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Album Review – The Day of the Beast / Nightspawn Descendants (2026)

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The Day of the Beast is upon us once again to the sound of their infuriated fifth opus, undoubtedly their heaviest, darkest and most dynamic record to date.

Combining elements of Death, Thrash and Black Metal into their core sound, Virginia’s own Blackened Thrash Metal creature The Day of the Beast returns from the pits of the underworld with their infuriated fifth studio offering, titled Nightspawn Descendants, following up on their venomous 2021 album Indisputably Carnivorous. Mixed by Ricardo Borges and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, the newborn spawn by vocalist Steve Harris, guitarists Steve Redmond and Bobby Phippins (by the way, Bobby sadly passed away back in 2024, which means Nightspawn Descendants is his “swan song”), Justin Shaw on bass, and Jeremy Bradley on drums is undoubtedly the band’s heaviest, darkest and most dynamic record yet, sounding massive and pummeling from start to finish.

The breathtaking With Drakkonian Force offers us all a bestial start to the album, with Steve Harris roaring and barking like a rabid beast supported by the fulminating riffs by Steve Redmon and Bobby, and there’s no time to breathe as those death dealers will crush your spinal cords with A Leering Grotesqueness, with Jeremy bringing an overdose of Thrash Metal to their Stygian core with his ruthless beats and fills. Fangbearer, themed around a Clive Barker short story called Rawhead Rex, continues their path of Blackened Thrash Metal led by the unstoppable drums by Jeremy, whereas in Exsanguination we face infernal lyrics barked by Steve Harris (“Forsaken flesh upon the earth / Derelict anomalies perceive this harsh reality / inner sanctum in a state of mystified perplexity / taste the filth, inhale the void / in misanthropic ecstacy / Unending dissection / of all attempts to reason / Scratching and clawing the path to unconsciousness / Paranoid deception / Terminate sympathy / Feast with the spawning shadows in your heart”) amidst an overdose of dark and ruhless Extreme Metal madness; followed by Revocation of the Black Talons, less vicious but extremely heavy and vile, with Justin and Jeremy making the earth tremble with their demonic kitchen.

The band shows no sign of slowing down at all, as Steve Redmond and Bobby slash their axes like true metallic beats in Their Flesh to the Father, sounding fast, furious and, therefore, perfect for slamming into the pit like there’s no tomorrow. Jeremy keeps demolishing everything and everyone that crosses his path in To the Edge of Abyss, enhancing the song’s violence while their guitars exhale harmony and electricity, all boosted by another bestial vocal performance by Steve Harris. Then we have Dire Omens, one of the last tracks Bobby wrote for The Day of the Beast, which means let’s honor him by letting it rip through our speakers, sounding as hellish and grim as its predecessors; and the band shows no mercy for our frail bodies in Embodiment, with Steve Harris delivering some of his deepest, most demonic vocals of the entire album while the drums by Jeremy sound inhumane from start to finish. Last but certainly not least, we face the massive, Stygian and somber title-track Nightspawn Descendants, with Steve Harris roaring nonstop accompanied by the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo and the always thunderous kitchen by Justin and Jeremy.

Crafting their own brand of apocalyptic Extreme Metal that shines a light on the darkest, filthiest corners of the human psyche since their inception back in 2006, The Day of the Beast are definitely going to reach new heights with Nightspawn Descendants, hopefully fueling them to take their music to stages all across the world including places like the UK, the EU, Japan, Brazil, and of course, Canada. Hence, you can stay up to date with all things The Day of the Beast and tell them how much you want to see them live on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their caustic creations on Spotify, and of course put your damned hands on Nightspawn Descendants by purchasing it from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Nightspawn Descendants is heavy, dark, and sulfurous. It’s an ode to Black, Death and Thrash Metal. and above all that, it’s a tribute to Bobby, a man who lived and breathed heavy music until the very end. Horns up for Bobby, and bang your heads nonstop to Nightspawn Descendants.

Best moments of the album: With Drakkonian Force, Exsanguination, Their Flesh to the Father and Embodiment.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Prosthetic Records

Track listing
1. With Drakkonian Force 5:04
2. A Leering Grotesqueness 3:52
3. Fangbearer 4:06
4. Exsanguination 4:52
5. Revocation of the Black Talons 6:41
6. Their Flesh to the Father 4:36
7. To the Edge of Abyss 3:49
8. Dire Omens 3:09
9. Embodiment 5:00
10. Nightspawn Descendants 9:43

Band members
Steve Harris – vocals
Steve Redmond – guitars
Bobby Phippins – guitars
Justin Shaw – bass
Jeremy Bradley – drums

Album Review – Velothian / Mythic Dawn (2026)

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This up-and-coming Portland, Oregon-based five-piece Post-Black Metal band will stun us all with their “musical tribute” to the lore of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

An up-and-coming five-piece Post-Black Metal band from Portland, Oregon, the thrilling Velothian, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Daren Walker, blends elements of Post-Metal, Folk Metal and Shoegaze (often with the inclusion of instruments like horns, synth, cello, and hand drums) in their music, drawing inspiration from nature, science fiction and fantasy. After the release of their 2024 debut EP Path of the Incarnate, the band currently formed of the aforementioned Daren Walker on the guitars alongside Juniper Ashford on vocals, Shawn Brannon on the guitar, Ethan Miller on bass, and Ryan Chappell on drums in unleashing upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Mythic Dawn. Mixed and mastered by Daren Walker himself, the album is a “musical tribute” to the lore of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, following Path of the Incarnate, which focused on Morrowind. Moreover, the album title refers to the Mythic Dawn, a secretive Daedric cult in The Elder Scrolls universe that worships Mehrunes Dagon and instigated the Oblivion Crisis.

Their epic battle begins in full force with The One From My Dreams, where Juniper’s devilish gnarls are properly boosted by the scathing riffs by Daren and Shawn, also presenting ethereal passages to give the song even more depth. In Forgotten Ruins, Juniper roars the song’s dark words (“Keepers of the fire / Sigils of ancient glass / Guardians of this mortal plane / Now a scattered memory / Eyes of pale fire / The Children of the sky”) amidst a doom-ish and enfolding blend of Symphonic Black Metal; while the journey continues with The Great Forest, venturing through the realms of Atmospheric Black Metal, with the guitars by Daren and Shawn exhaling obscurity. Night Mother is another sinister and Stygian creation by Daren and his henchmen, with the massive beats by Ryan adding an extra dosage of heaviness to their music; and Ryan keeps pounding his drums supported by the rumbling bass by Ethan in Deadlands, keeping the album at a demonic level of darkness. The band then goes full Symphonic Black Metal in Mania, led by the vile vociferations by Juniper, flowing into the incendiary and intricate closing song Dragonfires, where Daren and Shawn breathe fire from their axes in the name of extreme music.

With songs focusing on both nostalgia from the game itself while also dealing with original stories and scenarios from the role playing experience, Mythic Dawn offers the listener epic, triumphant, and adventurous blackened extreme music, and if you want to join Daren and his horde in such a heavy and dark adventure, you can start following Velothian on Facebook, and of course grab a copy of the excellent Mythic Dawn from the project’s own BandCamp. Extreme Metal has always been the perfect type of music to represent the passion and perils found in role playing games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, even more than the usual Power Metal bands, and I’m sure Velothian will soon return with another exciting and utterly metallic journey the likes of Mythic Dawn for our absolute delight.

Best moments of the album: Forgotten Ruins, Night Mother and Dragonfires.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. The One From My Dreams 4:19
2. Forgotten Ruins 5:05
3. The Great Forest 6:16
4. Night Mother 6:19
5. Deadlands 5:53
6. Mania 4:51
7. Dragonfires 6:51

Band members
Juniper Ashford – vocals
Daren Walker – guitar
Shawn Brannon – guitar
Ethan Miller – bass
Ryan Chappell – drums

Album Review – Mors Verum / Canvas EP (2026)

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This forward-thinking Canadian band continues to give their own interpretation to the Death Metal style in their new EP, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

“Mors verum” does not have a direct, standard meaning in Latin, but likely combines two separate words, “mors” (death) and “verum” (truth). The intended meaning is probably “truth or death,” or perhaps a variation of a phrase like “nihil verum nisi mors” (“nothing is true but death”), or the concept of “the only truth is death”. It is often used in the context of “truth or death” to imply one would rather die than not have the truth. In heavy music, Mors Verum are a forward-thinking Canadian band who are giving their own interpretation to the Death Metal style, creating music that is simultaneously dissonant, progressive, and atmospheric. Recorded at by Sean Pearson at Boxcar Studio, mixed by Mrudul Kamble at Erb Street Recording, mastered by Topon Das at Apartment 2, and displaying an ass-kicking artwork by Arifullah Ali of KanvasKarat, the new EP by Lyndon Quadros on vocals, Mrudul Kamble on the guitars, Spencer Mitchell on bass, and Greg Carvalho on drums, entitled Canvas, offers exactly that captivating blend of Dissonant and Progressive Death Metal, alternating between throbbing discordant blasts and soothing passages, traversing worlds hitherto unexplored.

The quartet wastes no time and kick off their idiosyncratic party with the progressive extravaganza Bloodied Teeth, with the pulverizing, demented drumming by Greg adding even more insanity to their already maniacal sounds. Mrudul’s visceral riffage is boosted by the bludgeoning bass by Spencer in Your Apocalypse, resulting in seven minutes of Dissonant Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted; and Lyndon keeps barking and roaring like a beast in Serenade, with the music alternating between absolute savagery and more melodic, groovier moments. Then we face the grim title-track Canvas, offering a hybrid of the sluggish sounds of Blackened Doom with the band’s core Progressive Death Metal essence. Needless to say, Mrudul, Spencer and Greg are phenomenal with their sonic weapons; and they’ll finish burying you six feet deep with their undisputed extreme music in Mortal, again presenting the visceral guttural by Lyndon while Greg sounds inhumane on drums.

Following up on their 2015 EP Indoctrination, their 2019 full-length Deranged, and their 2021 EP The Living, Canvas brings to our avid ears lengthier song which never feel tedious as the band embarks on their newfound path with relative ease and confidence. On Canvas, they have adopted a fascinating approach to the style, one that is beautifully tempered yet adventurous enough to excite, being highly recommended for fans of Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Norse, Ulcerate, and Saevus Finis, among others. Those talented and creative guys are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their unique music on Spotify, and of course to purchase Canvas from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In the end, the experience of listening to Canvas feels at once liberating and cathartic, leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future, perhaps in the form of their sophomore full-length offering, and I bet you’ll be more than excited for that after their short but incendiary new offering.

Best moments of the album: Bloodied Teeth and Canvas.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Bloodied Teeth 4:19
2. Your Apocalypse 7:10
3. Serenade 5:30
4. Canvas 7:00
5. Mortal 6:37

Band members
Lyndon Quadros – vocals
Mrudul Kamble – guitars
Spencer Mitchell – bass
Greg Carvalho – drums

Album Review – Profane Elegy / Herezjarcha (2026)

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This American Black Metal horde attacks with their debut full-length album, a harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration.

A harrowing, philosophical descent into sound and symbolism, Herezjarcha, the brand new opus by Bangor, Pennsylvania-based Black Metal horde Profane Elegy, sees the band expand every element of their vision, sounding heavier, more dynamic, more refined, and deeply introspective. Produced by J Gulick and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios, the new offering by vocalist Mikael L , guitarist J Gulick, bassist David G, and drummer Sean M is more than an album. It is a record built on contrasts between the cosmic and the personal, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration, exploring themes of nihilism, mortality, philosophy, and religious symbolism, often invoking figures like Satan not as dogmatic statements, but as metaphors in a broader spiritual and existential dialogue.

There’s no time to breathe as the band attacks in full force with Exeunt Omnes, which is Latin for “all go out,” a phrase drawn from Shakespeare’s Richard III, where Mikael’s grim vocals will lacerate your minds in a perfect fusion of Black and Death Metal. Then Sean’s hammering drums dictate the pace in the devilish Haunted, also presenting those classic Black Metal riffs we love so much by J, followed by The Accuser, drawing from the Biblical role of Satan as prosecutor, with the song representing both indictment and rejection. Put differently, it’s another undisputed blast of savagery by such an uncanny horde, led by J’s classic riffage and supported by David’s rumbling bass. The band then offers one of the heaviest songs of the album, titled As My Heart Turns to Ash, while also showcasing an overdose of melody and progressiveness, reminding me of some of the best bands from the current Nordic extreme scene.

In the pulverizing I AM, with its title drawn from the book of Exodus, taking the phrase spoken by God “I am that I am” and transforming it into a proclamation of human rebellion, we’re all invited to slam into the pit to the unstoppable beats and fills by Sean, once again ending on a more pensive, melancholic vibe. Immutable explores the inescapable traits and traumas we are born into, keeping the album at a high level of violence while blasting our damned souls with the band’s scathing Black Metal; whereas And Then We Are Gone might not be a bad tune, but it’s way below the rest of the album in terms of violence, speed and electricity despite its doomed vibe. Finally, we face Herezjarcha, a sprawling, conceptual narrative about a man transformed by his own heresy. In visions and madness, he births a new ideology, becoming one with darkness in pursuit of hidden truths, and the music perfectly depicts that by sounding very intricate and detailed, with Mikael’s roars exhaling endless anger and hatred while his bandmates craft thunderous and hypnotizing sounds before the song’s nocturnal ending.

The name Herezjarcha is a neologism meaning “arch-heretic,” and the record embodies this fully, an oath against complacency, a testament of defiance, and a new scripture of darkness, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Mayhem, Woods of Ypres, Swallow the Sun, and Emperor. Hence, you can get to know more about the band via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their sulfurous music on Spotify, and of course, purchase their excellent new opus from BandCamp. Fusing the atmospheric elements of Black Metal with the weight of Doom Metal, the precision of Death Metal, and the unexpected textures of orchestration and clean vocals, Herezjarcha rejects genre purity in favor of vision. This is what Profane Elegy stand for. This is a new heresy.

Best moments of the album: Exeunt Omnes, As My Heart Turns to Ash and Herezjarcha.

Worst moments of the album: And Then We Are Gone.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Exeunt Omnes 4:57
2. Haunted 3:31
3. The Accuser 5:20
4. As My Heart Turns to Ash 5:23
5. I AM 3:49
6. Immutable 3:56
7. And Then We Are Gone 4:02
8. Herezjarcha 5:55

Band members
Mikael L – vocals, orchestrations
J Gulick – guitars, orchestrations
David G – bass, orchestrations
Sean M – drums

Album Review – Stabbing / Eon of Obscenity (2026)

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Houston, Texas-based masters of absolute brutality are back with their sophomore beast, out-slamming, out-blasting and utterly eviscerating anyone who crosses their path of gore and destruction.

When Houston, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal brigade Stabbing came together in 2021, the goals were simple. “We were really just having fun and wanted to emulate the style of the bands we really liked,” said frontwoman Bridget Lynch. “Old school 90’s and early 2000’s Brutal Death Metal bands like Disgorge, Deeds of Flesh, stuff like that.” Fast forward to 2026 and the indomitable Bridget alongside Marvin Ruiz on the guitars, Matt Day on  bass, and Aron Hetsko on drums are ready to pulverize everything and everyone who dares to cross their path with their sophomore beast, entitled Eon of Obscenity, the follow-up to their 2022 crushing debut Extirpated Mortal Process. Recorded by Ben Gott and mixed and mastered by Chris Kritikos at Southwing Audio, and displaying a brutally classic artwork by Rudi Yanto of Gorging Suicide, the visceral Eon of Obscenity out-slams, out-blasts and utterly eviscerates their debut album and basically their competition, with Bridget taking her spot as one of the genre’s most powerful and distinct voices.

Get ready to be absolutely pulverized by Stabbing right from the very first second in Rotting Eternal, with Bridget proving why she has become a reference in deep guttural. In other words, it’s Brutal Death Metal at its finest (and goriest), which also applies to Inhuman Torture Chamber, where she keeps barking the song’s Stygian lyrics rabidly (“Mercilessly beaten to a wet pulp / Violently reduced into a lesser form / Vehemently smashing and degrading / Deeper fall into a state of catatonia”) while her bandmates crush our spinal cords with their undisputed heaviness. Aron sounds like a machine gun out of control in Masticate the Subdued, adding an extra dosage of total carnage and chaos to the band’s already putrid sounds, whereas the title-track Eon of Obscenity perfectly depicts what Stabbing are all about, a ruthless, demented overdose of sheer brutality where the riffage by Marvin sounds heavy, caustic and demonic. And in Reborn to Kill Once More, as expected, Bridget vomits the song’s infernal words on our damned faces mercilessly in another blast of Brutal Death Metal.

There’s still a lot more fuel to be burned by Stabbing in the name of extreme music, starting with the short and sweet instrumental interlude Ruminations, setting the stage for the band to kill us all with Nauseating Composition, featuring Ricky Myers of Suffocation. Moreover, Aron sounds even more demented on drums, offering Bridget and Ricky exactly what they need to bark like two monstrous entities. If you think Bridget can’t sound even more inhumane, think again, as she reaches a whole new level of dementia with her guttural in Their Melted Remains, accompanied by the venomous axes by Marvin and Matt. Then we have Sonoluminescent Hemoglobinopathy, and if you don’t know, “sonoluminescent” is the emission of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound, while “hemoglobinopathy” is an inherited blood disorder where the body makes abnormal hemoglobin or doesn’t make enough of it. Put these two words together, and there you have the epitome of Brutal Death Metal. When you reach the last part of the album with Symphony of Absurdity, you know you’re in front of something special (aka the revamping of Brutal Death Metal), with Bridget once again stealing the show with her cadaverous guttural madness, flowing into Sinking Into Catatonic Reality, where inspired by all giants of the genre the quartet concludes the album on the most violent note imaginable.

Exceeding the term “Brutal Death Metal” with their undisputed violence and gore, Stabbing have plundered the crypts of claustrophobia and darkness, only to surface with Eon of
Obscenity, a benchmark for modern Death Metal. “It’s just more extreme,” commented Bridget. “It’s everything that’s extreme about death metal, just taken a little bit further. The vocals. The drums. The riffs. It’s just faster and more boundary-pushing.” Having said that, I bet you’re dying to put your hands on Eon of Obscenity, and in order to do that simply go to the band’s own BandCamp, or grab a copy of the album from the Century Media Records webstore as  a CD or as a stunning neon-violet LP, and don’t forget to also follow those masters of absolute violence and gore on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their breathtaking live concerts, and to stream their putrid creations on Spotify. Bridget and the boys are ready to join the new army of brutality formed of bands like Frozen Soul and PeelingFlesh with their newborn spawn, aiming at global domination and, of course, being more than eager to destroy your frail bodies with their undisputed, first-class Brutal Death Metal magic.

Best moments of the album: Inhuman Torture Chamber, Eon of Obscenity, Their Melted Remains and Symphony of Absurdity.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Rotting Eternal 1:24
2. Inhuman Torture Chamber 2:58
3. Masticate the Subdued 2:41
4. Eon of Obscenity 2:10
5. Reborn to Kill Once More 3:16
6. Ruminations 1:34
7. Nauseating Composition 3:09
8. Their Melted Remains 4:04
9. Sonoluminescent Hemoglobinopathy 1:52
10. Symphony of Absurdity 4:12
11. Sinking Into Catatonic Reality 3:33

Band members
Bridget Lynch – vocals
Marvin Ruiz – guitars
Matt Day – bass
Aron Hetsko – drums

Guest musicians
Ricky Myers – vocals on “Nauseating Composition”

Album Review – Megadeth / Megadeth (2026)

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Let there be shred. Let there be Thrash Metal. And let there be Megadeth.

From their electrifying 1985 debut Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! to their 2022 metal attack The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!, Los Angeles, California’s own Thrash/Speed Metal beast Megadeth has delivered an overdose of breathtaking heavy music for the absolute delight of anyone who considers Mr. Dave Mustaine one of the best (if not THE best) shredder in the history of Heavy Metal, culminating with their incendiary self-titled seventeenth (and final) studio album now in 2026. Produced by Dave Mustaine himself alongside Chris Rakestraw, and depicting a burning Vic Rattlehead as its artwork, the new album by Dave Mustaine on vocals and guitars, Teemu Mäntysaari also on the guitars, James LoMenzo on bass, and Dirk Verbeuren on drums is not just a farewell by one of the most important bands in the history of music, but a statement of how much Mustaine has always loved what he does, and a serious contender for album of the year.

The initial riff in Tipping Point already warns us all it’s gonna be a thrashing extravaganza, with MegaDave roaring its rebellious lyrics manically (“Today I may bleed, but tonight you will die / Snatched in your sleep, in the blackest night / You buried the truth under layers of lies / There’s no return, now you’ve crossed the line”), followed by I Don’t Care, the second single released, offering a fusion of Thrash and Speed Metal with Mustaine’s Punk Rock influences, resulting in an excellent option for some slamming into the pit. Hey, God?! reminds me of some of his creations from the mid to late 90’s, with Dirk hammering his drums just the way we like it in mid-tempo Thrash Metal; whereas in Let There Be Shred the name of the song says it all, with Dave and Teemu kicking some ass with their incendiary riffage, not to mention its lyrics are an ode to Megadeth’s history (“On the day I was born, a guitar in my hands / The earth started rumbling a thunderous command / To bash and to thrash, to bang my head / To smash my guitar and let there be shred!”). Puppet Parade is another solid tune with James and Dirk bringing the groove to the band’s striking sonority, while Another Bad Day might be perhaps the weakest of all songs, a bit generic compared to the album’s thrashing party, although their riffs and bass lines are good as usual.

Made to Kill brings forward a massive wall of sounds of old school, uncompromised Thrash Metal where Mustaine’s raspy vocals match perfectly with the classic drumming by Dirk, speeding things up halfway through it for our total delight, and the quartet keeps blasting their instruments mercilessly in Obey the Call, offering an avalanche of heaviness while keeping their melodic vein intact, presenting another classy guitar work by Dave and Teemu. I Am War is just perfect for a nice road trip with your family and friends, where Dave is once again spot-on on vocals while also armed with his trademark riffs, supported by the heavy and groovy kitchen by James and Dirk. The Last Note is a very emotional song that will inspire you to keep headbanging even after it’s over, where Dave and Teemu keep distilling their flammable riffs nonstop while James hammers his bass like there’s no tomorrow; and lastly, we have their cover version for Metallica’s Ride the Lightning (you can check the original version from 1984 by clicking HERE). As I’m a MegaDave fanboy, I must say I prefer this new (or maybe I should say the “actual original”?) version, in special its riffs and, of course, its drums.

After the announcement of the album back in August 2025, it was confirmed its release will be accompanied by the band’s farewell tour. I have no idea how long that tour will last, hopefully a few years, and although I’m beyond excited for the band’s upcoming shows in Canada I must admit my heart doesn’t want those shows to happen, simply because that means those might be the very last times I see MegaDave and his thrashing machine live. Well, it is what it is, and if you’re a huge fan of the band like myself you can keep an eye on all things Megadeth via Facebook and Instagram, stream their entire discography on Spotify, and of course purchase their breathtaking, stylish self-titled album from their own webstore or by clicking HERE. Because in the end our mission is clear. Let there be shred. Let there be Thrash Metal. And let there be Megadeth.

Best moments of the album: Tipping Point, Let There Be Shred, Made to Kill, I Am War and The Last Note.

Worst moments of the album: Another Bad Day.

Released in 2026 Tradecraft/BLKIIBLK Records

Track listing
1. Tipping Point 4:29
2. I Don’t Care 3:10
3. Hey, God?! 3:29
4. Let There Be Shred 3:58
5. Puppet Parade 4:41
6. Another Bad Day 3:37
7. Made to Kill 4:01
8. Obey the Call 4:20
9. I Am War 3:46
10. The Last Note 5:31
11. Ride the Lightning (Metallica cover) 6:11

Band members
Dave Mustaine – lead vocals, guitars
Teemu Mäntysaari – guitars, backing vocals
James LoMenzo – bass, backing vocals
Dirk Verbeuren – drums

Album Review – Architectural Genocide / Malignant Cognition (2026)

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These unrelenting Texas-based Brutal Death Metal bruisers are out for blood armed with their sophomore beast, serving up a banquet of the band’s inimitable brutality.

Almost six years after the release of their debut offering Cordyceptic Anthropomorph, Houston, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal bruisers Architectural Genocide are finally back in action with their sophomore opus, titled Malignant Cognition. Mixed and mastered at Southwing Audio, and encased in the superb artwork by Rudi Yanto (Devastrosity, E-Force, Perveration) and Den Yudi (Decrepitation, Realm Of Chaos, Rotting Demise), the perfect visual depiction of the soul-eating madness within, the new album by Daniel Brockway on vocals, Tom Savage on the guitar, Matt Day on bass, and Nat Conner on drums serves up a banquet of the band’s inimitable brutality, being therefore perfect for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Skinless, Devourment, and Disentomb, just to name a few.

The band doesn’t waste a single second and begins their putrid fest with the evil intro Precursor To Bloodshed, flowing into the insanely gory Coercion Into Carnality, where Daniel vomits the song’s devilish words with tons of hatred and aggressiveness while Nat delivers those pounding beats we all love in Brutal Death Metal. It’s then pedal to the metal in the slamming tune Leave It To Cleaver, with Tom extracting pure violence from his axe supported by the always ass-kicking drumming by Nat, and there’s no sign of happiness or joy in Trophies For My Murders, an ode to all serial killers led by Daniel’s demented “breeeeeeeeeees” in an overdose of sheer violence.

Malicious Wager is absolutely mental from start to finish, a lesson in brutality by Architectural Genocide where Tom and Matt are savage armed with their stringed axes; and there’s no sign of the band slowing down at all in Decent Deranged, a slab of Brutal Death Metal tailored for admirers of the genre. Zed Requiem features the iconic Damonteal Harris of PeelingFlesh on vocals, who brings the groove to the band’s trademark sound, and the final result is simply demolishing, evil and absurdly fun; whereas a dark, wicked narration sets the tone in Stuffed Under Floorboards, another song inspired by the darkest corners of the human mind, with Nat stealing the spotlight with his pounding beats.

In a nutshell, Architectural Genocide’s long awaited second album is an even more dangerous, vicious creation that adds an unnerving, skin crawling terror to their trademark elixir of darkness and depravity. You can get more details about those ruthless death dealers on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their demented creations on any platform such as Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the venomous Malignant Cognition from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore. In other words, prepare yourself for the fearsome assault of Malignant Cognition, as the year of 2026 is kicking off on a vile and gory mode with the brand new Brutal Death Metal holocaust by those unrelenting Texans.

Best moments of the album: Coercion Into Carnality, Malicious Wager and Zed Requiem.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Precursor To Bloodshed 1:25
2. Coercion Into Carnality 2:56
3. Leave It To Cleaver 2:27
4. Trophies For My Murders 2:39
5. Malicious Wager 2:53
6. Decent Deranged 3:26
7. Zed Requiem 4:01
8. Stuffed Under Floorboards 3:51

Band members
Daniel Brockway – vocals
Tom Savage – guitar
Matt Day – bass
Nat Conner – drums

Guest musician
Damonteal Harris – vocals on “Zed Requiem”

Album Review – Vesseles / Home (2026)

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This uncanny Symphonic Black Metal entity returns with their first full-length opus, a devastating and majestic release that delves deep into identity, belonging, and the mythos of a demon cast into the human world.

A Demon Symphonic Black Metal project about dysphoria and coping with living in a world that you’re not from, Santa Clara, California-based creature Vesseles, the brainchild of the uncanny vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Valira Pietrangelo, returns with Home, a devastating and majestic release that delves deep into identity, belonging, and the mythos of a demon cast into the human world. Pulled from the scorched marrow of The Beneath, the demon dominion she once forgot and now remembers with terrifying clarity, Valira and her henchmen Joel Ferry on vocals, Ron Graves on bass, and Nick Brown on drums fuse Symphonic Black Metal with cinematic grandeur and emotional weight in their newborn spawn, a worthy follow-up to their 2024 debut EP I Am A Demon, beautifully depicting the sound of returning to a place you’ve never truly known.

In the opening aria Flesh Throne, Valira reclaims her sovereignty over humanity, with her keys and orchestrations sounding absolutely hypnotizing and perfect for the visceral roars by Joel, starting the album on a truly haunting mode. Eternally Within Us is a ceremonial track complete with Latin mantras and sweeping symphonics that ground the demon realm’s ancient roots in flesh and blood, again presenting Valira’s cryptic, grim piano while Nick hammers his drums in the name of Doom Metal; followed by The Beneath, a brutal, bombastic ode to Valira’s home world, as obscure as some of the best creations by the mighty Cradle of Filth, with our demon firing razor-edged riffs in paradox with her phantasmagorical keys. She then takes on lead vocals in the title-track Home, questioning whether the place she fought so hard to return to was ever meant to comfort her, captivating our senses with her sinister piano before all suddenly morphs into a Black Metal beast tailored for admirers of the genre.

They Wither… is an instrumental piano piece that counters the despair of previous releases, flowing into Until They Are Dust, which details the grotesque birth of The Beneath, a cursed sludge consuming humanity to give rise to the next generation of demons, offering three minutes of absolute madness where Joel once again barks rabidly until the very end. Scriptures Etched Into the Mind’s Pillars marks the album’s lyrical turning point, from external reclamation to internal unraveling, while flirting with Melodic Black Metal, in special in its riffs and keys. Needless to say, it should sound brilliant if played live. Then we have Perpetual Chasm of Black Mirrors, a harrowing journey through isolation, suffocation, and the horror of being self-aware in a world that rejects you, and it’s when the music gets less violent that you’ll feel its fury and darkness deep inside your heart. Lastly, This Is Not Home brings the album full circle, also presenting Gothic Metal elements in its vocals, with Valira’s riffage again sounding and feeling fantastic, ending the album on a true epic and climatic vibe.

Home is the natural maturation of the unique sound crafted by Vesseles, sounding and feeling more dynamic, more orchestral, and more unflinchingly personal, charting Valira’s journey from confident origin to tortured self-doubt and finally to righteous authority. During recording, a late inclusion of Valira’s own vocals unlocked new potential, revealing the expressive power of her voice in leading the story and, therefore, pointing to a bolder, deeper, more human, and more demonic future. Unfortunately, due to Valira taking on all vocal duties, Home is also the band’s last album with vocalist Joel Ferry, but of course their friendship will remain forever. Anyway, you can get in touch with Valira and her Vesseles via Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to the project’s YouTube channel, stream their eerie music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the caustic, incendiary Home from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. In the end, Vesseles is not just music. It’s a reckoning, and Home is the sound of a demon returning, not to find peace, but to claim it by force.

Best moments of the album: Eternally Within Us, Home and Scriptures Etched Into the Mind’s Pillars.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Flesh Throne 5:18
2. Eternally Within Us 5:02
3. The Beneath 5:16
4. Home 6:11
5. They Wither… 1:32
6. Until They Are Dust 3:07
7. Scriptures Etched Into the Mind’s Pillars 3:41
8. Perpetual Chasm of Black Mirrors 5:03
9. This Is Not Home 7:14

Band members
Joel Ferry – vocals
Valira Pietrangelo – guitars, piano, orchestrations, backing vocals, vocals on “Home”
Ron Graves – bass
Nick Brown – drums

Album Review – Ov Sulfur / Endless (2026)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Wither.

Released in 2026 Century Media Records

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

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

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

Album Review – Viserion / Fire and Blood EP (2026)

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Behold the fires of Black Metal and the blood of the Targaryen dynasty united in the form of the new opus by this ruthless American horde.

Hailing from New York City, the ruthless Black Metal horde known as Viserion unites the Second Wave Black Metal tradition with Atmospheric and Death Metal, balancing melodic soundscapes with raw aggression while also exploring a wealth of fantastical literature, highly influenced by the writings of George R.R. Martin and the World of Westeros, through the bloodthirsty shroud of extreme music. Produced, recorded and engineered by Billy Pfister at Westfall Recording, mastered by Jacob Buczarski, mixed by Chris Grigg, and displaying as its stunning cover art the painting Fire in Rome (1785) by Hubert Robert, Fire and Blood, the new EP by Benedetto Marvilli on vocals and guitars, Cris Valentine also on the guitars, Tasso Diakov on bass, and Matthew Marvilli on drums, is a worthy follow-up to their 2021 full-length Natural Selection, offering more of the band’s trademark blend of epic and scorching Black Metal magic. “Our concept for this album was inspired by George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones world. It particularly focuses on the Targaryen dynasty hence the title being their house words: Fire and Blood,” commented the band.

It’s pedal to the metal in the infuriated, incandescent title-track Fire and Blood, focusing on the black magic rituals that the Targaryen family was rumored to use in order to control dragons, with Matthew blasting his drums in great Black Metal fashion; whereas Mad King explores the delusions and cruelty of King Aerys II as well as his demise, continuing the band’s path of annihilation with the guitars by Benedetto and Cris exhaling sulfur and hatred. Aegon The Conqueror and his dragon Balerion are the focus on Reign of Fire, a lecture in modern-day Melodic Black Metal without a single second of peace, with Benedetto’s dragon-like vile gnarling sounding absolutely haunting. Then we have Blackfyre, telling of The Blackfyre Rebellions through a dark and rhythmic offering, with Tasso and Matthew bringing the rhythm and groove to the song in another display of the band’s trademark Black Metal magic; and lastly, we face Harrenhal, a composition of despair that sees the lyrics portray the horrifying destruction of Lord Harren’s fortress at the hands of Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon. Furthermore, the EP couldn’t have ended in a stronger way, sounding infernal from start to finish thanks to another killer performance by Matthew on drums.

Renowned bands the likes of Ultar, 1349, Satyricon, and Gates of Ishtar are significantly influential in the construction of Viserion’s creativity, as they delve heavily into the melodic across their discography, with Fire and Blood perfectly depicting those influences, therefore becoming a must-listen for fans of bands such as Ultar, Wormwitch, and the early-era of Enslaved. Viserion are waiting for you on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify, and you can grab a copy of their flammable new EP from their own BandCamp. Because, in the end, when you have an album that unites the power of the Targaryen dynasty with our beloved Black Metal, you know you’re in for a treat, one of pure fire and blood.

Best moments of the album: Reign of Fire and Harrenhal.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Fire and Blood 3:09
2. Mad King 3:33
3. Reign of Fire 4:51
4. Blackfyre 5:31
5. Harrenhal 6:33

Band members
Benedetto Marvilli – vocals, guitar
Cris Valentine – guitar
Tasso Diakov – bass
Matthew Marvilli – drums