METAL GENESIS

Vermilion Dawn - VVitch Den (Review)

2022-08-02T07:59:00.002-07:00

“VVitch Den” by Vermilion Dawn is a record I had my eyes on for a long time, sadly I couldn’t cover it immediately during the release in June. The mesmerizing artwork caught my attention in the first place - a very calming color palate with mountains and valleys with its dark cloud adding a bit of melancholy to it. It instantly reminded me of Inanimate Existence’s “A Never Ending Cycle of Atonement” and I was expecting Vermilion Dawn to be tech-death. Well, it did subvert my expectation, and for a good reason.

VVitch Den by Vermilion Dawn

Vermilion Dawn combines technical songwriting with ambient passages of atm black-metal, resulting in a very atmospheric environment for the album. “VVitch Den” seems to be a concept album (which I hope it is) since the only way to enjoy it fully is to go through the record from start to finish. Interconnected tracks like “Blood Coven” and “Moonlight Passage” are connected seamlessly which feels like a carefully woven story, and the band wants you to stick to that.

The intro track “Dead Harbor” is a melody-driven track, aided by sonic elements. While guitars and drums bleed in for complete obliteration, it never feels overdone with technical proficiency. The beautiful proggy-jazzy guitar lead lines are hypnotic, accounting for one of the best tracks off the album. “Blood Caven” and “Moonlight Passage” doesn’t miss a beat to pick up speed and blasts of technical riffs and drumming. Vocals on the record range from powerful lows, in the deathcore-ish style, to fast articulation of passages at insane high pitches.

Tracks like “Flesh Bore” manage to be groovy while having a major portion filled with captivating ethereal passages. “Usurper” is the only track that feels closer to deathcore, in terms of song structure. The final track “Where Twilight Fades” manages to combine everything special about the record for the final time.

The mix of the album is along the lines of a modern tech-death record, a closer and more eccentric mix that feels more personal and ear-friendly. While the production could be slightly increased, I cannot complain either - the drums have an organic sound to them which I absolutely love. The bassline flows like magic and sounds absolutely majestic. Also, the atmosphere and world-building are perfect on the record.

VVitch Den is a record that showcases proficient song-writing in an engrossing manner. As stated earlier, Vermilion Dawn did subvert my expectation with their interesting take on tech death, and it's fascinating.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: Vermilion Dawn Facebook

Genre: Progressive Death Metal / Technical Death Metal

Worldwide Release: June 22, 2022.

Psycroptic - Divine Council (Review)

2022-08-01T07:05:00.002-07:00

Hailing from the tiny, frosty, untamed, and detached Australian state that is Tasmania, Psycroptic has become an unparalleled act in an enigmatic worldwide movement commonly known as death metal. Many years have passed since their formation in 1999, the band has released 7 albums all of which show an organic progression along a clandestine path from which they will never stray. The eighth album titled “Divine Council” is the follow-up to 2018’s “As The Kingdom Drowns”, and is scheduled to be released in August this year, via Prosthetic Records.

Divine Council by Psycroptic

“Divine Council” is a power-packed record, along the same margins as the new Exocrine and Soreption albums, which dropped a few months ago. The Tasmanian boys are known for their groovy, catchy songwriting, and this album is no exception. From the intro track “Rend Asunder” itself, Psycroptic wastes no time in showcasing their groove brutality. Easily one of the best songs of the album, this one is a straight-on banger. “A Fool’s Errand” has a lot of dynamic changes like Soreption with passages like that of Alustrium. “This Shadowed World” gives off major Arkaik vibes, while maintaining a progressive tendency to itself, which flows to “Enslavement” as well. With catchy melodies overall and atmospheric passages mixed in, this one is a breath of fresh air. The intro to “The Prophet’s Council” transports you to a fantasy middle-easter land, which then bleeds to the slow-paced, calming vibe of the song.

“Ashes of Our Empire” stands tall with its vicious grooves, while the tapping phrases instantly remind me of Aethra-era Gorod. “Awakening” is rather a slow, paced track with highly dissonance-based riffs and overall a darker overtone. “A Fragile Existence” is like a powerful slingshot - grooves with techy riffs and shred blasts that hit right in the face. Also, the backing vocals are beautiful and work for me - easily one of the favorite tracks from the album. With the ultimate track “Exitus”, it all comes in a complete circle. With riffs that call back to “Rend Asunder” and combined with the atmospheric elements, it feels like an epic conclusion to a magnificent album!

“Divine Council” rises up from its previous releases both in terms of quality songwriting and production. With nine tracks and filled with tight songwriting, this album doesn’t disappoint me a bit. The production has thoroughly improved, perfectly capturing the modern tech-death sound with each instrument sounding with utmost clarity. For me, this record truly works like a magic and straight up goes for this year’s AOTY contender. It just gets better with every listening, and who knows…it might land on 1st spot!

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Website: Psycroptic Facebook

Genre: Technical Death Metal

Label: Prosthetic Records

Worldwide Release: August 5, 2022.

Daidalos - The Expedition (Review)

2022-07-29T10:29:00.003-07:00

I am a sucker for extreme metal. Plus, when you throw symphonic stuff of standards of Dimmu Borgir and Fleshgod, it just becomes irresistible. That's what I felt while going through the promo of Daidalos. German one-man symphonic dark metal band Daidalos, founded in 2020 by drummer/pianist Tobias Püschner (former drummer of the technical thrash band Revolt) released the debut album "The Expedition" on July 29th 2022 via Extreme Metal Music, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.

Daidalos mastermind Tobias Püschner goes on to create a concept album, revising the tales of Captain Sir John Franklin's Lost Expedition - a British voyage of Arctic exploration that departed with 129 men from England in 1845. Püschner comments: “Both ships, called Erebus & Terror, became icebound and after being trapped and suffering in eternal coldness for over a year, the remaining sailors decided to abandon their ships. Trying to survive, they set out for the Canadian mainland but disappeared.”

A symphonic metal album, marked with the presence of a conceptual storyline is a vessel that has its own journey to voyage. Daidalos wants you to invest in that journey through “The Expedition”. A cinematic experience on its own, the dense wall of sound accompanied by the heart-pumping symphonic score accounts for an exhilarating ride. The fast aggressive drumming, the violent guitar riffs, and the piano-laden melodies act as anchor points where a phase ends and another begins. Püschner explains: “The idea behind this way of songwriting is to finish each track's own atmosphere with orchestral music and then use those emotions to create the more challenging parts”, and the songwriting is definitely reflective of that.

Ten tracks off the record and with all tracks being almost five-minutes in length, one might find it hefty to go through the entire runtime, but the album has memorable passages and majestic instrumentation to never let loose of your attention. The vocals are a balancing act between the harsh, high screams in black metal style and clean backing vocals, both of which are executed with the utmost energy, dedication, and precision. Even to the listener’s surprise, the last song has female vocals on it to aid the storytelling. Lastly, a tightly packed record presented with a well-production increases its value ten-fold!

With a debut release of such high standards, all Daidalos needs now are new listeners to enjoy the record.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: Daidalos Facebook

Genre: Symphonic Dark Metal

Label: Extreme Metal Music

Worldwide Release: June 29th, 2022

The Human Race is Filth - Echo Chamber (Review)

2022-07-25T11:06:00.002-07:00

Metal and Politics have been inseparable since the inception of the genre. While bands have gotten neutral over their political stance and expanded over to various territories in terms of lyrical inspiration, few bands still have the guts to stand up and speak up their free minds. Bands from the Grindcore realm are no exception to this.

Here comes the Sludgy crust/grind abomination The Human Race is Filth from York, PA, USA. Conjured by longtime friends and bandmates Kasey and Paul, they have been playing and releasing tons of music together with their other bands: Bittered, Police State, Mans Plague, and Split/Cross. The EP “Echo Chambers” is the third release of THRIF. Throughout the songs, the three-piece tackles political, social, religious, economic, and even personal subjects.

Echo Chambers by The Human Race Is Filth

The opening track “Nation Pipe Bomb” wastes no time in smashing your face with pulverizing riffs, in a groovy old-schooled fashion along with aggressive blast beats on drums. The vocals are harsh high-screams, rage-fuelled, and almost channeling the inner hardcore kid! “Happiness From Stressful Dysfunction” captures the violent, hostile in the verses while relying on thick sludgy, doomy riffs in the chorus. The nihilistic pulverizing tones filled with discordant and dissonant atmosphere make tracks like “Justice for Profit” and “Mindless Thoughts” incredible. The hardcore/punk side of the band is reflected in tunes like “Abuse of American Hands”. If all the lethal overdoses of traumatizing discordant riffs at disjointed tempo were not enough, “Shit States USA” makes the final blow and puts the nail to the coffin.

Throughout its running minutes, THRIF raises its voice to oppose the corporations’ dirty scheme of monetizing capital gain over political and social causes. For a track reflecting the dark truth of the foundation of America, the sound of the record precisely justifies that. In short - THRIF shows the harsh reality while leading the listeners into a vortex of insanity.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: THRIF Facebook

Genre: Crust/Grind/Sludge

Worldwide Release: July 22nd, 2022.

How To Deal With Life And Fail - ERNIA (Review)

2022-07-23T07:41:00.003-07:00

With two members of the notoriously technical band Wormed in their lineup, Spanish grindcore band ERNIA has managed to perfect the sound, which is both refreshing and riveting. Their sophomore album “How To Deal With Life And Fail” is a culmination of elements of obscurity and unpredictability.

How To Deal With Life And Fail (Grindcore) by ERNIA

ERNIA offers a technical album with bits of everything, accounting for a fascinating listening experience. The opening track “Farewell, Sputnik” has meaty riffs with a dominating groove beneath it, aided by unpredictable passages of grind. “Q” is a speedster in itself, maintaining its momentum throughout the running minutes. “Room Full of Paper Cranes” is mainly rooted in hardcore punk influence, while layered with blast beats almost to a point of being brutal death metal. Tracks like “Frustration Theory”, “Helium - 3” and “A Mute Florist” dives deep into the dissonance realm with choppy passages and start-stop progression. “The O’Neill Cylinder” can be best described as a vortex of madness - an insane track with insane ferocity. The only contrasting track off the album can be stated as “Ikigai”. Almost six minutes in length, a sense of melody almost guides the track. Slowly progressing with great buildup, this one has moments of clean passages with additional clean vocals too. Make sure to stick to the end to be smashed in the face with the grind elements for one last time!

The music is just as colorful as their artwork, full of intricate bits, and every song offers something different without abandoning the core sound. Even through all the unpredictable twists & turns, ERNIA manages to keep the album groovy and catchy. Certainly, ERNIA stands out as the agents of chaos, and the album is a living-breathing example of it!

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: ERNIA Facebook

Genre: Grindcore

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Worldwide Release: June 22nd, 2022.

Steel Cage - Syndrome (Review)

2022-07-22T06:19:00.004-07:00

Steel Cage, the Italian melodic death metal group concentrate on mixing death, gothic, and some progressive elements with their primary roots based on thrash metal. The band has dropped their latest concept album titled “Syndrome” via Sliptrick Records.

As the band mentions: “Syndrome tells of the spread of this techno-demonic epidemic, of the machine-man leap and of the harsh war that follows, of the indomitable essence of the human spirit, and of the final resistance. The first artificial intelligence able to feel emotions is an extraordinary achievement, but their newborn and unprepared emotionality has made them easy prey for demonic possessions.”

Firstly, let's address the elephant in the room - though the promo might state "Syndrome" as a Melodic Death record, it rather lies somewhere along the borders of metalcore and modern prog. Also, haters of clean vocals in metal - take this record with a pinch of salt! “Syndrome” is very much a vocal-oriented album, with Silvia Nardoni being the ship's captain. The album thoroughly puts her vocals upfront while instrumentations take a backseat. Also, a significant portion of the record features her clean vocals, while growls are present few and far between.

Steel Cage showcases a musical blend of grooves and melody while having layers of atmospheric passages. Open chugging riffs with melodic lines capture the modern progressive or metalcore vibe. Punchy drums are always my favorite, and the album does not disappoint. The bass is well blended in the mix, often audible in tracks, and also serves solos on tracks like “Trusting Hysteria”. “Red Detonin’ Pyre” and “Welcome Obscuritas” are primarily groove-based and filled with melodic riffs. The clean sections foreshadow the atmospheric proggy side the band is headed towards. “In-Static Mind” is metalcore to its ‘core’ with a lot of catchy hooks and choruses while the latter half showcases a shift in the prog domain with the usage of clean chords and lead lines. Tracks like “Trusting Hysteria” and “Revenge of Sanity” experiment with melo-death riffs. “Humanity Threshold” might be the catchiest song off the album - a perfect balance achieved of metalcore and melodicism. Also, the right amount of guitar solos on the track just elevates the listening experience so much!

The underwhelming aspect which can be specified is that few rhythm guitars and solos on the album lack clarity in the mix. Often sounding muddy in the mix, it becomes difficult to comprehend what's going on.

In spite of all this, “Syndrome” is an enjoyable record. In the age of instant gratification, where fast and complexity is the new norm, Steel Cage relies on each song structure and memorable vocals, which is easier to grasp for even folks not belonging to this genre of music. I would even go further to call it a ‘Radio-friendly’ record. Simplistic, memorable, and catchy - Steel Cage punches right in your face!

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: Steel Cage Facebook

Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore

Label: Sliptrick Records

Worldwide Release: July 19th, 2022

Cruentus - Fossilized (Review)

2022-07-15T10:47:00.010-07:00

Cruentus was formed in Norrköping, Sweden, in 1998. Though being an old band, Cruentus is quite unheard of, maybe owing to the fact of their inactivity for many years. The band made a comeback in 2020, releasing a full-length album. Now consisting of Martin Öhman on Guitars, Bass and vocals, and Petter Bocian on drums and vocals, the band is back with their sophomore release "Fossilized", to be out on July 15th via Kvlt und Kaos Productions.

Fossilized by Cruentus

Cruentus gives us a taste of Swedish Death Metal mixed with Black and Death Metal. The instrumental intro track "Ascending" gives us a brief hint of where the album is headed, and with no time wasted we bleed into "The Catalyst". The innovative riffs with the Scandinavian "Chainsaw tone" along with a dominating groove will remind you of Bloodbath and Entombed. Tracks like "The Last Ones" and "Mot Alltets Slut" are great Death-Thrash tunes with blackened touch to them. "Nihil Ultra" and "Primordial Reprizal" also have moments where the band incorporates doom metal influences.

Where the first half of the album was much inclined towards the Swedish Death Metal domain, the second half showcases much of Black Metal influence. "Prey" can be easily termed as a BM track, had it not been for the thrashy drums beneath it. With more passing time, the disarray and mayhem start to play. "Relentless Scourge" and "Averted Reality" can be best described as obscure, dark, and doomy tracks with a lot of chaos and unpredictability.

The cut-throat razor-sharp approach to riffs aided by the classic Swedish Death Metal tone makes the song-structure tight and precise. Ten tracks for an album might feel overwhelming, but Cruentus does know how to keep things compact and dense since almost all tracks are around the five-minute mark. Also, the incorporation of dynamic changes really accounts for a captivating listening experience, without which the album would have been monotonous. There is a raw, lively, and old-school quality captured within the mix, that certainly reminds us of the late 90s era of death metal. Both Martin Öhman and Petter Bocian lend their dry and rusty vocals. Mostly high screams, the vocals fit perfectly the vibe of the record. The only underwhelming aspect for me is the fade-out placed on every track, which feels like a rushed ending and jarring at times.

Honestly, it would be pointless to describe them on the basis of genre. Cruentus shows how to work with facets of various genres, and to do justice to the final product. "Fossilized" is an enjoyable record and is suggested for lovers of Death/Black Metal fans.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: Cruentus Facebook

Genre: Blackened Death/ Black Metal

Label: Kvlt und Kaos Productions

Worldwide Release: July 15th, 2022

Odyrmos - Odyrmos (Review)

2022-07-14T10:24:00.003-07:00

Hailing from Argos, Greece, Odyrmos is the personal project of Andrew Tsekrekos. After an EP and a full-length record, Tsekrekos is back with the sophomore self-titled album "Odyrmos". The album will be out on July 15th via Belfry Records and I can't wait to share my thoughts on it.

Andrew Tsekrekos crafts his tunes in a way which is simplistic to its core, yet coated with nuance and chaotic elements. The opening track "The Birth of a Melancholic Ode" is a well crafted track - starting off with synth and chimes while slowly unveiling the black metal elements. The guitar melodies bleed in followed by the drums, building up the intensity. The climax is reached at the end with the full wrath of double bass and melancholic guitar passages.

Odyrmos by Odyrmos

Almost the first half of the album is on the raw black metal spectrum. Some of my favorites include tracks like "As the Light Fades", "Dawn of A Journey" and "The Night After The Ritual" is straight-in-your-face black metal tunes with heavy usage of tremolo riffs and extensive double bass. The riffs are simple melody lines repeated for several segments. "An Ominous Journey" has some interesting drumming patterns showcased. Though being purely a black metal tune, "The Night After The Ritual" has the dungeon synth elements buried in it, foreshadowing the fate of the other side of the record. Another favorite track of mine is "What Could Have Been Wondrous". Apart from all the drums and guitar ferocity, this track sums up as a proto-Akhlys track with hints of Aquilus melodies. It is vile, evil, and wretched to its core.

The promo of Odyrmos had mentioned about the later half of the album being comprised of dungeon synth elements, and it was about time I would have encountered these tunes. "Silver Stars" and "Nostalgia" are both instrumental tunes with synth melodies being on the forefront, commanding the voyage while guitars and drums take a backseat act as companions. Both the tracks need you to invest in the journey they embark on and Tsekrekos is wise enough to keep them as instrumental, which perfectly works for me.

While Odyrmos was always Andrew Tsekrekos's project, it has expanded now with Jordan Kloepfer as the vocalist on the record. The vocals are screaming highs with hints of Norgewian Black Metal quality. The production captures the live essence of Odyrmos' sound. I am in love with the drums on the record. The guitars are well polished and a bit reverbated and the mix is wide enough to allow all elements to flow smoothly.

While nine songs might seem long for a record, Odyrmos manages to keep things short and sweet with no song exceeding five minutes mark. Unlike most BM compositions, the songs get right to the point without wasting any time and are easy for the listener to comprehend and process. To wrap the things up, the Self-Titled Album is an enjoyable record marked with some quality musicianship and is definitely suggested for any BM listener/lover.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: Odyrmos Facebook

Genre: Black Metal/Dark Ambient

Label: Belfry Records

Worldwide Release: July 15th, 2022.

Neanderthal - Defect Designer (Review)

2022-07-09T04:45:00.006-07:00

Firstly, that wacky artwork should immediately get you geared up for the outlandish and madcap ride ahead. Though very reminiscent of the “Asylum Cave” cover art by Benighted, it peaks interest in what lies in the musicality of Defect Designer. Consisting of members from Diskord, Defect Designer are reinterpreting death metal in their own way, adding dring influences and a maniacal fervour to it all. The band has dropped their newest album "Neanderthal" via Transcending Obscurity Records, and I can't wait to share my thoughts on it.

Neanderthal (Death Metal/Grindcore) by DEFECT DESIGNER

Defect Designer has woven together some acts of insanity - the main thread of it being Grindcore while combining elements of death, punk, hardcore, and even thrash. Their unhinged approach amalgamated with the ferocity of various genres has resulted in the formation of such insanity. Unpredictable to its core, “Neanderthal” is as barbaric as it can musically be. Wacky and gnarly guitar riffs with lots of dissonance on top accompanied by blasting drums - the record is groovy but does not shy away to play around with dynamic shifts, tempo changes, and insert neoclassical, blues, or jazzy parts.

To dissect any specific track would be futile since “Neanderthal” needs you to be lost within the cesspool of chaos and mayhem to vividly experience over and over again and discover strange new things. Though being only 18 minutes of runtime, the performances are top-notch, as can be expected when there are multiple members of the caliber of Diskord on the record. Tracks like “Wrinkles” and “Piggty” are some of my absolute favorites.

“Neanderthal” is a swirling vortex of chaos, unpredictability, and insanity. You might get over Defect Designer, but Defect Designer will stay in your mind for a long time.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: Defect Designer Facebook

Genre: Death Metal/Grindcore

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Worldwide Release: July 8th, 2022.

SVAR - Under a Sky Full of Thunder (Review)

2022-07-08T08:05:00.006-07:00

Svar is a one-person black metal project founded in 2020 in Krakow by Kamil Bolesta, who is responsible for guitar, bass, and vocals as well as for mixing and mastering the EP. In 2021 he released his debut EP “Behind the Veil”, and right now is preparing to release a new record - an EP titled “Under a Sky Full of Thunder”.

As commented by Bolesta for the record: “It is a concept mini-album focused on the Slavic god of thunder - Perun and Slavic beliefs about lightning. The EP consists of 4 tracks, where the last one is instrumental. Each song tells a separate story related to the aforementioned theme.”

Under a Sky Full of Thunder by Svar

“Under a Sky Full of Thunder” kicks off furiously with an impressively quick pace and solid, well-structured riffing straight out of the top drawer. “Downfall” showcases tremolo riffs with melodic passages, accompanied by fast drums. The vocals are lows, almost in the style of death metal growls. Halfway through the track, the song turns darker and descends into chaos with blistering passages. “Luminous, Lethal Force” is an interesting case to dissect. It provides an opportunity for Bolesta to display a thrashy side blended along with the black metal riffs. It almost shapeshifts in moments to switch to showcase melodic passages in the chorus, with impeccable blast beats on top.

“Sanctified by the Lightning” begins off with a clean intro, straight-up giving traditional BM vibes, which is followed up by tremolo and suspended riffs and superb drumming beneath it. With a lot of guitar layers blended in, the track has an ethereal and majestic quality to it - a mysticism exists within which can just be felt. “Under A Sky Full of Thunder” is the instrumental track of the album. Filled with great dissonance riffs, the guitar melodies lead us on the voyage, filled with moments of despair and melancholy throughout the way. I love how the bass gets to shine in moments.

Kamil Bolesta shows incredible musicianship on the record and crafts a coherent piece of art. Also, it is an incredibly well-produced affair. I am in love with the drums of the album - swift, aggressive and fast. Also, the guitars are so tight and well recorded, together it fits perfectly. Aided by good songwriting, the record manages to keep your attention for the entire run-time and does not feel overwhelming for a moment. The EP has its moments of epicness ranging from vocal performances to some insanely crafted instrumental passages. Also, did I mention each song is aided by a well-crafted guitar solo? What more do you want! As a guy who is often skeptical of BM records, SVAR did not disappoint me a bit, and surely “Under a Sky Full of Thunder” is an incredible record that deserves more listeners and lovers.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/svarkvlt/

Genre: Black Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: July 6th, 2022.

Mystery Dudes - Exit Through the Wormhole (Review)

2022-07-04T09:53:00.005-07:00

“Mystery Dudes” - a name as mysterious and hysterical as that surely generated enough curiosity in me to pick it up from the promo this week. Furthermore, a bright album art like that made me remind of Judas Priest’s “Screaming For Vengeance”. I was convinced enough the record had surprises stored in for me!

Hailing from the far-out corners of Norway’s wasteland, the band made Oslo their home base. Mystery Dudes blends their musicality with their vivid imaginations and visual imageries thoroughly. Circulating all kinds of psychedelic, progressive, and punked-out music, “Exit Through the Wormhole” is a spaced-out stoner punk odyssey through a variety of themes and soundscapes. The band quotes - “imagine a place with ghost trains, nebulas, evil blood, and eyeballin’ witches”.

Exit Through The Wormhole by Mystery Dudes

The band leaves no stone unturned in bringing back the classic sound of 60s rock, punk, and heavy metal. Along with that, the authenticity of the recording is exemplary - energetic, upbeat, and experimenting with various facets throughout the record. As the title itself goes, the album opener “Mountains of Chill” is a ‘chill’ refreshing track with heavy metal vibe and groovy rhythms. Tracks like “Evil Dead” and “Witch’s Stare” are doomy with spooky tunes, and eerie lead guitar parts, much reminiscent of Black Sabbath. Even the vocal phrasings seem to be leaving Ozzy’s footprints on the tracks.

“Ghost Train” is rather uncanny with its dissonant passages and odd selection of notes. The guitar tone has some added noise, which certainly adds a harsh quality to it, but also serves in building momentum and aiding dynamics and energy. Talking of psychedelia, “Punk” and “Mexican Stand Up” might be the best-suiting. The band does not shy away to play around with rhythms and experimenting with their sound. Both radiate an aura of juvenile energy and in general are fun tracks to listen to. However, “Nebula” might steal the title for being the favorite track off the album - an emotion-driven song with meticulous use of beautiful chords. The choice to keep it an instrumental track comes off as wise for me. Also, how melodious is that guitar solo!

I hope my above descriptions give an insight into how much I love this record at this moment. Surely, Mystery Dudes suck you into their musical wormhole instantly, and the only moment you are leaving it is at the end of the album.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/mysterydudes

Genre: Heavy Metal, Stoner Punk

Label: Electric Valley Records

Worldwide Release: June 24th, 2022.

Devil’s Tail - Desolation (Review)

2022-07-03T09:54:00.004-07:00

Black Metal has always been a hit or miss for me - some records stick for a long time with their multiple spins and some just get lost after going through once in the heap of mass releases. This week was quite remarkable. An album cover that is not too cliched with the generic trope of b/w imagery - that's how Devil’s Tail caught my attention with its minimalistic imagery and its artwork void of any color. Understandably, this was a hint of where the band’s music was heading.

”Desolation” is the first full-length album of Devil’s Tail. Consisting of Erik (guitars, bass, drums) and Jimmy (vocals) - the duo is all set to unleash the coldness among the mortals.

From the starting track of “Eternal Life” itself, the band unbridles itself with haunting riffs reminiscent of Dark Funeral. Though a mid-paced track, the track contributes in making the atmosphere more decadent. “Creeping Terror” and “Master of Salvation” bring annihilation with their creepy and punishing guitar works. The pacing is fast with extensive use of blast beats, though the band does not shy away to insert passages that return back to depressive mode. It's best to say the tracks oscillate well between these woven thoughts of bleakness and despair.

"At the Crossroads” might be the most unique track off the album - a much more dissonance-laden track with unorthodox passages and guitar layerings with an ethereal tone. Also, instances of time signature change bring in dynamic change which manages to capture your attention throughout. “Power from the Dead” pretty much sums up the record in a compact way. It starts off in a furious manner, while slowly morphing itself into a vile and evil character till the ending.

The production stands off somewhere in the middle ground - it's not clean and precise the modern times while not being painful to your auditory lobes. The band manages to capture the essence of 90s black metal with callbacks to Marduk and Dark Funeral. A Swedish touch is meticulously added which leaves quite a remarkable impression.

Devil’s Tail offers a sound that is something not unheard of, yet cannot be dismissed solely upon this. “Desolation” finds itself oscillating between the various emotions of being unapologetically punishing while embracing the bleakness in its moments of despondency and melancholy.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Website: www.facebook.com/devilstailswe

Genre: Black Metal

Label: Non Serviam Records

Worldwide Release: July 1st, 2022.

Servants of the Outer Dark - Thirteen Goats (Review)

2022-06-29T07:55:00.002-07:00

"‘Servants of the Outer Dark’ is the debut record by Vancouver death metal monsters THIRTEEN GOATS - a sonic trip that winds down the most twisted sections of extreme metal’s memory lane on a journey to wicked new horizons.” Well if that's how a band describes their musicality in the debut album promo, with added terms like ‘extreme metal’ - I was totally in for the hell-ride.

With almost forty minutes of runtime, ‘Servants of the Outer Dark’ offers a gut-punching and lethal dose of death metal, along with borrowing several facets of other neighboring genres as well. With lyrical themes ranging from social unrest and vengeance to Nazism, the band manages to fuse all these elements together skillfully.

Servants of the Outer Dark by THIRTEEN GOATS

The opening track “Servants of Order Dark” begins with a thunderclap and bell rings with an acoustic guitar on top, before bleeding in catchy, powerful riffs with flamboyant guitar leads on top. Joining in are the groovy drums beneath it, which makes it all worth of effective headbanging. The growls are gritty and the high screams radiate a vile dose of death metal energy, while also being decipherable in the track. The biggest takeaway, however, is the catchy chorus with melodious vocal lines on top that will definitely stay with the listener for a long time.

Tracks like “Challenge the Executioner” and “Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion” are staples of modern death metal with fast pacing and technical riffages, which definitely reminded me of Decapitated in a few phrases. The drum parts flow well between the moments of blast beats and double bass. Small moments like the tradeoff between the guitars and bass in “Challenge the Executioner” are a fun way to express the band’s dynamics.

“Return to Ruin” has a powerful second half with a chest-thumping power chord-based riff that is an absolute adrenaline pumper. The vocal phrasings especially here are very reminiscent of Dave Mustaine (Megadeth).

“Constant Torment” and “Through the Meat Grinder... The Recipe” are tracks with metalcore roots, with hints of death metal elements. This is quite a shift from the first half of the album in terms of riff-writing style. The band does not shy away to play with variable tempos and changes in dynamics, which certainly hooks the attention. The track “Unholy Mass” has to be the weirdest of all - riffages that make your head dizzy with the dissonant note choices evoke a claustrophobic feel. The band has sighted Cryptopsy an inspiration for the track, and inevitably so! Also, the drums have a hardcore feel to them which adds a certain upbeat texture.

Thirteen Goats might not have too many layers, instruments, and extra sonic elements to work with (except for the intro to “Sub Being”), but the boys do know how to add ingredients from other genres. There is the existence of thrash and old-school death metal elements throughout. Hardcore and Metalcore presence can be felt especially in the last half of the album. The band does know to stitch together ideas as none of the tracks feel generic or overly repetitive. One of the stellar factors of the album is the production. The guitars and drums sound absolutely incredible, capturing the energy of the band perfectly. A good-sounding record is always a green flag for me - makes me wanna invest in the musical journey further and “Servants of Order Dark” does not disappoint me either.

Lastly, I wanna conclude by saying - for a debut album of a band, “Servants of Order Dark” is a pretty solid album. Thirteen Goats certainly got the chops for good song-writing and musical proficiency. Hope the record manages to burst the bubble and spread itself to various listeners across the world.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/THIRTEEN.GOATS

Genre: Death Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: July 1st, 2022.

Scriptures of the Accursed - Acanthosis (Review)

2022-06-27T04:43:00.007-07:00

The question “How much is too much” has been around for a long time now - especially in the tech-death realm. Bands like Equipoise, First Fragment, and its other contemporaries have discographies filled with technical grandiosity at unbelievable speed. Mostly, they are catered toward a specific niche of listeners and with time, these records have managed to gain popularity among people.

The latest act to enter the spotlight has been Acanthosis. Featuring Caleb Simard and Dominick Rochette, the duo handles most of the duties ranging from Composition, Guitars, Bass, Low Vocals, and Lyrics. It's worth noting that Caleb Simard is part of lesser-known setups like Vitrified Entity and Chiliasm, both of which are neoclassical tech-death bands and their debut records have gained a lot of traction. Enters Acanthosis with their newly released debut album “Scriptures of the Accursed”.

Scriptures of the Accursed by Acanthosis

While Acanthosis was certainly more inclined towards the Slam/Brutal Death Metal realm on their EP “Self-Immolation Through Devotion of the Amalthea”, the band has shifted to a more technical and melodic space on this record. The opening track “Thirst of Knowledge” begins with a euphonic piano, before blasting with flashy techy riffs, with melodic lead lines. The dual-track of “Deep Scarlet” presents a unique blend of orchestration and melodic riffs. The songs slow down in moments, allowing other instruments in the mix to shine. “Deep Scarlet, Chapter II” is an instrumental track with heavy dynamic changes and a breathtaking bass solo.

“The Hallowed Balance, Chapter II” has moments of unpredictable rhythms with choppy riffs on top. The final track “Moonfall” stands out from other tracks in terms of the different approaches. The extensive use of acoustic guitar, not just in the intro but also in the intense parts certainly reminds me of “Ouroboric” by Equipoise. The use of dissonance-filled riffs and unconventional leads, and a proggy approach to its song structure makes me wonder how Gorguts would sound in the modern time.

The bass on the record is much dense and louder in the mix - something which I absolutely dig! The basslines range from doubling guitars to outshining the riffs in certain moments with bass solos and taking the center stage in the calmer and slow passages. Since no drummer has been credited on the record, I’m gonna assume it’s programmed - and in a few instances of tracks like “Intrenched Afflictions”, it becomes obvious that the inhuman drum rolls have been put via midi. While there exists a juvenile quality in terms of the mix, a slightly better production would have surely increased its value ten-fold.

The guitar wankery is so dense and intense on the album that it is pointless to go through track by track. Every track has an immense number of riffs that will certainly remind of Obscura. Combine that with melodic sequences of Rejuvenation and orchestration of Inferi, and intense lead guitar work of Necrophagist or First Fragment - that's what “Scriptures of the Accursed” sounds like in a nutshell.

It is a record with technical and melodic wizardry. It is an exhilarating record but the 34 minutes run-time might fatigue the listeners who are not used to these kinds of records. Regardless, “Scriptures of the Accursed” is phenomenal from its beginning to its end - something death metal nerds will totally dig.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/AcanthosisOfficial

Genre: Technical Death Metal / Melodic Death Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: June 24th, 2022.

Run For Your Life - Tabahi (Review)

2022-06-25T21:57:00.006-07:00

“Pakistani Metal Music” might seem insignificant and unheard of on a global scale - well, that's what I assumed until I checked out Azaab’s “Summoning the Cataclysm”. Raising the bar so high and matching the international standards of death metal made not only me but many new fans appreciate the band and the musicianship coming out of Pakistan. The newest stuff from the nation isn't something to be tossed around; thus when I received the promo of Tabahi, I knew what I was going for.

For those of you under the rock, Tabahi is a thrash metal band from Karachi and is heavily inspired by the German thrash metal bands Kreator, Sodom, Destruction. Fans of German thrash can relate the aggravated presence of rage and resentment in their tunes. Being politically opinionated and dealing with war, violence and corruption in their lyrics is not something new. While it was evident to see a chunk of that rage too in Tabahi's track, the band seems to be angry….for real!

"Run For Your Life" captures all the struggles and challenges behind living in one of the dangerous cities of Pakistan. Furthermore, Tabahi's music video has represented and shown their hometown Karachi, 12th largest city in the world beset by sharp ethnic, sectarian, and political conflicts. Filmed among the local civilians, the music video captures various facets of a Pakistani's life. Watch the Music Video here:

Now to the actual music - From the opening moments itself, Tabahi blasts out thunderous riffs with magnificent speed. Bleeding in, is the vocals of Daniyal Buksh Soomro with signature Tom Araya high-scream. The powerful lyrics along with the energy-filled vocal lines bring the much needed adrenaline rush. Just after the chorus, we are face-smashed with a breakdown - the half-time rhythm along with simple chugs works perfectly in the scenario and is the perfect headbanging riff. (The kids in the music video headbanging to it is the ultimate form of satisfaction). Faiq Ahmed's blistering guitar solo was the last thing we could have asked for in the song, and it doesn't disappoint at all!

With a short duration of 2:17 minutes, the song is effective in its execution with all its elements in its place. The production is good to a point of being thoroughly enjoyable, a slight improvement would have been a joyride one. Since no drummer was mentioned in the promo, I'm gonna assume it's programmed. Also, the vocal texture of Daniyal Buksh Soomro puts me off a bit, but I can't really complain about the execution of the vocal lines either.

If you are looking for something aggressive and angry from the morning itself, look no further than Tabahi's new single, "Run For Your Life".

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/tabahithrash/

Genre: Thrash Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: June 24th, 2022.

Hymns of Blinding Darkness - Our Dying World (Review)

2022-06-24T05:18:00.006-07:00

Over the last few years, Los Angeles’s Our Dying World has gone through a tremendous evolution of sound from thrashy death metal of their debut EP Expedition to the symphonic and melodic keyboard-oriented stylings. The band is back with their newest album “Hymns of Blinding Darkness” all set to be out on today and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on the album

Serving as the prelude to the album, “Ars Moriendi” serves as the pompous and grandiose cinematic intro with its horns, brass, strings and chimes before bleeding into “Everything We Know is Gone”. With punchy riffs and groovy drums, the track serves as the perfect opening track. It almost sounds like the mixture of symphonic elements of Children of Bodom and riffs of Lamb of God, with few sprinkles of melo-death too. The vocals too has the influence of the signature Randy Blythe vocal style, prevalent throughout the album.

Hymns Of Blinding Darkness by Our Dying World

Tracks like “Under the Hunter’s Blade” and “Survivor” serve as the album’s longest tracks with almost seven and a half minutes of runtime. The folk styled intro to “Under the Hunter’s Blade” showcases many catchy riffs with a lot of melodic elements. The symphonic elements often take the front seat during the impactful moments. While being almost joyous and upbeat for mostly the first half, the second half takes a darker undertone with its melody lines. “Survivor” starts with clips of a joyful choral arrangement of Tom’s high school choir before Jon Martin Crawford, who appeared before the New York Supreme Court in order to disclose child abuse from said school, echoes his final words of the testification.The song does not shy away from using acoustic phrasings, with melodious clean singing on top - which honestly works! A lot of melodic shredding and flashing solos along with epic orchestration and riffs on the track. Clearly, the band wants you to be invested on the epic journeys they peregrinate.

“Path of the Nomad” has a war-metal/viking-metal vibe to it. Apart from the instrumentations, the majestic strings evoke a sensation of grand expedition. Starting off with marching drum beats, “Diary of A War Dog” might be the most vicious track from the album. Its ferocity with the rapid double bass aided by the savage riffages might be the remorseless side of the band we were left to see. In the calming moments too, the song shines through its basslines and keyboard melodies. On “Valediction”, the strings slowly build from a single violin to a whole section in what feels like a distant memory. A sudden 808 drop changes the tone to something a little more hesitant and fearful and the brass takes us to a darker and darker place until string before bleeding into the final track “Veil of the Reaper”. Channeling the fecority from “Diary of A War Dog”, this one does not waste a single minute to build a landscape of death and desolation, where Reaper stands right in front of our eyes! Again, with powerful riffs and grooves of LoG and synth melodies like CoB works together for the track.

The wall of sound Our Dying World builds has the perfect mix of elements of groove metal and melodic death metal. With a slightly better production on the record, the quality of the album would have increased by ten-folds, though there’s no denying that the record is tight and punchy for the maximum part! While the fast half has a mid-pace to it with more inclination on the melodeath realm, the second half of the album really stands out to me - for being fast, ferocious and violent. Regardless, the end result is an enjoyable record with entertaining offering that will appeal to their fanbase, and certainly bring some new listeners on their side as well.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/ourdyingworldofficial

Genre: Melodic Death Metal / Groove Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: June 24th, 2022

Voraath - Siren Head & The Barren (Review)

2022-06-15T03:37:00.003-07:00

Voraath is an extreme metal band from North and South Carolina USA, featuring members from Nile (Brad Parris), Xael (Joshua Ward), Rapheumet’s Well, Implosive Disgorgence, and Sweet Blood. As described by the band, they are an otherworldly and experimental death metal band that brings together emotional yet brutal music and science fantasy appealing to both metal enthusiasts as well as those who appreciate the lore of the music. With two singles - “Siren Head” and “The Barren” off their discography, I can’t wait to share my thoughts on them.

The Barrens by Voraath

Opening right off with a symphonic intro, “Siren Head” sucks you in with its blazing speed of flashy, techy riffs and rapid drumming. The songwriting standards are somewhere upon the level of the extremity legends like Aborted and Cattle Decapitation. The placement of female vocals might feel weird for this level of extremity, but it surely works and it's mesmerizing. Around the second-half, elements of melodic death metal bleeds in and a significant amount of time is spent on building the momentum upto the epic conclusion at the end, again incorporating female vocals.

“The Barren” opens its hellish realms with a horror cinematic buildup. The powerful chest-thumping riffs which oscillate between the realms of dissonance and doom. The note selections are as chaotic as the atmosphere and environment built up. Along halfway, the bassline is mesmerizing, which then leads to the melo-death realm with melodic guitar solos aided by the beautiful choir vocals.

Voraath serves me the brand of plethora of extreme metal which I absolutely enjoy. Combined with the technicality with few sprinkles of death-grind, the band does know how to sound brutal. Also bringing in female vocals and orchestrations for the most part - that should not go uncredited as well. But where the band’s mammoth monstrosity fails is the production. Disappointed to say Voraath at first sounds like a half-baked product, which will take some patience of yours to sit through. The production of “The Barren” is awfully bad! In the age of instant gratification where if not provided with at least a decent mix, people are just gonna forget your stuff. The production just clouds the musical prowess featured on both the tracks. Hope Voraath improves on their mixing and gets discovered by a lot of other extreme-heads in the future.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Voraath

Genre: Brutal Death Metal / Extreme Metal

Label: Independent

Chrysalis - Ekoa (Review)

2022-06-15T02:43:00.004-07:00

Fusion of prog-death and metalcore? Well, that's some hybrid mixture of genres worth checking out. Ekoa is a band performing a fusion of progressive/death metal and metalcore from Poland. On March 23 2022, the band released their debut EP titled “Chrysalis”. The band expresses their music to be a conglomerate of modern and progressive death metal with connection of groove guitar parts and metalcore vibe filled in clean growl vocals.With their debut record being out now, I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.

Chrysalis by Ekoa

For a title like “Rooted into Grudge”, you might expect something heavier, grittier and darker. Well that's not entirely the case here. With melodic chords and chugs infused, this one is an interesting take on metalcore. The clean vocals on the chorus are marvelous to listen to. Despite being mid-paced for a relatively metalcore-ish composition, the tightly woven transitions and vocal passages are on-point execution. Even the super-clean guitar outro gives a melancholic touch in the ending. “The Stoic” is an interesting case to dissect - from using the 6/4 meters to maneuvering the open dissonance chords, the track has a very Opeth-ish vibe. Even the growls sound Akerfeldt-ish! Again, a minor clean passage followed by a brief guitar solo are some of the few characteristics Ekoa puts to a good use here. It's not a magnificent 10 min prog metal goofball, rather a compressed version of all the Opeth’s elements put together for a four-minute track.

“Delegation of Thoughts” is heavily grooved based with slight additions of core elements to it. The flashy riffs with hardcore styled drums shows a different side of the band overall. Also a long guitar solo - that needs to be mentioned. With a heavy metal derived main riff “Chimera” infuses clean vocals on top of the rhythms, which then bleeds into the melodic realm where the vocals shine the most. Somehow, the band manages to infuse the elements of heavy metal and prog/melo-death together.

The stuff Ekoa put out is surely interesting. Having a different approach, each of the tracks is unique in its own term and doesn’t come off as generic or repetitive. It's not a nuanced or complex record to perceive - built on simple blocks of passages and hooks, transitions that work well. The fusion of not just one, but many genres works well for the band’s music. While the execution of the clean vocals might have been better in the heavier portions like “Chimera”, it definitely does its magic for the most part. I love the drums on the record - sounds tight, punchy and fits perfectly. With a slight improvement on the production, the impact of the record would have increased by tenfold. Till then, let's wait and watch for what Ekoa prepares in the future.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/EkoaCracow

Genre: Metalcore/ Progressive Death Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: March 23rd, 2022.

Brutta - Self-Titled (Review)

2022-06-13T04:51:00.003-07:00

Brutta is a solid, heavy-hitting band straight out of São Paulo, Brazil, and the UK. Although they are relatively new, the trio of Adriano Ribeiro (Athemon) (guitars, vocals), Tom MacLean (Athemon, ex-Haken) (bass), and Gledson Gonçalves (drums) have many years of experience working together under their belts - and that's how Brutta came into existence. The newly formed trio is all set to unveil their debut self-titled album, to be out on June 17th, and I'm here to discuss it.

Brutta by Brutta

And the descent into desolation begins with the title-track "Brutta". With dense guitar sounding riffs based off power chords accompanied by the black metal blast beats, this is a typical black metal piece. Tracks like "Mortem" and "Frgmntd" gives more insight on the band's usage of dissonance riffs and chords. With each passing moment, the dark and dismal atmosphere of the album is developed in its dissonant layer stacking. With few melodic guitar passages aside, "Frgmntd" sounds no less than a horror story.

The production of the album hugely improves the listening experience overall. Keeping the vocals up-front, "Bastards" is a track that pumps up its aggression through its vicious lyrics like "There is no God!". Case in point, you can actually make up the lyrics from the black metal mix - that seems atypical but Brutta has managed to achieve it. "Inferno" and "Limbo" are tracks that lead you into the cesspool of dissonance, encapsulating the nasty gritty atmosphere. While "Devon" has a sludgy, doomy vibe which anticipates towards a furthermore upcoming destruction, it keeps a restraint to it and continues a controlled journey.

It's worth mentioning that Brutta embarks upon an atmospheric world building through the entire runtime of the record. You won't find such complexities or nuances in each song, but those present serve the greater purpose of the album. The basslines are nasty with its overall tone and shines throughout. While the production of the album is a thing to be appreciated, it makes the album vocal-centric too. While the drums and guitars shine in the first-half of the album, you can feel a sudden lack of ideas in riff-writing in the second-half, leaning heavily on vocals for the most part.

With its minor flaws aside, Brutta puts forth an enjoyable and unique record. Scrape down the basic elements of black metal, execute those in a fashion of extreme metal while keeping up with the good production quality - that's how I would sum up Brutta's self-titled album. It's an album catered mainly towards the black metal audience. Though I wonder how the die-hard black metal fans would react to it? For me, it's an enjoyable record nevertheless!

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/bruttametal

Genre: Black Metal, Extreme Metal

Worldwide Release: June 17th, 2022.

The Masquerade - Inanimate Existence (Review)

2022-06-09T09:25:00.003-07:00

A Three-membered band in the technical death metal realm! Seems quite unpromising right? Well that's where the genre’s one of the promising bands of today’s time comes. Five albums already within a span of a decade without compromising on the quality of songwriting - Inanimate Existence has raised the bar always with its release. Each album sets apart and distinguishes itself with its unique brand of sound and the darker concept-based storytelling. Finally, the band has returned with its sixth album “The Masquerade” to be out on June 10th via The Artisan Era, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts about it!

The Masquerade by Inanimate Existence

There are some things you know exactly before tuning in for an Inanimate Existence album - intricate technical riffs and cosmic melodies with a touch of ambient and atmospheric passages. That's exactly how the album opener “Endless Waves” starts out - a melancholic clean intro which bleeds into grooves and technical ferocity. Often the track flows between the realm of atmospheric ambience and tech-death, often maintaining a balance. “Buried Beneath Scars” shows some intense tremolo actions, while incorporating unheard yet beautiful melodies that will stay with you. The integration of dynamic shifts and few slow sludgy passages allows the basslines to shine the most. Starting off with a grandiose intro “The Masquerade” feels no less than a horror story with spooky melodies. Again, the track oscillates in between ambient moments with incorporation of keyboard melodies. “Into the Underworld” might just be the favorite track off the album - tasty riffs with brutal drums. This track quite reminds me of “Voyager” off their record “Clockworks”. The leads on guitars are absolutely melodious, even to a point of being melancholic and pouring sadness in heart.

“Wandering White Walls” almost picks it up where its predecessor left, with the clean intro almost along the same line. This one is rather slow paced and groovy, giving the space to shine Cameron’s vocals on the track. “Return to the Dream” is another tasty track off the record. With many catchy riffs and several dynamic shifts, this one has gained quite a popularity as a single for the album promotion. “Heart of the Inferno” is a mixture of old-school riffs presented in a modern fashion with technical toppings. The final track off the record “Ending the Ritual” begins with mystical sonic tunes, before flowing into the province of absolute heaviness. Fast, bone-crushing riffs while being progressively infused with its elements, this one is another favorite track of mine. Also, what a name for a song to end the album!

Inanimate Existence exactly knows how to construct and bridge its tech-death elements with progressive elements. The balance is just immaculate. Cameron Porras shines everywhere on his guitar work - from his heavier brutal rhythms to his clean leads, he is mystical in every way. Also, how beautiful is the bass on the album! Scott Bradley’s bass lines cut through the mix and shine especially in the calming moments where he can dominate thoroughly. Ron Casey’s drum playing is just immaculate on the record. The trio again creates a record that just pushes the bar in modern death metal.

Let’s not forget how Inanimate Existence always keeps their storytelling in front - aiding to the fact of their long history of writing concept albums and constructing stories off it. “The Masquerade'' seems to be no exception either. The album’s lyrics touch on subjects such as isolation, tribalism, and the connection between one's outer shell to their true inner self. The music quests on the journey with its balancing act between its heavier moments and calm moments, and successfully does so.

“The Masquerade” proves again the musical prowess of Inanimate Existence, and adds up to be another memorable record in their shining bright discography.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheInanimateExistence

Genre: Technical Death Metal, Progressive Death Metal

Label: The Artisan Era

Worldwide Release: June 10th, 2022.

Forever Nothing - Weaponry (Review)

2022-06-09T06:43:00.006-07:00

At this point, I am a connoisseur of extreme metal. But this does not stop me from taking a few records from other genres as well. This week, I found myself stumbling upon a post-hardcore record in the promo, and glad I picked it up. Based in Reading, UK, Weaponry is a band I wish now I had discovered earlier. Their newest EP “Forever Nothing” is all set to come out on 17th June via Prank Monkey Records, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.

This is surely some interesting material. The intro track “Take It or Leave It” is a melody driven track with powerful guitar riffs. The drums are thick and punchy enough for modern standards and fit the energy and dynamics of the performance of the band - just as I like it. The vocals almost start off clean and transitions slowly to almost high screams, just as the dynamics of the song rises with every second. “Please Enjoy the Show” is a fun, bouncy track and makes you instantly nod your head. The guitar melody has few dissonance elements mixed within, which provides a slight touch of melancholy too. “Mine” seems to be an extension of where its predecessor left - the execution of the instrumental is at its utmost beauty with catchy phrasings and riffs. Even the track has a memorable hook in the later-half. What puts me off a bit about “Mine” is the vocal execution. A rather clean vocals or a better enactment of the vocal melodies would have been a perfect fit. The final track “My Name of Glory” feels like a celebration of the early 2000s Metalcore Era. While the vocals is surely based on hardcore style, the guitar melodies brought me a lot of Killswitch Engage memories.

Weaponry achieves its intended effect. The songwriting is not something highly complex or technical; a subtle simplicity exists within the record, yet it is rich in various aspects. The wall of sounds the guitars and bass create is powerful enough - you can almost feel the zeal and liveliness everytime a power chord based riff hits! I am in love with the sound of the drums. The processed, bass-heavy and clean drums is what I root for in these kinds of records and it absolutely delivers that. The biggest takeaway however is the vocals - a juvenile quality exists in the vocals and the teenager angst is perfectly depicted. While it fails in moments of “Mine”, the powerful vocal throws really work most of the time (especially “My Name is Glory”). Also, with raw lyrical content covering topics such as homelessness, isolation and anxiety pulling from real life experiences, this one will definitely resonate with people beyond metalheads.

For someone who is highly engrossed mostly in extreme metal, Weaponry was truly a breath of fresh air. Every second of the EP was enjoyable and it's definitely worth your time. For what I can assume now, “Forever Nothing” will be a magnum opus record to hardcore/metalcore fans, and they are gonna remember it as well.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/weareweaponry

Genre: Post-Hardcore

Label: Prank Monkey Records

Worldwide Release: June 17th, 2022.

Decadent Perversity - DeathFuckingCunt (Review)

2022-06-08T00:55:00.002-07:00

With a name like that, it's apparent that DeathFuckingCunt from Australia doesn't pull any punches. Returning after nine years since their previous record, it was about time to witness what DFC brings for us in the future. No doubt, it's a sheer delight to witness extremity in its unbridled form, without it degenerating into thoughtless barbarity, and DFC promises exactly that. With their album “Decadent Perversity” to be out on June 10th, the moment has finally arrived to witness the sheer wrath and destruction!

Decadent Perversity (Brutal/Technical Death Metal) by DEATHFUCKINGCUNT

DeathFuckingCunt jumps right off the bat with its inexorable brutality. “Mulesing the Malformed”' is a relentless, no-nonsense straight hit to your fist with magnificent grooves and unsparing technical riffs. Infused with unpredictability “Fisted into Form” is a cathartic expression of unconventional passages with choppy riffs of Defeated Sanity while pursuing fast grooves of Origin. “Conceived In Formaldehyde” feels no less than a violent chemical reaction - the utter chaos and absolute mayhem generates enough exothermic energy to pulse your heart rapidly. The breakdown infused rhythms provide instances of adrenaline-rush. Tracks like “Emphatic Defloration” and “Devoured by Eunuchs” present Origin styled riffages, while having few elements of grind like Cattle Decapitation and unceasing grooves in the background.

Along with the weird grooves and immaculate choppy riffs, the greatest takeaway from “Blunt Force Vasectomy” is the bass on the track - its thicc, nasty, gritty and absolutely bangs! The intro to “Decadent Perversity” is like an absolute gut-punch. The shreds sound no less than guitar notes on drugs while the drums are absolutely inhuman. Brain Drill and Neurogenic fans - yeah this one's for you. The final track “Garroted by Frenulum” manages to slip in tech elements and excellent guitar melody for the last time while being mostly groove dominated.

It's hard to put DFC solely under the radar of tech-death or brutal death either. The band manages to take elements from both worlds, mash it up together with relentless grooves while having elements of grind/deathgrind also. The result is somewhat unconventional and wacky while being unapologetically brutal with its treatment. The instrumentation on this record might feel inhumanly virtuosic, few glances of which we got in DFC’s previous album too. With “Decadent Perversity”, the band shows an immaculate mixture of every element from extreme metal, and combines it to create a giant inter-galactic monster, leaving behind all of its contending associates. It is unapologetically brutal and lethal, shattering everything on its way.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/DFCaustralia

Genre: Brutal Technical Death Metal

Label: Transcending Obscurity Records

Worldwide Release: June 10th, 2022.

Data Tribes - Webdriver Torso (Review)

2022-06-05T07:09:00.005-07:00

Webdriver Torso seems to incorporate the elements of slamming brutal death metal while adding elements of electronic, creating a hybrid style of "Cybergrind"! The band has dropped their recent EP called “Data Tribes”, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.

There’s already a particular set of sound you imagine while tuning in for slamming brutal death metal, and Webdriver Torso doesn’t disappoint. “Devoured By Malware” and “Dead Bandwidth” have vile, gut wrenching guitar riffs with interesting grooves and dynamic shifts. While you can technically call them Cybergrind too, the electronic elements seem to find a place from henceforth. With grind elements incorporated along with the rapid drums “No Proxy” might be the strongest track from the record. The electronic and synth elements, along with the brutal slamming mixtures provide the absolute gut-punch! With an intro that sets you off totally “Technoerotic Asphyxiation” is again along the same lines as “No Proxy”; also how erotic is that for a title? Along with the sheer brutality,the title track “Data Tribes” is a bit thrash-death oriented with passages of half-time breakdowns which are surely headbanging moments.

Data Tribes by Webdriver Torso

To sum up “Data Tribes”, all I can say is sheer brutality with an added pinch of electronic elements. The reverb and wider wall of sound is common for bands like these, and Webdriver Torso nails that. While you can complain about the lack of ideas in creating memorable passages, few instances do hit you hard. The drums almost blast throughout the runtime and the vocals are deep low gutturals. Few of the highlights include moments of OG slam riffs from “Technoerotic Asphyxiation” and “No Proxy” as a whole. The “Untitled” intro is a weird electronic buildup track that leads to no climax, and is an odd choice for the record as a whole.

It's important to understand that genres like these appeal to a sheer closed niche of people, even metalheads. Webdriver Torso creates the wall of sound that is very much effective for the energy of slamming brutal death metal. Dissecting its elements and tracks of barely two minutes is pointless. The raw brutal energy is what matters - and Webdriver Torso creates tracks to which is for fun pleasurable listening experience and to which extreme-heads will definitely nod their heads; at least I did!

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Website: https://lifelesschasm.bandcamp.com/album/data-tribes

Genre: Slamming Brutal Death Metal / Cybergrind

Label: Lifeless Chasm Records

Worldwide Release: March, 2022

Buried Realm - Buried Realm (Review)

2022-06-02T08:24:00.002-07:00

Hailing from Colorado Springs, USA, Buried Realm is the one-man project of Josh Dummer who enlists the help of prominent musicians from around the world to bolster his already impressive songwriting and performance. Having released two albums already, “Embodiment of the Divine” (2020) and “The Ichor Carcinoma” (2017). Dummer is gearing up to release a third, a self-titled full-length with a well-rounded group of well-known guests, to be out on 3rd June. So without any further ado, let's jump into the album discussion.

Buried Realm by Buried Realm

The album intro “Entrance” is a melodic piece; rather a prelude perfect as the album opener, which then bleeds into “Spectral Light”. One of the fastest songs with ‘at you face blasting’ with intense grooves and catchy riffs. The guitar work flows between technical verses while being melodic in the chorus. The high screams incite the dynamic energy perfectly needed. Much darker and grittier, “Poison Place” is a groove dominated track and might be the most abrasive and intense Buried Realm song. With Christian Muenzner featuring, the blistering solos are a bliss to listen to. “The Iron Flame” is a perfect template of modern melo-death. Choppy riffs with melodic lines and blistering guitar lead lines are all you can expect. (Though the main riff reminds me of “In Due Time” by KSE). A tale of temptation and resurrecting evil rounds up “Witch Bones” - keyboard leads with strong rhythm in background, and along halfway blueprinting eastern melodies which does sound no less than a horror tale.

“Where the Armless Phantoms Glide” is a lethal mixture of speed and catchy swift melodies. The rapid drums blast throughout the entire song-length. Featuring Dan Swano on vocals, the vocal melodies of Swano and Josh compliment each other fascinatingly. Apparently the first song to be written for the album, “Elder Gods” is upbeat and catchy with groove being its dominant factor. With the final track “Quicksand Memory”. Buried Realm encompasses every element and quality unique to the album in one track - fast brutal drums with melodic tremolo riffs with tons of guitar leads.

Having used the words like “melodic” and “catchy” too often now, it is undeniable that the record blurs the line between the genre of Scandinavian Death Metal and Technical Death Metal, with elements and passages often oscillating between the two realms. The vocals on the album are so well done - Dummer’s highs are somewhere comparable to late Trevor Strnrd and the mix justifies the vocal melodies as well. The rapid drums on the album gives you no moment to sit - it almost blasts throughout the entire runtime of the album. The production of the album is also a level up from its predecessor “Embodiment of the Divine”, so much so that “Buried Realm” might be one of the best produced albums of 2022. With that being said, guest artists like Bob Katsionis, Christian Münzner, Christofer Malmström, Dan Swanö and Dean Arnold acts no less than bright stars emitting their musical light on the beautiful planet of Buried Realm.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/buriedrealm

Genre: Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal

Worldwide Release: June 3rd, 2022.

Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain (Review)

2022-06-01T06:33:00.005-07:00

Drawing frequent comparisons to mind-altering progressive death metal acts, Artificial Brain have distinguished themselves from their peers through an emphasis on rich, melancholic melodic figures, contextualizing the harmonic and emotive qualities of black metal within a more aggressive death metal framework. Their previous two records - Labyrinth Constellation and Infrared Horizon quickly garnered popularity and amazed the masses with their impeccable songwriting. It was about time the band would release their highly anticipated third album and complete the saga it started in 2014. The self-titled third album drops on June 3rd, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.

Artificial Brain by ARTIFICIAL BRAIN

From the opening track “Artificial Brain”, the band paints a dense wall of sound with its usage of huge open dissonance chords, unconventional rhythms. Being the shortest song of the album, it wastes no time in establishing what Artificial Brain is known for. “Glitch Cannon” provides an insight into its black metal riffs, almost reminiscent of Kraalice sound while maintaining the grooves in the back. “Celestial Cyst” brings a sense of melancholy, somewhere buried under the huge mammoth sounding dissonant riffs. The dense & brutal amalgamation of guitar and fast blast-beats laden drums puts for an otherworldly experience. The old-school riffs of Demilich or Gorguts and the black metal melody come together in “A Lofty Grave”. Also, we have Colin Marston on Waar Guitar, providing more of the Kraalice touch to it.

While “Tomb of the Exiled Engineer” explores more on the melancholic & experimental black metal in its fast and slow moments, “Embalmed with Magma” is rather groovy with its extensive use of double bass, blast-beats and impeccable drumming. Tracks like “Parasite Site” and “Cryogenic Dreamworld” are melody-laden, being more inclined towards the death metal spectrum, while having few atmospheric and ambient touch to them in moments. A mammoth of a track from its first riff itself “Insects and Android Eyes” showcases saturnine melodies floating along in the high registers of the instruments, providing an otherworldly galactic journey. The final track “Last Words of the Wobbling Sun” really wobbles down to every major factor on the album - its viscous with its dissonance elements, while being melodic with its layerings and absolutely rumbling through its powerful impeccable drumming. Melancholic and powerful till its last moment, the song leaves its memorable impact in its final moments of outro - a powerful ending to the trilogy.

“Artificial Brain” marks the group’s final recording with original vocalist Will Smith (Afterbirth). The vocals are almost low gutturals from the depths of hell, powerful enough to summon an intergalactic monster.With themes of isolation, madness, and the inexorability of nature, the songwriting on this album feels much more organic and a well-balanced act. This definitely showcases the band’s ideas in its most mature form. After two successful albums, the style pioneered by Artificial Brain is complex and almost incomprehensible, yet somehow they manage to break their own mold and return back with some gigantic. While Labyrinth Constellation and Infrared Horizon felt more chaotic and wacky - Artificial Brain feels more congenial and snug, while not abandoning its previous qualities. With these being said, the expectations were high and Artificial Brain did not disappoint. It gave us one of the memorable albums of the year, and certainly a fair addition to their gold discography.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/ArtificialBrainMusic

Genre: Technical Blackened Death Metal

Label: Profound Lore Records

Worldwide Release: June 3rd, 2022.