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Album Review – Frozen Soul / No Place of Warmth (2026)

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Like an air-raid siren warning of death from above, this Texan Death Metal brigade returns with their most definitive and rancorous statement to date.

Like an air-raid siren warning of death from above, Fort Worth, Texas-based Death Metal brigade Frozen Soul returns from their bitterly cold lair to unleash chaos upon humanity with their third studio album, the ruthless No Place of Warmth, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 sophomore Glacial Domination. Produced by Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome! Recording Studio, and displaying a deadly artwork by James Bousema, the newborn beast by vocalist Chad Green, guitarists Chris Bonner and Michael Munday, bassist Samantha Mobley, and drummer Matt Dennard is a monolithic, majestic and exigent collection of anthems built on the perfect blend of ferocity and subtle melody, allowing soaring guitar leads to guide a lantern through the dark chasm of merciless riffs.

Just like the soundtrack to a spine chilling horror flick in an isolated and bitterly cold cabin, No Place of Warmth kicks off the album on a bestial mode, featuring vocalist Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance), with Chad already delivering his trademark Death Metal roars. Then it’s time to head into the battlefield in cold and despondent lands in Invoke War, featuring guest vocals by the iconic Robb Flynn (of Machine Head), while Chris and Michael fire deadly, sharp riffs nonstop; followed by Absolute Zero, which despite its cool, demonic lyrics (“Ground to nothing / Concealed in snow / Reduced to / Absolute zero / Absolute / Zero / Zero”), it could have been a bit longer and more detailed. In Dreadnought we see guest vocalist Devin Swank (of Sanguisugabogg) make an infernal duet with Chad in another heavy-as-hell tune by Frozen Soul, with Samantha pounding her bass with endless rage, whereas Chaos Will Reign keeps their Death Metal fire burning thanks to another crushing performance by Matt behind his drums, who’s also ruthless in Eyes of Despair, offering Chad exactly what he needs to vociferate like a demonic entity.

The band then offers our putrid ears one of the heaviest and most violent of all songs in the album, titled Ethereal Dreams, with their caustic riffs walking hand in hand with the obscure, massive kitchen crafted by Samantha and Matt. And after another short tune titled Skinned by the Wind, offering more of the Death Metal riffs by Chris and Michael, it’s absolute chaos in Deathweaver, bringing the heavy hammer of winter directly to our heads with another gruesome performance by Chad on vocals, sounding as dark as evil as it can be. Their second to last breath of frozen Death Metal magic comes in the form of Frost Forged, where their scorching guitars will melt our faces before we fall into their deep freeze again; and although you might have survived crossing their frozen lands, you’ll be decimated inside the pit by Killin’ Time (Until It’s Time to Kill), where the demonic bass by Samantha brings absolute thunder to their sonority, ending the album on a beyond killer and bludgeoning mode.

Frozen Soul’s time is now, and No Place of Warmth is their most definitive and rancorous statement. Without a single moment of boredom, the album sees the band distilled to its primordial essence. No frilly edges, no indulgent ambient passages, just pure steamrolling Death Metal destruction at its most clinical. Having said that, if you think you have what it takes to enter their frozen realm of violence and destruction, you can find those Texans on Facebook and on Instagram, stream all of their creations of sheer Death Metal brutality on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of No Place of Warmth from their own BandCamp or from Century Media Records. Because when Frozen Soul attack, there’s definitely no place of warmth. Only old school, scathing and frostbitten Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: No Place of Warmth, Dreadnought, Ethereal Dreams and Killin’ Time (Until It’s Time to Kill).

Worst moments of the album: Absolute Zero.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. No Place of Warmth 4:50
2. Invoke War 3:16
3. Absolute Zero 0:53
4. Dreadnought 2:37
5. Chaos Will Reign 3:19
6. Eyes of Despair 3:03
7. Ethereal Dreams 4:55
8. Skinned by the Wind 1:28
9. Deathweaver 3:54
10. Frost Forged 3:55
11. Killin’ Time (Until It’s Time to Kill) 3:24

Band members
Chad Green – vocals
Chris Bonner – guitars
Michael Munday – guitars
Samantha Mobley – bass
Matt Dennard – drums

Guest musicians
Gerard Way – vocals on “No Place of Warmth”
Robb Flynn – vocals on “Invoke War”
Devin Swank – vocals on “Dreadnought”

Album Review – Ov Sulfur / Endless (2026)

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What kind of god would test a child? You’ll get the answer to such a delicate question and more in the incendiary sophomore opus by one of the most demented monsters of the current Blackened Deathcore scene worldwide.

Time is a strange thing. Just ask Las Vegas, Nevada’s own Blackened Deathcore monster Ov Sulfur. Almost three years after the release of their bestial debut The Burden ov Faith, the band formed of Ricky Hoover on vocals, Christian Becker and Chase Wilson on the guitars, Josh Bearden on bass, and Leviathvn on drums returns in full force with their sophomore opus, entitled Endless. Produced by Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Signs Of The Swarm, King 810, Varials) at Random Awesome! Recording Studio, Endless may just be the magnum opus for those anti-God metallers, here aiming for something timeless. The album’s overarching theme calls back to a line from “Earthen,” a song about Hoover’s nephew’s tragic losing battle with cancer that questions, “What kind of god would test a child?” Extend that to everyone – does religion not claim us all as children of God? – and you have to wonder what kind of benevolent maker would put their very own through trials and tribulations.

The menacing intro Endless//Godless will drag us all to Ov Sulfur’s Stygian lair, crushing our spinal cords with Seed, where Ricky vociferates the song’s acid lyrics manically (“The realization of completely losing everything / Feeling all the pressure, knowing things forever changed / The weight of guilt and agony has become too much to bare”) amidst an absolute sonic devastation. Leviathvn keeps the adrenaline flowing in Forlorn, accompanied by the crisp, no shenanigans riffage by Christian and Chase; and it seems to be a trend among Deathcore bands to release longer, more elaborate songs, like Lorna Shore did in their latest album, and Ov Sulfur’s contribution comes with Vast Eternal, with those breakdowns plus the deep screeches by Ricky turning it into a must-listen for fans of the style. Wither sounds maybe too Metalcore for my taste, and not the good type of Metalcore, but that extremely mellow one, although I understand the message of the song.

Evermore feels a lot heavier and more dynamic, with Ricky sounding demonic screaming the song’s austere words (“Why is it that death is always around me? / It’s taken everything and everyone I love / I’m forever stuck and always left behind / Trapped in an endless cycle / It’s never my time”); whereas Josh Davies (of Ingested) lends his demented vocals to the band’s Deathcore sonority in Dread, while Christian, Chase and Josh hammer their axes like true metalmaniacs. Then Johnny Ciardullo (of Carcosa) joins the band in the somber, visceral Bleak, again showcasing a pulverizing performance by Leviathvn  on drums, sounding like a Symphonic Black Metal beast at times. The last guest of the album is vocalist Alan Grnja (of Distant), with the band offering a more direct Deathcore hymn entitled A World Away, where the riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo sound as acid as possible, before we have the pensive Endless//Loveless closing the album, a dark ballad full of emotions like rage, despair, hope and anger.

“If experiences or the resulting feelings went on forever, the subject would go insane,” commented Rick. “Even positive ones would eventually be blasé, which could lead to a lot of questioning yourself. Of course, we focused on the negative ones; because we’re a metal band after all. What if this doubt never ceases? What if I never stop grieving over the loss of a loved one? How would this all make us feel? How would it affect our sanity?” That eternal paradox between good and evil, positive and negative, light and darkness, and so on, can be fully appreciated throughout the ten songs in Endless, and you can purchase it from their own BandCamp, or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also check their merch HERE,  to give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream their Stygian hymns on Spotify. Because time might be a strange thing, but the music blasted by Ov Sulfur in Endless is not. It’s first-class, dark and visceral Deathcore, and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from those talented guys in a not-so-distant future.

Best moments of the album: Seed, Vast Eternal, Evermore and Bleak.

Worst moments of the album: Wither.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Endless//Godless 1:50
2. Seed 4:49
3. Forlorn 4:23
4. Vast Eternal 6:03
5. Wither 5:01
6. Evermore 4:24
7. Dread 5:14
8. Bleak 5:13
9. A World Away 4:31
10. Endless//Loveless 4:30

Band members
Ricky Hoover – vocals
Christian Becker – guitars
Chase Wilson – guitars
Josh Bearden – bass
Leviathvn – drums

Guest musicians
Josh Davies – vocals on “Dread”
Johnny Ciardullo – vocals on “Bleak”
Alan Grnja – vocals on “A World Away”

Album Review – Signs of the Swarm / To Rid Myself of Truth (2025)

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Continuing to molt their slamming Deathcore exoskeleton, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own beast is unleashing upon us their strongest and most violent album to date.

Continuing to molt their slamming Deathcore exoskeleton, with their metal metamorphosis revealing a band now as indebted to Meshuggah, Gojira and Fear Factory as any of the Deathcore bands they grew up on, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own beast Signs of the Swarm is unleashing upon humanity their new offering, titled To Rid Myself of Truth, following up on their 2023 slab of brutality Amongst the Low & Empty. Produced by Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome! Recording Studio, and featuring guest appearances by Will Ramos (Lorna Shore), Phil Bozeman (Whitechapel), Jack Murray (156/Silence) and Johnny Crowder (Prison), the new album by David Simonich on vocals, Carl Schulz on the guitars, Michael Cassese on bass, and Bobby Crow on drums carries a title that exudes confidence while the band’s pursuit of substance over style of the month is as refreshing as it could be surprising.

The title-track To Rid Myself of Truth already showcases the band’s ruthless welcome card, with the bludgeoning riffs and bass lines by Carl and Michael, respectively, bringing absolute heaviness and violence to the atmosphere; followed by Hell Must Fear Me, also stylized as HELLMUSTFEARME, a lesson in modern-day Deathcore with the inhumane, deep growling by David haunting our souls for all eternity, not to mention how demented Bobby sounds on drums. Natural Selection reminds me of some of the darkest creations by Thy Art Is Murder, with David once again stealing the show with his creature from the abyss-like roars; and the way they managed to match David’s growls with the pulverizing drums by Bobby is outstanding in Scars Upon Scars, as if they were a two-headed beast of violence and Deathcore, sounding very progressive and multi-layered as well. Chariot keeps the album as demented and aggressive as possible, with Carl’s visceral riffs cutting our skin deep mercilessly; and David is joined by the one and only Will Ramos for a demented display of Deathcore in Clouded Retinas, showcasing the most Stygian form of vociferations imaginable, and the final result is insanely good.

Iron Sacrament is another song that reeks of violence and dementia just the way we like it in Deathcore, featuring guest vocals by Phil Bozeman, and of course the sick riffs by Carl will inspire you to bang your head nonstop when those guys take your city by storm; whereas Forcing to Forget is a bit too modern or alternative for my personal taste, lacking the same level of aggressiveness from all previous songs. Then back to a more visceral, headbanging sound we have Sarkazein, with Bobby once again providing David with exactly what he needs to scream like a bestial entity nonstop. Needless to day, it should also work really well if played live. Then guest vocalists Jack Murray and Johnny Crowder bring an endless amount of stamina and rage to their already infernal music in Fear & Judgment, turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre, whereas closing such an incandescent album of Deathcore we’re treated to Creator, where their core essence is infused with the Djent sounds blasted by their idols Meshuggah, and the final result couldn’t have been heavier.

To Rid Myself of Truth is clearly the band’s strongest, darkest and most diverse album to date, showcasing a healthy evolution in their undisputed sound while remaining loyal to their foundations, becoming therefore a must-listen for both old school, diehard fans of the band, and newcomers to their reign of violence and heaviness. You can keep in touch with the boys from Signs of the Swarm by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, including their demented live performances, stream their full discography on most platforms like Spotify, and of course add the caustic, harsh To Rid Myself of Truth to your devilish collection by purchasing it from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. In our chaotic world where truth and lies walk hand in hand, there’s nothing better than the savage Deathcore by Signs of the Swarm to give us strength to keep on moving forward no matter what, with their newborn beast definitely representing the most important step in their already solid and thrilling career.

Best moments of the album: Hell Must Fear Me, Scars Upon Scars, Clouded Retinas and Fear & Judgment.

Worst moments of the album: Forcing to Forget.

Released in 2025 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. To Rid Myself of Truth 3:38
2. Hell Must Fear Me 3:07
3. Natural Selection 3:56
4. Scars Upon Scars 3:00
5. Chariot 3:31
6. Clouded Retinas 3:12
7. Iron Sacrament 3:24
8. Forcing to Forget 3:36
9. Sarkazein 4:26
10. Fear & Judgment 4:19
11. Creator 3:47

Band members
David Simonich – vocals
Carl Schulz – guitars
Michael Cassese – bass
Bobby Crow – drums

Guest musicians
Johnny Crowder – vocals on “Fear & Judgment”
Jack Murray – vocals on “Fear & Judgment”
Will Ramos – vocals on “Clouded Retinas”
Phil Bozeman – vocals on “Iron Sacrament”

Album Review – Mental Cruelty / Zwielicht (2023)

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A German Blackened Deathcore outfit arises from chaos with their fourth studio album, pushing the band’s sound to new blacker intensities.

Rising from the ashes of personal and professional chaos, Karlsruhe, Germany-based Blackened Deathcore outfit Mental Cruelty has been blasting our ears with their incendiary fusion of Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Symphonic Deathcore and Brutal Deathcore since their inception in 2016, becoming standard-bearers for the sound in Europe. Now in 2023 the band currently formed of newcomer Lukas Nicolai on vocals, Nahuel Lozano and Marvin Kessler on the guitars, Viktor Dick on bass and Danny Straßer on drums returns in full force with Zwielicht, or “twilight” in German, the fourth studio album in their career. Mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome! Recording Studio, and displaying a classy artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski (R.I.P.), the album pushes the band’s sound to new blacker intensities forged in emotional riffing, heavy “back to the roots” breakdowns, and epic orchestral arrangements that surpass the already elite standards that have become synonymous with their name, being highly recommended for fans of Lorna Shore, Ingested and Vulvodynia, just to name a few.

The cinematic intro Midtvinter will embrace your soul and take you to Mental Cruelty’s demonic lair for all eternity, exploding into Obsessis a Daemonio (or “possessed by a demon” in Latin), where Lukas sounds truly possessed on vocals while Danny smashes his drums nonstop, all spiced up by grandiose, epic background sounds in a flawless fusion of Symphonic Black Metal and Deathcore. As imposing and sinister as the previous track, Nahuel and Marvin continue to deliver sheer aggressiveness and insanity through their riffs in Forgotten Kings, another pulverizing creation by the quintet; whereas not a single space is left empty in Pest thanks to the rumbling bass by Viktor and the stone crushing beats by Danny, making a beautiful paradox with the orchestral and symphonic elements in the background. Then drinking form the same Stygian fountain as Lorna Shore we have Nordlys (“Northern Lights” in Norwegian and Danish), offering more of the demonic, enraged roars by Lukas and sounding absolutely grim and infernal form start to finish.

Leaning towards pure Symphonic Black Metal, the band will darken the skies in Mortal Shells, showcasing their always thunderous kitchen supporting the venomous riffs by Nahuel and Marvin, whereas the interlude Zwielicht brings to our ears an embracing dosage of poetry declaimed in German by Lukas, before the band takes our minds and souls by storm with Symphony of a Dying Star, bringing forward more of their undisputed hybrid of Black Metal and Deathcore with symphonic elements, sounding absolutely thrilling from start to finish with Danny stealing the show with his demolishing drums. In The Arrogance of Agony we’re treated to wicked lyrics (“The glance of death as I look into the mirror / The faceless staring back at me can’t recognize this person / This is something that I used to be”) amidst a solid display of extreme music, followed by the breathtaking A Tale of Salt and Light, offering us all one final round of their poetic words (“Blessed are the ones who walk the salty desert / Blessed are the ones who conquer their fear in the ocean / Every second I battle the current / Swim against the whim of nature / Hunters of the deep circle of my path / Hopes washed away by the pull of the tide”) while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing our ears with their riffs and solos, resulting in a climatic conclusion to such diverse and vibrant album.

“Let us embrace a new era of darkness by bringing the ‘black’ into blackened heavy music. Join us on the way down to infernal gates of hell to be rebirthed back to life. The album will contain the most mind-bending variety of different heavy musical influences and sounds. Epic symphonic orchestras accompanied by slam breakdowns; this will have it all. Inspired from metaphors written by nature, death, and inner demons,” the band commented about their newborn beast, available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can purchase a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE, not to mention the guys from Mental Cruelty are also eagerly waiting for your feedback on their music on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube. Just like the name of the album, the music by Mental Cruelty perfectly depicts the feeling we all sense during twilight, as their music gets darker and darker while there’s still fragments of light in our sight throughout the album, and may this new version of the band keep on delivering amazing albums like Zwielicht to us fans of heavy music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Obsessis a Daemonio, Symphony of a Dying Star and A Tale of Salt and Light.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. Midtvinter 1:43
2. Obsessis a Daemonio 5:07
3. Forgotten Kings 5:57
4. Pest 5:52
5. Nordlys 5:19
6. Mortal Shells 6:11
7. Zwielicht 1:33
8. Symphony of a Dying Star 4:11
9. The Arrogance of Agony 5:22
10. A Tale of Salt and Light 7:31

Band members
Lukas Nicolai – vocals
Nahuel Lozano – guitars
Marvin Kessler – guitars
Viktor Dick – bass
Danny Straßer – drums