Tag Archives: left to rot

Album Review – Redivider / Sounds Of Malice (2026)

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This up-and-coming Death Metal outfit will destroy our putrid bodies with their debut album, a conceptually rich, sonically punishing record that blends fantasy-driven storytelling with crushing heaviness.

Formed in early 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky by vocalist Jacob Spencer and guitarist Paul Nunavath, the ruthless Death Metal squad known as Redivider is ready to attack armed with their debut album, entitled Sounds Of Malice. Recorded at Round Table Recording Company and Michael Kent O’Bryan Studio, mixed by the band’s own Paul Nunavath, and mastered by Dan Swano at Unisound, the debut opus by the aforementioned Jacob Spencer on vocals and Paul Nunavath on the guitar, alongside Jake Atha also on the guitar, Alexander Farrington on bass, and James Goetz on drums is a conceptually rich, sonically punishing record that blends fantasy-driven storytelling with crushing heaviness, always thriving on tension, rhythm, and unapologetic intensity, or in other words, it’s Death Metal built to be felt as much as heard.

It’s time to slam into the circle pit like a true bastard to the sound of Quartered & Devoured, opening the album on a demented note thanks to the gruesome roars by Jacob and James’ unstoppable beats and fills. Paul and Jake continue to feed Jacob’s roars with their visceral riffage in the title-track Sounds of Malice, resulting in a brutal and intricate display of old school Death Metal; whereas Alexander’s bass couldn’t have sounded more metallic in Shackled to Existence, accompanied by the once again demented drumming by James. Apocalyptic Waste is another bestial song perfect for some wild headbanging, with Jacob vociferating rabidly in the name of Death Metal, followed by Fratricide, a no shenanigans, in-your-face Death Metal extravaganza where Paul and Jake slash their stringed axes ruthlessly. After that, James kicks off the just as heavy and evil Bask in the Rot, an excellent option for their live performances, before we face the bludgeoning Left to Rot, ending the album on a demonic mode to the inhumane growls by Jacob.

In a nutshell, Redivider have crafted a debut that is punishing, articulate, and unflinchingly true to the spirit of Death Metal, a concentrated expression of aggression, narrative depth, and old school brutality fused with modern execution that will surely please the most diehard fans of the style. Those talented and unrelenting American death dealers are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and more of their music, and you can also enjoy their demented creations on Spotify and of course purchase Sounds Of Malice from BandCamp or by clicking HERE or HERE. Sounds of Malice brings forward the sounds of the glory of 90’s Death Metal, and we can rest assured Redivider will keep destroying our putrid bodies with their undisputed blend of savagery for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Quartered & Devoured, Apocalyptic Waste and Left to Rot.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Quartered & Devoured 4:04
2. Sounds of Malice 3:10
3. Shackled to Existence 5:21
4. Apocalyptic Waste 4:40
5. Fratricide 4:34
6. Bask in the Rot 3:46
7. Left to Rot 4:01

Band members
Jacob Spencer – vocals
Paul Nunavath – guitar
Jake Atha – guitar
Alexander Farrington – bass
James Goetz – drums

Guest musician
Mike Hargrave – drums (live)

Album Review – Bouquet of Dead Crows / Hemispheres Part 1: Celestial EP (2020)

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Adopting a more progressive sound, this unstoppable UK-based Alternative Rock unity is more than ready to rock your world with the first half of their third full-length album.

After embellishing the airwaves with their refined fusion of Alternative Rock and Metal with nuances of Rock N’ Roll and Hard Rock in their previous efforts, those being their 2015 debut album Of The Night and their 2018 release Motus Octo, Cambridge, UK’s own Bouquet of Dead Crows are back from outer space with the first part of their third full-length album Hemispheres, the six-track EP titled Hemispheres Part 1: Celestial. Adopting a more progressive sound with their trademark riffs with big melodies approach being enhanced to incorporate more layered and nuanced elements, the band currently comprised of Antoinette Cooper on vocals, Neil Bruce on the guitars, newcomer Karen Gadd on bass, and Andrew Coxall on drums and synths is more than ready to rock your world with Celestial, also preparing us all for the second half of their musical journey, Cerebral, scheduled for a late 2020 or maybe even an early 2021 release.

Recorded at the beginning of the year at Parlour Studios, mixed and produced by Neil Haynes, and featuring a stylish artwork by longtime collaborator Stewart Harris, from Stewart Harris Designs, Celestial has an overall theme of mental health, which is a topic all band members are very passionate about. With each song, they’ve written about issues that affect them individually and personally. There’s been a lot of stigma about depression and anxiety over the years, and as the mood slowly shifts, this album captures the zeitgeist of our current unpredictable day-to-day life, the fears we are all experiencing right now. In addition, although written before the pandemic that the world is currently experiencing, a lot of the lyrics do seem strangely prescient and also very relevant, such as the chorus of the title track which says that “it’s not the end of the world this time, it feels like the end of the world every time.”

Atmospheric and eerie from the very first second, the Sci-Fi intro Terraformer will captivate your senses and warm you up for the British Rock extravaganza titled Before The Storm, where Neil and Karen are in absolute sync with their riffs and bass, respectively, providing Antoinette exactly what she needs to shine on vocals while also bringing elements of Jazz to their core alternative essence, flowing smoothly into the gentle and enfolding Caged, where Andrew does a superb job with both his beats and his ethereal synths. In addition, Karen brings the groove to the overall result, also full of nice breaks and variations, whereas Neil begins slashing his strings in great fashion in the fast and thrilling Left to Rot, the most metallic of all songs of the EP with Antoinette adding a touch of finesse to the rumbling sounds blasted by her bandmates with her piercing vocals. Then it’s time to celebrate all giant monsters from the Japanese culture like Godzilla and Gamera in Kaiju Hijinks, another explosion of groove and adrenaline by the quartet presenting elements from Stoner Rock and Jazz to make things more interesting, not to mention the razor-edged riffs by Neil, followed by the title-track for the full album, Hemispheres, an introspective and futuristic song that evolves into a gentle Hard Rock ballad led by Andrew’s rhythmic drums and Neil’s classic riffs, ending the EP on a high note and setting the bar high for the second act Cerebral in the coming months.

Celestial, which is available for a full listen on YouTube (as six very entertaining visualizers) and on Spotify, is definitely a step forward in the career of Bouquet of Dead Crows, and in order to show those rockers your true appreciation don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and of course to grab your copy of the EP from the German Shepherd Records’ BandCamp page, from Music Glue, from Apple Music or from Amazon. After putting your hands on this excellent EP, you’ll have the perfect soundtrack for rockin’ around your house or in your car during such strange times we’re living, while we all wait for Antoinette, Neil & Co. to deliver more of their stylish Rock N’ Roll with the next chapter in their evolutionary career, Cerebral.

Best moments of the album: Left to Rot and Kaiju Hijinks.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 German Shepherd Records

Track listing
1. Terraformer 1:32
2. Before The Storm 2:34
3. Caged 3:49
4. Left to Rot 3:31
5. Kaiju Hijinks 2:36
6. Hemispheres 5:22

Band members
Antoinette Cooper – vocals
Neil Bruce – guitars
Karen Gadd – bass, backing vocals
Andrew Coxall – drums, synths, programming, backing vocals