Tag Archives: transcending obscurity records

Album Review – Ignominy / Imminent Collapse (2023)

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Prepare your senses for the debut effort by this Canadian four-piece outfit, offering us all 34 minutes of Dissonant Death Metal that’s aggressive, punchy and hook-laden.

Founded in 2013 in the charming Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec, the unrelenting Death Metal beast that goes by the name of Ignominy has just unleashed upon humanity their debut full-length opus, titled Imminent Collapse, the follow-up to their 2019 EP Fear the Living offering us all 34 minutes of Dissonant Death Metal that’s aggressive, punchy and hook-laden, which is rare to find in a style that tends to be more abstract and unpredictable. Mixed and mastered by Erol Ulug, and displaying a grim artwork by Austin Weber, the album is a remarkable effort that manages to find an identity of its own by mangling and mesmerizing listeners at once, showcasing all the talent and fury by vocalist Alexandre Desroches, guitarist Philippe Gariépy, bassist Alexandre Préfontaine and drummer Marc-Antoine Lazure, being therefore recommended for fans of Dysgnostic, Gorguts, Ulcerate, Dischordia and Noctambulist, just to name a few.

The sinister guitar lines by Philippe kick off their dissonant attack in Frantic Appeasement, evolving into a chaotic yet progressive sound led by the classic drumming by Marc-Antoine while Alexandre Desroches roars deeply for our total delight. Then the second song of the album, titled Defaulting Genetics, is even more demented and demonic, with Philippe’s wicked riffs matching perfectly with the fulminating beats by Marc-Antoine; followed by Reminiscence of Hatred, presenting poetry and violence united in its lyrics (“Resurging the violence / Evicting their mistakes  / Disregarding their cries / No matter how they try / To resist the prophecy I’ve been putting in place / It’s simply useless, weakness to not embrace / What’s in front of their face”) amidst a hurricane of Dissonant Death Metal.

The phantasmagorical Premonition of a Dead-End (Interlude I) sets the tone for the visceral Nightmare Bacteria, offering our putrid ears six minutes of hatred and dementia in the form of Death Metal, with all band members being in total sync spearheaded by the inhumane guttural by Alexandre Desroches while also being full of breaks, variations and endless obscurity. Their progressive and dissonant vein pulses stronger than ever in Visceral, showcasing an amazing job done by Philippe and Alexandre Préfontaine with their stringed weapons while Marc-Antoine’s blast beats dictates the song’s pace. After that, another interlude titled Prélude vers l’angoisse (Interlude II) will darken your mind before Ignominy come crushing one last time in Closed-Mind Visuals, a multi-layered, detailed and grim creation by the quartet alternating between more introspective, sinister and atmospheric moments and sheer aggressiveness, with Marc-Antoine stealing the spotlight with another bestial performance behind his drums.

The ruthless, vile Dissonant Death Metal horde from the Great White North known as Ignominy is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more of their music, news, tour dates and so on, and don’t forget to also stream all of their eerie creations on Spotify, including obviously their newborn debut opus. Furthermore, the pulverizing Imminent Collapse is on sale from their own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a digipak CD or as a CD + shirt bundle, from Apple Music, from Amazon, or simply by clicking HERE. Ignominy are undoubtedly going places based on the quality of the music found in Imminent Collapse, with their dissonant sounds darkly echoing through the vast and bitterly cold lands of the Canadian Death Metal scene.

Best moments of the album: Defaulting Genetics, Reminiscence of Hatred and Nightmare Bacteria.

Worst moments of the album: The two interludes are not bad, but they could have been replaced by another song or even merged in just one interlude.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Frantic Appeasement 3:51
2. Defaulting Genetics 4:39
3. Reminiscence of Hatred 5:55
4. Premonition of a Dead-End (Interlude I) 0:49
5. Nightmare Bacteria 6:09
6. Visceral 5:46
7. Prélude vers l’angoisse (Interlude II) 1:02
8. Closed-Mind Visuals 6:18

Band members
Alexandre Desroches – vocals
Philippe Gariépy – guitars
Alexandre Préfontaine – bass
Marc-Antoine Lazure – drums

Guest musicians
Etienne Bayard – additional vocals on “Closed-Mind Visuals”
Vincent Pilon – additional vocals on “Closed-Mind Visuals”

Album Review – Sarcoptes / Prayers to Oblivion (2023)

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Immerse your soul into an interconnected series of historical tragedies brilliantly expressed by one of the best Black Metal duos of the current scene in their newborn masterpiece.

After giving us a taste of what’s to come with their stunning 2020 EP in Plague Hymns, Sacramento, California-based Black Metal duo Sarcoptes (whose name is a genus of mites, by the way) brings us their highly awaited sophomore full-length opus Prayers to Oblivion, their strongest album since their inception in 2008, bringing forward everything they’ve promised and more. Displaying a dark, wicked artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the album presents an immaculate blend of Black and Thrash Metal laced with atmospheric bits for further emphasis as both near 15-minute epic songs and shorter ones carefully brought into being by Garrett Garvey on vocals and drums, and Sean Zimmerman on the guitars, bass and keyboards, with the help of Bobby Koelble (Death, Azrael, Expedition Delta, Leviathan Project) as a guest lead guitarist. Each of the songs follows an interconnected series of historical tragedies in chronological order brilliantly thought and expressed by the duo, from the events of World War I to the Vietnam War, offering fans of Emperor, Immortal and early Satyricon, among several others, an intense, balanced and absorbing album that keeps the listener riveted due to the constantly changing patterns and structures.

As the rain falls down, Garrett and Sean initiate their sonic attack blasting their instruments mercilessly in Trenches, with Garrett roaring the song’s dark lyrics in great fashion (“Dig the trenches / Dig your own graves / A vile panorama / Of human misery / A series of follies / Spurred on by greed”) in a 14-minute lecture in grim and furious Black Metal. In Spanish Flu, more of their Stygian lyrics are offered to us all (“Choking, gasping, blackish blue / Clamor, the church bells ring / Miasmic horror, Spanish flu / Fly with death’s black wings”) while Sean extracts pure evil and hatred from his guitar and phantasmagorical keys, morphing into the 13-minute beast titled Dead Silence, where the blast beats by Garrett walk hand in hand with the epic keys by Sean, also presenting the duo’s trademark riffage and venomous guttural roars. It’s definitely another must-listen creation for admirers of both old school and modern-day Black Metal, and it’s impressive how the duo can craft songs that last for four, five or fifteen minutes and sound amazing in all cases, which is exactly what’s offered to us in Tet, exhaling violence thanks to the amazing job done by Garrett on drums, who also growls like a demon supported by Sean’s sulfurous riffs. Finally, how about another multi-layered, somber and majestic 14-minute aria to close the album on a fiery note? That’s what we’ll all get in Massacre at My Lai, with Garrett vociferating rabidly while Sean kicks ass once again armed with his stringed weapons and eerie keys, flowing majestically until the song’s climatic and atmospheric finale.

In a nutshell, Prayers to Oblivion is dark, sinister, evil and majestic, offering us all everything we love in Black Metal and more, and if you want to put your hands on such precious gem of extreme music you can buy the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore by clicking HERE or HERE, from Apple Music, or from Amazon. In addition, don’t forget to also follow such talented American duo on Facebook and on Instagram for all things Sarcoptes, and to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify. As mentioned, Prayers to Oblivion is undoubtedly Sarcopte’s most powerful and impactful work to date, flawlessly turning different tragedies in the history of mankind into first-class Black Metal, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such brilliant duo.

Best moments of the album: Trenches and Dead Silence.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Trenches 13:56
2. Spanish Flu 4:21
3. Dead Silence 13:01
4. Tet 5:07
5. Massacre at My Lai 14:15

Band members
Garrett Garvey – vocals, drums
Sean Zimmerman – guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musician
Bobby Koelble – lead guitars

Album Review – Leper Colony / Leper Colony (2023)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

I’m very much of the opinion that Rogga Johansson doesn’t sleep! How can he sleep with a list of bands and projects that would keep a civil servant happy for a decade? His latest endeavour is the Death/Thrash Metal triumvirate Leper Colony, who have chosen Friday the 13th of January as a suitable date to unleash their debut self-titled album through Transcending Obscurity Records.

You can’t ask for a more powerful opener than The Human Paradox; a blistering track of intensive Death Metal ferocity and wild thrashing aggression. Deep growled vocals bring to life a very captivating chorus section whilst chugging riffs and frenzied drumming complete with punishing bass and extravagant guitar melodies. ‘Perdition’s End’ is a more direct and hard-hitting track with simpler riffs and in-your face vocals, though the rhythm guitar here has a cold tinge to it that is rather enigmatic.

There is little variation to this opus which spans just over the half an hour mark, save for the odd passage of slower, groovier rhythm such as during tracks like Rapture Addict. However, the ferocious aggression, raging guitar solos and fuck you attitude certainly make up for that! A very listenable album full to the gills with mighty riffs, energetic urgent drumming styles and unadulterated violence.

Best moments of the album: The roaring opener that is The Human Paradox.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 by Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. The Human Paradox 4:22
2. Perdition’s End 3:19
3. The Surgical Undeadvors 3:43
4. Tar and Feathers 3:15
5. Rapture Addict 4:40
6. Leper Colony 4:35
7. A Flow So Greatly Macabre 3:20
8. Flesh Crawl Demise 3:24
9. Gruesome End 2:55

Band members
Marc Grewe – vocals
Rogga Johansson – guitars, bass
Jon Skäre – drums

Links
Leper Colony Facebook | YouTube | BandCamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon

Album Review – De Profundis / The Corruption of Virtue (2022)

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This unrelenting London, UK-based Death Metal entity will corrupt us all to the sound of their most intense, aggressive and challenging release to date.

Most bands mellow with age, but that’s not the case with London, UK-based Death Metal entity De Profundis. Nearly two decades since their inception, the band currently comprised of Craig Land on vocals, Shoi Sen and Paul Nazarkardeh (both of Monument of Misanthropy) on the guitars, Steve Woodcock on bass and Tom Atherton on drums has only evolved to become more and more extreme with each album, their latest probably being their most intense, aggressive and challenging release to date, entitled The Corruption of Virtue, the follow-up to their 2018 critically acclaimed album The Blinding Light of Faith. Produced by Peter Dowsett and displaying a sick artwork by Alex Tartsus (Depravity, Sepulchral Curse), The Corruption of Virtue is an absolute treat for any fan of Death Metal who likes the music to be demanding, engrossing and well thought out, being therefore highly recommended for lovers of bands such as Death, At The Gates, Carcass and Martyr, among several others.

The quintet wastes no time and begin their Progressive Death Metal attack in Ritual Cannibalism, where Craig sounds awesomely gruesome on vocals supported by Shoi and Paul’s acid riffage, not to mention the demolishing beats by Tom; whereas Sectarian Warfare is even more devastating than the opening tune, with Shoi and Paul being simply flawless armed with their stringed axes while Steve and Tom make the earth tremble with their respective bass and drums in a lecture in Death Metal. Then the low-tuned, rumbling bass by Steve will crawl deep inside your mind in the venomous Relentless March, the perfect fusion of brutality and intricacy, with Craig sounding like a creature from the abyss; and it’s time to slam into the circle pit like a headbanging bastard to the sound of Weaponised Rape, where their progressive vein gets even stronger spearheaded by the unstoppable blast beats by Tom.

Sick guitar riffs and solos spiced up by endless violence and dementia are the main ingredients in the multi-layered Death Metal feast Embrace Dystopia, simply infernal from start to finish, and more of their undisputed Death Metal is offered to us all in Desecrating Innocence, with Craig vociferating rabidly in the name of evil, blasphemy and rage. In Religious Cancer we face three minutes of vicious, thunderous sounds blasted by De Profundis where the guitar solos by Shoi and Paul sound as sharp as a knife, always supported by the metallic bass by Steve. Following such demented tune, another round of their obscure but extremely melodic and technical music is offered to us all in Scapegoat, showcasing a great job done by the band’s guitar duo while Tom hammers his drums mercilessly. Lastly, we’re treated to another solid composition titled The Sword Verses, and albeit it lacks a little of the violence from the rest of the album we can still enjoy Craig barking in great fashion as usual.

As already mentioned, De Profundis are far from slowing down or mellowing as the years go by; quite the contrary, in their vicious new opus The Corruption of Virtue they keep growing as a Death Metal beast, and if you want to show your total admiration and respect for those British death metallers you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their infernal music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the caustic The Corruption of Virtue from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore as a CD or as a gatefold LP with metallic effect and UV lamination by clicking HERE or HERE. It’s not easy at all to sound even more brutal than usual with each album released, but if the band in question is De Profundis let’s say that their new album proves that’s just another regular day in their undisputed career.

Best moments of the album: Sectarian Warfare, Desecrating Innocence and Scapegoat.

Worst moments of the album: The Sword Verses.

Released in 2022 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Ritual Cannibalism 3:34
2. Sectarian Warfare 4:09
3. Relentless March 4:47
4. Weaponised Rape 4:08
5. Embrace Dystopia 4:35
6. Desecrating Innocence 4:55
7. Religious Cancer 3:20
8. Scapegoat 4:03
9. The Sword Verses 4:59

Band members
Craig Land – vocals
Shoi Sen – guitars
Paul Nazarkardeh – guitars
Steve Woodcock – bass
Tom Atherton – drums

Album Review – Abaddon Incarnate / The Wretched Sermon (2022)

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These Irish Death Metal and Grindcore legends are back form the underworld after eight years with their most diverse and expressive album yet.

Having been active since the early 90’s, Dublin, Ireland-based Death Metal/Grindcore legends Abaddon Incarnate have only perfected their sound over the years, creating a quintessential blend of both the styles that can easily be enjoyed in all of its glory in their newborn spawn, entitled The Wretched Sermon, the sixth album in their undisputed career and their first since the 2014 album Pessimist. Displaying a sick artwork by renowned artist Ken Coleman, The Wretched Sermon is easily their most diverse and expressive album yet, meticulously written to flesh out every nuance while keeping things brisk and intense, showcasing a band in top form currently formed of Steve Maher on vocals and guitar, Bill Whelan also on the guitar, Irene Siragusa on bass and Olan Parkinson on drums and, therefore, being highly recommended for admirers of the sonic chaos blasted by renowned acts the likes of Napalm Death, Rotten Sound and Misery Index, among others.

Olan’s vile beats kick off the band’s devilish machine in Rising Of The Lights, a fulminating Grindcore attack where Steve roars manically in the name of evil, whereas Veritas is even more demented and infernal than the opening tune, with the guitars by Steve and Bill exhaling pure sulfur while Irene and Olan are on fire with their heavy-as-hell kitchen. Then bringing forward elements from Black and Death Metal carefully added to their core essence, it’s time to slam into the pit to the sound of Gateways, absolutely fast, furious and demonic, followed by Epic Desecration, not recommended for the lighthearted, where Steve and Bill fire endless violence and hatred through their wicked riffage accompanied by the thunderous bass by the she-demon Irene. In the less demolishing but still caustic and obscure Parasite, it’s time for Olan to blast some headbanging beats while Steve screams rabidly from the bottom of his lungs; and back to their most visceral, deranged mode, the band offers us all Hideous Arise, a bestial creation by the quartet with their guitar work and nonstop drums turning it into one of the most pulverizing of all songs. And if you think Abaddon Incarnate will slow down at any given point you’re absolutely wrong, as in Killing Spree they continue their sonic onrush showcasing never-stopping, frantic riffs and solos, crushing drums and evil roars.

Steve’s guttural screams get deeper and more satanic in Into The Maelstrom, with the entire band sounding possessed by an evil force from the underworld, while Irene hammers her bass in great fashion in Resurrected From A Mass Grave, extracting tons of groove and providing her bandmates with everything they need to craft another explosion of Grindcore. There’s no time to breathe as it’s total anarchy to the sound of Shrine Of Flesh, with Steve gnarling like a creature from the abyss until the very last second; and blending elements from bands like Carcass and Sepultura to their sonority the quartet will smash our cranial skulls mercilessly in Hyperchaos, a fantastic tune spearheaded by Olan’s boisterous beats. Their second to last display of sheer animosity and sulfur is entitled Isolation And Decay, presenting another awesome job done by Steve and Bill armed with their axes without showing not even a single second of peace throughout its over six demonic minutes, and lastly, how about we destroy our bodies into the circle pit one final time with the band? That’s what they have to offer us all in Silent Indifference, with the harsh vociferations by Steve pounding our hearts and minds into dust.

As you can see, Abaddon Incarnate are not just back from the netherworld carrying their apocalyptic, gruesome new album The Wretched Sermon in their blood-soaked arms, which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but they’re eager to tear your flesh apart to the sound of their undisputed Grindcore, and if you want to show them all your support and admiration you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and more of their caustic music. Hence, don’t forget to also grab your copy of The Wretched Sermon from their own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore as an 8-panel digipak CD (by clicking HERE or HERE) or as a gatefold LP, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon. And may the wretched sermon of old school Grindcore by Abaddon Incarnate reverberate inside our damned minds for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Veritas, Epic Desecration, Hideous Arise, Resurrected From A Mass Grave and Hyperchaos.

Worst moments of the album: Parasite.

Released in 2022 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Rising Of The Lights 2:46
2. Veritas 1:16
3. Gateways 2:26
4. Epic Desecration 2:47
5. Parasite 2:11
6. Hideous Arise 1:16
7. Killing Spree 2:21
8. Into The Maelstrom 1:56
9. Resurrected From A Mass Grave 2:23
10. Shrine Of Flesh 3:47
11. Hyperchaos 3:43
12. Isolation And Decay 6:56
13. Silent Indifference 2:18

Band members
Steve Maher – vocals, guitar
Bill Whelan – guitar
Irene Siragusa – bass
Olan Parkinson – drums

Album Review – Sisyphean / Colours of Faith (2022)

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A massively ambitious yet sincere album that ought to be regarded as a landmark album in Dissonant Black Metal, carefully brought into being by an uncanny Lithuanian horde.

Intense as well as atmospheric, Vilnius, Lithuania-based Dissonant Black Metal entity Sisyphean has the perfectly tempered sound for this style of music by crafting thrilling and engaging songs that are both coherent and fulfilling, which can be appreciated in all of its glory in their brand new opus, entitled Colours of Faith. Mixed by Satanic Audio, mastered by Resonance Sound Studio, and displaying a stylish cover artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, Colours of Faith is a massively ambitious yet sincere album that ought to be regarded as a landmark album in the style, showcasing all the talent of Dainius P. on vocals, Adomas V. and Kamil U. on the guitars, guest Andrius B. on bass, and Mantas D. on drums, appealing to admirers of the music by Svartidaudi, Deathspell Omega, Blut aus Nord, Mgla and Svartulven, just to name a few.

The dissonant, futuristic intro Before the Light warms up the listener for the pulverizing aria Scorched Timeless, with Adomas and Kamil showing absolutely zero mercy for their stringed axes accompanied by the rumbling bass by Andrius, all spiced up by the demonic vociferations by Dainius. Then investing in a more straightforward, no shenanigans Black Metal sonority, the band will darken your thoughts to the sound of Hearts of Mercury, again showcasing visceral riffs boosted by the infernal blast beats by Mantas, whereas strident guitar lines ignite the multi-layered Black Metal extravaganza titled Sovereigns of Livid Hope, offering our avid ears seven minutes of total chaos and darkness where Dainius roars in anger while Mantas adds a good dosage of intricacy to the overall result with his wicked drums.

After 25 seconds of ethereal sounds in the interlude The Descent the band comes crushing our senses with the beyond Stygian and heavy-as-hell Exiles, where the riffage by Adomas and Kamil will penetrate deep inside your psyche while Andrius and Mantas keep shaking the foundations of the earth with their respective bass and drums, resulting in a classic Black Metal tune with modern nuances. Their second to last explosion of evil sounds comes in the form of Open Wounds, a somber tune with Doom Metal hints that reminds me of some of the most recent creations by the almighty Watain; and lastly, it’s time for almost 10 minutes of insanity and chaos titled Conqueror, starting in a more than obscure manner before evolving into a sluggish, visceral feast of our beloved Black Metal where Mantas dictates the song’s hellish pace while Dainius keeps vociferating rabidly like there’s no tomorrow, with its second half becoming the soundtrack to a sinister horror movie until all fades into the unknown.

You can reach out to those Lithuanian metallers through Facebook and Instagram, letting them know how much you love their music, and also purchase Colours of Faith (which is also available for a full listen on Spotify) from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore in the US (as a digipak CD or as a gatefold LP) or in Europe (also in CD or LP format). A brilliantly written and arranged album, Colours of Faith provides for intuitive undulations of extremity and emotions, not only captivating your attention throughout but also moving you, and that’s exactly the beauty of the music played by Sisyphean, delivering much more than just plain Black Metal by creating an enfolding atmosphere that will last for all eternity and, therefore, allowing the band to continue exploring the darkest side of music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Hearts of Mercury, Sovereigns of Livid Hope and Exiles.

Worst moments of the album: Open Wounds.

Released in 2022 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Before the Light 0:58
2. Scorched Timeless 6:43
3. Hearts of Mercury 5:18
4. Sovereigns of Livid Hope 7:02
5. The Descent 0:26
6. Exiles 5:49
7. Open Wounds 4:58
8. Conqueror 9:45

Band members
Dainius P. – vocals
Adomas V. – guitars
Kamil U. – guitars
Mantas D. – drums

Guest musician
Andrius B. – bass (session)

Album Review – Godless Truth / Godless Truth (2022)

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The new album by this ruthless Czech Death Metal horde will bring Armageddon to us all, sounding refreshingly clear while also sounding sufficiently nasty.

Long-running Olomouc, Czech Republic-based Technical Death Metal band Godless Truth might have been around since the early 90’s, but they have definitely gone from strength to strength with each album, imbibing influences that enhance their sound and make them more powerful and effective than ever before. Mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, displaying a demonic artwork by Marcos Miller at Nauseaimage, and featuring an array of very special (and demolishing) guests, the band’s brand new self-titled album will bring Armageddon to us all, sounding refreshingly clear while also sounding sufficiently nasty, therefore establishing their identity in an overpopulated scene as a band doing it with panache and grit, and being highly recommended for admirers of the infernal sound blasted by bands the likes of Death, Benighted, Decapitated, Atheist and Obscura.

Eerie sounds arise from the underworld in the uncanny intro Wheels of Entity before the band smashes our damned souls with The Decision, featuring a sick guitar solo by guest Rafael Trujillo of Obscura, a pulverizing display of Death Metal that will make your head tremble to the blast beats by Petr Mikeš. Put differently, it’s absolutely infernal from start to finish thanks to the gruesome roars by Adam while Petr Švancara and Ondřej fire sheer animosity from their guitars, flowing into the sinister interlude Glory to Desperation, where the melodic sound of their riffs will mesmerize you before they crush our senses once again with their Technical Death Metal in Scissors, with Jakub and Petr Mikeš showing no mercy for our cranial skulls armed with their insane kitchen, offering Adam all he needs to shine with his deep, venomous guttural. And in Breathe Fire the name of the song matches perfectly with Adam’s flammable vociferations, adding hints of Black Metal to their already savage sonority while his bandmates make sure the music remains as demented as possible until the very last second.

Featuring guest vocalist Petr Angelo Čuka of Dissolution, it’s time for a neck-breaking feast entitled Fortune Time, with Petr Švancara and Ondřej kicking ass with both their sick riffage and piercing solos, inspiring us all to slam into some wild circle pits if played live; whereas Jakub’s rumbling bass ignites the Death Metal onrush named Bred in Greed, accompanied by the rhythmic drums by Petr Mikeš in a great display of dexterity and rage, keeping the album at a humongous level of insanity. Then with Joe Haley of Psycroptic delivering an incendiary guitar solo, Petr Mikeš sounds like a stone crusher from hell in The Eyechain, a song that will please all fans of the most demolishing side of Death Metal hands down, not to mention how visceral the roaring by Adam sounds, and the piano by guest Peter Gábor brings an extra touch of darkness to RIP Cage while Godless Truth simply decimate their devilish instruments, sounding fast and furious just the way we like it with the band’s guitar duo being on fire from start to finish. Finally, vocalist Matt Delirious lends his beastly roars to the band in Wake Up to Obey, ending the album on a dark, groovy and violent note, therefore living up to the legacy of modern-day Technical and Progressive Death Metal.

If you want to know more about the fusion of brutality and melody blasted by Godless Truth, you can start following the band on Facebook and purchase your copy of their insane self-titled beast from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore, where you can find a beautiful, natural-textured, green-coloured wooden box set with matte finish that has the band logo laser-engraved on it with the label logo on the back, strictly limited to 65 copies and packed with an 8-panel digipak CD with metallic effect and UV lamination, an autographed card, a green shaped logo patch, an album artwork coaster, a large badge and metallic stickers. In a nutshell, despite being on the road for so long, it’s with their new album that Godless Truth have reached their finest moment, elevating the name of Czech Technical Death Metal to new heights.

Best moments of the album: The Decision, Breathe Fire and The Eyechain.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Wheels of Entity 0:59
2. The Decision 4:22
3. Glory to Desperation 0:44
4. Scissors 3:44
5. Breathe Fire 3:11
6. Fortune Time 4:10
7. Bred in Greed 4:19
8. The Eyechain 3:30
9. RIP Cage 3:49
10. Wake Up to Obey 4:06

Band members
Adam B. Sychrow – vocals
Petr Švancara – guitar
Ondřej Černobila – guitar
Jakub Grunt – bass
Petr Mikeš – drums

Guest musicians
Rafael Trujillo – lead guitar on “The Decision”
Joe Haley – lead guitar on “The Eyechain”
Petr Angelo Čuka – vocals on “Fortune Time”
Peter Gábor – piano on “RIP Cage”
Matt Delirious – vocals on “Wake Up To Obey”

Album Review – Cutterred Flesh / Sharing is Caring (2021)

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Brace yourselves for the new album by this ruthless Czech Death Metal horde, offering that warm, comforting, bludgeoning heaviness that will put you to sleep, perhaps permanently.

Forged  in 2001 in the burning fires of Karlovy Vary, a town in the west Bohemia region of the Czech Republic (or Czechia, if you prefer), a Brutal Death Metal beast that goes by the name of Cutterred Flesh is ready to spread violence, gore and insanity all over the world thanks to their newborn spawn, entitled Sharing Is Caring, the follow-up to their 2018 album Code: Violence. Recorded at Kohlekeller Studio under the supervision of Kristian Kohle Kohlmannslehner, and displaying a demonic artwork by Pär Olofsson (Aborted, Immolation), the album is loaded with all the Death Metal riffs you need, all the diversity to not only set the songs apart but to also keep things interesting, and that warm, comforting, bludgeoning heaviness that will put you to sleep, perhaps permanently, showcasing all the talent and aggressiveness of Jiri Krs on vocals, Vitali Novak and David Krombholz on the guitars, Zdenek Hnizdil on bass and Frantisek Drazdansky on drums, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Suffocation, Devourment, Aborted, Cattle Decapitation and Benighted, among several others.

Frantisek begins his sonic attack behind his drums in Vibrio Vulnificus, an obscure and primeval Death Metal aria by Cutterred Flesh where Jiri takes the lead with his inhumane growling, going straight to your jugular while showcasing a lot of intricacy at the same time; and Black Aurora brings forward another round of sheer violence and darkness by the quintet, with both Vitali and David breathing fire through their guitars, not to mention the stone crushing sound blasted by Frantisek for our total delight. Then in Where Only Old Flesh Stinks a more melancholic vibe is carefully added to their core devastation, setting the stage for Jiri to bark like a creature of the underworld while Zdenek delivers some vicious and complex lines from his bass, followed by Good Boy – Romantic Relationship with Necrotic Tissue, featuring guest vocals by American singer and guitarist Von Young of Lividity, a vicious Death Metal onrush that sounds as infernal and demolishing as it can be.

Cutterred Flesh Sharing Is Caring CD Box Set

The Mystery of the Black Hen offers our putrid ears three minutes of pure, unfiltered Death Metal where the band’s guitar duo not only cuts our skin deep with their sharp riffage, but they also fire beautiful solos, whereas in Amused by the Tenacity of a Dying Whore the band adds elements from Deathslam and even Deathcore to their massive sonority, resulting in one of the most disturbing and heaviest of all songs, and with Frantisek sounding like he’s possessed on drums. Fans of Suffocation and Aborted will have a blast with Knife Is Not the Enemy, a brutal and infernal European death feast where Jiri showcases his deepest guttural roars from start to finish, and there’s no time to breathe thanks to the imposing My Favourite Bodybag, another stunning depiction of the band’s brutality and talent with Zdenek and Frantisek generating a thunderous wall of Death Metal with their demonic kitchen. And how about a body slammin’ extravaganza as a bonus track? That’s what you’ll get in Progressive Body Adjustment, with Jiri’s screams being supported by the inhumane beats by Frantisek until the very last second.

If you’re a fan of the brutality of classic Death Metal with a melodic and intricate twist, I’m sure you’ll have a blast with Sharing is Caring, available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as an ass-kicking wooden LP box set with engraving containing a gatefold LP with metallic effect and UV lamination, an autographed card, an A3 size poster, a shaped logo patch, a bottle opener badge and a metallic sticker (and you can get it HERE or HERE), from Apple Music or from Amazon. Also, don’t forget to give the guys from Cutterred Flesh a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, sharing your love for Brutal Death Metal with the band and other metalheads from all over the world because, as the name of the album already says, sharing is caring.

Best moments of the album: Black Aurora, Where Only Old Flesh Stinks and Amused by the Tenacity of a Dying Whore.

Worst moments of the album: The Mystery of the Black Hen.

Released in 2021 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Vibrio Vulnificus 4:04
2. Black Aurora 4:26
3. Where Only Old Flesh Stinks 4:32
4. Good Boy – Romantic Relationship with Necrotic Tissue 3:16
5. The Mystery of the Black Hen 3:25
6. Amused by the Tenacity of a Dying Whore 3:10
7. Knife Is Not the Enemy 4:15
8. My Favourite Bodybag 4:12

Bonus track
9. Progressive Body Adjustment 3:37

Band members
Jiri Krs – vocals
Vitali Novak – guitar
David Krombholz – guitar
Zdenek Hnizdil – bass
Frantisek Drazdansky – drums

Guest musician
Von Young – vocals on “Good Boy – Romantic Relationship with Necrotic Tissue”

Album Review – Crypts of Despair / All Light Swallowed (2021)

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Behold the breathtaking sophomore opus by a ruthless Death Metal unity from Lithuania, embodying the perfect combination of face-melting aggression and electrifying atmosphere.

3.5rating

crypts-of-despair-all-light swallowed-2021Formed in 2009 in Kaunas, a city in south-central Lithuania, the ruthless Death Metal band known as Crypts of Despair has made a quantum leap from their well-received debut full-length opus The Stench of the Earth, released in 2017, to their brand new one, entitled All Light Swallowed. Produced by the band itself, recorded at Lapės Records, mixed and engineered by Alexander Sarychev at DTH Studios, mastered by Arthur Rizk, and featuring a classic, somber artwork by Néstor Avalos, All Light Swallowed is at once ferocious, rife with unearthly and dissonant sounds, and punctuated by hair-raising, eerie ambience, embodying the perfect combination of face-melting aggression and electrifying atmosphere, with song structures remaining unpredictable and yet strangely coherent, all carefully brought into being by vocalist and guitarist Dovydas Auglys, guitarist Benas Juskus, bassist and vocalist Simonas Jurkevicius, and drummer Henri Mall. Put differently, if you’re an admirer of the music by bands the likes of Incantation, Anaal Nathrakh and Morbid Angel, this album is a must-have in your personal collection.

Get ready for total annihilation to the sound of the pulverizing opening track Being – Erased, a lecture in modern-day Death Metal led by the blast beast by Henri while Dovydas and Benas extract piercing, sulfurous Black Metal-inspired riffs from their guitars, and there’s no sign of slowing down as the quartet continues their path of devastation in Anguished Exhale, even more brutal and infernal than the opening tune with Dovydas and Simonas roaring manically nonstop. In Choked By The Void a cryptic start morphs into another visceral Death Metal feast led by the strident riffage by the band’s guitar duo, smashing our cranial skulls and dragging us into eternal darkness, and more of their furious sounds comes in the form of Condemned To Life, where Henri pounds and crushes his drums in great fashion, sounding very violent but at the same time technical and melodic and, therefore, resulting into sheer Death Metal awesomeness.

crypts-of-despair-all-light-swallowed-black-coffin-shaped-wooden-cd-box-set

Crypts of Despair All Light Swallowed Black Coffin-Shaped Wooden CD Box Set with Engraving

Living up to the legacy of renowned acts such as Incantation and Immolation, the quartet fires the visceral Synergy Of Suffering, once again presenting the dynamic (and bestial) vocal duet between Dovydas and Simonas, and if you thought those Lithuanian metallers couldn’t sound more demonic you better get ready for The Great End, a sinister, neck-breaking tune that blends their trademark Death Metal with Black Metal nuances. Then venturing through more obscure lands we’re treated to the venomous Disgust, a beautiful Death, Black and (even) Doom Metal creation by Crypts of Despair where the vocal lines sound and feel utterly satanic, not to mention the thunderous drums by Henri. Dovydas and Benas definitely know how to send shivers down our spines with their wicked riffs, generating a menacing ambience in Excruciating Weight, putting a grim smile on the faces of the damned and flowing into the Stygian instrumental outro Bleak View, sounding as if it was taken from the most horrifying psychological thriller you can imagine.

crypts-of-despair-2021It’s quite easy to put your hands on such amazing album of Baltic Death Metal, as All Light Swallowed (which you can by the way stream in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify) is available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, but if I were you I would definitely go for the ass-kicking, limited Black Coffin-Shaped Wooden CD Box Set with Engraving by clicking HERE, HERE or HERE (depending on where in the world you are), containing an 8-panel digipak CD with sandalwood scent, an autographed card, a shaped silver sigil patch, a keychain with bottle opener, an album artwork badge, a beer coaster and a metallic sticker. Also, don’t forget to give the guys from Crypts of Despair a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, showing your support to such incredible band from the Baltics. And you better hurry, before all light is finally swallowed and you’re trapped in eternal Death Metal darkness.

Best moments of the album: Being – Erased, Condemned To Life and Disgust.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing   
1. Being – Erased 4:33
2. Anguished Exhale 4:13
3. Choked By The Void 5:17
4. Condemned To Life 3:27
5. Synergy Of Suffering 2:57
6. The Great End 5:32
7. Disgust 4:23
8. Excruciating Weight 3:57
9. Bleak View 3:37

Band members
Dovydas Auglys – vocals, guitar
Benas Juskus – guitar
Simonas Jurkevicius – bass, vocals
Henri Mall – drums

Album Review – Revulsion / Revulsion (2021)

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This ruthless Finnish unity is on fire in their debut full-length opus, offering us all an aggressive, sharp and viciously groovy form of Death Metal that begs for repeat listens.

Hailing from Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, a region of Finland that borders Lapland, Kainuu, North Savo, Central Finland and Central Ostrobothnia, as well as the Russian Republic of Karelia, the unrelenting Death Metal unity known as Revulsion has been carving their name in the local and international scene with their aggressive, sharp and viciously groovy form of Death Metal that begs for repeat listens. Now in 2021, this furious five-piece act comprised of Aleksi Huhta on vocals, Jari Toppinen and Jarkko Viitasalo on the guitars, Tuomas Alatalo on bass and Atte Karppinen on drums returns in full force with their self-titled debut full-length opus, following on the very positive feedback received for their 2010 demo Undressing External Humanity and their 2011 EP Defiled, being highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Dying Fetus, Depravity, Suffocation and Morbid Angel, among several others. Featuring a straightforward artwork by Polish illustrator Kuba Sokólski, the album brings forward Death Metal that is contemporary and practical, taking the best elements from all over and delivering it flawlessly without pulling any punches, helping the band pave their destructive path that started in the already distant year of 2005.

Revulsion kick off the album with Last Echoes of Life, a pulverizing, demonic extravaganza serving as the welcome card by the quintet where Aleksi is a true beast on vocals, and you can already sense a lot of Groove Metal influences in their sick Death Metal as mentioned, whereas the razor-edged riffs by Jari and Jarkko, together with the classic beats by Atte, generate a thunderous atmosphere in the menacing tune Pyre, displaying an amazing job done by all band members (in special Tuomas with his Alex Webster-inspired bass jabs). Then it’s time to slam into the circle pit like a demented metalmaniac to the sound of Walls, where Aleksi continues to bark and growl manically while his bandmates don’t let the energy level go down not even for a single second in this hammering Death Metal chant. After such infernal tune we’re treated to Mustaa Hiiltä, or “black carbon” from Finnish, and as the name already indicates it’s by far the darkest and most devilish of all songs form the album, blending the heaviness of Death Metal with the obscurity of Doom Metal, and once again presenting Tuomas’ rumbling bass to make things even more infernal; while Lihaan Sidottu Kirja (“a book bound by flesh”) brings forward another round of their deranged music, presenting Jari and Jarkko’s trademark riffage and the brutality flowing from the kitchen crafted by Tuomas and Atte. Put differently, this is Death Metal at its finest.

Revulsion Wooden Coffin Box

Blasting their sonic weapons without showing a single drop of mercy, those Finnish metallers will decimate your ears in Wastelands, again bringing forward a perfect sync between Aleksi’s hellish growling and the vicious drumming by Atte, and more of their classic Death Metal comes in the form of Unravel, offering the listener blazing riffs and smashing drums while Aleksi continues to vociferate the song’s words with tons of anger, albeit not as dynamic nor as creative as its predecessors. Back to a more ferocious sonority, it’s time for Atte to take the lead with his wicked beats and fills in Silence, while the band’s evil guitar duo continues to slash our ears with their dirty, intricate and venomous riffs; followed by Pawns, a high-octane, straight-to-the-point Death Metal explosion crafted by Revulsion that will please all fans of old school savagery, with Atte displaying all his heavy artillery throughout the song’s two intense minutes. Finally, there’s nothing better than closing the album with six minutes of sheer darkness and malevolence like what they offer us in Viimeinen Rituaali (“the last ritual”), the perfect tune for banging your head like a deranged maniac, with the Stygian riffs by Jari and Jarkko being a work-of-art.

You can find more information about Revulsion, their music, tour dates and plans for the future on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course in order to show those Finnish death metallers all your support and admiration you can purchase their bestial self-titled album from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore by clicking HERE or HERE, but if I were you I would definitely go for the jaw-dropping Revulsion Wooden Coffin Box with laser engraving of the band logo, containing the wooden box and an 8-panel digipak CD with metallic effect and UV lamination, plus an autographed card, a metallic logo patch, a badge, a beer coaster, a bottle opener with keychain and a metallic sticker. What else can you ask for, right? This is top-notch Death Metal made in Finland that’s definitely going to stand out in your collection, showing everyone in your family and all your friends that you’re indeed a revulsive headbanging bastard.

Best moments of the album: Pyre, Mustaa Hiiltä and Lihaan Sidottu Kirja.

Worst moments of the album: Unravel.

Released in 2021 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Last Echoes of Life 3:06
2. Pyre 3:23
3. Walls 3:13
4. Mustaa Hiiltä 5:21
5. Lihaan Sidottu Kirja 3:49
6. Wastelands 2:42
7. Unravel 3:53
8. Silence 3:21
9. Pawns 2:09
10. Viimeinen Rituaali 5:59

Band members
Aleksi Huhta – vocals
Jari Toppinen – guitar
Jarkko Viitasalo – guitar
Tuomas Alatalo – bass
Atte Karppinen – drums