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Album Review – Lenax / Infection (2025)

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With lyrical themes based around esotericism, individuality, and cosmic horror, the debut album by this American Black Metal horde paints either a picture of destruction and horror, or one of death and rebirth.

With lyrical themes based around esotericism, individuality, and cosmic horror, Infection, the debut full-length opus by Nashville, Tennessee-based Black Metal horde Lenax, paints either a picture of destruction and horror, or one of death and rebirth, depending on the stance of the listener. Produced and mixed by Ilarion Ivanenko, mastered by Øystein Brun at Crosound Studios, and displaying a Stygian cover art by David DeFigueredo, such a sulfurous offering by vocalist and guitarist Venomous, guitarist Mordred, and drummer Bones, with the support of guest musicians Hephaestus on bass, and Maikon on drums, pays homage to the band’s influences while establishing them as pioneers of something new altogether dubbed by Venomous as “cosmic horror fueled nightmares,” an immersive sonic rumination on rebellion against religion, revenge, and self-realization through occult technology, with a distinct nod to Lovecraftian lore and the impending doom of the Outer Gods.

The band darken the skies from the very first second in Worship Hymn, with Venomous living up to his own moniker, delivering harsh, serpent-like vocals for our vulgar delectation. Leeches sounds even more devastating and grim, led by the scorching riffage by Venomous and Mordred, resulting in a lesson in modern-day Black Metal, and Bones keeps hammering his drums in the name of darkness in Chains, another ruthless composition not recommended for the lighthearted. Crossroad Black begins in an atmospheric, cinematic manner to minimalist sounds, gradually evolving into a mid-tempo feast of pitch black darkness led by the visceral gnarls by Venomous and the crushing beats by Bones, whereas the band sounds utterly demonic in Hive Mind Apocalypse, with their riffs, blast beats and harsh vocals piercing our damned souls mercilessly.

We Are Legion carries a name that reeks of Black Metal, sounding as sulfurous and rebellious as it can be thanks to another blast of sick riffs by Venomous and Mordred; whereas Plague Bringer offers our putrid ears a slab of stylish first-class Black Metal, sounding and feeling absolutely and beautifully heavy-as-hell, with Venomous taking his growling to a whole new level of insanity. Then we have Overdrive, which is more like a dissonant instrumental interlude that doesn’t actually bring any extra power to the album, before they pulverize us all with Throne of the Forsaken, presenting epic lyrics growled by Venomous (“He’s the Pharaoh without a name / All the past has fallen / King of nothing, no stories told / Lost legends, Aeons gone”) while the music feels as imposing as it’s grim until the very end.

In summary, Infection is undoubtedly a must-listen for fans of Watain, Immortal, and Enslaved, among others, with Lenax presenting a style of Melodic Black Metal infused with just the right amount of Black N’ Roll to land themselves in a rather unique position in the genre with their new album. Hence, you can join those talented bastards from Nashville in their quest for total darkness via Facebook and Instagram, stream their sick creations on Spotify, and grab your copy of their sulfurous new album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. The Lovecraftian cosmic horror brought into being by Lenax in their new album is truly outstanding, and if you dare to not listen to it, may the band haunt you in your deepest nightmares for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Leeches, Crossroad Black and Plague Bringer.

Worst moments of the album: Overdrive.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Worship Hymn 4:55
2. Leeches 4:06
3. Chains 4:46
4. Crossroad Black 6:06
5. Hive Mind Apocalypse 3:36
6. We Are Legion 6:11
7. Plague Bringer 3:57
8. Overdrive 2:32
9. Throne of the Forsaken 3:56

Band members
Venomous – vocals, guitar
Mordred – guitar, backing vocals
Bones – drums

Guest musicians
Hephaestus – bass
Maikon – drums

Album Review – The Prophet / Dying (2015)

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A consistent and striking album full of hatred, suffering and death, by an up-and-coming Russian band that aims at redefining Melodic Death Metal.

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the prophet_dyingIf you look up in any dictionary for the definition of the word Dying, you’ll find a few different meanings such as “on the point of death”, “occurring at or connected with the time that someone dies” or even “gradually ceasing to exist or function; in decline and about to disappear”. However, from now on there should be a new definition added to that list referring to the brand new release by Siberian Melodic Death Metal band The Prophet, a consistent and striking album overflowing hatred, suffering and, obviously, death.

Dying is the third full-length album by this talented band formed in 2010 in the city of Tomsk, Russia (one of the oldest towns in Siberia), and it’s by far their most solid and professional one in terms of its overall production, quality of the compositions and connectivity among its nine hostile tracks. The album’s cadaverous artwork, designed by Armenian artist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Erskine (GraveDealer Studio), is just the icing on the cake, effectually complementing what the music by The Prophet proposes throughout the entire album.

Just a few seconds after their metallic cavalry arrives in the opening track Killers, The Prophet already start detonating their fast and furious Death Metal through the harsh screams by lead singer/guitarist Doctor and a high-octane rhythm brought forward by guitarist Jo-Sound, bassist Bathone and drummer Raziel, reminding me of the massacre that old school Arch Enemy used to present. The following track, On The Path, is perfect for banging your head like a maniac due to its Black Metal riffs and its darkened ambience, which is also present in Incantation Of Sorrow, with the slight difference that now it’s the drums that get closer to a Black Metal sonority.

Band-1Although Amid The Fogs Of Nothing has the most beautiful name of all songs in the album, it is just an instrumental tune that prepares the listener to “die” with the title-track, the heavy and crisp Dying. It’s yet another song with a strong Arch Enemy-ish vibe, or in other words, it’s very melodic and lethal at the same time, with highlights to the always desperate growls by Doctor and the razing riffs by both Doctor and Jo-Sound.

Relying on a truly unhappy and dark atmosphere, Let My Soul Out will not bring any joy or hope to your miserable life, especially due to the addition of elements from Blackened Doom and Doom Metal to its musicality; while Infection, a lot faster and more violent than most songs of the album, sounds as if Behemoth meet In Flames, therefore kicking you in the jugular without mercy. A Voice From Nowhere follows a similar pattern, offering sheer brutality and nonstop beats that morph into an eerie ending, whereas Bathone and Raziel guide the funereal Last Mourning Waltz, with its guitars acting like one last scream of agony before a sinister piano concludes the band’s journey to the other side.

There are many ways you can join The Prophet on their road to death and doom, including their  official Facebook page, VKontakte, YouTube and SoundCloud. And in case you want to purchase Dying, you can find it for sale at their BandCamp page or at the Russian label Musica Production’s page on eBay. Now all that’s left to do is adding the suggested new definition of “dying” to the dictionary, especially because the words “dying” or “death” have never made more sense in Melodic Death Metal than through the music by The Prophet.

Best moments of the album: Killers, Dying and Infection.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Musica Production

Track listing
1. Killers 3:23
2. On The Path 4:14
3.Incantation Of Sorrow 3:31
4. Amid The Fogs Of Nothing 2:05
5. Dying 4:05
6. Let My Soul Out 5:25
7. Infection 3:43
8. A Voice From Nowhere 2:52
9. Last Mourning Waltz 4:48

Band members
Doctor – vocals, guitars
Jo-Sound – guitars
Bathone – bass
Raziel – drums