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Album Review – Fimbul Winter / What Once Was EP (2025)

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Brace yourselves for the Great Winter to the debut EP by this ruthless horde, a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish Death Metal.

Forged in the fires of Tumba, Sweden by three former members of Amon Amarth who decided to go berserk together after a spontaneous reunion performing the band’s 1994 demo The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter, the ruthless Death Metal horde named Fimbul Winter (or the “Great Winter,” the three-year-long, brutal winter that serves as the immediate prelude to Ragnarök in Norse mythology) is making their debut with a crushing EP titled What Once Was. Recorded at Witching Hour Audio (vocals) and at Wing Studios (guitars and drums), produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Marko Tervonen at Studio-MT, and displaying a grim artwork by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations, the debut by Clint Williams (Munitions) on vocals, Fredrik Andersson (Amon Amarth) and Anders Biazzi (Amon Amarth) on the guitars, and Niko Kaukinen (Amon Amarth) on drums, with the support of session bassist Tobias Cristiansson (Necrophobic, Grave, Dismember), delivers a sound that is cold, intense, and fiercely authentic, a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish Death Metal.

The ass-kicking opening tune Storms Rage obviously sounds like the early days of Amon Amarth, and that’s excellent as the band continues a different path in the best “what if…?” style, led by the imposing, unrelenting riffs by Fredrik and Anders. Then the title-track What Once Was proves why Clint was chosen to be the voice of the band, as his enraged, deep gnarls match perfectly with their Swedish Death Metal sounds. Niko pounds his drums in the best Viking way in Mounds Of Stones, supported by the rumbling bass by Tobias, therefore resulting in a massive wall of Death Metal sounds, and you can feel absolute anguish flowing from Clint’s deep vocalizations in A Soul That Soared, supported by another infernal avalanche of beats and fills by Niko. Finally, closing the EP we’re treated to the headbanging In Solitude’s Embrace, offering us the trademark scorching riffs by Fredrik and Anders while leaving us absolutely eager for more of their music in the near future.

As torchbearers of the Swedish Melodic Death Metal tradition, the band channels decades of experience while staying true to the sound that defined them in their debut EP, from rediscovered riffs originally written for Amon Amarth to entirely new compositions, being therefore highly recommended for fans of early Amon Amarth, Unleashed, Hypocrisy, and Bolt Thrower, among others. “What Once Was reflects both where we come from and what we still believe in; honest, melodic death metal. No trends, no gloss, just the kind of elements we feel is missing in a lot of metal today,” commented the band. Hence, you can get in touch with those Swedish metallers via Facebook and Instagram, check their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase their incendiary EP from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. The Great Winter is upon us all in the form of old school, no shenanigans Death Metal, and you better brace for impact as those Norsemen are not fooling around when it comes to crafting ruthless heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Storms Rage and In Solitude’s Embrace.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Storms Rage 3:52
2. What Once Was 5:14
3. Mounds Of Stones 5:31
4. A Soul That Soared 4:32
5. In Solitude’s Embrace 4:42

Band members
Clint Williams – vocals
Fredrik Andersson – lead guitars, orchestral arrangements
Anders Biazzi – guitars
Niko Kaukinen – drums

Guest musicians
Tobias Cristiansson – bass (session)

Album Review – Bonded / Rest In Violence (2020)

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Bonded by old school and modern Thrash Metal, these German metallers masterfully unite the past, present and future of the genre in their debut album.

Featuring former Sodom members Bernd “Bernemann” Kost on the guitar and Markus “Makka” Freiwald on drums, as well as guitarist Chris Tsitsis (Suicidal Angels), bassist Marc Hauschild (Tauron) and vocalist Ingo Bajonczak (Assassin), German Thrash Metal squad Bonded was formed in 2018 in Dortmund, a city in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region, aiming at creating nothing short of highly versatile and hard-hitting Thrash Metal with no shenanigans nor any type of artificial elements, and let’s say they more than succeeded in that with their debut full-length installment, the excellent and pulverizing Rest In Violence. Produced by Cornelius Rambadt (Sodom, Disbelief, Onkel Tom) at Rambado Recordings in Essen, Germany, ddsplaying an obscure artwork by German artist and musician Björn Gooßes (Killustrations), and featuring very special guest appearances by vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth (Overkill) and bassist Christian “Speesy” Giesler (Extinct the Scum, Kreator), Rest In Violence will bring to your avid ears a well-balanced mix of the past, present and future of Thrash Metal, showing how much those guys love such rebellious and heavy metal style.

A Testament-inspired intro quickly explodes into melodic and vibrant Bay Area Thrash in Godgiven, where Bernd and Chris waste no time and begin slashing their strings mercilessly, resulting in a great headbanging tune to properly kick things off, whereas the even faster and more infuriated Suit Murderer is an amazing thrashing tune by Bonded bringing elements from the traditional sonority by Sodom and Destruction, where Ingo roars deeply like a maniac while Markus doesn’t stop crushing his drums not even for a single second. And featuring guest vocals by the aforementioned Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and guest bass by Christian “Speesy” Giesler, Rest In Violence is a bestial display of modern-day thrash where Ingo and Bobby make an infernal vocal duo while the rest of the band puts the pedal to the metal armed with their instruments of mass devastation, also blasting some wicked guitar solos for our total delight.

And there’s more of their pounding and visceral Thrash Metal in Je Suis Charlie (the slogan created by French art director Joachim Roncin and adopted by supporters of freedom of speech and freedom of the press after the January 7, 2015 shooting in which twelve people were killed at the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo), with Marc and Markus being responsible for keeping the “kitchen” heavy and dense, providing Ingo all he needs to vociferate the song’s austere words. Then razor-edged riffs dictate the rhythm in the also furious and groovy The Rattle & The Snake, where Markus is once again bestial on drums while Ingo keeps growling loudly and rabidly, turning it into a fantastic option for slamming into the pit and with the harmonica bringing a welcome touch of finesse to the overall musicality. Although the obscure No Cure For Life is darker and heavier than its predecessors and a good choice for breaking your neck headbanging, it looses its grip after a while, though, but nothing that would harm the album. And keep banging your heads nonstop to Where Silence Reverberates, leaning towards the vicious Groove Metal blasted by Lamb of God and with the demolishing riffage by both Bernd and Chris sounding beyond awesome; followed by Galaxy M87, where bonded get back to a more berserk mode inspired by Bay Area Thrash the likes of Exodus and Testament. Furthermore, Ingo is on fire with his demented roars, while his bandmates exhale heaviness and rage from their sonic weapons.

In the deranged Arrival we’re all treated to an amazing job done by the band’s guitar duo with their incendiary riffs and solos, not to mention the accelerate pace spearheaded by Markus and his venomous beats, and it looks like their circle pit extravaganza has no time to end based on the violence flowing from The Beginning Of The End, one of the bonus tracks from the album’s limited first-pressing edition CD, led by Ingo and his enraged gnarls. The entire band blasts a lesson in modern-day Thrash Metal infused with Groove Metal nuances, once again highly inspired by the most contemporary creations by thrashing masters Exodus. But wait, as there’s still more, as melodic guitar lines ignite the second bonus tracks of the CD version of Rest in Violence, entitled To Each His Own, also speeding things up and offering us fans a very good reason to crush our skull into the mosh pit, with Markus stealing the spotlight with his infernal performance on drums. Lastly, a serene, acoustic intro kicks off the introspective and grim The Outer Rim, with Ingo’s vocals getting closer to the clean voice by Soilwork’s own Björn “Speed” Strid, while Bernd and Chirs bring tons of feeling and groove to the song with their riffs and solos, ending the album in a truly powerful way.

The year of 2020 has barely started and it has already provided us all several amazing Thrash Metal albums, with Rest In Violence by Bonded being one of the most interesting and honest of all releases hands down. Hence, go check what those metallers are up to on Facebook, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and click HERE to check all places where you can grab your copy of such killer album. As mentioned in the beginning of this review, while listening to Rest In Violence I’m sure you’ll identify all influences from the past of Thrash Metal in their music while at the same time sensing a modern and fresh sound, always moving forward and never sounding outdated or obsolete. Those German guys are definitely bonded by Thrash Metal, guaranteeing a lot of fun for us fans of violence and rebelliousness in music and, above all, of our beloved mosh pits.

Best moments of the album: Suit Murderer, Rest In Violence, The Rattle & The Snake and Galaxy M87.

Worst moments of the album: No Cure For Life.

Released in 2020 Century Media

Track listing
1. Godgiven 4:13
2. Suit Murderer 4:12
3. Rest In Violence 3:49
4. Je Suis Charlie 3:55
5. The Rattle & The Snake 4:00
6. No Cure For Life 4:40
7. Where Silence Reverberates 5:14
8. Galaxy M87 4:52
9. Arrival 3:52
12.The Outer Rim 4:42

First-Pressing Edition CD bonus tracks
10. The Beginning Of The End 4:15
11.To Each His Own 4:26

Band members
Ingo Bajonczak – vocals
Bernd “Bernemann” Kost – guitar
Chris Tsitsis – guitar
Marc Hauschild – bass
Markus “Makka” Freiwald – drums

Guest musicians
Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth – vocals on “Rest In Violence”
Christian “Speesy” Giesler – bass on “Rest In Violence”

Album Review – Lelahell / Alif (2018)

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Like a firestorm crossing the desert valley, here comes the unstoppable Algerian dark angel of Death Metal armed with a brand new and crushing concept opus.

The unstoppable Algerian dark angel of Death Metal known as Lelahell is finally back with a brand new opus titled Alif, the follow-up to their 2014 pulverizing album Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, containing 10 tracks of unrelenting Death Metal riffs with an Algerian folklore accent, combined with fast blast beats and technical rhythms. Spearheaded by Redouane Aouameur on vocals, guitars and bass, an iconic figure of the Algerian metal scene (as you can see on Highway To Lelahell – An Algerian Metal Documentary), and supported by the ruthless German drummer Hannes Grossmann (Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid, Blotted Science, Hate Eternal), Lelahell are ready to take the world of heavy music by storm once again, with the music found in Alif cementing even more their already solid path of destruction.

Each Lelahell release is conceptually linked to the character of Abderrahmane, yet focusing on another evolutionary step – another chapter in his own book. Featuring a classy cover artwork by Björn Gooßes from Killustrations (who has already worked with bands like Wolfheart, Motorjesus, Amon Amarth, Death Angel and Sodom, among several others), Alif focuses on Abderrahmane’s first steps in his new life, just like a child learning to speak and walk, learning about the world around him full of foes and fears, and that’s why Abderrahmane needs to save himself from those dangers. Musically speaking, Alif is like a firestorm crossing the desert valley, leaving you disoriented due to its endless heaviness, furious speed and undisputed rage, which together with the album’s intricate concept turns it into a must-have for any diehard fan of old school Death Metal.

And Hannes provides his welcome card by pounding his drums manically in the opening tune Paramnesia, being quickly joined by Redouane and his pulverizing riffs and bass punches. However, it’s when he starts barking the song’s lyrics that things get serious in this sonic havoc that lives up to the legacy of brutal and technical Death Metal, showcasing intricate drums and wicked guitar solos. Then a headbanging riffage ignites another belligerent and absolutely devastating tune by Lelahell, named Ignis Fatuus, with the sound of the guitar being insanely heavy, strident and therefore awesome. Furthermore, try following the lyrics along with Redouane (“A delusion, great confusion, foolish fire, Ignis Fatuus / Hallucination, false impression, false hope, Will o’ the wisp / A Fantasy, at first sight, strange light, Ignis Fatuus / It is just an erroneous perception of the reality”); whereas Thou Shalt Not Kill is a cinematic, epic bridge to the imposing hymn Ribat Essalem, where the duo showcases all their skills by blasting slashing riffs and solos, stone-crushing beats and classic demented Death Metal vocals, resulting in a circle pit-catalyst that will please all fans of the genre.

Adam the First gets closer to what they did in their previous album, which means a darker sonority and deeper guttural vocals, also presenting a smashing vibe led by Hannes and feeling at times like that type of Progressive Death Metal commonly found in the United States (but infused with elements from Redouane’s homeland), followed by The Fifth, another brutish display of classic Death Metal by Lelahell where the infernal and demonic growls by Redouane take the song’s malignancy to a whole new level, while Hannes doesn’t stop smashing his drums for a single second. And in Insiraf / Martyr, groovy beats initiate a vile and bold feast of cavernous sounds spearheaded by the uproarious riffs and bass lines by Redouane, with Hannes bringing his usual heavy artillery to support the band’s mastermind in his quest for Death Metal.

An ominous start suddenly morphs to a battering ram of Technical Death Metal made in Algeria in Litham (The Reach of Kal Asuf), with the Algerian nuances bringing a welcome extra flavor to the musicality while Redouane declaims the song’s lyrics in a devilish way (“A dominant symbol of their entity / The veiling of the men is an ancient custom / The origin remains obscure and conjectural / One fold is brought across the face to form the veil / The cloth is wrapped around the head / Touaregs and nomads, wearing those clothes to cover their faces against the desert storms.”). Then setting fire to the music with his lancinating riffs, Redouane kicks off a short and extremely vile Death Metal extravaganza titled Parasits, blasting sheer aggression and hatred in the name of extreme music. Lastly, Redouane’s coup-de-grâce comes in the form of an obscure and crisp Death Metal tune named Impunity of the Mutants, with Hannes sounding like a thunderstorm in the background. Very technical, detailed and full of layers, this is a must-listen for newcomers to the cataclysmic world of Lelahell, presenting sick bass lines and bestial beats that together flow powerfully into an epic finale.

If you have what it takes to enter the realm of crushing Death Metal ruled by Redouane and his Lelahell, you can check what the band is up to on Facebook and listen to more of their music on YouTube, and purchase your copy of Alif (available for a full listen on Spotify) from their own BandCamp page or Big Cartel, as well as from iTunes, Amazon or Discogs. In addition, although I’m not sure who’s responsible for the drums on their live concerts after the departure of Slaveblaster in 2016 (but something tells me he’s still playing with the band somehow), the multi-talented Redouane together with bassist Ramzi Curse (who replaced Nihil in 2015) are indeed a live act, proudly carrying the flag of Algerian and African metal wherever they go, and if I were you I would definitely keep an eye on their agenda for concerts not only in Algeria, but anywhere else where good Death Metal is appreciated. Well, I guess I don’t need to say what you should do if you don’t support Lelahell, right?

Best moments of the album: Paramnesia, Ribat Essalem and Impunity of the Mutants.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2018 Metal Age Productions

Track listing
1. Paramnesia 4:33
2. Ignis Fatuus 3:04
3. Thou Shalt Not Kill 0:30
4. Ribat Essalem 4:27
5. Adam the First 4:26
6. The Fifth 4:01
7. Insiraf / Martyr 5:37
8. Litham (The Reach of Kal Asuf) 5:54
9. Parasits 2:44
10. Impunity of the Mutants 5:16

Band members
Redouane Aouameur – vocals, guitars, bass
Hannes Grosmann – drums