Stuck in the Filter: May 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

Every day we toil, rain or shine, to find you the semi-finest ore of the month. Lately, though, it’s been mostly rain. Leaks abound, uniforms are soaked to the bone, the chutes are slick and slippery. We must continue, however, to provide for the masses!

Unfortunately, we don’t have any resources to keep anything dry in this godforsaken place. I hope you like your Filter nuggets soggy!

Kenstrosity’s Meanest Meanies

Death Whore // Blood Washes Everything Away [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Hailing from Nancy, France, crust/death newcomers Death Whore unleashed what is surely one of the meanest records of the year so far. A debut capable of humbling some of the better releases by far more seasoned acts, Blood Washes Everything Away is a nonstop cavalcade of stank-face, bone-shattering riffs. From the onset of vicious onslaught “Inhaling the Dead,” to the stomp and swerve that is the massive “Infernal Terror Machine” and “None Are Forgotten,” to the blistering and evil “12 Worm Wounds,” Death Whore crafted 11 brutally addictive, but smart and lean cuts guaranteed to snap necks. They allow only the sharpest hooks to imbue accessibility to this killer material, but make no sacrifice to the filthy, crust-laden tones and textures determined to pummel and paste (“Noyé dans le sang,” “Motorthroat ’79,” “Savage Aesthetic Revenge”). Throw in a refreshing message criticizing late-stage capitalistic trends, worldwide misappropriation of wealth by the elite class, and the futility of hard work in the modern era for those struggling to meet their basic needs (“You Owe Me a Living”), and you’ve got a record after my heart. I can already tell that I’m going to regret not saving Blood Washes Everything Away from Filter relegation by the time this publishes, but don’t let my transgression in this matter stop you from enjoying of deep Death Whore.

Executionist // Sacrament of the Sick [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

West Virginian death thrashers Executionist were not on my radar. First off, I am, historically, very picky when it comes to thrash. It slaps when it slaps and leaves me cold when it doesn’t. Lately, though, I’ve been digging the style more and more, and Executionist’s particularly meaty take on Kreator WIOLENCE has my attention thoroughly affixed. With debut LP Sacrament of the Sick, Executionist bring on the riffs, but elevate them with blackened tremolos, rabid barks, and an immense bass tone. Opener proper “Edge of Annihilation” pulls no punches, but only hints at the quality held beyond. There’s an almost At the Gates-like sense of melody here, one which works in tandem with deadly riffs and blackened char instead of as a mere surface-level decoration (“Wheels of War,” “Divided We Stand… United We Fall”). While Sacrament of the Sick relies heavily on the long form for its song structures, creating a spot of bloat, there’s usually something memorable and interesting to keep me invested in the story from beginning to end (“Thy Kingdom Come,” “Sacrament of the Sick”). With just a little tightening of the screws, Executionist could easily become the next big name in thrash. Until then, rest easy knowing Sacrament of the Sick is a worthy contender on its own merits.

Thus Spoke’s Shiny Scraps

Ghost Bath // Rose Thorn Necklace [May 9th, 2025 – Nuclear Blast]

DSBM is a genre of necessity tied to a particular mood, and it’s not a happy one. In spite—or perhaps because—of this,1 it’s one I usually enjoy. Ghost Bath’s take on this particular type of misery music has fluctuated between more black metal and more post, and I personally found it never quite stuck. Rose Thorn Necklace, however, has kept me coming back for repeated mope sessions for weeks. It’s still recognisably Ghost Bath thanks to those same echoing howls that lurch into voiceless high-pitched wails (“Well, I Tried Drowning”), and a familiarity about the bitter refrains. But synths now play a prominent role in driving melody2 both dreamy (“Grotesque Display,” “Throat Cancer”) and uncomfortably upbeat (“Vodka Butterfly”), as things swing back in the direction of post-leaning DSBM. Layered strums lace into pessimistic chord swings and scream-resonant atmoblack (title, track, “Dandelion Tea,” “Stamen and Pistil”), sometimes recalling Harakiri for the Sky. It manages to be pretty, in that characteristically depressing way, as minor melodies bleed into blackened tantrums (“Well, I Tried Drowning”) or ride on synths as harrowing screams narrate (“Throat Cancer”). The snippets of coughing (“Dandelion Tea”), sobbing (“Vodka Butterfly”), and sirens (“Throat Cancer”) are par for the course, but still very effective, and the ending duo “Needles” and the horribly—but brilliantly—named “Throat Cancer” is kind of…genuinely lovely in a really gross, demoralising sense. I’m converted.

ClarkKent’s Bestial Beats

Animalize // Verminateur [May 23, 2025 – Dying Victims Productions]

While the album cover might not inspire confidence, make no mistake, Animalize is worthy of your attention. On their sophomore album, Verminateur, these Frenchmen bring youth and energy to the old school speed and traditional metal scene. They mix up mid-tempo tunes with high-octane thrash, and even throw in a lovely piano ballad for good measure (“Priere de Remords”). On tracks like “Chevel Astral” and “Au Jugement de Soi” you can hear influences ranging from Accept to Def Leppard, while the lightning-fast “Verminateur” sounds like a blast from Judas Priest’s Painkiller. Front man Coyote brings plenty of charm, ranging from excitedly shrill to cool-headed, all while executing some well-timed “oohs” and infectious laughter here and there. Fortunately, he doesn’t carry all of the weight. Jessman and RattleGab keep the riffs spicy throughout, ensuring Animalize never phones it in, while Lynx’s drumming adds some much-needed heft. The songwriting is nice and tight, allowing the album to clock in at a tidy 36 minutes. As good as each song is, the icing on the cake is “Envahisseurs,” which will end up as a strong candidate for song of the year. It brings a killer riff and thrilling energy that’s sure to get the Statue of Liberty to drop her torch and make some devil horns.

Owlswald’s Feathered Echoes

Pandemia // Darkened Devotion [May 16th, 2025 – Hammerheart Records]

After a decade between releases, Czech death metal veterans Pandemia burst back onto the scene with their sixth full-length, Darkened Devotion. Still channeling the menacing souls of legends like Vader and Immolation, Darkened Devotion marks a significant yet successful pivot towards a more accessible sound for Pandemia. Delivering bone-crushingly heavy and succinct songs that are both memorable and easily palatable, Pandemia haven’t lost their edge—they’ve simply refined it. From “Nightmare Paradox’s” gut-punching, wicked riffing to “Catalepsy’s” gratifying, atmospheric thrash-inspired arpeggiations, every part of Darkened Devotion feels focused and tastefully executed. New drummer Jake Bayer (Cutterred Flesh) is an absolute beast, shaping Darkened Devotion’s mammoth backbone with thunderous rapid-fire double bass runs (“Blessed, Blessed Oblivion,” “Depths”), intricate tom fills (“The Pallor of Detest,” “The Wretched Dance”) and precision blasts (“Nighttime Paradox,” “A Sea to Breathe In”). Returning guitarist Alex Marek—last heard on 2005’s Riven—unleashes a barrage of infectious shredding that makes headbanging involuntary. Jaroslav “Jarda” Friedrich’s bass and Jikra Krš’s vocals complement Bayer and Marek’s authority with angry drawls and guttural, gravely growls. The album’s overall tone is immense, effortlessly engulfing listeners into its nocturnal anxieties with ease. With Darkened Devotion, Pandemia have forged a refined and brutal auditory feast that genuinely took me by surprise. Embrace the darkness.

Killjoy’s Dreamy Delights

Asthénie // Iridescence [May 5th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Iridescence is literally a colorful piece of music. Named after the naturally occurring phenomenon of an object appearing to change colors, Asthénie assigned a different color to each of these five songs. The guitars are the main focus here—whether with a glimmer (“Mélèze”) or a shimmer (“Indigo”), they brilliantly showcase the prettier side of post metal. Hardcore-tinged screams boldly accentuate the guitars’ vibrant hues, providing heft and urgency. Somewhat ironically, “Gris” (meaning grey) takes up the most time at 11 minutes and is the most developed contrast between the calm and furious. At only 35 minutes in total, Iridescence passes like a beautiful breeze with little fluff or filler. While by no means necessary, some clean vocals could potentially add even more color to a future release. Though this is not the first instance this year of a post-black record patterned after various wavelengths in the visible light spectrum, Iridescence is resplendent in its own right.

Au Clair de Lune // In the Wake of Dusk [May 16th, 2025 – Self-Release]

Moonlight and bodies of water share an intrinsic artistic bond. There’s something deeply enchanting about a celestial, ghostly source of illumination amidst a dark, murky setting. Leonard Sinaguglia’s blackgaze project Au Clair de Lune aurally combines these two aesthetics via dreamy, floaty guitars and synths akin to Autumn Nostalgie and, of course, Alcest’s Écailles de Lune. At times, the melodies are smooth and glassy like the surface of a lake (“Echoing Silhouettes,” “Neon Dusk”). Other times, they’re upbeat and catchy as a rip current (“Anaemoia,” “Distant Glow”). The principal vocal style is a mild rasp, more for flavor than heaviness, though Falyriae adds her airy singing voice on occasion. Although the track order and overall pacing usually find a good balance between the atmospheric parts and the punchy parts, the longer track lengths make In the Wake of Dusk feel a bit fluffy in places. But even so, Au Clair de Lune provides a satisfying and transportative experience to an unearthly realm.

Dolphin Whisperer’s Dusky Deposition

Slumbering Sun // Starmony [May 9th, 2025 – Self Release]

Music is the closest thing we have to magic in this world. When a great song or a great album graces your ears, it’s a clean sweep to any combo the head, heart, and gyrating body. Such was the case with Lone Star Doomsters Slumbering Sun and their debut release The Ever-Living Fire back in 2023. With a fragile heart in one hand and a fat riff in the other, their take on the kind of sadboi doom you’d hear in bands like Warning or early Pallbearer struck me deep. On Starmony, much of the same elements return: growling bass underpinning stadium-sized riffs, Ozzy-like vocals that bustle with a modern emotion and charisma, and a posty playfulness that allows long-form compositions to swell and soar. The only trouble is that it takes a couple songs for Starmony to settle into that same form of riffed-out hypnosis, with the one-two intro of “Together Forever” and “Keep It a Secret” sounding like the middle drive of a live set rather than the start of an introspective journey. But with the violin-assisted weeping catharsis of “Midsommar Night’s Dream” and “Wanderlust,” the waltzing melody of “Danse Macabre,” and the Thin Lizzy-styled dueling leads of “The Tower,” Slumbering Sun again finds a monstrous groove in hopeful and hammering songcraft. And, of course, if you get a chance to catch this act live like I did, just a few days before The Dolphlet emerged, you’ll fall extra prey to the kinds of doomy incantations that Slumbering Sun conjures with their mystic-minded compositions. In fat riffs we trust, and in sorrowful hearts we linger.

Tyme’s Tragic Tones

Enterré Vivant // 悪罪 (Akuzaï) [May 26th, 2025 – Antiq]

Comprised of French multi-instrumentalist Erroiak and vocalist Sakrifiss—whose 25-year residency in Japan heavily influences the music—depressive black metallers Enterré Vivant’s3 third album, Akuzaï, blew me away. My DSBM bar was set long ago by Shining‘s unfuckwithable V: Halmstad, and yet Akuzaï has come along to give it a run for its money. Centered around 10 Buddhist sins, Akuzaï relates the experiences of Japanese civilians and victims during the Second World War. From the emotionally charged cover photo depicting a mother breastfeeding her newborn shortly after the bombing of Nagasaki,4 to the haunting interludes and shimmering, melancholic melodies within, Akuzaï melds traditional, tremolo-picked guitars and icy vocals ala Summoning and Emperor (“Sesshô,” “Shin’i”) with Moonsorrow-esque keys, Japanese-influenced flutes and violins, along with ghostly moaning howls to create its depressive atmospheres. Transitioning from the twisted croaks of interlude “Waraguchi,” album highlight “Jain” begins with mournful pianos and a pensive, tremolo-picked lead before crashing forth in waves of crushingly cascading chords and Sakrifiss’ tortured screams, its eight and a half minutes awash in black metal sadness. By the time the wails of a suffering child floated in around the seven-and-a-half-minute mark, my arms had broken out in goosebumps, and my heart was fucking broken. Offering yet another lens through which to view the torturous horrors of war, Akuzaï is harrowing, relentless, and not to be missed.

#2025 #Accept #Alcest #AmericanMetal #Animalize #Asthénie #AtTheGates #AtmosphericBlackMetal #AuClaireDeLune #AutumnNostalgie #Blackgaze #BloodWashesEverythingAway #Crust #CutterredFlesh #CzechMetal #DarkenedDevotion #DeathMetal #DeathWhore #DefLeppard #DoomMetal #DSBM #DyingVictimsProductions #Emperor #EnterréVivant #Executionist #Falyriae #FrenchMetal #GhostBath #HammerheartRecords #HarakiriForTheSky #Hardcore #HeavyMetal #Immolation #InTheWakeOfDusk #Iridescence #ItalianMetal #JudasPriest #Kreator #May25 #MelodicBlackMetal #MelodicDeathMetal #Moonsorrow #NuclearBlast #Pallbearer #Pandemia #PostBlackMetal #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #RoseThornNecklace #SacramentOfTheSick #SelfRelease #Shining #SlumberingSun #Starmony #StuckInTheFilter #StuckInTheFilter2025 #Summoning #ThinLizzy #ThrashMetal #Vader #Verminateur #Warning #悪罪Akuzaï_

Iron Spell – From the Grave Review

By Steel Druhm

Sometimes, we in the AMG Writers Guild grab a promo based solely on the band or album name, or the combination thereof. If it features any derivative of the word “vomit,” you know Mark Z will put his dirty paws all over it. If it has a wonky, prog-tastic moniker, Dolphin Whisper will seize the means of wank production. And if an alloy gets name-dropped, chances are Yours Steely will snatch it quicker than you can say CROM! That’s what brought me to Chile’s Iron Spell and their sophomore release, From the Grave. These chaps have been minimally active since they dropped their debut back in 2016, releasing a single some years and nothing other years. Now they’re finally back in the hunt with a proper new record, and boy does it scream 80s metal with leather-lunged ferocity. It has a NWoBHM foundation, but features nods to the US power metal scene and early speed metal. It’s harder to get more entrenched in the Wheelhouse of Steel than that, so the odds of my letting that creepy floating vampire monster into my humble abode are high.

Things open like a drunken pub brawl in London circa 1979 with “Curse of the Ushers.” It sounds like the earliest days of the British metal explosion, with that trademark punky gallop and unpolished vocals full of piss, motor oil, and beans. It’s a vibrant mash-up of olden acts like Satan, Diamond Head, and Savage, and it plays right into what AMG Himself describes as my “NostalgiaCore” fetish. It isn’t far from what Enforcer and Wolf do, but this feels a bit more authentic to the NWoBHM beginnings. It’s just a fun fucking song with classic heavy metal burned into its genetic code. From there, Iron Spell rip through a collection of old timey tunes that feel like they were exhumed from 1982. “Release from Darkness” is a rabble-rouser that uncorks the high-energy spirit of classic metal while shoving an iron fist down your throat. Then the band shake things up by launching into a 5-plus minute instrumental that brings the thunder to the tundra in happy abundance. I’m not the biggest instrumental appreciator, but this one kicks arse and wins you over with scads of wild and woolly guitar heroics that are tough to resist.

As From the Grave soldiered on, I kept waiting for the bottom to fall out, but it never did. Song after song brings the 80s magic to the party and makes you love the past. Even when “Whispers of Sorrow” shamelessly poaches the guitar lines from Queensrÿche’s “Breaking the Silence,” it still ends up a hard-charging beast feaster with more entertainment value than Lars Ulrich trapped in a hot tar dunking booth. I defy you to spin “Devil King” and not throw horns or execute your best stadium-ready air guitar maneuvers. It’s that kind of tune, and you’ll eat it up if you have any joy left in your jaded soul. Elsewhere, “Deep in the Night” will be my unofficial anthem for this summer as it’s made for loud play whilst slugging cold beers with derelicts and dear ones alike. Without any song tripping and faceplanting, From the Grave ends up a high-spirited romp through the salad days of metal while requiring zero I.Q. points to appreciate what Iron Spell are smelting. At just under 41 minutes, it’s the ideal length, and the songs all burn by in a flash. This is The Way.

This album is a guitar fiend’s wet dream. Fire Jack and Raven (their actual legal names) bring all the chaos, charm, and over-the-toppiness of 80s metal to their riffing, shredding, and lusty soloing. These boys can rip up a fretboard and do so at every opportunity. The rough n’ ready riffs are plentiful and punchy, and when it’s time for dueling solos, you get PainkillerERED. They go all in on the six-string abuse in the name of excess, leaving you rocked hard and put away moist. Frontman Merciless K.co (wut) has a wild vocal approach, sometimes sounding like Enforcer’s Olof Wikstrand, occasionally like Wolf’s Niklas Stålvind, and other times like a Screaming Mimi. His delivery is raw and unpolished, and at points his tone and pitch wander off the reservation, but it doesn’t even matter. The vocal pandemonium is a big part of the album’s charm, and it works for Iron Spell even when it absolutely shouldn’t.

From the Grave is a delightfully unhinged trip back to the early days of metal’s majesty, and I’ll be spinning it a ton as a salve for the emotional wounds left by Ozzy’s passing. This is like a party in a can, and you should crack it open and see what happens next. We all need a little pick-me-up right now, right? Iron Spell has you covered in unbridled 80s glory.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims
Websites: facebook.com/ironspell | instagram.com/iron.spell
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025

#2025 #35 #ChileanMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #Enforcer #FromTheGrave #IronSpell #Jul25 #NOWBHM #Review #Reviews #Satan #Savage #Wolf

Lucille – Dawn of Destruction Review

By Tyme

I might not have four hungry children and a crop in the field, but what I do have is the debut album from Polish thrashers Lucille. So don’t leave just yet, dear readers; you’ve picked a fine time to join me. Formed in 2017, Lucille spent a considerable amount of time gigging the underground circuit while writing and refining their message, which would form the basis of their 2021 EP, Too Proud to Beg for Mercy, which caught the attention of Dying Victims Productions. Upon solidifying themselves as a quartet, with a love for 80’s thrash and Negan’s barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat in their hearts, Lucille set out to put together the pieces for their debut album, Dawn of Destruction. Will Lucille succeed at expanding the up-and-coming thrash culture in a Polish metal scene dominated by black, death, and Sexmag metal, or should the uprising be squashed with one swift blow to the head?

With a cover evoking Sodom, Dawn of Destruction embodies the 80s-era thrashthetic. Clad in the standard-issue uniform of black leather, bullet belts, boots, and battle vests, Lucille looks the part, and the music is as you’d expect. Downpicked riffs come fast and furious, courtesy of Ramone and K. Dragunov, whose dueling solo work is reminiscent of those classic King/Hanneman battles; the two tearing through this homage to the golden age of thrash with reckless abandon. Foundationally anchored by Matthew’s ever-present, hulking bass lines and Jugen’s traffic-controlling drum work, Lucille presents an above-average grasp of what it takes to recreate the chaotic energy inherent to the early works of Slayer, Megadeth, and Kreator, and more importantly, the chops to execute their vision.

Remnants of Lucille‘s influences inhabit much of Dawn of Destruction. As if swept up from the cutting room floor of the So Far, So Good… So What! sessions, the one-and-a-half minute album opener “Desolate Winds” blows through its superfluous existence before settling into “Brand New World,” a Megadethian tribute full of Mustaine-ic riffs and leads. Likewise is the album title track, “Dawn of Destruction,” with its faux Show No Mercy vibes, or the Pleasure to Killish riffs and speeds of “Genetic Curse,” a reflection of the raw thrash heart Lucille so unapologetically wears on their leathered-up sleeves. A fifth integral component here is Aleksander Hybś’ mix and master, which perfectly captures the rawness of the 80’s thrash movement but manages to wrap it in a modern production that gives the sonic space necessary for the instrumentation to thrive, an element largely missing from albums recorded during the target period. Dawn of Destruction swirls in the past instead of forging a new future but does so with a level of talent that warrants notice.

Much of the make-or-break decision for those listening to Lucille will hinge on the tolerance level for Ramone’s vocal approach. A mix of Kreator‘s Mille Petrozza and Destruction‘s Schmier, Ramone snarls, sneers, and growls his way through Dawn of Destruction‘s nearly 43 minutes, punctuating the performance with plenty of high-pitched screams. I wasn’t particularly bothered by it—there were a few times it distracted—as there’s an unhinged element to his delivery that imparts some nostalgic charm. Still, I could see it being a problem for some listeners. The mercury of modern thrash, however, is definitely in retrograde, as there are few bands truly pushing the thrash envelope in an attempt to create a new space for the genre to thrive and exist. There are so many bands continuing to cash the checks written by forebears as part of the ongoing retro movement that many albums, like Lucille‘s Dawn of Destruction, are as a drop of water in a vast sea of similarity.

Musically tight and capably equipped, Lucille is a young thrash band with enough talent to set themselves apart in an ocean of also-rans, if only slightly. Dawn of Destruction, despite doing nothing to move the genre forward, is more than just a throwaway retread of a bygone era. It’s a legitimate tip of the cap to a time in metal history that saw some of metal’s most influential bands emerge and flourish, a six-pack on a summery Saturday choice for a good time, but not much more. I enjoyed my time with Dawn of Destruction and am anxious to hear what Lucille does next. I’m hopeful they’ll continue to carve out a sound of their own, swinging for the fences with that barbed-wire bat.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 12 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 20, 2025

#2025 #30 #DawnOfDestruction #Destruction #DyingVictimsProductions #Jun25 #Kreator #Lucille #Megadeth #PolishMetal #Review #Slayer #SpeedMetal #ThrashMetal

Morbyda – Under the Spell Review

By El Cuervo

I always enjoy reviewing and exposing bands on their debut. A debut offers a cornucopia of possibilities: will it be innovative? Exciting? Shit? Picking up an album deep into a discography often results in something that’s like what came before, but with a debut, there’s an element of the unknown. Under the Spell by Germany’s Morbyda is one such example, with just one demo and live release under their belt previously. Promising a NWoBHM-inflected release of blackened speed metal, there are few things more heartening than a young band making heavy metal. Do I remain heartened after spending hours with Morbyda?

At its core, Under the Spell blends blackened shouts, wailing vibratos, crunchy guitars, and vibrant riffs into energetic speed metal. Despite the heaviness derived from the grimy instrumental tones and unrelenting pace, the melodies are so upbeat that they almost sound happy. And although the songs sometimes lack the brevity that might benefit them, I admire their directness. Focused songwriting prioritizes the fastest route from guitar lead to guitar lead, and there are few moments on the album that aren’t trying to be big, loud, and boisterous. On “Turning the Wheel of Steel” – coincidentally, how Steel Druhm describes himself becoming aroused – the harmonized lead is a highlight and refrain to which the song regularly returns. Likewise, the key change to a higher octave at 3:10, underpinned by a slowing rhythm, partitions the song into two halves and accentuates the ensuing solo. Morbyda target maximalism.

The production packages the Under the Spell sound into something fairly chaotic and lo-fi. This would be my ordinary preference, especially for black/speed metal, but here it’s so roughshod that there are unfortunate consequences. The muddy rhythm section is the prime suspect, filling the middle of the sound stage with drums and bass that are poorly defined. This not only obscures the instrumental skill of the respective performers; it also obscures the second guitarist and distinctiveness of the riffs. The riffs are generally good, but the poorly defined mix results in many sounding the same. This results in a release where, once you’ve heard a couple of the tracks, you’ve heard them all. Sonic consistency is a given on a cohesive record, but this creeps into a uniformity that undermines the divisions between songs. By contrast, moments where the soundstage clears to expose fewer instruments – like the transition around 1:50 on “Mother of Decay” – my attention is grabbed once more.

Under the Spell is most enjoyable when its songs are restricted to a shorter duration; the three shortest are some of the best. “Evil” offers a speedy and robust introduction, “The Curse” is uniquely boisterous on a boisterous album, and “Sacrifice” benefits from a spidery lead that’s both technical and atmospheric. Accordingly, the three tracks that approach or exceed six minutes suffer the most from the length. And beyond sheer time consumed, Morbyda struggle to arrange the longer tracks in a sophisticated manner. The transition from a slower instrumental passage to the frenzied solo at 3:55 on “Mother of Decay” is jarring and representative of transitions that are just as roughshod as the production. Likewise, this same track closes with a guitar solo that simply stops. The album is the product of an enthusiastic group trying to stitch together enthusiastic songs, but their enthusiasm exceeds their compositional abilities.

I’ve struggled to score Under the Spell. I have numerous gripes, from the muddy production to the monotonous song-writing to the clunky arrangements. And yet my over-arching response is still one that’s reasonably positive. You might expect imperfections from a young band figuring out their sound, and Morbyda have a bouncy, entertaining quality. There are ultimately too many obstacles to reach a ‘good’ rating, but I’ll be tracking the progress of these Germans with interest.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Website: morbyda.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: June 20th, 2025

#25 #2025 #BlackenedSpeedMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #GermanMetal #Jun25 #Morbyda #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal #UnderTheSpell

Hellcrash – Inferno Crematörio Review

By Kenstrosity

Whenever I’m reviewing a retro style of metal, my first consideration is where I draw the line that separates pure worship from a fresh take on a well-worn method. Which then begs a follow-up: how much does it really matter? When Italian blackened speed metal banshees Hellcrash rose from the brimstone to grace me with its presence, I found myself immediately skipping the first query to then ruminate on the second. In the end, how detrimental is it to my enjoyment or appreciation that something new sounds like it was plucked from the seediest underbelly of the 80s metal scene? I read every day how ravenously even younger metalheads yearn for this kind of material, after all. I never considered myself an official member of that camp, at least not strictly speaking. However, as Hellcrash’s third LP Inferno Crematörio drags its scalding claws salaciously across my suddenly restrained body and exposed skin, those same carnal cravings for sleazy olden metal overwhelm my every sense.

Imagine Venom at their speediest and sloppiest. Electrify that base with the devilish wiles of Bütcher and fortify its boiling blood with the ripping guitar work of Razor and Bulldozer, and char it with a smoky production. As a final touch, sprinkle a decidedly punk-driven attitude that whispers unsweet nothings into every aspect of this material, from performance to riffcraft to production. That’s Inferno Crematörio. To call it “speed” renders an understated image of the exuberance and vibrancy of its content. Flying at twice the speed of metal, Inferno Crematörio immolates everything before it with raucous lead guitar work, stupid-fast bass pummeling, thunderous machine-gun riffs, vomitous rasps dripping with demonic lust, and organic percussion that collectively transports me to 1986 while reminding me why classic metal will never die.

At a tight and taut 37 minutes, Inferno Crematörio blasts by in a flash, but leaves a distinct brand upon the brain in its wake. Immediately striking, opening suite “Flames of Hades” and “Inferno Crematörio” encapsulates with much gusto what the rest of the record has in store. Riffs that rip the flesh off my face faster than I can scream “HAIL SATAN” blaze across the soundscape hotly enough to melt it to glass. Meanwhile, late highlight “Mark of the Beast” showcases an additional dynamic in Hellcrash’s sound, utilizing that punk-like sharpness to raise the budding hair on my back into a decidedly hazardous mohawk-like formation. Catchy numbers “Black Fire Demon,” “Purgatory Raiders,” and “Rapid Possession” forge a fine, but accessible weapon of speedy riffs and screaming solos that deeply evoke that classic Razor edge, maximizing Inferno Crematörio’s nasty fun factor. Even the slightly slower, and consequently longer, “Oathbreaker” impresses with smoking riffs, leads, and bells colliding in horrifying unity as crackling rasps spew their demonic utterances into my ear.

As you might imagine, Hellcrash are at their best when keeping those revs high and the throttle at full bore. At the same time, those unfamiliar with this style could have a hard time keeping up. As much as I yearn to call this a skill issue on the listener’s part, the fact remains that some of this material can bleed together or pass by entirely if that listener isn’t paying attention. Hellcrash smartly implemented brief moments (like the transition separating the end of “Black Fire Demon” from the start of “Purgatory Raiders”) where the pace shifts, resets, and rebuilds in order to give listeners at least a snowball’s chance in hell of staying on track. However, there are a few nooks and crannies in those transitions that break continuity and flow too much, introducing a somewhat disjointed rubber-band effect to the affair—you might notice this in otherwise killer track “Sword of Baphomet.” As a final nitpick, I respect Hellcrash for attempting a Bütcher-esque epic in ten-minute closer “Templar’s Curse,” but unfortunately, it merely highlights all of Inferno Crematörio’s weak points. Though fun for a while, and still brimming with stellar guitar work, its rocky pacing and overextended segments make it a bit of a slog to get through.

Regardless, Inferno Crematörio is a rollicking time full of fun, sleaze, and hellfire. It’s not perfect, and of course pays great reverence to its inspirations of olde. And yet, that doesn’t really make that much of a difference to me today. Hellcrash gave me everything I needed, everything I wanted, and even a little more with Inferno Crematörio.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: hellcrash.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/Hellcrashmetal
Releases Worldwide: May 23rd, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlackMetal #Bulldozer #Bütcher #DyingVictimsProductions #Hellcrash #InfernoCrematörio #ItalianMetal #May25 #Razor #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal #Venom

Sexmag – Sexorcyzm Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Thanks to the ever flippery Dolph, I am blessed to have the Sexmag in my life. And you will be too. Regardless of whether you hide them away under your bed or display them in the guest bathroom, the sex mag is back to being a staple in all homes. If it’s classy or filthy smut is up to the beholder, just as long as your children don’t find them. While Poland’s Sexmag and new album, Sexorcyzm, sound like a new addition to the Lordi sump of “metal,” they’re far from it. Tagged as a death-thrash outfit, this little foursome is surprisingly fun and versatile for what they do. I’d go even further than these two genres and pin old-school 80s heavy and hints of black metal to their influences, which adds a beautiful depth and uniqueness to their sound that I haven’t heard in some time. I mean, it’s still as slimy as Midnight, but there is much fun on Sexmag’s debut album. Buckle up, fuckers, we’re about to get sexy.

Formed around stalwarts of the Polish underground metal scene, Sexmag appears to have a newcomer to the metal world in the form of vocalist Jacek “Truposz” Wojno. Having never heard his voice before, his odd vocals provide the right amount of support for the band’s songwriting style. In combination with drummer/vocalist Lord Violator, you’ll find everything from low-to-high register rasps, death growls, falsetto screams, and that odd, clean vocal approach that brings to mind Fenriz’s vocal contributions to recent Darkthrone releases. In the same vein of varying vocal approaches, you’ll find old-school death marches, Slayer-esque thrash moments, and impressive guitar leads and solos that reincarnate the spirit of Mercyful Fate. And to top it off, this eight-track, forty-minute debut sees track runtimes ranging from two minutes to seven.

The appropriately (and ridiculously titled) opener, “Intro (Total Metal),” gets things rolling with an instrumental piece that could have worked well on King Diamond’s Conspiracy album. It does a nice job setting the mood for the upcoming tracks, matching the sinister tone of Sexorcyzm before erupting into “Inkubus.” This track showcases an old-school speed lick that morphs into an 80s-inspired death groove. But, like all the tracks on the album, there is never a dull moment in the riff department. As the song progresses, the two vocalists introduce every vocal style they can dish out with the guitars mindfuck you into oblivion. I particularly like this song because it sounds like the band struggles to match the pace between guitars and drums. But that’s a facade once it gets rolling, and the band’s performances throughout are impressive as hell.

While the front half is good, the album’s back half is great. Specifically, the back-to-back-to-back “Sex z diabłem,” “Córy Koryntu,” and “Psalm I – Intronizacja Szatana.” Like the opener, “Sex z diabłem” begins with some eerie synths before unleashing one of the most badass death chugs on the album. Then, as expected, this seven-minute ditty tears through riff after killer riff, providing moments of old-school Slayer before making a U-turn into an 80s heavy metal plod. It also sports the most solos I’ve heard in a single song in a long time. “Córy Koryntu,” on the other hand, is a slimy, mucky Autopsy-inspired cesspool that eventually escapes the mud in favor of pounding drums and clinical riff mastery. “Psalm I – Intronizacja Szatana” is perhaps the favorite here, opening with clean guitars that bring to mind the intro to Mercyful Fate’s “Into the Coven.” Then, it takes a wild turn for the remainder of the song, bringing to life Blood Fire Death Bathoryisms that could have worked as a bonus track to any of Bathory’s Viking era albums.

While the vocal diversity can be outlandish at times, and songs like “Smród palonych dusz” don’t hold up to the others, Sexorcyzm is a hell of a good time and a smart debut record. Coming into this release, I was dead set on dropping a dozen cheeky sex jokes, but Sexorcyzm is too much fun for even Grier to masturbate all over. Take all the impressive skill and well-crafted structure, then add a dynamic DR9 master to it, and you have an orgy that even the strictest Mormon mother can enjoy. I’m not sure what’s to come for these Polish bastards, but if our new pope continues to support the Sexorcyzm, I’m fully on board.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions | Bandcamp
Websites: Too kvlt for this shit
Releases Worldwide: May 23rd, 2025

#2025 #35 #Autopsy #Bathory #BlackMetal #Darkthrone #DeathMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #HeavyMetal #KingDiamond #Lordi #May25 #MercyfulFate #Midnight #PolishMetal #Review #Reviews #Sexmag #Sexorcyzm #Slayer #ThrashMetal

Time Rift – In Flight Review

By Kenstrosity

Securing my first promo for 2025 proved to be a trial and a tribulation. Setbacks, obstacles, and complications conspired to leave me without a charge. But, at the eleventh hour, Portland, Oregon’s Time Rift swooped in to save the day! Established in 2014 from the ashes of the now-defunct Doomsower, In Flight hearkens back to the heavy metal and hard rock stylings of the 1970s, modernized in much the same way Night Flight Orchestra often strives to revisit and refresh tunes of the 1980s. With sophomore effort In Flight, Time Rift tout a revamped lineup, boasting the powerhouse pipes of new vocalist Domino Monet. With this new asset, label backing courtesy of Dying Victims Productions, and thirty freshly minted minutes of rollicking heavy music in tow, will In Flight help Time Rift soar above the toils of the underground, or will it fail to launch?

Time Rift reminds me very heavily of last year’s Saturday Night Satan, which is an excellent place to start. Subtract the occult inspirations, you still gain massively hooky songs, belting and charismatic vocals, buttery smooth rock riffs and grooving percussion. Built for fans of classic acts, like Budgie, and modern standouts such as Argus, Pristine, and Satan alike, In Flight is upbeat, youthful, and brimming with vim and vigor. However, unlike the vast majority of what we cover here, Time Rift’s material appeals to a wider audience by virtue of its cleaner tones, lighter character, and old-school approach to rocking and rolling. Put another way, these are numbers better suited for cruising long stretches of abandoned highway at high speeds, wind in your hair, and not a care in the world, than for getting brutally spit-roasted by a horde of Satan’s Finest in a snow-capped Scandinavian forest.

At a remarkably tight thirty-one minutes, In Flight dives in, takes your money and your attention, and bolts in the blink of an eye. That doesn’t leave much time to make a lasting impression, but Time Rift’s undeniable hooks ensure maximum penetration. “I Am the Spear” rollicks with the swagger of an entire biker gang, kicking off the album with a propulsive, boisterous launch. Meanwhile “Follow Tomorrow,” “Coyote Queen,” and “The Hunter” follow up that explosive ante with infectious, anthemic choruses sure to lodge deeply in the gray matter for weeks at a time. A varied songwriting palette allows each of these aforementioned songs to mingle beautifully with more out-of-the-box cuts, like the punky, Cam Girl-esque hit “Dancing with the Sun,” the sinister, bluesy closer “Hellbound,” or the lightened Iron Maiden gallop “Thunder Calling.” In sum, there are no bad songs on In Flight, and its fun factor remains high and consistent across the board.

That leaves points of improvement as my only source for critique, rather than true missteps. Firstly, an album this short and of this kind doesn’t need soft and fluffy interludes, even if they are as pretty as “Into the Stillness,” as they tend to siphon momentum from the experience without offering sufficient storytelling elements to compensate. Yet, “Into the Stillness” does exactly that—too short and too superficial to make its mark. Cutting it or fleshing it out further would alleviate this sapping effect. Additionally, as rocking as In Flight undoubtedly is, it does veer a bit on the safe side. It’s not as much a question of what Time Rift do to elevate a time-worn style of rock past what we know works, but rather a lack of something particular in their sound or execution that is uniquely and unmistakably Time Rift. Based on what In Flight offers, that distinct voice that sets bands like this apart from their peers, young and olde alike, hasn’t yet surfaced.

At the end of the road, In Flight is fun, vibrant, and familiar. There’s nothing new here, nor is there anything wonky enough to give anyone a reason to kick it out of bed. However, there’s also not enough here to convince newcomers to sing its praises above more established household names. At least, not yet. There’s lots of potential still to be realized in Time Rift, and I for one am more than a little curious to see where they’ll take me next.

Rating: Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: timerift.bandcamp.com/releases | facebook.com/timeriftband
Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #Argus #Budgie #CamGirl #Doomsower #DyingVictimsProductions #HardRock #HeavyMetal #InFlight #IronMaiden #Jan25 #NightFlightOrchestra #Pristine #Review #Reviews #Satan #SaturdayNightSatan #TimeRift

Century – Sign of the Storm Review

By Holdeneye

There’s something so magical about epic traditional metal. Of course, I could be speaking about the genre’s sword and sorcery themes, but I actually mean it in a much larger sense. So much of today’s metal is unmistakably modern in the way that it is produced, played, and marketed, and, yes, I enjoy a ton of this perfectly polished output. But it’s so much fun to have a sub-genre of our favorite music that not only transports us back decades in time through conscious aesthetic choices but also teleports us to another universe where might and magic reign supreme. Fortunately for fans of epic metal like myself, there is a mighty host of modern bands assembling on the field to carry on the work that arguably began with Rainbow’s “Stargazer” and was unquestionably perfected by bands like Manowar, Cirith Ungol, and Manilla Road. This host aims to expand the borders of the empire founded by those mighty forbears, and by all accounts, many of these fresh reinforcements, whom some like to refer to as the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal, seem poised for a breakthrough.

Founded in 2020, Sweden’s Century are relatively new recruits, but the success of their campaign already speaks for itself. The band’s 2023 debut, The Conquest of Time, was a fantastic platter of traditional, verging-on-epic metal, and follow-up Sign of the Storm picks up right where it left off. Obviously influenced by some of the bands mentioned above, plus usual suspects like Maiden and Priest, Century themselves would probably add fellow Swedes Heavy Load to their roster of stylistic ancestors. They do all of these inspirations proud by playing an incredibly authentic, diverse, and well-executed version of a classic sound. Their songwriting, style, and production aesthetic are so authentic, in fact, that you’d be forgiven if you were to listen to Century and surmise that they were an early influence on Satan, even if the converse is likely true. Press ‘play’ on embedded single and album opener “Sacrifice,” and feel yourself being transported back to the late 70’s/early 80’s, a time when heavy music was genre-fluid and could morph between hard rock, heavy metal, and early forms of speed and power metal in the blink of an eye.

That stylistic fluidity is one of the things that makes Sign of the Storm so much fun. On any given track, Century might be cruising through NWoBHM territory (“Children of the Past” or “Possessed by the Night”), accelerating into pure speed metal (“Necromancer” or the aforementioned “Sacrifice”), or slowing down and taking a turn for the epic (“Chains of Hell” and “Fallen Hero”). 70’s rock rears its mustachioed face when Century suddenly sounds like a metalized Blue Öyster Cult on the catchy-as-hell “Fly Away” and “No Time for Tomorrow.” All this variety allows for the potential for a disjointed, forced affair, but these guys flow in and out of each style so convincingly that they all blend together into one delicious, cohesive sonic smoothie.

I was surprised to learn that Century is comprised of just two talented gentlemen, and I think that’s because the production on Sign of the Storm is just so damn pristine and old-school. The album sounds like it’s 40-plus years old, so my brain was imagining a full band recording these tunes in a studio. But no, it’s just Staffan Tengnér (vocals/guitars) and Leo Ekström Sollenmo (drums/bass), and yes, they absolutely nail their performances. Tengnér’s voice is smooth, yet deceptively powerful, and it matches all of Century’s different moods perfectly—and his classic metal/rock guitar work is simply a delight to behold. My complaints with the record are few and minor. I might switch up the track order a little, the middle of the album takes a slight dip in quality on “Chain of Hell,” and the closing instrumental, while excellently played, feels like an optional bonus track as penultimate number “Possessed by the Night” would have ended the album perfectly. But then again, who doesn’t want to have a little high-quality Maiden worship to walk them to the door on the way out?

I’m sitting here in the early weeks of 2025 hoping to review a ton of traditional metal in the coming year, and with Sign of the Storm, Century have set the bar pretty high for all subsequent challengers. This album channels its source material with such effortless swagger that it may lull you into a false sense of security. Don’t miss the signs, or this traditional tempest might blow you away.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Labels: Dying Victims Productions | Electric Assault Records
Websites: centuryswe.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/centuryswe
Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlueOysterCult #Century #CirithUngol #DyingVictimsProductions #ElectricAssaultRecords #HeavyLoad #HeavyMetal #IronMaiden #Jan25 #JudasPriest #ManillaRoad #Manowar #NWOBHM #Rainbow #Review #Reviews #Satan #SignOfTheStorm #SwedishMetal

Axetasy – Withering Tides Review

By Holdeneye

From Wikipedia:

METALenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as Axetasy, is an aural empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used alongside psychotherapy in the treatment of poser-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety in autism spectrum disorder. The purported pharmacological effects that may be prosocial include altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, and pleasure. When taken by ear, effects begin in 1 to 2 seconds and last up to 40 minutes (or even 80 minutes, if listening is repeated). Short-term adverse (or are they favorable?) effects include banging of the head, grinding of the teeth, blurred vision, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat, and extended use can also lead to metal addiction and difficulty sleeping. Axetasy is often considered the drug of choice within the heavy metal culture and is also used at clubs, festivals, and house parties. Some users enjoy the feeling of mass communion from the inhibition-reducing effects of the drug, while others use it as party fuel because of the drug’s stimulatory effects. Small doses of Axetasy are used by some religious practitioners as an entheogen to enhance prayer or meditation. Axetasy has been used as an adjunct to New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal spiritual practices.

Distributed by the suspiciously named Big Pharma firm Dying Victims Productions, Axetasy hails from Germany, and the drug’s mechanism of action works by flooding the victim’s patient’s brain with copious amounts of molten guitar leads in order to induce a state of therapeutic euphoria. If you choose to try the embedded pharmaceutical sample labeled “Beyond All Order” (after consulting your physician, of course), you’ll see that Axetasy’s debut recipe, Withering Tides, draws inspiration from a host of tried-and-true formulas from years past. Take all of the health benefits of speed metal, arena rock, early power metal, proto-thrash metal, and NWoBHM drug classes and add them together, and you’ll find that they can all be replicated by listening to this one easy-to-swallow pill. If you’ve ever used another Dying Victims product called Venator, you will probably find Axetasy’s effects pleasantly familiar.

Withering Tides hearkens back to the charming 1980’s, a time when most people got their prescriptions from a doctor with the last name “Feelgood,” and when most of those “prescriptions” took the form of white powders that were intended to be administered intranasally. Like most stimulants, Axetasy is simple, effective, and starts working immediately. A brief, 20-second, synth-laden intro quickly gives way to “Withering Tides of Space,” and as the blazing guitar work takes hold, you will notice your heart rate quickening, your pupils dilating, your genitals engorging, and your urge to air guitar and fuck shit up in a mosh pit titrating to therapeutically appropriate levels. Before ingestion, be aware that these effects will not dissipate until the closing seconds of final track “Nebulous Nightmares.”

While it would have been easy for a metal-based drug to fail to live up to a name choice as bold as “Axetasy,” that is certainly not the case here. Six-string engineers Johnny Kröner and Izzy Fetch likely skirted industry regulations as they packed enough high-voltage guitar work into this record to set their lab coats ablaze. I’d describe their playing the way my wife might describe my lovemaking: what they lack in virtuosity, they more than make up for with unbridled enthusiasm and effort. These unhinged pyrotechnics, combined with Kröner’s wild vocal delivery, give Withering Tides’ proprietary formula its patent-pending buzz. That buzz is so exhilarating that I’d be tempted to label Axetasy a Class-4.0 controlled substance if more of its songs could match the level of standouts like “Withering Tides of Space,” “Fatal Maze,” “Beyond All Order,” and “Axetasy – of Murder.” The drug’s production process results in an extremely pure sonic profile, with each active ingredient receiving enough room to shine through clearly without dilution.

Axetasy is not for everyone. Those suffering from elitism, snobbery, pretentiousness, fun-averseness or any other form of acute or chronic poser-itis should not take Axetasy, as spontaneous immolation has occurred. Ask your doctor if Axetasy is right or you, and if they say no, ask your doctor about your region’s Death with Dignity options.12

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: axetasy.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/axetasyband
Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025

#2025 #35 #Axetasy #DyingVictimsProductions #GermanMetal #HeavyMetal #Jan25 #NWOBHM #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal #Venator #WitheringTides

Blackevil – Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament Review

By Felagund

I’ve long been a fan of blackened speed (speedened black?1) metal, with some of my favorite releases over the past few years falling into this most ferocious of subgenres. Bavaria’s own Blackevil scratched that specific itch with their sophomore effort Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire back in 2020. Thankfully, the mighty Holdeneye’s flowery prose perfectly captured my feelings about that record, and I’ve spent many an hour since then spinning that blasphemous little bundle of joy. This go-round, Holdy was gracious enough to offer me the opportunity to review Blackevil’s third release, the succinctly titled Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament. While I can’t be sure, I’m convinced I’m only writing this because our resident beefcake is busy bulking in anticipation of his winter hibernation. But I’m not one to look a gift blackened-speed-metal-album in the mouth!

For the uninitiated, Blackevil churns out a potent blend of melodic black metal and savage speed metal, interspersed with glimmering veins of thrash and traditional heavy metal for good measure. There are Iron Maiden-inspired gallops and searing solos, a crispy char of tremolos and blast beats, and a thick layer of blackened melody, with plenty of infernal shrieks to spare. But what’s perhaps most notable about their latest outing is just how much speed metal Blackevil have excised from the sound, opting instead for increasingly epic, mid-paced arrangements. This change more than any other sets Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament apart from Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire, and it’s a creative decision that has a dramatic impact on the entire album as a result.

Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament kicks off with “Timeless Throne,” a workhorse of an opening track if there ever was one, setting the tone for what ends up being a pretty consistent release. “Timeless Throne” boasts decent riffs, a reliably impressive vocal performance by frontman and bassist Abyss, and an overall approach that is neither flashy nor bold, but serves as an effective introduction to Blackevil’s sulfurous waters. The remaining six tracks each possess their own attention-grabbing characteristics, even if they are all variations of a theme. There are the pugnacious, harder-edged tracks with just the right amount of pummeling speed (“Divine Forces,” “The Gladiator”), mixed in between the more atmospheric tunes that prize mood over ferocity (“Beneath this Pentagram,” “Praise the Fire for the Sacrament”). These tonal shifts notwithstanding, it’s very clear that Blackevil is intent on streamlining their sound this time, and it’s a gutsy gamble that doesn’t always pay off.

This new streamlined sound is perhaps best embodied in Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament’s closing track “Towards the Carpathian Winter Battle,” a title Abbath is already kicking himself for not using. This nearly 11-minute behemoth features moody orchestration, trudging riffs, acoustics, and a build that never quite delivers. It’s a well-constructed, well-performed piece of music that nevertheless overstays its welcome while also lacking much of the essential dynamism that made Blackevil’s second album such an idolatrous joy to behold. It seems that in their eagerness to grow beyond the confines established by Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire, the band cast off much of the energy and immediacy that first set them apart. The feeling of homogeneity is further pronounced due to some unfortunate bloat. While this album and Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire both clock in at about 45 minutes, Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament is two tracks shorter. The result is a significantly weaker musical approach that can’t quite support the weight of longer songs.

If my criticisms seem unduly harsh, it’s important to mention that Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament remains an enjoyable, albeit flawed, listen (spin the penultimate track “Unknown Hands” if you don’t believe me). Because I know how capable Blackevil is of delivering the goods, I come away more frustrated than anything with this new musical direction. While I can’t fault a band for attempting to grow creatively, it’s unfortunate that in doing so, Blackevil felt the need to jettison so much of what made the band unique. Is the sound on Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament so dramatically different from Forever Baptised in Eternal Fire? On its face, no. But what was eliminated I’d deem essential, and dolling out a rating without considering that context seems borderline sacrilegious. May Holdeneye forgive me.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com | instagram.com/blackevilmetal
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#25 #2024 #Abbath #BavarianMetal #BlackMetal #Blackevil #DyingVictimsProductions #IronMaiden #Oct24 #PraiseTheCommunionFireForTheUnhallowedSacrament #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal

Warlust – Sol Invictvs in Vmbrae Satanae Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_85

Germany’s Warlust promises a sonic Venn diagram of blackened death/thrash with a grand, epic feel. Toiling away in the underground for a decade, Sol Invictvs in Vmbrae Satanae is their third outing, and to hear their label tell it, they’ve leveled up. The promo attached waxed eloquent about “assaults on the false” and music with “genuine evil blood coursing through its veins.” References to Necrophobic and Dissection, on top of the assurance that the album sounds “HUGE” [sic] tantalizes and entices. Add on descriptions of “Maximum evil, muscular chops,” (they really emphasized the “evil” bit,) and “the blackest of atmosphere” and this n00b couldn’t slam play fast enough. What awaits inside isn’t the hellfire promised but is an enjoyable journey all the same.

Warlust demonstrates a keen sense of song arrangement, and this works their formula to their advantage. Drummer Warmachine is the star of the album, using the guitar’s every repeated melody to vary up his style from expected blackened blasts into cymbal heavy beats into octopus-limbed flourishes ensuring that repetitions never sap the song of momentum. Guitarists/Vocalists Aeon and Necromancer rely on a barrage of trem-picked melodies, repeating enough times for Warmachine to show his chops before deftly switching into a chug-heavy attack or chunky groove. They throw plenty of tricks at the listener, ranging from harmonized solos, (“Serpent Crown”), waltz-time signatures (“Legio! Aeternal! Vitrix!” and “Forgotten Cult of Chronos”) and even bass solos (“The Followless”). Each new riff, clean interlude, and solo is masterfully positioned to flow into each other while contrasting with what came before, passages cascading into one another without ever blending into an opaque mess of sound.

An affinity for dynamics and flare riddle Sol Invictvs in Vmbrae Satanae. In fact, Warlusts determination to constantly keep things fresh ends up impeding the full product from excellence. While there are no riffs or moments here that are individually poor, occasionally it seems Warlust start to vibe to their own material too much and overstep the mark in trying to grab that “epic” feel. A mood-setting interlude comes unexpectedly after a meager two “real songs”, which then flows into a song with its own slow buildup (“…Of Gallows and Absurdity”), rendering its presence superfluous. While deft at making sure they keep things moving enough that no riff ever truly collapses into monotony, some tighter editing would help to make sure each moment contained more punch. “Serpent’s Crown” is the worst offender here, beginning with a hook that drags well past its expiration date, only to be returned to for chorus purposes. Luckily, the songwriting gets stronger as the album progresses, and while the instinct to ride a lead one too many times never goes away, it never grows into banality.

Reservations aside, Warlust has a winning formula here. Sol Invictvs in Vmbrae Satanae does indeed sound “huge,” with a mix that serves all instruments without sounding blatantly brickwalled. It has the most present bass I’ve heard in some time, adding sinister rumblings to the albums more dynamic passages, and aiding in its own build to hype during the occasional slowdown. Special attention should be paid to closing track “Black Souls,” as the strongest song on the album. Here is where Warlust unfurls black wings in all their glory, presenting the perfect arrangement of “grand finale”: methodical, deliberate buildup, masterful transitions across motifs, and a final solo that takes up no less than three separate phrases, each building upon the last before collapsing into the albums only moment of genuine shredding virtuosity. If we had an entire album of this quality, I would be tossing caution to the wind and declaring we had an end-of-year list contender on our hands, n00b status be damned. As it is, it confirms the enjoyable recipe the band have concocted and ends on a supreme note of triumph.

In the end, Sol Invictvs in Vmbrae Satanae is a melodic pummeling, with a grand vision, with small stumbles in execution. It isn’t the soundtrack of unrelenting evil, nor is it the blackest album you’re likely to hear as recently as this week. What it is instead is a thunderous, melancholy adventure, rich in stylistic variety and compositional excellence, held back only by album sequencing issues and an overreliance on repetition of motifs. Trimming lengthier passages and tightening the songcraft to the quality of the album’s most excellent moments will ensure that Warlust is ready to storm lists soon enough, and I’ll certainly be looking out for their fourth outing.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024

#2024 #30 #BlackMetal #DyingVictimsProductions #GermanMetal #Review #Reviews #Sep24 #SolInvictvsInVmbraeSatanae #ThrashMetal #Warlust

Death Racer – From Gravel to Grave Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

I’m not sure what is happening in 2024, but the motor racing industry keeps making its way into metal albums. The first of the year was the surprisingly good self-titled release from I Am the Intimidator. Austria’s Death Racer continues this trend with their debut album, From Gravel to Grave. While I Am the Intimidator focused on the final moments of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, From Gravel to Grave explores racing globally. That said, the overall theme is the same: the lives taken in this high-octane sport. But, Death Racer does it a little differently, incorporating some late ’80s black, speed, and thrash into the mix. The result is a filthy, gear-grinding effort that feels like an insane mix of old-school NWOBHM, Exciter, Bulldozer, modern-day Darkthrone, and a touch of Bathory. It’s an ugly mix that seems to have faded away since the ’90s but these road warriors care little about that. So, let’s pump that motherfucker gasoline (again).

According to the promotional materials, Death Racer came about due to Razor’s song “Deathrace,” off their impressive debut record, Executioner’s Song. Though there are few comparisons between From Gravel to Grave and Razor’s early days, the inspiration is still there. With gnarly rasps and screams buried behind the guitars and drums, Death Racer focuses on bass-heavy riffs that speed, thrash, and drag bloody knuckles across the asphalt. Lyrically, the album ventures from the absurd (“Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection”) to the whiplashing (“Racers of Death”); from the lost lives in infamous races (“Imola ’94 (From Gravel to Grave)”) to notorious race tracks (“Nordschleife”). The vibes range from fun and upbeat NWOBHM tracks to relentless black/thrash charges and sinister, building doom. It’s a wild ride that surprised me regardless of how many times I’ve heard this style before.

“Motormentor” begins the album with a bass lead that pushes through a vile, unpolished black/speed charge. The rasping, screaming vocals hide behind the guitars as they spit and vomit all over the track. After the guitars and drums rip and tear with a relentless attitude, the song deviates as the bass resurfaces to drag this thing to its finish. While a solid opener, it has nothing on the pace and attitude of “Inverted Crossroads.” Though hilariously titled, this track slays. After opening with a simple sound byte, the drums take off with a bone-shattering display of power. The song alternates between this colossal performance and a smooth groove before giving way to the bass guitar. Then, the bass begins a new climb that erupts into the mightiest display of aggression on the album.

“Racers of Death,” “Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection,” and the closer, “S.M. Death Worship,” are other enjoyable ones. “Racers of Death” charges off the line with a slick, old-school speed lick that fuses with some NWOBHM character. It has some clever stop-start moments where the bass and drums rebuild the song before the guitars come crashing down, emphasized by the vocalist’s hacking phlegm. “S.M. Death Worship” is another bruiser that uses the bass and drums to create new builds even when the tires are no longer on their rims. It powers through speedy licks, and old-school transitions, and even shows off some big Bathory-esque clean vocals during its six-minute runtime. Even with those cool oddities, “Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection” is the most unique track on the album. Though it only sports spoken-word passages, its dragging-knuckle attitude is a pleasing break from the black/speed/thrash onslaught. It also uses these basic elements to introduce new variations of the riffage, ascending with each iteration.

As it seems to be happening to me lately, From Gravel to Grave is another record that is better on its back half than the front. Though there are plenty of stellar tracks, others don’t quite grab me with the same urgency. For example, the two opening tracks, “Motormentor” and “Nordschleife.” They aren’t bad but they can’t hold a Formula One cup over the others. And while “Imola ’94 (From Gravel to Grave)” is interesting, I prefer it skips the effect-laden guitars in its introduction and gets on with it. For a debut album crafted in a style as old as Steel, From Gravel to Grave is memorable enough to keep me coming back. It’s a filthy record with ridiculous lyrics and concepts, but I can get behind it for what it is. So, if you like your metal dripping with burned oil, you should check this out.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/deathracerspeedmetal
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024

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