Deicide

Mercyless – The Mother of All Plagues Review

Mercyless – The Mother of All Plagues Review

“Few death metal bands had as stark a rise and fall as Mercyless did in the 90s. Coming off 1993s excellent Coloured Funeral, an all time great death platter, they made an ill-advised grab at mainstream acceptance on utterly disastrous followup C.O.L.D.. So bad was the album that legions of fans promptly decamped, myself among them, leaving the band to slowly rot.” Up with the sickness.

AthanaTheos – Prophetic Era (Or How Yahveh Became the One) Review

AthanaTheos – Prophetic Era (Or How Yahveh Became the One) Review

““French philosophy” is, in some circles, a punchline. It evokes the image of an edgy atheist, fedora on head, sipping his black espresso (symbolic, of course, of the darkness of his existence – the horror of reflecting on Sartre in a café surely cripples the best of men) and smoking a strange, thin cigarette in perpetuity – pretension personified. AthanaTheos, a French black doom atmospheric dissonant epic death metal band has tried their hand not just at an album but an epos – an epic poem set to music.” Profits of doom.

Horrific Demise – Excruciating Extermination [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

Horrific Demise – Excruciating Extermination [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

“It’s winter again, and Ulver’s first three records express the beauty and wonder of the season that left us when we grew up and got annoyed at clearing a foot of snow off our cars so we can dutifully trudge to work. Horrific Demise’s debut record Excruciating Extermination conjures a world where Harambe comes back and decides to use your scrotum as a speedbag. That’s right, it’s one of these again.” Ouch.

Backstabber – Conspiracy Theorist Review

Backstabber – Conspiracy Theorist Review

“Oh Canada. How doth thee provideth the world oodles of death metal. The country never seems to run out of new bands to show off every year. Usually I can expect good things from most of those bands, too, which is all the more impressive. To kick off the new year ov death metal, I abducted Québécois Backstabber and their self-released debut Conspiracy Theorist. Ten tracks (seven proper, three instrumental) of modernized death metal with a politically charged message of subterfuge and paranoia sounds like an interesting proposition. Can these guys sell me their scandals, or will they simply appear to me as loonies in tin-foil hats?” Watch the skies.

Deicide – Overtures of Blasphemy Review

Deicide – Overtures of Blasphemy Review

“Despite being a household name in Floridian death metal, Deicide have had a track record as consistent as Nicolas Cage’s acting career. The godslaughtering murder machine fronted by the ever controversial Glen Benton set the tone with a couple of fledgling gems but since then, the quality of their output has been dice rolls all around. The only reviewed records on AMG were the sterile, unconvincing To Hell With God, and In The Minds Of Evil. Though the latter was a step up, its lack of spirit utterly failed to impress Lord Druhm. With no big wins under their belt since 2006’s The Stench of Redemption, Glen and the boys desperately need a slam dunk to convince the world they still belong at the top of the geographical niche they helped create.” Rebranding the cross of Floridian death.

Monstrosity – The Passage of Existence Review

Monstrosity – The Passage of Existence Review

“For what many people come to know nowadays as “Corpsegrinder’s old band,” Monstrosity has built a sterling reputation for themselves without the Cannibal Corpse front-beast. My first introduction to them was on Death…is Just the Beginning Vol. 2, but that was just one song. My true introduction was on 2007’s Spiritual Apocalypse, one of my favorite death metal records of that decade. Having not grown up in the prime era of Floridian death metal, the sound and the iconic Morrisound production style were awesome relics of a bygone time. With Spiritual Apocalypse, Monstrosity brought that time to the present; the Morrisound production was perfect, the songs were impeccable, and then… silence. That is, until now.” Now, Monstrous.

Carnation – Chapel of Abhorrence Review

Carnation – Chapel of Abhorrence Review

“To most people, the word ‘carnation’ refers to a frilly colored flower. Belgium’s Carnation aren’t most people. In fact, if the music on this death metal quintet’s debut is any indication, to them a ‘carnation’ is a 14-foot Venus flytrap-esque monstrosity with teeth like steak knives and vines that could crush your puny little ribcage like a bag of potato chips.” Morbid flora.

Thorium – Blasphemy Awakes Review

Thorium – Blasphemy Awakes Review

“What a swell dude Rogga Johansson is. Even though he is getting ever closer to having a band for every letter of the alphabet, he still finds time to assist his buddies with their songwriting troubles. One such buddy is Michael “MHA” Andersen, managing director of Danish label Mighty Music and frontman for death metal band Thorium.” A Rogga for every season.

Cardiac Arrest – A Parallel Dimension of Despair Review

Cardiac Arrest – A Parallel Dimension of Despair Review

“According to the inexhaustibly kvlt amongst our readership, we don’t review death metal. This is, of course, rubbish, mostly because, musically speaking, death metal is just about my favorite thing, and while I enjoy all of its increasingly technical incarnations, a platter of the traditional riff-beast is always certain to set my chops salivating. Cardiac Arrest are a band after my own heart — perhaps literally — serving the kind of classic cruelty the northern peak of my decades compromised vertebral column can freely enjoy without having to break out the algebra function of my old calculator.” Death for the olde.