It’s time to slam into the pit to the vicious Death Metal spawned by this incendiary French band, dealing with a dystopian universe inspired by science-fiction literature.
The vicious Death Metal spawned by Saint-Nazaire, Pays de la Loire, France-based act Atrocia correlates with diversity and energy, being inspired by the major figures from the 90’s scene in the United States such as Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Death with elements of Thrash Metal and a nuance of Grindcore added to their trademark sound. Dealing with a dystopian universe in their lyrics since their inception in 2003, particularly inspired by science-fiction literature, Atrocia are back in action now in 2022 with their third full-length album, entitled Contamination, with the crisp recording and mixing by Arthur Lauth at Brown Bear Recording, the mastering by Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Productions, and the futuristic artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre while also showcasing all the talent by vocalist and guitarist Julien Lésébos, guitarist Sebastian Fuentes, bassist Arnaud Beilvert, and drummer Pierre Garcia.
The fulminating riffs by Julien and Sebastian kick off the brutal Unleashing The Insurgency, with Pierre’s crushing beats adding even more fuel to the band’s Death Metal machine without showing a single second of peace, whereas more of the band’s vile Death Metal comes in the form of Corridors Of The Living Dead, with Julien barking deeply à la Chris Barnes while Arnaud’s bass and Pierre’s drums fill out every empty space in the atmosphere. In Incorporeal Killer the unrelenting Julien keeps vomiting the song’s bloodthirsty words while Pierre dictates the song’s pace, also bringing forward sick, strident guitar solos; and a beyond sinister intro gradually morphs into a putrid sonority in Monolith, an old school Death Metal extravaganza where the whole band will demolish our senses with their heavy-as-hell artillery.
The second half of the album begins in full force with Iron Corps Icy Stalk, presenting truly melodic riffs and solos by Julien and Sebastian while Arnaud and Pierre show no mercy for our damned souls with their wicked kitchen (despite its second part getting a bit repetitive), whereas Lies brings to our avid ears more of their old school Death Metal for our total delight, with Pierre once again stealing the spotlight with his infernal blast beats. Then a cinematic, cryptic start permeates the air until the band returns with their hellish wall of sounds in Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra, where their riffs will pierce our minds mercilessly, sounding and feeling absolutely pulverizing in an ode to all things Death Metal. Lastly, the band brings forth over seven minutes of pure savagery titled Embrace The Venom, perfect for headbanging like a beast while Pierre hammers his drums with tons of groove, supported by the diabolical riffs and bass by his bandmates.
In summary, Atrocia more than nailed it with Contamination, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, perfectly adding their dystopian lyrics into their core (and extremely brutal) Death Metal, and if you want to show those French metallers how much you love their music you can buy their new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music, or from Amazon, as well as by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. It might have taken a few years after the band’s inception before they could release their first full-length effort, but now we can say such French brigade has been on a roll since their 2012 album Inward Chaos, with Contamination cementing their name in the French underground extreme music scene.
Best moments of the album:Unleashing The Insurgency, Incorporeal Killer and Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra.
Worst moments of the album:Iron Corps Icy Stalk.
Released in 2022 Great Dane Records
Track listing 1. Unleashing The Insurgency 4:59
2. Corridors Of The Living Dead 3:42
3. Incorporeal Killer 4:49
4. Monolith 7:09
5. Iron Corps Icy Stalk 4:50
6. Lies 4:51
7. Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra 5:34
8. Embrace The Venom 7:25
Band members
Julien Lésébos – vocals, guitar
Sebastian Fuentes – guitar
Arnaud Beilvert – bass
Pierre Garcia – drums
Let’s all have a lesson in violence to the sound of the awesome first full-length album by this ruthless Death and Thrash Metal band from France.
Formed in 2011 in Val d’Oise, a department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France, Death/Thrash Metal troopers My Own Fear have just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Violence Made History, enhancing the heaviness, rage and fury from their 2014 debut EP Rise to a whole new level. Currently formed of Nicolas Benloulou on vocals, Stéphane Neraud and Fabrice Darmon on the guitars, Gilles Sala on bass, and Sébastien Geley on drums, My Own Fear will inspire you to slam into the circle pit to the sound of their newborn spawn dealing with controversial topics like death, inner struggles and the horrors of historical events the likes of the Spanish Inquisition, being highly recommended for admirers of the vicious and intricate music blasted by renowned acts such as Death, Sepultura and The Haunted, among several others.
The atmospheric, cinematic intro Once Upon a Fall works as the calm before the storm, as the band comes crushing our senses in 6:1 – 8, a frantic thrashing feast where Sébastien sounds demonic behind his drums accompanied by the dirty and piercing riffs by Stéphane and Fabrice, being perfect for some sick headbanging. The quintet keeps delivering sheer animosity and rage through their infernal music in Dux Bellarum, with Nicolas roaring manically in the name of Thrash Metal; and deadly and sinister from the very first second, the demolishing Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) brings to our ears the pounding beats by Sébastien while Gilles hammers his bass nonstop, resulting in an excellent option for their live concerts. Then we have Torquemada, which starts in a cryptic manner to the sound of acoustic guitars before exploding into the band’s vicious fusion of Death and Thrash Metal, or in other words, it’s another neck-breaking tune by those French metallers that also presents exciting and melodic breaks and passages.
Ghosts on the Warpath is a lot more obscure and groovier than its predecessors, with the bass by Gilles sounding thunderous in a lesson in modern-day Death Metal with Hardcore nuances, and it looks like the band will keep firing their most vicious form of Death Metal in Salem, where Nicolas is bestial on vocals, roaring the song’s lyrics from the bottom of his blackened heart (not to mention the song’s wicked guitar solos). After that, the “Era of the Rats Trilogy” begins with 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1, an instrumental interlude that sounds as if the band is getting ready for war, evolving into the ass-kicking Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2, blending the best elements from Death and Thrash Metal with European Hardcore where Stéphane and Fabrice are once again demented with their riffage and solos, and finally ending the album the band brings forward five minutes of Death Metal darkness entitled Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3, with Gilles and Sébastien being in perfect sync by adding endless groove to the overall result.
In a nutshell, the excellent Violence Made History, which is available in full on Spotify, definitely sets the bar high for My Own Fear regarding their upcoming releases, but I’m sure those talented French musicians will find a way to sound even heavier and more compelling in the future. Hence, go check what My Own Fear are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course grab your copy of Violence Made History from Rock Metal Market, iMusician, Best Buy, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Record Store Day. My Own Fear are opening up our eyes to the undeniable truth that violence indeed made what we know today as History, and violence is what will keep fueling not only the future of humanity, but also the first-class music crafted by such skillful and focused band from France.
Best moments of the album:Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.), Ghosts on the Warpath and Salem.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2022 M.U.S.I.C. Records
Track listing 1. Once Upon a Fall 1:09
2. 6:1 – 8 5:41
3. Dux Bellarum 4:13
4. Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) 4:08
5. Torquemada 4:20
6. Ghosts on the Warpath 4:04
7. Salem 5:09
8. 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1 1:36
9. Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2 3:51
10. Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3 5:02
Band members Nicolas Benloulou – vocals
Stéphane Neraud – guitars, backing vocals
Fabrice Darmon – guitars
Gilles Sala – bass
Sébastien Geley – drums
This ruthless trio based in Taiwan and the United States will break your bones with their debut full-length monstrosity, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode.
With the soul focus on creating the heaviest riffs, the sickest slams and the filthiest breakdowns, the members of Tainan, Taiwan/Atlanta, Georgia, United States-based Blackened Deathcore horde Fifth Ring have been creatively active with other musical projects for over ten years now and have come together once again to create a whole new monstrosity, entitled Masochist. Following on directly from their 2022 three-track EP Dawn, Masochist is a huge leap forward for Fifth Ring in every department, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode, therefore showcasing all the talent and fury by Zachary Kepley on vocals, bass and drum programming, Christopher Williamson on the guitar and Q. Keith Brown Jr. on drums, and being highly recommended for fans of Cattle Decapitation, Bog Wraith, Sun Speaker and Katabasis, among others.
The opening tune Ten Horns is noisy, vile and brutal from the very first second, with the infernal vociferations by Zachary walking hand in hand with his own demonic bass punches in an awesome fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore where the riffs by Zachary and Christopher will pierce your skull mercilessly. The Snake is just as demonic as its predecessor, with Q. Keith crushing his drums in the name of Blackened Deathcore, exhaling groove and rage for our total delight; whereas in Crimson Mask we face sick words barked by Zachary (“Stretch out the spine / Broken neck / Barbed wire / Guillotine / Now the wound has opened up”) amidst a hurricane of metallic sounds perfect for slamming into the circle pit. Then bringing forward elements from classic Thrash and Death Metal we have Head on a Pike, where Q. Keith once again does a great job behind his drums; and switching gears to a more melodic, pensive sonority, get ready for six intense minutes in Dust to Dust, which loses its grip after a while, consequently sounding a bit tiresome in the end.
Back to a more Hardcore sound, the trio drinks form the same fountain as renowned acts the likes of Lorna Shore and Whitechapel in Maggot King, showcasing a violent riff attack by Zachary and Christopher, whereas in Waste we’re treated to another round of their acid lyrics (“Dead in the waste / By the time I was saved / I never / Prayed to a god / Who forsakes / Everyone who’s praises / Dead on cross / With no head / Upside down and rancid”) while the music brings to our ears endless savagery and heaviness. The Pit is a brutal, neck-breaking creation by the trio that will please all fans of the darkest side of Deathcore, with Zachary sounding inhumane on vocals while Q. Keith continues to kick ass on drums, resulting in the heaviest of all songs hands down. Lastly, ending the album on a demonic mode, more of the trio’s trademark aggressiveness is offered to us all in Lurking in the Open Wound, while also presenting some cryptic, somber passages until its melancholic finale.
You can enjoy Masochist and all of its heaviness and gore on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show your support to the underground extreme scene you should buy the album from their own BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE, proving you’re indeed a circle pit connoisseur. In addition, go check what the trio is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their demented music. Listen to Masochist and feel your mind forcibly expanded while your bones are remorselessly broken, and may Fifth Ring keep destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path with more first-class releases such as their new album in the coming years.
Best moments of the album:Ten Horns, Crimson Mask and The Pit.
Worst moments of the album:Dust to Dust.
Released in 2022 Independent
Track listing 1. Ten Horns 4:16
2. The Snake 4:05
3. Crimson Mask 3:20
4. Head on a Pike 4:59
5. Dust to Dust 6:02
6. Maggot King 3:39
7. Waste 3:47
8. The Pit 4:12
9. Lurking in the Open Wound 6:12
Band members
Zachary Kepley – vocals, bass, drum programming
Christopher Williamson – guitar
Q. Keith Brown Jr. – drums
I curse at their holy symbols… I laugh as they pray…
As we’re reaching the end of 2022, let’s all make a lot of noise together with our last metal lady of the year in the name of rock and metal music, sounds good? And when I say a lot of noise, I mean A LOT OF noise, because our metallic diva this month of December is undoubtedly one of the most talented drummers of the current Death and Thrash Metal scene, hammering her drums mercilessly for our total delight wherever she goes. I’m talking about the talented and charismatic Luana Dametto, the unrelenting drummer for Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal horde Crypta, and also known for her work with the bands Nervosa, Chaos Rising and Apophizys. Having said that, are you ready to know more about such unstoppable lady of the extreme music scene?
Born on November 22, 1996 in Tapejara, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Luana started her path in the world of music at the young age of 12 when she already began to play drums, later joining her very first band, Passo Fundo, Brazil-based Death Metal act Apophizys, at the age of 16. That’s exactly when she discovered her passion for Death Metal, and from there it was just a matter of time until she joined Brazilian Thrash Metal ladies Nervosa back in 2016. However, before becoming part of Nervosa, Luana studied Graphic Design at UPF – Universidade de Passo Fundo in Brazil in order to build a career in this field while still working as a musician in her spare time until the age of 19, which turned out to be very useful for her as she actually applied her studies into her passion for heavy music, being responsible for the artwork for the first (and only) full-length album by Apophizys.
Speaking about Apophizys, our metal lady was part of the band between 2012 and 2017, when the band split up, having recorded with them the album Into the Chaos back in 2015, which included some excellent songs such as Fear of the Unknown and Carnage (and you can enjoy a nice drum cam recorded by Luana herself for this song by clicking HERE). In one of her interviews, Luana explained exactly how she made it to Apophizys, saying that in the city of Passo Fundo there were two Death Metal bands, one formed by brothers who wouldn’t allow her to join the band, and the aforementioned Apophizys. She said Apophizys already had a drummer at that time, but Luana didn’t give up and stayed tuned to them hoping their drummer would leave the band, opening the so much needed spot for her. As you might already know, that worked, and Luana kicked some ass behind her drums with Apophizys for six years before joining Nervosa.
Luana was still in college when Nervosa’s founder and guitarist Prika Amaral added her on Facebook and contacted her for an audition (being referred by Brazilian drummer Eduardo Lane of NervoChaos, who had already toured with Apophizys before), as at that time Nervosa had just lost their previous drummer Pitchu Ferraz. She then travelled to the city of São Paulo, passed the test, and went on to start playing live with the band that same year and to record the band’s 2018 opus Downfall of Mankind. From such intense album, you can enjoy amazing songs the likes of Kill The Silence and Never Forget, Never Repeat (and there’s also a kick-ass drum cam for this song HERE). After the album release, she traveled and toured a lot around the world, playing at several big festivals and, therefore, turning music into her main occupation. In addition, Luana also recorded with Nervosa the single Freakshow, originally released on the Adult Swim metal compilation 2 in 2019. It was in 2020 when Luana parted ways with Nervosa, saying that the main reason for her departure was the fact that the three girls at that time felt there was no more passion for doing music together. There wasn’t any type of fighting or arguing, and she said they could have even continued with the band as is, but they all agreed they had to change something to reignite that passion and love for extreme music.
The seed for what’s known today as Crypta had already been planted before she left Nervosa, more specifically in June 2019, as a new musical project by Luana together with Fernanda Lira, also from Nervosa. As the co-founder of the band, she said the focus would be on playing Death Metal in a way that could not be done with Nervosa, inviting Dutch guitarist Sonia Anubis (of Burning Witches) to the band and later also adding Brazilian guitarist Tainá Bergamaschi (of Hagbard) to their lineup. After consolidating the band members, they started working on their debut effort Echoes of the Soul, released in 2021, and you can have an absolute blast to the sound of such incendiary album to the sound of songs such as From The Ashes, Dark Night Of The Soul and Kali (check out another awesome drum cam for this song HERE). Furthermore, earlier this year the band released the single I Resign (which also has a really cool drum cam video that can be watched HERE), once again presenting the visceral and heavy elements that are characteristic of their sound. Moreover, if live concerts are your cup of tea, you can find Luana pounding her drums in great fashion in several live videos of the band including From The Ashes live at Wacken Open Air 2022, and a 30-minute performance at Espaço Som studio in São Paulo, Brazil in November 2021.
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Apart from Crypta, Nervosa and Apophizys, you can also find Luana smashing her drums since 2021 with Chaos Rising, a collaborative international project focused on different subgenres of heavy music open to every female artist interested in metal that includes members from Brazil, France, Germany, England, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, Iran and Argentina, among others. She recorded with Chaos Rising in 2021 the single Cost of Inaction alongside Swiss vocalist Alessia Mercado (Burning Flesh, Murge), French guitarist Stéphanie Nolf (Unsafe), Italian guitarist Francesca Mancini (Sudden Death), and German bassist Tina Gruschwitz (Demorphed, Cryoblood), and the final result is a bestial Death and Thrash Metal attack that will please all fans of extreme music. In addition, Luana was also a guest drummer in the 2016 EP Souls Dragged into the Abyss of Torment, by Brazilian Melodic Black/Death Metal act Isfet, also working in the recording of the album. If you want to listen to Luana playing a more demonic, blackened style of music, you can enjoy for example what’s perhaps the best song of the album, Perennial Pain Domain.
Regarding her idols and influences, Luana mentioned that she’s a huge fan of Thrash, Black and in special Death Metal, and that she began playing drums influenced by Joey Jordison (RIP) of Slipknot and Vinnie Paul (RIP) of Pantera, learning a lot about double bass and groove by listening to and watching them. She also mentioned Kerim “Krimh” Lechner of Decapitated and Derek Roddy of Hate Eternal as influences on the way she does her blast beats, complementing by saying that playing drums was actually a random thing that happened to her, as she was only 11 years old when she got in touch with a friend who played drums who led her to get her own set and begin playing. Not sure if her setup is still the same, but a few years ago she was using a 14″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Hi-Hat, a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 17″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 18″ 2002 Giga Bell Ride “Psychoctopus”, and a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black China.
Speaking about her life on the road, although Luana might still be a very young drummer, she has already been to several different parts of the world including of course most regions in Brazil, the United States, Colombia, many countries across Europe and Asia (even recommending Singaporean Grindcore act Wormrot as one of her favorite bands of the region), and even the United Arab Emirates together with Nervosa and now Crypta. She mentioned Rock in Rio in Brazil and Altavoz Fest in Colombia as the most memorable concerts so far in her career, saying that Altavoz Fest is some sort of “Rock in Rio Colombia” where she played in front of over 30,000 people. Moreover, when asked which bands she enjoyed the most to play alongside, our dauntless drummer mentioned Havok (Brazil), Warbringer (United States) and Venom Inc. (England) as her favorite bands to tour together. There are some very interesting interviews with Luana on YouTube (most of them in Portuguese, though) where she talks about not only her touring experience but also about what’s next for Crypta, their music and so on, such as this one to a podcast named TUPFS, this one to Revista Freak, and this one to Hedflow.
There’s also another excellent interview to a podcast named Music Hero where she talks about being a woman in the extreme metal scene, and that’s how we’ll conclude this humble tribute to her. As a prominent female drummer in the world of heavy music, Luana thinks the scene is still ruled by men and that there’s a lot of sexism everywhere, saying she feels extremely disappointed when people treat her as if she knows less about her instrument than guys just because she’s a woman. Her advice to other women who are starting their careers in music is to focus on your work and ignore all the negativity that might come from some people, only doing what you truly feel comfortable doing. When asked about her favorite female metal musicians, Luana listed Canadian drummer Justine Éthier (Karkaos, Blackguard), Dutch vocalist Simone “Som” Pluijmers (Your Chance to Die, Lacerated, Cerebral Bore), and American vocalist Reba Meyers (Pray for Teeth) as the best for her, and just by mentioning only names from the underground scene we can see how much Luana is passionate about it. Hence, if you also love the underground extreme scene, you must go check what Luana and the other girls from Crypta are doing and, of course, stay tuned for when the band takes your city by storm with their pulverizing live performance, with Luana proving that you don’t need to be a big guy to powerfully smash your drums in the name of extreme music.
Following on from their debut album Hacked to Death in 2019, Calgary, Alberta based Death Thrashers Detherous have returned with an all new bout of sickness in the form of their Redefining Darkness Records released second opus entitled Unrelenting Malevolence.
Opening with the rampaging Interminable Mutilation, Detherous are quick to show off their savage chops, spewing forth with an undiluted barrage of feral old school Thrash vocals, maniacally sadistic and engaging riffs and guitar leads and punishing, inhospitable drum tones. It may be lazy to liken Detherous to early Slayer but the comparison nevertheless holds true, in both the bands relentless violence and forthright vocal delivery.
Where Detherous differs from Slayer can be heard as soon as Suspended in Agony kicks in. With a far more groove laden Death Metal vibe, as well as the odd plunge back into gnarly skull rattling Thrash, Detherous mould and crush their two main influences together brilliantly.
Unrelenting Malevolence is a truly savage sophomoric album, displaying a band who are at home delivering brutalizing force as well as technical wizardry. This is also an album that burrows deep to extract the very best qualities of both Thrash and Death Metal in order to create the best sound they possibly can, and the album is powerful and absorbing as a result.
Best moments of the album: You can’t ask for a stronger opener than Interminable Mutilation, nor a stronger follow up in Suspended in Agony.
Worst moments of the album: I’m hard pressed to find any!
Released in 2022 by Redefining Darkness Records
Track listing 1. Interminable Mutilation 4:27
2. Suspended in Agony 5:10
3. Gruesome Tools of Torture 4:01
4. Encased in Gore 4:30
5. Wretched Formations of Flesh 4:05
6. Reek of the Decayed 5:44
7. Erosion of Reality 3:10
8. Tormented by the Dead 5:02
9. Cataclysmic Devastation 3:48
10. Skull Fracturing Nightmare (Demolition Hammer cover) 5:26
Band members Damon MacDonald – vocals, guitar
Ryan Hunter – lead guitar
Scott Cressman – bass
Dimitri LaRose – drums
Guest musician Chris Monroy – additional vocals, guitar solos on “Skull Fracturing Nightmare”
This unrelenting Canadian Thrash N’ Roll beast returns to action after seven years with their strongest effort to date, offering us all an overdose of heaviness, rage and rebelliousness.
Since the creation of the band in 2005 in the beautiful city of Montreal by Patrick Martin and Maxime Cormier, the unrelenting Thrash N’ Roll beast Reanimator dug an important place in the Quebec metal scene, offering incendiary Thrash Metal dotted with old school and more contemporary elements, kicking some asses wherever they go. Now in 2022 the band currently comprised of Patrick Martin on vocals, Philippe Lemire and Joël Racine on the guitars, Frédérik Bizier on bass and Francis Labelle on drums strikes again with their third full-length opus, entitled Commotion, the follow-up to their excellent 2015 album Horns Up. Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered by Jef Fortin at Badass Studio, produced by Carlos Ponte and Dany Soucy at Bam&Co-Heavy, and displaying a sick artwork by the band’s own bassist Frédérik Bizier, Commotion will certainly please all diehard fans of thrashing masters the likes of Exodus, Megadeth and Municipal Waste, bringing to our ears an overdose of heaviness, rage and rebelliousness with a vibrant Québécois twist.
The strident guitars by Philipe and Joël ignite the title-track Commotion, exploding into ass-kicking Thrash Metal to the demented screams by Patrick while sounding very classy and violent at the same time, also presenting some electrifying guitar solos. The Ditch is another song perfect for slamming into the mosh pit, with the metallic bass by Frédérik walking hand in hand with the rhythmic beats by Francis in a nonstop thrashing extravaganza for lovers of the genre; whereas instead of burning the witch, it’s time to be Burnt By The Witch, drinking form the same fountain as Bay Area monsters such as Exodus and Anthrax. Moreover, simply bang your head nonstop to the razor-edged riffs by Philippe and Joël. Then putting the pedal to the metal the band offers the infernal Terry Fire, a play word with “terrifier” as you might have noticed, where Patrick sounds utterly enraged on vocals accompanied by the massive bass punches by Frédérik; and L’Appel Du Vide (or “the call of the void” from French) is a great song entirely sung in French with Patrick being nicely supported by his bandmates’ backing vocals, sounding frantic, dirty and visceral as expected.
Necronomicunt carries a beautiful name for another explosion of old school Thrash Metal by Reanimator where the band’s guitar duo is on fire from start to finish, slashing our ears mercilessly while Francis dictates the pace with his unstoppable drums; and grab a cold beer and head into the circle pit to the sound of Anti-Sobriety, offering us all more of their thrilling riffage, bestial drums and deranged vocals. After such high level of insanity, the band slows things down a bit and brings forward Wretched Affliction, presenting some interesting breaks and variations while Patrick keeps roaring like a beast (despite being a bit below the rest of the album). Back to a more direct, venomous sonority it’s time for the crushing Heads Or Tails, with Philippe and Joël once again stealing the spotlight with their refined riffs and solos; and lastly, let’s bang our heads and raise our horns together with such talented Canadian squad in Out For Justice, with Francis hammering his drums in great fashion while the roaring by Patrick sounds more insane than ever.
If you have what it takes to face this Canadian raging bull of Thrash Metal, you can enjoy Commotion in full on Spotify, and of course purchase the album by clicking HERE or from Boiteamusique.ca. Don’t forget to also check what those metallers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their inebriate, thrashing music. As aforementioned, Horns Up was already an amazing effort by Reanimator, but the evolution in their music from then to Commotion is beyond awesome, therefore placing them among the best metal bands of the current Canadian scene. And may the heaviness of the Thrash Metal blasted by Reanimator keep hammering us all for many years to come, always fierce and dauntless like the “abominautors” they are.
Best moments of the album:The Ditch, Terry Fire and Necronomicunt.
Worst moments of the album:Wretched Affliction.
Released in 2022 Bam&Co-Heavy
Track listing 1. Commotion 5:36
2. The Ditch 3:26
3. Burnt By The Witch 4:49
4. Terry Fire 3:32
5. L’Appel Du Vide 4:05
6. Necronomicunt 3:22
7. Anti-Sobriety 5:14
8. Wretched Affliction 3:58
9. Heads Or Tails 3:20
10. Out For Justice 4:56
Band members Patrick Martin – vocals
Philippe Lemire – guitars
Joël Racine – guitars
Frédérik Bizier – bass, backing vocals
Francis Labelle – drums
A chaotic amalgamation of metal and non-metal styles beautifully brought into being by one of the most creative bands of the current Japanese scene.
Formed in 2013 in the metropolitan city of Tokyo, Japan, the idiosyncratic Symphonic Death/Thrash Metal unity that goes by the curious name of Heterogeneous Andead has just released their sophomore album, entitled Chaotic Fragments, the follow up to their 2018 debut album Deus Ex Machina. Comprised of Haruka Morikawa on vocals and Yusuke Kiyama on the guitars, synthesizers and programming (not to mention drummer Tomoyuki Nakano, who left the band shortly after the recordings of Chaotic Fragments), Heterogeneous Andead play a very unique style of heavy music that can be labeled as “Melodic and Symphonic Electro Death/Thrash Metal”, and it’s quite easy to identify all those elements in their new album, sounding very harmonious but at the same time chaotic, progressive but at the same time violent, and delicate but at the same time energetic.
The band begins a Speed and Thrash Metal-inspired attack entitled The Void Sacrifice, with Yusuke slashing his stringed axe while Haruka alternates between gnarling deeply in an old school Death Metal way and her operatic vocals; and the Anime-like keys and synths by Yusuke will penetrate deep inside your mind in Fragments of Memories, sounding as if you’re placed inside a video game where the soundtrack is ass-kicking heavy music, not to mention how awesome the drums by Tomoyuki sound and feel. Tomoyuki continues to crush his drums accompanied by the wicked riffs and keys by Yusuke in Last Reverie, fast and thrilling from start to finish with Haruka once again being a princess and a she-demon incarnate on vocals. Then close your eyes and succumb to the breathtaking Symphonic and Electronic Death Metal by Heterogeneous Andead in Beautiful Nightmare, also presenting elements from the Black Metal played by Cradle of Filth, or in other words, it’s nonstop adrenaline flowing through our avid ears.
Fission brings forward a fusion of the heaviness and rage of Death and Thrash Metal with the insanity of electronic music, with Haruka stealing the spotlight with another kick-ass vocal performance; whereas putting the pedal to the metal the trio fires the high-octane Mirror of the Lie, with its background keys adding hints of epicness to the demented Death Metal sounds blasted, once again reminding me of the heaviest and craziest Gothic Metal bands from the 80’s with a Black Metal twist. Their second to last explosion of idiosyncratic sounds is offered in the form of Regrettable, where Haruka’s barks make a beautiful paradox with the keys by Yusuke and obviously with her own operatic vocals, all supported by the classic blast beats by Tomoyuki. There’s time for one more round of their striking music with over eight minutes of flammable riffs and solos, sinister keys and massive beats entitled Licking, which despite lacking the creativity of the previous songs still provides a powerful ending to the album.
While Haruka and Yusuke search for a new guitarist, a new bassist and a new drummer to join them in their quest for heavy music, you can enjoy Chaotic Fragments in full on Spotify, as well as follow the band on Facebook and subscribe to their YouTube channel. In addition, in order to show all your support and admiration for Heterogeneous Andead, you can purchase their classy new album by clicking HERE, or from Qobuz. You won’t regret succumbing to the chaotic and experimental music brought into being by Heterogeneous Andead, proving once and for all that if innovation is your cup of tea in heavy music, the beautiful Japan will always be your place to go.
Best moments of the album:The Void Sacrifice, Beautiful Nightmare and Mirror of the Lie.
Worst moments of the album:Licking.
Released in 2022 WormHoleDeath
Track listing 1. The Void Sacrifice 4:49
2. Fragments of Memories 8:26
3. Last Reverie 5:24
4. Beautiful Nightmare 6:53
5. Fission 6:05
6. Mirror of the Lie 5:34
7. Regrettable 5:23
8. Licking 8:29
Band members
Haruka Morikawa – vocals
Yusuke Kiyama – guitars, synthesizers, programming
Tomoyuki Nakano – drums
The sophomoric album from young Los Angeles based trio Diabology, Father of Serpents is the band’s first opus with new bassist Destin Treu who replaces previous bass player Joseph Mazisyuk. Another significant change is that whilst debut album Nobody Believes Me was self-released, Father of Serpents has label backing through Dissonant Hymns Records.
Their debut album was nothing short of an out right banger. Playing an insanely catchy brand of Blackened Thrash Metal, Diabology came out of the blocks with all guns blazing and laid a foundation with which to build something really special. Two years on and their second opus sees the band effect a stylistic shift. Gone is the Blackened influence and in comes a more modern sounding Thrash Metal with a huge amount of Groove Metal influence.
Diabology also pulls off something for the second time that a lot of bands never manage, and that is creating an album that gets stronger and stronger the further in you get. For the first few tracks they hammer out some impressive but steady tracks that are in the process of feeling out the bands new more mainstream direction. However, by the time they kick into the superbly melodic Eat My Heart Out they are well and truly at home. During March to the Sea there is something about the vocal structure that kept bringing System of A Down to mind, whilst the chugging ferocity of Ode to Ogtha has an almost Sludge like quality to the riffs as well as a little Death Metal influence around the guitar leads. New bassist Destin Treu also becomes far more prominent as the album progresses and has some impressive bass leads during this track and the equally powerful Chimera.
Their debut album is a nasty blackened slice of filthy thrash with a lot of stank on it. Father of Serpents is a far more progressive and mature offering that grows in power and intrigues the further into the journey you venture. Plus you have to love an album that features a song about fucking cockroaches!
Best moments of the album: From the start of March to the Sea until the album’s climax is spectacular.
Worst moments of the album: Nada!
Released in 2022 by Dissonant Hymns Records
Track listing 1. Father of Serpents 4:15
2. Writhe 3:21
3. The Softest Grave 4:15
4. Eat My Heart Out 5:03
5. Spoil 2:03
6. Blackblood 3:35
7. March to Sea 4:58
8. Ode to Ogtha 5:20
9. Chimera 5:37
10. Lighthouse Hymn 5:41
Band members
Jesse Bergen – vocals, guitars, bass
Jack Kleinman – guitars, bass on “Spoil” and “Chimera”
Matt Morales – drums
This Costa Rican horde will crush your senses with their debut opus, transforming the dark night of the soul into a first-class fusion of Black and Speed Metal.
Forged back in 2015 in the dark pits of Heredia, one of Costa Rica’s most historical cities, Black/Speed Metal horde Culto Negro (which by the way means “black cult” in English) has just unleashed upon humanity their debut full-length opus, beautifully titled La Noche Oscura del Alma, or “the dark night of the soul”, a sulfurous album of old school extreme music that exhales rage and adrenaline. Recorded by the band’s own guitarist Isak Arroyo at Orion Studios, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Nuno Zuki of Belial NecroArts (with additional artworks by Alan Corpse at Leprous Hands Arts), La Noche Oscura del Alma doesn’t have a single second of peace, offering our avid ears 39 minutes of a sonic Armageddon masterfully crafted by vocalist D.N., guitarists Esteban Sancho and Isak Arroyo, bassist AntiChristopher and drummer Vörago.
More than just a simple intro, Espectro Lunar (“lunar spectrum”) is already a bestial attack by Culto Negro where the riffage by Esteban and Isak is truly infernal, setting the stage for D.N. to kill in Desdoble (“unfold”), a fast and furious hybrid of Black and Thrash Metal that will please all fans of the genre bringing forward an amazing job done by Vörago on drums, keeping the music vibrant and evil from start to finish. Then it’s pedal to the metal as this Costa Rican party has no time to end to the sound of El Quinto Ángulo (“the fifth angle”), where D.N. makes his personal tribute to Hardcore and Punk Rock on vocals while the band’s guitar duo delivers sheer awesomeness through their riffs and solos, followed by Verso Adivinado (“guessed verse”), another frantic, demonic creation by the quintet where AntiChristopher’s bass punches add a touch of dementia to their scorching guitars, while Vörago hammers his drums in a true demented way. And Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos (“knives, chains and mirrors”) sounds like a hellish fusion of the music by Slayer, Motörhead and The Exploited, being therefore a fantastic option for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.
Get ready to be smashed like a bug by Culto Negro in the venomous Rojo Siniestro (“sinister red”), with D.N.’s vocals sounding more deranged than ever while Vörago keeps dictating the pace with his Punk Rock-infused beats; whereas in Caos o Cosmos (“chaos or cosmos”) the name of the song says it all, offering us all a chaotic sonority from the very first second with Esteban and Isak delivering pure thrashing riffs for our total delight. And such dynamic guitar duo revs up Culto Negro’s engines once again in Salvajes Destructores (“savage destroyers”), highly recommended for some nonstop headbanging and slamming into the pit; while Violencia Psicoactiva (“psychoactive violence”) is Black, Thrash and Speed Metal straight to your jugular, showcasing more of AntiChristopher and Vörago’s infernal kitchen. La Larga Marcha (“the long march”) can be considered the most infernal, brutal and caustic of all tracks where D.N. continues to vociferate like a rabid creature. Put differently, let’s all raise our horns to Culto Negro and their anti-religious extreme music. Last but not least, we have their cover version for Hermética’s Desterrando a los Oscurantistas (“banishing the obscurantists”), which original version can be enjoyed HERE, from Hermética’s 1989 self-titled debut album. It’s indeed an amazing rendition by those Costa Rican metallers, with AntiChristopher hammering his bass in great fashion until the very end.
If you believe you have what it takes to join the black cult ruled by such talented horde form Costa Rica, you can stream La Noche Oscura del Alma in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase it from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from the Violence Records’ BandCamp page. Culto Negro are also waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram armed with the austere chants found in La Noche Oscura del Alma, showing us all Costa Rica is a metallic country as opposed to what most people think about it. They managed to transform the dark night of the soul into top-tier Extreme Metal in their debut effort, and may their music continue to darken the skies for many years to come.
Best moments of the album:El Quinto Ángulo, Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos and Salvajes Destructores.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2022 Godz ov War Productions/Mythrone Promotion/Violence Records
Track listing
1. Espectro Lunar (Intro) 1:53
2. Desdoble 2:51
3. El Quinto Ángulo 2:52
4. Verso Adivinado 3:29
5. Navajas, Cadenas y Espejos 3:38
6. Rojo Siniestro 3:57
7. Caos o Cosmos 4:02
8. Salvajes Destructores 3:43
9. Violencia Psicoactiva 4:29
10. La Larga Marcha 5:29
11. Desterrando a los Oscurantistas (Hermetica cover) 2:15
Band members D.N. – vocals
Esteban Sancho – guitars
Isak Arroyo – guitars
AntiChristopher – bass
Vörago – drums
A debut album of old school Thrash/Death Metal that spans four countries and two continents. Enmity hails from France and Greece in Europe, and Jordan and Indonesia in Asia. A multicultural smorgasbord spread across thousands of miles combines to create one aggressive Thrash entity with anger in their collective hearts towards the state of the world and our messed up society. Their debut album Demagoguery means to partake in political activities whilst seeking support by pandering to the prejudices of people instead of using rational argument. Nothing speaks louder than that to sum up the world in which we live in.
Unfortunately, due to a corrupt file I couldn’t listen to the albums opening track and so my first experience of Enmity is the groove drenched tones and mesmerizing guitar solos of The Bullet That Kills You. Chugging Death Metal and intricate Thrash collide through thick meaty drumming, ominous sounding guitar leads and raw vocal work.
So, whilst the main ingredients are present for an intensive Thrash/Death bout of rampaging societal angst, Demagoguery never really hits the highs that I expected of it, despite more than adequate musicianship and song writing ability. There are times when Enmity feels like they are trying to fit far too much technicality into their style, and the stop start nature of their playing robs them of a lot of momentum. Where the band should simply find a groove and ride that crest with the sense of rhythm they clearly possess, they let the moment ebb away on so many occasions that the album feels stilted.
Let me be perfectly clear, Demagoguery isn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but there is just something about the overall flow of this album that just loses something in translation.
Best Moments of the album: In all honesty, nothing massively stands out.
Worst moments of the album: The stop start nature of some of the melodies which decrease the albums intensity. Also the band occasionally loses momentum by trying to be a little too technical.
Released in 2022 by Kvlt and Kaos Productions
Track listing 1. My Enemy 4:32
2. The Bullet That Kills You 4:45
3. The Enemy Below 5:54
4. Preventable Genocide 4:56
5. Flying Fortress 5:33
6. Resistance 4:32
7. Demagoguery 7:41
Band members Zuul – vocals
David Decobert – guitar
Michael Perwira – guitar
Mohammed Kutkut – bass
George Kollias – drums
The vicious Death Metal spawned by Saint-Nazaire, Pays de la Loire, France-based act Atrocia correlates with diversity and energy, being inspired by the major figures from the 90’s scene in the United States such as Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Death with elements of Thrash Metal and a nuance of Grindcore added to their trademark sound. Dealing with a dystopian universe in their lyrics since their inception in 2003, particularly inspired by science-fiction literature, Atrocia are back in action now in 2022 with their third full-length album, entitled Contamination, with the crisp recording and mixing by Arthur Lauth at Brown Bear Recording, the mastering by Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Productions, and the futuristic artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre while also showcasing all the talent by vocalist and guitarist Julien Lésébos, guitarist Sebastian Fuentes, bassist Arnaud Beilvert, and drummer Pierre Garcia.
In summary, Atrocia more than nailed it with Contamination, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, perfectly adding their dystopian lyrics into their core (and extremely brutal) Death Metal, and if you want to show those French metallers how much you love their music you can buy their new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music, or from Amazon, as well as by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. It might have taken a few years after the band’s inception before they could release their first full-length effort, but now we can say such French brigade has been on a roll since their 2012 album Inward Chaos, with Contamination cementing their name in the French underground extreme music scene.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 