Album Review – Insect Inside / Reborn in Blight (2026)

This Brutal Death Metal brigade from Russia will crush you with their sophomore album, continuing their apocalyptic storytelling, chronicling humanity’s downfall and the rise of the insectoid race.

Emerging from Chelyabinsk, Russia’s underground scene back in 2017, the ruthless Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore creature known as Insect Inside has carved a reputation for its tight and aggressive sound, blending groove-heavy slam with suffocating atmospherics. Now in 2026 the band formed of Ivan Tyulkin (Nauseating) on vocals, Pavel Pleshkov (Ocean In My Bath) on the guitar, Bogdan Pisavnin (Cold Blooded Murder, Traumatomy) on bass, and Daniel Sementsov (Nauseating, Morphogenetic Malformation) on drums returns with their sophomore effort, titled Reborn in Blight, following up on their 2021 debut The First Shining of New Genus and their 2022 EP Into Impending Apotheosis. Produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Sasha Borovykh at TsunTsun Productions, and displaying a vile artwork by Jon Zig, the album showcases the band’s evolution toward a rawer, more visceral tone. Lyrically, the album continues their apocalyptic storytelling, chronicling humanity’s downfall and the rise of the insectoid race.

Human consciousness is definitely a mistake in evolution, and the band presents that disturbing thought through their dark and visceral Death Metal in Echoes Of The Swallowed Sinners, with Ivan’s deep guttural sending shivers down our spines. Then featuring guest vocals by Angel Ochoa of Cephalotripsy, we have the brutal yet melodic and multi-layered Abhorrent Landscape, with the guitars by Pavel cutting our skin deep in the name of gore and violence; and their celebration of bestiality continues in full force in Fragments, with Daniel taking the lead with his demonic beats supported by Bogdan’s ruthless bass. Putrid Lament brings forward another display of modern-day Brutal Death Metal, with their riffs and bass lines boosting Ivan’s gruesome vocals in great fashion, followed by Hiveborn Abomination, featuring guest vocalist Josh Welshman of Defeated Sanity, and the band shows absolutely no mercy for our frail bodies in this first-class, nonstop display of aggression and gore.

There’s still a lot more to come, starting with the groove-infused Brutal Death Metal feast titled Flesh Cathedral, again presenting Daniel’s demented yet intricate beats and fills, and Obscuration Worship, an instrumental piece that, despite its interesting bass lines and rhythmic drums, doesn’t add much to the album, followed by Carnal Ruins, where Ivan reaches the deepest, most inhumane level of his gnarling, sounding like a creature form the abyss while Pavel inspires us all to slam like metalmaniacs to the sound of his vile riffs. Then featuring guest vocals by Lennon O’Donnell of Pestilectomy, Parasite Messiah offers our putrid ears classic Brutal Death Metal spearheaded by another killer performance by Daniel on drums. Their feast of gory, infernal sounds finally ends with the title-track Reborn In Blight, just as demonic, heavy and grim, with Pavel and Bogdan’s axes exhaling savagery.

Drawing inspiration from Brutal Death Metal with hints of Black Metal, citing Disentomb, Relics Of Humanity, Cryptopsy, Defeated Sanity, and Vulvectomy among their top influences, Insect Inside continue to spread their grotesque vision characterized by gloom, disgust, and apocalyptic themes to the four corners of the earth with their new album, and if you want to join them in such a demented quest you can find those Russians on Facebook, on Instagram, and on VKontakte, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase Reborn in Blight from the Gore House Productions’ BandCamp and webstore, or by clicking HERE or HERE. The era of the insectoids has begun, and there’s nothing better to celebrate such an important milestone in humanity’s decay than the brutal music blasted by Insect Inside in their new album.

Best moments of the album: Abhorrent Landscape, Hiveborn Abomination and Carnal Ruins.

Worst moments of the album: Obscuration Worship.

Released in 2026 Gore House Productions

Track listing
1. Echoes Of The Swallowed Sinners 3:31
2. Abhorrent Landscape 2:54
3. Fragments 2:18
4. Putrid Lament 3:35
5. Hiveborn Abomination 2:51
6. Flesh Cathedral 3:00
7. Obscuration Worship 1:20
8. Carnal Ruins 2:45
9. Parasite Messiah 3:29
10. Reborn In Blight 5:22

Band members
Ivan Tyulkin – vocals
Pavel Pleshkov – guitar
Bogdan Pisavnin – bass
Daniel Sementsov – drums

Guest musician
Angel Ochoa – vocals on “Abhorrent Landscape”
Josh Welshman – vocals on “Hiveborn Abomination”
Lennon O’Donnell – vocals on “Parasite Messiah”

Album Review – Gorebringer / A Craving For Flesh (2019)

A gory fusion of Melodic Death Metal with more extreme styles blasted by a bloodthirsty trio from the UK, eviscerating your ears and minds ruthlessly.

Proudly carrying the flag of Melodic Death Metal everywhere they go, but always venturing through more aggressive and gory lands, London, England-based triumvirate Gorebringer has just unleashed upon us their debut full-length opus entitled A Craving For Flesh, highly recommended for admirers of the fusion of speed, violence and melody blasted by bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and At The Gates. Formed in 2017 by vocalist Blööd Wörm (also known as Gorebringer himself), guitarist and bassist Stench, and drummer Carrion, Gorebringer offer in A Craving For Flesh everything we love in traditional Swedish Melodic Death Metal, but of course with their own British (and utterly putrid) twist. Mixed and mastered by TsunTsun Productions, and featuring a demonic, parasite-inspired artwork by Kumislizer Design, A Craving For Flesh will eviscerate your ears and mind ruthlessly, showing Gorebringer are not among us to make new friends, but instead to pulverize us with their bloodthirsty onrush of sounds.

An ominous intro featuring the dark keys by guest B.ulugüney ignites the demolishing The Fog, where Carrion showcases all his technique and fury from the very first beat while Blööd Wörm’s hellish gnarls sound a lot more Black Metal than Melodic Death Metal, therefore bringing a humongous amount of obscurity to the music. Then deep guttural growls and nonstop blast beats permeate the air in Meatporn, showcasing classic Death Metal-like lyrics (“Rotten breath fills the air / As the eyes rolling back, / Sweat drops on smelly-sexy / Corpse of your beloved one.”), as well as some sick Carcass-inspired riffs and solos and demented bass punches powerfully delivered by Stench; and it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the high-octane and extremely vile Rivers Of Blood, with its strident, metallic guitars adding more balance to the overall devastation brought forth by the trio, resulting in a lesson in modern Melodic Death Metal with a truly devilish vibe.

In My Sweet Knife, a crisp and austere fusion of Melodic and Blackened Death Metal tailored for admirers of the darkest forms of metal music, we’re treated to over four minutes of nonstop action where the vocals by Blööd Wörm overflow adrenaline and rage, whereas in The Cabin a movie-inspired beginning evolves into a to a dark, raw and neck-breaking sonic extravaganza where Carrion is absolutely precise and violent on drums, with the overall musicality flirting with classic Black Metal at times. And back to a more Arch Enemy/Carcass-inspired mode, the trio fires sheer hatred and madness in Shattered Sanity, with Stench continuing to slash his strings mercilessly while the infernal roars by Blööd Wörm get even more piercing and menacing than before.

Bloodsoaked Chapel is a sonic havoc blending the most visceral elements from Melodic Death Metal and modern-day Hardcore where its bass couldn’t sound more metallic, also presenting demented, controversial lyrics (“Oh sodomized slaves of my mine / Stop whining, surrender and have fun / My rage will grow faster, darker / Digging your holes is my absolute pleasure / Your flesh is my most precious toy / Your skin decorates my den perfectly”). After such high level of aggressiveness, the trio slows things down a bit and offers us a darker, more introspective composition titled The Hollow, clearly inspired by the music by Arch Enemy. It’s not that this is a bad song, but in my humble opinion Gorebringer sound a lot more cohesive and vibrant when they play at the speed of light. Lastly, Carrion accelerates the band’s wicked pace in the closing tune, the instrumental beast named The Restless Forest, once again flirting with Melodic Black Metal, while Stench gives a lecture in electricity and groove with his guitar shredding and bass jabs.

I’m pretty sure the guys from Gorebringer are beyond satisfied with the outcome of their collective efforts in A Craving For Flesh (available for a full listen on YouTube), and they definitely should be, as their debut album is indeed an amazing work of contemporary Melodic Death Metal infused with the goriest elements from traditional Death Metal the likes of Cannibal Corpse. Hence, if you want to show your true support to this talented trio from the UK, go check what they’re up to on Facebook, and don’t forget to purchase your copy of A Craving For Flesh from the Gate Of The Silver Key Records’ BandCamp page or from Discogs, helping Gorebringer spread their visceral, acid and absolutely sanguinary creations to the four corner of our rotten and evil world.

Best moments of the album: Meatporn, Rivers Of Blood and Bloodsoaked Chapel.

Worst moments of the album: The Hollow.

Released in 2019 Gate Of The Silver Key Records

Track listing
1. The Fog 5:54
2. Meatporn 3:17
3. Rivers Of Blood 3:46
4. My Sweet Knife 4:34
5. The Cabin 6:29
6. Shattered Sanity 4:42
7. Bloodsoaked Chapel 3:30
8. The Hollow 4:30
9. The Restless Forest 4:41

Band members
Blööd Wörm – vocals
Stench – guitars, bass
Carrion – drums

Guest musician
B.ulugüney – keyboards