Tag Archives: Invictus

Album Review – Invictus / Nocturnal Visions (2026)

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Behold the path of destruction by this unrelenting Japanese trio armed with their sophomore album, exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage.

Conceived in Nagano, Japan back in 2015, the original goal by the ruthless beast known as Invictus was to play Death Metal with hints of technicality and a strong Thrash Metal edge, combining the morbid grooves and abhorrent atmospherics of all archaic Death Metal gods like Death, Malevolent Creation, Monstrosity, Brutality, Mercyless, Morbid Angel, Gorguts, Obituary, Decapitated, Sadistic Intent, and Cannibal Corpse, and prioritizing the creation of songs crammed with commanding riffs over any other aspect of their putrescent music. Now in 2026 the band formed of Takehitopsy Seki on vocals and guitars, Toshihiro Seki on bass, and Haruki Tokutake on drums returns to action with their sophomore opus, titled Nocturnal Visions, following up on their 2020 debut The Catacombs of Fear. Embraced by a compelling, era-authentic artwork courtesy of Juanjo Castellano, the album sees the band exploring a broader spectrum of riff-oriented Death Metal in order to aggravate the carnage, exuding a more pernicious aural decay and bludgeoning the listener into submission by some of the meatiest and most vitriolic Death Metal conceivable.

After a short and sinister Intro, the trio is ready to devour our souls with their infuriated Death Metal attack in Abyssal Earth Eradicates, with the bass by Toshihiro sounding as dirty as it is violent while Takehitopsy barks like a putrid entity form the underworld. Haruki then shows absolutely no mercy for his drums nor for our frail bodies in Altar of Devoted Slaughter, sounding like a Death Metal stone crusher from hell, not to mention Takehitopsy’s demented guitar solo. And the trio continues their path of absolute demolition in Lucid Dream Trauma, not as fast but absurdly heavy thanks to another killer performance by Haruki on drums, followed by Persecution Madness, a lecture in both old school and contemporary Death Metal in the vein of Immolation and Cannibal Corpse.

Dragged Beneath the Grave is another song with a poetic name, with those Japanese death dealers going mental with their relentless riffs, bass and blast beats, as well as Takehitopsy’s maniacal vocals; and he keeps delivering his visceral guttural in Frozen Tomb, again perfect for some wild headbanging and slamming while Haruki continues to pound his drums manically. Wandering Ashdream is still an excellent song overflowing brutality and gore, albeit a bit generic and basic compared to the rest of the album (the guitar solo by Takehitopsy is still pretty solid, though); whereas last but not least, get ready for over eight minutes of total Death Metal madness and fury in Nocturnal Visions, also presenting hints of our good old Doom Metal to give it an even more primeval vibe.

In summary, if you love Death Metal, true and morbid, then don’t miss out on these Japanese masters of putridity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their corrosive, vicious Death Metal sounds on any platform such as Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of their demented new album from their own BandCamp, from Me Saco Un Ojo’s BandCamp or webstore, or from Memento Mori. If in Japanese fantasy and science fiction movies and television programs we have the pleasure of seeing those gigantic kaiju destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path, in Death Metal it’s Invictus who are the real kaiju, sounding absolutely devastating and ruthless armed with their breathtaking new offering.

Best moments of the album: Altar of Devoted Slaughter, Persecution Madness and Dragged Beneath the Grave.

Worst moments of the album: Wandering Ashdream.

Released in 2026 Memento Mori/Me Saco Un Ojo

Track listing
1. Intro 0:40
2. Abyssal Earth Eradicates 4:43
3. Altar of Devoted Slaughter 3:50
4. Lucid Dream Trauma 4:09
5. Persecution Madness 3:31
6. Dragged Beneath the Grave 3:00
8. Frozen Tomb 3:35
7. Wandering Ashdream 3:56
9. Nocturnal Visions 8:01

Band members
Takehitopsy Seki – vocals, guitars
Toshihiro Seki – bass
Haruki Tokutake – drums

Album Review – Unearth / The Wretched; The Ruinous (2023)

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Celebrating almost 25 years on the road, Boston’s own Death Metal/Metalcore beast returns with a demolishing opus, a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis.

On album number eight, titled The Wretched; The Ruinous, Boston, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore outfit Unearth not merely continues to amp-up their metal-meets-hardcore intensities, but they also exceed themselves with a record that incorporates elements of classic Unearth offerings dating back to their 2004 “breakthrough” album The Oncoming Storm, while exploring beyond the recent back-to-basics promise of their 2018 effort Extinction(s). Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Alexandre Goulet, The Wretched; The Ruinous is a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis as well as what will happen in the years to come if drastic and immediate changes are not made to curb emissions, and monumental efforts are not made to repair and adjust to the damages already done, all wrapped up by the fulminating yet very melodic music by vocalist Trevor Phipps, guitarist Buz McGrath, bassist Chris O’Toole and drummer Mike Justian.

The title-track The Wretched; The Ruinous is freakin’ madness from the very first second, with Mike showing no mercy for his drums nor for our necks, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit to the demented growls by Trevor. In Cremation of the Living the quartet fires more of their acid Metalcore with Melodic Death Metal nuances while its lyrics exhale insanity (“Exist – perish / Discordant nature / All turned to dust / Enraged creator / Victims to shepherds of fear”), followed by Eradicator, another pulverizing tune by the band with Buz delivering sheer electricity from his guitar supported by the metallic bass by Chris. Mother Betrayal sounds and feels more atmospheric and melodic than its predecessors, and it’s interesting how Trevor “abandoned” his clean singing in the entire album just like what we can enjoy in this song. Then it’s pedal to the metal as the quartet will smash our cranial skulls inside the pit with Invictus, a lecture in modern-day Metalcore sounding heavier and harsher than any of the songs form their previous efforts.

Call of Existence brings to our avid ears an amazing guitar job done by Buz, helping to balance the song’s aggressiveness with more melodic riffs and striking solos while Mike dictates the song’s headbanging pace behind his drums. They offer more of their visceral Metalcore in Dawn of the Militant, inspiring us to keep the circle pit action going while Trevor continues to roar and scream manically. After that, the serene interlude Aniara will soothe our souls before we’re treated to another diabolical attack by Unearth titled Into the Abyss, showcasing a solid sonority led by Buz and Chris with their stringed weapons, albeit not as thrilling as the rest of the album. Back to a more infernal mode we have Broken Arrow, where Trevor screams the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Fire in the sky / Awoken infernal slumber / Peaceful days now ill remembered / Failed to deliver / Accidents of mass destruction / Lie in wait yet not forever”) in a display of fast and crushing Metalcore for the masses; whereas lastly you’ll break your neck headbanging to Theaters of War, with Mike hammering his drums in the name of heavy music for our total delight.

Unearth are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates and more of their amazing music, and if you want to give The Wretched; The Ruinous a spin you can find the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and purchase it by clicking HERE or HERE. “We formed this band to make music for us, not trying to create something for anyone else. As soon as we did that people connected to it, and it’s kept us pushing onward for almost 25 years. We look forward to 25 more,” commented the band about their almost 25 years of career, but let’s be honest and admit that it’s us fans who got a very nice anniversary gift with the release of their awesome new album, don’t you agree?

Best moments of the album: The Wretched; The Ruinous, Invictus and Broken Arrow.

Worst moments of the album: Into the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. The Wretched; The Ruinous 4:20
2. Cremation of the Living 3:20
3. Eradicator 3:28
4. Mother Betrayal 3:32
5. Invictus 3:45
6. Call of Existence 3:33
7. Dawn of the Militant 2:57
8. Aniara 0:57
9. Into the Abyss 3:24
10. Broken Arrow 2:51
11. Theaters of War 4:49

Band members
Trevor Phipps – vocals
Buz McGrath – guitars
Chris O’Toole – bass
Mike Justian – drums