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Album Review – Türböwitch / Under Haunted Skies (2026)

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Budapest, Hungary’s own  Speed and Thrash Metal machine channels the spirit of 80’s extreme music in their third full-length album, a full-scale, post-apocalyptic metal experience.

Faithful to their no-compromise ethos, Budapest, Hungary’s own  Speed/Thrash Metal machine Türböwitch channels the spirit of 80’s Extreme Metal through a modern sense of immediacy, delivering songs that are fast, filthy and built for maximum impact. Recorded at Spezial Hell Studio, and produced, mixed and mastered in by Gravel Shores at Spiritside Studio, the third full-length offering by vocalist Zsolt “Zslöd” Lédeczi, guitarists Zsolt “Kommandante Klit” Harsányi and Péter “Mr. Fireball” Tóth, bassist Valdemár “Välde” Volcsánszky, and drummer Botond “Khäosz Bringer” Kasper, entitled Under Haunted Skies, is a ten-track journey through a world collapsing into darkness and clawing its way toward resilience, a full-scale, post-apocalyptic metal experience – dark, fast, atmospheric, and unforgiving, marking a decisive step forward for the band while further refining the uncompromising attitude and relentless live energy that have earned them a strong reputation within the European underground.

Just like in an 80’s horror movie, the intro Evoker of the Twilight drags us to absolute darkness before we’re crushed to pieces in Markoláb, with the thunderous beats and fills by Khäosz Bringer inspiring us all to slam into the pit while Zslöd growls like a demented beast from the abyss, all boosted by Välde’s metallic bass jabs. The title-track Under Haunted Skies is just as deranged and rebellious, with the striking riffage by Kommandante Klit and Mr. Fireball cutting our skin deep mercilessly; whereas venturing through the badass lands rules by Motörhead, the band offers the melodic yet visceral Cult Mastery, the perfect depiction of Black N’ Roll. And it’s pedal to the metal in the high-octane extravaganza Ashbringer, with Zslöd’s vile roars being nicely complemented by the band’s thrashing backing vocals.

They keep firing their unrelenting blend of Blackened Thrash Metal in Highways of Death, with the electrifying, venomous sound of their guitars penetrating deep inside our rotten souls. Then Välde’s ruthless bass kicks off the heavy, infuriated and maniacal Ultimate Failure of Will, another excellent choice to dive into the pit like a headbanging bastard, while delivering the most melodic riffs of the whole album, it’s time for When the World Crumbled, keeping the atmosphere as chaotic and fun as possible. In Moshpit at the End of the Day the name says it all. Get ready to be caught in an absolutely wild mosh pit of Black and Thrash Metal, with Khäosz Bringer literally bringing chaos to the band’s already incendiary music; and lastly, we have Road to Resilience, the most Rock N’ Roll song of all, and also the least exciting one, although when they speed things up they sound great as usual.

Rooted in Blackened Speed and Thrash Metal, Under Haunted Skies draws from the raw savagery and punk-fueled aggression of acts like Midnight, the razor-sharp thrash precision of The Crown, and the dark melodic drive of Hellripper, while maintaining a clearly identifiable personality. In case you want to know more about Türböwitch, their music, tour dates and plans for the future, you can find those headbanging bastards on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their sick music on Spotify, and above all, purchase the electrifying Under Haunted Skies from BandCamp, from Time To Kill Records, or by clicking HERE. Hopelessly addicted to fast riffs, unholy noise, and loud parties, Türböwitch continue to thrive in the filth and fury of the underground, and you better get ready because once they catch you, there’s absolutely no escape from their sonic anarchy.

Best moments of the album: Markoláb, Ashbringer and Moshpit at the End of the Day.

Worst moments of the album: Road to Resilience.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Evoker of the Twilight 1:13
2. Markoláb 3:31
3. Under Haunted Skies 4:05
4. Cult Mastery 3:27
5. Ashbringer 3:40
6. Highways of Death 4:00
7. Ultimate Failure of Will 2:12
8. When the World Crumbled 4:40
9. Moshpit at the End of the Day 3:12
10. Road to Resilience 3:52

Band members
Zsolt “Zslöd” Lédeczi – lead vocals
Zsolt “Kommandante Klit” Harsányi – lead guitars, backing vocals
Péter “Mr. Fireball” Tóth – rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Valdemár “Välde” Volcsánszky – bass
Botond “Khäosz Bringer” Kasper – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Qwälen / Veri Virtaa Edelleen (2026)

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This ruthless Finnish Black Metal horde returns with their third opus, delving into the rottenness of human reality, the abolition of kings and gods, and the bleak, habitual cycle of fraternal violence.

Blood continues to flow as Veri Virtaa Edelleen (or “the blood still flows” in English), the third statement by Oulu, Finland-based Black Metal horde Qwälen, delves into the rottenness of human reality, the abolition of kings and gods, and the bleak, habitual cycle of fraternal violence, concepts that mean nothing to the band, and yet embody everything they express. Tracked and mixed by Mikael Neves at Waiting Room Recording Studio, mastered by  Jack Control at Enormous Door, and with a sinister artwork and layout by the always formidable Jussi Pohjanen, the new beast by vocalist Eetu Viita, guitarists Samuli Similä and Antti Kannisto, bassist Ville Jylhä, and drummer Henri Kaarre fully embraces the decay of human reality, turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre.

The melodic guitars by Samuli and Antti ignite the band’s darkened feast in Hunnutettu maa (“the veiled land” from Finnish), before all hell breaks loose to the demented vociferations by Eetu, whereas Matala hauta huutaa (“the shallow grave screams”) sounds absolutely mental form start to finish, presenting a beyond demonic performance by Henri behind his drums. Eerie sounds ignite the just as dark Kahleet (“the shackles”), venturing through Doom Metal lands while keeping the band’s Black Metal core intact; and Henri then invites us all to slam into the pit in Uusi nahka (“new skin”), where Eetu’s infernal vociferations will penetrate deep inside your skin in the name of violent, no shenanigans extreme music.

The band still has a lot of fuel to burn in Veri Virtaa Edelleen, and Kiviä ja luita (“stones and bones”) is a great example of how they can sound modern yet rooted in classic Black Metal, offering a high dosage of Black N’ Roll led by Henri’s striking beats and fills. Then back to a more traditional Black Metal sonority we have Pirujen illallinen (“the devils’ dinner”), with Samuli and Antti once again firing their trademark scorching riffs nonstop; followed by Veri vastaa (“blood answers”), which takes a bit too long to properly kick off, and it doesn’t offer anything truly outstanding in the end despite the band’s efforts. Fortunately, their last breath of demented Black Metal comes in the form of Kuolleet jumalat (“dead gods”), where Henri sounds out of control on drums, providing Eetu with exactly what he needs to gnarl like a creature from the underworld.

Gods live only if we allow them. Death becomes the final insult, the ultimate raised middle finger when all is reduced to rocks and bones – the black serpent within, the black flame of rebellion, and it’s that exact serpent who becomes the centerpoint in Veri Virtaa Edelleen. You can find more details about those Finnish black metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, including their sulfurous live performances, stream their creations on any platform like Spotify, and of course put your damned hands on their new offering by purchasing it from BandCamp or from Time To Kill Records. Because, in the end, Qwälen are exposing the nasty truth about humanity in their newborn opus, and there’s no escape from such a harsh reality. Hail Satan. Blood continues to flow.

Best moments of the album: Matala hauta huutaa, Uusi nahka and Kiviä ja luita.

Worst moments of the album: Veri vastaa.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Hunnutettu maa 5:21
2. Matala hauta huutaa 5:00
3. Kahleet 7:19
4. Uusi nahka 3:31
5. Kiviä ja luita 5:17
6. Pirujen illallinen 5:44
7. Veri vastaa 5:48
8. Kuolleet jumalat 6:57

Band members
Eetu Viita -vocals
Samuli Similä – guitars, backing vocals
Antti Kannisto – guitars, backing vocals
Ville Jylhä – bass
Henri Kaarre – drums

Album Review – Soul of Anubis / Ritual (2026)

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This Portuguese duo returns with their fourth full-length opus, capturing the full scope of their signature sound, a visceral blend of aggression and dynamic shifts that refuses to be confined to a single genre.

Formed in 2010 in Northern Portugal, Sludge/Doom Metal creature Soul of Anubis has carved out a distinct place within the European underground thanks to their explosive fusion of Thrash, Sludge, Doom and Post-Metal, channeling the raw urgency of Mantar, the primal energy of early Mastodon, and the relentless drive of High On Fire and Black Cobra. Now in 2026 the duo formed of Hugo Ferrão on vocals and guitars, and Rui Silva on drums returns with their fourth full-length opus, titled Ritual, following up on their 2019 album The Last Journey. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Lote 71 in Portugal, Ritual captures the full scope of the band’s signature sound, a visceral blend of aggression and dynamic shifts that refuses to be confined to a single genre.

The duo wastes no time and kicks off their groovy and visceral attack with the title-track Ritual, where Hugo screams with tons of anguish while Rui crushes his drums in the name of sludge and doom. Then featuring guest vocalist Keijo Niinimaa from Rotten Sound, it’s pedal to the metal in the demented Mind Crusher, bringing elements of Hardcore, Punk Rock and Crust to their trademark insanity, followed by Incarnation, the first single of the album, keeping the fires of Doom Metal burning, with Hugo not only roaring manically but his riffs also exhale aggression. And Vermin is by far the least dynamic and exciting of all songs, although it still presents the band’s core essence (but not as strong as the other songs).

Death Cult carries the perfect name for a song by any band in the heavy music spectrum, and Soul of Anubis crush our spinal cords with their undisputed blend of absolute doom, as heavy as a thousand riffs in their “version” of it. Let’s keep headbanging like true maniacs to the sound of God’s Burial, where the duo builds a rumbling atmosphere with their caustic riffs and beats; and it’s then time to put the pedal to the metal and speed things up in Human Torch, with Hugo once again bursting his lungs screaming. Last but not least, we face the longest and most obscure of all songs, Unholy Tomb, with Hugo’s riffage and Rui’s drums making the earth tremble until the very last second of such a groovy-as-hell aria.

Pushing the sonic boundaries by Soul of Anubis even further, expanding upon their trademark blend of massive riffs, dark groove, and emotional gravity, while highlighting a newfound sense of urgency and compositional versatility, Ritual is undoubtedly their strongest effort to date, and you can put your damned hands on such an incendiary album by purchasing it from BandCamp, from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore, or simply by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the duo on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their austere creations on Spotify. With their new album, Hugo and Rui have crafted a true metallic ritual, pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them and, consequently, keeping us metalheads as happy as we can be with another demolishing underground band.

Best moments of the album: Mind Crusher, Dead Cult and Human Torch.

Worst moments of the album: Vermin.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Ritual 6:17
2. Mind Crusher 4:46
3. Incarnation 4:49
4. Vermin 3:29
5. Death Cult 5:20
6. God’s Burial 4:32
7. Human Torch 3:41
8. Unholy Tomb 8:30

Band members
Hugo Ferrão – vocals, guitars
Rui Silva – drums

Guest musician
Keijo Niinimaa – vocals on “Mind Crusher”

Album Review – Overtoun / Death Drive Anthropology (2026)

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This Chilean unrelenting outfit offers in their third album a true Book of Death forged in sound, channeling the death drive into a relentless exploration of human rituals, mortality, and cultural collapse.

Expanding their fierce Chilean/American identity, channeling the death drive (Thanatos) into a relentless exploration of human rituals, mortality, and cultural collapse – a true Book of Death forged in sound – Santiago, Chile and Boston, Massachusetts-based Progressive/Technical Death/Thrash Metal beast Overtoun returns in full force with their third offering, entitled Death Drive Anthropology, the follow-up to their 2021 sophomore This Darkness Feels Alive. Recorded at Estudio del Sur, and produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Martín Furia at Somma Productions, the new album by Yoav Ruiz-Feingold on vocals, Matias Bahamondes on the guitar, Matias Salas on bass, and Agustin Lobo on drums further cements the band as one of the most compelling and forward-thinking forces emerging from the Latin American metal landscape. Rooted in the primal force of 90’s death-thrash yet sharpened by a modern, incisive edge, the album fuses Latin rhythms, folk-tinged guitars, and razor-tight riffs, being therefore a must-listen for admirers of the music by Carcass, Atheist, and Revocation, among others.

The album couldn’t have started in a better and more demented way than with What Unites All, featuring guest vocalist Max Phelps (Cynic, Death to All), with Matias Salas and Agustin sounding absolutely mental with their heavy-as-hell, groovy kitchen. Yoav keeps roaring like a beast in the very technical, melodic yet brutal The Final Beat, blending the most caustic elements from Death and Thrash Metal, and after a cryptic intro the music evolves into another feast of progressive violence in Memento Mori, featuring guest vocalist Enrico H. Di Lorenzo (Hideous Divinity), where Agustin once again dictates the pace while Matias Bahamondes slashes his axe nonstop. Their wicked riffs and pounding drums are the main ingredients in the electrifying Dur Khrod, inviting us all to slam into the pit in the name of our good old Death and Thrash Metal; whereas their progressive vein pulses even harder in Jade, Gold, Obsidian, led by the intricate and flammable riffage by Matias Bahamondes. And in Yūrei they offer a more modern side of their core musicality, alternating between groovy moments and extreme aggression.

Matias Salas  beautifully steals the spotlight with his metallic bass in Weeping, as if Sepultura, Dream Theater and Machine Head had a bastard son (who loves Death Metal), which of course translates into total sonic brilliance. Guest Shantanu Vyas (Hazing Over) lends his desperate vocals to the band in Wind and Water, keeping the album at an extreme level of violence and progressiveness; and we then face a killer three-part extravaganza, starting with the 30-second intro The Waves Suite: Siren, setting the stage for The Waves Suite: Ocean, where the band goes almost full tribal with their ruthless sounds, flowing like an arrow on fire in the dark until The Waves Suite: Caleuche puts a very melodic ending to such an interesting aria. The band still has the icing on the cake to offer in the album, the title-track Death Drive Anthropology, inviting us all to slam one last time with them to the sound of the demonic roars by Yoav.

As mentioned, Death Drive Anthropology aims at channeling the death drive into a sonic Book of Death that examines how different cultures confront mortality, violence, collapse, and rebirth through ritual and art, and if you want to feel part of such an exciting metallic ritual, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their amazing music on YouTube or on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of the album from the band’s own BandCamp, as well as from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore. In other words, simply open the Book of Death written by these talented Chilean metallers, and let their sounds bring to your soul the always exciting duality between life and death.

Best moments of the album: What Unites All, Weeping and Death Drive Anthropology.

Worst moments of the album: Wind and Water.

Released in 2026 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. What Unites All 5:23
2. The Final Beat 4:46
3. Memento Mori 6:38
4. Dur Khrod 3:54
5. Jade, Gold, Obsidian 4:00
6. Yūrei 5:25
7. Weeping 5:28
8. Wind and Water 4:05
9. The Waves Suite: Siren 0:23
10. The Waves Suite: Ocean 4:11
11. The Waves Suite: Caleuche 1:42
12. Death Drive Anthropology 4:23

Band members
Yoav Ruiz-Feingold – vocals
Matias Bahamondes – guitar
Matias Salas – bass
Agustin Lobo – drums

Guest musicians
Max Phelps – vocals on “What Unites All”
Enrico H. Di Lorenzo – vocals on “Memento Mori”
Shantanu Vyas – vocals on “Wind And Water”

Album Review – Season of The Dead / Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 (2025)

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This newborn beast of blood-soaked, horror-infused Death Metal will eat your flesh to the sound of their debut album, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

A visceral, cinematic Extreme Metal project born from the twisted minds of Titta Tani (former drummer of Necrophagia and Goblin), Giacomo Anselmi (former Goblin guitarist and current member of Goblin Legacy), and Enrico Giannone, founder and owner of Time To Kill Records, acting as producer and visionary behind the entire concept, United States-based Death Metal brigade Season of The Dead aims at resurrecting the blood-soaked legacy of horror-infused Death Metal, channeling the rotten spirit of bands like Necrophagia, Mortician, and Fulci, while paying tribute to the grotesque imagery and raw energy of cult underground horror films. Formed of the aforementioned Giacomo Anselmi (Goblin Legacy) on the guitars and Titta Tani on drums, alongside John McEntee (Incantation) and Fiore Stravino (Fulci) on vocals, and Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog) and Chuck Sherwood (Incantation) on bass, the album delivers a relentless assault of Death Metal brutality, layered with cinematic tension and ritualistic atmospheres, a soundscape where zombies, decay, and gore come to life in audio form.

Just like in a horror movie, the intro Necromancy brings to our putrid ears three unsettling minutes of obscurity, warming us up for Then We’ll Rise, inspired by Romero’s masterpiece Day of the Dead (and featuring related audio contributions), with John vomiting the song’s zombified words mercilessly supported by the crushing beats and fills by Titta. Voodoo Ritual starts in a phantasmagorical way, evolving into another slab of insanity by the band, even sounding Doom Metal at times to make things even creepier, whereas Giacomo fires classic, unrelenting riffs in the pulverizing, demented Events Of Flesh, accompanied by the venomous bass by Dave, again bringing absolute horror to our minds and souls just the way we like it in Death Metal.

In Open The Gates the vocals by Fiore exhale pure gore for our vulgar delectation, not to mention Titta is also ruthless behind his drums, while disturbing sounds ignite one more explosion of Death Metal by such an amazing supergroup entitled The Other Side, with John once again sounding like a zombified vocalist, and with Chuck and Titta making the earth tremble in this ode to insanity. The Stygian riffage by Giacomo kicks off the headbanging beast entitled Burning Moon Sickness, providing John with exactly what he needs to haunt our souls with his visceral growling; and closing such a unique album we have Bloodfreak, with its eerie sounds matching perfectly with the Doom Metal-infused beats by Titta while John continues to attack us all with his demented screams.

With influences ranging from Killjoy to City of the Living Dead, The Beyond, and Cannibal Holocaust, creating a soundscape that feels like a soundtrack to a lost VHS splatter nightmare, Zombie Chronicles Vol. 1 is just the first full-length chapter of Season of The Dead, a macabre journey into the heart of horror-infused Death Metal, and you can get in touch with those anti-heroes of blood and gore via Facebook and Instagram, and feed your excruciating hunger for Death Metal by streaming their music on Spotify and by purchasing their excellent debut album from their own BandCamp, or from the Time To Kill Records webstore. However, do not forget Zombie Chronicles Vol.1 is not just an album. It’s a chronicle of the undead, a sonic descent into rot, fear, and splatter, and you might not come out of it alive, joining their army of the undead for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Then We’ll Rise, Events Of Flesh and Bloodfreak.

Worst moments of the album: Voodoo Ritual.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Necromancy 3:13
2. Then We’ll Rise 4:37
3. Voodoo Ritual 4:03
4. Events Of Flesh 3:57
5. Open The Gates 3:53
6. The Other Side 4:54
7. Burning Moon Sickness 4:20
8. Bloodfreak 5:14

Band members
John McEntee – vocals
Fiore Stravino – vocals
Giacomo Anselmi – guitars
Dave Neabore – bass
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Titta Tani – drums

Album Review – Scorching Tomb / Ossuary (2025)

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This ruthless Death Metal ensemble from Canada will kill armed with their debut album, a delight for the lovers of bone-crushing rhythms and inhuman gutturals.

A delight for the lovers of bone-crushing rhythms and inhuman gutturals, the hard hitting Ossuary, the debut album by Montreal, Canada-based Death Metal ensemble Scorching Tomb, is an album definitely not for the weak, offering fast, hard and heavy pummeling riffs, punishing mosh parts and skull crushing vocals that follow the path laid down by the 2023 split Primal Tomb (by Primal Horde and Scorching Tomb). Recorded, mixed and mastered by Dominic Grimard, with drums engineered by Christian Donaldson of Cryptopsy, the full-length debut by Vincent Patrick Lajeunesse on vocals, Philippe Leblanc on the guitars, Miguel Lepage (Blind Witness, Obey the Brave) on bass, and Émile Savard (Profane Order, Malebranche) on drums brings the grinding heavy, being highly recommended for fans of both old school and modern-day harsh, scorching Death Metal.

The opening tune Stalagmite Impalement offers a no shenanigans, in your face and ruthless start to the album, with the pounding drums by Émile exhaling of pure old school Death Metal. Then we have the vicious Skullcrush, featuring the demented guest vocals by Devin Swank of Sanguisugabogg, with Miguel’s menacing bass bringing absolute heaviness to their core sound in a lecture in modern-day Death Metal. Émile takes the lead once again in the pulverizing Diminished to Ashes, while Vincent barks and roars like a rabid creature, followed by Sanctum of Bones (Ossuary), another bludgeoning tune by the quartet with the caustic, harsh riffs by Philippe inspiring us all to headbang like true maniacs. Philippe then ignites the hammering Sentenced to Rot, sounding slow and absolutely evil from start to finish, with Vincent’s guttural sounding even more visceral. Feel the Blade, featuring guest vocals by Alex Cloutier of Primal Horde, presents classic Death Metal in the vein of Immolation and Unleashed, keeping the album at a hellish level of heaviness; and get ready to break your damned neck headbanging to Bloodlust Sacrifice, with all riffs, bass lines and beats providing Vincent with exactly what he needs to bark like a beast. And lastly, they showcase a Cannibal Corpse-inspired vibe in Expired Existence, living up to the legacy of such an amazing genre.

Striving to follow in the footsteps of Cryptopsy, Quo Vadis and Despised Icon, Scorching Tomb seek to show the world that Montreal is still to this day an unrelenting force of Death Metal armed with their debut album, available from BandCamp or from the Time To Kill Records webstore. Not only that, go check what those Quebec metallers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including of course their demented live performances, and get into the pit to their sick creations by streaming them all on Spotify. Ossuary is Canadian Death Metal at its finest, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the promising career of Scorching Tomb in a not-so-distant future.

Best moments of the album: Skullcrush, Sanctum of Bones (Ossuary) and Bloodlust Sacrifice.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Stalagmite Impalement 2:58
2. Skullcrush 3:46
3. Diminished to Ashes 3:41
4. Sanctum of Bones (Ossuary) 3:53
5. Sentenced to Rot 2:32
6. Feel the Blade 4:08
7. Bloodlust Sacrifice 4:05
8. Expired Existence 3:27

Band members
Vincent Patrick Lajeunesse – vocals
Philippe Leblanc – guitars, backing vocals
Miguel Lepage – bass
Émile Savard – drums

Guest musicians
Devin Swank – vocals on “Skullcrush”
Alex Cloutier – vocals on “Feel the Blade”

Album Review – Refusal / Venomous Human Concept (2025)

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This Finnish beast returns with its third full-length opus, delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements.

Formed in Helsinki, Finland, in early 2008, Death Metal/Grindcore outfit Refusal is set to unleash upon humanity their third full-length album, entitled Venomous Human Concept, the follow-up to their 2019 offering Epitome of Void. Delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements, striking a perfect balance between groove-driven intensity and razor-sharp precision, the band currently formed of Juhani Paasipohja on vocals, Tero Pirhonen and Kalle Kuosmanen on the guitars, Timo Pirhonen on bass, and Aleksi Roitto on drums is on fire throughout their entire new album, with the sharp mixing by Olli Nokkala at Studio Kolotila and the first-class mastering by Henri Sorvali at Trollhouse Audio turning it into a must-listen for fans of Napalm Death, Misery Index, Entombed, and Rotten Sound, among several others.

Tero and Kalle will cut your skin deep with their dirty, caustic riffs in Scholar of Perversion, while Juhani already barks and roars like a creature from darkness. The title-track Venomous Human Concept tells a story of rising up against the ruling class, and the ones who hold the wealth and power; musically speaking, it’s a demented hybrid of Death Metal and Grindcore led by the insane drums by Aleksi, followed by The Grip Tightens, sounding even more infuriated, or in other words, it’s a demonic display of Death Metal where Juhani vociferates rabidly nonstop. The band continues to spread hatred and violence in Insatiable God, with the scorching riffs by Tero and Kalle inspiring us all for some wild headbanging, and those Finnish death metallers show no mercy for our cranial skulls in War of Nothing, with Aleksi once again crushing his enemies behind his drums.

There’s no sign of the band slowing down or sounding mellower; quite the contrary, it’s total anarchy in Dehumanize, blasting our heads with their furious Death Metal onrush, whereas We Are the Undead is one of the most violent tracks of the entire album, overflowing aggression thanks to another venomous performance by Juhani with his demented roars and the always demolishing beats and fills by Aleksi. Their violent sounds continue to fill every single space in the air in Sleeping Leviathan, with the stringed axes by Tero, Kalle and Timo transpiring pure, unfiltered Death Metal magic. There’s still time to slam into the pit to the hybrid of Death Metal with Grindcore entitled Congregation of the Eyeless, again presenting an avalanche of piercing riffs and infernal growls, and the band then ends the album with the Doom Metal-infused Eternal Refrain, sounding dark and sinister until the very end, with the hammering drums by Aleksi feeling utterly chaotic.

After all is said and done, Venomous Human Concept, which is available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp or from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore, will definitely help Refusal cement their name not only in the always incendiary local Finnish scene, but also all over the world where our good old Death Metal is properly appreciated, and you can also support those hellish metallers by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming their discography on Spotify. In other words, get ready to be pulverized by Refusal to the sound of Venomous Human Concept because, as you might already know, Death Metal is their business, and business is good.

Best moments of the album: Venomous Human Concept, We Are the Undead and Sleeping Leviathan.

Worst moments of the album: Insatiable God.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Scholar of Perversion 3:39
2. Venomous Human Concept 2:57
3. The Grip Tightens 3:13
4. Insatiable God 2:50
5. War of Nothing 4:38
6. Dehumanize 4:39
7. We Are the Undead 3:42
8. Sleeping Leviathan 1:24
9. Congregation of the Eyeless 3:36
10. Eternal Refrain 5:04

Band members
Juhani Paasipohja – vocals
Tero Pirhonen – guitars
Kalle Kuosmanen – guitars
Timo Pirhonen – bass, backing vocals
Aleksi Roitto – drums

Album Review – Devine Defilement / Ruthless (2025)

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This ruthless Icelandic crew returns in full force with their third opus, stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality.

When you think of Scandinavia, let’s say that slamming and brutality aren’t the first things to come to mind. That’s until the Reykjavík-based Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore slam crew of Devine Defilement spewed onto the Icelandic scene in late 2016, drawing inspiration from a variety of Death Metal sub-genres and having concocted a brutal cocktail of groove, slams, blasts and ferocity that has made them a force to be reckoned with. Now in 2025 such an insane horde formed of Freyr Hreinsson and Ingólfur Ólafsson on vocals, Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson and Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson on the guitars, Arek Alenjikov on bass, and Stefán Friðriksson on drums returns in full force with Ruthless, their third full-length offering, following up on their 2024 beast Age of Atrocities. Mixed and mastered by Floor VK at GLDCHN Studios, Ruthless is stripped down of the melodic parts for more favorable “slam worship”, speed and brutality, focusing more on the groove and amplifying what makes the crowd move, with its lyrics about murderers, neglect, suicide, cannibalism, and violence being tailored for fans of Ingested, Vulvodynia, Whitechapel, and Pathology, among countless others.

Human Sewer is a beyond bestial and devastating way to kick off the album, with Stefán’s stone crushing drums inviting us all to slam into the pit like a bunch of headbanging bastards, followed by Abusement Park, the perfect fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore, with the demented guttural by both Freyr and Ingólfur sounding utterly inhumane. Then the Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffage by Guðmundur and Sigurjón match perfectly with all haunting background sounds in Terror Tales, whereas massive blast beats and a striking guitar solo ignite the also ruthless Excreted Entity, with their monstrous dual vocal attack melting our faces mercilessly. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind carries a very Death Metal name for what’s perhaps the most Death Metal of all songs, with Stefán demolishing everything and everyone that crosses his path on drums, while Pulverised Secretions is simply pulverizing from start to finish, with Freyr and Ingólfur unleashing their deepest, most infuriated growls of the album.

The two-part song “Anthropophagic Apocalypse” kicks off in full force with Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse, a slab of sheer brutality by this Icelandic squad spearheaded by the cryptic riffs blasted by their unrelating guitar duo, whereas Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh is another demonic onrush of Brutal Death Metal with symphonic elements, elevating the album’s reach and punch to a whole new level. Get ready to have your head smashed in the curb to the sound of Curbstomp the Predator, perfect for some “no holds barred” action inside the pit; and the infernal, metallic bass by Arek and the unstoppable beats and fills by Stefán will make the earth tremble in Draco Dominus, followed by the beautifully titled Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam, starting with a TV ad-like intro for some sort of “action figures” before all hell breaks loose to the demented vociferations by the band’s two-headed vocal beast. Lastly, the album ends on a dark and mysterious note with Beyond the Veil of Death, offering over five minutes of melodic yet hard hitting Brutal Death Metal with lots of Deathcore nuances.

The guys from Devine Defilement are eagerly waiting to consume your putrid body on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can obviously stream all of their vicious, demented creations on Spotify, and purchase a copy of the unrelenting Ruthless from BandCamp, from Time to Kill Records, or simply click HERE for all things Devine Defilement. There’s no better word to describe the music found in Ruthless than its own title. It’s a ruthless album, a putrid Death Metal and Deathcore attack made in Iceland, and once you’re caught inside their gory mosh pit, you’ll never see the light of day again.

Best moments of the album: Abusement Park, Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind, Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh and Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam.

Worst moments of the album: Draco Dominus.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Human Sewer 3:46
2. Abusement Park 2:46
3. Terror Tales 3:09
4. Excreted Entity 4:10
5. Internal Delusions of the Torn Mind 2:54
6. Pulverised Secretions 3:51
7. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 1 Collapse 5:08
8. Anthropophagic Apocalypse Pt. 2 Lord of Flesh 3:36
9. Curbstomp the Predator 2:10
10. Draco Dominus 2:27
11. Bio-Organic Liquid-Slam 2:45
12. Beyond the Veil of Death 5:49

Band members
Freyr Hreinsson – vocals
Ingólfur Ólafsson – vocals
Guðmundur Hermann Lárusson – guitar
Sigurjón Óli Gunnarsson – guitar
Arek Alenjikov – bass, backing vocals
Stefán Friðriksson – drums

Album Review – Across the Swarm / Invisible Threads (2025)

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Get ready for a sonic onslaught that delves into the darkest depths of existence in the form of first-class Death Metal made in Italy.

Labeling their style as “Shove Metal”, Bologna, Italy-based Death Metal outfit Across The Swarm has been unleashing their fury in concerts, festivals, and tours across Italy and Europe since their inception in 2013, culminating in 2025 with the release of their sophomore full-length opus, titled Invisible Threads. Recorded at Art Distillery Studios, mixed and mastered at SPVN Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by SNEM, the new album by vocalist Francesco A. Flagiello, guitarists Marco Lambertini and Luca Sammartino, bassist Mirco Diana and drummer Davide Tomadini is a sonic onslaught that delves into the darkest depths of existence, exploring human degradation, unspoken fears, and wars that ravage both bodies and minds, a fierce manifestation of Death Metal that pummels the listener with an unrelenting impact from the first track to the last recommended for fans of Misery Index, Decapitated, Meshuggah, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Lamb of God, Voivod and Carcass.

The rumbling, cinematic intro Intravenous will open the gates of hell for Across the Swarm to crush our frail bodies in Vertebrae, a demented display of classic Death Metal where Francesco sounds infernal on vocals, as well as Davide with his inhumane drumming. Every Day Is Like A Stab In The Chest offers our putrid ears three minutes of brutality and rage with the guitars by Marco and Luca sounding truly acid, and in Nothing Left they keep hammering our souls with their undisputed Death Metal and psychological lyrics (“I can’t live anymore, don’t you see? / Don’t pretend you didn’t see / Right in front of your eyes / They are crawling under the collapsed walls / Scrap iron, destroyed buildings / Pulling out their mutilated children”). Following such violent tune, the metallic bass by Mirco will punch you in the head in the best Groove Metal style in Red Waters, perfect for some wild Corpsegrinder-inspired headbanging.

The band shows no sign of slowing down at all; quite the contrary, they deliver a beyond bestial tune titled Scava Veloce, led by the massive drums by Davide and the always deep guttural by Francesco. It looks like they have mastered the art of crafting three-minute Death Metal attacks, and Dry Eyes couldn’t have been any different. Then Davide keeps pounding his drums mercilessly in Liquefy, offering another very good reason for us all to dive into the mosh pit; whereas Until You Bleed, the second to last song of the album, sounds just as infernal and visceral, living up to the legacy of classic Death Metal, not to mention how demonic the growling by Francesco sounds. Finally, the album ends with the pulverizing title-track Invisible Threads, where Marco and Luca sound ruthless armed with their stringed axes in a lecture in modern-day Death Metal by those Italian bastards.

“We wanted to capture the essence of the shadows that dwell within each of us,” explains frontman Francesco. “The composition of Invisible Threads was a brutal and visceral process. Every note, every word is an invisible thread connecting these shadows to the reality around us. Additionally, SNEM was fully involved in the creative process, visually translating the album’s concept into artwork that amplifies and reflects both the music and the lyrics. This album is an invitation to confront your innermost self and dive deep, all the way to the bottom.” After such beautiful words, if you have what it takes to face the band’s undisputed brutality, go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their sick creations on Spotify, and purchase the venomous Invisible Threads from BandCamp or from Time To Kill Records, diving into the darkest depths of our putrid existence together with one of the most promising names of the Italian extreme music scene.

Best moments of the album: Vertebrae, Red Waters and Invisible Threads.

Worst moments of the album: Liquefy.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Intravenous 0:52
2. Vertebrae 3:19
3. Every Day Is Like A Stab In The Chest 3:15
4. Nothing Left 3:34
5. Red Waters 4:12
6. Scava Veloce 3:52
7. Dry Eyes 3:13
8. Liquefy 3:10
9. Until You Bleed 4:07
10. Invisible Threads 4:12

Band members
Francesco A. Flagiello – vocals
Marco Lambertini – guitars
Luca Sammartino – guitars
Mirco Diana – bass
Davide Tomadini – drums

Album Review – Necrodeath / Arimortis (2025)

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Behold the last recorded testimony before the war is over for one of the most important Blackened Thrash Metal bands of all time.

The moment you hear it, you know it’s Necrodeath. Formed back in 1984 in the Italian city of Genoa, this unrelenting act is one of the real iconic Blackened Thrash Metal bands of all time, helping to shape the Italian metal scene and the international underground as it is today throughout their 40 years of existence. However, as all good things must come to an end, the band formed of Flegias on vocals, Pier on the guitars, GL on bass and Peso on drums is set to release their last recorded testimony before the definitive dissolution of the band, entitled Arimortis, followed by a farewell tour which will last throughout 2025, and after which the curtain will fall. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Pier Gonella, and featuring a sinister artwork by Max Bottino, Arimortis is everything you’ve learned to love in the music by Necrodeath and more, representing a beyond amazing conclusion to the band’s demolishing and thrilling path.

​The quartet wastes no time and invites us all for one last wild ride inside the pit in Storytellers of Lies, with Flegias sounding like a demented beast on vocals, or in other words, this is how anyone should start a Thrash Metal album. Then a sinister start evolves into another blackened attack by the band titled New God, spearheaded by the Slayer-inspired riffs by Pier; and Peso puts the pedal to the metal in Necrosadist, offering our putrid years another explosion of visceral Thrash Metal perfect for some mosh pit action, whereas Arimortis is another song with a sinister, atmospheric intro that quickly morphs into their undisputed thrashing madness, with Flegias roaring manically supported by the pounding drums by Peso. And to make things even more infernal we have Near-Death Experience, the perfect soundtrack for (guess what?) almost dying, with Pier once again delivering sheer animosity through his riffage.

Necrodeath still have a lot more fuel to burn in Arimortis, starting with Alien, with the creepy vociferations by Flegias exhaling pure Black Metal, followed by No More Regrets, a cadenced, grim and melodic creation by the quartet that will sound great during their upcoming last tour. It’s then time for over seven minutes of first-class, no shenanigans Thrash Metal the likes of Exodus and Anthrax entitled Metempsychosis (part two), inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop to the demolishing beats by Peso, while Hangover sounds even more ferocious and thunderous thanks to the rumbling bass by GL and the always hammering drums by Peso, putting a demented ending to the album and to their entire discography.

​“Arimortis is a term of Latin origin which indicates the end of a war, the moment in which the fallen are honoured and altars are erected in their name (‘arae mortis’, the altars of death). Even today in some parts of Italy the term ‘arimo’ is used to declare the end of the games. We wanted to use this allegory to seal a path that lasted forty years, full of satisfactions, disappointments and revenge. The songs that make up the album contain several references to our long career,” commented Flegias, and you can fight alongside Necrodeath in their last crusade by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their evil music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing their final beast from BandCamp or from Time To Kill Records, or by clicking HERE. And as their blackened war nears the end, may their putrid souls rest in pieces.

Best moments of the album: Storytellers of Lies, Necrosadist and Hangover.

Worst moments of the album: Alien.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Storytellers of Lies 3:37
2. New God 3:12
3. Necrosadist 3:57
4. Arimortis 3:39
5. Near-Death Experience 3:07
6. Alien 4:21
7. No More Regrets 5:37
8. Metempsychosis (part two) 7:21
9. Hangover 3:46

Band members
Flegias – vocals
Pier – guitars
GL – bass
Peso – drums