Entombed

Carnal Savagery – Into the Abysmal Void Review

Carnal Savagery – Into the Abysmal Void Review

“I’m a sucker for a gnarly album cover. Give me a detailed image of a zombie, ghoul or otherwise undead creature holding a bladed instrument for use in committing appalling acts, and I’m a happy guy. It was this passion for putridity that led me to choose Into the Abysmal Void, the fifth album by Gothenburg, Sweden-based death metallers Carnal Savagery.” Void noids.

Kruelty – Untopia [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

Kruelty – Untopia [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

“Trawling through a stack of overlooked gems from 2023, I stumbled across the impressive sophomore album from Japan’s Kruelty. In another bumper year for death metal enthusiasts, Kruelty channel classic Swedeath vibes from yesteryear, done Japanese style, armed with a healthy hardcore and doom kick. The Tokyo quartet formed in 2017, recording a lengthy string of short-form releases before arriving at their 2019 debut LP, A Dying Truth. Now with a solid number of years under their belt as a unit, Kruelty unleashed a power-packed second LP way back in March 2023. And if you happened to miss it initially, as I did, I am here to rectify the oversight and introduce you to the formidable slab of solid school death, entitled Untopia.” Plunder in the East.

Harmagedon – Dystopian Dreams Review

Harmagedon – Dystopian Dreams Review

“I’ve got to come clean with you folks; there are times when I review bands that have nothing to do with the pedigree of the involved players, or the fervent word-of-mouth presented by the metal music sites at large. No, I tend to grab bands based on their names, or how bizarre the genre combinations appear on screen. Hence, today’s subject, Swedish trio Harmagedon, was described in our promo bin as “melodeath/crust,” and with a mental imagery of In Flames-by-way-of-Morrow soundscape, I was curious as to what that apparent trainwreck could sound like. I mean, who wouldn’t want a lil’ moonshield in their post-apocalyptic emokrusty adventure, right?” Eat your crust!

Fuming Mouth – Last Day of Sun Review

Fuming Mouth – Last Day of Sun Review

“A concept album is risky when you’re as meatheaded as Massachusetts’ Fuming Mouth. Don’t get me wrong, Last Day of Sun’s concept is unique and powerful, an apocalyptic vision of a world destined for darkness in twenty-four hours (hence the title) – a story further fueled by the act’s mastermind, vocalist, and guitarist Mark Whelan’s triumphant battle over cancer. For an act that has rarely been called the “thinking man’s” anything, it’s pretty high-brow to fuse an approach of death metal and hardcore with such heart-wrenching emotion.” Sun’s out, HM-2 out.

Carnation – Cursed Mortality Review

Carnation – Cursed Mortality Review

“Belgian five-banger Carnation are nothing if not reliable. Time after time, these purveyors of vicious and serrated old-school HM-2 death metal prove themselves to be a cut or two above the standard. Punky swagger often combined with rabid bloodthirst as Carnation spewed forth tome after tome of hard-hitting, hooky material without fail.” Flower POWERS.

Svartkonst – May the Night Fall Review

Svartkonst – May the Night Fall Review

“I beg your pardon, Svartkonst–but it appears you got your corpse paint on my cargo shorts. Over the course of two albums, Rickard Törnqvist–until now the only member of this Swedish outfit–has been concocting and refining his signature blend of Entombed-core Swedeath and Watain’s fierce approach to melodic black metal. 2020’s Black Waves was a revelation and a highlight of that dire year, taking the best of Svartkonst’s influences and boiling away whatever Törnqvist didn’t need. Not since the mad lads over at Reese’s had their mishap with chocolate and peanut butter has a mashup gone so swimmingly. Now Törnqvist is back with a five-man touring lineup in tow, as Svartkonst drops new long player May the Night Fall.” Be-Twix and between worlds.

Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep Review

Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep Review

“2021 saw the birth of Stockholm HM-2 worshipping Swedeath act Grand Cadaver, composed of veterans of notable groups like Katatonia, Tiamat and Dark Tranquillity. Their Into the Maw of Death debut was a loving tribute to the early days of Entombed and Dismember and had more buzzing than a landfill in an Arizona summer. It brought nothing new to the well-trod d-beat death community beyond star power, but it was competent and aggressive enough to make for an entertaining spin, and the presence of Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne on vocals was reason enough to check it out. Now this group of super troopers are back with second release, Deities of Deathlike Sleep and the formula remains the same.” Corpus delicti.

Coffin Mulch – Spectral Intercession Review

Coffin Mulch – Spectral Intercession Review

“How can you go wrong with a band named Coffin Mulch? While I’ve used these introductory paragraphs time and time again to restate my love for OSDM, it doesn’t hurt that this band’s morbid moniker really tickles my fancy. While “Coffin” isn’t a particularly inventive inclusion, “mulch” adds an entirely new, evocative flavor to this putrescent pile. Is the mulch intended, perhaps, to entice the seeping coffin below to sprout zombified greenery? Or, better yet, is the mulch itself made from that nitrogen-rich churn composed of damp soil and viscous coffin offal? The band themselves don’t offer an explanation, and that’s just fine.” Savage gardening.

Bloodgutter – Death Mountain Review

Bloodgutter – Death Mountain Review

“Last month, Steel Druhm graced us with the absolutely filthy and chunky Rotpit. Since that day, Let There Be Rot hasn’t yet left my almost daily rotation. Grimy, thick riffage met with gonzo groove to form this mountainous, ugly thing that stomps my skull flat, and I love every second of it. Without a doubt, I was sure I wouldn’t see the likes of it again for some time. And yet, fate allowed me no rest, as it unceremoniously plopped an equally massive Bloodgutter upon my already overburdened back.” Blood for the Blood God!

Rotpit – Let There Be Rot Review

Rotpit – Let There Be Rot Review

“The name “Rotpit” stood out in the promo sump like an elephant turd in a kid’s wading pool. Impossible to miss and difficult to ignore, it begged critical questions. Is rotpit just another name for a grave, or is it something way more…rotten? Could it be a compost heap? Is this some kind of Earth-first green death metal? Steel doesn’t have all the answers, but he did learn that Rotpit is a side-project by current and former members of Heads of the Dead, Wombbath, Just Before Dawn, and Revel in Flesh.” 40 Rot Sun O))).