Tag Archives: progressive death metal

Album Review – Light Dweller / The Subjugate (2025)

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Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch strikes again with his fifth album, delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time.

Founded in December 2017 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, Dissonant Death/Black Metal entity Light Dweller is set to release its fifth offering, entitled The Subjugate. Inspired by a broad spectrum of dissonant and melodic influences, including Cosmic Putrefaction, Defacement, Mesarthim, Convulsing, Violet Cold, Mare Cognitum, and more, Light Dweller has forged a unique path through the darker, more obscure realms of metal, with The Subjugate spanning six tracks delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time, presenting a cohesive journey through these concepts, all embraced by another ass-kicking artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration.

Cameron begins his riff and growl attack in full force in Echoes from the Spectral Void, offering our avid ears four minutes of top-of-the-line Progressive Death Metal; whereas Cessation of Time sounds as demolishing and experimental as the opener, with Cameron’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with his intricate yet heavy-as-hell drumming. Then a sinister intro evolves into another darkened amalgamation of sounds in Fracturing Light, where Cameron lets his Progressive Metal vein pulse harder than ever, and with his demonic gnarling matching perfectly with the music; followed by the eight-minute title-track The Subjugate, where Cameron invests in a very diverse and progressive sound by bringing into being several breaks, variations, and experimental and sharp sounds, all combined in a harmonic yet visceral way. In the second to last song of the album, titled Phasing Through the Veil, our one-man band shows no mercy for our souls with his demented riff, bass and drum attack, with its phantasmagorical ending flowing into Adrift the Expanding Nothingness, another bestial tune overflowing insanity and heaviness where he fires his most experimental riffs of the entire album, smashing our minds and souls mercilessly during its hellish seven minutes.

With each release, Light Dweller has evolved, skillfully weaving dissonance with melody, and balancing intense aggression with haunting, introspective passages, culminating now in 2025 with the excellent The Subjugate, and of course pointing to an even more interesting path ahead for Cameron. You can get to know more about him, his music and other details by following Light Dweller on Facebook and on Instagram, and show him your utmost support by streaming his music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing The Subjugate from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or from Sound Cave. This is undoubtedly Cameron’s strongest opus to date, but I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the near future, and we’ll say the same about his upcoming albums, as Light Dweller is always evolving, always looking forward, and always ready to surprise us all with its unique sounds.

Best moments of the album: Echoes from the Spectral Void and The Subjugate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Echoes from the Spectral Void 4:29
2. Cessation of Time 5:20
3. Fracturing Light 4:45
4. The Subjugate 8:10
5. Phasing Through the Veil 4:38
6. Adrift the Expanding Nothingness 7:39

Band members
Cameron Boesch – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Greyember / Blooming in Antarctica EP (2025)

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This talented Australian freelance music and video creator strikes with a three-track extreme music EP that explores some of life’s harshest realities.

Hailing from the beautiful city of Melbourne, the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, Greyember is the Progressive/Blackened Death Metal alter-ego of metal and dark alternative themes freelance music and video creator Richard Grimm, also known for his contributions to the bands Dracorex, Bentham’s Head, and Dreamworm. Produced, mixed and mastered at Big Vibe Creative, Blooming in Antarctica is the debut EP by Richard and his Greyember, a three-track offering that explores some of life’s harshest realities, from existential fears about climate change to his personal struggles with mental health and identity, all through the lens of metal, while also featuring incredible guest contributions from Richard White (Grim Demise) and Nikki Harrison aka Luna Starchild (With Witch).

Featuring guest vocalist Luna Starchild, Richard delivers an overdose of harsh riffs, deep guttural roars in paradox with Luna’s melodic clean vocals in Reflections, resulting in a killer Blackened Death Metal beast. Then we have the massive title-track Blooming in Antarctica, with guest vocals by Richard White, drawing inspiration from the stark reality of flowers now growing in Antarctica, a harbinger of the climate crisis and its devastating implications (“There is a debt, that we’ve burned through the century / the carbon reaper set free / Consuming all, driving life to extinction / a thriving land now devoid / it will consume, arctic surfaces break down / transforming glaciers to brine / Our heaving lungs choking down poison fumigation / 1 million tonnes to exhaust”). Musically speaking, it reminds me of some of the most recent tunes by Behemoth, which is obviously a good thing. And lastly, Richard transpires darkness and insanity in madness., transforming his inner demons into a fusion of Black and Death Metal through his classic beats, caustic riffs and a beyond grim atmosphere.

Blooming in Antarctica is already available in full on all streaming platforms including YouTube and Spotify, but of course if you want to show Richard your utmost support you can purchase a copy of the album from BandCamp, and don’t forget to also give Richard a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, or simply click HERE for more details on all of his bands and projects. As mentioned by Richard himself in the description of his official video for the title-track, our world is dying and a small handful of people are responsible for it, people with names and addresses, and we must do something to avoid the terrible fate that lurks in the shadows and waits for us all in a not-so-distant future. Let’s spread the music by Greyember all over the world, inspiring other musicians like Richard to fight for our planet, and metalheads like us to use our powerful music to make a positive change in our decaying society.

Best moments of the album: Blooming in Antarctica.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Reflections 4:08
2. Blooming in Antarctica 5:40
3. madness. 4:20

Band members
Richard Grimm – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Nikki Harrison – vocals on “Reflections”
Richard White – vocals on “Blooming in Antarctica”

Album Review – Pathogenic / Crowned in Corpses (2025)

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This American Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit makes their triumphant return to the battlefield with eight tracks of devastating power and haunting warnings of the darkness that lies ahead.

Boston, Massachusetts-based Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit Pathogenic makes a triumphant return with the release of Crowned in Corpses, a brutal and immersive display of prog and tech death. This marks their first full-length release in over half a decade, promising a bold evolution of their signature brand while retaining the intensity that has defined the band for years. Produced and engineered by Pathogenic, Raymond Marte, and Anthony Lopardo, recorded at Westfall Recording Studio and at Chris Gardino’s Crispy Crackers Audio Emporium, and mixed and mastered by Raymond Marte, the newborn beast by vocalist Jake Burns, guitarists Chris Gardino and Justin Lich, bassist Dan Leahy and drummer Tyler Montaquila is a ferocious musical declaration, offering the listener eight tracks of devastating power and haunting warnings of the darkness that lies ahead.

Just hit play and an avalanche of technical and visceral sounds will hit you hard in Mass Grave Memory, with Chris and Justin showing all their dexterity armed with their stringed axes, followed by The New Rot, a lecture in modern-day Technical Death Metal with enhanced brutality thanks to the venomous drums by Tyler. Then the riffage by the band’s guitar duo revs up their Death Metal engine in Dead But Not At Rest, again offering a high dosage of violence flowing from Jake’s roars, and it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the demolishing Exiled from the Abyss, a beyond metallic, in-your-face, ruthless creation by the quintet, with the thunderous bass by Dan bringing sheer groove to the overall result.

Fragments showcases a more cadenced, atmospheric and sinister side of the band, not as visceral and exciting as the other songs, though, while back to a much more infuriated mode the quintet will hammer our putrid bodies with the title-track Crowned in Corpses, where Jake roars like a beast accompanied by the massive, intricate beats and fills by Tyler. Chris and Justin’s riffs, supported by the ruthless bass lines by Dan, will penetrate deep inside our skin in Drag Your Crosses, a first-class Technical Death Metal onrush perfect for some action inside the circle pit; and last but not least, the band will embrace us with in a Death Metal aura with eight minutes of scorching riffs, damned vociferations and crushing drums in Silicon Regime, properly ending such a great comeback by Pathogenic.

Bringing to our avid ears over 42 punishing minutes, the album offers us all labyrinthine riffs, relentless rhythms, and chilling visions of a decaying world, showcasing a sound that is ferocious, intricate, and unapologetically heavy. Hence, in order to show Pathogeinc how much you missed their sonic savagery, go give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their wicked music on Spotify, and purchase Crowned in Corpses from their own BandCamp page, from Skepsis Records, or by clicking HERE, welcoming the band back to the scene while also beautifully crowning them in corpses.

Best moments of the album: The New Rot, Exiled from the Abyss and Drag Your Crosses.

Worst moments of the album: Fragments.

Released in 2025 Skepsis Records

Track listing
1. Mass Grave Memory 4:30
2. The New Rot 5:32
3. Dead But Not At Rest 4:58
4. Exiled from the Abyss 4:28
5. Fragments 7:14
6. Crowned in Corpses 3:37
7. Drag Your Crosses 4:12
8. Silicon Regime 8:08

Band members
Jake Burns – vocals
Chris Gardino – guitar
Justin Lich – guitar
Dan Leahy – bass
Tyler Montaquila – drums

Album Review – Misanthropia / Envy The Dead (2024)

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These Dutch Black Metal veterans are back with a concept album that conjures a dark, gritty atmosphere inspired by historical horrors like Jack The Ripper and necromancy.

For over 20 years, Nijmegen, Netherlands-based Melodic Black Metal horde Misanthropia has been carving a path through the metal scene with their unique blend of blackened fury and Death Metal aggression, and that grim path continues now in 2024 with their fifth full-length offering, entitled Envy The Dead. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), Envy The Dead is a concept album that conjures a dark, gritty atmosphere inspired by historical horrors like Jack The Ripper and necromancy. Moving away from symphonic elements, it embraces a Progressive Death and Thrash Metal vibe with influences from Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Necrophobic, Mayhem, and Death, all carefully brought into being by Bram Koller on vocals and guitars, Dennis Schoenmaker also on the guitars, Pepijn Heilbron on bass, and Hugo de Waal on drums.

The cryptic, cinematic intro Envy the Dead will drag you to the world of horrors ruled by Misanthopia before they crush your soul in Malediction and Laughter, where Bram leads his horde with his austere, sulfurous gnarls supported by the violent yet intricate beats and fills by Hugo. Bram and Dennis showcase their passion for the riff in Organs, for a Fair Price, evolving into a bestial fusion of Death and Black Metal; followed by Prosperity by Cocaïne, presenting over five minutes of Melodic Black Metal for the masses spearheaded by the rumbling drums by Hugo with the help of Pepijn’s massive bass lines. And Hugo continues his path of devastation in Maze of Madness, enhancing the visceral reach of the riffage blasted by Bram and Dennis.

River Dumplings reminds me of some old school creations by Dimmu Borgir with the bands own Melodic Death and Black Metal twist, in special the harsh, piercing vociferations by Bram, whereas the quartet delivers another round of their flammable, caustic sounds in Coughing in the Coffin House, led by the classic beats by Hugo and supported by Pepijn’s devilish bass. Fade into the Abyss, the second single of the album, brings forward the band’s most aggressive side, resulting in a feast of Black and Death Metal where Bram’s vocals sound and feel truly haunting; and their last breath of obscurity and fear, entitled A Deadly Embrace, a Sinister Grace, will pierce our minds with it Melodic Black Metal vocalizations and riffs, not to mention how thrilling the drums sound and feel throughout the entire song.

The incendiary, harsh and devilish Envy The Dead is already available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can join Misanthropia in their darkened path by purchasing your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow those talented Dutch metallers on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, helping them keep the spirit of both old school and present-day Black Metal alive, therefore inspiring the band to keep moving forward in the name of extreme music for at least another 20 years.

Best moments of the album: Malediction and Laughter, Prosperity by Cocaïne and Fade into the Abyss.

Worst moments of the album: Maze of Madness.

Released in 2024 WormHoleDeath

Track listing
1. Envy the Dead 2:23
2. Malediction and Laughter 6:12
3. Organs, for a Fair Price 5:47
4. Prosperity by Cocaïne 5:37
5. Maze of Madness 6:25
6. River Dumplings 4:21
7. Coughing in the Coffin House 5:10
8. Fade into the Abyss 4:15
9. A Deadly Embrace, a Sinister Grace 0:41

Band members
Bram Koller – vocals, rhythm guitars
Dennis Schoenmaker – lead & rhythm guitars
Pepijn Heilbron – bass
Hugo de Waal – drums

Album Review – Deamonolith / The Monolithic Cult of Death (2024)

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This Polish cult will attack you with their debut offering, a 35-minute amalgamation of heavy and experimental sounds highly recommended for fans of the darkest side of Death Metal.

Formed in 2022 in Warsaw, Poland, Experimental/Progressive Death Metal act Deamonolith has just unleashed upon humanity their debut album, titled The Monolithic Cult of Death, a 35-minute amalgamation of heavy and experimental sounds highly recommended for fans of the darkest side of Death Metal. Recorded by Paweł “Janos” Grabowski at JNS Studio (guitars, bass and drums), by Szymon “Sigmar” Grodzki at Invent Sound Studio (vocals), and by Przemysław “Imp” Moszczyński (saxophone), mixed and and mastered by Paweł “Janos” Grabowski at JNS Studio, displaying a creepy artwork by Michał “Xaay” Loranc, with logo by Ihasan Art and layout by Paweł Ozon of XXV The Sign, plus several special guests to give their music even more depth, the debut offering by Kobuch on vocals, Major and Sunrise on the guitars, Lukas on bass, and Desecrate on drums and dark ambients will take you on a journey to the most obscure corners of the human psyche, overflowing heaviness, rage and evil.

Dark, devilish sounds arise from the underworld in The Afterfall, exploding into a visceral blend of Black and Death Metal led by the crushing drums by Desecrate while Kobuch roars manically, flowing into The Ultimate Solution, a slab of brutality where the thunderous kitchen by Lukas and Desecrate will make the earth tremble in the name of extreme music; and the following piece, titled The Fall, The Reek & Forlornness, is even more explosive and vile, with the riffs by Major and Sunrise sounding absolutely scorching. The Acknowledgment continues to burn our damned souls with the band’s venomous fusion of Black and Death Metal, with the Immolation-inspired vocals by Kobuch being an ode to classic Death Metal, immediately connecting with the longest of all parts of the song, Conquerors of the Void, a brutal Death Metal attack by the band overflowing hatred and obscurity, with Desecrate once again pounding his drums nonstop while also presenting a melancholic break and vibrant progressive passages, before all comes to an end in When All Has Been Done, with Lukas’ bass and Desecrate’s beats once again sounding ruthless accompanied by the wild riffage by Major and Sunrise until the song’s grim finale.

The Monolithic Cult of Death, which by the way contains only one song that lasts for longer than 35 minutes like the version available on Spotify (with cut episodes in the YouTube and CD versions to make the listening of the album easier), definitely sends a strong and sound message to the metal community about what Deamonolith are capable of, and if you want to know more about the band and show them your support you can find them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and of course purchase a copy of their debut opus from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, as well as from Ancient Dead Productions. In other words, it’s time to join Deamonolith’s cult of death, with their first ever album being the perfect soundtrack to such a unique and devilish celebration.

Best moments of the album: The Ultimate Solution and The Acknowledgment.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Godz ov War Productions/Ancient Dead Productions

Track listing
1. The Afterfall 5:19
2. The Ultimate Solution 3:53
3. The Fall, The Reek & Forlornness 4:19
4. The Acknowledgment 3:18
5. Conquerors of the Void 12:34
6. When All Has Been Done 5:47

Band members
Kobuch – vocals
Major – guitars
Sunrise – guitars, classical guitar
Lukas – bass
Desecrate – drums, dark ambients

Guest musicians
Łukasz Wypych – saxophone
Magdalena Sienkiel – piano
Sebastian Świciak – piano
Michał “Xaay” Loranc – male clean vocals, choir
Anna Malarz – female vocals

Concert Review – Blood Incantation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 11/30/2024)

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The mighty Blood incantation blasted our minds with the full play of their newborn masterpiece in a night to remember in Toronto.

OPENING ACT: Midwife

The cozy Lee’s Palace might fit only around 500 people, but that’s by far one of my favorite venues in Toronto precisely due to that, as every show there becomes very intimate, with a much stronger connection between the bands and the crowd. That’s exactly what we got this Saturday night with the pulverizing, brilliant and unique performance by BLOOD INCANTATION (supported by MIDWIFE) during their Absolute Elsewhere Tour North America 2024, one of the most successful events brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. And let me tell you I felt sorry for my friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi as due to the fact this was a sold out show, it was really rough for him (and for all other photographers) to brave the wild circle pits while trying to take some good shots of the band. It was insane, the place was jam packed, and Blood Incantation simply killed it onstage in one of the most memorable concerts of the year, and the perfect one to conclude my own 2024 “world tour”.

Before that, the task to open the night and warm up the crowd for Blood Incantation was given to MIDWIFE, which is basically a one-woman project by American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer Madeline Elizabeth Johnston, who describes her music as “heaven metal”. Having released this year the album No Depression In Heaven (available on BandCamp and on Spotify), she delivered a very delicate, weird and soft presentation to an already completely full Lee’s Palace, and although I would have enjoyed the show a lot more if it was a regular metal band instead of Midwife, let’s say she did a decent job overall, and the crowd applauded her effort and showed a lot of respect for her for facing around 500 metalheads only armed with her guitar and her gentle, frail vocals. The music by Midwife is not my cup of tea, but I would recommend anyone to listen to her music at least once to try to understand and feel the message in it.

Setlist
Colorado
Vanessa
2018
Killdozer
S.W.I.M.
No Depression in Heaven

Band members
Madeline Elizabeth Johnston – vocals, guitars

BLOOD INCANTATION

It was already past 10pm, which is by the way a late time for a headliner to kick off a concert in Toronto (but hey, it was a Saturday, so who cares?), when Denver, Colorado’s own Progressive Death Metal entity BLOOD INCANTATION hit the stage for an absolutely mesmerizing and incendiary performance, playing in full their newborn spawn Absolute Elsewhere, a masterpiece of extreme music that will surely feature among the best albums of the year in countless lists all over the world, and also available in full on BandCamp and on Spotify. The beyond talented Paul Riedl, Morris Kolontyrsky, Jeff Barrett and Isaac Faulk, plus guest musician Nicklas Malmqvist on synths, put on an electrifying show for their avid Torontonian fans, and the energy flowing from the band and the crowd during the entire show was a thing of beauty.

The small floor section was so full I decided to leave halfway through their set to find a better spot to watch them kick some serious ass from a different spot with more space to move (which was almost nonexistent, by the way). The insane mosh pits were moving frantically while Blood Incantation played both songs from the album, The Stargate and The Message (each one split into three parts, as you might know), to perfection, and outside of “the eye of the storm” all other fans were simply having the time of their lives to each note blasted by the band. I can’t decide which part of the show was the best, but let’s say the last part of their new album, when they were playing The Message [Tablet III], was one of the most epic moments of the year in Toronto.

There was still time for two more songs after Absolute Elsewhere, Inner Paths (to Outer Space) and Obliquity of the Ecliptic, both also flawless, and after all was said and done I had the chance to briefly chat with the amazing Paul Riedl, thanking him for their superb concert, and of course for the breathtaking Absolute Elsewhere. He’s such a nice, humble and cool guy, and we must all be thankful for having him in the metal community. We need more Paul Riedls not only in music, but in life in general, no doubt about that. I told him I can’t wait to see Blood incantation live again in Toronto, and I’m sure based on the wild reaction form the crowd that we’ll see one of the best bands of the current scene coming from outer space to take the city by storm again sooner than we can say “stargate”.

Setlist
Absolute Elsewhere
The Stargate [Tablet I]
The Stargate [Tablet II]
The Stargate [Tablet III]
The Message [Tablet I]
The Message [Tablet II]
The Message [Tablet III]

Inner Paths (to Outer Space)

Encore:
Obliquity of the Ecliptic

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars
Jeff Barrett – bass
Isaac Faulk – drums, gong
Nicklas Malmqvist – synthetizers

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Album Review – Misanthropy / The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance (2024)

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Offering a refreshing raw, frantic and visceral approach to the tech death style, the new album by this Chicago outfit proves why they’re an ever-evolving band in the best way possible.

Offering a refreshing raw, frantic and visceral approach to the tech death style, Chicago, Illinois-based Progressive Death Metal entity Misanthropy is carving their own path and going about the style in their own unconventional manner in their new album The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance, the follow-up to their 2018 album Abhorrent Metamorphosis, skittering off without prior warning, swerving violently and just doing things seemingly at random but mostly at break-neck speed. Displaying a sick artwork by Pedro Sena aka Lordigan (Analepsy, Cognitive, Extermination Dismemberment), the new album by Kevin Kovalsky on vocals and guitar, José Valles also on the guitar, Mark Bojkewycz on fretless bass and Paul Reszczynski on drums is perfect for fans of Origin, Archspire, Ulcerate and Fleshbore, among others, proving Misanthropy Misanthropy are an ever-evolving band, imbibing the influences around them and freely recreating them in their own unique manner which may not be too straightforward but it definitely makes for a thrilling listen.

It’s truly impressive how their tech and progressive vein already explodes in the very first seconds of Of Sulking And The Wrathful, with Mark and Paul sounding ruthless with their bass and beats, respectively, not to mention how deep, evil the guttural by Kevin sounds and feels; and it’s pedal to the metal in the infuriated The All-Devouring, where Kevin and José give a lecture in Death Metal riffage supported by the crushing drums by Paul and the always thunderous bass by Mark, resulting in one of the best songs of the album hands down. The band continues their path of savagery and intricacy in A Cure For The Pestilence, where their riffs and fretless bass will pierce our minds in the name of Technical Death Metal, offering us all nonstop action and, therefore, calling us all to slam into the circle pit.

The quartet keeps embellishing the airwaves with their fusion of Death Metal and complex, progressive sounds and tones in the form of Condemned To A Nameless Tomb, with Paul stealing the show with another ass-kicking performance behind his drums. Descent sounds just as wicked, experimental, whimsical and furious as its predecessors, a neck-breaking tune where the sick roars by Kevin will haunt your putrid souls forever; whereas investing in a more direct, in-your-face Death Metal sonority the band will hammer our heads mercilessly in Sepulcher, with the riffage by Kevin and José exhaling sheer heaviness and animosity until the very end. Last but definitely not least, a beyond somber, eerie start gradually evolves into the massive Consumed By The Abyss, with Mark’s fretless bass punching us hard in the face in the best progressive way imaginable.

The guys from Misanthropy are eager to know what you think of their music and their new album, and you can get in touch with them via Facebook or Instagram, and of course stream all of their wild creation on any streaming platform like Spotify. And above all that, let’s support those talented metallers by purchasing their bestial new album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, Europe store, or US store, and you can also click HERE for all things Misanthropy. Those guys are dead serious about the quality of their music and absolutely sharp and focused on their new album, inviting us all for a wild Death Metal ride that might be too complex for some, but extremely awesome for most of us metalheads.

Best moments of the album: The All-Devouring, A Cure For The Pestilence and Sepulcher.

Worst moments of the album: Descent.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Of Sulking And The Wrathful 6:05
2. The All-Devouring 4:43
3. A Cure For The Pestilence 6:39
4. Condemned To A Nameless Tomb 6:24
5. Descent 6:44
6. Sepulcher 7:18
7. Consumed By The Abyss 6:37

Band members
Kevin Kovalsky – vocals, guitar
José Valles – guitar
Mark Bojkewycz – fretless bass
Paul Reszczynski – drums

Album Review – Blood Incantation / Absolute Elsewhere (2024)

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At roughly 45 minutes, the new beast by Blood Incantation offers us all two sensational compositions that are as confounding as they are engaging in their scope.

At roughly 45 minutes, Absolute Elsewhere, the breathtaking, diverse new opus by Denver, Colorado-based Progressive Death Metal outfit Blood Incantation, is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Recorded at Hansa Studios, produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk at Redwood Studios, displaying a cryptic artwork by Steve R Dodd, and featuring guest musicians Thorsten Quaeschning (Tangerine Dream), Nicklas Malmqvist (Hällas) and Malte Gericke (Sijjin), the new album by Paul Riedl, Morris Kolontyrsky, Jeff Barrett and Isaac Faulk offers us all two compositions that are as confounding as they are engaging in their scope, melding the 70’s prog leanings of Tangerine Dream with the deathly intent of Morbid Angel.

In “The Stargate”, a violent storm invokes the familiar before a grand cosmic key turns for a hint of sweeping scope to come with spiritual acknowledgement and accompaniment, as their wicked experimentations mixed with the harshness of Death Metal begin in full force in The Stargate [Tablet I], showcasing mystic lyrics roared by Paul (“Chamber echoing with dust / Drifting through beams of Light / Shadows cast upon the stones / Temple doors reveal the Night”) while his bandmates craft a beyond imposing ambience. Not only that, the balance between their undisputed aggression and the ethereal, soothing moments of the song is a thing of beauty, connecting flawlessly with The Stargate [Tablet II], starting in a futuristic, whimsical manner to the sound of their keyboards and synths, and flowing smoothly until an explosion of experimentations in its final part. And that aura of madness continues in The Stargate [Tablet III], with the cryptic vocals by Paul walking hand in hand with the superb guitar work dome by the same Paul alongside Morris and Isaac, not to mention the eerie narrations by guest Malte Gerick.

“The Message” is a step through doorways of unearthly beauty, playfulness, quirk and horror, and it’s indeed a visceral Progressive Death Metal attack that we get in The Message [Tablet I], with its enigmatic, pensive lyrics (“What does it mean to be human? / And the nature of Consciousness? / The mystery has been revealed… / By the dance of Nature’s quiet songs of the birds…”) also complementing their complex, thrilling and enfolding sounds. Then just like what happened in The Stargate, the second act of The Message, entitled The Message [Tablet II], also kicks off in a more experimental way but quickly evolves into a Progressive Metal hurricane, alternating between more primeval, savage moments and soothing, atmospheric passages. Lastly, the band offers the multi-layered, detailed and otherworldly The Message [Tablet III] as the icing on the cake in their new album, with Isaac sounding sensational on drums while his bandmates continue to deliver intricacy and energy through their vocals, riffs and bass lines, ending in a climatic yet mysterious way just the way we like it in the music by Blood Incantation.

Blood Incantation’s new album Absolute Elsewhere is the sound of a star born, and you should definitely listen to that beautiful sound in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, as it will undoubtedly feature among the best albums of 2024 in pretty much all lists out there. Hence, don’t forget to also check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, especially because there’s an upcoming North American tour that’s just about to start, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to purchase the mesmerizing Absolute Elsewhere by clicking HERE or HERE, as you witness the defining of a new musical epoch for one of the most important bands of the current extreme music scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: The Stargate [Tablet I], The Message [Tablet I] and The Message [Tablet III].

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. The Stargate [Tablet I] 8:20
2. The Stargate [Tablet II] 5:08
3. The Stargate [Tablet III] 6:50
4. The Message [Tablet I] 5:56
5. The Message [Tablet II] 5:58
6. The Message [Tablet III] 11:27

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars, mellotron, additional synthesizers
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars, additional synthesizers
Jeff Barrett – bass, additional synthesizers
Isaac Faulk – drums, gong, additional guitars, mellotron, percussion

Guest musicians
Thorsten Quaeschning – synthesizers and organs on “The Stargate [Tablet II]”
Nicklas Malmqvist – piano, synthesizers, mellotron, organ
Malte Gericke – vocals and narration on “The Stargate [Tablet III]”, “The Message [Tablet I]” and “The Message [Tablet II]”

Concert Review – Opeth (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto, ON, 10/14/2024)

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There’s nothing better than a night of Progressive Rock and Metal to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in Toronto.

OPENING ACT: Tribulation

There’s nothing better than celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada than with an ass-kicking metal concert, don’t you agree? That’s exactly what we got in Toronto this Monday when OPETH and TRIBULATION paid a visit to the city during their North American Tour 2024 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, in another event organized by the awesome Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. And if you think the venue was empty due to one of the biggest holidays in Canada, you’re absolutely wrong, as fans simply took the venue by storm in a sold out (or almost sold out) night of sheer progressiveness and heaviness. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such a unique display of heavy music made in Sweden, and I guess both bands will surely return to Toronto sooner than later with a new show as not only both have new albums coming out in the next few weeks, but the reception of the crowd to them was also fantastic during the whole night.

Precisely at 7:30pm, Stockholm’s own Death/Gothic Metal outfit TRIBULATION hit the stage for a dynamic and diverse performance, and I say diverse because their sound has evolved and changed so much through the years it feels like every song is a different band playing on stage, plus the fact each band member looks like they belong to a different music style. That doesn’t mean the show was bad or boring; quite the contrary, the quartet was on fire during their entire show, with their new songs Tainted Skies, Hungry Waters and Saturn Coming Down, from their new album Sub Rosa in Aeternum (to be released on November 1) sounding really strong and vibrant live. I personally prefer their older material when they were more inclined to Death Metal, but any of their phases work really well on stage, and the crowd’s reaction to each song played proved that. Now let’s wait and see what their new album will bring to us all, and next time they visit Toronto I’m sure a lot of people that were at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to see only Opeth will feel more than excited to see Tribulation headlining a concert in the city.

Setlist
Tainted Skies
Nightbound
Suspiria de Profundis
Hungry Waters
Saturn Coming Down
Strange Gateways Beckon
Melancholia

Band members
Johannes Andersson – vocals, bass
Adam Zaars – guitars
Joseph Tholl – guitars
Oscar Leander – drums

OPETH

As Stockholm’s iconic Progressive Death Metal/Rock institution OPETH was scheduled to start their performance at 8:45pm, I honestly thought the show was going to end earlier than most shows in the city, maybe even earlier than 10:30pm, but when the band in question is Opeth you can rest assured they’ll provide you with a long and detailed concert, to the point I only got back home close to midnight. The charismatic Mikael Åkerfeldt and his henchmen did a fantastic job on stage not only with their unique blend of progressiveness and heavy music, but also with the bonus “stand up comedy show” by Mikael in between songs. Seriously, the guy was on fire, and as I love that type of dark humor that only made the concert even more fun for my personal taste.

Their new songs §1 and §3, of their upcoming new album The Last Will and Testament (to be released on November 22), plus classics the likes of Ghost of Perdition, Sorceress and Deliverance, drove their fans crazy during their entire set, and as mentioned, Mikael’s jokes about only getting the munchies and eating an entire package of ham and one of cheese after trying marijuana for the first time, or saying that they’re not a pop band to accept requests for songs unless it’s the next song in their setlist, put an even bigger smile on the faces of everyone at the venue. I’m not a diehard Opeth fan but I believe there’s a recurring joke with the song “You Suffer”, by Napalm Death, and Opeth ended up playing it four or five times demanding us to “sing” its lyrics along with them. If you know that specific song, you can imagine how funny that was.

This was my third time only seeing Opeth, the latest one being my first (or second) show after the pandemic was over, when they played alongside Mastodon, and I don’t know why, maybe because I was more prepared this time, Opeth sounded way cooler to me, putting on a very entertaining and vibrant show exactly the way their Torontonian fans were asking for. The sound quality was excellent, the visuals were stunning, and the band sounded sharp and tight from start to finish. Having said that, I won’t be surprised if they visit Toronto again next year with a full tour focused on their new album due to the amazing reception from all fans this Monday, and I’m sure the venue will be pretty much sold out again as Opeth are becoming one of the most beloved bands by metalheads (and even non-metalheads) from Toronto and surroundings.

Setlist
§1
The Leper Affinity
The Grand Conjuration
The Devil’s Orchard
Eternal Rains Will Come
In My Time of Need
Face of Melinda
Heir Apparent
§3
Ghost of Perdition

Encore:
Sorceress
Deliverance

Band members
Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars, cittra, mellotron, percussion
Martín Méndez – bass, backing vocals
Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals
Joakim Svalberg – keyboards, Hammond organ, mellotron, piano, synthesizers, backing vocals
Waltteri Väyrynen – drums, percussion, backing vocals

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Album Review – Blighted Eye / Agony’s Bespoke (2024)

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Behold this monumental, hour-long work of Progressive and Blackened Death Metal made in the United States, heavily inspired by the 2018 Australian film The Nightingale.

A monumental, hour-long work of Progressive and Blackened Death Metal, the breathtaking Agony’s Bespoke, the brand new album by Seattle, Washington-based outfit Blighted Eye, marks a new height for the band’s growing skills of songwriting and storytelling. Mixed and mastered by Alex Sedin at Ghostalgy Prods, and displaying a stunning artwork by Caelan Stokkerman, the new opus by Kyle Chapman on vocals and guitars, Christopher Jones also on the guitars, Ben Gassman on bass, and John Devos on drums is heavily inspired by the 2018 Australian film The Nightingale, telling a similarly tragic story. Highlighting the transformative power of violence and the ultimate futility of revenge, the album seeks to explore the lasting emotional and psychological impact of trauma, being highly recommended for fans of Opeth, Swallow the Sun, and Dissection.

Cryptic, melodious sounds arise from the underworld in the opening track Tragoedia, with the deep vociferations by Kyle walking hand in hand with the pounding drums by John, also presenting delicate yet visceral riffs for our total delight, and flowing into the just as demonic and grim The Wounding, with Kyle and Christopher extracting sulfurous riffs from their axes supported by the menacing bass by Ben. In Enmity invites us all to bang our heads in total darkness together with the band in a well-balanced fusion of Melodic and Progressive Death Metal tailored for admirers of the genre, with Kyle roaring with endless anger until the very end; whereas serene, embracing sounds kick off the beautiful Howls From Beyond the Mist, with their caustic riffs, harsh gnarls and crushing drums sounding amazing. Then investing in a more direct, visceral Black Metal sonority the band will pulverize us all in A Feast for Worms, spearheaded by the classic drumming by John and the always sharp growls by Kyle.

Pallid brings to our avid ears almost nine minutes of heavy, sluggish and somber sounds, presenting elements from Doom Metal in the guitars by Kyle and Christopher, and even stronger vibes in John’s drums; and after the short and sweet interlude Nightingale, the band brings forth a Melodic Black and Death Metal feast titled A Reverent Stillness, where all instruments sound thunderous and visceral and with their guitars, bass and drums once again offering Kyle everything he needs to haunt our souls with his devilish roars. Finally, like the soundtrack to a Stygian horror movie we have the title-track Agony’s Bespoke, presenting the band’s trademark heaviness intertwined with grim passages. Moreover, the guitar work by Kyle and Christopher is once again superb, sounding heavy and very melodic at the same time, with endless progressiveness flowing from the bass lines by Ben while at the seven minute mark it all morphs into an overdose of epicness, putting a classy ending to the album.

Just like in the 2018 movie that inspired the album, power, violence, revenge and trauma are the main ingredients in the music by Blighted Eye in Agony’s Bespoke, and you can get to know more about the band and how they turned all that darkness into amazing metal music on Facebook and on Instagram, listen to more of their ruthless creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of their caustic new album from the Beyond The Top Records’ BandCamp or webstore. As you listen to the album from start to finish, you’ll clearly witness how a tragic story can become so compelling through the power of heavy music, inspiring Blighted Eye to keep crushing our souls for many years to come with their meaningful and extremely heavy creations.

Best moments of the album: Tragoedia, A Feast for Worms and Agony’s Bespoke.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Beyond The Top Records

Track listing
1. Tragoedia 7:22
2. The Wounding 5:59
3. In Enmity 7:05
4. Howls From Beyond the Mist 7:03
5. A Feast for Worms 6:13
6. Pallid 8:48
7. Nightingale 1:05
8. A Reverent Stillness 6:18
9. Agony’s Bespoke 11:06

Band members
Kyle Chapman – vocals, guitars
Christopher Jones – guitars
Ben Gassman – bass
John Devos – drums