at SU-2 Studio, and with artwork and photography by Marco Klein of syn2, Erg displays considerable daring and depth, as while “Black Metal” in foundation, the album’s songwriting crests and crashes with kaleidoscopic wonder and cathartic urgency alike.

Featuring guest vocals by Phil Jonas (of Secrets of the Moon and CRONE), Aus rauchlosem Feuer (“from smokeless fire”) is atmospheric and enfolding from the very first second, evolving into a Black Metal beast led by the scorching roars and riffs by Torsten while Flo hammers his drums nonstop, followed by Meer ohne Wasser, or “sea without water”, offering sluggish Doom Metal-infused beats and riffs while also exploding into sheer obscurity and madness, with Flo once again dictating the pace with his Black Metal beats. Then we have Sturm, or “storm”, with guest vocals by Edmond Karban aka Hupogrammos (of Dordeduh), venturing through the realms of pure Atmospheric Black Metal and with Torsten sounding like a metal machine armed with all his instruments; whereas the Stygian, grim interlude Blut – Teil I, or “blood – part I”, sets the tone for Blut – Teil II (“blood – part II”), featuring guest vocalist P.G. (of Groza), bringing forward another round of their trademark Post-Black Metal boosted by the intricate and visceral drumming by Flo.

The second half of the album begins with a song just as multi-layered and vile as its predecessors, titled Entität, or “entity”, with Torsten embellishing the airwaves with his classy riffs and bass lines, or in other words, it’s a very detailed song that will inspire us all to bang our heads nonstop together with the duo, exploding into the Black Metal attack titled Stunde des Wolfes (“hour of the wolf”), where the duo extracts the harshest, most piercing sounds form their instruments, and with Torsten delivering some devilish vociferations until the very end. Geister, or “ghosts”, is very experimental and atmospheric for the most part of it, with only its last part being Agrypnie’s core sound, but of course it’s still a very good song; whereas lastly the duo will rip our souls apart with the amazing Unter Sand, or “under sand”, offering our avid ears an avalanche of strident riffs, classic blast beats and anguished vocal lines, ending the album on a climatic and introspective note.

Rich sonically and in emotion, majestic even when plumbing the depths of melancholy, Erg is a tour de force of wide-screen Black Metal regardless of “progressive” or “post-” appellations. Hence, don’t forget to give Torsten and Flo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their news and tour dates, to subscribe to their YouTube channel and to check them out on Spotify for more of their music, and to grab your copy of Erg from AOP Records in Europe and in the US, from Napalm Records, from MVD Entertainment (US only), or from several digital platforms by clicking HERE. It’s a known fact that Agrypnie’s eighth studio album is already in the works, and it will be interesting to see their musical evolution form Erg to their upcoming release. Until then, simply give Erg countless spins, and let the fulminating music by Agrypnie embrace you in pitch black darkness.

Best moments of the album: Aus rauchlosem Feuer, Entität and Stunde des Wolfes.

Worst moments of the album: Geister.

Released in 2024 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Aus rauchlosem Feuer 7:28
2. Meer ohne Wasser 7:02
3. Sturm 6:00
4. Blut – Teil I 2:06
5. Blut – Teil II 5:16
6. Entität 7:24
7. Stunde des Wolfes 6:04
8. Geister 5:32
9. Unter Sand 6:46

Band members
Torsten – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming
Flo – drums

Guest musicians
Phil Jonas – vocals on “Aus rauchlosem Feuer”
P.G. – vocals on “Blut – Teil I” and “Blut – Teil II”
Edmond Karban – vocals on “Sturm”

Album Review – Dark Horizon / Darkness Falls Upon Mankind (2024)

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As darkness falls upon mankind, this devilish horde from Germany attacks with their sophomore album, exhaling their obsession for mid-90’s Scandinavian and German Black Metal.

Spreading the dark arts all over the world since their inception in 2007 in Kassel, a city in central Germany, the heavy-as-hell Melodic Black Metal horde Dark Horizon has finally unleashed upon us their sophomore black mass, entitled Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, the follow-up to their 2012 debut Diabolic Agreement and their 2017 EP Odyssey. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Classen at Stage One Studio, the new album by Mike on vocals, Adrian on the guitars, Colin on bass, and Daniel on drums exhales their obsession for mid-90’s Scandinavian and German Black Metal, uniting melancholy and disharmony with their passion for absolute darkness, being therefore recommended for admirers of the music by Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Dissection, and Watain, just to name a few.

Secrets Of The Nightmare Prophecies already sounds utterly sharp and melodic, with Mike leading his horde with his demonic screams and gnarls, resulting in a beyond solid start to the album and morphing into the bestial title-track Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, where the song’s blast beats and razor-edged riffs turn it into a must-listen for admirers of 90’s Black Metal. Adrian continues to deliver fire and evil from his axe in The Awakening, a song perfect for some devilish headbanging while Daniel’s drums will decimate your cranial skull. Old Gods offers more of the band’s undisputed Melodic Black Metal, again showcasing the hellish roars by Mike while Colin adds his share of heaviness to the sound with his menacing bass, whereas Tempest Of Ancient Screams is an imposing, heavy-as-hell and absolutely dark composition that lives up to the legacy of the genre, with Adrian doing a superb job with his old school Black Metal riffs.

And Adrian’s strident, visceral riffs continue to darken the skies in In The Hall Of Bloodstreams, where Mike takes his demonic gnarls to a whole new level of obscurity; then get ready for a seven-minute onrush of sulfur and evil titled Am Tag Meines Todes (which is German for “on the day of my death”), bringing to our ears an overdose of caustic riffs and blast beats while Colin hammers his bass mercilessly, with all breaks and variations making it feel like two amazing songs in one. After that we have Funeral, offering us all three minutes of straight-to-the-point Black Metal with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements, followed by Ekpyrosis, another seven-minute song but this time sounding a bit confusing compared to the rest of the album, albeit still showcasing the band’s passion for darkness and evil. And closing the album we’re treated to two very special covers showcasing their influences in music, starting with Naglfar’s The Brimstone Gate (check the original version HERE, from their 1998 cult album Diabolical), and followed by Mithotyn’s King Of The Distant Forest (check the original version HERE, from their 1998 opus King of the Distant Forest), both exhaling the same Black Metal essence from the original versions but of course with Dark Horizon’s own twist.

The guys from Dark Horizon are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates, and more of their caustic Black Metal, and you can obviously add the excellent Darkness Falls Upon Mankind to your devilish collection by purchasing it from their own BandCamp page, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon Music. As darkness falls upon mankind, Dark Horizon will strike us hard with their furious new album, adding another solid stone to the impenetrable Black Metal castle that exists in their homeland, therefore fueling them for more in the coming years for the delight of fans of 90’s Black Metal.

Best moments of the album: Darkness Falls Upon Mankind, Tempest Of Ancient Screams and Am Tag Meines Todes.

Worst moments of the album: Ekpyrosis.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Secrets Of The Nightmare Prophecies 4:25
2. Darkness Falls Upon Mankind 5:23
3. The Awakening 3:21
4. Old Gods 4:53
5. Tempest Of Ancient Screams 3:45
6. In The Hall Of Bloodstreams 3:17
7. Am Tag Meines Todes 7:13
8. Funeral 3:15
9. Ekpyrosis 7:40
10. The Brimstone Gate (Naglfar cover) 4:54
11. King Of The Distant Forest (Mithotyn cover) 5:26

Band members
Mike – vocals
Adrian – guitars
Colin – bass
Daniel – drums

Album Review – Bestial Warfare / Desecrating Goat Assault EP (2020)

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A ruthless German Black and Death Metal brigade is ready to attack armed with their fulminating new opus, overflowing darkness, blasphemy and rage.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by (((CYPHX-AUDIO))), and displaying a Stygian artwork by Art of Sickness 666 and an old school logo by Cyanide Grave, the debut EP by German Black/Death Metal horde Bestial Warfare, entitled Desecrating Goat Assault, has everything a fan of the most demonic and obscure type of extreme music can ask for, following up on their critically acclaimed 2018 demo Genocide. Dealing with controversial themes such as war, darkness, blasphemy and death, the band formed in 2017 in Marburg, Hesse, a town north of Frankfurt, and currently comprised of Decius Christgrinding Hammerfist on guitar and vocals, Blashphemer Evocator Incinerator Mass on bass and vocals, and Death Tyrant of Satanic Vengeance on drums, takes no prisoners in their quest for violence and obscurity, with Desecrating Goat Assault perfectly representing everything this amazing underground German brigade stands for.

Tribal beats and a putrid stench of evil kick off the heavy-as-hell Impaled Human Scum, with Decius vomiting the song’s blasphemous words manically, always supported by the heavy artillery of Blashphemer with his wicked bass and Death Tyrant with his vicious beats; and Decius and his Stygian riffs will pierce your ears in the disturbing fusion of Black and Death Metal titled Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed), showcasing infernal beats and fills, gruesome vociferations and metallic bass jabs, or in other words, a lesson in extreme music made in Germany. Then we have Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated), as demented and disturbing as its predecessors, where those three metallers prove they’re never tired of hammering their sonic weapons and, therefore, providing us fans a hurricane of Black and Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted, not to mention Death Tyrant sounds like a stone crusher on drums. Iron Bloodlust Inflamed is another explosion of vile and crushing sounds by Bestial Warfare, with Decius taking the lead with his vomiting, guttural roars while Blashphemer continues to pound his Stygian bass nonstop, and finally there’s nothing better than paying a tribute to darkness and old school Black Metal than with the sulfurous hymn Antichrist Offensive, where they continue to smash everything and everyone that crosses their path and with Death Tyrant and Decius making a demonic duo with their respective blast beats and scorching riffage.

The gates of hell are open and Bestial Warfare are ready to attack armed with their fulminating new EP Desecrating Goat Assault, and in order to join this evil brigade from Germany simply go check what they’re up to on Facebook and purchase a copy of the album from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore in CD or cassette format. After two first-class, demonic releases such as Genocide and Desecrating Goat Assault, what’s next for Bestial Warfare? Well, it doesn’t matter if it’s another EP or a full-length album, as long as they keep spreading darkness and blasphemy all over the world with their infernal creations I’m sure fans of extreme music will have a very good reason to keep banging their heads in the name of pure evil.

Best moments of the album: Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed) and Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Impaled Human Scum 5:36
2. Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed) 4:27
3. Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated) 3:29
4.Iron Bloodlust Inflamed 4:07
5. Antichrist Offensive 4:02

Band members
Decius Christgrinding Hammerfist – guitar, vocals
Blashphemer Evocator Incinerator Mass – bass, vocals
Death Tyrant of Satanic Vengeance – drums